Early indications of this came with the premiership won by the Second Eighteen (Reserves) in 1935, which was complemented by player Joe Kinnear triumphing in the Gardiner Medal count as best and fairest in the Second Eighteen League.
The likes of Jack Mueller, Ray Wartman, Maurie Gibb and Allan La Fontaine were prominent in the end of season statistics, which included a draw against Collingwood, eight wins and nine losses in a steady accrual of form. In a side note, Norman Walter Smith made his senior debut this season - one year after his brother, Len - and scored 3.3 on his way to a phenomenal career total of 546. Dick Taylor returned to Melbourne after two years with North Melbourne, Ron Baggott made his senior debut, playing seven games, and Colin Niven was captain, with La Fontaine as vice captain.
This season was also notable for the introduction of an award that holds sway and much prestige to this day - the Club’s Best and Fairest award. This was part of the increasing professionalism and solidity of the Club, particularly with the newly installed regime of Hughes as coach, and Percy Page as Secretary.
While the precise system of the day is not spelt out, what is certain is that Page and Hughes, along with others of the Club hierarchy, were inspired by awards such as the Brownlow, and the feeling of prestige and permanency that this gave the game. Hard though it is to believe, in 1935, the Brownlow was just over a decade old, and Melbourne had already had two successes, both from the one source, with Ivor Warne-Smith triumphing in 1926 and 1928.
The voting system for the Brownlow from 1931 was a three-two-one voting structure, and there was great awareness of this in annual publications, so it is reasonable to surmise that a similar system existed within Melbourne, along with the likes of the ‘Special Training’, ‘Special Trophy’ and ‘Most Brilliant Effort for the Season’ awards that made up the assembly.
Allan La Fontaine was the Club leader in Brownlow voting, with fifteen to his credit, some way ahead of Jack Mueller with eight in second place for Melbourne. Overall, La Fontaine was fourth in the Brownlow count, with Fitzroy legend Haydn Bunton Snr winning the third of his hattrick of Medals in this season.
It was a remarkable era, and La Fontaine was in the thick of it. He was only in his second season, still finding his place in the team - including kicking a bag of nine goals just his second game - and cementing his place in the centre, where he would forge a legend for the remainder of his career, and where he enjoyed his game the most. As he said from the very beginning, ‘I played all my best football in the centre.’
How well he played it was demonstrated clearly in 1935. Not only did he finish high in the Brownlow rankings in this season - Allan La Fontaine was named as Melbourne’s inaugural Best and Fairest winner, in what was just the start of a remarkable career of achievement.
La Fontaine, who was captain of the side from 1936 to 1941 - taking in the triple treat of flags in 1939, 1940 and 1941 - and who went on to coach the side between 1949 and 1951, holds a rare honour. With repeat Best and Fairest victories in 1936, 1941 and 1942 to add to his 1935 victory, La Fontaine is one of just two Melbourne players to have won four Best and Fairest awards, only being equalled by Jim Stynes with his four wins in the 1990s.
Like Stynes, La Fontaine’s name is one that stands proudly in the Club’s honour rolls, and has a unique place in the Club’s history. It all started back in 1935 - that year of ‘vigor renewed’ - and is celebrated to this day as we continue to recognise our Best and Fairest, new names adding their stories to a remarkable list, headed by La Fontaine.
