Mel Whinnen

Mel Whinnen MBE
Personal information
Full name	Allan Melvyn Whinnen
Nickname(s)	Slippery
Date of birth	(1942-10-06) 6 October 1942 (age 74)
Place of birth	Perth, Western Australia
Original team(s)	Perth Boys High School
Position(s)	Centre
Playing career¹
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1960–77	West Perth	371 (72)
Representative team honours
Years	Team	Games (Goals)
1963–72	Western Australia	14 (1)
¹ Playing statistics correct to the end of 1977.
Career highlights
West Perth premiership side 1960, 1969, 1971, 1975 West Perth best and fairest 1962, 1964, 1967, 1968 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975 Runner-up Sandover Medal 1964, 1971 Simpson Medal 1975 (grand final) West Perth captain 1977 West Perth Team of the Century (2000) West Australian Football Hall of Fame (2004)

Allan Melvyn "Mel" Whinnen MBE (born 6 October 1942) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the West Perth Football Club in the Western Australian National Football League (WANFL) from 1960 to 1977. He also played 14 interstate and carnival games for Western Australia. In total, Whinnen played 371 games for West Perth, a league record, playing in four premiership sides and finishing runner-up in the Sandover Medal on two occasions, as well as winning West Perth's best and fairest award, the Breckler Medal, on a record nine occasions. He was inducted into the West Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

Educated at North Perth Primary School and Perth Boys High School, Whinnen debuted for West Perth in 1960, and was a reserve in the club's 1960 premiership win over East Perth at Subiaco Oval. Playing mainly as a centreman, Whinnen established himself in West Perth's league team, winning the Breckler Medal in 1962 and 1964 as the club's best and fairest. He also finished second in the Sandover Medal in 1964, polling 22 votes to finish one vote behind Barry Cable, the winner. Whinnen made his state debut for Western Australia against the Victorian Football Association (VFA) in 1963. Whinnen won West Perth's best and fairest award in both 1967 and 1968, and again in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1975. In total, Whinnen won the Breckler Medal a record nine times between 1962 and 1975.

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