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1966

Coach: Norm Smith
Captain: Hassa Mann
Finishing Position: 11th
Best and Fairest: Terry Leahy
Leading Goalkicker: Barrie Vagg (20)
Best First Year Player: Terry Leahy

Matches Ladder Playing List Night Series Best and Fairest Reserves Under 19s Tribunal

The year began with a contested election, with former player and Seconds coach Bill Adams running for election. He was unsuccessful and the existing directors retained their position.

Speaking before the season, Norm Smith said: "Our morale fell to an all-time low last year, but there is no use crying over spilt milk. Discipline must be maintained. This year I am going to be hard on the players, but fair. I want respect above all". He said, "there has been a lot of criticism about my coaching methods. My only desire is to get the best out of the players - firstly for the club, then the player, and if anything is left over for myself". Chairman Donald Duffy said Smith's sacking was "a thing of the past", and at the same meeting Brian Dixon refuted claims he'd been disloyal to Smith.

A motion that MCC representation on the club's board be reduced from eight to six and MFC members be given four seasons instead of two was carried, but the club still needed to ratify the decision with the MCC.

A novel recruiting plan to have 1000 young players at an open trial in March was derailed when hot weather meant only 101 showed up. 60 of those had to be rejected because they were residentially tied to other clubs. None of the three players unearthed from the sessions played senior football.

The lack of available players due to injury was highlighted as a problem as early as the pre-season. Many players were suffering issues from the previous season, and as soon as one player returned another one dropped out. The injury plague affected almost every line of the team, making impossible for Norm Smith to field a stable lineup in any of his side's intra-club practice matches.

Additionally the Demons, like all VFL sides, were handicapped in their practice matches - banned from playing each other, VFA clubs or any other country club within a 60 mile radius of Melbourne - hence their match against East Ringwood.

The rules of the game were altered at the behest of the Australian National Football Council to ban open handed 'flick' passes. Players were now required to hit the ball with a clenched fist.

Having won just two matches since they started the 1965 season 8-0, the Demons crashed to defeat in their first six matches of the new season. Three times they kicked four goals or less and Smith was forced to use five different full-forwards in the first five games of the year. After kicking three goals against Carlton in Round 5 Smith was forced to issue an ultimatum to his players that they had to meet his demands or leave the club.

During July the club also adopted a revolutionary four night a week training program in a desperate attempt to right their sinking ship. Despite these novel measures the Demons were still forced to use 46 players for the year, including 22 rookies - the most since the 1919 season and were only saved from the wooden spoon by the one win Fitzroy side. It was the equal most players used in any Melbourne season.

The players went on an end of season trip to Surfers Paradise.

Melbourne's VFL delegates were Arthur King and Tom Trumble.

Practice Matches

OppositionResultScore
East Ringwood Unknown Unknown

Premiership Season

RoundOppositionResult
1 St. Kilda LOSS33-109
2 HawthornLOSS29-56
3 RichmondLOSS80-123
4 South MelbourneLOSS89-119
5 CarltonLOSS32-79
6 CollingwoodLOSS57-90
7 EssendonWIN94-60
8 FootscrayLOSS50-71
9 North MelbourneLOSS36-65
10 FitzroyWIN83-25
11 GeelongLOSS75-93
12 St. KildaLOSS42-85
13 HawthornWIN151-59
14 RichmondLOSS72-97
15 South MelbourneLOSS109-125
16 CarltonLOSS70-99
17 CollingwoodLOSS84-141
18 EssendonLOSS49-84

Ladder

WDL%P
Collingwood1503157.260
St. Kilda1404142.856
Geelong1404137.656
Essendon1404121.056
Richmond1314123.254
Carlton1008107.940
North Melbourne711093.730
South Melbourne701198.728
Hawthorn501374.220
Footscray401468.916
Melbourne301578.212
Fitzroy101753.84

Playing List

NumberPlayerGamesGoals
1 Rob Foster 30
2 Robert Stewart 70
3 Sid Catlin 31
3 Maurie Bartlett 46
4 Peter Smith 85
5 Neil Crompton 20
6 Frank Davis 130
7 Graham Osborne 711
8 Tassie Johnson 182
9 Brian Dixon 110
10 Ken Emselle 1418
11 Tony Anderson 50
14 Barry Bourke 1514
15 Stan Alves 182
16 John Townsend 10
17 Jeff Chapman 22
18 Neville Stone 1613
19 Terry Leahy 186
20 Graeme Jacobs 11
21 Ed Burston 813
22 Bryan Kenneally 183
23 Graham Wise 10
24 Ross Dillon 63
25 Kerry Rattray 72
26 Frank Vearing 64
29 Hassa Mann 1419
30 Ken Rowe 90
31 Ray Groom 167
32 Barrie Vagg 1620
34 Bob Russell 20
35 Don Williams 180
36 Kerry Ryan 11
37 Bernie Massey 160
38 Rob Dowsing 12
39 Rick Feldmann 60
40 Gary Wynd 21
42 John Hamilton 20
44 Les Harrison 31
45 John Quirk 32
46 Adrian Bowden 140
49 John Murnane 50
50 Ken Jungwirth 45
51 Ken Osborne 20
52 Bob Langford 21
53 Tony Hirst 21
53/34 Brent Jones 104

Night Series

RoundOppositionResultScore
1 Richmond WIN73-70
SF Hawthorn LOSS60-88

Best and Fairest

Player
1st Terry Leahy
2nd Tassie Johnson
3rd Hassa Mann
4th Ray Groom
5th Barry Bourke

Other Awards
Outstanding Service - Ray Groom and Barry Bourke

Tribunal

RoundPlayerChargeSanction
Round 7 Tassie Johnson Striking Not Guilty
Round 8 Reserves Bob Langford Throwing opponent to ground after mark Unknown
Round 8 Reserves Bob Langford Striking Unknown

Round 14 | Neville Stone | Striking |Not Guilty||

Reserves

1966 Reserves Season
Captain - Peter McLean
Best and Fairest - Frank Vearing
Second Best and Fairest - Rick Feldmann
Outstanding service - Tony Hirst, Brent Jones, Gary Wynd

Image
Richmond lost three wins for fielding an unregistered player

Under 19's

1966 Under 19's Season
Best and Fairest - John Callery
Second Best and Fairest - Greg Smith
Best Clubman - P. Kingston
Outstanding Service - Rod Orr, Neville Stone

Image

Richmond lost seven wins and were replaced in the finals by South Melbourne for fielding an unregistered player.

Fourths

Best and Fairest - K. Williams
Second Best and Fairest - S. Goodwin
Outstanding service - Robert McKenzie, R. Mervcich, G. Fraser

Media
Age - 28/01/1966
Age - 18/02/1966
Age - 09/03/1966
Age - 24/03/1966
Age - 28/07/1966
Football Record R1 1966

Created by Supermercado. Last Modification: Thursday 08 August 2019 22:29:41 AEST by Supermercado. (Version 53)

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