Coach: Norm Smith
Captain: Geoff Collins
Finishing Position: 4th (runners up)
Best and Fairest: Denis Cordner
Leading Goalkicker: Noel Clarke (51)
Best First Year Player: Robert B Johnson
Members: 2444

Matches

Ladder

Playing List

Best and Fairest

Seconds

Thirds

Fourths

Having finished in the bottom two twice in the previous three seasons, the Demons had blooded a number of young players and were expected to climb up the ladder in '54, but nobody could have forecast how fast they would rise. With the resignation of Denis Cordner, Geoff Collins was appointed captain over vice-captain Noel McMahen. McMahen was not considered for the top job as he was expected to apply for a coaching clearance at the end of the year.

Two new rule changes came into effect, firstly players who took a mark on the goal or behind line would have the man on the mark stand back at least five yards. It was also put into the rules that if the field umpire missed a boundary umpires 'out of bounds' signal and a score was registered then it would be nullified as soon as the two umpires could confer.

The season opened with a loss, and Melbourne barely scraped into the finals with a last round win against South Melbourne despite having a percentage below a hundred. They then pulled off a shock victory against North Melbourne in the Semi Final before pulling off an even bigger upset in the Preliminary Final to send minor premiers Geelong out of the finals in straight sets.

Despite the promise of a financial bonus for the best player in the finals, raised by selling a bull donated by a supporter, the fairytale run came to an end in the Grand Final, handing Footscray their first and so far last league premiership.

All four grades (Seniors, seconds, thirds and fourths) made their finals. Senior players who appeared in all three finals games got a 16 pound bonus, while all players on the senior list shared in donations made by supporters to celebrate the finals appearance.

At the end of the season Melbourne supported a motion to remove the district system and allow players to choose the clubs they wanted to play for no matter where they lived. This was a reaction to population decreases in the City of Melbourne and Prahran areas that the Demons were assigned. Despite support from Collingwood and Fitzroy the motion didn't have the necessary 75% support to be carried.

Melbourne's VFL delegates were Bert Chadwick and Richard Taylor.

Practice match

Opposition	Result
Ormond	?

Premiership Season

Round	Opposition	Result
1	Collingwood	LOSS
2	Carlton	WIN
3	Hawthorn	LOSS
4	Fitzroy	WIN
5	Richmond	WIN
6	St. Kilda	LOSS
7	South Melbourne	WIN
8	Geelong	WIN
9	Essendon	LOSS
10	Footscray	LOSS
11	North Melbourne	WIN
12	Collingwood	LOSS
13	Carlton	WIN
14	Hawthorn	WIN
15	Fitzroy	LOSS
16	Richmond	WIN
17	St. Kilda	WIN
18	South Melbourne	WIN
SF	North Melbourne	WIN
PF	Geelong	WIN
GF	Footscray	LOSS

Exhibition Match

Opposition	Result
Alberton League	WIN
North-Eastern XVIII	WIN

Ladder

	W	D	L	%	P
Geelong	13	0	5	133.1	52
Footscray	11	1	6	130.0	46
North Melbourne	11	1	6	99.6	46
Melbourne	11	0	7	99.6	44
Richmond	10	0	8	114.7	40
Essendon	10	0	8	107.8	40
Collingwood	10	0	8	100.8	40
Carlton	8	0	10	99.4	32
Hawthorn	8	0	10	88.0	32
South Melbourne	6	0	12	81.6	24
Fitzroy	4	1	13	73.2	18
St. Kilda	4	1	13	72.7	18

Playing List

Number	Name	Games	Goals
1	Denis Cordner	21	6
2	Robert McKenzie	19	31
3	Peter Marquis	17	2
4	Ken Christie	16	1
5	Ian McLean	20	4
6	Ken Albiston	9	15
7	Geoff Case	14	4
8	Geoff Collins	21	1
9	Brian Dixon	8	2
10	Lance Arnold	18	4
11	Laurie Mithen	13	6
12	Stuart Spencer	21	37
16	Clyde Laidlaw	8	2
17	Geoff McGivern	16	11
18	Bob Johnson	11	23
19	Keith Carroll	6	0
22	John Ferguson	4	3
23	Leigh Gloury	3	0
24	Ian Ridley	2	1
25	Don Williams	21	0
26	Noel Clarke	20	51
28	Terry Gleeson	4	1
29	Tony Bull	6	2
30	John Beckwith	17	0
31	Ron Barassi	14	12
32	Dale Anderson	1	1
33	Colin Wilson	8	0
34	Ralph Lane	21	4
35	Noel McMahen	19	0
36	Keith Robinson	3	0
38	Ken Melville	20	0
39	Tom Magee	1	1
41	Frank Adams	18	20

Best and Fairest

	Player
1st	Denis Cordner
2nd	Noel McMahen

Other Awards
Most improved - Geoff Case
Outstanding service - Stuart Spencer
Consistent service - Peter Marquis and Ken Melville
Tribunal

Round	Player	Charge	Sanction
SF	Bob McKenzie	Striking	4 matches
SF	Peter Marquis	Striking	Guilty (reprimand)

Seconds

1954 Seconds season
Best and Fairest - Ken Albiston
Finals

Round	Opponent	Result
SF	Carlton	WIN
GF	Richmond	LOSS

Thirds

1954 Thirds season
Captain - Terry Mountain
Leading Goalkicker: Peter Brenchley - 28

	W	D	L	%	P
Footscray	14	0	2	122.7	56
Carlton	13	0	3	145.0	52
Geelong	11	0	5	133.8	44
Melbourne	10	0	6	157.0	40
Fitzroy	9	0	7	134.9	36
Essendon	9	0	7	116.7	36
Richmond	7	0	9	114.0	28
South Melbourne	7	0	9	96.3	28
Collingwood	7	0	9	86.6	28
North Melbourne	6	0	10	94.6	24
St Kilda	1	1	14	46.1	6
Hawthorn	1	1	14	44.2	6

Finals

Round	Opposition	Result
SF	Geelong	WIN
PF	Footscray	LOSS

Fourths

1954 Fourths season

Media
Age - 13/04/1954
Football Record R1 1954
Herald - 17/08/1954
Argus - 16/09/1954
Age - 27/09/1954
Age - 30/09/1954
Herald - 20/10/1954
Argus - 21/10/1954

Links
Image courtesy Boyles Football Photos