Bernie Massey

Originally tied to Hawthorn, Bernie Massey found his way to the Demons via a residential loophole involving his grandmother's Murrumbeena address, though his career began with an infamous false start. After being selected for a debut in 1959, he told legendary coach Norm Smith he was unavailable due to a cousin's wedding, a decision that saw him exiled from the senior side until 1960. Once established, Massey became the rock of Melbourne's defence, a close-checking full-back who valued prevention over possession. He remains the club record holder for most games played without kicking a goal, a testament to his disciplined, stay-at-home style which peaked during the 1964 Premiership win where he kept Collingwood spearhead Ian Graham goalless. Injuries hampered his later seasons and he eventually departed to captain-coach Waverley in the VFA, leaving him stranded on exactly 99 VFL games. At the time, night series matches were often counted in player totals, leading Massey to believe he had cracked the century milestone, only for historical record-keeping to leave him agonizingly one game short.