1928 VFL season

The 1928 Victorian Football League season was the 32nd season of the elite Australian rules football competition.

1928 VFL Premiership season
Teams12
PremiersCollingwood
(7th premiership)
Minor premiersCollingwood
(10th minor premiership)
Matches played112
Highest attendance66,381
Leading Goalkicker MedallistGordon Coventry (Collingwood)
Brownlow MedallistIvor Warne-Smith (Melbourne)

Premiership season

In 1928, 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 18 were the "home-and-way reverse" of matches 1 to 7.

Once the 18 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1928 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
Hawthorn 9.13 (67) St Kilda 10.10 (70) Glenferrie Oval 15,000 21 April 1928
Essendon 11.6 (72) Melbourne 13.7 (85) Windy Hill 20,000 21 April 1928
Richmond 14.15 (99) North Melbourne 2.9 (21) Punt Road Oval 20,000 21 April 1928
South Melbourne 14.16 (100) Footscray 15.9 (99) Lake Oval 20,000 21 April 1928
Geelong 8.12 (60) Collingwood 9.12 (66) Corio Oval 18,000 21 April 1928
Fitzroy 11.13 (79) Carlton 18.9 (117) Brunswick Street Oval 30,000 21 April 1928

Round 2

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
St Kilda 14.12 (96) South Melbourne 17.15 (117) Junction Oval 20,000 28 April 1928
Collingwood 14.18 (102) Fitzroy 9.13 (67) Victoria Park 20,000 28 April 1928
Carlton 13.9 (87) Richmond 10.6 (66) Princes Park 40,000 28 April 1928
North Melbourne 10.16 (76) Hawthorn 8.13 (61) Arden Street Oval 6,000 28 April 1928
Melbourne 6.11 (47) Geelong 4.16 (40) MCG 15,122 28 April 1928
Footscray 10.9 (69) Essendon 10.13 (73) Western Oval 20,000 28 April 1928

Round 3

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Fitzroy 12.12 (84) Melbourne 17.16 (118) Brunswick Street Oval 17,000 5 May 1928
Essendon 12.13 (85) South Melbourne 5.11 (41) Windy Hill 22,000 5 May 1928
St Kilda 11.11 (77) North Melbourne 10.15 (75) Junction Oval 12,000 5 May 1928
Geelong 10.17 (77) Footscray 12.9 (81) Corio Oval 12,500 5 May 1928
Richmond 5.14 (44) Collingwood 5.12 (42) Punt Road Oval 36,000 5 May 1928
Hawthorn 7.17 (59) Carlton 14.9 (93) Glenferrie Oval 14,000 5 May 1928

Round 4

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 7.13 (55) Richmond 6.15 (51) MCG 26,558 12 May 1928
Essendon 6.11 (47) Geelong 6.14 (50) Windy Hill 10,000 12 May 1928
Collingwood 15.22 (112) Hawthorn 5.9 (39) Victoria Park 8,000 12 May 1928
Carlton 16.24 (120) St Kilda 3.6 (24) Princes Park 18,000 12 May 1928
South Melbourne 10.9 (69) North Melbourne 10.10 (70) Lake Oval 10,000 12 May 1928
Footscray 11.11 (77) Fitzroy 10.4 (64) Western Oval 12,500 12 May 1928

Round 5

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 14.17 (101) Melbourne 16.14 (110) Glenferrie Oval 8,000 19 May 1928
Geelong 15.15 (105) South Melbourne 11.15 (81) Corio Oval 13,000 19 May 1928
Richmond 13.22 (100) Footscray 12.14 (86) Punt Road Oval 30,000 19 May 1928
Fitzroy 11.18 (84) Essendon 13.17 (95) Brunswick Street Oval 18,000 19 May 1928
St Kilda 11.8 (74) Collingwood 15.12 (102) Junction Oval 16,000 19 May 1928
North Melbourne 11.15 (81) Carlton 9.11 (65) Arden Street Oval 22,000 19 May 1928

Round 6

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 13.8 (86) St Kilda 11.8 (74) MCG 16,870 26 May 1928
Footscray 17.19 (121) Hawthorn 7.3 (45) Western Oval 14,000 26 May 1928
Essendon 10.8 (68) Richmond 7.19 (61) Windy Hill 20,000 26 May 1928
Collingwood 12.12 (84) North Melbourne 6.9 (45) Victoria Park 25,000 26 May 1928
Geelong 19.8 (122) Fitzroy 2.27 (39) Corio Oval 11,000 26 May 1928
South Melbourne 12.10 (82) Carlton 12.13 (85) Lake Oval 28,000 26 May 1928

Round 7

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Fitzroy 17.11 (113) South Melbourne 11.11 (77) Brunswick Street Oval 8,000 2 June 1928
Carlton 12.12 (84) Collingwood 13.9 (87) Princes Park 30,000 2 June 1928
North Melbourne 5.7 (37) Melbourne 14.16 (100) Arden Street Oval 9,000 2 June 1928
Richmond 12.21 (93) Geelong 13.12 (90) Punt Road Oval 10,000 2 June 1928
St Kilda 9.17 (71) Footscray 11.6 (72) Junction Oval 12,000 2 June 1928
Hawthorn 7.15 (57) Essendon 13.20 (98) Glenferrie Oval 6,000 2 June 1928

Round 8

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 15.21 (111) Hawthorn 3.9 (27) Corio Oval 9,500 4 June 1928
Footscray 18.15 (123) North Melbourne 8.13 (61) Western Oval 17,000 4 June 1928
Fitzroy 17.13 (115) Richmond 19.6 (120) Brunswick Street Oval 15,000 4 June 1928
Essendon 10.7 (67) St Kilda 11.10 (76) Windy Hill 20,000 4 June 1928
South Melbourne 9.14 (68) Collingwood 13.7 (85) Lake Oval 22,000 4 June 1928
Melbourne 10.14 (74) Carlton 9.10 (64) MCG 41,402 4 June 1928

Round 9

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Richmond 21.16 (142) South Melbourne 9.12 (66) Punt Road Oval 21,000 9 June 1928
Collingwood 13.14 (92) Melbourne 11.14 (80) Victoria Park 27,000 9 June 1928
Carlton 9.7 (61) Footscray 8.14 (62) Princes Park 25,000 9 June 1928
St Kilda 14.13 (97) Geelong 10.6 (66) Junction Oval 17,000 9 June 1928
Hawthorn 10.12 (72) Fitzroy 15.16 (106) Glenferrie Oval 8,000 9 June 1928
North Melbourne 9.5 (59) Essendon 10.10 (70) Arden Street Oval 13,000 9 June 1928

Round 10

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 11.11 (77) North Melbourne 8.4 (52) Corio Oval 10,000 23 June 1928
Fitzroy 8.13 (61) St Kilda 12.16 (88) Brunswick Street Oval 18,000 23 June 1928
South Melbourne 11.12 (78) Melbourne 13.12 (90) Lake Oval 17,000 23 June 1928
Richmond 13.24 (102) Hawthorn 11.10 (76) Punt Road Oval 16,000 23 June 1928
Footscray 9.10 (64) Collingwood 11.12 (78) Western Oval 30,000 23 June 1928
Essendon 9.12 (66) Carlton 10.18 (78) Windy Hill 22,000 23 June 1928

Round 11

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 14.11 (95) South Melbourne 15.10 (100) Glenferrie Oval 6,000 30 June 1928
Collingwood 12.13 (85) Essendon 8.9 (57) Victoria Park 16,000 30 June 1928
Carlton 20.12 (132) Geelong 15.14 (104) Princes Park 25,000 30 June 1928
St Kilda 9.11 (65) Richmond 12.9 (81) Junction Oval 28,500 30 June 1928
Melbourne 10.8 (68) Footscray 8.8 (56) MCG 24,562 30 June 1928
North Melbourne 7.14 (56) Fitzroy 15.12 (102) Arden Street Oval 8,000 30 June 1928

Round 12

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 8.5 (53) Richmond 12.18 (90) Arden Street Oval 12,000 7 July 1928
Footscray 13.13 (91) South Melbourne 13.11 (89) Western Oval 17,000 7 July 1928
Collingwood 9.13 (67) Geelong 12.6 (78) Victoria Park 17,000 7 July 1928
Carlton 12.10 (82) Fitzroy 12.14 (86) Princes Park 25,000 7 July 1928
St Kilda 20.14 (134) Hawthorn 12.13 (85) Junction Oval 19,000 7 July 1928
Melbourne 8.19 (67) Essendon 12.17 (89) MCG 18,695 7 July 1928

Round 13

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 8.17 (65) North Melbourne 10.9 (69) Glenferrie Oval 3,000 14 July 1928
Geelong 6.15 (51) Melbourne 7.13 (55) Corio Oval 16,500 14 July 1928
Essendon 15.14 (104) Footscray 11.8 (74) Windy Hill 20,000 14 July 1928
South Melbourne 10.10 (70) St Kilda 18.13 (121) Lake Oval 15,000 14 July 1928
Fitzroy 7.12 (54) Collingwood 14.15 (99) Brunswick Street Oval 18,000 14 July 1928
Richmond 15.15 (105) Carlton 11.13 (79) Punt Road Oval 30,000 14 July 1928

Round 14

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 11.12 (78) St Kilda 21.11 (137) Arden Street Oval 11,000 28 July 1928
Footscray 8.9 (57) Geelong 8.8 (56) Western Oval 14,000 28 July 1928
Collingwood 11.15 (81) Richmond 10.13 (73) Victoria Park 30,000 28 July 1928
Carlton 22.17 (149) Hawthorn 11.13 (79) Princes Park 10,000 28 July 1928
Melbourne 18.18 (126) Fitzroy 11.13 (79) MCG 13,562 28 July 1928
South Melbourne 11.17 (83) Essendon 18.11 (119) Lake Oval 16,000 28 July 1928

Round 15

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 12.10 (82) South Melbourne 11.14 (80) Arden Street Oval 6,000 4 August 1928
Fitzroy 13.12 (90) Footscray 12.17 (89) Brunswick Street Oval 12,000 4 August 1928
Richmond 11.13 (79) Melbourne 7.8 (50) Punt Road Oval 26,000 4 August 1928
Geelong 4.14 (38) Essendon 12.10 (82) Corio Oval 10,000 4 August 1928
Hawthorn 9.9 (63) Collingwood 17.18 (120) Glenferrie Oval 5,000 4 August 1928
St Kilda 13.15 (93) Carlton 10.9 (69) Junction Oval 31,000 4 August 1928

Round 16

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 8.6 (54) Richmond 10.17 (77) Western Oval 18,000 11 August 1928
Essendon 7.12 (54) Fitzroy 8.14 (62) Windy Hill 18,000 11 August 1928
Collingwood 15.16 (106) St Kilda 6.14 (50) Victoria Park 25,000 11 August 1928
Carlton 10.12 (72) North Melbourne 6.10 (46) Princes Park 14,000 11 August 1928
Melbourne 12.16 (88) Hawthorn 9.10 (64) MCG 6,547 11 August 1928
South Melbourne 15.14 (104) Geelong 9.13 (67) Lake Oval 8,000 11 August 1928

Round 17

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Fitzroy 16.9 (105) Geelong 12.9 (81) Brunswick Street Oval 9,000 18 August 1928
Carlton 9.20 (74) South Melbourne 8.8 (56) Princes Park 18,500 18 August 1928
St Kilda 12.10 (82) Melbourne 11.15 (81) Junction Oval 17,000 18 August 1928
Hawthorn 8.8 (56) Footscray 19.9 (123) Glenferrie Oval 8,500 18 August 1928
Richmond 22.14 (146) Essendon 11.11 (77) Punt Road Oval 30,000 18 August 1928
North Melbourne 8.9 (57) Collingwood 8.17 (65) Arden Street Oval 11,000 18 August 1928

Round 18

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 18.19 (127) North Melbourne 6.4 (40) MCG 8,609 1 September 1928
Geelong 9.9 (63) Richmond 15.21 (111) Corio Oval 7,000 1 September 1928
Footscray 9.13 (67) St Kilda 10.10 (70) Western Oval 14,000 1 September 1928
Essendon 16.22 (118) Hawthorn 9.6 (60) Windy Hill 10,000 1 September 1928
South Melbourne 14.16 (100) Fitzroy 13.12 (90) Lake Oval 8,000 1 September 1928
Collingwood 8.19 (67) Carlton 12.15 (87) Victoria Park 30,000 1 September 1928

Ladder

1928 VFL ladder
Pos Team Pld W L D PF PA PP Pts
1 Collingwood (P) 18 15 3 0 1540 1144 134.6 60 Finals
2 Richmond 18 14 4 0 1640 1228 133.6 56
3 Melbourne 18 14 4 0 1507 1233 122.2 56
4 Carlton 18 11 7 0 1598 1316 121.4 44
5 Essendon 18 11 7 0 1441 1275 113.0 44
6 St Kilda 18 11 7 0 1499 1470 102.0 44
7 Footscray 18 9 9 0 1465 1340 109.3 36
8 Fitzroy 18 7 11 0 1480 1675 88.4 28
9 Geelong 18 6 12 0 1336 1343 99.5 24
10 South Melbourne 18 5 13 0 1461 1709 85.5 20
11 North Melbourne 18 5 13 0 1058 1563 67.7 20
12 Hawthorn 18 0 18 0 1171 1900 61.6 0
Source: VFL Ladder
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers.

Finals

All of the 1928 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
Richmond 17.15 (117) Carlton 9.10 (64) MCG 66,381 8 September
Collingwood 9.8 (62) Melbourne 9.8 (62) MCG 41,423 15 September
Collingwood 10.8 (68) Melbourne 9.10 (64) MCG 42,175 22 September

Grand final

Collingwood defeated Richmond 13.18 (96) to 9.9 (63), in front of a crowd of 50,026 people. (For an explanation of scoring see Australian rules football).

Awards

Notable events

  • In Round 4, Footscray beat Geelong for the first time in its history after 26 winless matches (19 in the VFA for two draws and 17 losses and six in the VFL for six losses) over 14 years of competition (1886, 1888–1896, and 1925–1928).
  • "Player Blows Umpire's Whistle. Something never before seen at a football match occurred at [the round 6 match between Hawthorn and Footscray at] Hawthorn on Saturday [26 May 1928]. The field umpire was knocked out when the ball struck him on the face, but a Footscray player dashed down the field with the ball. A Hawthorn player took in the situation at a glance and as the umpire was unable to rise this player rushed to his side, seized his whistle and blew a blast which stopped the play. -- The Herald, 1 June 1928.[3]
  • One of the most unusual games was played at Corio Oval in round 6, between Fitzroy and Geelong. The game finished with Fitzroy scoring 2.27 (39): they hit the post five times, and only scored their second goal in time on of the fourth quarter. With 25 more behinds than goals, this remains the least accurate performance from any team by this metric. Geelong, on the other hand, scored 19.8 (122), giving them two fewer scoring shots than the Maroons, but they won by 83 points. As of 2020, this remains the record winning margin for a team with fewer scoring shots than their opponent.
  • In the round 7 match between Richmond and Geelong, played under atrocious weather conditions on a slushy, wet Punt Road Oval, Richmond players wore fingerless gloves (mittens) to help them control the slippery football.
  • In round 13, Collingwood finished the match with only sixteen players on the field.
  • On Saturday 16 June, three separate VFL combined teams played representative matches at three different locations: the first VFL team beat a Combined Ovens and Murray Football League side 16.15 (111) to 15.14 (104) at Wangaratta, Victoria, the second beat a Combined New South Wales Australian Football Association side 26.13 (169) to 14.11 (95) at the Sydney Cricket Ground, and the third drew with a Combined South Australian Football League team 13.10 (88) to 11.22 (88) in Adelaide once an incorrectly attributed behind had been deducted from Victoria's scoreboard score by the goal umpires.
  • In Round 17, Melbourne lodged an official protest against the result of its one-point loss against St Kilda, arguing that Bert Smedley's winning goal was kicked about seven seconds after the final bell had rung.[4] The timekeepers agreed that the goal had been scored after the bell, but the protest was dismissed when the league ruled that the bell was not considered to have been rung until it was heard by the umpire.[5]
  • The Second Semi-Final match between Collingwood and Melbourne finished in a draw, the first of eight draws in the history of VFL/AFL finals. A full replay was staged the following week, which was won by Collingwood. The draw meant that Richmond, who had won the First Semi-Final, endured a second consecutive bye week before the Final.

Footnotes

  1. "League Seconds". The Argus. Melbourne. 28 September 1928. p. 17.
  2. "League Seconds". The Argus. Melbourne. 17 October 1928. p. 20.
  3. News and Noted from All Quarters: Player Blows Umpire's Whistle, The Herald, (Friday, 1 June 1928), p.13.
  4. Old Boy (20 August 1928). "Football – Leaders hard pressed – Match under protest". The Argus. Melbourne. p. 6.
  5. "Football – Melbourne's protest". The Argus. Melbourne. 23 August 1928. p. 5.

References

  • Hogan, P., The Tigers of Old, The Richmond Football Club, (Richmond), 1996. ISBN 0-646-18748-1
  • 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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