They did things differently one hundred years ago. When long serving trainer Jim Mitchell retired after working at Melbourne since at least 1893, it was reported that:

“Members and supporters in recognition of his long and valuable service presented him with a cheque for £50, and his fellow Trainers marked the occasion with the presentation of a Smokers' Outfit and a Cake-stand for Mrs. Mitchell”.

Mitchell announced his retirement before the season started so he missed the club’s opening win for 1924, a shock 33 point victory over the Blues at Princes Park. 

Round 4 Carlton vs Melbourne 
Saturday 17 May 1924
Venue: Princes Park 
Attendance: 23,000

CARLTON 1.2.8 6.5.41 8.8.56 11.10.76

MELBOURNE 3.7.25 5.14.44 11.21.87 14.25.109

Goals Harry Harker 4 Derek Mollison 3 Harry Coy Stan Wittman 2 Wally Carter Bill Shelton Percy Tulloh 

The Redlegs dominated in the ruck and in the air with Stan Wittman, in his second game, putting in a dominating performance. But for their inaccuracy, it would have been a much bigger victory. They led by three points at half time off the back of five goals from 19 scoring chances and trailed early in the third term by nine points. A five goal burst broke the back of the Carlton side and the Blues were left lamenting as Melbourne finished with a score of over a hundred points for the first time in two years. Wittman, Dick Taylor and George Haines were best and Harry Harker kicked four goals.

The following week, the football world really sat up and took notice of the 1923 wooden spooner when it moved into the top four after its 7 point win over South Melbourne. 

Round 5 Melbourne vs South Melbourne 
Saturday 24 May 
Venue: MCG 
Attendance: 22,072

MELBOURNE 3.5.23 5.9.39 8.12.60 10.16.76

SOUTH MELBOURNE 3.2.20 3.5.23 7.9.51 10.9.69

Goals Percy Tulloh 4 Harry Coy Edgar Dunbar Hugh Dunbar Harry Harker Derek Mollison Stan Wittman 

It was touch and go in the dying moments of the tight match with the Swans left to rue the fact that their star full forward missed all seven of his place kicks from scoring range. Melbourne’s best player on the day, Percy Tulloh, kicked the winning goal with eight minutes to go. He was well supported by Bert Chadwick who had been moved into the ruck to help defend the lead. Charles Lilley was also among the best.

Round 6 Geelong vs Melbourne 
Saturday 31 May 
Venue: Corio Oval 
Attendance: 12,000

GEELONG 3.1.19 6.11.47 6.14.50 9.19.73

MELBOURNE 6.5.41 6.5.41 9.9.63 9.9.63

Goals Harry Harker 4 George Haines Derek Mollison 2 Hugh Dunbar 1

The Redlegs travelled down the highway to Geelong with some confidence about continuing their winning streak. After all, they had emerged victorious when they last visited Corio Oval. They won the toss and kicked six goals with the benefit of a strong north-westerly but gave away three to the home side, a factor that came back to haunt them when they failed to score both times they went against the wind. As a consequence, they were overhauled and lost by nine points. Best players were Dick Taylor, Derek Mollison and Harry Harker who booted four goals in his fiftieth game milestone. 

Harry Harker is a good example of the differences in the game through the vast gulf of time over the past century. When we talk of mature age recruits these days, we speak of 23 year olds or occasionally, those in the mid 20s. Players recruited beyond that age are as rare as hen’s teeth but when Harker made his debut in round 2 of the 1920 season against Essendon, he became the oldest player to ever debut for the Melbourne Football Club at the age of 32. That record stands today. 

The recruitment was worthwhile because in his first three seasons, in 1920, 1921 and 1922, Harker was Melbourne's leading goal kicker, with 23, 47 and 47 goals respectively. In his second season at the club, 1921, Harker put in his best performance for the club when he kicked ten goals out of 16 against Geelong. He was restricted to just six games (and 13 goals) in 1923. The Redlegs lost every one of those games. 

Season 1924 was to be the aging veteran’s last for Melbourne and it produced another 16 goals. A month and a half after his fiftieth game, Harry Harker played his last, against Collingwood at Victoria Park. He left the game at 36 years of age, "regret[ting] that he had not gone to the VFL in the first place".

Seconds (Played at MCG) Geelong 8.19.67 d. Melbourne 8.9.57

Round 7 Melbourne vs Richmond 
Monday 9 June 1924
Venue: MCG 
Attendance: 27,533

MELBOURNE 4.6.30 6.10.46 9.11.65 11.17.83

RICHMOND 2.1.13 6.2.38 11.7.73 13.9.87

Goals George Haines Vern Moore 3 Bob CorbettHarry Harker Charlie Streeter Percy Tulloh Stan Wittman

Melbourne suffered its third loss for the season by under a goal in a game that swung from end to end throughout. It dominated the first quarter, with captain Bert Chadwick defending strongly. Stan Wittman kicked the first goal of the game and the Reds dominated the opening half in every facet bar kicking straight for the goals. Inevitably, the club paid dearly for this failure to convert and lost by four points. The coaches made changes and Melbourne got within a point early in the quarter. It took the lead momentarily after scoring five behinds in a row, with a snap from Corbett went forward and snapped a goal but with the Tigers responded to scrape a narrow victory.

Bert Chadwick, George Haines and Derek Mollison were best in what was the fifth consecutive match between the two sides decided by under a goal. Haines entered the game with a cold and suffered bruising to his legs early in the game but still managed to score three goals.

The Demons were drifting aimlessly after seven rounds and worse was to come.

Seconds Richmond 17.18.120 d. Melbourne 9.3.57

To be continued …

Good to see some continuity over the centuries with our goal kicking accuracy.😉