1954 VFL season

Background

In 1954, 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 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 1954 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" | | 7.11 (53) | **** | 9.10 (64) | Western Oval | 24,000 | 17 April 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.16 (58) | **** | 19.16 (130) | Brunswick Street Oval | 27,000 | 17 April 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 11.18 (84) | | 11.13 (79) | Lake Oval | 38,000 | 17 April 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 15.11 (101) | | 13.14 (92) | Arden Street Oval | 24,000 | 19 April 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.13 (61) | **** | 14.11 (95) | Glenferrie Oval | 23,000 | 19 April 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.10 (64) | **** | 15.12 (102) | MCG | 45,848 | 19 April 1954

Round 2

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.12 (60) | **** | 9.15 (69) | Kardinia Park | 21,000 | 24 April 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.18 (48) | **** | 8.13 (61) | Windy Hill | 23,000 | 24 April 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 12.12 (84) | | 5.8 (38) | Victoria Park | 25,000 | 24 April 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.10 (82) | **** | 15.11 (101) | Princes Park | 21,000 | 24 April 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.9 (39) | **** | 10.10 (70) | Junction Oval | 14,000 | 24 April 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 12.19 (91) | | 9.19 (73) | Punt Road Oval | 23,000 | 24 April 1954

Round 3

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 11.9 (75) | | 9.10 (64) | Glenferrie Oval | 17,000 | 1 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 17.14 (116) | | 3.11 (29) | Western Oval | 24,500 | 1 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.10 (64) | **** | 13.16 (94) | Brunswick Street Oval | 16,000 | 1 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 15.10 (100) | **** | 16.20 (116) | Windy Hill | 27,500 | 1 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.10 (70) | **** | 10.16 (76) | Junction Oval | 22,500 | 1 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 14.20 (104) | | 12.8 (80) | Punt Road Oval | 25,000 | 1 May 1954

Round 4

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 13.17 (95) | | 8.5 (53) | Kardinia Park | 18,000 | 8 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 10.17 (77) | | 9.10 (64) | Victoria Park | 37,000 | 8 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 17.21 (123) | **** | 20.14 (134) | Princes Park | 22,000 | 8 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 12.9 (81) | | 10.16 (76) | Lake Oval | 23,000 | 8 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 11.10 (76) | | 10.13 (73) | Arden Street Oval | 16,000 | 8 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 14.12 (96) | | 7.12 (54) | MCG | 17,500 | 8 May 1954

Round 5

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 14.13 (97) | | 10.7 (67) | MCG | 24,247 | 15 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 11.7 (73) | | 5.5 (35) | Western Oval | 25,500 | 15 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 10.16 (76) | **** | 11.10 (76) | Brunswick Street Oval | 12,000 | 15 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 14.13 (97) | | 13.14 (92) | Glenferrie Oval | 18,000 | 15 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.13 (49) | **** | 14.17 (101) | Lake Oval | 30,000 | 15 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.18 (66) | **** | 9.15 (69) | Windy Hill | 25,000 | 15 May 1954

Round 6

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.14 (62) | **** | 12.13 (85) | Arden Street Oval | 15,000 | 22 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 14.15 (99) | | 12.6 (78) | Junction Oval | 16,000 | 22 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.12 (72) | **** | 11.12 (78) | Punt Road Oval | 23,000 | 22 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 12.8 (80) | | 4.7 (31) | Western Oval | 30,000 | 22 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 13.17 (95) | | 9.8 (62) | Kardinia Park | 32,500 | 22 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.10 (58) | **** | 15.10 (100) | Brunswick Street Oval | 20,000 | 22 May 1954

Round 7

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 15.21 (111) | | 14.5 (89) | MCG | 23,025 | 29 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 22.13 (145) | | 7.12 (54) | Windy Hill | 17,500 | 29 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.8 (74) | **** | 14.13 (97) | Victoria Park | 34,000 | 29 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 12.20 (92) | | 11.16 (82) | Princes Park | 31,000 | 29 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.12 (72) | **** | 9.24 (78) | Junction Oval | 20,500 | 29 May 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.9 (69) | **** | 11.12 (78) | Glenferrie Oval | 26,000 | 29 May 1954

Round 8

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 17.13 (115) | | 10.6 (66) | Punt Road Oval | 17,000 | 5 June 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.5 (71) | **** | 10.20 (80) | Kardinia Park | 17,000 | 5 June 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 14.14 (98) | | 10.15 (75) | Windy Hill | 23,000 | 5 June 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.13 (49) | **** | 8.10 (58) | Lake Oval | 22,000 | 5 June 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 13.9 (87) | | 10.14 (74) | Western Oval | 21,000 | 5 June 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 11.15 (81) | | 10.12 (72) | Victoria Park | 40,000 | 5 June 1954

Round 9

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 2.18 (30) | **** | 13.18 (96) | Junction Oval | 21,500 | 12 June 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.17 (53) | **** | 11.13 (79) | Brunswick Street Oval | 19,000 | 12 June 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 13.13 (91) | | 10.12 (72) | Arden Street Oval | 30,000 | 12 June 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 5.11 (41) | | 4.12 (36) | Princes Park | 34,000 | 14 June 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 9.13 (67) | | 8.15 (63) | Kardinia Park | 33,400 | 14 June 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.13 (79) | **** | 14.17 (101) | MCG | 36,800 | 14 June 1954

Round 10

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 10.13 (73) | | 8.9 (57) | Western Oval | 24,000 | 26 June 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 11.10 (76) | | 10.14 (74) | Brunswick Street Oval | 14,000 | 26 June 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 18.12 (120) | | 13.17 (95) | Punt Road Oval | 30,000 | 26 June 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.12 (66) | **** | 10.19 (79) | Junction Oval | 20,000 | 26 June 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.5 (71) | **** | 10.15 (75) | Glenferrie Oval | 25,000 | 26 June 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 9.13 (67) | | 9.10 (64) | Arden Street Oval | 25,000 | 26 June 1954

Round 11

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 15.15 (105) | | 11.6 (72) | MCG | 18,180 | 3 July 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 13.9 (87) | | 13.6 (84) | Windy Hill | 28,000 | 3 July 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 12.10 (82) | | 10.12 (72) | Victoria Park | 40,000 | 3 July 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.16 (70) | **** | 12.10 (82) | Princes Park | 15,000 | 3 July 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.10 (64) | **** | 17.12 (114) | Lake Oval | 18,000 | 3 July 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 11.15 (81) | | 11.10 (76) | Glenferrie Oval | 12,000 | 3 July 1954

Round 12

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 13.16 (94) | | 9.9 (63) | Windy Hill | 20,000 | 10 July 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 8.6 (54) | | 5.16 (46) | Victoria Park | 29,000 | 10 July 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 11.10 (76) | | 10.10 (70) | Princes Park | 17,000 | 10 July 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 14.14 (98) | | 6.15 (51) | Punt Road Oval | 27,000 | 10 July 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.8 (62) | **** | 13.14 (92) | Junction Oval | 22,500 | 10 July 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 10.8 (68) | | 6.6 (42) | Kardinia Park | 15,000 | 10 July 1954

Round 13

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 14.17 (101) | | 5.10 (40) | Glenferrie Oval | 11,000 | 17 July 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.13 (43) | **** | 10.2 (62) | Arden Street Oval | 20,000 | 17 July 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 10.16 (76) | | 6.5 (41) | MCG | 29,406 | 17 July 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.9 (45) | **** | 6.13 (49) | Western Oval | 30,250 | 24 July 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.18 (66) | **** | 13.8 (86) | Lake Oval | 23,000 | 24 July 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 12.9 (81) | | 6.13 (49) | Brunswick Street Oval | 20,000 | 24 July 1954

Round 14

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 12.13 (85) | | 7.15 (57) | Victoria Park | 16,500 | 31 July 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 9.11 (65) | | 6.10 (46) | Princes Park | 25,863 | 31 July 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 16.14 (110) | | 5.3 (33) | MCG | 26,708 | 31 July 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.5 (41) | **** | 11.12 (78) | Lake Oval | 19,500 | 31 July 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 8.19 (67) | | 8.6 (54) | Arden Street Oval | 11,000 | 31 July 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 16.14 (110) | | 11.10 (76) | Kardinia Park | 28,158 | 31 July 1954

Round 15

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 12.15 (87) | | 6.16 (52) | Punt Road Oval | 12,000 | 7 August 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.5 (59) | **** | 10.22 (82) | Glenferrie Oval | 7,000 | 7 August 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 8.11 (59) | | 6.12 (48) | Brunswick Street Oval | 10,000 | 7 August 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.17 (59) | **** | 18.13 (121) | Junction Oval | 12,000 | 7 August 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 10.11 (71) | | 6.16 (52) | Windy Hill | 23,000 | 7 August 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.7 (43) | **** | 8.12 (60) | Western Oval | 22,000 | 7 August 1954

Round 16

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 13.12 (90) | | 7.6 (48) | Kardinia Park | 16,870 | 14 August 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.16 (88) | **** | 13.12 (90) | Victoria Park | 18,556 | 14 August 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.16 (76) | **** | 11.14 (80) | Princes Park | 29,744 | 14 August 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.18 (78) | **** | 15.4 (94) | Punt Road Oval | 24,000 | 14 August 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 9.14 (68) | **** | 9.14 (68) | Arden Street Oval | 22,000 | 14 August 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 13.14 (92) | | 9.15 (69) | Junction Oval | 11,500 | 14 August 1954

Round 17

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 14.13 (97) | | 5.10 (40) | MCG | 16,700 | 21 August 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 10.10 (70) | | 6.11 (47) | Glenferrie Oval | 14,000 | 21 August 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.17 (59) | **** | 11.12 (78) | Windy Hill | 36,000 | 21 August 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.14 (50) | **** | 10.12 (72) | Victoria Park | 36,000 | 21 August 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 22.11 (143) | | 14.7 (91) | Princes Park | 12,100 | 21 August 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.14 (80) | **** | 14.11 (95) | Lake Oval | 15,000 | 21 August 1954

Round 18

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 19.15 (129) | | 12.10 (82) | Arden Street Oval | 9,500 | 28 August 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 17.15 (117) | | 5.4 (34) | Western Oval | 22,896 | 28 August 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.7 (49) | **** | 14.17 (101) | Lake Oval | 25,000 | 28 August 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 14.13 (97) | | 13.13 (91) | Brunswick Street Oval | 20,000 | 28 August 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 14.17 (101) | | 6.12 (48) | Punt Road Oval | 25,000 | 28 August 1954 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | **** | 13.12 (90) | | 6.13 (49) | Kardinia Park | 23,119 | 28 August 1954

Ladder

|- style=background:#FFFFBB | 1 || align=left | || 18 || 13 || 5 || 0 || 1630 || 1225 || 133.1 || 52 |- style=background:#FFFFBB | 2 || align=left | (P) || 18 || 11 || 6 || 1 || 1423 || 1095 || 130.0 || 46 |- style=background:#FFFFBB | 3 || align=left | || 18 || 11 || 6 || 1 || 1355 || 1361 || 99.6 || 46 |- style=background:#FFFFBB | 4 || align=left | || 18 || 11 || 7 || 0 || 1504 || 1239 || 121.4 || 44 |- | 5 || align=left | || 18 || 10 || 8 || 0 || 1503 || 1310 || 114.7 || 40 |- | 6 || align=left | || 18 || 10 || 8 || 0 || 1471 || 1364 || 107.8 || 40 |- | 7 || align=left | || 18 || 10 || 8 || 0 || 1312 || 1301 || 100.8 || 40 |- | 8 || align=left | || 18 || 8 || 10 || 0 || 1382 || 1391 || 99.4 || 32 |- | 9 || align=left | || 18 || 8 || 10 || 0 || 1177 || 1337 || 88.0 || 32 |- | 10 || align=left | || 18 || 6 || 12 || 0 || 1209 || 1482 || 81.6 || 24 |- | 11 || align=left | || 18 || 4 || 13 || 1 || 1174 || 1604 || 73.2 || 18 |- | 12 || align=left | || 18 || 4 || 13 || 1 || 1149 || 1580 || 72.7 || 18 |}

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for Average score: 75.4 Source: AFL Tables

Finals series

Semi-finals

Aylett 3 Brooker, Grambeau, Spencer 1 3 Albiston, Case 1 Barassi, Collins, Johnson, McKenzie

Sharp, Flanagan, Palmer, Trezise, Davis, McMahon 1 2 Kerr, Stevens 1 Duffy, Edwards, Gilmore

Preliminary final

Pianto, Goninon, Davis, Turner, Trezise 1 1 Barassi, Laidlaw, Johnson, Spencer

Grand final

Main article: 1954 VFL Grand Final

Season notes

• Despite winning the 'wooden spoon', St Kilda defeated both Grand Final teams during the home and away rounds.
• North Melbourne are renamed "The Kangaroos" from "The Shinboners".
• In round 8, Essendon champion full-forward John Coleman sustained a career-ending knee injury (he left the field having scored 42 goals in five and a half matches). With two other players also injured, Essendon finished the match with 17 men.
• A group of Fitzroy players and supporters, who were offered a series of side bets at 10/1, back Fitzroy. Fitzroy produces a shock result, beating Collingwood 12.9 (81) to 6.13 (49), and the punters collect around £2,000 (approx. $40,000 in 2007).
• An injured Charlie Sutton (he had not played in the second semi-final) is picked in Footscray's Grand-Final team. Although not playing in his usual back-pocket position, he plays reasonably well in the forward-pocket, and kicks three goals.

Awards

• The 1954 VFL Premiership team was Footscray. This was the first premiership won by Footscray since it entered the VFL in 1925, and their last until 2016.
• The VFL's leading goalkicker was Jack Collins of Footscray who kicked 84 goals (including 11 goals in the final series).
• The winner of the 1954 Brownlow Medal was Roy Wright of Richmond with 29 votes (he had missed one match through illness, but still won the medal by 10 votes).
• St Kilda took the "wooden spoon" in 1954.

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

• 1954 VFL season at AFL Tables
• 1954 VFL season at Australian Football

References

1. (1994). "Boilovers, Thrillers and Grand Eras in League and Association Football". Pakenham Gazette.