Terry Brain
1928-1937
141 games
198 goals
Premiership Player 1933
Best and Fairest 1934

Ahead of the VFL’s opening round in 1928, Terry Brain found himself at the centre of a dispute between two clubs who’d both selected him in their side. South recruited Brain from his local club, South Melbourne Districts, but he’d previously been zoned to Collingwood, and they made a last-minute play to seek a clearance for the young rover.

However, South Melbourne had been building a formidable administrative team, and Secretary Likely McBrien denied the Magpies’ clearance request. McBrien filled both the secretary and president roles for the club from 1922 to 1929 before being appointed secretary of the VFL—a position he held until 1956.

And so, Brain, the son of a bootmaker, debuted for South Melbourne in a one-point win over Footscray at the Lake Oval. He played 11 matches in his first season, but it was a largely forgettable year for the team. The following year, Ron Hillis and Hugh McLaughlin were introduced as South’s form improved.

Off the field, South Melbourne was also taking strides. The committee worked hard in the background to liquidate a sizeable bank overdraft of £780. It sensibly decided to embark on a series of social events to improve the club’s situation and resolved to boost membership sales. With enhanced performance, membership jumped from 1900 to 4500 over the ensuing few years, solidifying the club’s all-round position.

Over his first handful of seasons, Brain had shown glimpses of solid form but struggled to maintain consistency. That all changed in 1931. Playing in a reserves match at Geelong, Brain turned in a fine performance, leading South to victory over the home side, which had been on a 47-game unbeaten run. According to The Record, “Terry Brain was a match-winner and the best man on the ground.”

South had been holding its position but not gaining any significant ground, so when Western Australian champion Johnny Leonard accepted the club’s offer to become captain-coach in 1932, all and sundry were delighted.

President Jack Rohan, vice-president Archie Crofts, and the committee vowed to continue the recruitment drive, and soon, Brain and his teammates were joined by a talented group of players from the west—Brighton Diggins, Bill Faul, and Gilbert Beard. Victorians Jack Bisset and Herbie J. Matthews also began their illustrious South careers.

Halfway through the season, The Sporting Globe’s ‘Jumbo’ Sharland dedicated a match report almost entirely to South’s emerging rover titled Rightly Named: Brain of South. He said, “Barrackers agreed that a better name could not be found for South Melbourne’s second rover and forward pocket player than Brain, but they argue that it should be plural.”

“Terry, who is small and well-built, played a grand game. Near to the ground, he scooped the ball out of the mud and slime when bigger men were floundering. He punted to good position and played on all the time. Whipping in among the packs, he took great risks—most of them came off. The herculean efforts of the little fellow did much to hold South together.”

A fourth-placed finish was a vast improvement for South, but with more talent on the way, better times were on the horizon. The committee worked tirelessly to scour the country, and Bloods Champion Laurie Nash joined from Launceston, Jim O’Meara from Perth, Johnny Bowe from Subiaco, and Ossie Bertram from West Torrens. Collectively, South Melbourne became known as The Foreign Legion.

After a sluggish start to the season, South kicked into overdrive, reaching the Grand Final for the first time since 1918. Brain lined up in the second-rover position as the Bloods played ferociously, defeating Richmond by 42 points. The crowd of 75,754 broke the largest attendance record at any football or cricket match ever played in Australia.

In The Australasian, Jack Worral said South had four ‘absolute champion’ players on the day, with Laurie Nash, Jack Austin, Len Thomas, and Brain all earning his praise. In describing Brain’s match, he said, “his handling of the ball, cleverness generally, and pacing being conspicuous.”

Savouring the well-deserved premiership, players and officials boarded a char-a-banc and toured the streets of South Melbourne to rapturous applause. They decided they should do the same through the streets of Richmond, where they received an understandably mixed but mostly good-natured response.

In 1934, South were, again, outstanding. They won finals against Collingwood and Geelong before Richmond turned the tables, defeating the Bloods by 39 points in the Grand Final. Brain played an impressive season, with his pace, courage, and ball-winning abilities on full display. At the club’s annual general meeting, Brain claimed South’s best and fairest award after an incredibly consistent season. However, most were surprised star forward Bob Pratt only finished runner-up after kicking a record 150 goals.

In The Record, he was celebrated, “Terry Brain’s selection will be hailed with great pleasure, for there is not a more popular or more gentlemanly player in the game. Never a showy player, Terry completed his 100th game during the finals series. A sterling footballer and a great little clubman, the mantle of club champion will rest very lightly on his shoulders.”

Despite the Grand Final loss and rumours of bribes being taken by some players, Brain enjoyed the company of his teammates. Next to football, his favourite recreational activity was angling. On many occasions, he’d pack the fishing gear for a trip with teammate Brighton Diggins and others to any number of mountain streams.

In 1935, South played in the Grand Final for the third successive season. However, Bob Pratt was struck by a truck before the match, and Jack Bisset suffered a fractured skull early on, with Collingwood claiming a 20-point win.

The following year, South lost their third successive Grand Final, going down to Collingwood by 11 points, and this golden era had reached its end. Brain suffered an arm injury late in the season, which kept him out of the decider, and after the match, South players were utterly devastated.

Early in the 1937 season, The Record reported Brain’s injury had only worsened over the summer months. “General regret will be felt at the news that Terry Brain, South’s consistent little rover for the last six seasons, will be compelled, on medical advice, to refrain from participating in football this season.”

He did eventually play 12 games in what was his final season at South, but his and the team’s form paled in comparison to previous years. Brain, recently married to Dorothy Fisher, retired from League football and moved to Camberwell in 1938. Officials from the local club came knocking on his door, and he agreed to play one more season with former South teammate Laurie Nash at Camberwell in the VFA.

Although no longer playing, Brain remained connected to South Melbourne. He returned to the club as Talent Scout in 1940, using his sharp eye for spotting footballing talent. Then in 1958, his son Terry Brain Jr debuted for South, playing seven matches in the red and white. Brain is fondly remembered as one of South’s most popular players of his time. He passed away in 1984, aged 77.