Brian Dixon (Australian footballer)

Brian Dixon
Personal information
Full name	Brian James Dixon
Date of birth	(1936-05-20) 20 May 1936
Original team(s)	Melbourne High School
Height	175 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	70 kg (154 lb)
Position(s)	Wing
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1954–1968	Melbourne	252 (41)
Coaching career
Years	Club	Games (W–L–D)
1971–1972	North Melbourne	44 (6–37–1)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1972.
Career highlights
Club 5× VFL premierships: 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1964 Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medallist: 1960 Melbourne Team of the Century–Wing Melbourne Hall of Fame Overall Australian Football Hall of Fame All-Australian: 1961 Tassie Medallist: 1961
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Brian James Dixon (born 20 May 1936) is a former Australian rules footballer and Victorian politician.

Dixon played 252 VFL games for Melbourne between 1954 and 1968, playing mostly on the wing. He played in five premierships, winning Melbourne's best and fairest in 1960, while in 1961 he was selected in the All-Australian team and he also won the Tassie Medal for his performances at the 1961 Brisbane Carnival. In 2000 he was named in Melbourne's Team of the Century.

Despite still playing football for Melbourne, he entered parliament in 1964, as the member for the now abolished seat of St Kilda, representing the Liberal Party. Being from the moderate wing of the party he clashed with then Premier Henry Bolte, especially over the hanging of Ronald Ryan which Dixon strongly opposed.

After Rupert Hamer took over as Liberal Party leader and Premier, Dixon was promoted to the ministry. He variously served in several portfolios including Youth, Sport and Recreation, Housing and Aboriginal affairs. His best-remembered achievement was introducing the iconic Life. Be in it. program.

In 1979, Dixon won St Kilda by an extremely narrow margin, which crucially gave the Hamer Liberal government a majority of one seat in the Legislative Assembly, and meant that the Liberal Party did not need to form a Coalition, with the National Party, with which relations were traditionally poor in Victoria. However, in 1982 Dixon was defeated when the Liberal Party lost government after 27 years in office.

After his defeat, Dixon worked predominantly in sports administration and he ran public speaking seminars.

He travelled the world representing the Trim and Fitness International Sport for All Association (TAFISA) and the Asiania Sport For All Association (ASFAA). He was also president of AFL South Africa, taking a keen interest in other countries playing Australian rules football.

Statistics

Playing statistics

Season	Team	No.	Games	Totals							Averages (per game)
				G	B	K	H	D	M	T	G	B	K	H	D	M	T
1954	Melbourne	9	8	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.3	—	—	—	—	—	—
1955	Melbourne	9	16	7	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.4	—	—	—	—	—	—
1956#	Melbourne	9	17	5	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.3	—	—	—	—	—	—
1957#	Melbourne	9	21	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.1	—	—	—	—	—	—
1958	Melbourne	9,16	20	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.1	—	—	—	—	—	—
1959#	Melbourne	9	20	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.1	—	—	—	—	—	—
1960#	Melbourne	9	20	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.2	—	—	—	—	—	—
1961	Melbourne	9	16	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.1	—	—	—	—	—	—
1962	Melbourne	9	18	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.1	—	—	—	—	—	—
1963	Melbourne	9	18	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.2	—	—	—	—	—	—
1964#	Melbourne	9	17	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.1	—	—	—	—	—	—
1965	Melbourne	9	13	1	2	260	23	283	78	—	0.1	0.2	20.0	1.8	21.8	6.0	—
1966	Melbourne	9	11	0	3	222	20	242	48	—	0.0	0.3	20.2	1.8	22.0	4.4	—
1967	Melbourne	9	18	6	6	357	56	413	77	—	0.3	0.3	19.8	3.1	22.9	4.3	—
1968	Melbourne	9	19	2	1	395	51	446	123	—	0.1	0.1	20.8	2.7	23.5	6.5	—
Career			252	41	12	1234	150	1384	326	—	0.2	0.2	20.2	2.5	22.7	5.3	—

Coaching statistics

Legend
W	Wins	L	Losses	D	Draws	W%	Winning percentage	LP	Ladder position	LT	League teams

Season	Team	Games	W	L	D	W %	LP	LT
1971	North Melbourne	22	5	16	1	25.0%	9	12
1972	North Melbourne	22	1	21	0	4.5%	12	12
Career totals		44	6	37	1	14.8%

External links

• Official website