Past Kevin 'Bulldog' Murray (1955-1974)

[Grimreepah]

Murray named an AFL Legend
8:47 AM Fri 04 June, 2010

AFL Team of the Century member and nine-time Fitzroy Best and Fairest Winner Kevin Murray has been made a Legend of the Game by the AFL.

Murray, who played a club record 333 games for Fitzroy between 1955-74, was elevated to Legend Status at last night's Australian Football Hall of Fame dinner at the Palladium Room in Melbourne.

* Played 333 games for Fitzroy, 1955-64 and 1967-74, kicking 51 goals
* Played 44 games for East Perth 1965-66, kicking 20 goals.
* Played 24 games for Victoria.
* Played six games for Western Australia.
* Fitzroy Best and Fairest 1956, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1968, 1969.
* East Perth Best and Fairest 1965.
* Fitzroy Captain 1963-64 and 1967-72.
* AFL Team of the Century, Half Back.
* Fitzroy Team of the Century, Half Back (Captain).
* Brownlow Medal 1969.
* All Australian 1958, 1966.
* Fitzroy Pre-Season Premiership 1959.
* Fitzroy Coach 1963-64.
* East Perth Coach 1965-66.

Tribute thread

 

[Grimreepah]

Re: Kevin Murray (1955 - 1974)

Mighty Kevin Murray, the proudest Roy

• Mike Sheahan
• From: Herald Sun
• June 04, 2010 12:00AM

He played 407 games for Fitzroy, Victoria, East Perth and Western Australia in 20 seasons, winning a place in the AFL Team of the (20th) Century and a Brownlow Medal. Yet, it was his selection as captain of Fitzroy's Team of the Century - ahead of Haydn Bunton - that sits as his proudest achievement.

"That stood out above everything," he said. "There was Bunton, (Alan) Ruthven, 'Butch' Gale, Garry Wilson, (John) Murphy, (Paul) Roos. It was the highest honour you could ever wish to have. "I'm really proud of the Brownlow, too, but it's an individual thing."

 

[Grimreepah]

Re: Kevin Murray (1955 - 1974)

Murray a Legend
By Jason Phelan
10:01 PM Thu 03 June, 2010

Murray was an inaugural inductee into the Hall of Fame in 1996 on the back of a decorated 333-game career that saw him named All-Australian twice and win the Brownlow Medal in 1969.Murray is the only man to have captained both Western Australia and Victoria in state of origin football and he was introduced to the podium by two former teammates.

"It's an amazing feeling really because you heard Allen Aylett before and you heard Bobby Skilton and we just had something special going when we played for Victoria," Murray said. "I'm very fortunate. Football's been very good to me, [but] it's been hard work. It hasn't been easy."

 

[3KZ is Football]

Re: Kevin Murray (1955 - 1974)

Does anyone think Kevin would be interested in an Assistant Coaching job at the Brisbane Lions?

I think he would make a HUGE difference to our on field performances.

 

[Grimreepah]

Re: Kevin Murray (1955 - 1974)

Link

KEVIN MURRAY TRIBUTE LAP

Brisbane Lions Victorian-based fans will have the opportunity to honour Club great and AFL Legend Kevin 'Bulldog' Murray prior to this Sunday's match against Essendon at Etihad Stadium.

Murray became just the 23rd person in the history of the game to be officially elevated to Legend status back in June at the Australian Football Hall of Fame dinner in Melbourne.

Murray's latest achievement of becoming an official AFL Legend will be acknowledged prior to Sunday's game when he performs a lap of honour at Etihad Stadium.

 

[Grimreepah]

Re: Kevin Murray (1955 - 1974)

Link

The unforgettable image of Murray standing in the old Brunswick Street Oval grandstand the morning after the Club’s 2001 Grand Final triumph remains one of the most symbolic moments in the Brisbane Lions’ merged history.

Proudly wearing a well-loved old Lions scarf, the former Club Captain and Coach cut a powerful figure as he belted out the team song together with thousands of the old Fitzroy faithful who cherished the long overdue premiership success.

To this day the Club remains as close to Murray’s heart as his much loved Brownlow Medal which he still keeps tucked underneath his shirt on a chain that he wears around his neck.

 

[Lionheart182]

Re: Kevin Murray (1955 - 1974)

Gee he's got some passion. Wouldn't hurt to have a few Kevin Murrays at the club helping run things.

 

[Grimreepah]

Re: Kevin Murray (1955 - 1974)

Kevin Murray Tribute Lap

Brisbane-based Lions fans will have the opportunity to honour Club great and AFL Legend Kevin 'Bulldog' Murray prior to this Saturday night's match against the Sydney Swans at the Gabba.

Murray will perform his second lap of honour in as many weeks after being acknowledged by the Club's Victorian fans prior to last Sunday's game against Essendon at Etihad Stadium.

 

[Grimreepah]

Re: Kevin Murray (1955 - 1974)

Link

Murray once played in 42 consecutive losses with Fitzroy (between 1962 and 1967) and experienced just two VFL finals throughout his illustrious career.

On a personal note, Murray will forever remember the 2010 season fondly after achieving ‘Legend’ status at the AFL Hall of Fame Dinner and performing a tribute lap in both Victoria and Queensland respectively prior to the Lions’ Round 21 and Round 22 matches.

“I would like to thank the Club for an amazing day at Etihad Stadium and the night at the Gabba,” he said. “It was fantastic to be there and see Jonathan Brown play his 200th game. All the players lifted to make sure that we had a win and, most of all, Browny led from the front.”

 

[3KZ is Football]

Re: Kevin Murray (1955 - 1974)

I was lucky enough to see Kevin Murray play during the last 4 - 5 years of his career at Fitzroy and this is just how I remember him, hard at it and relentless.

[YOUTUBE]LimchehuHPA[/YOUTUBE]

Murray provides a good overview of his career and the players he played with at Fitzroy here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ_TcZPz_cA&playnext=1&list=PL93DE9FB3A0BBD3AB&index=28

 

[Grimreepah]

 

[LIONHART]

Re: Kevin Murray (1955 - 1974)

Mighty Kevin Murray, the proudest Roy

• Mike Sheahan
• From: Herald Sun
• June 04, 2010 12:00AM

my all-time favourite fitzroy player, no-one empitomises fitzroy better than bulldog murray, my boyhood hero growing up.

407 consecutive games would be a record that would never be broken if they had all been played in the vfl/afl.

 

[3KZ is Football]

Cheers for this picture Grimreepah. My father was at this game and he told me about this mark. If I remember the story correctly, it was taken not long after Barassi had taken a similar "hanger" over Murray. It was a case of "Bulldog" saying anything you can do I can do better.

http://www.fitzroyfc.com.au/2011FFCMembershipform.pdf

 

[Grimreepah]

Link to webpage

Kevin Murray captained Fitzroy a record 159 times. This was in the years 1963-1964 and 1967-1972. He was also coach in 1963-1964. His courage and tenacity earned the respect of his teammates and he often played with injury, particularly in the latter part of his career.

 

[Grimreepah]

Fitzroy Team of the Century

Back Line            Bill Stephen         Fred Hughson     Frank Curico
Half Back Line       [COLOR=red][B]Kevin Murray (c)[/B][/COLOR]     Paul Roos        Gary Pert
Centre Line          Wilfred Smallhorn    John Murphy      Warwick Irwin
Half Forward Line    Owen Abrahams        Bernie Quinlan   Gary Wilson (vc)
Forward Line         Allan Ruthven        Jack Moriarty    Norm Brown
Followers            Alan Gale            Norm Johnstone   Haydn Bunton
Interchange          Michael Conlan       Alaistar Lynch   Harvey Merrigan
                     Richard Osborne      Percy Parratt    Percy Trotter
Coach                Len Smith

 

[Grimreepah]

Victoria Team of the Century

Back Line            Jack Mueller       Jack Regan        [COLOR=Red][B]Kevin Murray[/B][/COLOR]
Half Back Line       Bruce Doull        Ted Whitten       Francis Bourke
Centre Line          Keith Greig        Greg Williams     Robert Flower
Half Forward Line    Peter Daicos       Laurie Nash       Gary Ablett
Forward Line         Bob Skilton        Bob Pratt         Jack Dyer
Followers            John Nicholls      Roy Cazaly        Dick Reynolds
Interchange          Reg Hickey         Leigh Matthews    Frank Johnson
                     Harry Cumberland   Len Fitzgerald    Paul Salmon
Coach                Norm Smith

Never the most elegant or poised of footballers Kevin Murray did not let such trifling matters stand in the way of his effectiveness. With pace, good judgement, and a tremendous leap Murray was equally effective both in the backlines and on the ball. He was also an inspirational leader who skippered Fitzroy for 8 seasons, captain-coached them in 1963 and 1964, and captain-coached East Perth in 1965 and 1966. Twice an All Australian (once with the VFL, once with Western Australia) Murray was a veritable stalwart of the interstate scene donning the Big V jumper 24 times and representing Western Australia on 6 occasions.

 

[Grimreepah]

AFL team of the century

[B][B]B:	B. Smith, 	S. Silvagni, 	J. Nicholls
HB:	B. Doull, 	T. Whitten (c)	[B][COLOR=Red]K. Murray[/COLOR][/B]
C:	F. Bourke, 	I. Stewart, 	K. Greig
HF:	A. Jesaulenko, 	R. Hart, 	D. Reynolds
F:	L. Matthews, 	J. Coleman, 	H. Bunton
R:	G. Farmer, 	R. Barassi, 	B. Skilton
I/C:	G. Ablett, 	J. Dyer, 	G. Williams
Coach:	N. Smith
[/B][/B]

 

[kwame]

used to live around the corner from me when i was a kid....would sign all the kids footy cards in the neighbourhood when they knocked on his door and show you his brownlow medal

 

[Grimreepah]

Fitzroy Brownlow vote career totals

Kevin Murray - 178
Garry Wilson - 161
Haydn Bunton - 122
Wilfred Smallhorn - 100
Paul Roos - 98
John Murphy - 97
Alan Ruthven - 97
Bernie Quinlan - 59
Bill Stephen - 59
Ron Alexander - 51

AFL Leading Brownlow vote getters

1. Gary Dempsey - 246
2. Robert Harvey - 215
3. Leigh Matthews - 202
4. Bob Skilton - 180
5. Kevin Murray - 178
6. Nathan Buckley - 178
7. Scott West - 175
8. Bill Hutchison - 172
9. Keigh Greig - 165
10. Simon Black - 164*

 

[Grimreepah]

Link to webpage

Fitzroy legend Kevin Murray has been captured here at his gritty, determined best. Ploughing through the mud at Brunswick Street, steely eyed and ready to launch the waterlogged ball forward for his beloved lions. The original canvas stands a colossal 3 metres high.

 

[Grimreepah]

 

[Grimreepah]

2009 Bushfires
August 20, 2009

Fitzroy legend Kevin Murray lost his Flowerdale holiday retreat in the Black Saturday bushfires last February. The home was not Murray's regular residence - he lives in Arcadia, near Shepparton - but nevertheless, the loss of his second residence was a massive blow to the 71-year-old as it was not insured.

As proof of what Murray means to Fitzroy the Fitzroy Brisbane Lions Past Players and Officials Association recently organised a president's luncheon during which it launched an appeal for him.

 

[Grimreepah]

Footy's greats visit Hall of Fame
Jun 04, 2010

Several of this year's inductees in the Australian Football Hall of Fame visited the hall of fame’s home at the MCG’s National Sports Museum on Friday to unveil a display in their honour.

Murray has loaned some key items from his decorated career to the National Sports Museum, including:
• Murray’s MBE (awarded in 1974 for services to sport).
• Murray’s Julius Marlow medal, awarded in 1960 to the VFL Best and Fairest player by public vote (the only one of these awards ever conferred) and his 1965 Simpson Medal.
• Murray’s number one Fitzroy guernsey, worn from 1967-74.
• Murray’s back brace, worn throughout his 333-game career.

 

[Grimreepah]

St Kilda Cricket Ground

A new grandstand was built in 1925-6 at a cost of $7000, designed by the architect E J Clark and built by H H Eilenberg. It was originally called the G P Newman Stand but has been renamed the Kevin Murray Stand after one of the club's most famous footballers.

 

[Grimreepah]

1964 Soccer Exhibition Match

Jack Dyer, ‘Captain Blood’ challenged Slavia-Port Melbourne to match to raise money for the Victorian Society for Crippled Children and Adults.

Slavia right-winger, Hammy McMeechan said, “They were decent guys, especially Kevin Murray. They respected us for our skills and as people.”

Slavia keeper Ray Barotajs and Fitzroy's Kevin Murray

VFL team members, Paul Vinar, Stuart Magee, Gordon Collis and Kevin Murray (l to r)