Brian James Dixon (20 May 1936 – 9 July 2025) was an Australian rules footballer and politician.[1] He was born in Melbourne.[2]

Football career

Dixon played 252 games for Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL) between 1954 and 1968, playing mostly on the wing. He played in five premierships, winning Melbourne's best and fairest in 1960, while in 1961 he was selected in the All-Australian team and he also won the Tassie Medal for his performances at the 1961 Brisbane Carnival. In 2000 he was named in Melbourne's Team of the Century.

He coached North Melbourne for two seasons, 1971 and 1972.

Political career

While still playing football for Melbourne, Dixon entered parliament in 1964 as the member for the now abolished seat of St Kilda, representing the Liberal Party.[3] Being from the moderate wing of the party, he clashed with then Premier Henry Bolte, especially over the hanging of Ronald Ryan which Dixon strongly opposed.[4]

After Rupert Hamer took over as Liberal Party leader and Premier, Dixon was promoted to the ministry. He variously served in several portfolios, including Youth, Sport and Recreation and Housing. His best-remembered achievement was introducing the iconic Life. Be in it. program.[5]

In 1979, Dixon won St Kilda by an extremely narrow margin, which crucially gave the Hamer Liberal government a majority of one seat in the Legislative Assembly, and meant that the Liberal Party did not need to form a Coalition with the National Party, with which relations were traditionally poor in Victoria. However, in 1982, Dixon lost his seat and the Liberal Party was defeated after 27 years in power.

After his defeat, Dixon worked predominantly in sports administration and he ran public speaking seminars.

He travelled the world representing the Trim and Fitness International Sport for All Association (TAFISA) and the Asiania Sport For All Association (ASFAA). He was also president of AFL South Africa, taking a keen interest in other countries playing Australian rules football.[6]

Death

Dixon died on 9 July 2025, at the age of 89.[7][8]

Statistics

Playing statistics

[9]
Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
1954Melbourne9 82N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a0.3N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a
1955Melbourne9 167N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a0.4N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a
1956#Melbourne9 175N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a0.3N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a
1957#Melbourne9 212N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a0.1N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a
1958Melbourne9,16 202N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a0.1N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a
1959#Melbourne9 202N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a0.1N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a
1960#Melbourne9 204N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a0.2N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a
1961Melbourne9 162N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a0.1N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a
1962Melbourne9 182N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a0.1N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a
1963Melbourne9 183N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a0.2N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a
1964#Melbourne9 171N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a0.1N/aN/aN/aN/aN/aN/a
1965Melbourne9 13122602328378N/a0.10.220.01.821.86.0N/a
1966Melbourne9 11032222024248N/a0.00.320.21.822.04.4N/a
1967Melbourne9 18663575641377N/a0.30.319.83.122.94.3N/a
1968Melbourne9 192139551446123N/a0.10.120.82.723.56.5N/a
Career 252411212341501384326N/a0.20.220.22.522.75.3N/a

Coaching statistics

[10]

Legend
 W  Wins  L  Losses  D  Draws  W%  Winning percentage  LP  Ladder position  LT  League teams
Season Team Games W L D W % LP LT
1971North Melbourne 22516125.0%912
1972North Melbourne 2212104.5%1212
Career totals 44637114.8%

References

  1. ↑ "Former Melbourne great Brian Dixon dies aged 89". ABC News. 10 July 2025. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
  2. ↑ "Who's who in Australia". 2003.
  3. ↑ "Brian James Dixon". Re-Member: a database of all Victorian MPs since 1851. Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  4. ↑ Leanne, Stratos. "The Mayor". Goldcoast.qld.gov.au. Archived from the original on 24 August 2006. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
  5. ↑ Topsfield, Jewel (23 July 2011). "This couch potato still appeals". The Age. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  6. ↑ "Dixon's world tour to advance the cause - World Footy News". Worldfootynews.com. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
  7. ↑ "Former Melbourne great Brian Dixon dies aged 89". Abc.net.au. 10 July 2025. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
  8. ↑ "Vale Brian Dixon". Afl.com.au. 10 July 2025. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
  9. ↑ "AFL Tables - Brian Dixon - Stats - Statistics". Afltables.com. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
  10. ↑ "Brian Dixon". AFL Tables. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Dixon_(Australian_footballer)