The Australian Football League is mourning the passing of Brian Dixon, 89, a central member of the great Demons' team that dominated the competition for a decade under Norm Smith in the 1950s and early 1960s.

Dixon, named on the wing in the Melbourne Team of the Century, was a member of the Australian Football Hall of Fame and a five-time premiership player in 1956, 1967, 1959, 1960 and 1964 during a 252-game career at VFL level.

At state level, he represented Victoria 10 times and won the Tassie Medal at the 1961 carnival, where he also gained All-Australian selection.

Dixon was renowned as an attacking long-kicking wingman and was the first in club history to reach the 250-game milestone, holding the record for the Demons until it was later surpassed by Robert Flower.

The AFL sends its sincere condolences to Brian's family, many friends and former team mates and colleagues, and remembers him as one of the greatest to have played as a member of the Hall of Fame.

Dixon also served the Victorian community for nearly 20 years from 1964-82 as the state member for the seat of St Kilda, including serving as a Minister in the Hamer Government.

His political career began at the peak of his days as a Melbourne premiership player and, during his time, held various portfolios, including the responsibility for Sport and Recreation, where the program 'Life. Be in It' was introduced in 1975 as one of his initiatives. This program, with its central character 'Norm', was ground-breaking at the time for encouraging the community to be active for their general health, and was later adopted nationally.

Brian Dixon
252 games Melbourne 1954-68, 41 goals
Best and Fairest 1960
Premierships 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1964
All Australian 1961
Tassie Medal 1961
Melbourne Team of the Century (Wing)
North Melbourne coach 1971-72
Australian Football Hall of Fame