1946 VFL season

The 1946 Victorian Football League season was the 50th season of the elite Australian rules football competition.

1946 VFL Premiership season
Essendon FC team, premiers
Teams12
PremiersEssendon
(8th premiership)
Minor premiersEssendon
(8th minor premiership)
Matches played119
Highest attendance77,370
Leading Goalkicker MedallistDes Fothergill (Collingwood)
Brownlow MedallistDon Cordner (Melbourne)

Premiership season

In 1946, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus two substitute players, known as the 19th man and the 20th 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 19 rounds; matches 12 to 19 were the "home-and-away reverse" of matches 1 to 8.

The determination of the 1946 season's fixtures were complicated by the fact that both the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the Lake Oval were still unavailable and, because of this, Melbourne shared the Punt Road Oval with Richmond as their home ground, and South Melbourne shared the Junction Oval with St Kilda as their home ground. Melbourne resumed using the Melbourne Cricket Ground as its home ground in round 17.

Once the 19 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1946 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
Fitzroy 12.11 (83) Richmond 12.15 (87) Brunswick Street Oval 32,000 20 April 1946
Melbourne 20.17 (137) Geelong 12.19 (91) Punt Road Oval 18,000 20 April 1946
Footscray 15.10 (100) Essendon 14.14 (98) Western Oval 26,000 20 April 1946
North Melbourne 19.23 (137) St Kilda 12.6 (78) Arden Street Oval 11,000 22 April 1946
Hawthorn 7.19 (61) Collingwood 18.16 (124) Glenferrie Oval 19,000 22 April 1946
South Melbourne 16.13 (109) Carlton 18.9 (117) Junction Oval 38,000 22 April 1946

Round 2

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 15.14 (104) Hawthorn 9.19 (73) Kardinia Park 7,500 27 April 1946
Essendon 10.11 (71) South Melbourne 8.5 (53) Windy Hill 16,000 27 April 1946
Collingwood 10.14 (74) Fitzroy 8.10 (58) Victoria Park 22,000 27 April 1946
Carlton 9.12 (66) Melbourne 10.12 (72) Princes Park 21,000 27 April 1946
Richmond 15.15 (105) North Melbourne 19.19 (133) Punt Road Oval 23,000 27 April 1946
St Kilda 11.3 (69) Footscray 16.21 (117) Junction Oval 14,000 27 April 1946

Round 3

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Richmond 16.14 (110) St Kilda 6.15 (51) Punt Road Oval 17,000 4 May 1946
Fitzroy 20.19 (139) Geelong 9.9 (63) Brunswick Street Oval 12,000 4 May 1946
Essendon 21.15 (141) Melbourne 12.13 (85) Windy Hill 17,000 4 May 1946
South Melbourne 12.14 (86) Footscray 14.18 (102) Junction Oval 25,000 4 May 1946
North Melbourne 10.14 (74) Collingwood 12.12 (84) Arden Street Oval 30,000 4 May 1946
Hawthorn 15.11 (101) Carlton 19.17 (131) Glenferrie Oval 16,000 4 May 1946

Round 4

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 12.15 (87) South Melbourne 11.8 (74) Punt Road Oval 18,000 11 May 1946
Geelong 11.18 (84) North Melbourne 19.12 (126) Kardinia Park 11,500 11 May 1946
Footscray 19.19 (133) Richmond 17.10 (112) Western Oval 27,000 11 May 1946
Carlton 6.16 (52) Fitzroy 16.18 (114) Princes Park 30,000 11 May 1946
Hawthorn 8.6 (54) Essendon 24.13 (157) Glenferrie Oval 10,000 11 May 1946
St Kilda 13.7 (85) Collingwood 14.20 (104) Junction Oval 15,000 11 May 1946

Round 5

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 11.8 (74) St Kilda 13.17 (95) Kardinia Park 9,000 18 May 1946
Essendon 11.13 (79) Fitzroy 4.15 (39) Windy Hill 17,000 18 May 1946
Collingwood 2.16 (28) Richmond 14.10 (94) Victoria Park 24,000 18 May 1946
Carlton 11.15 (81) North Melbourne 9.11 (65) Princes Park 19,000 18 May 1946
South Melbourne 11.21 (87) Hawthorn 6.17 (53) Junction Oval 10,000 18 May 1946
Melbourne 12.13 (85) Footscray 22.14 (146) Punt Road Oval 18,000 18 May 1946

Round 6

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 16.10 (106) Melbourne 13.13 (91) Glenferrie Oval 8,000 25 May 1946
Fitzroy 7.21 (63) South Melbourne 10.12 (72) Brunswick Street Oval 18,000 25 May 1946
Richmond 21.23 (149) Geelong 13.9 (87) Punt Road Oval 15,000 25 May 1946
North Melbourne 5.13 (43) Essendon 11.17 (83) Arden Street Oval 18,000 25 May 1946
Footscray 10.12 (72) Collingwood 9.15 (69) Western Oval 29,000 25 May 1946
St Kilda 10.12 (72) Carlton 22.17 (149) Junction Oval 19,000 25 May 1946

Round 7

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Essendon 20.20 (140) St Kilda 7.16 (58) Windy Hill 11,000 1 June 1946
Carlton 15.13 (103) Richmond 11.10 (76) Princes Park 42,000 1 June 1946
South Melbourne 10.16 (76) North Melbourne 10.10 (70) Junction Oval 17,000 1 June 1946
Hawthorn 13.12 (90) Footscray 14.15 (99) Glenferrie Oval 13,000 1 June 1946
Melbourne 5.11 (41) Fitzroy 14.13 (97) Punt Road Oval 12,000 1 June 1946
Geelong 10.8 (68) Collingwood 20.12 (132) Kardinia Park 10,000 1 June 1946

Round 8

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Fitzroy 14.14 (98) Hawthorn 9.10 (64) Brunswick Street Oval 12,000 8 June 1946
North Melbourne 9.2 (56) Melbourne 3.9 (27) Arden Street Oval 8,000 8 June 1946
Richmond 10.10 (70) Essendon 15.17 (107) Punt Road Oval 38,000 8 June 1946
St Kilda 7.5 (47) South Melbourne 15.22 (112) Junction Oval 17,000 10 June 1946
Footscray 16.22 (118) Geelong 7.13 (55) Western Oval 15,000 10 June 1946
Collingwood 16.16 (112) Carlton 7.14 (56) Victoria Park 40,000 10 June 1946

Round 9

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 14.12 (96) St Kilda 8.9 (57) Punt Road Oval 11,000 15 June 1946
Footscray 16.10 (106) Fitzroy 15.9 (99) Western Oval 22,000 15 June 1946
Essendon 16.22 (118) Collingwood 11.10 (76) Windy Hill 32,000 15 June 1946
Hawthorn 17.20 (122) North Melbourne 14.13 (97) Glenferrie Oval 14,000 17 June 1946
Carlton 18.20 (128) Geelong 13.11 (89) Princes Park 17,000 17 June 1946
South Melbourne 18.16 (124) Richmond 15.20 (110) Junction Oval 38,000 17 June 1946

Round 10

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Collingwood 18.17 (125) South Melbourne 12.12 (84) Victoria Park 26,000 22 June 1946
Carlton 12.20 (92) Footscray 13.10 (88) Princes Park 39,000 22 June 1946
Richmond 9.16 (70) Melbourne 13.8 (86) Punt Road Oval 18,000 22 June 1946
St Kilda 10.24 (84) Hawthorn 9.12 (66) Junction Oval 8,000 22 June 1946
North Melbourne 15.8 (98) Fitzroy 13.10 (88) Arden Street Oval 12,000 22 June 1946
Geelong 18.18 (126) Essendon 12.15 (87) Kardinia Park 11,500 22 June 1946

Round 11

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 9.6 (60) Richmond 14.14 (98) Glenferrie Oval 11,000 6 July 1946
Footscray 18.9 (117) North Melbourne 9.12 (66) Western Oval 18,000 6 July 1946
Fitzroy 12.14 (86) St Kilda 7.11 (53) Brunswick Street Oval 7,000 6 July 1946
South Melbourne 12.19 (91) Geelong 7.12 (54) Junction Oval 9,000 6 July 1946
Melbourne 13.13 (91) Collingwood 10.9 (69) Punt Road Oval 17,000 6 July 1946
Essendon 12.12 (84) Carlton 9.9 (63) Windy Hill 29,000 6 July 1946

Round 12

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 15.7 (97) Melbourne 21.14 (140) Kardinia Park 11,500 13 July 1946
Essendon 16.24 (120) Footscray 14.8 (92) Windy Hill 29,000 13 July 1946
Collingwood 15.23 (113) Hawthorn 11.14 (80) Victoria Park 11,000 13 July 1946
Carlton 12.13 (85) South Melbourne 11.18 (84) Princes Park 26,000 13 July 1946
St Kilda 10.14 (74) North Melbourne 12.11 (83) Junction Oval 7,000 13 July 1946
Richmond 14.14 (98) Fitzroy 10.12 (72) Punt Road Oval 19,000 13 July 1946

Round 13

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 6.11 (47) Richmond 11.9 (75) Arden Street Oval 10,000 20 July 1946
Footscray 5.11 (41) St Kilda 6.10 (46) Western Oval 10,000 20 July 1946
Hawthorn 15.22 (112) Geelong 11.15 (81) Glenferrie Oval 5,000 20 July 1946
South Melbourne 9.13 (67) Essendon 10.8 (68) Junction Oval 23,000 20 July 1946
Fitzroy 8.8 (56) Collingwood 8.13 (61) Brunswick Street Oval 15,000 20 July 1946
Melbourne 10.12 (72) Carlton 7.13 (55) Punt Road Oval 26,000 20 July 1946

Round 14

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 12.12 (84) South Melbourne 4.7 (31) Western Oval 21,000 27 July 1946
Collingwood 17.19 (121) North Melbourne 9.16 (70) Victoria Park 14,000 27 July 1946
Carlton 15.18 (108) Hawthorn 10.11 (71) Princes Park 17,000 27 July 1946
St Kilda 9.9 (63) Richmond 16.16 (112) Junction Oval 12,000 27 July 1946
Geelong 9.9 (63) Fitzroy 8.7 (55) Kardinia Park 10,000 27 July 1946
Melbourne 9.24 (78) Essendon 10.13 (73) Punt Road Oval 30,000 27 July 1946

Round 15

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Essendon 21.18 (144) Hawthorn 12.7 (79) Windy Hill 12,000 3 August 1946
Collingwood 15.24 (114) St Kilda 10.9 (69) Victoria Park 12,000 3 August 1946
South Melbourne 15.16 (106) Melbourne 14.11 (95) Junction Oval 22,000 3 August 1946
North Melbourne 15.10 (100) Geelong 6.12 (48) Arden Street Oval 7,500 3 August 1946
Richmond 12.21 (93) Footscray 14.15 (99) Punt Road Oval 31,000 3 August 1946
Fitzroy 14.10 (94) Carlton 11.8 (74) Brunswick Street Oval 21,000 3 August 1946

Round 16

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 12.15 (87) South Melbourne 16.14 (110) Glenferrie Oval 13,000 10 August 1946
Footscray 13.13 (91) Melbourne 16.16 (112) Western Oval 23,000 10 August 1946
St Kilda 20.10 (130) Geelong 8.11 (59) Junction Oval 6,000 10 August 1946
Fitzroy 14.18 (102) Essendon 7.16 (58) Brunswick Street Oval 16,000 10 August 1946
Richmond 18.9 (117) Collingwood 12.15 (87) Punt Road Oval 32,000 10 August 1946
North Melbourne 13.9 (87) Carlton 10.18 (78) Arden Street Oval 16,000 10 August 1946

Round 17

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 13.11 (89) Richmond 16.11 (107) Kardinia Park 11,000 17 August 1946
Essendon 18.14 (122) North Melbourne 4.10 (34) Windy Hill 16,000 17 August 1946
Collingwood 20.12 (132) Footscray 10.10 (70) Victoria Park 25,000 17 August 1946
Carlton 14.8 (92) St Kilda 10.17 (77) Princes Park 13,000 17 August 1946
Melbourne 18.15 (123) Hawthorn 13.8 (86) MCG 16,000 17 August 1946
South Melbourne 7.16 (58) Fitzroy 12.15 (87) Junction Oval 18,000 17 August 1946

Round 18

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 11.8 (74) South Melbourne 15.19 (109) Arden Street Oval 7,000 24 August 1946
Footscray 23.27 (165) Hawthorn 8.5 (53) Western Oval 12,000 24 August 1946
Fitzroy 9.11 (65) Melbourne 10.9 (69) Brunswick Street Oval 19,000 24 August 1946
Collingwood 17.26 (128) Geelong 7.11 (53) Victoria Park 11,000 24 August 1946
St Kilda 11.9 (75) Essendon 16.20 (116) Junction Oval 9,000 24 August 1946
Richmond 16.29 (125) Carlton 13.15 (93) Punt Road Oval 38,000 24 August 1946

Round 19

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 17.11 (113) North Melbourne 11.10 (76) MCG 19,000 31 August 1946
Essendon 16.18 (114) Richmond 18.5 (113) Windy Hill 23,000 31 August 1946
Carlton 15.11 (101) Collingwood 14.12 (96) Princes Park 27,000 31 August 1946
South Melbourne 14.10 (94) St Kilda 6.13 (49) Junction Oval 10,000 31 August 1946
Geelong 17.18 (120) Footscray 12.5 (77) Kardinia Park 12,000 31 August 1946
Hawthorn 9.15 (69) Fitzroy 12.22 (94) Glenferrie Oval 6,000 31 August 1946

Ladder

1946 VFL ladder
Pos Team Pld W L D PF PA PP Pts
1 Essendon (P) 19 15 4 0 1980 1407 140.7 60 Finals
2 Collingwood 19 13 6 0 1849 1477 125.2 52
3 Footscray 19 13 6 0 1917 1628 117.8 52
4 Melbourne 19 13 6 0 1700 1622 104.8 52
5 Richmond 19 11 8 0 1921 1659 115.8 44
6 Carlton 19 11 8 0 1724 1688 102.1 44
7 South Melbourne 19 10 9 0 1627 1528 106.5 40
8 Fitzroy 19 9 10 0 1589 1339 118.7 36
9 North Melbourne 19 8 11 0 1536 1685 91.2 32
10 Geelong 19 4 15 0 1505 2124 70.9 16
11 St Kilda 19 4 15 0 1332 1902 70.0 16
12 Hawthorn 19 3 16 0 1487 2108 70.5 12
Source: VFL ladder
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers.

Finals

Semi finals

Home team Score Away team Score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 15.12 (102) Melbourne 17.18 (120) MCG 61,277 7 September
Essendon 14.16 (100) Collingwood 13.22 (100) MCG 77,370 14 September
Essendon 10.16 (76) Collingwood 8.9 (57) MCG 64,903 21 September

Preliminary Final

Home team Score Away team Score Venue Crowd Date
Collingwood 14.16 (100) Melbourne 16.17 (113) MCG 59,444 28 September

Grand final

Essendon defeated Melbourne 22.18 (150) to 13.9 (87), in front of a crowd of 72,743 people. (For an explanation of scoring see Australian rules football).

Awards

Notable events

  • The ANFC introduced a second substitute player, known as the 20th man; this meant that a team was now composed of 18 "run on" players, and two "reserves" on the bench. A player could be substituted for any reason (not just if he was injured and unable to continue). Once substituted, a player could not return to the field of play under any circumstances. As with the 19th man, the 20th man was paid a match fee only in the event that he took the field.
  • The ANFC rejected a joint proposal from New South Wales and Tasmania to introduce an "order off" rule for foul play.
  • The VFL introduced a new Under-19 competition; the teams are referred to as the Third Eighteens.
  • The VFL resumes the Brownlow Medal award.
  • In Round 1, 33-year-old former champion full-forward Bob Pratt returned to South Melbourne after playing for VFA club Coburg (1940–1941) and serving in the Royal Australian Air Force (1942–1945). He kicked two goals before badly injuring a leg, and never played again.
  • In Round 2, North Melbourne won its first ever VFL away match against Richmond, having lost the previous 15 meetings.
  • From ninth position on the ladder at the end of Round 8, Melbourne won 13 of its next 14 matches and play in the Grand Final.
  • At half time in the closely contested Grand Final, a straighter-kicking Melbourne 10.4 (64) was three points in front of Essendon 9.7 (61); in the third quarter Essendon kicked 11.8 (74) to Melbourne's 1.1 (7).

References

  1. "Rough play in seconds final:Richmond win". The Argus. Melbourne, VIC. 30 September 1946. p. 16.
  2. "Junior football". The Sporting Globe. Melbourne, VIC. 21 September 1946. p. 3.
  • 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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