Noel McMahen

DOB: 30 October, 1926
Debut: Round 8, 1946 against North Melbourne at Arden Street
Last Game: Grand Final 1956 against Collingwood at MCG

Games: 175
Goals: 28
Career Statistics (external link)

Wins	Draws	Losses	Winning %
96	3	76	54.85

From: Mordialloc

Number: 35 1946-1956

Honours:
Premiership Player - 1948, 1955, 1956
Grand Final team - 1954
Best and Fairest - 1951
Team of the Century member
150 Heroes selection
Victorian State player - 1952, 1954 (4 games)

Recruited from Federal League side Mordialloc, McMahen had the choice of four league clubs. With his childhood heroes Richmond not interested McMahen leant towards Hawthorn before eventually plumping for the Demons after secretary Jack Chessell worked hard to convince McMahen and his family that they were the right side for him.

Breaking into the team midway through the 1946 season, McMahen was forced to miss the rest of the year after an attack of Bell's Palsy.

Played in the 1948 premiership but by 1949 was back in the reserves, where he played in another flag. Disgruntled with not being considered a first team player he accepted a job as Captain-Coach of Camberwell in the VFA but was talked out of taking it up by ex-player Francis Vine.

It was after that they McMahen broke into the senior team permanently, and after being used a as a ruckman early in his career he found a place on the half-back flank. In 1951 he won the Best and Fairest and played for Victoria in 1952.

He was appointed vice-captain in 1953, and he was promoted to captain in 1955 where he led the premiership side and was selected on a half back flank in the Sporting Life "Team of the Year". Lucrative coaching offers flooded in from around the league and country, but McMahen decided to stay on another year. It was a wise decision, as he captained another premiership.

Finally lured to the world of coaching, McMahen led Rochester to two Bendigo League premierships in 1958 and 1959 before spending three years as South Melbourne coach from 1962 to 1964. He was the first full-time coach of a VFL club. McMahen returned to Melbourne to sit on the executive in the late 1970's.

He returned again in 1991 as Deputy Chairman to Ian Ridley and Finance Director before resigning in February 1995.