Essendon won from fourth, beating Geelong and then Collingwood in a spiteful game, before overcoming St Kilda in the Grand Final.

It was the first time any club had won the flag from fourth since the Bombers did it in 1949.

Leading goalkicker Ted Fordham kicked 14 goals in the finals, and his seven in the Grand Final were a season-high for him and equal to the seven that 'Whoppa’ Lane kicked in the 1946 premiership win.

The 1965 premiership cup. (Photo: Essendon FC)

Essendon   2.7  5.10  10.18  14.21 (105)
St Kilda   1.6  4.8  5.11  9.16 (70)

Best: Sampson, Fordham, Fraser, Gosper, Davis, Birt

Goals: Fordham 7, Sampson 2, Gosper 2, Fraser, Birt, Mitchell

Captain Ken Fraser on the dais at the 1965 Grand Final.

Team

B: D. Gerlach, G. Brown, C. Payne

HB: B. Davis, I. Shelton, G. Pryor

C: A. Epis, J. Clarke. R. Blew

HF: G. Johnston, K. Fraser, G. Gosper

F: B. Sampson, T. Fordham, D. Shaw

R: D. McKenzie, H. Mitchell, J. Birt

I: B. Waite, K. Egan

Coach: John Coleman

Captain: Ken Fraser

Average age: 24

Average games: 91

Honours

Best and fairest: John Birt

Leading goalkicker: Ted Fordham (54)