Stan Wittman

DOB: 1 June, 1901
Died: May, 1994

Debut: Round 3, 1924 against Collingwood at MCG
Last Game: Round 11, 1931 against South Melbourne at MCG

Games: 109
Goals: 132
Career Statistics

From: Rosedale

Number: 1 1924 - 1931

Honours:
Premiership Player - 1926
Victorian state player - 15 matches
Life Member
150 Heroes selection

"Bunny" Wittman was recruited as the result of a tip to club secretary Andrew Manzie from the gripman on the Hawthorn Bridge to the City tram. They were travelling along Bridge Road when the trammie recognised Manzie and told him that Wittman was tearing apart the competition in Gippsland. The man was so persuasive about the player that Manzie decided to take a closer look.

It turned out that all the reports on Wittman were good and he was invited to Melbourne for a training run. An immediate hit at centre-half forward, he declared that he was happy to have matched it with the best in the business and announced that he would return to Rosedale. After being convinced by the club to come back and kick off his VFL career Wittman played 11 games that season - including a debut described as "one of the most sensational ever registered by a country recruit".

The next year he established himself on the half-forward line and racked up 19 games. The improving Demons made it to the finals that year, before winning through to the Grand Final in 1926. Winning their first premiership in more than a quarter of a century, Melbourne had Wittman to thank as much as any other player as he booted three goals.

Wittman, the last surviving member of the 1926 premiership side, died in May 1994.

Links
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