Jump to content

1937 VFL season

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1937 VFL premiership season
Geelong captain-coach Reg Hickey
Teams12
PremiersGeelong
3rd premiership
Minor premiersGeelong
5th minor premiership
Brownlow MedallistDick Reynolds (Essendon)
Leading goalkicker medallistDick Harris (Carlton)
Matches played112
Highest88,540
← 1936
1938 →

The 1937 VFL season was the 41st season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 24 April until 25 September, and comprised an 18-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top four clubs.

The premiership was won by the Geelong Football Club for the third time, after it defeated Collingwood by 32 points in the 1937 VFL Grand Final.

Background

[edit]

In 1937, the VFL competition consisted of twelve 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 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 1937 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the Page–McIntyre system.

Home-and-away season

[edit]

Round 1

[edit]
Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 14.8 (92) Richmond 9.12 (66) MCG 19,726 24 April 1937
Collingwood 15.16 (106) Geelong 13.12 (90) Victoria Park 21,000 24 April 1937
Carlton 18.21 (129) South Melbourne 7.17 (59) Princes Park 33,000 24 April 1937
North Melbourne 9.22 (76) Hawthorn 11.12 (78) Arden Street Oval 11,000 24 April 1937
St Kilda 12.16 (88) Fitzroy 10.21 (81) Junction Oval 23,000 24 April 1937
Footscray 9.17 (71) Essendon 9.13 (67) Western Oval 18,000 24 April 1937

Round 2

[edit]
Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 14.15 (99) St Kilda 15.22 (112) Glenferrie Oval 16,000 1 May 1937
Fitzroy 9.11 (65) North Melbourne 10.7 (67) Brunswick Street Oval 16,000 1 May 1937
Essendon 13.7 (85) Melbourne 25.20 (170) Windy Hill 14,000 1 May 1937
Richmond 17.15 (117) Footscray 12.11 (83) Punt Road Oval 16,000 1 May 1937
South Melbourne 11.19 (85) Collingwood 20.20 (140) Lake Oval 25,000 1 May 1937
Geelong 8.12 (60) Carlton 6.13 (49) Corio Oval 13,600 1 May 1937

Round 3

[edit]
Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 6.10 (46) St Kilda 7.9 (51) Western Oval 13,000 8 May 1937
Fitzroy 15.15 (105) Hawthorn 9.15 (69) Brunswick Street Oval 9,000 8 May 1937
Essendon 18.13 (121) Geelong 14.20 (104) Windy Hill 11,000 8 May 1937
South Melbourne 11.15 (81) Richmond 11.15 (81) Lake Oval 16,000 8 May 1937
North Melbourne 3.16 (34) Collingwood 9.14 (68) Arden Street Oval 11,000 8 May 1937
Melbourne 15.17 (107) Carlton 10.11 (71) MCG 31,831 8 May 1937

Round 4

[edit]
Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 12.20 (92) South Melbourne 7.11 (53) Corio Oval 11,500 15 May 1937
Collingwood 16.14 (110) Footscray 11.11 (77) Victoria Park 14,500 15 May 1937
Carlton 10.12 (72) North Melbourne 10.14 (74) Princes Park 14,000 15 May 1937
St Kilda 12.18 (90) Melbourne 12.23 (95) Junction Oval 25,000 15 May 1937
Richmond 17.10 (112) Fitzroy 12.12 (84) Punt Road Oval 18,000 15 May 1937
Hawthorn 11.15 (81) Essendon 16.13 (109) Glenferrie Oval 10,000 15 May 1937

Round 5

[edit]
Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 21.23 (149) Hawthorn 7.11 (53) Corio Oval 7,300 22 May 1937
Footscray 18.23 (131) North Melbourne 14.4 (88) Western Oval 14,000 22 May 1937
Fitzroy 11.16 (82) South Melbourne 7.18 (60) Brunswick Street Oval 14,000 22 May 1937
Essendon 8.15 (63) Richmond 17.13 (115) Windy Hill 15,000 22 May 1937
Melbourne 13.23 (101) Collingwood 11.10 (76) MCG 44,623 22 May 1937
St Kilda 12.19 (91) Carlton 13.16 (94) Junction Oval 18,000 22 May 1937

Round 6

[edit]
Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 13.8 (86) St Kilda 15.13 (103) Arden Street Oval 15,000 29 May 1937
Footscray 8.8 (56) Melbourne 11.12 (78) Western Oval 17,000 29 May 1937
South Melbourne 15.11 (101) Hawthorn 13.20 (98) Lake Oval 10,000 29 May 1937
Richmond 15.19 (109) Geelong 12.6 (78) Punt Road Oval 17,000 29 May 1937
Fitzroy 11.9 (75) Essendon 8.18 (66) Brunswick Street Oval 14,000 29 May 1937
Collingwood 11.16 (82) Carlton 8.7 (55) Victoria Park 24,000 29 May 1937

Round 7

[edit]
Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 25.16 (166) North Melbourne 5.14 (44) MCG 12,906 5 June 1937
Hawthorn 9.6 (60) Richmond 8.10 (58) Glenferrie Oval 10,000 5 June 1937
Essendon 16.12 (108) South Melbourne 11.10 (76) Windy Hill 12,000 5 June 1937
Carlton 19.12 (126) Footscray 9.10 (64) Princes Park 12,500 5 June 1937
Geelong 16.19 (115) Fitzroy 10.10 (70) Corio Oval 8,000 5 June 1937
St Kilda 12.15 (87) Collingwood 9.15 (69) Junction Oval 28,000 5 June 1937

Round 8

[edit]
Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 16.13 (109) St Kilda 11.15 (81) Corio Oval 12,600 12 June 1937
Essendon 13.11 (89) Collingwood 19.14 (128) Windy Hill 13,000 12 June 1937
Richmond 14.24 (108) Carlton 13.19 (97) Punt Road Oval 27,000 12 June 1937
Hawthorn 12.10 (82) Melbourne 15.15 (105) Glenferrie Oval 18,000 14 June 1937
Fitzroy 14.15 (99) Footscray 8.14 (62) Brunswick Street Oval 20,000 14 June 1937
South Melbourne 16.18 (114) North Melbourne 10.10 (70) Lake Oval 16,000 14 June 1937

Round 9

[edit]
Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 12.16 (88) Richmond 11.11 (77) Arden Street Oval 10,000 19 June 1937
Footscray 10.8 (68) South Melbourne 18.11 (119) Western Oval 12,000 19 June 1937
Collingwood 16.9 (105) Fitzroy 12.12 (84) Victoria Park 18,000 19 June 1937
Carlton 15.24 (114) Hawthorn 8.11 (59) Princes Park 11,000 19 June 1937
Melbourne 9.17 (71) Geelong 15.14 (104) MCG 29,376 19 June 1937
St Kilda 13.19 (97) Essendon 11.14 (80) Junction Oval 14,000 19 June 1937

Round 10

[edit]
Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 18.16 (124) North Melbourne 4.14 (38) Corio Oval 9,000 26 June 1937
Fitzroy 7.8 (50) Melbourne 11.23 (89) Brunswick Street Oval 16,000 26 June 1937
South Melbourne 14.18 (102) St Kilda 8.12 (60) Lake Oval 22,000 26 June 1937
Hawthorn 15.16 (106) Footscray 14.15 (99) Glenferrie Oval 7,500 26 June 1937
Richmond 12.8 (80) Collingwood 14.9 (93) Punt Road Oval 22,000 26 June 1937
Essendon 13.18 (96) Carlton 15.18 (108) Windy Hill 14,000 26 June 1937

Round 11

[edit]
Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 13.10 (88) South Melbourne 11.16 (82) MCG 20,638 3 July 1937
Footscray 11.8 (74) Geelong 13.15 (93) Western Oval 5,500 3 July 1937
Collingwood 13.23 (101) Hawthorn 6.13 (49) Victoria Park 5,800 3 July 1937
Carlton 13.11 (89) Fitzroy 8.19 (67) Princes Park 8,000 3 July 1937
St Kilda 16.6 (102) Richmond 10.13 (73) Junction Oval 11,000 3 July 1937
North Melbourne 11.11 (77) Essendon 11.22 (88) Arden Street Oval 6,000 3 July 1937

Round 12

[edit]
Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 9.15 (69) North Melbourne 6.15 (51) Glenferrie Oval 5,000 10 July 1937
Fitzroy 10.19 (79) St Kilda 5.11 (41) Brunswick Street Oval 14,000 10 July 1937
Essendon 9.13 (67) Footscray 11.11 (77) Windy Hill 11,000 10 July 1937
Richmond 15.12 (102) Melbourne 13.10 (88) Punt Road Oval 16,000 10 July 1937
Geelong 13.16 (94) Collingwood 10.11 (71) Corio Oval 16,000 10 July 1937
South Melbourne 13.9 (87) Carlton 7.14 (56) Lake Oval 22,000 10 July 1937

Round 13

[edit]
Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 11.9 (75) Richmond 12.6 (78) Western Oval 10,000 17 July 1937
Collingwood 18.19 (127) South Melbourne 15.14 (104) Victoria Park 22,000 17 July 1937
Carlton 9.13 (67) Geelong 13.14 (92) Princes Park 15,000 17 July 1937
St Kilda 11.15 (81) Hawthorn 9.8 (62) Junction Oval 9,000 17 July 1937
North Melbourne 5.17 (47) Fitzroy 9.14 (68) Arden Street Oval 8,000 17 July 1937
Melbourne 11.13 (79) Essendon 8.15 (63) MCG 11,449 17 July 1937

Round 14

[edit]
Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Richmond 16.23 (119) South Melbourne 13.11 (89) Punt Road Oval 18,000 24 July 1937
Collingwood 24.20 (164) North Melbourne 7.9 (51) Victoria Park 9,000 24 July 1937
Carlton 16.24 (120) Melbourne 16.8 (104) Princes Park 16,000 24 July 1937
St Kilda 17.10 (112) Footscray 13.15 (93) Junction Oval 12,000 24 July 1937
Hawthorn 10.11 (71) Fitzroy 6.13 (49) Glenferrie Oval 7,500 24 July 1937
Geelong 13.22 (100) Essendon 9.12 (66) Corio Oval 8,000 24 July 1937

Round 15

[edit]
Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 18.16 (124) St Kilda 11.18 (84) MCG 25,904 31 July 1937
Fitzroy 11.13 (79) Richmond 15.13 (103) Brunswick Street Oval 14,000 31 July 1937
Essendon 11.13 (79) Hawthorn 13.14 (92) Windy Hill 6,000 31 July 1937
South Melbourne 13.10 (88) Geelong 16.11 (107) Lake Oval 12,000 31 July 1937
Footscray 10.14 (74) Collingwood 19.12 (126) Western Oval 10,000 31 July 1937
North Melbourne 10.11 (71) Carlton 14.8 (92) Arden Street Oval 11,000 31 July 1937

Round 16

[edit]
Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 8.16 (64) Footscray 13.13 (91) Arden Street Oval 8,000 7 August 1937
South Melbourne 10.16 (76) Fitzroy 15.8 (98) Lake Oval 10,000 7 August 1937
Richmond 13.15 (93) Essendon 12.19 (91) Punt Road Oval 14,000 7 August 1937
Collingwood 21.16 (142) Melbourne 22.21 (153) Victoria Park 21,000 14 August 1937
Carlton 12.16 (88) St Kilda 11.12 (78) Princes Park 12,000 14 August 1937
Hawthorn 13.13 (91) Geelong 17.12 (114) Glenferrie Oval 6,000 14 August 1937

Round 17

[edit]
Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 15.12 (102) South Melbourne 10.15 (75) Glenferrie Oval 6,000 21 August 1937
Geelong 14.6 (90) Richmond 8.11 (59) Corio Oval 11,500 21 August 1937
Essendon 17.17 (119) Fitzroy 10.10 (70) Windy Hill 7,000 21 August 1937
Carlton 11.15 (81) Collingwood 9.17 (71) Princes Park 17,500 21 August 1937
St Kilda 22.19 (151) North Melbourne 11.5 (71) Junction Oval 6,000 21 August 1937
Melbourne 15.15 (105) Footscray 10.14 (74) MCG 9,553 21 August 1937

Round 18

[edit]
Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Fitzroy 12.9 (81) Geelong 16.13 (109) Brunswick Street Oval 10,000 28 August 1937
Collingwood 19.15 (129) St Kilda 13.13 (91) Victoria Park 11,500 28 August 1937
North Melbourne 13.13 (91) Melbourne 19.16 (130) Arden Street Oval 4,500 28 August 1937
Richmond 14.13 (97) Hawthorn 13.14 (92) Punt Road Oval 18,000 28 August 1937
South Melbourne 10.16 (76) Essendon 11.7 (73) Lake Oval 6,000 28 August 1937
Footscray 13.16 (94) Carlton 17.14 (116) Western Oval 8,000 28 August 1937

Ladder

[edit]
(P) Premiers
Qualified for finals
# Team P W L D PF PA % Pts
1 Geelong (P) 18 15 3 0 1824 1348 135.3 60
2 Melbourne 18 15 3 0 1945 1482 131.2 60
3 Collingwood 18 13 5 0 1908 1479 129.0 52
4 Richmond 18 11 6 1 1647 1525 108.0 46
5 Carlton 18 11 7 0 1624 1464 110.9 44
6 St Kilda 18 10 8 0 1600 1580 101.3 40
7 Fitzroy 18 7 11 0 1386 1488 93.1 28
8 Hawthorn 18 7 11 0 1413 1675 84.4 28
9 South Melbourne 18 6 11 1 1527 1698 89.9 26
10 Essendon 18 5 13 0 1530 1689 90.6 20
11 Footscray 18 4 14 0 1409 1722 81.8 16
12 North Melbourne 18 3 15 0 1188 1851 64.2 12

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 88.0
Source: AFL Tables

Finals series

[edit]

Semi-finals

[edit]
Home team Score Away team Score Venue Crowd Date
Collingwood 18.12 (120) Richmond 10.9 (69) MCG 41,663 4 September
Geelong 19.11 (125) Melbourne 16.17 (113) MCG 47,730 11 September

Preliminary final

[edit]
Home team Score Away team Score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 7.10 (52) Collingwood 16.11 (107) MCG 55,615 18 September

Grand final

[edit]

Season notes

[edit]
  • Still struggling to recover from the injury that kept him out of the 1936 grand final, Bob Pratt played only six matches (kicking 12 goals) for South Melbourne in the 1937 season.
  • Having kicked Collingwood's only goal in the last quarter of the grand final, Gordon Coventry retired having played 306 senior VFL games and having scored 1299 goals.
    • In Round 15, Coventry became the first player to play 300 VFL games
  • In Round 16, Collingwood and Melbourne set numerous records for high scoring:
    • a record match aggregate of 295 points, beating by two the record of Essendon and North Melbourne in 1934
    • highest losing score, beating Collingwood's own record against St Kilda in 1931 and still a club record for Collingwood[1]

Awards

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Atkinson, p. 20.
  2. ^ "New football record". The Argus. Melbourne. 1 October 1937. p. 20.
  • Atkinson, G. (1982) Everything you ever wanted to know about Australian rules football but couldn't be bothered asking, The Five Mile Press: Melbourne. ISBN 0 86788 009 0.
  • 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

Sources

[edit]