Sunshine
After running third in 1970, Sunshine appointed former Footscray player Don McKenzie as captain-coach the following year and the players responded by qualifying for the second division finals for the ninth straight time before winning the premiership, and promotion to first division, in style. Only 3 losses were sustained all year, and on grand final day the Crows overwhelmed Brunswick in devastating fashion, 22.26 (158) to 16.8 (104) at Toorak Park.
1961 Season (VFA Division 2) Fixture
Sunshine's 1961 Fixture
| Rnd | H&A | Club | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | S | R | Opponent | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | S | Mgn | Grd | Date | SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961-04-15 1 | H | Sunshine | — | — | — | 6.10 | 46 | LOST | Northcote | — | — | — | 13.10 | 88 | -42 | SEL | 1961-04-15 Apr 15 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1961-04-22 2 | A | Sunshine | — | — | — | 13.19 | 97 | LOST | Waverley | — | — | — | 17.9 | 111 | -14 | CR2 | 1961-04-22 Apr 22 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1961-04-29 3 | H | Sunshine | — | — | — | 11.15 | 81 | LOST | Dandenong | — | — | — | 13.12 | 90 | -9 | SEL | 1961-04-29 Apr 29 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1961-05-06 4 | A | Sunshine | — | — | — | 14.13 | 97 | LOST | Camberwell | — | — | — | 16.9 | 105 | -8 | CBW | 1961-05-06 May 6 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1961-05-13 5 | A | Sunshine | — | — | — | 11.10 | 76 | LOST | Preston | — | — | — | 18.15 | 123 | -47 | PRE | 1961-05-13 May 13 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1961-05-20 6 | H | Sunshine | — | — | — | 15.11 | 101 | WON | Camberwell | — | — | — | 10.9 | 69 | 32 | SEL | 1961-05-20 May 20 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1961-05-27 7 | H | Sunshine | — | — | — | 25.19 | 169 | WON | Brighton | — | — | — | 7.13 | 55 | 114 | SEL | 1961-05-27 May 27 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1961-06-03 8 | A | Sunshine | — | — | — | 11.15 | 81 | LOST | Dandenong | — | — | — | 17.20 | 122 | -41 | DAN | 1961-06-03 Jun 3 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1961-06-12 9 | A | Sunshine | — | — | — | 8.9 | 57 | LOST | Prahran | — | — | — | 11.9 | 75 | -18 | TOO | 1961-06-12 Jun 12 (Mon, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1961-06-17 10 | H | Sunshine | — | — | — | 15.9 | 99 | WON | Waverley | — | — | — | 10.7 | 67 | 32 | SEL | 1961-06-17 Jun 17 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1961-06-24 11 | A | Sunshine | — | — | — | 8.7 | 55 | LOST | Northcote | — | — | — | 19.11 | 125 | -70 | NOR | 1961-06-24 Jun 24 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1961-07-01 12 | H | Sunshine | — | — | — | 12.10 | 82 | LOST | Preston | — | — | — | 11.19 | 85 | -3 | SEL | 1961-07-01 Jul 1 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1961-07-08 13 | A | Sunshine | — | — | — | 6.8 | 44 | LOST | Camberwell | — | — | — | 7.7 | 49 | -5 | CBW | 1961-07-08 Jul 8 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1961-07-15 14 | A | Sunshine | — | — | — | 25.32 | 182 | WON | Brighton | — | — | — | 5.7 | 37 | 145 | ELS | 1961-07-15 Jul 15 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1961-07-22 15 | H | Sunshine | — | — | — | 10.8 | 68 | LOST | Dandenong | — | — | — | 11.17 | 83 | -15 | SEL | 1961-07-22 Jul 22 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1961-07-29 16 | H | Sunshine | — | — | — | 14.14 | 98 | WON | Prahran | — | — | — | 14.12 | 96 | 2 | SEL | 1961-07-29 Jul 29 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1961-08-05 17 | A | Sunshine | — | — | — | 9.22 | 76 | LOST | Waverley | — | — | — | 19.8 | 122 | -46 | CR2 | 1961-08-05 Aug 5 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1961-08-12 18 | H | Sunshine | — | — | — | 7.3 | 45 | LOST | Northcote | — | — | — | 14.20 | 104 | -59 | SEL | 1961-08-12 Aug 12 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |