Footyinfo

Frank Davis

Melbourne

AFL career

168 games2 goals

Debut
R13 1964 v NTH18 July 1964
Most recent
R22 1973 v NTH1 Sept 1973

Coaching career

1 games0 wins1 losses0 draws

First
R8 1979 v HAW26 May 1979

Stats

1973
MEL
18
9.7
1.0
10.7
1.9
2.1
1.3
0.1
0.0
1972
MEL
21
12.4
1.6
14.0
3.2
2.1
2.5
0.0
0.0
1971
MEL
21
13.6
1.7
15.3
2.9
3.6
1.5
0.0
0.0
1970
MEL
22
13.8
1.0
14.8
3.2
3.0
2.1
0.0
0.0
1969
MEL
16
13.6
1.2
14.8
2.7
3.7
1.8
0.0
0.0
1968
MEL
16
11.7
1.0
12.7
2.0
1.6
1.8
0.0
0.0
1967
MEL
17
11.5
0.8
12.3
2.6
1.4
1.1
0.0
0.0
1966
MEL
13
8.8
0.5
9.3
2.5
1.5
1.2
0.0
0.0
1965
MEL
18
10.2
0.8
10.9
1.9
2.4
1.5
0.0
0.1
1964
MEL
6
-
-
-
-
-
-
0.2
-
League
Season
NTH
WP
R22
14
1
15
1
4
2
1
0.0
GEE
KP
R21
8
1
9
3
1
1
0
0.0
FSC
MCG
R20
15
2
17
4
2
0
0
0.0
ESS
WH
R19
13
1
14
3
5
4
0
0.0
SME
WP
R18
11
1
12
4
3
2
0
0.0
RCH
MCG
R16
13
0
13
2
2
1
0
0.0
CAR
PP
R15
6
1
7
2
2
0
0
0.0
HAW
MCG
R13
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
NTH
MCG
R11
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
GEE
MCG
R10
8
3
11
5
1
3
0
0.0
FSC
WO
R9
11
2
13
0
3
1
0
0.0
ESS
WP
R8
7
0
7
1
2
2
0
0.0
SME
MCG
R7
10
0
10
2
2
2
0
0.0
COL
VP
R6
8
3
11
3
2
2
0
0.0
RCH
MCG
R5
13
2
15
0
3
1
0
0.0
FIT
JO
R4
16
1
17
0
4
1
0
0.0
CAR
MCG
R3
13
0
13
2
1
2
0
0.0
HAW
GO
R2
8
0
8
2
1
0
0
1.0

Profile

Born
25 Aug 1944 (age 82y 57d)
Height
178 cm
Weight
78 kg

Teams

Coaching

  • Melbourne (Senior Coach)
    1979
    1 games (W0 L1 D0), 0.0%

Honours

  • Premiership1964
  • Melbourne B&F1970
    3rd
    1971
    Top 10
    1967
  • Melbourne captain(2Ă—) 1971, 1972

Frank Davis entered the VFL with a start that most players only dream of, joining Melbourne from Salesian College and the Under 19s. Debuting in the middle of the 1964 season, he famously booted a goal with his very first kick in league football—a deceptive beginning for a man who would finish his career with only two majors to his name. Despite playing just a handful of senior games that year, Davis held his spot when it mattered most, featuring in the Demons' 1964 Grand Final victory over Collingwood in his rookie season.

Following that golden introduction, Davis transformed from a potential forward option into one of the league's most reliable defenders, typically operating from a half-back flank or back pocket. He became a pillar of the Melbourne side during a lean era for the club, his consistency and leadership eventually seeing him appointed club captain in the early 1970s. His standing at the Demons was cemented when he won the Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal as the club's Best and Fairest in 1970, later representing Victoria and serving the club as a loyal one-club player until his retirement in 1973.