1964 VFL Grand Final — Demons’ Last Flag For 57 Years

The 1964 VFL Grand Final saw Melbourne defeat Collingwood 8.16 (64) to 8.12 (60) at the MCG — a 4-point margin that delivered the Demons their last premiership for 57 years. Played on 26 September 1964 in front of 102,469 fans, Melbourne’s premiership was Norm Smith’s sixth and final flag. Ron Barassi was the captain. The Demons would not win another flag until 2021 at Optus Stadium.

The Build-Up: Demons vs Magpies

Melbourne, under Norm Smith, had won 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960. The 1964 Grand Final was their seventh in 11 years. Ron Barassi was the captain (he’d cross to Carlton in 1965 to take up coaching).

Collingwood, under coach Bob Rose, had reached the Grand Final after years of finals contention. The Magpies’ continuing Colliwobbles.

The Match: A Tense 4-Point Win

Both teams played tight defensive footy. The lead changed multiple times. Ron Barassi’s leadership and Norm Smith’s tactical adjustments were decisive in the closing minutes.

Final score: Melbourne 8.16 (64) defeated Collingwood 8.12 (60) — a 4-point margin.

The Norm Smith Medal: N/A (Pre-1979)

Norm Smith Medal not yet instituted (named after coach Norm Smith from 1979).

The Premiership Coach: Norm Smith (Sixth and Final)

Norm Smith collected his sixth and final Jock McHale Medal (retrospective). His six premierships at Melbourne (1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1964) make him one of the all-time great VFL coaches.

Famous Moments

• Ron Barassi’s captaincy.
• Norm Smith’s tactical genius.
• The 4-point margin.
• The Demons’ last premiership for 57 years.
• The crowd of 102,469.
• The Demons’ supporter celebrations.
• Bob Rose’s gracious post-match.
• The Colliwobbles continuing.
• The closing of the Norm Smith Demons era.
• Ron Barassi’s last Melbourne game — would cross to Carlton.

Trivia for the Pub

• Date: 26 September 1964, MCG.
• Final: Melbourne 8.16 (64) defeated Collingwood 8.12 (60).
• Margin: 4 points.
• Crowd: 102,469.
• Melbourne’s 12th VFL premiership.
• Demons’ last flag for 57 years (until 2021).
• Norm Smith’s sixth and final premiership as coach.
• Ron Barassi’s last Melbourne game as a player.
• The 1964 result is the most-mythologised Demons flag.
• Norm Smith Medal would be named after this coach 15 years later.

The Verdict

The 1964 VFL Grand Final was Melbourne’s last hurrah. Norm Smith’s sixth flag, Ron Barassi’s farewell, the 4-point margin — all combined for a defining Grand Final. Long live the 1964 Demons.

The 1964 result is now one of the AFL’s most-mythologised premierships because of what followed: a 57-year drought. Melbourne wouldn’t win another flag until 2021 at Optus Stadium (Christian Petracca’s Norm Smith). Generations of Demons supporters waited; multiple coaches came and went; multiple list rebuilds were attempted. The 1964 flag became the marker against which all future Demons performances were measured.

Ron Barassi’s transition to Carlton in 1965 began one of the most-celebrated coaching careers in VFL/AFL history. He’d win 1968 and 1970 at Carlton, plus 1975 and 1977 at North Melbourne — making him the only person to win premierships as a player and coach across multiple clubs.