Australian Football

AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game

 

Key Facts

Full name
Kevin Joseph Murray

Known as
Kevin Murray

Nickname
Bulldog

Born
18 June 1938 (age 85)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 16y 323d
Last game: 36y 74d

Height and weight
Height: 178 cm
Weight: 79 kg

Senior clubs
Fitzroy; East Perth; Sandringham

Jumper numbers
Fitzroy: 2, 1

Recruited from
Fitzroy (1965); East Perth (1967)

State of origin
Victoria 24 games, Western Australia 6 games

Hall of fame
Inducted 1996. Elevated to Legend status 2010.

Best & fairest
Fitzroy 1956, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1968, 1969. East Perth 1965

Awards
AFL Team of the Century, Fitzroy Team of the Century (captain), East Perth Team of the Century (post-war), All-Australian 1958, 1966

Family links
Dan Murray (Father)

Kevin Murray

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
FitzroyV/AFL1955-1964, 1967-1974333510.1537%14.044.213.56178
East PerthWANFL1965-196644200.45
SandringhamVFA1975-19761230.25
Total1955-1976389740.19

Pre 1965 stats are for selected matches only

AFL: 6,556th player to appear, 33rd most games played, 2,017th most goals kickedFitzroy: 714th player to appear, 1st most games played, 100th most goals kicked

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 eight 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 six occasions.

He won a Brownlow in 1969 at the age of 31 having previously finished second twice and third once and was no stranger to club awards either, winning best and fairests at Fitzroy on an unprecedented nine occasions, plus once with the Royals. In 1975 he was appointed captain-coach of Sandringham on a three year contract, but after two mediocre seasons he was replaced by Darrell MacKenzie.

Murray's durability was emphasised not only by his incredible ability to keep on playing whilst carrying injuries that would have floored most other players, but also by the sheer extent of his playing career which encompassed no fewer than 448 senior games over more than two decades. In 2002 he was placed on a half back flank and selected as captain in Fitzroy's official 'Team of the Century'. Four years later East Perth selected him as a ruck-rover in the club's official 'Team of the Century 1945 to 2005'.

Murray was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of fame as part of its inaugural 1996 intake and was elevated to Legend status in 2010.

Kevin Murray's father, Dan Murray, was an accomplished wingman who played 66 games for Fitzroy and in the VFA for Prahran during the 1930s.

Honours

Australian Football Hall of Fame
Inducted 1996
Elevated to Legend status 2010

Best and Fairest
Fitzroy 1956, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1968, 1969
East Perth 1965

State Representative
Victoria 24 games
Western Australia 6 games

Other awards
AFL Team of the Century
Fitzroy Team of the Century (captain)
East Perth Team of the Century (post-war)
All-Australian 1958, 1966

Author - John Devaney, updated by Andrew Gigacz

Sources

Full Points Publications

Footnotes

* Behinds calculated from the 1965 season on.
+ Score at the end of extra time.