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1954 VFL season

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1954 VFL premiership season
Footscray team, premiers
Teams12
PremiersFootscray
1st premiership
Minor premiersGeelong
9th minor premiership
Brownlow MedallistRoy Wright (Richmond)
Leading goalkicker medallistJack Collins (Footscray)
Matches played112
Highest80,897
← 1953
1955 →

The 1954 VFL season was the 58th season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 17 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 Footscray Football Club for the first time, after it defeated Melbourne by 51 points in the 1954 VFL Grand Final.

Background

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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

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Round 1

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 7.11 (53) St Kilda 9.10 (64) Western Oval 24,000 17 April 1954
Fitzroy 7.16 (58) Geelong 19.16 (130) Brunswick Street Oval 27,000 17 April 1954
South Melbourne 11.18 (84) Carlton 11.13 (79) Lake Oval 38,000 17 April 1954
North Melbourne 15.11 (101) Richmond 13.14 (92) Arden Street Oval 24,000 19 April 1954
Hawthorn 8.13 (61) Essendon 14.11 (95) Glenferrie Oval 23,000 19 April 1954
Melbourne 9.10 (64) Collingwood 15.12 (102) MCG 45,848 19 April 1954

Round 2

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 8.12 (60) North Melbourne 9.15 (69) Kardinia Park 21,000 24 April 1954
Essendon 5.18 (48) South Melbourne 8.13 (61) Windy Hill 23,000 24 April 1954
Collingwood 12.12 (84) Fitzroy 5.8 (38) Victoria Park 25,000 24 April 1954
Carlton 12.10 (82) Melbourne 15.11 (101) Princes Park 21,000 24 April 1954
St Kilda 5.9 (39) Hawthorn 10.10 (70) Junction Oval 14,000 24 April 1954
Richmond 12.19 (91) Footscray 9.19 (73) Punt Road Oval 23,000 24 April 1954

Round 3

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 11.9 (75) Melbourne 9.10 (64) Glenferrie Oval 17,000 1 May 1954
Footscray 17.14 (116) South Melbourne 3.11 (29) Western Oval 24,500 1 May 1954
Fitzroy 9.10 (64) North Melbourne 13.16 (94) Brunswick Street Oval 16,000 1 May 1954
Essendon 15.10 (100) Geelong 16.20 (116) Windy Hill 27,500 1 May 1954
St Kilda 10.10 (70) Collingwood 10.16 (76) Junction Oval 22,500 1 May 1954
Richmond 14.20 (104) Carlton 12.8 (80) Punt Road Oval 25,000 1 May 1954

Round 4

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 13.17 (95) St Kilda 8.5 (53) Kardinia Park 18,000 8 May 1954
Collingwood 10.17 (77) Essendon 9.10 (64) Victoria Park 37,000 8 May 1954
Carlton 17.21 (123) Footscray 20.14 (134) Princes Park 22,000 8 May 1954
South Melbourne 12.9 (81) Richmond 10.16 (76) Lake Oval 23,000 8 May 1954
North Melbourne 11.10 (76) Hawthorn 10.13 (73) Arden Street Oval 16,000 8 May 1954
Melbourne 14.12 (96) Fitzroy 7.12 (54) MCG 17,500 8 May 1954

Round 5

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 14.13 (97) Richmond 10.7 (67) MCG 24,247 15 May 1954
Footscray 11.7 (73) North Melbourne 5.5 (35) Western Oval 25,500 15 May 1954
Fitzroy 10.16 (76) St Kilda 11.10 (76) Brunswick Street Oval 12,000 15 May 1954
Hawthorn 14.13 (97) Geelong 13.14 (92) Glenferrie Oval 18,000 15 May 1954
South Melbourne 6.13 (49) Collingwood 14.17 (101) Lake Oval 30,000 15 May 1954
Essendon 8.18 (66) Carlton 9.15 (69) Windy Hill 25,000 15 May 1954

Round 6

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 8.14 (62) South Melbourne 12.13 (85) Arden Street Oval 15,000 22 May 1954
St Kilda 14.15 (99) Melbourne 12.6 (78) Junction Oval 16,000 22 May 1954
Richmond 10.12 (72) Hawthorn 11.12 (78) Punt Road Oval 23,000 22 May 1954
Footscray 12.8 (80) Essendon 4.7 (31) Western Oval 30,000 22 May 1954
Geelong 13.17 (95) Collingwood 9.8 (62) Kardinia Park 32,500 22 May 1954
Fitzroy 8.10 (58) Carlton 15.10 (100) Brunswick Street Oval 20,000 22 May 1954

Round 7

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 15.21 (111) South Melbourne 14.5 (89) MCG 23,025 29 May 1954
Essendon 22.13 (145) Fitzroy 7.12 (54) Windy Hill 17,500 29 May 1954
Collingwood 11.8 (74) Richmond 14.13 (97) Victoria Park 34,000 29 May 1954
Carlton 12.20 (92) Geelong 11.16 (82) Princes Park 31,000 29 May 1954
St Kilda 10.12 (72) North Melbourne 9.24 (78) Junction Oval 20,500 29 May 1954
Hawthorn 10.9 (69) Footscray 11.12 (78) Glenferrie Oval 26,000 29 May 1954

Round 8

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Richmond 17.13 (115) St Kilda 10.6 (66) Punt Road Oval 17,000 5 June 1954
Geelong 11.5 (71) Melbourne 10.20 (80) Kardinia Park 17,000 5 June 1954
Essendon 14.14 (98) North Melbourne 10.15 (75) Windy Hill 23,000 5 June 1954
South Melbourne 6.13 (49) Hawthorn 8.10 (58) Lake Oval 22,000 5 June 1954
Footscray 13.9 (87) Fitzroy 10.14 (74) Western Oval 21,000 5 June 1954
Collingwood 11.15 (81) Carlton 10.12 (72) Victoria Park 40,000 5 June 1954

Round 9

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
St Kilda 2.18 (30) South Melbourne 13.18 (96) Junction Oval 21,500 12 June 1954
Fitzroy 6.17 (53) Richmond 11.13 (79) Brunswick Street Oval 19,000 12 June 1954
North Melbourne 13.13 (91) Collingwood 10.12 (72) Arden Street Oval 30,000 12 June 1954
Carlton 5.11 (41) Hawthorn 4.12 (36) Princes Park 34,000 14 June 1954
Geelong 9.13 (67) Footscray 8.15 (63) Kardinia Park 33,400 14 June 1954
Melbourne 11.13 (79) Essendon 14.17 (101) MCG 36,800 14 June 1954

Round 10

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 10.13 (73) Melbourne 8.9 (57) Western Oval 24,000 26 June 1954
Fitzroy 11.10 (76) South Melbourne 10.14 (74) Brunswick Street Oval 14,000 26 June 1954
Richmond 18.12 (120) Geelong 13.17 (95) Punt Road Oval 30,000 26 June 1954
St Kilda 9.12 (66) Essendon 10.19 (79) Junction Oval 20,000 26 June 1954
Hawthorn 11.5 (71) Collingwood 10.15 (75) Glenferrie Oval 25,000 26 June 1954
North Melbourne 9.13 (67) Carlton 9.10 (64) Arden Street Oval 25,000 26 June 1954

Round 11

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 15.15 (105) North Melbourne 11.6 (72) MCG 18,180 3 July 1954
Essendon 13.9 (87) Richmond 13.6 (84) Windy Hill 28,000 3 July 1954
Collingwood 12.10 (82) Footscray 10.12 (72) Victoria Park 40,000 3 July 1954
Carlton 9.16 (70) St Kilda 12.10 (82) Princes Park 15,000 3 July 1954
South Melbourne 9.10 (64) Geelong 17.12 (114) Lake Oval 18,000 3 July 1954
Hawthorn 11.15 (81) Fitzroy 11.10 (76) Glenferrie Oval 12,000 3 July 1954

Round 12

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Essendon 13.16 (94) Hawthorn 9.9 (63) Windy Hill 20,000 10 July 1954
Collingwood 8.6 (54) Melbourne 5.16 (46) Victoria Park 29,000 10 July 1954
Carlton 11.10 (76) South Melbourne 10.10 (70) Princes Park 17,000 10 July 1954
Richmond 14.14 (98) North Melbourne 6.15 (51) Punt Road Oval 27,000 10 July 1954
St Kilda 9.8 (62) Footscray 13.14 (92) Junction Oval 22,500 10 July 1954
Geelong 10.8 (68) Fitzroy 6.6 (42) Kardinia Park 15,000 10 July 1954

Round 13

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 14.17 (101) St Kilda 5.10 (40) Glenferrie Oval 11,000 17 July 1954
North Melbourne 5.13 (43) Geelong 10.2 (62) Arden Street Oval 20,000 17 July 1954
Melbourne 10.16 (76) Carlton 6.5 (41) MCG 29,406 17 July 1954
Footscray 6.9 (45) Richmond 6.13 (49) Western Oval 30,250 24 July 1954
South Melbourne 8.18 (66) Essendon 13.8 (86) Lake Oval 23,000 24 July 1954
Fitzroy 12.9 (81) Collingwood 6.13 (49) Brunswick Street Oval 20,000 24 July 1954

Round 14

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Collingwood 12.13 (85) St Kilda 7.15 (57) Victoria Park 16,500 31 July 1954
Carlton 9.11 (65) Richmond 6.10 (46) Princes Park 25,863 31 July 1954
Melbourne 16.14 (110) Hawthorn 5.3 (33) MCG 26,708 31 July 1954
South Melbourne 6.5 (41) Footscray 11.12 (78) Lake Oval 19,500 31 July 1954
North Melbourne 8.19 (67) Fitzroy 8.6 (54) Arden Street Oval 11,000 31 July 1954
Geelong 16.14 (110) Essendon 11.10 (76) Kardinia Park 28,158 31 July 1954

Round 15

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Richmond 12.15 (87) South Melbourne 6.16 (52) Punt Road Oval 12,000 7 August 1954
Hawthorn 9.5 (59) North Melbourne 10.22 (82) Glenferrie Oval 7,000 7 August 1954
Fitzroy 8.11 (59) Melbourne 6.12 (48) Brunswick Street Oval 10,000 7 August 1954
St Kilda 7.17 (59) Geelong 18.13 (121) Junction Oval 12,000 7 August 1954
Essendon 10.11 (71) Collingwood 6.16 (52) Windy Hill 23,000 7 August 1954
Footscray 6.7 (43) Carlton 8.12 (60) Western Oval 22,000 7 August 1954

Round 16

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 13.12 (90) Hawthorn 7.6 (48) Kardinia Park 16,870 14 August 1954
Collingwood 12.16 (88) South Melbourne 13.12 (90) Victoria Park 18,556 14 August 1954
Carlton 10.16 (76) Essendon 11.14 (80) Princes Park 29,744 14 August 1954
Richmond 10.18 (78) Melbourne 15.4 (94) Punt Road Oval 24,000 14 August 1954
North Melbourne 9.14 (68) Footscray 9.14 (68) Arden Street Oval 22,000 14 August 1954
St Kilda 13.14 (92) Fitzroy 9.15 (69) Junction Oval 11,500 14 August 1954

Round 17

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 14.13 (97) St Kilda 5.10 (40) MCG 16,700 21 August 1954
Hawthorn 10.10 (70) Richmond 6.11 (47) Glenferrie Oval 14,000 21 August 1954
Essendon 7.17 (59) Footscray 11.12 (78) Windy Hill 36,000 21 August 1954
Collingwood 6.14 (50) Geelong 10.12 (72) Victoria Park 36,000 21 August 1954
Carlton 22.11 (143) Fitzroy 14.7 (91) Princes Park 12,100 21 August 1954
South Melbourne 11.14 (80) North Melbourne 14.11 (95) Lake Oval 15,000 21 August 1954

Round 18

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 19.15 (129) St Kilda 12.10 (82) Arden Street Oval 9,500 28 August 1954
Footscray 17.15 (117) Hawthorn 5.4 (34) Western Oval 22,896 28 August 1954
South Melbourne 7.7 (49) Melbourne 14.17 (101) Lake Oval 25,000 28 August 1954
Fitzroy 14.13 (97) Essendon 13.13 (91) Brunswick Street Oval 20,000 28 August 1954
Richmond 14.17 (101) Collingwood 6.12 (48) Punt Road Oval 25,000 28 August 1954
Geelong 13.12 (90) Carlton 6.13 (49) Kardinia Park 23,119 28 August 1954

Ladder

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(P) Premiers
Qualified for finals
# Team P W L D PF PA % Pts
1 Geelong 18 13 5 0 1630 1225 133.1 52
2 Footscray (P) 18 11 6 1 1423 1095 130.0 46
3 North Melbourne 18 11 6 1 1355 1361 99.6 46
4 Melbourne 18 11 7 0 1504 1239 121.4 44
5 Richmond 18 10 8 0 1503 1310 114.7 40
6 Essendon 18 10 8 0 1471 1364 107.8 40
7 Collingwood 18 10 8 0 1312 1301 100.8 40
8 Carlton 18 8 10 0 1382 1391 99.4 32
9 Hawthorn 18 8 10 0 1177 1337 88.0 32
10 South Melbourne 18 6 12 0 1209 1482 81.6 24
11 Fitzroy 18 4 13 1 1174 1604 73.2 18
12 St Kilda 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

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Semi-finals

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First semi-final
Saturday, 4 September 2:30pm North Melbourne def. by Melbourne MCG (crowd: 42,166)
3.4 (22)
5.7 (37)
7.12 (54)
11.14 (80)
Q1
Q2
Q3
Final
1.4 (10)
4.7 (31)
9.11 (65)
16.14 (110)
Umpires: Barbour
Templar 5
Aylett 3
Brooker, Grambeau, Spencer 1
Goals 6 Clarke
3 Albiston, Case
1 Barassi, Collins, Johnson, McKenzie
Brady, Marchesi, Lawrence, Templar, Brooker Best McGivern, Clarke, Case, Williams, Marquis, Beckwith, Arnold, Barassi


Second semi-final
Saturday, 11 September 2:30pm Geelong def. by Footscray MCG (crowd: 64,686)
4.5 (29)
4.8 (32)
7.10 (52)
8.14 (63)
Q1
Q2
Q3
Final
3.1 (19)
7.7 (49)
7.10 (52)
11.19 (85)
Umpires: Robinson
Goninon 2
Sharp, Flanagan, Palmer, Trezise, Davis, McMahon 1
Goals 4 Collins
2 Kerr, Stevens
1 Duffy, Edwards, Gilmore
Hovey, Williams, Smith, Davis, Pianto Best Stevens, Whitten, Box, Kerr, Ross

Preliminary final

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Preliminary Final
Saturday, 18 September 2:30pm Geelong def. by Melbourne MCG (crowd: 51,985)
2.3 (15)
4.3 (27)
5.6 (36)
7.8 (50)
Q1
Q2
Q3
Final
1.1 (7)
3.3 (21)
7.5 (47)
10.7 (67)
Umpires: Jamieson
Wiltshire 2
Pianto, Goninon, Davis, Turner, Trezise 1
Goals 3 Clarke, Albiston
1 Barassi, Laidlaw, Johnson, Spencer
Pianto, Smith, Middlemiss, Williams, Turner, Sharp Best Cordner, Melville, Case, Williams, McLean, Albiston
Williams (cramp) Injuries

Grand final

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Team 1 Qtr 2 Qtr 3 Qtr Final
Footscray 6.3 8.5 12.9 15.12 (102)
Melbourne 1.4 4.6 6.7 7.9 (51)

Season notes

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  • Despite winning the 'wooden spoon', St Kilda defeated both Grand Final teams during the home and away rounds.[1]
  • 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

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References

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  1. ^ Fiddian, Marc (1994). Boilovers, Thrillers and Grand Eras in League and Association Football. Pakenham, Victoria: Pakenham Gazette. p. 7. ISBN 1875475087.
  • 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

Sources

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