Jump to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.
Demonland

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.

Question- is Carl Ditterich the only player to return to the Dees after leaving

spirit of norm smith
in Melbourne Demons

Featured Replies

Posted

There is occasionally (rare) the romantic footy story of a player returning to their original club. Paul Salmon is the best example that I recall. 
 

For the Dees, I can only recall Carl Ditterich as an example although he will be remembered as a Saints man. Ironically he was a “return” at the Saints and the Dees. He played with Melbourne from 1973-75 and then as player/coach 1979&80.  

I am still thinking that one day perhaps Jesse Hogan could return but history shows it is a 0.01% chance of happening for any club or player.  

  • Quote
    • Like 1
     

    Gary Hardeman went to play in South Australia in the 70's then came back to play under Barassi in 1980.

  • Quote
    • Like 4
     

    Norm Smith left Melbourne in 1948 and played for the Royboys as coach in 1949?  He came back to Melbourne 1950s as coach. 

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    Peter Patrick Pius Paul Crackers Keenan - 1970-1975 101 games; 1981-82 - 30 games

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Haha 2

    Don Williams left Melbourne late 50s or early 60s went back to play for Sale then came back to star in Melbourne's '64 premiership team.

  • Quote
    • Like 3

    Todd Viney ‘retired’ to train Mark Philippoussis, only to later return to the Dees when that inevitably went aas over elbow.

  • Quote
    • Like 3
    • Haha 1

    Neil Crompton. Left in 1961 to play for Glenelg. He was a rover in those days, kicked 7 against North in a match in 1959. He returned in 1962 and became the tightest back pocket in the competition. 

    Crompton also played 45 first class cricket matches for Victoria. he averaged 32 and was known as a superb fielder.

  • Quote
    • Like 2
     

    This doesn't apply, but Chris Heffernan grew up supporting Melbourne, got drafted to Essendon, was traded to Melbourne and then got traded back to Essendon!

  • Quote
    • Shocked 1
    • Author

    Ok so really it’s just Carl Ditterich and Crackers Keenan who played with the Dees, went to another (VFL/AFL) club and returned. No one else in the past 40 years. Still will hope that the Dees reach out to Jesse Hogan to see if there is any interest in a return one day. 

  • Quote
    • Like 2

    2 hours ago, bush demon said:

    Don Williams left Melbourne late 50s or early 60s went back to play for Sale then came back to star in Melbourne's '64 premiership team.

    And what a champion player he was. Dasher Williams! 

  • Quote
    • Like 2

    Like yourself, I'm told, Bobby.

    Don Williams used to take hangers( front  cover of footy record for ages), dash out of defence bouncing it, then kick long drop kicks!

    He was spectacular....and tough.

  • Quote
    • Like 2

    Des Campbell??

  • Quote
    7 hours ago, bush demon said:

    Don Williams left Melbourne late 50s or early 60s went back to play for Sale then came back to star in Melbourne's '64 premiership team.

    Yes , Don had two stints with us '53-59 & '64-68   with West Perth '60-62 and Sale '63 .

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Author
    2 hours ago, picket fence said:

    Des Campbell??

    Another who played a year then went back to the bush.  The VFL era was where players came and went to VFL, SANFL, the bush of the VFA.  It depended on job opportunities, family and money available.  Totally different to today’s professional footballers. 

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    1 minute ago, spirit of norm smith said:

    It depended on job opportunities, family and money available.  Totally different to today’s professional footballers. 

    Absolutely correct, Norm.  Here's a stunning example:

    The game in 1947 in which Fred Fanning kicked a league record 18 goals (still a record) against St Kilda was the last game for the season and Fred's last appearance for Melbourne.  His final kick was the sole behind in his day's tally of 18.1.  He had kicked 16 until three-quarter time before being quietened somewhat in the last.

    The following season, he was lured to coach at Hamilton because of the extra money on offer, which worked out to be six times what Melbourne could pay.  That situation would be totally inconceivable these days.

  • Quote
    • Like 3
    9 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

    Ok so really it’s just Carl Ditterich and Crackers Keenan who played with the Dees, went to another (VFL/AFL) club and returned. No one else in the past 40 years. Still will hope that the Dees reach out to Jesse Hogan to see if there is any interest in a return one day. 

    Jim Stynes... was with Melbourne, went to Prahran,  then back to the Dees, when his footy took off.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Haha 1

    Jim was essentially loaned to Prahran as Melbourne did not have a VFL affiliate in those days. He was still tied to Melbourne.

  • Quote
    • Like 2
    36 minutes ago, John Dee said:

    Jim was essentially loaned to Prahran as Melbourne did not have a VFL affiliate in those days. He was still tied to Melbourne.

    Yes,  but there wasn't necessarily a return ticket.  He made good.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    23 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

    There is occasionally (rare) the romantic footy story of a player returning to their original club. Paul Salmon is the best example that I recall. 
     

    For the Dees, I can only recall Carl Ditterich as an example although he will be remembered as a Saints man. Ironically he was a “return” at the Saints and the Dees. He played with Melbourne from 1973-75 and then as player/coach 1979&80.  

    I am still thinking that one day perhaps Jesse Hogan could return but history shows it is a 0.01% chance of happening for any club or player.  

    Interesting thread. I like that Paul Salmon is your "best example" which suggests you've either forgotten about Gary Ablett Jr and Eddie Betts or you don't think of them as "good examples". Trent Croad is another "good example" because he played in a Premiership on his return to Hawthorn. 

  • Quote
    • Like 3

    Jack Mueller retired and was recalled to come back and play for the team just for the finals in 1948 and was instrumental in the Premiership win. He kicked 8 goals in the Prelim and 6 each in the first Grand Final against Essendon which was a draw and in the win the next week. The other key forward was Norm Smith in his last game for MFC before he finished his career playing for Fitzroy for two years. Something I didn't remember until I just read it. 

    Edited by It's Time

  • Quote
    • Like 2
    • Author

    A few other Dees are at other clubs aside from Hogan.  Watts, Dunn, Howe, Kent, Tyson, Frost, Frawley.  Would any one return for a final farewell year in their careers?

  • Quote
    • Like 1
     
    11 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

    A few other Dees are at other clubs aside from Hogan.  Watts, Dunn, Howe, Kent, Tyson, Frost, Frawley.  Would any one return for a final farewell year in their careers?

    Interesting looking at that list because people on here often bemoan the fact we give away players for peanuts. If he got his foot (and probably more importantly his head) right Hogan is the only one I’d really happily have back. Howe as well maybe but he’s not something we desperately need. 

    Watts maybe as well for a chuckle! ?

  • Quote
    On 4/19/2020 at 9:56 AM, bush demon said:

    Norm Smith left Melbourne in 1948 and played for the Royboys as coach in 1949?  He came back to Melbourne 1950s as coach. 

    I wish he could come back now and end this curse.

  • Quote
    • Haha 1

    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

    Guest
    Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
    Reply to this topic...
    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • AFLW REPORT: Collingwood

      Expectations of a comfortable win for Narrm at Victoria Park quickly evaporated as the match turned into a tense nail-biter. After a confident start by the Demons, the Pies piled on pressure and forced red and blue supporters to hold their collective breath until after the final siren. In a frenetic, physical contest, it was Captain Kate’s clutch last quarter goal and a missed shot from Collingwood’s Grace Campbell after the siren which sealed a thrilling 4-point win. Finally, Narrm supporters could breathe easy.

      • 1 reply
      Demonland

    • CASEY: Williamstown

      The Casey Demons issued a strong statement to the remaining teams in the VFL race with a thumping 76-point victory in their Elimination Final against Williamstown. This was the sixth consecutive win for the Demons, who stormed into the finals from a long way back with scalps including two of the teams still in flag contention. Senior Coach Taylor Whitford would have been delighted with the manner in which his team opened its finals campaign with high impact after securing the lead early in the game when Jai Culley delivered a precise pass to a lead from Noah Yze, who scored his first of seven straight goals for the day. Yze kicked his second on the quarter time siren, by which time the Demons were already in control. The youngster repeated the dose in the second term as the Seagulls were reduced to mere

      • 0 replies
      Demonland

    • AFLW PREVIEW: Collingwood

      Narrm time isn’t a standard concept—it’s the time within the traditional lands of Narrm, the Woiwurrung name for Melbourne. Indigenous Round runs for rounds 3 and 4 and is a powerful platform to recognise the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in sport, community, and Australian culture. This week, suburban footy returns to the infamous Victoria Park as the mighty Narrm take on the Collingwood Magpies at 1:05pm Narrm time, Sunday 31 August. Come along if you can.

        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 9 replies
      Demonland

    • AFLW REPORT: St. Kilda

      The Dees demolished the Saints in a comprehensive 74-pointshellacking.  We filled our boots with percentage — now a whopping 520.7% — and sit atop the AFLW ladder. Melbourne’s game plan is on fire, and the competition is officially on notice.

        • Sad
      • 4 replies
      Demonland

    • REPORT: Collingwood

      It was yet another disappointing outcome in a disappointing year, with Melbourne missing the finals for the second consecutive season. Indeed, it wasn’t even close, as the Demons' tally of seven wins was less than half the number required to rank among the top eight teams in the competition. When the dust of the game settled and supporters reflected on Melbourne's  six-point defeat at the hands of close game specialists Collingwood, Max Gawn's words about his team’s unfulfilled potential rang true … well, almost. 

      • 1 reply
      Demonland

    • POSTGAME: Collingwood

      Thank god this season is over. Bring on 2026.

        • Clap
        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 379 replies
      Demonland
    View All

    Configure browser push notifications
    Chrome (Android)
    1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
    2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
    3. Adjust your preference.
    Chrome (Desktop)
    1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
    2. Select Site settings.
    3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.