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1948

Coach: Frank Hughes
Captain: Don Cordner
Finishing Position: 2nd (Premiers)
Best and Fairest: Alby Rodda
Leading Goalkicker: Lance Arnold (41)
Best First Year Player: n/a

Matches Ladder Playing List Best and Fairest Seconds Thirds Tribunal

Image

Image After having their triple premiership winning side of the late 30s and early 40s torn apart by the war the Demons finally won another premiership, but they had to do it via a replay after Essendon kicked themselves out of contention in spectacular fashion during the first match.

Melbourne's secret weapon for the finals was Jack Mueller, who came out of retirement late in the season to kick 20 goals in his three finals appearances - including six of ten in the first Grand Final and another six in the Replay. Melbourne needed Mueller as they were down to the bare bones of their playing list midway through the finals but his inclusion proved decisive. Essendon kicked themselves out of the Grand Final and the Demons ran away with their sixth league premiership in the Replay.

At the end of the season Checker Hughes retired as coach, and players Don Cordner, Shane McGrath, Norm Smith and Jack Mueller followed. It marked the start of a dramatic fall from grace by the Demons as they entered a rebuilding phase.

A tradition came to the end at the MCG late in the season as a siren replaced the bell known as "Old Lysander" which had rung out for many years to mark the start and end of quarters.

Melbourne Thirds played a Queensland representative side at the MCG on Wednesday 11 August. The Demons juniors won comfortably.

An exhibition game was proposed for October in Broken Hill, but was later cancelled.

Despite the premiership the club made a loss, with 7524p/17/8 expenditure against record reciepts of 6581p/18/1.

Melbourne's VFL delegates were Bill Flintoft and Bruce Hogg.

Premiership Season

RoundOppositionResultScore
1 EssendonLOSS77-96
2 St. KildaWIN79-48
3 FitzroyLOSS48-86
4 RichmondWIN89-84
5 North MelbourneWIN95-50
6 South MelbourneWIN105-59
7 CarltonWIN102-51
8 CollingwoodLOSS76-83
9 FootscrayLOSS68-75
10 HawthornWIN120-70
11 GeelongWIN71-57
12 EssendonLOSS65-91
13 St. KildaWIN163-58
14 FitzroyWIN113-77
15 RichmondLOSS44-106
16 North MelbourneWIN74-42
17 South MelbourneWIN103-54
18 CarltonWIN101-92
19 CollingwoodWIN89-59
SF EssendonLOSS58-94
PF CollingwoodWIN166-101
GF EssendonDRAW69-69
GF-R EssendonWIN89-50

Ladder

WDL%P
Essendon1612137.266
Melbourne1306124.952
Collingwood1306118.352
Footscray1207103.248
Richmond1117125.646
Carlton1009113.140
Fitzroy9010112.836
North Melbourne801183.632
Geelong701289.728
South Melbourne701282.828
Hawthorn501475.720
St. Kilda201759.88

Exhibition match

OppositionResultScore
Central Goulburn Valley League WIN126-70
North Western Football Union WIN120-73

Playing List

NumberNameGamesGoals
1 Denis Cordner 20
1 Jim Mitchell 127
2 Robert McKenzie 1939
3 Geoff Collins 73
4 Norm Smith 1335
5 Billy Deans 230
6 Eddie Craddock 1118
7 Eddie Jackson 133
8 Doug Heywood 20
9 Les Crawley 40
10 Lance Arnold 2241
11 Gordon Bowman 111
12 Jack Mueller 528
13 Max Spittle 221
14 Eric Roscoe 1211
15 Frank O'Connor 77
16 George Bickford 232
17 Greg Lourey 51
18 Wally Lock 180
19 Bill Scanlan 61
20 Russ Robinson 61
21 Don Cordner 230
22 Shane McGrath 221
23 Dave Hardie 53
24 Frank Hanna 143
25 Col McLean 220
26 Colin Cox 22
27 Ernie O'Rourke 105
28 Adrian Dullard 2331
30 Alby Rodda 2123
31 Stan Rule 191
32 Len Dockett 228
33 Alan McGowan 41
33 Des Bell 11
34 Frank Scanlan 125
35 Noel McMahen 1715

Best and Fairest

PlayerVotes
1st Alby Rodda

Other Awards
Outstanding Service - Len Dockett
Effective Play in Finals - Col McLean

Tribunal

RoundPlayerChargeSanction
Round 7 Norm Smith Obscene Language 4 matches
SF Bob McKenzie Striking Guilty (Reprimand)
PF Alan McGowan Attempted Striking 2 matches

Seconds

1948 Seconds season
Best and Fairest - John Dorgan

WDL%P
Collingwood 1603130.164
Richmond 1504151.160
Geelong 1216135.550
Essendon 1207134.048
Melbourne 1117108.146
Carlton 1108103.544
Footscray919118.438
South Melbourne701283.928
St Kilda601384.124
North Melbourne601379.024
Fitzroy511377.022
Hawthorn201754.08

Thirds

WDL%P
Essendon 1610229.866
Geelong 1502207.360
Carlton 1403230.456
Richmond 1205155.648
Melbourne908154.936
Footscray90881.436
South Melbourne701094.928
Fitzroy701073.228
Hawthorn511172.222
North Melbourne401316
North Essendon201528.68
St Kilda101629.64

Media
Barrier Daily Truth - 30/09/1948
Sporting Globe - 13/10/1948
"Record receipts at Melbourne" - 28/01/1949

Links
AFL Tables 1948 page

Created by Supermercado. Last Modification: Sunday 31 May 2020 14:56:26 AEST by Supermercado. (Version 30)

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