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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 Best and Fairest Seconds Thirds Fourths

Image After an encouraging start under Norm Smith, climbing from last to sixth, the Demons crashed again, plummeting back to 11th - just half a game above last place.

With the last remaining stars of the 1948 premiership team either gone or on the way out, Smith used the season to blood 19 new players, many of whom went on to be part of the 1955 Premiership.

Losing 10 of their first 11 games put the Demons in danger of finishing last, but two wins and a draw in the second half of the season helped them to climb above Hawthorn avoid the dreaded wooden spoon.

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

Bob McKenzie and Lance Arnold were Melbourne's players in July's interstate carnival winning side.

The Thirds won their premiership, showing that there was talent coming through the ranks to contribute to Smith's 'rebuild'. For the first time teams were able to sign players to their Third 18 but allow them to play with their original club when not required.

Before the season Melbourne and Richmond had joined to veto a move to allow Carlton to play at the MCG while Princes Park was being prepared for the Olympics. Melbourne objected that it was impractical for two clubs to use the ground for training, but left the door open to the club playing matches there. The proposal did not come to fruition.

The disappointing season led to a deficit, with 8990p of income and 10,484p in expenses.

Premiership Season

RoundOppositionResult
1 RichmondLOSS
2 CarltonLOSS
3 North MelbourneLOSS
4 FootscrayLOSS
5 EssendonWIN
6 FitzroyLOSS
7 GeelongLOSS
8 South MelbourneLOSS
9 CollingwoodLOSS
10 HawthornLOSS
11 St. KildaLOSS
12 RichmondDRAW
13 CarltonLOSS
14 North MelbourneWIN
15 FootscrayLOSS
16 EssendonLOSS
17 FitzroyWIN
18 GeelongLOSS

Lightning Premiership

RoundOpponentResult
1 South Melbourne LOSS

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 Player - John Beckwith and Stuart Spencer (shared)
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

RoundOppositionResult
SF Footscray WIN
GF Essendon WIN

Fourths

1953 Fourths season

Media
Argus - 31/10/1952
Herald - 27/01/1954

Created by Supermercado. Last Modification: Sunday 14 February 2021 21:03:22 AEDT by Supermercado. (Version 35)

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