The 1949 Team

The 1949 'Sporting Life' Team of the Year

by Peter Argent

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Backs	Charlie Sutton (Footscray)	Shane McGrath (Melbourne)	Don Cordner (Melbourne)
Half Backs	Marcel Hilsz (Perth)	Bert Deacon Carlton)	Ron Clegg (South Melbourne)
Centres	Des Healey (Collingwood)	Ern Henfry (Carlton)	Stan Heal (West Perth)
Half forwards	Bob Hank (West Torrens)	Fred Flanagan (Geelong)	Les Foote (North Melbourne)
Forwards	Bill Morris (Richmond)	John Coleman (Essendon)	Jack Sheedy (East Fremantle)
1st Ruck	Jack Howell (Carlton)	Merv McIntosh (Perth)	Steve Marsh (South Fremantle)

From the previous two teams, five players were selected for the third consecutive time by the 'Sporting Life' panel as All Australians in 1949: Melbourne full back Shane McGrath, the Carlton duo of gentleman defender Bert Deacon and key position player or ruckman 'Chooka' Howell, West Torrens left footed centre man R.W. 'Bob' Hank, and the giant from the West, Merv McIntosh of Perth.

Triple South Melbourne club champion, Ron Clegg.

In both back pockets were players awarded this honour for the second time in three years. Charlie Sutton of Footscray backed up after his first selection the previous season, while Don Cordner was recalled after a sabbatical, having also been picked in 1947.

On the half back flanks to complement Deacon, were Perth’s Marcel Hilsz, and the boy with the movie star looks from South Melbourne, Ron 'Smokey' Clegg. Clegg won the Brownlow Medal that season and as a 17 year old played in the infamous 'Bloodbath' grand final of 1945 against Carlton. He also would play state football before he was out of his teens. A long kicking and strong marking centre half forward or centre half back he had a 231 game career with the Swans between the end of the Second World War and 1960, with one season a break in the country in 1955.

Just as in 1947, when he had also been selected at centre in this team, former West Australian state player, Ern Henfry, won the Carlton best and fairest award and was club captain during the current season. But unlike '47 the Blues were unable to beat Essendon in the 1949 grand final, going down by a massive 73 points. He would go on to captain the Blues until injury finished his career in 1952.

The wingmen were West Perth’s consistent state player Stan Heal and, selected for the first time, Collingwood’s Des Healey. Only small and lightly framed, Healey was regarded as one of the Magpies' all time great wingman. He played in the 1953 premiership side, and retired prematurely, aged just 27, after the 1955 grand final, after being named among his team’s best players as well as later winning the Copeland Trophy as Collingwood's club champion.

North Melbourne’s captain, and a man regarded as one of the best ball handlers of the period, Les Foote was selected for the first and only time on the half forward flank. He would captain the team on its first grand final appearance in 1950, represented the state on many occasions, and was also an accomplished basketballer and swimmer. After a couple of seasons in the country in the early 50s, he transferred to a struggling St Kilda side, where he would collect a fourth club best and fairest at VFL level.

North Melbourne's dynamic, fleet-footed wingman, Les Foote.

Nick-named 'Troubles', Geelong’s centre half forward Fred Flanagan was selected for this position by 'Sporting Life' in 1949, being among the finest of the game's players in what is commonly regarded as the toughest position on the field. A steadfast state performer for the majority of his playing days, he would be the club's premiership captain in their back to back flags of 1951 and 1952. At 83cm (6 foot) tall and 87kg (13 stone 10 pounds) he had the perfect physique for a footballer and was an integral part of the Cats' most dominant period in VFL history.

"Merv McIntosh, of WA, who can short pass as daintily and turn as nimbly as any footballer of more reasonable dimensions." (Jeff Pash)

A ruckman who could palm the ball with both hands, Bill Morris was selected for the second ruck duties in one forward pocket, while first rover from the previous season's side, the feisty Jack Sheedy, was in the other forward pocket, as the team’s second rover.

The full forward selected for this side, would in time be regarded as the greatest goal kicker ever to pull on a pair of boots, Essendon’s John Coleman. Late in the last quarter of the 1949 grand final, he would become the first Bomber to kick 100 goals, a feat he would achieve again twice before being lost to the game as a player after sustaining a serious knee injury at the tender age of 25.

The roving duties went to South Fremantle’s Steve Marsh, who would be first rover in that club's six premierships between 1947 and 1954 as well as being a proven state performer and the 1952 Sandover Medallist for the best player in the WANFL competition.

In this team were thirteen players from the VFL, four from the WAFL and, for the second year running, only one player from South Australia, Bob Hank.

Where now?

[ Home ] [ Up ] [ The 1947 Team ] [ The 1948 Team ] [ The 1949 Team ] [ The 1950 Team ] [ The 1951 Team ] [ The 1952 Team ] [ The 1953 Team ] [ The 1954 Team ] [ The 1955 Team ] [ Source Material ]