Len Smith | Demonwiki (original) (raw)

DOB: 9 February <1912>
Died: 24 July <1967>

Debut: Round 5, 1934 against North Melbourne at Arden Street
Last MFC Game: Round 11, 1935 against South Melbourne at

From: Fairfield/Northcote

Number: 27 (1934-1935)

Honours:
Seconds Premiership Player - <1935>

Games: 19 (95 total)
Goals: 3 (55 total)
Career Statistics

Leonard Victor "Len" Smith, the brother of Norm had played in two premierships in over 100 games for Northcote before joining Melbourne in <1934>. His old side rejected several applications for his clearance before letting him go on the condition that he played with them until late May. When Melbourne signed him, Smith's father Vic suggested they also look at his younger son Norm.

Smith would probably have made his debut in the first round of <1934>, but Northcote rejected a clearance for the fifth time. He won his freedom to join the Demons before Round 2, but wasn't able to join Melbourne until a week into the season as Northcote required his services until the end of May. He played 70 games for the club. Once he made the switch to the Demons Smith played 13 of the last 14 games of the season.

Surprisingly omitted from Melbourne's list at the start of <1936>, Smith returned to Northcote to win another flag that year <1936>. In late <1937> Fitzroy persuaded him to return to the VFL. Smith then played with the Lions until <1945>, though his career was interrupted in <1943> and <1944> when service with the RAAF in Darwin kept him out of the game.

In <1948> he started his coaching career with the Fitzroy Under 19's, and guided his side to the <1955> premiership. At the end of <1957> he was promoted to the senior role, but just as his side was in contention for second place in <1958> Smith suffered a heart attack. He returned for the finals, but they had missed the double chance and were knocked out in the first week. The next year they missed the finals by half a game, a round 14 draw with the Demons not helping their cause.

<1960> saw Melbourne and Fitzroy finished 1st and 2nd on the ladder, and the brothers were pitched against each other in a semi-final. Despite Len's Lions entering the match with a nine game winning streak they were beaten by ten goals. It remains the only time siblings have coached against each other in a VFL/AFL final. The next year Smith was made coach of the Victorian state team - following in the footsteps of his brother who had already done the job.

In <1963> he moved to the to coach Coburg, but returned to the VFL with Richmond in <1964>. He suffered a heart attack the day before Round 1 and missed the first six games of the year. In May <1965> he was forced to resign after three rounds when his health deteriorated further. Coincidentally this was the same time that his brother had been sensationally sacked by the Demons, and it was initially believed that Len would be replaced by Norm at Punt Road.

Smith passed away after another heart attack in 1967. Just two months later the rebuilding process that he had set in motion came to fruition, and the Tigers won the premiership under Tom Hafey. His grandson Wayne Harmes went on to play in a Carlton premiership side.

Lists

Family at other clubs

Players who served during war
Players without photos

Notes
Shown in some sources as originally from Fairfield Band Of Hope. 'Band of Hope' was the competition, not the full name of the club. Also shown as from Croxton.

Media
Herald - 18/04/1934, 09/05/1934, 29/04/1936
Age - 09/04/1934, 04/12/1957, 18/04/1964, 25/07/1967
VFA Record - 08/08/1976

Links
Boyles Football Photos
VFA Project profile
Wikipedia profile