Ray Hutchins

Ray Hutchins was a devoted Melbourne figure whose brief senior career was the tip of the iceberg of a lifelong association with the club. The son of Merv Hutchins—who founded the Demons' Under 19s program—Ray worked his way through the grades with distinction, featuring in an Under 19s premiership in 1947 and a Reserves flag in 1949. After winning the Reserves Best and Fairest in 1950, he earned his senior promotion, primarily operating as a back pocket or full-back despite an initial experiment as a rover. He played five games across two seasons before a severe knee injury sustained in his final match of 1951 derailed his progress. Although he attempted a comeback in the Reserves in 1953, the injury ultimately forced his retirement, leading him to follow in his father's footsteps as a coach for the club's Under 17s and Under 19s squads.