DOB: 13 March 1932
Died: 4 March 2005
Debut: Round 1, 1953 against Richmond at Punt Road
Last Game: Grand Final 1958 against Collingwood at MCG
From: Devonport
Number: 3 (1953-1958)
Honours:
Premiership Player - 1955, 1956, 1957
Grand Final team - 1958
Victorian state player - 1957
150 Heroes selection
Games: 99
Goals: 7
Career Statistics
Wins | Draws | Losses | Winning % |
64 | 2 | 33 | 64.64 |
Alan Peter "Trunky" Marquis debuted for Devonport in 1950 and was first spotted by the Demons while playing for the North-West Football Union in a curtain raiser for the match against Fitzroy at North Hobart Oval. Marquis had already won his club's 1951 Best and Fairest as a 19-years-old when Melbourne signed him. He crossed to Victoria in the 1953 pre-season to trial with the Demons and impressed so much that he was selected for Round 1. Thrown to full-back on debut he impressed and retained the role for the rest of the season - being named one of the best in the VFL that year.
Marquis was a constant presence in the Demon defence in 1954, but his second pulled thigh muscle of the season cost him a start in both the Preliminary Final and Grand Final. It was the second time he had injured the same thigh during the season.
In 1956 Marquis and teammate Laurie Mithen - along with their girlfriends - had to be rescued from Mt. Buller after being lost for 18 hours. Despite suffering frostbite and exposure requiring hospital treatment he returned to play in the Grand Final victory that year.
Despite speculation that he would take up a coaching job in Ballarat in 1957, Marquis remained with the Demons and won another premiership. At the end of that aseason he was again pursued by a number of country clubs but opted to stay at Melbourne in 1958. His season was interrupted by an injury in pre-season practice and he was restricted to four games in the first half of the year before reestablishing himself as a regular and playing in the Grand Final.
After six seasons at the club Marquis returned to Tasmania in 1959 where he added two more flags to his resume with North Hobart - where he also coached.. Victorian country clubs Warragul, Heyfield, Mortlake, Terang and Cobden had applied to interview him before he chose to return home.
Marquis later became a commentator for the ABC.
Year | Games | Goals | Brownlow |
1953 | 17 | 1 | 0 |
1954 | 17 | 2 | 0 |
1955 | 20 | 0 | 9 |
1956 | 15 | 4 | 3 |
1957 | 17 | 0 | 6 |
1958 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
Match | Charge | Sanction | |
Semi Final 1954 | Striking | Guilty (reprimand) |
Lists
Interstate recruits
Near Misses
Media
Advocate - 02/03/1951
Mercury - 27/07/1951
Advocate - 12/09/1951
Mercury - 16/04/1953
Age - 16/09/1954
Age - 24/09/1954
Argus - 19/06/1956
Age - 08/03/1957
Age - 02/04/1958
Age - 25/09/1958
Age - 13/04/1959
Links
Boyles Football Photos
Demonwiki image gallery
Wikipedia profile