1949 VFL season

Background

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.

Home-and-away season

Round 1

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 21.19 (145) | | 12.11 (83) | Kardinia Park | 25,000 | 16 April 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 18.12 (120) | | 9.3 (57) | Windy Hill | 13,500 | 16 April 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 19.13 (127) | | 10.17 (77) | Victoria Park | 21,500 | 16 April 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.10 (76) | **** | 14.14 (98) | Junction Oval | 18,000 | 16 April 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 16.16 (112) | | 6.12 (48) | Princes Park | 29,000 | 18 April 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 19.13 (127) | | 8.10 (58) | Punt Road Oval | 30,000 | 18 April 1949

Round 2

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.13 (43) | **** | 20.12 (132) | Glenferrie Oval | 13,000 | 23 April 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 12.7 (79) | | 9.14 (68) | Western Oval | 15,500 | 23 April 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 12.13 (85) | | 12.10 (82) | Lake Oval | 9,000 | 23 April 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.14 (56) | **** | 10.15 (75) | Arden Street Oval | 20,000 | 23 April 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.8 (80) | **** | 11.16 (82) | MCG | 29,000 | 23 April 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 15.16 (106) | | 15.15 (105) | Brunswick Street Oval | 25,000 | 23 April 1949

Round 3

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 14.8 (92) | | 9.5 (59) | Arden Street Oval | 15,000 | 30 April 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 14.14 (98) | | 10.15 (75) | Kardinia Park | 19,000 | 30 April 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.14 (56) | **** | 8.9 (57) | Victoria Park | 30,000 | 30 April 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 21.27 (153) | | 7.6 (48) | Princes Park | 9,250 | 30 April 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 14.16 (100) | | 7.6 (48) | MCG | 24,000 | 30 April 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.15 (45) | **** | 13.16 (94) | Junction Oval | 13,000 | 30 April 1949

Round 4

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 17.11 (113) | | 11.14 (80) | Punt Road Oval | 12,000 | 7 May 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 4.15 (39) | **** | 12.3 (75) | Western Oval | 12,000 | 7 May 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 13.15 (93) | **** | 15.15 (105) | Brunswick Street Oval | 17,500 | 7 May 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 8.11 (59) | | 7.9 (51) | Lake Oval | 12,000 | 7 May 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.10 (40) | **** | 9.11 (65) | Glenferrie Oval | 11,500 | 7 May 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.9 (45) | **** | 7.22 (64) | Windy Hill | 29,000 | 7 May 1949

Round 5

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.16 (46) | **** | 6.12 (48) | MCG | 19,000 | 14 May 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 15.13 (103) | | 10.11 (71) | Kardinia Park | 15,500 | 14 May 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 11.18 (84) | | 9.15 (69) | Windy Hill | 21,000 | 14 May 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 16.8 (104) | | 10.14 (74) | Princes Park | 33,000 | 14 May 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 10.8 (68) | | 6.14 (50) | Lake Oval | 11,000 | 14 May 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.13 (67) | **** | 14.21 (105) | Glenferrie Oval | 7,500 | 14 May 1949

Round 6

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 15.13 (103) | | 8.12 (60) | Punt Road Oval | 21,000 | 21 May 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 12.14 (86) | | 10.22 (82) | Brunswick Street Oval | 10,500 | 21 May 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 11.16 (82) | | 12.9 (81) | Victoria Park | 23,000 | 21 May 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 18.13 (121) | | 12.10 (82) | Princes Park | 28,500 | 21 May 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 4.13 (37) | **** | 8.13 (61) | Junction Oval | 7,500 | 21 May 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 13.23 (101) | | 12.7 (79) | Arden Street Oval | 9,000 | 21 May 1949

Round 7

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.12 (48) | **** | 12.15 (87) | Glenferrie Oval | 10,000 | 28 May 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.9 (75) | **** | 13.12 (90) | Windy Hill | 15,000 | 28 May 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 8.13 (61) | | 8.7 (55) | Arden Street Oval | 17,000 | 28 May 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 21.21 (147) | | 9.12 (66) | Punt Road Oval | 28,000 | 28 May 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.10 (58) | **** | 12.15 (87) | Western Oval | 17,000 | 28 May 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.14 (62) | **** | 14.11 (95) | Junction Oval | 13,000 | 28 May 1949

Round 8

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.15 (75) | **** | 11.13 (79) | Kardinia Park | 22,500 | 4 June 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 21.22 (148) | | 4.12 (36) | Victoria Park | 12,000 | 4 June 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 14.13 (97) | | 10.7 (67) | Princes Park | 29,500 | 4 June 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 10.17 (77) | | 10.6 (66) | MCG | 11,000 | 4 June 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.7 (79) | **** | 14.14 (98) | Lake Oval | 12,500 | 4 June 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.17 (59) | **** | 10.12 (72) | Western Oval | 12,500 | 4 June 1949

Round 9

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 17.14 (116) | | 12.7 (79) | Victoria Park | 27,500 | 11 June 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 10.13 (73) | | 8.15 (63) | Glenferrie Oval | 10,000 | 11 June 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 15.16 (106) | | 12.9 (81) | Lake Oval | 19,500 | 11 June 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 11.12 (78) | | 7.7 (49) | Arden Street Oval | 10,000 | 13 June 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.10 (52) | **** | 10.14 (74) | Brunswick Street Oval | 16,000 | 13 June 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.12 (84) | **** | 14.15 (99) | Punt Road Oval | 46,000 | 13 June 1949

Round 10

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 18.25 (133) | | 6.9 (45) | Arden Street Oval | 16,000 | 18 June 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 20.12 (132) | | 6.10 (46) | Kardinia Park | 12,000 | 18 June 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.19 (67) | **** | 10.10 (70) | Windy Hill | 15,000 | 18 June 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.12 (78) | **** | 12.14 (86) | Princes Park | 26,500 | 18 June 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.14 (56) | **** | 11.11 (77) | Junction Oval | 8,500 | 18 June 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 16.5 (101) | **** | 16.8 (104) | Punt Road Oval | 29,000 | 18 June 1949

Round 11

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 14.17 (101) | | 9.9 (63) | MCG | 24,000 | 2 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.12 (72) | **** | 12.9 (81) | Brunswick Street Oval | 14,000 | 2 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 15.16 (106) | | 6.16 (52) | Victoria Park | 12,000 | 2 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 13.11 (89) | **** | 14.13 (97) | Junction Oval | 7,000 | 2 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 25.17 (167) | | 11.6 (72) | Kardinia Park | 18,000 | 2 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 9.9 (63) | | 7.16 (58) | Western Oval | 13,000 | 2 July 1949

Round 12

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 12.11 (83) | | 7.18 (60) | Western Oval | 14,000 | 9 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 14.10 (94) | | 6.13 (49) | Brunswick Street Oval | 7,000 | 9 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 14.17 (101) | | 14.14 (98) | MCG | 20,000 | 9 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.0 (42) | **** | 16.16 (112) | Glenferrie Oval | 7,000 | 9 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 8.6 (54) | | 4.13 (37) | Arden Street Oval | 21,000 | 9 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.12 (48) | **** | 11.15 (81) | Lake Oval | 15,000 | 9 July 1949

Round 13

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 16.15 (111) | | 13.13 (91) | Junction Oval | 6,000 | 16 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 8.22 (70) | | 6.13 (49) | Windy Hill | 16,000 | 16 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.16 (58) | **** | 10.13 (73) | Victoria Park | 22,000 | 16 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 9.13 (67) | | 9.8 (62) | Princes Park | 17,500 | 16 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 16.21 (117) | | 9.13 (67) | Punt Road Oval | 7,000 | 16 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 13.15 (93) | | 4.10 (34) | Kardinia Park | 15,000 | 16 July 1949

Round 14

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 11.8 (74) | | 10.12 (72) | Western Oval | 13,000 | 23 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 13.17 (95) | | 9.10 (64) | Windy Hill | 9,500 | 23 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.24 (72) | **** | 17.11 (113) | Punt Road Oval | 19,000 | 23 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.15 (81) | **** | 14.13 (97) | Lake Oval | 7,500 | 23 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.11 (71) | **** | 11.15 (81) | Brunswick Street Oval | 21,000 | 23 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.5 (53) | **** | 9.17 (71) | Glenferrie Oval | 9,000 | 23 July 1949

Round 15

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 12.7 (79) | | 9.11 (65) | MCG | 14,500 | 30 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 16.23 (119) | | 5.6 (36) | Victoria Park | 9,500 | 30 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.16 (82) | **** | 17.11 (113) | Princes Park | 26,500 | 30 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 13.11 (89) | | 9.14 (68) | Junction Oval | 10,000 | 30 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 8.14 (62) | | 8.11 (59) | Arden Street Oval | 14,000 | 30 July 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 13.9 (87) | | 6.7 (43) | Kardinia Park | 17,500 | 30 July 1949

Round 16

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 10.14 (74) | | 8.10 (58) | Western Oval | 10,000 | 6 August 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 10.19 (79) | | 8.17 (65) | Brunswick Street Oval | 4,000 | 6 August 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 9.10 (64) | | 8.10 (58) | Arden Street Oval | 20,000 | 6 August 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 10.9 (69) | | 8.12 (60) | Junction Oval | 12,000 | 6 August 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.14 (56) | **** | 11.12 (78) | Punt Road Oval | 16,000 | 6 August 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 7.16 (58) | | 7.13 (55) | Victoria Park | 28,000 | 6 August 1949

Round 17

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 15.16 (106) | | 7.10 (52) | MCG | 18,000 | 13 August 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 13.10 (88) | | 9.16 (70) | Glenferrie Oval | 9,000 | 13 August 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.13 (67) | **** | 10.17 (77) | Lake Oval | 10,000 | 13 August 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 13.16 (94) | | 8.11 (59) | Western Oval | 12,000 | 13 August 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 16.21 (117) | | 10.11 (71) | Windy Hill | 29,000 | 13 August 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.11 (47) | **** | 12.18 (90) | Kardinia Park | 24,500 | 13 August 1949

Round 18

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.14 (56) | **** | 11.16 (82) | Kardinia Park | 14,500 | 20 August 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.15 (51) | **** | 9.8 (62) | Brunswick Street Oval | 6,000 | 20 August 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 9.19 (73) | | 7.14 (56) | Victoria Park | 13,500 | 20 August 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 13.17 (95) | | 10.14 (74) | Princes Park | 10,000 | 20 August 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 14.8 (92) | | 8.14 (62) | Lake Oval | 4,000 | 20 August 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.10 (76) | **** | 15.11 (101) | MCG | 58,500 | 20 August 1949

Round 19

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.16 (76) | **** | 15.12 (102) | Glenferrie Oval | 9,000 | 27 August 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 19.12 (126) | | 10.17 (77) | Brunswick Street Oval | 7,000 | 27 August 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 14.13 (97) | | 8.13 (61) | Windy Hill | 20,000 | 27 August 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 22.12 (144) | | 10.15 (75) | Punt Road Oval | 11,000 | 27 August 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 11.15 (81) | | 10.12 (72) | Junction Oval | 17,000 | 27 August 1949 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 15.18 (108) | | 7.10 (52) | Arden Street Oval | 35,116 | 27 August 1949

Ladder

|- style=background:#FFFFBB | 1 || align=left | || 19 || 14 || 5 || 0 || 1471 || 1235 || 119.1 || 56 |- style=background:#FFFFBB | 2 || align=left | || 19 || 13 || 6 || 0 || 1679 || 1328 || 126.4 || 52 |- style=background:#FFFFBB | 3 || align=left | || 19 || 13 || 6 || 0 || 1616 || 1308 || 123.5 || 52 |- style=background:#FFFFBB | 4 || align=left | (P) || 19 || 13 || 6 || 0 || 1649 || 1366 || 120.7 || 52 |- | 5 || align=left | || 19 || 12 || 7 || 0 || 1516 || 1341 || 113.0 || 48 |- | 6 || align=left | || 19 || 10 || 9 || 0 || 1733 || 1485 || 116.7 || 40 |- | 7 || align=left | || 19 || 10 || 9 || 0 || 1488 || 1521 || 97.8 || 40 |- | 8 || align=left | || 19 || 9 || 10 || 0 || 1722 || 1540 || 111.8 || 36 |- | 9 || align=left | || 19 || 7 || 12 || 0 || 1211 || 1444 || 83.9 || 28 |- | 10 || align=left | || 19 || 6 || 13 || 0 || 1343 || 1669 || 80.5 || 24 |- | 11 || align=left | || 19 || 4 || 15 || 0 || 1272 || 1730 || 73.5 || 16 |- | 12 || align=left | || 19 || 3 || 16 || 0 || 1153 || 1886 || 61.1 || 12 |}

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for Average score: 78.3 Source: AFL Tables

Finals series

Semi-finals

Preliminary final

Grand final

Main article: 1949 VFL Grand Final

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.

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 17.10 (112) defeated 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.

References

• Hogan, P., The Tigers of Old, The Richmond Football Club, (Richmond), 1996.
• Maplestone, M., Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996, Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996.
• Rogers, S. & Brown, A., Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL Results 1897–1997 (Sixth Edition), Viking Books, (Ringwood), 1998.
• 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.

Sources

• 1949 VFL season at AFL Tables
• 1949 VFL season at Australian Football

References

1. (24 September 1949). "Melb. easily in Second 18s". The Sporting Globe.