1949 VFL season
The 1949 Victorian Football League season was the 53rd season of the elite Australian rules football competition.
| 1949 VFL Premiership season | |
|---|---|
 Essendon FC, premiers | |
| Teams | 12 |
| Premiers | Essendon (9th premiership) |
| Minor premiers | North Melbourne (1st minor premiership) |
| Matches played | 118 |
| Highest attendance | 88,718 |
| Leading Goalkicker Medallist | John Coleman (Essendon) |
| Brownlow Medallist | Ron Clegg (South Melbourne) Col Austen (Hawthorn) |
Premiership season
In 1949, 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-way reverse" of matches 1 to 8.
Once the 19 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1949 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 |
| Geelong | 21.19 (145) | Melbourne | 12.11 (83) | Kardinia Park | 25,000 | 16 April 1949 |
| Essendon | 18.12 (120) | Hawthorn | 9.3 (57) | Windy Hill | 13,500 | 16 April 1949 |
| Collingwood | 19.13 (127) | North Melbourne | 10.17 (77) | Victoria Park | 21,500 | 16 April 1949 |
| St Kilda | 11.10 (76) | Fitzroy | 14.14 (98) | Junction Oval | 18,000 | 16 April 1949 |
| Carlton | 16.16 (112) | South Melbourne | 6.12 (48) | Princes Park | 29,000 | 18 April 1949 |
| Richmond | 19.13 (127) | Footscray | 8.10 (58) | Punt Road Oval | 30,000 | 18 April 1949 |
Round 2
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 5.13 (43) | Richmond | 20.12 (132) | Glenferrie Oval | 13,000 | 23 April 1949 |
| Footscray | 12.7 (79) | Geelong | 9.14 (68) | Western Oval | 15,500 | 23 April 1949 |
| South Melbourne | 12.13 (85) | St Kilda | 12.10 (82) | Lake Oval | 9,000 | 23 April 1949 |
| North Melbourne | 7.14 (56) | Essendon | 10.15 (75) | Arden Street Oval | 20,000 | 23 April 1949 |
| Melbourne | 12.8 (80) | Collingwood | 11.16 (82) | MCG | 29,000 | 23 April 1949 |
| Fitzroy | 15.16 (106) | Carlton | 15.15 (105) | Brunswick Street Oval | 25,000 | 23 April 1949 |
Round 3
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 14.8 (92) | Richmond | 9.5 (59) | Arden Street Oval | 15,000 | 30 April 1949 |
| Geelong | 14.14 (98) | South Melbourne | 10.15 (75) | Kardinia Park | 19,000 | 30 April 1949 |
| Collingwood | 7.14 (56) | Fitzroy | 8.9 (57) | Victoria Park | 30,000 | 30 April 1949 |
| Carlton | 21.27 (153) | Hawthorn | 7.6 (48) | Princes Park | 9,250 | 30 April 1949 |
| Melbourne | 14.16 (100) | Footscray | 7.6 (48) | MCG | 24,000 | 30 April 1949 |
| St Kilda | 5.15 (45) | Essendon | 13.16 (94) | Junction Oval | 13,000 | 30 April 1949 |
Round 4
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 17.11 (113) | St Kilda | 11.14 (80) | Punt Road Oval | 12,000 | 7 May 1949 |
| Footscray | 4.15 (39) | North Melbourne | 12.3 (75) | Western Oval | 12,000 | 7 May 1949 |
| Fitzroy | 13.15 (93) | Geelong | 15.15 (105) | Brunswick Street Oval | 17,500 | 7 May 1949 |
| South Melbourne | 8.11 (59) | Melbourne | 7.9 (51) | Lake Oval | 12,000 | 7 May 1949 |
| Hawthorn | 5.10 (40) | Collingwood | 9.11 (65) | Glenferrie Oval | 11,500 | 7 May 1949 |
| Essendon | 6.9 (45) | Carlton | 7.22 (64) | Windy Hill | 29,000 | 7 May 1949 |
Round 5
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 5.16 (46) | North Melbourne | 6.12 (48) | MCG | 19,000 | 14 May 1949 |
| Geelong | 15.13 (103) | St Kilda | 10.11 (71) | Kardinia Park | 15,500 | 14 May 1949 |
| Essendon | 11.18 (84) | Richmond | 9.15 (69) | Windy Hill | 21,000 | 14 May 1949 |
| Carlton | 16.8 (104) | Collingwood | 10.14 (74) | Princes Park | 33,000 | 14 May 1949 |
| South Melbourne | 10.8 (68) | Footscray | 6.14 (50) | Lake Oval | 11,000 | 14 May 1949 |
| Hawthorn | 9.13 (67) | Fitzroy | 14.21 (105) | Glenferrie Oval | 7,500 | 14 May 1949 |
Round 6
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 15.13 (103) | South Melbourne | 8.12 (60) | Punt Road Oval | 21,000 | 21 May 1949 |
| Fitzroy | 12.14 (86) | Footscray | 10.22 (82) | Brunswick Street Oval | 10,500 | 21 May 1949 |
| Collingwood | 11.16 (82) | Essendon | 12.9 (81) | Victoria Park | 23,000 | 21 May 1949 |
| Carlton | 18.13 (121) | Geelong | 12.10 (82) | Princes Park | 28,500 | 21 May 1949 |
| St Kilda | 4.13 (37) | Melbourne | 8.13 (61) | Junction Oval | 7,500 | 21 May 1949 |
| North Melbourne | 13.23 (101) | Hawthorn | 12.7 (79) | Arden Street Oval | 9,000 | 21 May 1949 |
Round 7
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 6.12 (48) | South Melbourne | 12.15 (87) | Glenferrie Oval | 10,000 | 28 May 1949 |
| Essendon | 11.9 (75) | Melbourne | 13.12 (90) | Windy Hill | 15,000 | 28 May 1949 |
| North Melbourne | 8.13 (61) | Geelong | 8.7 (55) | Arden Street Oval | 17,000 | 28 May 1949 |
| Richmond | 21.21 (147) | Fitzroy | 9.12 (66) | Punt Road Oval | 28,000 | 28 May 1949 |
| Footscray | 8.10 (58) | Collingwood | 12.15 (87) | Western Oval | 17,000 | 28 May 1949 |
| St Kilda | 8.14 (62) | Carlton | 14.11 (95) | Junction Oval | 13,000 | 28 May 1949 |
Round 8
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 10.15 (75) | Richmond | 11.13 (79) | Kardinia Park | 22,500 | 4 June 1949 |
| Collingwood | 21.22 (148) | St Kilda | 4.12 (36) | Victoria Park | 12,000 | 4 June 1949 |
| Carlton | 14.13 (97) | North Melbourne | 10.7 (67) | Princes Park | 29,500 | 4 June 1949 |
| Melbourne | 10.17 (77) | Hawthorn | 10.6 (66) | MCG | 11,000 | 4 June 1949 |
| South Melbourne | 12.7 (79) | Fitzroy | 14.14 (98) | Lake Oval | 12,500 | 4 June 1949 |
| Footscray | 7.17 (59) | Essendon | 10.12 (72) | Western Oval | 12,500 | 4 June 1949 |
Round 9
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Collingwood | 17.14 (116) | Geelong | 12.7 (79) | Victoria Park | 27,500 | 11 June 1949 |
| Hawthorn | 10.13 (73) | Footscray | 8.15 (63) | Glenferrie Oval | 10,000 | 11 June 1949 |
| South Melbourne | 15.16 (106) | Essendon | 12.9 (81) | Lake Oval | 19,500 | 11 June 1949 |
| North Melbourne | 11.12 (78) | St Kilda | 7.7 (49) | Arden Street Oval | 10,000 | 13 June 1949 |
| Fitzroy | 7.10 (52) | Melbourne | 10.14 (74) | Brunswick Street Oval | 16,000 | 13 June 1949 |
| Richmond | 12.12 (84) | Carlton | 14.15 (99) | Punt Road Oval | 46,000 | 13 June 1949 |
Round 10
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 18.25 (133) | South Melbourne | 6.9 (45) | Arden Street Oval | 16,000 | 18 June 1949 |
| Geelong | 20.12 (132) | Hawthorn | 6.10 (46) | Kardinia Park | 12,000 | 18 June 1949 |
| Essendon | 8.19 (67) | Fitzroy | 10.10 (70) | Windy Hill | 15,000 | 18 June 1949 |
| Carlton | 11.12 (78) | Melbourne | 12.14 (86) | Princes Park | 26,500 | 18 June 1949 |
| St Kilda | 7.14 (56) | Footscray | 11.11 (77) | Junction Oval | 8,500 | 18 June 1949 |
| Richmond | 16.5 (101) | Collingwood | 16.8 (104) | Punt Road Oval | 29,000 | 18 June 1949 |
Round 11
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 14.17 (101) | Richmond | 9.9 (63) | MCG | 24,000 | 2 July 1949 |
| Fitzroy | 10.12 (72) | North Melbourne | 12.9 (81) | Brunswick Street Oval | 14,000 | 2 July 1949 |
| Collingwood | 15.16 (106) | South Melbourne | 6.16 (52) | Victoria Park | 12,000 | 2 July 1949 |
| St Kilda | 13.11 (89) | Hawthorn | 14.13 (97) | Junction Oval | 7,000 | 2 July 1949 |
| Geelong | 25.17 (167) | Essendon | 11.6 (72) | Kardinia Park | 18,000 | 2 July 1949 |
| Footscray | 9.9 (63) | Carlton | 7.16 (58) | Western Oval | 13,000 | 2 July 1949 |
Round 12
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Footscray | 12.11 (83) | Richmond | 7.18 (60) | Western Oval | 14,000 | 9 July 1949 |
| Fitzroy | 14.10 (94) | St Kilda | 6.13 (49) | Brunswick Street Oval | 7,000 | 9 July 1949 |
| Melbourne | 14.17 (101) | Geelong | 14.14 (98) | MCG | 20,000 | 9 July 1949 |
| Hawthorn | 7.0 (42) | Essendon | 16.16 (112) | Glenferrie Oval | 7,000 | 9 July 1949 |
| North Melbourne | 8.6 (54) | Collingwood | 4.13 (37) | Arden Street Oval | 21,000 | 9 July 1949 |
| South Melbourne | 6.12 (48) | Carlton | 11.15 (81) | Lake Oval | 15,000 | 9 July 1949 |
Round 13
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| St Kilda | 16.15 (111) | South Melbourne | 13.13 (91) | Junction Oval | 6,000 | 16 July 1949 |
| Essendon | 8.22 (70) | North Melbourne | 6.13 (49) | Windy Hill | 16,000 | 16 July 1949 |
| Collingwood | 7.16 (58) | Melbourne | 10.13 (73) | Victoria Park | 22,000 | 16 July 1949 |
| Carlton | 9.13 (67) | Fitzroy | 9.8 (62) | Princes Park | 17,500 | 16 July 1949 |
| Richmond | 16.21 (117) | Hawthorn | 9.13 (67) | Punt Road Oval | 7,000 | 16 July 1949 |
| Geelong | 13.15 (93) | Footscray | 4.10 (34) | Kardinia Park | 15,000 | 16 July 1949 |
Round 14
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Footscray | 11.8 (74) | Melbourne | 10.12 (72) | Western Oval | 13,000 | 23 July 1949 |
| Essendon | 13.17 (95) | St Kilda | 9.10 (64) | Windy Hill | 9,500 | 23 July 1949 |
| Richmond | 8.24 (72) | North Melbourne | 17.11 (113) | Punt Road Oval | 19,000 | 23 July 1949 |
| South Melbourne | 11.15 (81) | Geelong | 14.13 (97) | Lake Oval | 7,500 | 23 July 1949 |
| Fitzroy | 10.11 (71) | Collingwood | 11.15 (81) | Brunswick Street Oval | 21,000 | 23 July 1949 |
| Hawthorn | 8.5 (53) | Carlton | 9.17 (71) | Glenferrie Oval | 9,000 | 23 July 1949 |
Round 15
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 12.7 (79) | South Melbourne | 9.11 (65) | MCG | 14,500 | 30 July 1949 |
| Collingwood | 16.23 (119) | Hawthorn | 5.6 (36) | Victoria Park | 9,500 | 30 July 1949 |
| Carlton | 11.16 (82) | Essendon | 17.11 (113) | Princes Park | 26,500 | 30 July 1949 |
| St Kilda | 13.11 (89) | Richmond | 9.14 (68) | Junction Oval | 10,000 | 30 July 1949 |
| North Melbourne | 8.14 (62) | Footscray | 8.11 (59) | Arden Street Oval | 14,000 | 30 July 1949 |
| Geelong | 13.9 (87) | Fitzroy | 6.7 (43) | Kardinia Park | 17,500 | 30 July 1949 |
Round 16
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Footscray | 10.14 (74) | South Melbourne | 8.10 (58) | Western Oval | 10,000 | 6 August 1949 |
| Fitzroy | 10.19 (79) | Hawthorn | 8.17 (65) | Brunswick Street Oval | 4,000 | 6 August 1949 |
| North Melbourne | 9.10 (64) | Melbourne | 8.10 (58) | Arden Street Oval | 20,000 | 6 August 1949 |
| St Kilda | 10.9 (69) | Geelong | 8.12 (60) | Junction Oval | 12,000 | 6 August 1949 |
| Richmond | 7.14 (56) | Essendon | 11.12 (78) | Punt Road Oval | 16,000 | 6 August 1949 |
| Collingwood | 7.16 (58) | Carlton | 7.13 (55) | Victoria Park | 28,000 | 6 August 1949 |
Round 17
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 15.16 (106) | St Kilda | 7.10 (52) | MCG | 18,000 | 13 August 1949 |
| Hawthorn | 13.10 (88) | North Melbourne | 9.16 (70) | Glenferrie Oval | 9,000 | 13 August 1949 |
| South Melbourne | 9.13 (67) | Richmond | 10.17 (77) | Lake Oval | 10,000 | 13 August 1949 |
| Footscray | 13.16 (94) | Fitzroy | 8.11 (59) | Western Oval | 12,000 | 13 August 1949 |
| Essendon | 16.21 (117) | Collingwood | 10.11 (71) | Windy Hill | 29,000 | 13 August 1949 |
| Geelong | 6.11 (47) | Carlton | 12.18 (90) | Kardinia Park | 24,500 | 13 August 1949 |
Round 18
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 7.14 (56) | North Melbourne | 11.16 (82) | Kardinia Park | 14,500 | 20 August 1949 |
| Fitzroy | 6.15 (51) | Richmond | 9.8 (62) | Brunswick Street Oval | 6,000 | 20 August 1949 |
| Collingwood | 9.19 (73) | Footscray | 7.14 (56) | Victoria Park | 13,500 | 20 August 1949 |
| Carlton | 13.17 (95) | St Kilda | 10.14 (74) | Princes Park | 10,000 | 20 August 1949 |
| South Melbourne | 14.8 (92) | Hawthorn | 8.14 (62) | Lake Oval | 4,000 | 20 August 1949 |
| Melbourne | 11.10 (76) | Essendon | 15.11 (101) | MCG | 58,500 | 20 August 1949 |
Round 19
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 10.16 (76) | Melbourne | 15.12 (102) | Glenferrie Oval | 9,000 | 27 August 1949 |
| Fitzroy | 19.12 (126) | South Melbourne | 10.17 (77) | Brunswick Street Oval | 7,000 | 27 August 1949 |
| Essendon | 14.13 (97) | Footscray | 8.13 (61) | Windy Hill | 20,000 | 27 August 1949 |
| Richmond | 22.12 (144) | Geelong | 10.15 (75) | Punt Road Oval | 11,000 | 27 August 1949 |
| St Kilda | 11.15 (81) | Collingwood | 10.12 (72) | Junction Oval | 17,000 | 27 August 1949 |
| North Melbourne | 15.18 (108) | Carlton | 7.10 (52) | Arden Street Oval | 35,116 | 27 August 1949 |
Ladder
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | PP | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Melbourne | 19 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 1471 | 1235 | 119.1 | 56 | Finals |
| 2 | Carlton | 19 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 1679 | 1328 | 126.4 | 52 | |
| 3 | Collingwood | 19 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 1616 | 1308 | 123.5 | 52 | |
| 4 | Essendon (P) | 19 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 1649 | 1366 | 120.7 | 52 | |
| 5 | Melbourne | 19 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 1516 | 1341 | 113.0 | 48 | |
| 6 | Richmond | 19 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1733 | 1485 | 116.7 | 40 | |
| 7 | Fitzroy | 19 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1488 | 1521 | 97.8 | 40 | |
| 8 | Geelong | 19 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 1722 | 1540 | 111.8 | 36 | |
| 9 | Footscray | 19 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 1211 | 1444 | 83.9 | 28 | |
| 10 | South Melbourne | 19 | 6 | 13 | 0 | 1343 | 1669 | 80.5 | 24 | |
| 11 | St Kilda | 19 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 1272 | 1730 | 73.5 | 16 | |
| 12 | Hawthorn | 19 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 1153 | 1886 | 61.1 | 12 |
Source: VFL ladder
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers.
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers.
Finals
First Semi-Final
| Team | 1 Qtr | 2 Qtr | 3 Qtr | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collingwood | 2.0 | 4.1 | 6.4 | 8.6 (54) |
| Essendon | 4.1 | 11.3 | 15.9 | 20.16 (136) |
| Attendance: 87,702 | ||||
Second Semi-Final
| Team | 1 Qtr | 2 Qtr | 3 Qtr | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Melbourne | 2.3 | 7.3 | 11.4 | 14.7 (91) |
| Carlton | 3.5 | 5.9 | 9.10 | 15.13 (103) |
| Attendance: 70,856 | ||||
Preliminary Final
| Team | 1 Qtr | 2 Qtr | 3 Qtr | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Melbourne | 2.1 | 4.1 | 7.4 | 9.7 (61) |
| Essendon | 3.2 | 6.8 | 8.10 | 11.12 (78) |
| Attendance: 69,281 | ||||
Awards
- The 1949 VFL Premiership team was Essendon.
- The VFL's leading goalkicker was John Coleman of Essendon with 100 goals (including 15 goals in the final series).
- The winner of the 1949 Brownlow Medal was Ron Clegg of South Melbourne with 23 votes on a countback from Colin Austen of Hawthorn (because Clegg had been best on the ground six times to Austen's five).
- As a consequence of its 1981 decision to change its rules relating to tied Brownlow Medal contests, the AFL awarded a retrospective medal to Colin Austen in 1989.
- Hawthorn took the "wooden spoon" in 1949.
- The seconds premiership was won by Melbourne. Melbourne 17.10 (112) defeated Essendon 9.14 (68) in the Grand Final, played as a curtain-raiser to the senior Grand Final on Saturday 24 September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.[1]
Notable events
- In Round 1, John Coleman of Essendon kicked 12 goals in his first VFL game; he was best on the ground. He kicked a goal with his first kick in VFL football, having taken a mark in the first seconds of the match; and he kicked a goal with his last kick of the 1949 season, in last minutes of the Grand Final, to bring his season's total to 100 goals.
- In Round 12, Hawthorn scored seven goals and no behinds in its match against Essendon. This is the first time since Round 9, 1899 that a team did not score a single behind in a VFL match.
- In Round 19, Richmond's captain-coach Jack Dyer played his last VFL game, having played 16 games for Victoria, 312 senior games for Richmond, and 12 games in Richmond Seconds over 19 VFL seasons.
References
- "Melb. easily in Second 18s". The Sporting Globe. Melbourne, VIC. 24 September 1949. p. 10.
- 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
External links
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