Norman Walter Smith (21 November 1915 – 29 July 1973) was an Australian rules football player and coach in the Victorian Football League (VFL). After more than 200 games as a player with Melbourne and Fitzroy, Smith began a twenty-year coaching career, including a fifteen-year stint at Melbourne.
A Legend in the Australian Football Hall of Fame, Smith is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential coaches in the game's history, as well as being one of the finest full-forwards of his era. Like legendary Collingwood coach Jock McHale, Smith could take young players of different backgrounds and mould them into a disciplined team.[1] Along with his brother Len, Smith's ability to think innovatively when it came to tactics had a profound influence on the game, most notably through his protégé Ron Barassi.
Smith played in four premierships with Melbourne and then coached the club to six further premierships in the 1950s and 1960s, but his sensational sacking midway through the 1965 season (when Melbourne were the reigning premiers) gave rise to what is known as the "Curse of Norm Smith". The supposed curse lasted 57 years until Melbourne defeated the Western Bulldogs in the 2021 AFL Grand Final. In 1996, Smith was chosen as the coach of the AFL Team of the Century.[2]
^Hess et al., 2008, p. 233
^Burgan, Matt (19 July 2007). "Norm Smith – now officially a legend". Australian Football League. Archived from the original on 30 May 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
"Curse of NormSmith". The supposed curse lasted 57 years until Melbourne defeated the Western Bulldogs in the 2021 AFL Grand Final. In 1996, Smith was chosen...
The NormSmith Medal is an Australian rules football award presented annually to the player adjudged the best on ground in the Grand Final of the Australian...
held jointly by Carlton and Essendon. Collingwood's Bobby Hill won the NormSmith Medal as the player judged best on ground. Collingwood came into the 2023...
kicked four goals each and set up numerous others. Johnson was awarded the NormSmith Medal for his best-on-ground performance in the grand final after the...
place on the ladder. Jason Johannisen of the Bulldogs was awarded the NormSmith Medal as the best player on the ground. Minor premiers for the ninth time...
wing. Time elapsed, and the game finished drawn. Lenny Hayes won the NormSmith Medal for the drawn grand final comfortably, with 13 of a possible 15...
premiership and first since 1980. Richmond's Dustin Martin was awarded the NormSmith Medal as the best player on the ground. Adelaide claimed the minor premiership...
fifth VFL/AFL premiership victory. Sydney's Ryan O'Keefe was awarded the NormSmith Medal as the best player on the ground. Hawthorn entered the 2012 season...
eleventh VFL/AFL premiership victory. Hawthorn's Brian Lake was awarded the NormSmith Medal as the best player on the ground. Hawthorn entered the 2013 season...
trailing by as much as 39 points. Shaun Hart of the Lions was awarded the NormSmith Medal for being judged the best player. Matthew Lloyd was among the best...
VFL/AFL premiership victory overall. Hawthorn's Cyril Rioli was awarded the NormSmith Medal as the best player on the ground. With the Fremantle Dockers and...
Alby Rodda, Brian Roet, Peter Rohde, Alan Rowarth, David Schwarz, NormSmith, Steven Smith, Earl Spalding, Stuart Spencer, Charlie Streeter, Steven Stretch...
was decided by a goal or less. Eagles player Chris Judd was awarded the NormSmith Medal for being judged the best player afield, although he finished on...
Western Bulldogs 21.14 (140) to 10.6 (66). Christian Petracca won the NormSmith Medal. The win was Melbourne's first premiership since 1964. For the second...
Dustin Martin won the NormSmith Medal as the player judged best on ground, becoming the first player to win three NormSmith Medals. The match was attended...
premiership and their second in three seasons. Richmond's Dustin Martin won the NormSmith Medal as the player judged best on ground. After ending a 37-year premiership...
VFL/AFL premiership victory overall. Hawthorn's Luke Hodge was awarded the NormSmith Medal as the best player on the ground. Having finished the home and away...
points, marking the club's tenth VFL/AFL premiership. Isaac Smith of Geelong won the NormSmith Medal as the player judged best on ground. Geelong entered...
fourth premiership and first since 2006. West Coast's Luke Shuey won the NormSmith Medal as the player judged best on ground. It is regarded as one of the...
Norman or NormSmith may refer to: Norman Smith (journalist) (born 1959), British BBC journalist Norman Smith (record producer) (1923–2008), English musician...
from some of its participants. Geelong's Paul Chapman was awarded the NormSmith Medal as the best player on the ground. Geelong entered the 2009 season...
first use of handicaps during the sprint. Andrew Embley was awarded the NormSmith Medal for being judged the best player afield. He recorded 26 disposals...
ninth VFL/AFL premiership victory. Geelong's Jimmy Bartel was awarded the NormSmith Medal as the best player on the ground. As of 2023[update], this is the...
the nine point margin. Nathan Buckley of the Magpies was awarded the NormSmith Medal as the best player afield, despite the fact that he finished on...
(134) d. Collingwood 12.12 (84). Simon Black of the Lions was awarded the NormSmith Medal for being judged the best player afield. His 39 disposals set and...
Melbourne became a powerhouse during the 1950s and early 1960s under coach NormSmith and star player Ron Barassi. The club contested seven consecutive grand...
Sydney, where they were defeated by four points. Chris Judd received the NormSmith Medal. For the second consecutive year, the Brownlow Medal was won by...
victory over minor premiers the Sydney Swans. Jason Johannisen won the NormSmith Medal, with Liam Picken (WB), Tom Boyd (WB) and Josh Kennedy (SYD) close...
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