1942 VFL season

The 1942 Victorian Football League season was the 46th season of the elite Australian rules football competition.

1942 VFL Premiership season
Essendon FC, premier team
Teams11
PremiersEssendon
(7th premiership)
Minor premiersEssendon
(7th minor premiership)
Matches played84
Highest attendance49,000
Leading Goalkicker MedallistLindsay White (South Melbourne)
Brownlow MedallistNot awarded

Influence of World War II

World War II had many effects on the organisation of football in Australia:

  • Geelong was unable to compete in the competition because of wartime travel restrictions. Temporary transfers to other clubs were available to Geelong players (limit of three per club).
  • Melbourne and Collingwood struggled to field a team, and at one stage considered amalgamating into a joint team,[1] however they were both ultimately able to compete.
  • Hawthorn and Collingwood withdrew their teams from the reserves competition.
  • Available servicemen were often called upon to make up the numbers - this accounts for the drop in form of the Melbourne team, having previously won three premierships in a row.
  • The VFA went into recess, and any eligible players were given temporary league permits.[2]
  • The Brownlow Medal was suspended until 1946.
  • Many ground changes were also forced upon teams, as their usual home grounds were used in the war effort. The new grounds used were Yarraville Oval (Footscray), Toorak Park (St Kilda), Punt Road Oval (Melbourne) and Princes Park (South Melbourne).[3]
  • Government regulations meant the traditional matches on the King's Birthday public holiday could not be played until 1946.[4]

Premiership season

In 1942, the VFL competition consisted of eleven teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus one substitute player, known as the 19th man. A player could be substituted for any reason; however, once substituted, a player could not return to the field of play under any circumstances.

Teams played each other in a home-and-away season of 16 rounds.

The determination of the 1942 season's fixtures was complicated by the fact that when the VFL decided to proceed with senior football on 1 April,[5] it was not known which grounds would be available. All 1941 grounds except Windy Hill and the Brunswick Street Oval were candidates for long-term appropriation by the military, and the VFL announced that unless three grounds were available, it would not play the season.[6] Consequently, each round's fixture through the first eleven weeks was set only on the previous Wednesday week, rather than being pre-determined at the start of the season. Ultimately the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Lake Oval, the Western Oval, and the Junction Oval all became unavailable; but, several Victorian Football Association grounds became available when the VFA announced on 21 April that it was going into recess, resulting in St Kilda and Footscray moving to Toorak Park and Yarraville Oval respectively,[7] and the remaining ground losses were managed by Melbourne sharing the Punt Road Oval with Richmond and South Melbourne sharing Princes Park with Carlton.

During the first eleven rounds, each team played each other once and had one bye. The remaining five rounds (Rounds 12 to 16) featured the same matches as Rounds 1 to 5. This resulted in an uneven fixture in which six teams played 15 matches, and five teams played 14 matches. Teams were awarded four premiership points for each bye, so the teams with an extra bye were favoured by this draw.[3]

Once the 16 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1942 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the Page-McIntyre System.

Round 1

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 13.15 (93) North Melbourne 18.19 (127) Glenferrie Oval 5,000 9 May 1942
Fitzroy 14.13 (97) St Kilda 10.12 (72) Brunswick Street Oval 8,000 9 May 1942
Essendon 25.14 (164) Melbourne 16.14 (110) Windy Hill 8,000 9 May 1942
Richmond 19.17 (131) Footscray 16.15 (111) Punt Road Oval 14,000 9 May 1942
South Melbourne 18.25 (133) Collingwood 14.11 (95) Princes Park 8,000 9 May 1942

Round 2

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 18.9 (117) Richmond 30.16 (196) Punt Road Oval 20,000 16 May 1942
Carlton 8.11 (59) South Melbourne 13.21 (99) Princes Park 16,000 16 May 1942
St Kilda 16.13 (109) Hawthorn 9.17 (71) Toorak Park 5,500 16 May 1942
North Melbourne 14.10 (94) Fitzroy 17.13 (115) Arden Street Oval 5,500 16 May 1942
Footscray 12.16 (88) Essendon 14.8 (92) Yarraville Oval 10,000 16 May 1942

Round 3

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Fitzroy 20.13 (133) Melbourne 11.11 (77) Brunswick Street Oval 7,000 23 May 1942
South Melbourne 22.24 (156) St Kilda 11.16 (82) Princes Park 6,500 23 May 1942
Hawthorn 5.11 (41) Footscray 17.15 (117) Glenferrie Oval 5,000 23 May 1942
Richmond 25.25 (175) Collingwood 5.7 (37) Punt Road Oval 11,500 23 May 1942
Essendon 11.9 (75) Carlton 11.4 (70) Windy Hill 13,000 23 May 1942

Round 4

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 12.8 (80) South Melbourne 8.17 (65) Arden Street Oval 12,000 30 May 1942
Collingwood 13.9 (87) Essendon 20.16 (136) Victoria Park 6,500 30 May 1942
Carlton 13.13 (91) Fitzroy 9.14 (68) Princes Park 14,000 30 May 1942
St Kilda 11.17 (83) Richmond 25.13 (163) Toorak Park 9,000 30 May 1942
Melbourne 16.15 (111) Hawthorn 8.17 (65) Punt Road Oval 3,500 30 May 1942

Round 5

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Fitzroy 11.13 (79) Footscray 12.11 (83) Brunswick Street Oval 9,000 6 June 1942
Essendon 15.19 (109) North Melbourne 9.15 (69) Windy Hill 10,000 6 June 1942
South Melbourne 23.10 (148) Melbourne 16.19 (115) Princes Park 5,500 6 June 1942
Hawthorn 13.10 (88) Collingwood 10.20 (80) Glenferrie Oval 4,000 6 June 1942
Richmond 15.14 (104) Carlton 10.17 (77) Punt Road Oval 20,000 6 June 1942

Round 6

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 6.9 (45) St Kilda 13.11 (89) Punt Road Oval 4,000 13 June 1942
Essendon 10.17 (77) Richmond 11.10 (76) Windy Hill 18,000 13 June 1942
Collingwood 11.12 (78) Footscray 11.21 (87) Victoria Park 5,500 13 June 1942
Carlton 20.18 (138) North Melbourne 13.13 (91) Princes Park 7,000 13 June 1942
Fitzroy 11.17 (83) South Melbourne 9.15 (69) Toorak Park 10,000 13 June 1942

Round 7

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Richmond 10.9 (69) South Melbourne 11.20 (86) Punt Road Oval 18,000 20 June 1942
Fitzroy 16.14 (110) Hawthorn 14.10 (94) Brunswick Street Oval 5,000 20 June 1942
North Melbourne 11.10 (76) Melbourne 12.11 (83) Arden Street Oval 4,000 20 June 1942
St Kilda 11.14 (80) Collingwood 9.14 (68) Toorak Park 5,000 20 June 1942
Footscray 12.19 (91) Carlton 10.12 (72) Yarraville Oval 8,500 20 June 1942

Round 8

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Fitzroy 12.9 (81) Richmond 15.15 (105) Brunswick Street Oval 17,000 27 June 1942
Essendon 22.12 (144) Hawthorn 5.8 (38) Windy Hill 6,000 27 June 1942
Carlton 18.14 (122) St Kilda 10.11 (71) Princes Park 6,500 27 June 1942
North Melbourne 9.8 (62) Footscray 17.16 (118) Arden Street Oval 6,000 27 June 1942
Melbourne 11.14 (80) Collingwood 14.21 (105) Punt Road Oval 5,500 27 June 1942

Round 9

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 7.3 (45) South Melbourne 11.9 (75) Yarraville Oval 9,500 4 July 1942
Collingwood 10.18 (78) Fitzroy 12.7 (79) Victoria Park 6,000 4 July 1942
Richmond 11.14 (80) North Melbourne 11.11 (77) Punt Road Oval 5,000 4 July 1942
St Kilda 6.9 (45) Essendon 4.15 (39) Toorak Park 4,500 4 July 1942
Hawthorn 8.10 (58) Carlton 12.14 (86) Glenferrie Oval 3,000 4 July 1942

Round 10

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 19.17 (131) St Kilda 7.18 (60) Yarraville Oval 6,000 11 July 1942
Carlton 13.17 (95) Melbourne 10.7 (67) Princes Park 5,500 11 July 1942
Fitzroy 12.10 (82) Essendon 15.17 (107) Brunswick Street Oval 15,000 11 July 1942
North Melbourne 17.8 (110) Collingwood 11.16 (82) Arden Street Oval 3,500 11 July 1942
South Melbourne 12.19 (91) Hawthorn 13.10 (88) Punt Road Oval 6,000 11 July 1942

Round 11

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 13.17 (95) Richmond 19.13 (127) Glenferrie Oval 6,000 18 July 1942
Essendon 10.15 (75) South Melbourne 8.7 (55) Windy Hill 16,000 18 July 1942
St Kilda 21.9 (135) North Melbourne 9.8 (62) Toorak Park 4,000 18 July 1942
Melbourne 14.11 (95) Footscray 19.12 (126) Punt Road Oval 6,000 18 July 1942
Collingwood 11.11 (77) Carlton 13.14 (92) Victoria Park 8,000 18 July 1942

Round 12

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 19.15 (129) Richmond 17.20 (122) Yarraville Oval 15,000 25 July 1942
Collingwood 9.15 (69) South Melbourne 15.21 (111) Victoria Park 8,000 25 July 1942
North Melbourne 9.10 (64) Hawthorn 6.16 (52) Arden Street Oval 3,000 25 July 1942
St Kilda 10.13 (73) Fitzroy 12.14 (86) Toorak Park 8,000 25 July 1942
Melbourne 14.20 (104) Essendon 12.12 (84) Punt Road Oval 6,000 25 July 1942

Round 13

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 8.9 (57) St Kilda 10.15 (75) Glenferrie Oval 3,500 1 August 1942
Fitzroy 20.14 (134) North Melbourne 10.8 (68) Brunswick Street Oval 5,500 1 August 1942
Essendon 15.12 (102) Footscray 10.8 (68) Windy Hill 14,000 1 August 1942
Richmond 15.21 (111) Melbourne 12.14 (86) Punt Road Oval 9,000 1 August 1942
South Melbourne 10.24 (84) Carlton 12.17 (89) Princes Park 15,000 1 August 1942

Round 14

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
St Kilda 6.10 (46) South Melbourne 13.11 (89) Toorak Park 3,500 8 August 1942
Footscray 20.17 (137) Hawthorn 9.4 (58) Yarraville Oval 2,500 8 August 1942
Collingwood 12.11 (83) Richmond 16.21 (117) Victoria Park 3,500 8 August 1942
Carlton 18.20 (128) Essendon 11.9 (75) Princes Park 7,500 8 August 1942
Melbourne 12.13 (85) Fitzroy 10.8 (68) Punt Road Oval 3,000 8 August 1942

Round 15

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Richmond 18.20 (128) St Kilda 8.8 (56) Punt Road Oval 7,000 15 August 1942
Hawthorn 7.15 (57) Melbourne 16.22 (118) Glenferrie Oval 2,500 15 August 1942
South Melbourne 22.13 (145) North Melbourne 12.15 (87) Princes Park 5,000 15 August 1942
Essendon 11.17 (83) Collingwood 9.10 (64) Windy Hill 8,000 15 August 1942
Fitzroy 13.20 (98) Carlton 17.13 (115) Brunswick Street Oval 13,000 15 August 1942

Round 16

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 14.7 (91) South Melbourne 14.23 (107) Punt Road Oval 10,000 22 August 1942
Collingwood 16.21 (117) Hawthorn 15.13 (103) Victoria Park 2,000 22 August 1942
Carlton 18.19 (127) Richmond 10.14 (74) Princes Park 26,000 22 August 1942
Footscray 19.15 (129) Fitzroy 14.8 (92) Yarraville Oval 8,000 22 August 1942
North Melbourne 5.8 (38) Essendon 8.16 (64) Arden Street Oval 4,000 22 August 1942

Ladder

1942 VFL ladder
Pos Team Pld W L D B PF PA PP Pts
1 Essendon (P) 15 12 3 0 1 1426 1122 127.1 52 Finals
2 Richmond 15 11 4 0 1 1778 1322 134.5 48
3 South Melbourne 15 11 4 0 1 1513 1173 129.0 48
4 Footscray 14 10 4 0 2 1460 1159 126.0 48
5 Carlton 14 10 4 0 2 1361 1132 120.2 48
6 Fitzroy 15 8 7 0 1 1405 1340 104.9 36
7 St Kilda 14 6 8 0 2 1076 1314 81.9 32
8 Melbourne 15 5 10 0 1 1384 1624 85.2 24
9 North Melbourne 14 4 10 0 2 1105 1413 78.2 24
10 Collingwood 14 2 12 0 2 1120 1474 76.0 16
11 Hawthorn 15 1 14 0 1 1058 1613 65.6 8
Source: VFL ladder
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
Note: Each team was awarded 4 pts for every bye they received during the year
(P) Premiers.

Finals

Semi finals

Home team Score Away team Score Venue Crowd Date
South Melbourne 13.13 (91) Footscray 7.22 (64) Princes Park 25,000 29 August
Essendon 8.8 (56) Richmond 11.12 (78) Princes Park 32,000 5 September

Preliminary Final

Home team Score Away team Score Venue Crowd Date
Essendon 19.10 (124) South Melbourne 14.12 (96) Princes Park 26,000 12 September

Grand final

Essendon defeated Richmond 19.18 (132) to 11.13 (79), in front of a crowd of 49,000 (approx.) people at Princes Park. (For an explanation of scoring see Australian rules football).

Awards

Notable events

References

  1. Percy Taylor (21 April 1942). "Two league clubs may combine". The Argus. Melbourne, VIC. p. 6.
  2. "Moves of VFA players". The Argus. Melbourne, VIC. 7 April 1945. p. 8.
  3. Rodgers, Stephen (1992), Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL Results, 1897–1991 (3rd ed.), Ringwood, VIC: Viking O‘Neil
  4. 'Cancelling of Holidays: Mr. Curtin Defines Extent of Ban'; Sydney Morning Herald; 27 May 1942, p. 6
  5. 'League to Play Football'; The Argus, 2 April 1942, p. 8
  6. 'League Football Doubtful'; The Argus, 4 April 1942, p. 1
  7. 'Association Against Football – Scratch games May Be Played'; The Argus, 21 April 1942, p. 6
  8. "St Kilda's success". The Argus. Melbourne, VIC. 14 September 1942. p. 6.
  9. "League seconds". The Argus. Melbourne, VIC. 12 September 1942. p. 10.
  10. Percy Taylor (28 September 1942). "Thrilling football – Essendon d. Services". The Argus. Melbourne, VIC. p. 6.
  • Hogan, P., The Tigers of Old, The Richmond Football Club, (Richmond), 1996. ISBN 0-646-18748-1
  • 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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