1926 VFL season

The 1926 Victorian Football League season was the 30th season of the elite Australian rules football competition.

1926 VFL Premiership season
Melbourne FC team, premiers
Teams12
PremiersMelbourne
(2nd premiership)
Minor premiersCollingwood
(8th minor premiership)
Matches played112
Highest attendance50,662
Leading Goalkicker MedallistGordon Coventry (Collingwood)
Brownlow MedallistIvor Warne-Smith (Melbourne)

Premiership season

In 1926, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, with no "reserves", although any of the 18 players who had left the playing field for any reason could later resume their place on the field at any time during the match.

Teams played each other in a home-and-away season of 18 rounds; matches 12 to 17 were the "home-and-way reverse" of matches 1 to 6, and match 18 the "home-and-away reverse" of match 9.

Once the 18 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1926 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the amended "Argus system".

Round 1

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 13.14 (92) St Kilda 8.15 (63) MCG 18,742 1 May 1926
Essendon 15.14 (104) North Melbourne 6.17 (53) Windy Hill 15,000 1 May 1926
South Melbourne 11.11 (77) Richmond 12.13 (85) Lake Oval 20,000 1 May 1926
Geelong 13.15 (93) Footscray 3.9 (27) Corio Oval 15,000 1 May 1926
Fitzroy 7.13 (55) Collingwood 14.10 (94) Brunswick Street Oval 25,000 1 May 1926
Hawthorn 6.14 (50) Carlton 9.16 (70) Glenferrie Oval 16,000 1 May 1926

Round 2

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 8.9 (57) South Melbourne 13.12 (90) Western Oval 15,000 8 May 1926
Collingwood 6.11 (47) Essendon 10.18 (78) Victoria Park 25,000 8 May 1926
Carlton 9.15 (69) Melbourne 8.10 (58) Princes Park 18,000 8 May 1926
North Melbourne 5.8 (38) Hawthorn 5.12 (42) Arden Street Oval 7,000 8 May 1926
St Kilda 15.15 (105) Geelong 16.14 (110) Junction Oval 20,000 8 May 1926
Richmond 18.8 (116) Fitzroy 8.10 (58) Punt Road Oval 22,000 8 May 1926

Round 3

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 17.17 (119) North Melbourne 14.5 (89) MCG 9,495 15 May 1926
Fitzroy 11.13 (79) Footscray 11.12 (78) Brunswick Street Oval 15,000 15 May 1926
Essendon 10.9 (69) Richmond 8.13 (61) Windy Hill 30,000 15 May 1926
South Melbourne 6.11 (47) St Kilda 6.14 (50) Lake Oval 23,000 15 May 1926
Hawthorn 6.11 (47) Collingwood 17.17 (119) Glenferrie Oval 13,000 15 May 1926
Geelong 9.10 (64) Carlton 8.12 (60) Corio Oval 18,000 15 May 1926

Round 4

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Collingwood 12.12 (84) Melbourne 12.7 (79) Victoria Park 15,000 22 May 1926
Carlton 10.11 (71) South Melbourne 9.12 (66) Princes Park 25,000 22 May 1926
Richmond 16.16 (112) Hawthorn 14.16 (100) Punt Road Oval 14,000 22 May 1926
North Melbourne 7.8 (50) Geelong 7.16 (58) Arden Street Oval 14,000 22 May 1926
St Kilda 9.8 (62) Fitzroy 7.9 (51) Junction Oval 22,000 22 May 1926
Footscray 7.5 (47) Essendon 6.13 (49) Western Oval 20,000 22 May 1926

Round 5

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 19.8 (122) Richmond 12.17 (89) MCG 28,628 29 May 1926
Essendon 13.7 (85) St Kilda 5.8 (38) Windy Hill 20,000 29 May 1926
South Melbourne 10.15 (75) North Melbourne 11.7 (73) Lake Oval 15,000 29 May 1926
Hawthorn 9.13 (67) Footscray 14.16 (100) Glenferrie Oval 10,000 29 May 1926
Geelong 9.14 (68) Collingwood 10.15 (75) Corio Oval 19,500 29 May 1926
Fitzroy 7.16 (58) Carlton 7.6 (48) Brunswick Street Oval 25,000 29 May 1926

Round 6

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 6.10 (46) Melbourne 15.15 (105) Western Oval 16,000 5 June 1926
Collingwood 12.16 (88) South Melbourne 8.11 (59) Victoria Park 16,000 5 June 1926
Carlton 10.13 (73) Essendon 6.15 (51) Princes Park 30,000 5 June 1926
St Kilda 12.7 (79) Hawthorn 6.14 (50) Junction Oval 10,000 5 June 1926
Richmond 10.13 (73) Geelong 12.11 (83) Punt Road Oval 26,000 5 June 1926
North Melbourne 11.11 (77) Fitzroy 11.15 (81) Arden Street Oval 10,000 5 June 1926

Round 7

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 10.13 (73) Richmond 10.14 (74) Arden Street Oval 12,000 7 June 1926
Melbourne 12.16 (88) South Melbourne 8.17 (65) MCG 20,974 7 June 1926
Fitzroy 11.15 (81) Hawthorn 14.12 (96) Brunswick Street Oval 8,000 7 June 1926
Geelong 13.11 (89) Essendon 7.9 (51) Corio Oval 25,600 7 June 1926
St Kilda 9.12 (66) Collingwood 10.16 (76) Junction Oval 24,000 7 June 1926
Footscray 10.11 (71) Carlton 14.9 (93) Western Oval 20,000 7 June 1926

Round 8

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Richmond 11.19 (85) St Kilda 9.12 (66) Punt Road Oval 22,000 19 June 1926
Essendon 10.9 (69) Melbourne 11.9 (75) Windy Hill 23,000 19 June 1926
Collingwood 28.16 (184) Footscray 8.10 (58) Victoria Park 14,000 19 June 1926
Carlton 17.7 (109) North Melbourne 7.10 (52) Princes Park 20,000 19 June 1926
Hawthorn 10.12 (72) Geelong 18.10 (118) Glenferrie Oval 9,000 19 June 1926
South Melbourne 13.15 (93) Fitzroy 9.5 (59) Lake Oval 15,000 19 June 1926

Round 9

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 4.9 (33) St Kilda 5.17 (47) Arden Street Oval 5,000 26 June 1926
Footscray 8.8 (56) Richmond 9.13 (67) Western Oval 14,000 26 June 1926
Fitzroy 10.9 (69) Geelong 12.12 (84) Brunswick Street Oval 12,000 26 June 1926
Carlton 10.10 (70) Collingwood 6.13 (49) Princes Park 30,000 26 June 1926
Melbourne 21.28 (154) Hawthorn 1.7 (13) MCG 7,514 26 June 1926
South Melbourne 9.15 (69) Essendon 8.9 (57) Lake Oval 18,000 26 June 1926

Round 10

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 8.10 (58) South Melbourne 11.16 (82) Glenferrie Oval 10,000 3 July 1926
Geelong 8.19 (67) Melbourne 8.5 (53) Corio Oval 21,500 3 July 1926
St Kilda 7.17 (59) Footscray 10.7 (67) Junction Oval 12,500 3 July 1926
Fitzroy 6.13 (49) Essendon 11.12 (78) Brunswick Street Oval 13,000 3 July 1926
North Melbourne 8.5 (53) Collingwood 10.16 (76) Arden Street Oval 5,000 3 July 1926
Richmond 7.17 (59) Carlton 8.6 (54) Punt Road Oval 32,000 3 July 1926

Round 11

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 14.9 (93) North Melbourne 10.8 (68) Western Oval 12,000 10 July 1926
Essendon 11.8 (74) Hawthorn 7.5 (47) Windy Hill 10,000 10 July 1926
Collingwood 14.15 (99) Richmond 5.11 (41) Victoria Park 23,000 10 July 1926
Carlton 11.14 (80) St Kilda 9.9 (63) Princes Park 15,000 10 July 1926
South Melbourne 9.13 (67) Geelong 8.8 (56) Lake Oval 20,000 10 July 1926
Melbourne 14.15 (99) Fitzroy 8.12 (60) MCG 11,651 10 July 1926

Round 12

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Richmond 10.15 (75) South Melbourne 16.12 (108) Punt Road Oval 27,000 17 July 1926
Footscray 7.14 (56) Geelong 15.17 (107) Western Oval 17,000 17 July 1926
Collingwood 18.16 (124) Fitzroy 11.16 (82) Victoria Park 16,000 17 July 1926
Carlton 8.17 (65) Hawthorn 8.9 (57) Princes Park 12,000 17 July 1926
St Kilda 3.11 (29) Melbourne 17.16 (118) Junction Oval 14,000 17 July 1926
North Melbourne 4.8 (32) Essendon 6.14 (50) Arden Street Oval 10,000 17 July 1926

Round 13

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 10.10 (70) North Melbourne 10.10 (70) Glenferrie Oval 4,500 7 August 1926
Geelong 12.18 (90) St Kilda 5.8 (38) Corio Oval 10,500 7 August 1926
Fitzroy 10.17 (77) Richmond 12.20 (92) Brunswick Street Oval 10,000 7 August 1926
South Melbourne 15.17 (107) Footscray 6.12 (48) Lake Oval 14,000 7 August 1926
Essendon 6.10 (46) Collingwood 10.9 (69) Windy Hill 20,000 7 August 1926
Melbourne 12.18 (90) Carlton 8.10 (58) MCG 27,785 7 August 1926

Round 14

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
St Kilda 7.11 (53) South Melbourne 10.21 (81) Junction Oval 15,000 14 August 1926
Collingwood 16.8 (104) Hawthorn 3.10 (28) Victoria Park 7,000 14 August 1926
Carlton 12.10 (82) Geelong 10.15 (75) Princes Park 25,000 14 August 1926
North Melbourne 10.7 (67) Melbourne 9.16 (70) Arden Street Oval 6,000 14 August 1926
Footscray 8.15 (63) Fitzroy 14.21 (105) Western Oval 10,000 14 August 1926
Richmond 8.14 (62) Essendon 10.7 (67) Punt Road Oval 20,000 14 August 1926

Round 15

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 10.9 (69) Richmond 14.18 (102) Glenferrie Oval 5,000 21 August 1926
Geelong 15.22 (112) North Melbourne 7.6 (48) Corio Oval 10,000 21 August 1926
Fitzroy 18.18 (126) St Kilda 9.10 (64) Brunswick Street Oval 7,000 21 August 1926
Essendon 18.15 (123) Footscray 9.9 (63) Windy Hill 8,000 21 August 1926
Melbourne 6.7 (43) Collingwood 13.15 (93) MCG 32,475 21 August 1926
South Melbourne 12.13 (85) Carlton 9.8 (62) Lake Oval 29,000 21 August 1926

Round 16

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 9.16 (70) South Melbourne 15.16 (106) Arden Street Oval 12,000 28 August 1926
Footscray 9.19 (73) Hawthorn 11.14 (80) Western Oval 5,000 28 August 1926
Collingwood 8.16 (64) Geelong 14.13 (97) Victoria Park 26,550 28 August 1926
Carlton 18.18 (126) Fitzroy 15.14 (104) Princes Park 25,000 28 August 1926
Richmond 10.8 (68) Melbourne 13.16 (94) Punt Road Oval 15,000 28 August 1926
St Kilda 2.11 (23) Essendon 14.11 (95) Junction Oval 13,000 28 August 1926

Round 17

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 10.10 (70) St Kilda 12.14 (86) Glenferrie Oval 5,000 4 September 1926
Geelong 19.16 (130) Richmond 8.18 (66) Corio Oval 11,500 4 September 1926
Fitzroy 17.18 (120) North Melbourne 13.7 (85) Brunswick Street Oval 6,000 4 September 1926
Melbourne 20.20 (140) Footscray 9.14 (68) MCG 6,684 4 September 1926
South Melbourne 8.9 (57) Collingwood 9.9 (63) Lake Oval 32,000 4 September 1926
Essendon 13.8 (86) Carlton 11.11 (77) Windy Hill 25,000 4 September 1926

Round 18

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 11.12 (78) Melbourne 18.13 (121) Glenferrie Oval 5,000 11 September 1926
Essendon 9.17 (71) South Melbourne 10.14 (74) Windy Hill 25,000 11 September 1926
St Kilda 13.12 (90) North Melbourne 11.5 (71) Junction Oval 6,000 11 September 1926
Richmond 6.13 (49) Footscray 13.15 (93) Punt Road Oval 5,000 11 September 1926
Geelong 15.14 (104) Fitzroy 6.13 (49) Corio Oval 14,000 11 September 1926
Collingwood 12.24 (96) Carlton 7.5 (47) Victoria Park 20,000 11 September 1926

Ladder

1926 VFL ladder
Pos Team Pld W L D PF PA PP Pts
1 Collingwood 18 15 3 0 1604 1074 149.3 60 Finals
2 Geelong 18 15 3 0 1605 1105 145.2 60
3 Melbourne (P) 18 14 4 0 1720 1175 146.4 56
4 Essendon 18 12 6 0 1303 1048 124.3 48
5 South Melbourne 18 12 6 0 1408 1184 118.9 48
6 Carlton 18 11 7 0 1314 1234 106.5 44
7 Richmond 18 9 9 0 1376 1495 92.0 36
8 Fitzroy 18 6 12 0 1363 1583 86.1 24
9 St Kilda 18 6 12 0 1081 1427 75.8 24
10 Footscray 18 4 14 0 1164 1665 69.9 16
11 Hawthorn 18 3 14 1 1094 1648 66.4 14
12 North Melbourne 18 0 17 1 1102 1496 73.7 2
Source: VFL Ladder
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers.

Finals

All of the 1926 finals were played at the MCG so the home team in the Semi Finals and Preliminary Final is purely the higher ranked team from the ladder but in the Grand Final the home team was the team that won the Preliminary Final.

Semi finals

Home team Score Away team Score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 10.10 (70) Essendon 17.15 (117) MCG 50,662 18 September
Collingwood 12.12 (84) Melbourne 13.17 (95) MCG 44,286 25 September

Preliminary Final

Home team Score Away team Score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 6.6 (42) Essendon 5.9 (39) MCG 50,162 2 October

Grand final

Melbourne defeated Collingwood 17.17 (119) to 9.8 (62), in front of a crowd of 59,362 people. (For an explanation of scoring see Australian rules football).

Awards

Notable events

  • In order to ensure that each team had nine home games in every season, the 17 game home-and-away season of 1925 was extended to 18 matches in 1926.
  • Following the retirement due to ill-health of Sir Baldwin Spencer, former Melbourne footballer, club doctor, and VFL delegate Dr. William C. McClelland became President of the VFL. He served from 1926 to 1956.
  • Halfway through the 1924 season, Carlton's champion Horrie Clover retired as a player due to a serious illness. He was subsequently appointed Secretary of the Carlton Club and, as well, he was made a member of the VFL's Umpire and permit Committee. By the start of 1926, Clover's health had improved to the extent that he resumed his career with Carlton, playing another 78 senior games from 1926 to 1931. Due to the perceived conflict of interest, he was made to resign from the VFL Committee.
  • As the players were walking off the field for their half-time break in the Preliminary Final, the Melbourne centreman Bob Corbett was viciously king-hit from behind, suffering a broken jaw; Essendon's Charlie May was subsequently suspended for all of 1927 for the incident. With no replacements allowed, Melbourne were forced to continue with 17 men and were gamely defending against the Essendon onslaught in the last quarter when, with only minutes to go in the match, a barely conscious Corbett staggered out onto the field with his head swathed in bandages, and took up his position in the centre, freeing up Ivor Warne-Smith to lead the Melbourne attack. In a mark of respect for Corbett's great courage, Essendon tough-man and rugged full-back Harry Hunter, who was racing up the ground towards the Essendon goals, saw a battered Corbett standing in his way. Under normal circumstances, Hunter, who was known to take no prisoners, would have run straight through Corbett; however, in what was described as an act of great chivalry by a sportsman and a gentleman, Hunter sidestepped Corbett, and delivered the ball down the ground through another avenue. Melbourne won 6.6 (42) to Essendon's 5.9 (39). The king-hit led to strong calls for substitute replacement players.[2][3]

Footnotes

References

  • Maplestone, M., Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996, Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996. ISBN 0-9591740-2-8
  • Rogers, S. & Brown, A., Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL Results 1897–1997 (Sixth Edition), Viking Books, (Ringwood), 1998. ISBN 0-670-90809-6
  • Ross, J. (ed), 100 Years of Australian Football 1897–1996: The Complete Story of the AFL, All the Big Stories, All the Great Pictures, All the Champions, Every AFL Season Reported, Viking, (Ringwood), 1996. ISBN 0-670-86814-0
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