Lawrence Sidney Mithen (15 April 1934 – 2 February 2022) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne in the VFL during their successful period in the late 1950s under Norm Smith.
Laurie Mithen | |||
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![]() Mithen in 1954 | |||
Personal information | |||
Full name | Lawrence Sidney Mithen | ||
Date of birth | (1934-04-15)15 April 1934 | ||
Date of death | 2 February 2022(2022-02-02) (aged 87) | ||
Original team(s) | Ormond (VAFA) | ||
Height | 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) | ||
Weight | 83 kg (183 lb) | ||
Playing career1 | |||
Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
1954–1962 | Melbourne | 153 (108) | |
1963–1965 | Port Melbourne (VFA) | 052 | |
1966–1967 | Claremont (WAFL) | 034 00(4) | |
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1967. | |||
Career highlights | |||
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Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com |
He was awarded a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne in April 1964.[1]
Playing for the Ormond Amateur Football Club in the Victorian Amateur Football Association, Mithen was the Association's best and fairest A Grade player in 1953.[2]
Recruited from Ormond,[3] he played in three consecutive premierships from 1955 to 1957 and was a premiership player again in 1959 and 1960 to finish with five.
Mithen played as a half forward early in his career before moving into the centre. It was as a centreman that he had most success, winning Melbourne's best and fairest in 1958 and 1959.
He was selected to play for Victoria in the 1958 ANFC Melbourne Carnival. In the only match (of a possible four) that he played in — the 7 July 1958 match against the VFA — he was completely outclassed by the VFA centreman, Bob Withers.[4]
He was named on the interchange bench in the Melbourne's official 'Team of the Century'.
In 1963, he moved to the Port Melbourne Football Club in the VFA and was the team's captain-coach from 1963 to 1965, during which time, he played 52 games, and the club won the 1964 Premiership.
He played for Claremont Football Club in the WAFL in 1966 and 1967 for a total of 34 games.[5]
On 4 February 2022, it was announced that Mithen had died, at the age of 87.[6]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Laurie Mithen. |
Melbourne Football Club · Team of the Century | |
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Full-back | |
Half-back | |
Centre |
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Half-forward | |
Full-forward | |
Ruck | |
Interchange |
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Emergencies | |
Coach |
Melbourne Football Club 1955/56/57 1959/60 VFL premiers | |
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1955: Melbourne 8.16 (64) defeated Collingwood 5.6 (36), at the Melbourne Cricket Ground 1956: Melbourne 17.19 (121) defeated Collingwood 6.12 (48), at the Melbourne Cricket Ground 1957: Melbourne 17.14 (116) defeated Essendon 7.13 (55), at the Melbourne Cricket Ground 1959: Melbourne 17.13 (115) defeated Essendon 11.12 (78), at the Melbourne Cricket Ground 1960: Melbourne 8.14 (62) defeated Collingwood 2.2 (14), at the Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
Coach: Smith |
Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Trophy · Melbourne Football Club best and fairest winners | |
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Melbourne Football Club · leading goalkickers | |
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Pre-VFL |
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VFL/AFL |
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AFL Women's |
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