Jump to content

Top 10 Left-the-club in their prime

Featured Replies

Posted

There are plenty of others, but straight off the bat:

1. Ivor Warne-Smith (did return) (two brownlows, premiership captain)

2. Fred Fanning left aged 25 (All-time goal-kicking champ for dees)

3. Stuart Spencer, 25.

4. Laurie Mithen

5. Bob Johnson 25. Went to premiership glory in W.A

6. Ron Barassi 28

7. Gerard Healey

8. Hassa Mann

9. Ian Ridley 25

10. Tom Scully (!) (Insert Michael Byrne)

 

Gary Hardeman

Greg Wells

Stan Alves

Ross Dillon

Ray Nilsson

Adrian Bowden

Greg Parke

Hassa Mann

Ron Barassi

Don Williams (came back)

Stuart Spencer

Gerard Healy

 

Norm Smith??

Maybe not still in his prime, but hardly past it.


  • Author

Norm Smith??

Maybe not still in his prime, but hardly past it.

He did in fact leave in his prime, at the end of 1948 when he captained Melbourne to the premiership. Coached Fitzroy for three years think he played some games too.

 

There are plenty of others, but straight off the bat:

1. Ivor Warne-Smith (did return) (two brownlows, premiership captain)

2. Fred Fanning left aged 25 (All-time goal-kicking champ for dees)

3. Stuart Spencer, 25.

4. Laurie Mithen

5. Bob Johnson 25. Went to premiership glory in W.A

6. Ron Barassi 28

7. Gerard Healey

8. Hassa Mann

9. Ian Ridley 25

10. Tom Scully (!) (Insert Michael Byrne)

Fred Fanning left the club to become captain coach of Hamilton FC in the Western Districts League. Here, he was paid 3 times the amount he was earning at Melbourne. About 40 pounds a game. Can't blame him for leaving.

I would have thought the players who were the backbone of our great 1939-41 flags who never played again or had their careers interrupted due to WWII deserve a mention.

Bluey Truscott, Harold Ball and Syd Anderson died in WWII. 3 flaggers like Wartman and Richie Emselle (Father of Ken) were barely seen again as players. Players like Norm Smith and Allan La Fontaine missed many good years


Ross Brewer. Probably belongs in the coodabeens thread as well.

Glenn McLean left Melbourne as a ruckman on the rise but promptly disappeared up his own arse.

Tom Scully is hardly in his prime, and I wouldn't have thought Scott Thompson was either when he left.

Stan Alves was sacked. I went to a coaches clinic a few years ago and he explained that he didn't leave but was sacked because they were starting on a youth policy and he was told by the newly appointed coach, I think it was Skilton, that he didn't fit into the strategy. He wasn't happy and thought his career was over but got a call out of the blue from North and went on to play in a Premiership the next season.

Ross Brewer. Probably belongs in the coodabeens thread as well.

ross Brewer. Good get. Yes he was a favorite Demon in the early days of my support.

He went to the Filth and played finals. I hated that fact.

jnr...though not of his own volition. every touch he gets is gonna burn


I thought Matthew Bishop was on the cusp of being one of the leagues better defenders when he left for Port. Was also at a time when we were crying our for tall defenders

Not sure if Powelly wasn't past it by the time he left, but I reckon the Wizard was just about hitting his straps by the time he flew West?!


Michael Newton

hahahahahaha

 

Darren Jolly and The Wiz.

Jolly was hardly in his prime when he left. He'd managed to relegate himself to third string behind White & Jamar. He then spent several years as Sydney's #2 ruck before he became a quality player.

The Wiz hurt. My cousin's then 8yo son idolised him. When told Jeff had left, he silently went into his bedroom & tore down the many Wiz posters that covered his walls.


Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Featured Content

  • GAMEDAY: West Coast

    It's Game Day and the Demons have a chance to notch up their third consecutive win — something they haven’t done since Round 5, 2024. But to do it, they’ll need to exorcise the Demons of last year’s disastrous trip out West. Can the Dees continue their momentum, right the wrongs of that fateful clash, and take another step up the ladder on the road to redemption?

      • Thumb Down
      • Haha
    • 58 replies
    Demonland
  • FEATURE: 1925

    A hundred years ago today, on 2 May 1925, Melbourne kicked off the new season with a 47 point victory over St Kilda to take top place on the VFL ladder after the opening round of the new season.  Top place was a relatively unknown position for the team then known as the “Fuchsias.” They had finished last in 1923 and rose by only one place in the following year although the final home and away round heralded a promise of things to come when they surprised the eventual premiers Essendon. That victory set the stage for more improvement and it came rapidly. In this series, I will tell the story of how the 1925 season unfolded for the Melbourne Football Club and how it made the VFL finals for the first time in a decade on the way to the ultimate triumph a year later.

    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • PREVIEW: West Coast

    Saturday’s election night game in Perth between the West Coast Eagles and Melbourne represents 18th vs 15th which makes it a tough decision as to which party to favour. The Eagles have yet to break the ice under their new coach in Andrew McQualter who is the second understudy in a row to confront Demon Coach Simon Goodwin who was also winless until a fortnight ago. On that basis, many punters might be considering to go with the donkey vote but I’ve been assigned with the task of helping readers to come to a considered opinion on this matter of vital importance across the nation. It was almost a year ago that I wrote a preview here of the Demons’ away game against the Eagles (under the name William from Waalitj because it was Indigenous Round).  I issued a warning that it was a danger game, based on my local knowledge that the home team were no longer easybeats and that they possessed a wunderkind generational player in Harley Reid who was capable of producing stellar performances playing among men a decade and more older than he.  At the time, the Eagles already had two wins off the back of a couple of the young man’s masterclasses and they had recently given the Bombers a scare straight after their Anzac Day blockbuster draw against the then reigning premiers.

      • Haha
    • 1 reply
    Demonland
  • NON-MFC: Round 08

    Round 08 of the 2025 AFL Season kicks off on Thursday with a must-win game for the Bombers to stay in touch with the top eight, while the struggling Roos seek a morale-boosting upset. Friday sees the Saints desperate for a win as well if they are to stay in finals contention and their opponents the Dockers will be eager to crack in to the Top 8 with a win on the road. Saturday kicks off with a pivotal clash for both sides asthe Bulldogs look to solidify their top-eight spot, while Port seeks to shake their pretender tag. Then the Crows will be looking to steady their topsy turvy season against a resurgent Blues looking to make it 4 wins on the trot. On Election Night a Blockbuster will see the ladder-leading Pies take on the Cats, who are keen to bounce back after a narrow loss. On Sunday the Sydney Derby promises fireworks as the Giants aim to cement their top-eight status, while the Swans fight to keep their season alive. The Hawks, celebrating their centenary, will be looking to easily account for the Tigers who are desperate to halt their slide. The Round concludes on Sunday Night with a top end of the table QClash with significant ladder implications; both Queensland teams are in scintillating form. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons?

      • Like
    • 181 replies
    Demonland
  • PREGAME: West Coast

    The Demons hit the road in Round 8, heading to Perth to face the West Coast Eagles at Optus Stadium. With momentum building, the Dees will be aiming for a third straight victory to keep their season revival on course. Who comes in and who goes out?

      • Thanks
      • Like
    • 563 replies
    Demonland
  • REPORT: Richmond

    The fans who turned up to the MCG for Melbourne’s Anzac Day Eve clash against Richmond would have been disappointed if they turned up to see a great spectacle. As much as this was a night for the 71,635 in attendance to commemorate heroes of the nation’s past wars, it was also a time for the Melbourne Football Club to consolidate upon its first win after a horrific start to the 2025 season. On this basis, despite the fact that it was an uninspiring and dour struggle for most of its 100 minutes, the night will be one for the fans to remember. They certainly got value out of the pre match activity honouring those who fought for their country. The MCG and the lights of the city as backdrop was made for nights such as these and, in my view, we received a more inspirational ceremony of Anzac culture than others both here and elsewhere around the country. 

    • 0 replies
    Demonland