Demonwiki | 1960

Coach: Norm Smith
Captain: Ron Barassi
Finishing Position: 1st (Premiers)
Best and Fairest: Brian Dixon
Leading Goalkicker: Ian Ridley (38)
Best First Year Player: Ray Nilsson
Members: 4440

Matches	Ladder	Playing List	Tribunal	Reserves	Under 19s

The defending premiers had to cope with the loss of Don Williams (24), Athol Webb (24) and Dick Fenton-Smith (27), and Captain John Beckwith stood down after contemplating retirement. He remained deputy to new captain Ron Barassi.

The Thirds and Seconds were rebranded as Under 19s and Reserves respectively.

Melbourne finished Round 15 with one loss and were heavy premiership favourites, before losing their last three games. Fitzroy started the Semi Final as the form side, but were thrashed, and after the Len Smith led Lions lost the Preliminary Final, Collingwood would again be the Grand Final opposition. The Magpies were restricted to two goals, their lowest score since 1900, as Melbourne captured their 11th premiership.

Despite this latest success, trouble was stirring between Norm Smith and the committee. In his premiership address, Smith said, "This has not been my happiest year at Melbourne. Many people in this room have to put away their shotguns for another year. These critics are within the football club itself. There are too many people in the club who claim to know a great deal about football - more than anyone else - but they do nothing about it except criticise. Today I have given my answer". Smith concluded his speech by saying "Put those shotguns away. Hang them up on the wall".

An exhibition match was played against South Australian premier North Adelaide. Players didn't go on an end-of-season trip, conserving money for a proposed trip to New Zealand at the end of 1961.

Tassie Johnson, John Lord, Bryan Kenneally and Clyde Laidlaw were the Melbourne representatives in a long kicking competition held at that year's Royal Melbourne Show. Kenneally was the competition winner.

Melbourne's VFL delegates were Bert Chadwick and Richard Taylor, however Taylor was replaced by Jim Cardwell between 6 May and 19 August, and Chadwick by Tom Trumble between 19 August and 21 October.

Lord Mayor Bernard Evans was the club's patron.

Premiership season

Round	Opposition	Result	Score
1	North Melbourne	WIN	99-44
2	St. Kilda	WIN	72-48
3	South Melbourne	WIN	110-46
4	Collingwood	LOSS	19-55
5	Hawthorn	WIN	57-37
6	Richmond	WIN	124-32
7	Essendon	WIN	71-69
8	Footscray	WIN	75-44
9	Fitzroy	WIN	110-68
10	Geelong	WIN	83-41
11	Carlton	WIN	71-58
12	North Melbourne	WIN	103-73
13	St. Kilda	WIN	49-45
14	South Melbourne	WIN	109-70
15	Collingwood	WIN	111-65
16	Hawthorn	LOSS	67-76
17	Richmond	LOSS	60-68
18	Essendon	LOSS	65-78
SF	Fitzroy	WIN	102-40
GF	Collingwood	WIN	62-14

Ladder

	W	D	L	%	P:
Melbourne	14	0	4	143.1	56
Fitzroy	14	0	4	112.5	56
Essendon	13	0	5	125.1	52
Collingwood	11	0	7	114.3	44
Hawthorn	11	0	7	104.9	44
St. Kilda	9	0	9	101.7	36
Carlton	8	1	9	99.0	34
South Melbourne	7	0	11	92.3	28
Geelong	6	1	11	95.5	26
Footscray	6	0	12	90.4	24
North Melbourne	5	0	13	80.3	20
Richmond	2	2	14	66.7	12

Exhibition match

Opposition	Result	Score
North Adelaide	WIN	Unknown

Playing list

Number	Player	Games	Goals
2	Alan Rowarth	15	22
4	John Lord	20	4
5	Ian McLean	4	0
6	Frank Adams	13	16
7	Geoff Case	19	0
8	Tassie Johnson	19	0
9	Brian Dixon	20	4
10	Bob Turner	5	5
11	Laurie Mithen	20	3
12	Neil Crompton	5	4
14	Trevor Johnson	18	1
16	Bob Johnson	16	30
20	Graeme Pinfold	7	0
21	Brian Leahy	12	0
22	Bryan Kenneally	17	0
23	Geoff Tunbridge	20	17
24	Ian Ridley	20	38
26	Ian Thorogood	15	0
27	Denis Jones	15	0
28	Terry Gleeson	15	3
29	Hassa Mann	20	22
30	John Beckwith	16	0
31	Ron Barassi	18	21
32	George Milner	5	1
34	Len Mann	6	1
35	Clyde Laidlaw	19	14
37	Bernie Massey	7	0
38	Ray Nilsson	13	19
45	Peter Baker	1	0

Best and Fairest

	Player
1st	Brian Dixon
2nd	Ian Ridley
3rd	John Beckwith

Awards
Most Improved - Bryan Kenneally
Outstanding Service - Ron Barassi, Tassie Johnson, Terry Gleeson, Laurie Mithen, John Lord, Geoff Tunbridge
Best Clubman - Alan Rowarth
Most Improved Player - Bryan Kenneally

Tribunal

Round	Player	Charge	Sanction
Practice Match	Terry Gleeson	Obscene language	2 matches
Round 12	Ron Barassi	Obscene Language	1 match
Round 16	Robert B Johnson	Obscene Language	2 matches