Brian Leahy


Brian Peter 'Wrecker' Leahy was an Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne in the Victorian Football League during the early 1960s. His brothers John and Terry also played for Melbourne.

Australian rules football career

A strongly built half back, Leahy was noted for his bursts off the flanks. At age 15 he won the North Albury Football Club's best and fairest and was just 16 when signed up by Melbourne, spending 1959 in the reserves.
On 18 April 1960 during the Round 1 clash with North Melbourne, Leahy became the 786th player to wear the Melbourne guernsey. He went on to play a further 11 matches with Melbourne during the 1960 season, including the Grand Final against Collingwood. At 17 years and 233 days Brian became the second youngest premiership player in VFL history, just 11 days older than the record holder Murray Weideman.
During the 1961 season, Leahy played a total of 17 matches – two with his older brother, John – and received two votes for the Brownlow Medal. He played another 17 matches in 1962, including the Semi-Final loss to Carlton and received another Brownlow Medal vote.
Leahy played a total of 18 games during the 1963 season and kicked his first VFL goal during the Round 7 loss to South Melbourne. In 1964 he kicked his second goal against South Melbourne before a thigh injury cost him another premiership.
A torn Achilles tendon the following season ultimately ended Leahy's VFL career – he played only one game in 1965 – the Round 16 loss to Geelong.
Leahy finished his career in the Victorian Football Association where he played briefly with both Yarraville and Northcote. He then coached South Melbourne's Under-19s football team.

Later life

Brian Leahy died in Wodonga on 24 January 2004 and is buried at the Glenmorous Gardens Lawn Cemetery, Albury.