1961 Brisbane Carnival

The 1961 Brisbane Carnival was the 15th edition of the Australian National Football Carnival, an Australian football interstate competition. It was the last carnival to be held in Queensland.

It was one of the most competitive carnivals to have been played, with the traditional carnival powerhouse Victoria going down to Western Australia in the final game to give Western Australia its first carnival victory since 1921. Despite Victoria comfortably accounting for South Australia, the Western Australians narrowly lost their game to South Australia. Tasmania, who traditionally struggle, lost all games but got within seven points of the South Australians. With Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria all finishing on 2 wins and a loss, Western Australia won the championship due to a superior percentage.

In 2014, the Western Australian team from this carnival was inducted as a whole into the West Australian Football Hall of Fame.

Teams
Although the carnival took place in Brisbane, no Queensland team competed in the tournament. The four teams were Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania.

South Australian Squad
Players: John Abley (Port Adelaide); Barrie Barbary (North Adelaide); Fred Bills (West Torrens); Jeff Bray (West Adelaide); John Cahill (Port Adelaide); Ken Eustice (West Adelaide); Paul Garnett (West Adelaide); Ian Hannaford (Port Adelaide); John Halbert ; Neville Hayes (Port Adelaide); Lindsay Head (West Torrens); Bill Herron (Glenelg); Frank Hogan (West Adelaide); Dick Jackson (South Adelaide); Geoff Kingston (West Torrens); Neil Kerley (West Adelaide), captain; Don Lindner (North Adelaide); Theo "Hank" Lindner (North Adelaide); Trevor Obst (Port Adelaide); Des Panizza (South Adelaide); Jeff Potter (Port Adelaide); Don Roach (West Adelaide); Bob Shearman (West Torrens); and Bill Wedding (Norwood). Coach: Fos Williams.

Tasmanian Squad
Players: Trevor Anthony (East Devonport); John Archer (Launceston); Darrel Baldock (Latrobe), captain; Ted Banks (Clarence); Roger Browning (New Norfolk); Arthur Cole (Hobart); Neil Conlan (Devonport); John Fitzallen (Longford); Dale Flint (Sandy Bay); Don Gale (Burnie); Rex Geard (Sandy Bay); Ivan Hayes (Longford); Len Lawson (Latrobe); "Casey" Lawrence (Longford); Trevor Leo (Hobart); Rex Lethborg (Scottsdale); Ron Marney (Glenorchy); Peter Marquis (North Hobart); Stan Morcom (City-South); Colin Moore (North Hobart); John Noble (North Hobart); Garth Smith (Ulverstone); Murray Steele (Sandy Bay); Kevin Symons (Burnie); and Bob Withers (North Launceston), vice-captain. Coach: Jack Metherell.

Victorian Squad
Players: Owen Abrahams ; Frank Adams ; Allen Aylett (North Melbourne); Ron Barassi ; Terry Callan (Geelong); Brian Dixon ; Brian Gray (Collingwood); John Heriot (South Melbourne); John James ; Graeme MacKenzie ; Hugh Mitchell (Essendon); Ian Mort (Hawthorn); Kevin Murray ; John Nicholls ; Lance Oswald (St Kilda); John Peck (Hawthorn); Neil Roberts (St Kilda); John Schultz (Footscray); Fred Swift ; Jim Taylor (South Melbourne); Noel Teasdale (North Melbourne); Ken Turner (Collingwood); and Ted Whitten (Footscray). Coach: Len Smith.

Western Australian Squad
Players: Malcolm Atwell ; Ken Bagley ; Dinny Barron (Subiaco); Neville Beard (Perth); Haydn Bunton Jr., captain; Derek Chadwick ; Jack Clarke ; John Colgan ; Lorne Cook ; John Dethridge ; Joe Fanchi ; Graham Farmer ; Ray Gabelich ; John Gerovich ; Bob Graham ; Ken Holt ; Denis Marshall ; Barry Metcalfe ; Les Mumme ; Con Regan ; Norm Rogers ; Keith Slater ; Ray Sorrell ; John Todd , vice captain; John Turnbull ; and Don Williams. Coach: Jack Sheedy,.

All-Australian team
In 1961 the All-Australian team was picked based on the Brisbane Carnival. Ron Barassi was named as captain. West Australian ruckman Jack Clarke became the first person to be named in four All Australian teams.

Tassie Medal
Brian Dixon of the VFL won the Tassie Medal after beating East Fremantle's Jack Clarke by one vote.