Coach: Norm Smith
Captain: Ron Barassi
Finishing Position: 3rd
Best and Fairest: Hassa Mann
Leading Goalkicker: Barry Bourke (48)
Best First Year Player: Barry Bourke
Matches | Ladder | Playing List | Best and Fairest | Reserves | Under 19s |
Once again the Demons lost a number of senior, ex-premiership players, for the season. Laurie Mithen, Clyde Laidlaw, Ian Thorogood, Geoff Tunbridge, Terry Gleeson, Geoff Case, Trevor Johnson and Denis Jones all retired or took on roles elsewhere before their 30th birthday. It meant the Demons starting equal third favourite for the premiership, even with a number of new players.
The Round 11 match against Footscray was postponed for a week when all VFL matches were called off due to adverse weather. The season ended in October due to the afternoon of cancellations.
Despite the loss of personnel, and a scare where they only made the five on percentage after winning the last five matches of the season, the Demons still made yet another Preliminary Final but were knocked out of the race by Hawthorn.
Melbourne's VFL delegates were Arthur King and Tom Trumble. Lord Mayor Leo Curtis was Club Patron.
Practice Matches
Opposition | Result | Score | |||
Hamilton Imperials | WIN | 168-61 |
Premiership Season
Round | Opposition | Result
| |||
1 | St. Kilda | LOSS | |||
2 | Hawthorn | WIN | |||
3 | Essendon | LOSS | |||
4 | Fitzroy | WIN | |||
5 | Collingwood | LOSS | |||
6 | Richmond | WIN | |||
7 | South Melbourne | LOSS | |||
8 | Geelong | WIN | |||
9 | North Melbourne | WIN | |||
10 | Carlton | WIN | |||
11 | Footscray | WIN | |||
12 | St .Kilda | WIN | |||
13 | Hawthorn | LOSS | |||
14 | Essendon | WIN | |||
15 | Fitzroy | WIN | |||
16 | Collingwood | WIN | |||
17 | Richmond | WIN | |||
18 | South Melbourne | WIN | |||
SF | St. Kilda | WIN | |||
PF | Hawthorn | LOSS |
Ladder
W | D | L | % | P | |
Hawthorn | 13 | 1 | 4 | 130.6 | 54 |
Geelong | 13 | 1 | 4 | 128.2 | 54 |
Melbourne | 13 | 0 | 5 | 147.9 | 52 |
St. Kilda | 13 | 0 | 5 | 140.1 | 52 |
Essendon | 13 | 0 | 5 | 137.5 | 52 |
Carlton | 10 | 0 | 8 | 103.3 | 40 |
North Melbourne | 8 | 0 | 10 | 85.1 | 32 |
Collingwood | 7 | 0 | 11 | 95.7 | 28 |
Footscray | 7 | 0 | 11 | 87.8 | 28 |
Richmond | 5 | 0 | 13 | 75.8 | 20 |
South Melbourne | 4 | 0 | 14 | 69.8 | 16 |
Fitzroy | 1 | 0 | 17 | 57.5 | 4 |
Exhibition Matches
Opponent | Result | ||||
Goulburn Valley League | WIN | ||||
Geelong (Honolulu) | WIN | ||||
Geelong (San Francisco) | WIN |
Playing List
Number | Name | Games | Goals | ||
1 | Garry Byers | 1 | 0 | ||
2 | Alan Rowarth | 8 | 4 | ||
4 | John Lord | 20 | 19 | ||
5 | Neil Crompton | 19 | 0 | ||
6 | Frank Adams | 18 | 18 | ||
7 | Owen Zinko | 1 | 0 | ||
8 | Tassie Johnson | 19 | 5 | ||
9 | Brian Dixon | 18 | 3 | ||
10 | Ken Emselle | 20 | 25 | ||
11 | Tony Anderson | 14 | 0 | ||
14 | Barry Bourke | 19 | 48 | ||
15 | Ray Groom | 19 | 17 | ||
16 | John Townsend | 19 | 22 | ||
17 | Ray Dawson | 6 | 0 | ||
18 | Brian Roet | 20 | 0 | ||
19 | Bob Carroll | 5 | 5 | ||
21 | Brian Leahy | 18 | 1 | ||
22 | Bryan Kenneally | 20 | 17 | ||
23 | Graham Wise | 3 | 0 | ||
24 | Jim Jenkinson | 1 | 1 | ||
25 | Kerry Rattray | 6 | 3 | ||
26 | Tony Thiessen | 7 | 2 | ||
28 | David Robbie | 6 | 0 | ||
29 | Hassa Mann | 20 | 6 | ||
31 | Ron Barassi | 17 | 32 | ||
32 | Barrie Vagg | 18 | 21 | ||
33 | Robert Miller | 17 | 3 | ||
34 | Len Mann | 8 | 0 | ||
37 | Bernie Massey | 20 | 0 | ||
38 | Ray Nilsson | 6 | 3 | ||
39 | Herbie Matthews | 7 | 4 |
Best and Fairest
Player | |||||
1st | Hassa Mann | ||||
2nd | Ron Barassi | ||||
3rd | Brian Dixon | ||||
4th | Bryan Kenneally | ||||
5th | John Lord |
Other Awards
Special Trophy - Bryan Kenneally, John Lord, Barry Bourke
Round | Player | Charge | Sanction | ||
Round 17 | Ron Barassi | Striking | 4 matches |
Reserves
Best and Fairest - Herbie Matthews
Second Best and Fairest - Ray Nilsson
Outstanding Service - George Hill, Len Mann, Terry Johnston
W | D | L | % | P | |
Geelong | 16 | 0 | 2 | 158.5 | 64 |
St Kilda | 13 | 0 | 5 | 107.8 | 52 |
North Melbourne | 12 | 0 | 6 | 134.5 | 48 |
Collingwood | 10 | 0 | 8 | 108.7 | 40 |
Hawthorn | 10 | 0 | 8 | 101.2 | 40 |
Essendon | 10 | 0 | 8 | 93.1 | 40 |
Fitzroy | 8 | 0 | 10 | 95.8 | 32 |
Melbourne | 7 | 0 | 11 | 94.1 | 28 |
Richmond | 7 | 0 | 11 | 88.8 | 28 |
Carlton | 7 | 0 | 11 | 79.7 | 28 |
Footscray | 6 | 0 | 12 | 90.8 | 24 |
South Melbourne | 2 | 0 | 16 | 74.8 | 8 |
Under 19s
Best and Fairest - Frank Davis
Second Best and Fairest - C. Doyle
Leading Goalkicker - A. Schultz (33)
Best Clubman - F. Smith
Outstanding Service - M. Brodie
Best First Year Player - Robert Stewart
W | D | L | % | P | |
Carlton | 12 | 1 | 5 | 120.0 | 50 |
Essendon | 12 | 0 | 6 | 118.9 | 48 |
Geelong | 12 | 0 | 6 | 105.9 | 48 |
Richmond | 11 | 1 | 6 | 113.2 | 46 |
Melbourne | 11 | 0 | 7 | 159.4 | 44 |
Footscray | 9 | 1 | 8 | 105.4 | 38 |
Hawthorn | 9 | 0 | 9 | 111.8 | 36 |
South Melbourne | 9 | 0 | 9 | 92.6 | 36 |
Fitzroy | 6 | 0 | 12 | 69.9 | 24 |
St Kilda | 5 | 1 | 12 | 71.2 | 22 |
North Melbourne | 5 | 0 | 13 | 89.7 | 20 |
Collingwood | 5 | 0 | 13 | 79.9 | 20 |
Fourths
1963 Fourths season
Best and Fairest - R. Sheers and W. Adams
Second Best and Fairest - Terry Leahy
Outstanding Service - G. Griffiths, I. Milne
Played a semi final against Hawthorn at Punt Road on Saturday 24 August.
Notes
A practice match may also have been played against the Western District League.
Media
Football Record R11 1963
Age - 21/08/1963