AFL CHIEF executive officer Andrew Demetriou said the AFL wished to pass on its condolences to the family of Stuart Spencer, after the former Melbourne player and club president passed away at the age of 79.
 
Spencer played 122 games for Melbourne between 1950-56 as one of the game’s great rovers, before heading to Tasmania and playing a further 161 matches for Clarence from 1957-66.
 
During his time with the Demons, he won the Best and Fairest in the club’s 1955 and 1956 premiership seasons and was named as the first rover in the club’s Team of the Century.
 
He then won a further four consecutive Best and Fairests from 1957-60 with Clarence and was an All-Australian in 1956 and 1958, representing Victoria and then Tasmania at the two different national carnivals.
 
He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
 
Demetriou said Spencer was a towering figure in the game through the 1950s, and contributed much to the Demons as an administrator after his playing days.
 
"Stuart Spencer’s football career across Victoria and Tasmania marked him as one of the very greatest goalkicking rovers to have played our game,” Mr Demetriou said.
 
“He has a pre-eminent place in the history of the oldest club in our competition and football is poorer for his loss.
 
“It was a great privilege to be able to spend time with Stuart in recent years and his induction into the Hall of Fame was richly deserved and a memorable evening for all his family and friends.”