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1953

Coach: Norm Smith
Captain: Denis Cordner
Finishing Position: 11th
Best and Fairest: Ken Melville
Leading Goalkicker: Bob McKenzie (38)
Best First Year Player: Ken Melville
Members: 3600

Matches Ladder Playing List Tribunal Seconds Thirds Fourths

Image After climbing from the bottom of the ladder to sixth in 1952 under new coach Norm Smith, the Demons crashed back to the bottom of the ladder. After losing 10 of their last 11 games they finished half a game ahead of wooden spooners Hawthorn.

With the last remaining stars of the 1948 premiership team either gone or on the way out, Smith blooded 19 new players, many of whom went on to be part of the 1955 Premiership. Another avenue for recruitment came with the introduction of a Fourths team, a reaction to having too many Thirds players available. For the first time teams were able to sign players to their Thirds but allow them to play with their original club when not required. Melbourne's side showed that there was plenty of talent coming through the ranks by winning the premiership


Before the season Melbourne and Richmond had joined to veto a move to allow Carlton to use at the MCG while Princes Park was being prepared for the 1956 Olympics. Melbourne objected that it was impractical for two clubs to train on the ground. They left the door open to the club playing matches there but the Blues remained at their home ground..

The disappointing season led to a deficit, with £8990 of income and £10,484 in expenses. An end of season trip was taken to Coleraine.

Richard Taylor replaced Wally Scott as Melbourne's VFL delegate, sitting alongside Bert Chadwick.

Premiership season

RoundOppositionResultScore
1 RichmondLOSS67-73
2 CarltonLOSS59-90
3 North MelbourneLOSS83-84
4 FootscrayLOSS30-75
5 EssendonWIN57-46
6 FitzroyLOSS71-81
7 GeelongLOSS58-82
8 South MelbourneLOSS71-77
9 CollingwoodLOSS48-63
10 HawthornLOSS74-102
11 St. KildaLOSS69-73
12 RichmondDRAW75-75
13 CarltonLOSS70-96
14 North MelbourneWIN67-64
15 FootscrayLOSS61-98
16 EssendonLOSS57-82
17 FitzroyWIN64-49
18 GeelongLOSS56-110

Lightning Premiership

RoundOpponentResultScore
1 South Melbourne LOSS7-8

Exhibition match

OpponentResultScore
Army ? ?

Ladder

WDL%P
Geelong1503143.360
Collingwood1404123.556
Footscray1305136.552
Essendon1305129.952
Carlton1008107.640
Fitzroy100885.040
North Melbourne909107.836
South Melbourne909104.736
St. Kilda501368.220
Richmond311481.314
Melbourne311480.114
Hawthorn301568.512

Playing List

NumberPlayerGamesGoals
1 Denis Cordner 1815
2 Robert McKenzie 1738
3 Peter Marquis 171
4 Ken Christie 182
5 Ian McLean 90
6 Ken Albiston 1711
7 Geoff Case 120
8 Don Cameron 21
9 Max Orr 20
10 Lance Arnold 170
11 Jim Wilson 22
11 Peter Schofield 614
12 Stuart Spencer 1610
13 Alan Krause 31
17 Geoff McGivern 1813
18 Nevin Paynter 70
19 Keith Carroll 60
21 Noel Baker 20
22 John Ferguson 30
23 Leigh Gloury 91
24 Bill Morrow 64
25 Don Williams 160
26 Noel Clarke 156
27 Neil Whitaker 10
28 Terry Gleeson 20
29 Tony Bull 41
30 John Beckwith 160
31 Ron Barassi 60
32 Dale Anderson 614
33 Jack Thomson 157
34 Ralph Lane 132
35 Noel McMahen 170
36 Keith Robinson 30
37 Mike Woods 74
38 Ken Melville 170
39 Maurie Reeves 104
40 Bob Constable 31
41 Frank Adams 45
43 Ron McKenzie 10

Best and Fairest

Player Votes
1st Ken Melville
2nd Denis Cordner
3rd Stuart Spencer

Other awards
Consistent service - John Beckwith and Stuart Spencer (shared)
Most improved - Ralph Lane
Best clubman - John Ferguson
Outstanding first year service - Peter Marquis and Don Williams
Unselfish play - Ken Christie

Tribunal

RoundPlayerChargeSanction
Round 6, 1953 Seconds Jim Wilson Striking 2 matches
Round 8 Lance Arnold Kicking Not Guilty

Seconds

1953 Seconds season

WDL%P
Essendon 1602161.464
Richmond 1404127.856
North Melbourne 1206101.348
Carlton 1107121.744
Collingwood909114.636
South Melbourne909100.436
Melbourne90995.836
Fitzroy801098.032
Geelong701186.328
Footscray601292.624
Hawthorn401472.516
St Kilda301566.012

Thirds

Captain - Robert B Johnson
1953 Thirds season
Leading goalkicker - Jeff Crouch (42 goals)

WDL%P
Melbourne 1402175.356
Footscray 1213148.650
Collingwood 1204134.648
Essendon 1015162.442
Fitzroy 916127.238
Geelong90786.736
Carlton709100.728
South Melbourne61991.226
North Melbourne501196.220
Richmond501182.220
Hawthorn401255.016
St Kilda101538.64

Finals

RoundOppositionResultScore
SF Footscray WIN51-37
GF Essendon WIN24-11

Fourths

1953 Fourths season

Media
Argus - 31/10/1952
Sun - 02/10/1953, 18/09/1953
Herald - 27/01/1954

Links
AFL Tables page
Wikipedia page