Palman Qui Meruit Ferat
Last of the 1944 Premiership team passes away
The Fitzroy Football Club mourns the passing of one of our Club greats, Life Member Clen Denning (1911-2009), who passed away on Monday night (November 9th) at the age of 98 and 11 months. Clen was the VFL/AFL's oldest living player.
Denning was the last surviving member of Fitzroy's final VFL-AFL premiership side of 1944.
After being recruited from VFA club Oakleigh, Denning enjoyed a remarkable start to his VFL career with Carlton in 1935 by kicking six goals from his first six kicks in his first game.
He played 23 matches with the Blues before he was transferred to Fitzroy at the end of 1937 where he spent the next 10 seasons.
Denning led Fitzroy's goal-kicking in 1939 with 37 goals before settling into the back pocket. This was at the instigation of then Maroons coach Dan Minogue, who was proven to be correct as Denning was a valuable contributor for many years especially in the Lions' 1944 premiership side that beat Richmond by 15 points.
Denning was a big name player for Fitzroy. Apart from winning a trophy for "excellent play" in the 1944 Grand Final, he was in Fitzroy's best players in the 1943 preliminary final and both finals in 1947. Fred Hughson after the 1944 Grand Final was reported as saying that, "Denning was a great last ditch man and usually overpowered his opponent."
Opposition players would agree. Champion Essendon rover Dick Reynolds once wrote in The Sun, "I have opposed many fine back pocket players and seen plenty of others in action, but the one I admire the most is Clen Denning of Fitzroy. From bitter experience I know just how hard it is to get a kick from this Fitzroy stalwart. He seemed to delight in shadowing and spoiling me, and even when I had the advantage he would bustle me or punch the ball away. In fact, I was glad to go back on the ball to get a few kicks. I once heard a player remark that Denning 'even watches the wind go by."
Clen was also held in high regard by Fitzroy supporters, members and officials. A letter dated February 26th 1948, from Fitzroy secretary Percy Mitchell said in part: "May I hand you the complement of being the best back pocket player I have ever known Fitzroy to possess."
He played a total of 159 VFL matches for Fitzroy (18 games for Carlton with 23 goals), kicked 59 goals for Fitzroy and represented Victoria in 1941. He was awarded 10 Brownlow votes in total...eight of them in 1947 - his last season. It quite likely would have been much more, but no Brownlow Medal was awarded between 1942 and 1945 due to World War Two.
Denning retired in 1947 and was made a Life Member of the Fitzroy Football Club that same year. He remained a loyal Fitzroy man, coaching the reserves in 1952 and 1953 and working as a talent scout for the Club. In 2001, he said "It's slipped by but it's one of those things I can always look back on - being with Fitzroy. They were a great side with a great lot of players that I used to play with. I still meet with some of the boys that I used to play with."
He was nominated for the Fitzroy Team of the Century in 2001 and was inducted into the Fitzroy-Brisbane Lions Past Players and Officials Hall of Fame the same year.
Clen's eulogy delivered at Clen's funeral by his son Ian Denning may be read here. The Fitzroy Football Club gratefully thanks Ian for his permission to publish Clen's eulogy on our website.
RIP Clen.
Picture Stuart Milligan. Sources: Herald-Sun. Chris Donald - "Fitzroy - For Love of the Jumper"
