Graham Melrose
Encyclopedia
Graham Thomas Melrose is a former Australian rules football
player regarded as a competitive and skilful rover with particularly accurate foot passing. He began his career at East Fremantle
in the WAFL
competition in 1967. The team was experiencing little success at the time but with players such as Melrose, Peake
, Buhagier
and Grljusich joining through the late 1960s and early 1970s and under the stewardship of coach John Todd
East Fremantle won the 1974 premiership. Melrose was awarded the Lynn Medal (Fairest and Best award at East Fremantle) twice while at the club and also won the Sandover Medal
in 1974. Melrose moved East in 1975 to join the North Melbourne Football Club
where he settled into the regular lineup in the forward pocket
and sharing roving duties with Barry Cable
. The Kangaroos went on to win the 1975 Grand Final
but Melrose was unable to play because of a hand injury. In 1976 Melrose had a great season and performed consistently well, he also played a great game in the 1976 Grand Final
which saw Hawthorn Football Club
beat North Melbourne. The 1977 season was another outstanding time for North Melbourne in which the club won its second VFL premiership against Collingwood
, but Melrose did not take part in this game due to injury. Melrose played another sound season in 1978 and lined up in the forward pocket for Norths in the Grand Final
against Hawthorn which saw Norths lose by 3 goals. Melrose played out the 1979 season before returning to Western Australia in 1980 where he joined the Swan Districts Football Club
under his old mentor John Todd
. Swan Districts had a great season but lost the 1980 grand final to South Fremantle by 58 points and Melrose played on a half forward flank. In 1981 Swan Districts made the second semi final but lost to Claremont by 27 points. Melrose played in the centre on this occasion and was rated as one of the best on ground.
Swan Districts ended their premiership drought in 1982 where they beat Claremont
by 49 points. Melrose was awarded the Simpson Medal for his efforts on field where he had played on a half-back flank. Melrose was captain of the side in 1982 and co-captain with Keith Narkle
in 1983. Swan Districts went on win the 1983 premiership but without Melrose playing. Retiring as a player in 1983 Melrose returned to Swan Districts as a coach for the 1995 and 1996 seasons. Melrose had a memorable career in both the VFL and WAFL and in Swan Districts Team of the Century and the East Fremantle Team of the Century
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
player regarded as a competitive and skilful rover with particularly accurate foot passing. He began his career at East Fremantle
East Fremantle Football Club
The East Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Sharks, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The team's home ground is East Fremantle Oval...
in the WAFL
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
competition in 1967. The team was experiencing little success at the time but with players such as Melrose, Peake
Brian Peake
Brian Francis Peake OAM is a former Australian rules footballer. He played for and in the Western Australian National Football League/West Australian Football League/WA State League and in the Victorian Football League...
, Buhagier
Tony Buhagiar
Anthony Francis "Tony" Buhagiar is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League ....
and Grljusich joining through the late 1960s and early 1970s and under the stewardship of coach John Todd
John Todd (footballer)
John Todd is a former Australian rules footballer and coach. After becoming youngest ever winner of the Sandover Medal in his first year of senior football he suffered a serious knee injury, which affected his playing career...
East Fremantle won the 1974 premiership. Melrose was awarded the Lynn Medal (Fairest and Best award at East Fremantle) twice while at the club and also won the Sandover Medal
Sandover Medal
The Sandover Medal is an Australian rules football award, given annually since 1921 to the fairest and best player in the West Australian Football League...
in 1974. Melrose moved East in 1975 to join the North Melbourne Football Club
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
where he settled into the regular lineup in the forward pocket
Forward pocket
In Australian rules football, the forward pocket refers to a position on the field deep in offense.Forward pocket players, situated in the forward line, need to have good avoidance and goal sneak skills and usually, quality forward-pockets are noted for their agility and ability to score difficult...
and sharing roving duties with Barry Cable
Barry Cable
Barry Cable is an Australian former Australian rules footballer who played in the West Australian National Football League and Victorian Football League . Cable played as a rover. He won the Sandover Medal three times while playing with the Perth Football Club.-Club career:Cable played 225 games...
. The Kangaroos went on to win the 1975 Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
but Melrose was unable to play because of a hand injury. In 1976 Melrose had a great season and performed consistently well, he also played a great game in the 1976 Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
which saw Hawthorn Football Club
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
beat North Melbourne. The 1977 season was another outstanding time for North Melbourne in which the club won its second VFL premiership against Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
, but Melrose did not take part in this game due to injury. Melrose played another sound season in 1978 and lined up in the forward pocket for Norths in the Grand Final
1978 VFL Grand Final
The 1978 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Hawthorn Football Club and North Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 30 September 1978. It was the 82nd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
against Hawthorn which saw Norths lose by 3 goals. Melrose played out the 1979 season before returning to Western Australia in 1980 where he joined the Swan Districts Football Club
Swan Districts Football Club
The Swan Districts Football Club, nicknamed the Swans, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The club is based at Bassendean Oval, in Bassendean, an eastern suburb of Perth, Western Australia...
under his old mentor John Todd
John Todd (footballer)
John Todd is a former Australian rules footballer and coach. After becoming youngest ever winner of the Sandover Medal in his first year of senior football he suffered a serious knee injury, which affected his playing career...
. Swan Districts had a great season but lost the 1980 grand final to South Fremantle by 58 points and Melrose played on a half forward flank. In 1981 Swan Districts made the second semi final but lost to Claremont by 27 points. Melrose played in the centre on this occasion and was rated as one of the best on ground.
Swan Districts ended their premiership drought in 1982 where they beat Claremont
Claremont Football Club
The Claremont Football Club, nicknamed the Tigers, is an Australian rules football club in the West Australian Football League . Its official colours are navy blue and gold....
by 49 points. Melrose was awarded the Simpson Medal for his efforts on field where he had played on a half-back flank. Melrose was captain of the side in 1982 and co-captain with Keith Narkle
Keith Narkle
Keith Paul Narkle is a former Australian rules football player of indigenous background who played for the Swan Districts Football Club in the West Australian Football League during the 1970s and 1980s...
in 1983. Swan Districts went on win the 1983 premiership but without Melrose playing. Retiring as a player in 1983 Melrose returned to Swan Districts as a coach for the 1995 and 1996 seasons. Melrose had a memorable career in both the VFL and WAFL and in Swan Districts Team of the Century and the East Fremantle Team of the Century