# List of VFL debuts in 1944

The 1944 Victorian Football League (VFL) season was the 48th season of the VFL. The season saw 123 Australian rules footballers make their senior VFL debut and a further 21 players transfer to new clubs having previously played in the VFL.

## Summary

Summary of debuts in 1944 :
| Club | VFL debuts | Change of club |
| Carlton | 11 | 0 |
| Collingwood | 10 | 0 |
| Essendon | 12 | 0 |
| Fitzroy | 5 | 3 |
| Footscray | 7 | 2 |
| Geelong | 3 | 2 |
| Hawthorn | 13 | 2 |
| Melbourne | 14 | 1 |
| North Melbourne | 12 | 3 |
| Richmond | 11 | 0 |
| South Melbourne | 13 | 1 |
| St Kilda | 12 | 7 |
| Total | 123 | 21 |

## Debuts

| Name | Club | Age at debut | Round debuted | Games | Goals | Notes |
| Jack Conley | Carlton | 23 years, 278 days | 12 | 135 | 104 | |
| Doug Williams | Carlton | 21 years, 163 days | 11 | 120 | 7 | |
| Herb Turner | Carlton | 22 years, 305 days | 1 | 86 | 101 | |
| Ern Henfry | Carlton | 23 years, 33 days | 17 | 84 | 20 | |
| Alec Way | Carlton | 18 years, 274 days | 2 | 32 | 27 | |
| Bert Lucas | Carlton | 22 years, 61 days | 5 | 7 | 5 | |
| Les McCann | Carlton | 24 years, 118 days | 7 | 7 | 1 | |
| Ernie Spence | Carlton | 25 years, 228 days | 1 | 4 | 0 | |
| Les Marden | Carlton | 24 years, 282 days | 9 | 2 | 0 | |
| Les Gregory | Carlton | 29 years, 274 days | 17 | 2 | 0 | |
| Harold McDonald | Carlton | 21 years, 34 days | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| Dave Newman | Collingwood | 21 years, 82 days | 3 | 49 | 32 | |
| Bill Dalkin | Collingwood | 22 years, 173 days | 1 | 30 | 10 | |
| George Nelson | Collingwood | 25 years, 10 days | 1 | 24 | 1 | |
| Bob Galbally | Collingwood | 23 years, 144 days | 6 | 8 | 26 | Brother of Jack and Frank Galbally. |
| Jack Synon | Collingwood | 19 years, 318 days | 6 | 7 | 0 | |
| Ron Hibbert | Collingwood | 20 years, 64 days | 4 | 5 | 2 | |
| Ray Riddell | Collingwood | 25 years, 104 days | 10 | 5 | 0 | |
| Jim Tibballs | Collingwood | 21 years, 254 days | 5 | 4 | 1 | |
| Jack Nilson | Collingwood | 25 years, 150 days | 15 | 4 | 0 | |
| Arthur Robbins | Collingwood | 24 years, 134 days | 7 | 2 | 0 | |
| Bob Syme | Essendon | 19 years, 179 days | 4 | 116 | 59 | |
| Herbie Tonkes | Essendon | 23 years, 32 days | 1 | 37 | 0 | |
| Terry Healy | Essendon | 22 years, 358 days | 8 | 15 | 1 | |
| Russell Hill | Essendon | 24 years, 192 days | 16 | 14 | 1 | |
| Ray Finn | Essendon | 18 years, 132 days | 2 | 10 | 14 | |
| Alan Randall | Essendon | 19 years, 47 days | 6 | 9 | 0 | |
| Alan Shaw | Essendon | 22 years, 55 days | 13 | 5 | 0 | |
| Jack Henry | Essendon | 21 years, 176 days | 11 | 4 | 1 | |
| Jack Symons | Essendon | 19 years, 306 days | 3 | 3 | 0 | |
| Ron Kennedy | Essendon | 24 years, 241 days | 6 | 3 | 1 | |
| Jack Vinall | Essendon | 23 years, 153 days | 4 | 2 | 1 | |
| Ken Collicoat | Essendon | 24 years, 343 days | 8 | 2 | 1 | |
| Norm Johnstone | Fitzroy | 17 years, 181 days | 8 | 228 | 185 | Grandfather of Travis Johnstone. |
| Noel Jarvis | Fitzroy | 19 years, 216 days | 11 | 159 | 31 | |
| Jack Symons | Fitzroy | 32 years, 72 days | 2 | 36 | 58 | Previously played for Richmond. |
| Wally Bristowe | Fitzroy | 23 years, 23 days | 3 | 18 | 14 | Previously played for Hawthorn. |
| Laurie Bickerton | Fitzroy | 26 years, 298 days | 5 | 12 | 0 | |
| Charlie Linney | Fitzroy | 18 years, 269 days | 5 | 12 | 0 | |
| Jack Harrow | Fitzroy | 23 years, 105 days | 11 | 2 | 0 | |
| Billy Walsh | Fitzroy | 33 years, 78 days | 1 | 1 | 0 | Previously played for Melbourne. |
| George McLaren | Footscray | 19 years, 80 days | 6 | 139 | 24 | |
| Bill Wood | Footscray | 22 years, 193 days | 3 | 115 | 294 | |
| Dick Wearmouth | Footscray | 18 years, 8 days | 3 | 100 | 27 | |
| Jack Sutton | Footscray | 21 years, 184 days | 6 | 13 | 8 | |
| Harry Chalmers | Footscray | 24 years, 102 days | 11 | 13 | 3 | Previously played for North Melbourne. |
| Don Henderson | Footscray | 25 years, 272 days | 1 | 11 | 2 | |
| Gerry Sexton | Footscray | 24 years, 102 days | 11 | 10 | 0 | |
| Alf Benison | Footscray | 25 years, 341 days | 4 | 9 | 6 | Previously played for South Melbourne. |
| Mal McBean | Footscray | 22 years, 299 days | 13 | 4 | 0 | |
| Jim Fitzgerald | Geelong | 19 years, 144 days | 1 | 108 | 14 | |
| Doug Brown | Geelong | 20 years, 250 days | 1 | 70 | 108 | Previously played for Fitzroy. |
| Jim Munday | Geelong | 26 years, 187 days | 1 | 44 | 26 | |
| Ralph Patman | Geelong | 28 years, 117 days | 1 | 38 | 11 | Previously played for Fitzroy. |
| Jack Sing | Geelong | 19 years, 216 days | 1 | 33 | 1 | |
| Ted Fletcher | Hawthorn | 18 years, 166 days | 4 | 129 | 51 | |
| Malcolm Worrall | Hawthorn | 18 years, 209 days | 1 | 80 | 9 | |
| Roy Baldwin | Hawthorn | 17 years, 29 days | 17 | 41 | 6 | |
| Andy Brannan | Hawthorn | 24 years, 351 days | 3 | 31 | 39 | Previously played for Richmond. |
| Ken Lippiatt | Hawthorn | 24 years, 219 days | 15 | 30 | 0 | |
| Tom Spear | Hawthorn | 24 years, 292 days | 18 | 30 | 0 | |
| Ken Bodger | Hawthorn | 19 years, 213 days | 11 | 12 | 9 | |
| Reg Barnes | Hawthorn | 23 years, 164 days | 4 | 6 | 0 | |
| Jim Maguire | Hawthorn | 25 years, 263 days | 12 | 6 | 4 | |
| Harry Dwan | Hawthorn | 25 years, 164 days | 4 | 3 | 0 | Previously played for Richmond. |
| Bert Amey | Hawthorn | 19 years, 261 days | 15 | 3 | 0 | |
| Ron Alsop | Hawthorn | 28 years, 11 days | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| Vic Atkinson | Hawthorn | 23 years, 71 days | 6 | 1 | 0 | |
| Bob Harland | Hawthorn | 28 years, 108 days | 7 | 1 | 0 | |
| Alvan Whittle | Hawthorn | 24 years, 306 days | 12 | 1 | 0 | |
| Frank Kennedy | Melbourne | 23 years, 280 days | 1 | 36 | 11 | |
| Ivan Porter | Melbourne | 25 years, 304 days | 10 | 25 | 31 | |
| Es Downey | Melbourne | 20 years, 283 days | 3 | 22 | 7 | |
| Ron Hall | Melbourne | 24 years, 103 days | 13 | 17 | 2 | |
| Jack Stock | Melbourne | 20 years, 216 days | 6 | 14 | 0 | |
| Clem Conroy | Melbourne | 17 years, 165 days | 1 | 12 | 1 | |
| Percy Taylor | Melbourne | 25 years, 26 days | 1 | 9 | 20 | Previously played for Geelong and South Melbourne. |
| Lloyd Bennett | Melbourne | 28 years, 56 days | 5 | 9 | 4 | |
| Col Galbraith | Melbourne | 24 years, 33 days | 1 | 4 | 0 | |
| Jack Compton | Melbourne | 26 years, 124 days | 7 | 3 | 2 | |
| Frank McGrath | Melbourne | 26 years, 258 days | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| Tony Bizzaca | Melbourne | 23 years, 53 days | 10 | 2 | 1 | |
| Neil Bencraft | Melbourne | 19 years, 241 days | 14 | 2 | 3 | |
| Harry New | Melbourne | 24 years, 48 days | 18 | 2 | 0 | |
| Jim Ryan | Melbourne | 25 years, 356 days | 16 | 1 | 0 | |
| Don Condon | North Melbourne | 21 years, 55 days | 1 | 131 | 218 | |
| Keith McKenzie | North Melbourne | 22 years, 10 days | 1 | 130 | 12 | |
| Ted Jarrard | North Melbourne | 22 years, 140 days | 18 | 130 | 11 | |
| Fred Fairweather | North Melbourne | 30 years, 352 days | 3 | 54 | 14 | |
| Alf Clay | North Melbourne | 30 years, 161 days | 7 | 31 | 16 | Previously played for Hawthorn, Fitzroy and Footscray. |
| Cam Bogie | North Melbourne | 29 years, 128 days | 15 | 19 | 2 | |
| Ted Turner | North Melbourne | 22 years, 222 days | 13 | 16 | 1 | |
| Ted Thomas | North Melbourne | 22 years, 133 days | 9 | 11 | 0 | |
| Herbie Wood | North Melbourne | 23 years, 272 days | 1 | 10 | 1 | |
| Jack Hunter | North Melbourne | 29 years, 214 days | 1 | 7 | 13 | Previously played for Essendon. |
| Ken Watkins | North Melbourne | 24 years, 277 days | 3 | 5 | 0 | |
| Eric Haggis | North Melbourne | 29 years, 14 days | 2 | 4 | 0 | |
| Harold Daly | North Melbourne | 28 years, 292 days | 14 | 2 | 0 | Previously played for Hawthorn. |
| Clive Smith | North Melbourne | 20 years, 330 days | 17 | 2 | 0 | |
| Allan Wilson | North Melbourne | 28 years, 9 days | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| Bill Wilson | Richmond | 19 years, 229 days | 5 | 185 | 225 | |
| Fred Cook | Richmond | 21 years, 154 days | 1 | 81 | 11 | Twin brother of Keith Cook. |
| Bob Wiggins | Richmond | 18 years, 185 days | 16 | 68 | 2 | |
| Les Jones | Richmond | 21 years, 337 days | 18 | 59 | 23 | |
| Keith Cook | Richmond | 21 years, 154 days | 18 | 26 | 1 | Twin brother of Fred Cook. |
| Laurie Taylor | Richmond | 27 years, 167 days | 1 | 20 | 48 | Brother of Don Taylor. |
| Ray Bower | Richmond | 21 years, 129 days | 2 | 13 | 8 | |
| Percy Bice | Richmond | 28 years, 298 days | 10 | 6 | 0 | |
| Kevin Deagan | Richmond | 20 years, 182 days | 8 | 5 | 3 | |
| Frank Hughes, Jr. | Richmond | 23 years, 129 days | 7 | 3 | 0 | |
| Allen Lewis | Richmond | 27 years, 231 days | 7 | 3 | 0 | |
| Pat Bourke | South Melbourne | 20 years, 287 days | 16 | 36 | 0 | |
| Bob Matlock | South Melbourne | 25 years, 298 days | 4 | 35 | 0 | |
| Norm Duncan | South Melbourne | 21 years, 177 days | 6 | 19 | 15 | |
| Jack Danckert | South Melbourne | 21 years, 357 days | 9 | 13 | 0 | |
| Lyal Keighran | South Melbourne | 20 years, 237 days | 1 | 10 | 6 | |
| Jimmy McKnight | South Melbourne | 21 years, 3 days | 15 | 8 | 0 | |
| Lou Frost | South Melbourne | 27 years, 103 days | 1 | 6 | 0 | |
| Jack Sheedy | South Melbourne | 17 years, 242 days | 4 | 6 | 7 | |
| Jack Oatey | South Melbourne | 23 years, 279 days | 5 | 5 | 4 | |
| Joe De Medici | South Melbourne | 24 years, 55 days | 12 | 5 | 3 | Previously played for Footscray. |
| Max Rippon | South Melbourne | 23 years, 250 days | 7 | 4 | 0 | |
| Pat Grace | South Melbourne | 20 years, 76 days | 15 | 4 | 0 | |
| Len O'Shea | South Melbourne | 24 years, 188 days | 13 | 2 | 1 | |
| Colin Churchett | South Melbourne | 18 years, 181 days | 13 | 1 | 0 | |
| Des Nisbet | St Kilda | 22 years, 260 days | 11 | 110 | 6 | |
| Peter Bennett | St Kilda | 17 years, 321 days | 4 | 103 | 258 | Represented Australia in water polo at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. |
| Wal Armour | St Kilda | 23 years, 15 days | 2 | 33 | 36 | |
| Bob Bibby | St Kilda | 19 years, 46 days | 5 | 32 | 3 | |
| Jack Howe | St Kilda | 22 years, 113 days | 11 | 23 | 30 | |
| Bill Wells | St Kilda | 29 years, 240 days | 12 | 22 | 2 | Previously played for North Melbourne. |
| Gordon Geddes | St Kilda | 21 years, 338 days | 6 | 20 | 0 | |
| Ted Rippon | St Kilda | 30 years, 63 days | 9 | 17 | 19 | Previously played for Essendon. |
| Ray Gracie | St Kilda | 26 years, 248 days | 1 | 14 | 8 | |
| Arch Knott | St Kilda | 28 years, 185 days | 14 | 12 | 1 | Previously played for Fitzroy. |
| Brendon Bermingham | St Kilda | 30 years, 36 days | 9 | 8 | 1 | |
| Chris Lamborn | St Kilda | 28 years, 61 days | 5 | 4 | 1 | Previously played for North Melbourne and South Melbourne. |
| Peter Morcom | St Kilda | 20 years, 284 days | 16 | 3 | 4 | |
| George Grainger | St Kilda | 22 years, 316 days | 2 | 2 | 0 | |
| George Wilson | St Kilda | 23 years, 315 days | 2 | 2 | 0 | Previously played for Collingwood. |
| Ray Pearce | St Kilda | 27 years, 269 days | 8 | 2 | 0 | |
| Bernie Fyffe | St Kilda | 22 years, 241 days | 16 | 2 | 3 | Previously played for Fitzroy. |
| Les Hazelwood | St Kilda | 23 years, 331 days | 14 | 1 | 1 | Previously played for South Melbourne. |
| Jack Indian | St Kilda | 18 years, 86 days | 18 | 1 | 0 | |