MELBOURNE - Part Two: 1919 to 1954

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Every groundsman and official is a friend of his.  He loves to loiter in the dressing rooms, where there is the reek of training oil and perspiration.  It is the smell of powder to a war horse.  Before the game starts, he has some advice to give both sides.  It is to play the game, and remember that football is a game.  

(An unnamed journalist, writing about Henry Harrison in 1926, and cited in Running With The Ball by A.Mancini and M.Gibbins, page 50.)

Perhaps not surprisingly, when Melbourne resumed in the VFL after the war, it found the going tough.  Indeed, in its first season of post-war competition, 1919, it failed to win a single match, and although the next five seasons brought marginal improvement, it was not until 1925 that the side again qualified for the major round.  Once there, it quickly demonstrated that it was not content merely to make up the numbers.  Indeed, after scoring a surprise 15 point win over minor premiers and premiership favourites Geelong in a semi final, there were some who began to think that 1925 might just be the Redlegs' year.  However, in the final against Collingwood, "the team failed completely to reproduce its previous fine form, and although holding a weight advantage of almost two pounds a man too many players allowed themselves to be 'bulldozed' right out of the game" (see footnote 9).

Having learned the vital lesson that finals football did not allow for even the most miniscule or fleeting lapses in concentration and effort, Melbourne's player fronted up for the 1926 season in determined frame of mind.  Among those players were some of the game's all time greats, notably the prodigiously talented centreline player Ivor Warne-Smith, and formidable centre half back cum ruckman Albert Chadwick, who was arguably one of the toughest men ever to play the game.  Other fine players such as hard-as-nails ruckman Hugh Dunbar, beanpole aerialist Bob Johnston, forceful centreman Bob Corbett, long kicking Tasmanian rover Colin Deane, tricky wingman or centreman Richard Taylor, and rugged defenders Jim Abernethy and Edward Thomas helped make the Fuchsias (see footnote 10) a powerful force in 1926.  After qualifying for the finals in 3rd place with a 14-4 record, the side scored a strong 2nd semi final win over minor premiers Collingwood, after trailing by 22 points at half time.  A hard fought 5 point defeat of Essendon in the final, which was achieved in spite of centreman Bob Corbett being effectively unavailable in the 2nd half after being king hit by an opponent while leaving the ground at half time (see footnote 11), meant that all Melbourne had to do was repeat its win over Collingwood - which, as minor premier, enjoyed the right of challenge - in order to secure its first flag in 26 years.

Action from Melbourne's clash with Geelong at Corio Oval in 1926.

With Corbett still unfit, Melbourne 'blooded' a first gamer in the shape of 'Pop' Vine from Old Melburnians for the challenge final (see footnote 12).  Vine lined up in a forward pocket, with Warne-Smith replacing Corbett in the pivot.  After winning the toss, Melbourne was quickly into attack, and big Bob Johnson had the first goal of the game on the board within a minute.  Thereafter, the Redlegs continued to dominate most of the opening term exchanges, and at quarter time they had opened up a handy lead of 22 points.  In the 2nd quarter, inevitably, the Magpies fought back strongly, but at the long break it was still Melbourne by 9 points.  The 3rd term, as so often seems to be the case, proved decisive, with the Redlegs achieving ascendancy all over the ground to add 7 goals to 1 and effectively seal the match.  By the final siren Melbourne's forward line, which had been statistically the most potent in the VFL all year, had accumulated a record tally for a VFL premiership decider of 17.17 (119),  57 points ahead of Collingwood on 9.8 (62).  Watching proudly in the stands was ninety year old Henry Harrison who, prior to Melbourne's opening fixture of the 1927 season, would have the honour of unfurling the team's 1926 premiership pennant.  Ivor Warne-Smith's first Brownlow Medal win in 1926 was icing on the cake.

Melbourne's failure to build on its 1926 success is difficult to explain.  In 1927, with basically the same list as in the premiership year, the club slipped down the ladder to 5th, before recovering somewhat in 1928 to finish 3rd, after holding Jock McHale's indomitable Collingwood side to a draw in the 2nd semi final.  (The replay was lost by 4 points.)  Ivor Warne-Smith won his second Brownlow that year.

The ensuing ten season period brought mixed fortunes, but no further premierships.  Between 1929 and 1935 the team failed to contest the major round, but it was normally competitive, and with players like Alan La Fontaine, Jack Mueller, Norm Smith and Maurice Gibb there was always plenty of entertainment on view for the club's many supporters.  In 1936, it finally reached the finals again, but after a good 1st semi final win over Carlton in which straight kicking for goal was a feature, it bowed out to South Melbourne's 'foreign legion' a fortnight later in the preliminary final.  The 1937 season also came to an end at the preliminary final stage, this time at the hands of Collingwood, while in 1938 the Redlegs missed the finals by a game.

Despite this setback, Melbourne, under the astute guidance of former Richmond premiership coach Frank 'Checker' Hughes, who had transferred to the Fuchsias in 1933, was slowly but surely setting out its stall for greatness.  In 1939, to mix metaphors, the pieces of the jig-saw all finally came together as the side, known this year as 'the Red Demons', secured both its first ever VFL minor premiership and, with a minimum of fuss, the one that really counted a month later.  The opposition in both the 2nd semi final and the grand final was provided by Collingwood, which kept in touch on the scoreboard until three quarter time of the former, and half time of the latter, but overall simply could not cope with the devastating attacking system concocted by Hughes, which had yielded century-plus point totals in a record 15 (out of 18) matches during the minor round, and which in the grand final enabled the Red Demons to tally 21.22 (148), thereby establishing a new benchmark.  After half time of the 'big one', Melbourne booted 11.12 to Collingwood's 4.5, with rovers Percy Beames and Alby Rodda, half back flanker Frank Roberts, and wingmen Sid Anderson and Ray Wartman particularly conspicuous.

Years later, when asked pinpoint the reasons for Melbourne's dominance during this period, coach 'Checker' Hughes highlighted the novel attacking system which he developed, and which Norm Smith, "the complete forward engineer" (see footnote 13), orchestrated to such potent effect:

"When Smithy led out, Ron Baggott, centre half forward, one of those loosely put together players who was always hard to beat, ran in.  Smithy sometimes took a pass, but a quick hand pass to the running Baggott created more trouble for the defenders.

"Then we played a trump card by keeping Jack Mueller hanging around the goal square.  One of the best marks in the game, he was a problem child in himself.  No defender could leave him for a second.  Two brilliant rovers in Beames and Rodda were always on the move, and if that was not enough we had that amazing fellow Maurie Gibb doing the cleverest things on the half forward flank.  On the other half forward wing was that red-headed bullet, 'Bluey' Truscott.  Smith, who was football brains from his thatch to his toes, was in clover.  La Fontaine, our centre, diverted play to Gibb's flank or to Truscott, or maybe he drove direct to the fast moving Smith, or again he might ignore the Smith lead and pass to Baggott, who would have doubled around just behind centre half forward.

"Smith became a genius at handball.  He flipped the ball like a flash to a man running in, and then never forgot to block.  The things that fellow did amazed me.  He was different from the others; he made a team work around him.  Others made the team work for them.  He was a real master at creating play." (See footnote 14)

The war effectively ruined what might have become a Melbourne dynasty of unrivalled proportions.  Of all the clubs in the league, it is arguable that the Demons lost the greatest number of regular players to military demands.  For a time, it was even rumoured that the club would forge a temporary alliance with Collingwood, which had also been hard hit.  This never eventuated, but the club's on field performances deteriorated appreciably, with finals participation never remotely in prospect between 1942 and 1945.  Added to the club's woes was the need to relocate to Punt Road during those years as the US military had taken over the MCG.

In 1946 there was a restoration of normality of a sort as most teams returned to full strength, the MCG was made available for football once again, and - most importantly of all in the eyes of Melbourne supporters - the Demons re-emerged as a power.  'Checker' Hughes, who had taken a break from football between 1942 and 1944, had returned as coach in 1945, and by the following year, with access to a full list of players, had begun to weave his magic once more.  After qualifying for the finals in 4th place with a 13-6 record, Melbourne, despite a shaky spell in the 3rd term, ultimately proved too strong for Footscray in the 1st semi final, winning 17.18 (120) to 15.12 (102).   The preliminary final opposition was provided by old rivals Collingwood, and for three and a half quarters the only uncertainty seemed to revolve around the eventual extent of the Magpies' victory margin.  During the last fifteen minutes, however, the Melbourne forward line suddenly sprang into life: Jack Mueller added 4 goals to take his tally for the match to 8, and the Demons finished with 7.1 for the term to end up winning with deceptive comfort by 13 points, 16.17 (113) to 14.16 (100).

For the following week's preliminary final against Collingwood, however, 'Checker' Hughes pulled a master stroke by recalling Jack Mueller, who had spent the season as playing coach of the seconds, to the senior team.  In tandem once more with Norm Smith, Mueller put in a superb performance, as indeed did the entire Melbourne team.  Final scores were Melbourne 25.16 (166) to Collingwood 15.11 (101).  Still, Collingwood in a preliminary final was one thing, but what could the Demons come up with against the might of Essendon in the grand final that would enable them to reverse the comprehensive reversal of a fortnight earlier?  

In a sense, the observers got it right - but it was Melbourne, not Essendon, which displayed that increased steadiness.  In front of just 52,226 spectators, the lowest none-wartime grand final crowd since 1930, the Demons blitzed the Dons with 6.2 to 0.3 opening term burst, and thereafter were never troubled.  Norm Smith, in his last game for Melbourne (see footnote 15), gave a performance of consummate mastery that would surely have won him the award that would later bear his name had it existed at the time, while not far behind him was Jack Mueller, who booted 6 goals to take his total to 20 in 3 finals matches.  On the defensive side, Colin McLean made a major contribution by keeping Essendon danger man Dick Reynolds quiet, while 'Shane' McGrath, one of the finest full backs in the history of the game, restricted Dons full forward Bill Brittingham to 2 goals and very little impact.  If there was a sense in which Essendon might legitimately feel that it had thrown away the 1948 pennant, then from the Melbourne perspective it's victory represented one of those quintessential building blocks of tradition that no amount of money, planning or wishful thinking can procure.

'Checker' Hughes retired as coach after the 1948 grand final having steered the club to four flags from five grand finals over thirteen seasons.  Unfortunately, under his successor Alan La Fontaine there was a decline that, although gradual at first (5th in 1949, 4th in 1950), escalated into a full scale nosedive in 1951 when, with just 1 win for the year from 18 matches, the club succumbed to its first wooden spoon since 1924.  

The Bulldogs were playing in their first ever VFL grand final, and needless to say attracted considerable sentimental support.  They had also beaten Melbourne with some comfort in the teams' only minor round meeting of the year, attracting favouritism of a more objective kind as well.  In the event, both the tipsters and the neutrals had plenty of reason to feel satisfied as Footscray jumped the Demons from the start, kicking 6 opening term goals to 1 before cruising to a 15.12 (102) to 7.9 (51) victory.  As the disappointed Melbourne players trooped from the field and headed for the showers they might well have been more than a little consoled if someone had been able to tell them of the bright future that lay just around the corner.

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Footnotes

9.  100 Years Of Football: The Story Of The Melbourne Football Club 1858-1958  by E.C.H.Taylor, page 60.  Return to Main Text

10. For many years the Fuchsias nickname, which derived from the players' habit in days of yore of wearing red caps, was used interchangeably with 'Red Legs' or 'Redlegs'. Return to Main Text

11.  Despite being seriously concussed, and barely knowing where he was, Corbett returned to the fray towards the end of the match, and although he was unable to do anything of a tangible nature to assist his team's effort, his mere presence on the field was presumably a source of considerable inspiration.  Return to Main Text

12.  Vine went on to enjoy a highly successful career with Melbourne, playing a total of 105 VFL games between 1926 and 1934.  In 1932 and 1933 he was club captain.  Return to Main Text

13. Taylor, op cit., page 79.  Return to Main Text

14. Ibid., page 79. Return to Main Text

15. Having played 210 games and kicked 540 goals for the Redlegs/Demons between 1935 and 1948, Smith, having been passed over for the position of senior coach of Melbourne in 1949 on the casting vote of the club chairman, crossed instead to Fitzroy as captain-coach where he rounded off his VFL career with a further 17 games and 26 goals over 2 seasons, whilst steering the Maroons to 7th and 5th place finishes.  Return to Main Text