The 1911 VFL season was the 15th season of the

Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia serving as one of the second-tier regional semi-professional competitions which sit underneath the fully professional Australian Football League (AFL). It ...

(VFL), the highest level senior

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

competition in Victoria. The season featured ten clubs, ran from 29 April until 23 September, and comprised an 18-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top four clubs. The season was the beginning of the league's professional era, with clubs permitted for the first time to pay players beyond the reimbursement of expenses. The premiership was won by the

Essendon Football Club The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed the Bombers, is a professional Australian rules football club. The club plays in the Australian Football League (AFL), the game's premier competition. The club was formed by the McCracken family in their A ...

for the third time, after it defeated by six points in the

1911 VFL Grand Final The 1911 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 23 September 1911. It was the 14th annual Grand ...

Premiership season

In 1911, the VFL competition consisted of ten teams of 18 on-the-field players each, with no "reserves", although any of the 18 players who had left the playing field for any reason could later resume their place on the field at any time during the match. Each team played each other twice in a home-and-away season of 18 rounds. Once the 18 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1911 VFL ''Premiers'' were determined by the specific format and conventions of the amended "''Argus'' system".

Round 1

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.18 (102) , , 5.10 (40) ,

Lake Oval Lakeside Stadium is an Australian sports arena in the South Melbourne suburb of Albert Park. Comprising an athletics track and soccer stadium, it currently serves as the home ground and administrative base for association football club South M ...

, 29 April 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.10 (94) , , 9.11 (65) ,

Victoria Park Victoria Park may refer to: Places Australia * Victoria Park Nature Reserve, a protected area in Northern Rivers region, New South Wales * Victoria Park, Adelaide, a park and racecourse * Victoria Park, Brisbane, a public park and former golf ...

, 29 April 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.6 (66) , , 7.15 (57) ,

Junction Oval Junction Oval (also known as the St Kilda Cricket Ground, or the CitiPower Centre due to sponsorship reasons) is a historic sports ground in the suburb of St Kilda in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The oval's location near the St Kilda Junc ...

, 29 April 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.12 (72) , , 11.4 (70) ,

MCG The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), also known locally as "The 'G", is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne, Victoria. Founded and managed by the Melbourne Cricket Club, it is the largest stadium in the Southern Hem ...

, 29 April 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.15 (45) , , 6.9 (45) , EMCG , 29 April 1911

Round 2

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.12 (54) , , 7.12 (54) ,

Corio Oval Corio Oval was an Australian rules football ground, located in Geelong, Victoria, and used by the Geelong Football Club in the VFA and the VFL from 1878 to 1915, and 1917 to 1940. Sited in Eastern Park, the oval was served by trams from 1930 wh ...

, 6 May 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.6 (66) , , 10.6 (66) , Princes Park , 6 May 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.9 (69) , , 6.7 (43) ,

, 6 May 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 3.11 (29) , , 10.16 (76) ,

Punt Road Oval Punt Road Oval, also known by naming rights sponsorship as the Swinburne Centre, is an Australian rules football ground and former cricket oval located within the Yarra Park precinct of East Melbourne, Victoria, situated a few hundred metres to ...

, 6 May 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 4.10 (34) , , 7.7 (49) ,

Brunswick Street Oval The WT Peterson Community Oval, best known as the Brunswick Street Oval and also as the Fitzroy Cricket Ground, is a cricket and Australian rules football ground located in Edinburgh Gardens in Fitzroy North, Victoria. History Australian Rule ...

, 6 May 1911

Round 3

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 2.5 (17) , , 10.13 (73) ,

, 13 May 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.17 (53) , , 6.5 (41) ,

, 13 May 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.17 (65) , , 10.8 (68) ,

, 13 May 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.7 (43) , , 6.9 (45) , Princes Park , 13 May 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 0.9 (9) , , 6.11 (47) ,

, 13 May 1911

Round 4

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.12 (60) , , 6.11 (47) ,

, 20 May 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.24 (84) , , 4.6 (30) ,

, 20 May 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.13 (85) , , 8.11 (59) ,

, 20 May 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 21.12 (138) , , 7.11 (53) , EMCG , 20 May 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.8 (44) , , 9.11 (65) ,

, 20 May 1911

Round 5

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.15 (69) , , 4.7 (31) ,

, 27 May 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.17 (65) , , 4.8 (32) ,

, 27 May 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.14 (86) , , 6.6 (42) , EMCG , 27 May 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.11 (89) , , 4.15 (39) , Princes Park , 27 May 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 4.10 (34) , , 5.10 (40) ,

, 27 May 1911

Round 6

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.14 (62) , , 7.12 (54) ,

, 3 June 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.13 (49) , , 5.13 (43) ,

, 3 June 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.12 (42) , , 10.16 (76) ,

, 3 June 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.6 (42) , , 8.11 (59) ,

, 3 June 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.12 (42) , , 6.16 (52) ,

, 3 June 1911

Round 7

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.12 (48) , , 9.15 (69) ,

, 5 June 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 3.5 (23) , , 10.11 (71) ,

, 5 June 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.10 (64) , , 3.6 (24) , EMCG , 5 June 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.17 (77) , , 7.9 (51) ,

, 5 June 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.7 (49) , , 5.8 (38) ,

, 5 June 1911

Round 8

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.7 (55) , , 3.2 (20) , EMCG , 10 June 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.13 (55) , , 2.10 (22) , Princes Park , 10 June 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 3.8 (26) , , 6.6 (42) ,

, 10 June 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.9 (39) , , 9.13 (67) ,

, 10 June 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.10 (52) , , 5.9 (39) ,

, 10 June 1911

Round 9

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.12 (72) , , 9.6 (60) ,

, 17 June 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.13 (85) , , 4.8 (32) ,

, 17 June 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 4.12 (36) , , 5.8 (38) ,

, 17 June 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.8 (44) , , 5.11 (41) ,

, 17 June 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.2 (56) , , 13.11 (89) ,

, 17 June 1911

Round 10

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.15 (63) , , 5.5 (35) ,

, 22 June 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 4.6 (30) , , 7.8 (50) ,

, 22 June 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.7 (55) , , 6.4 (40) ,

, 24 June 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.16 (52) , , 5.10 (40) , Princes Park , 24 June 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 4.5 (29) , , 9.13 (67) ,

, 24 June 1911

Round 11

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.11 (101) , , 6.5 (41) ,

, 1 July 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.15 (57) , , 7.5 (47) , EMCG , 1 July 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.7 (61) , , 10.12 (72) ,

, 1 July 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.7 (67) , , 8.7 (55) ,

, 1 July 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.8 (80) , , 9.11 (65) ,

, 1 July 1911

Round 12

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.15 (57) , , 6.13 (49) , EMCG , 8 July 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.14 (86) , , 6.13 (49) ,

, 8 July 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 3.8 (26) , , 6.10 (46) ,

, 8 July 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.7 (43) , , 8.5 (53) ,

, 8 July 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.13 (43) , , 6.10 (46) ,

, 8 July 1911

Round 13

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.7 (49) , , 9.8 (62) ,

, 15 July 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 2.11 (23) , , 3.11 (29) ,

, 15 July 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.12 (66) , , 2.10 (22) , Princes Park , 15 July 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.14 (80) , , 8.12 (60) ,

, 15 July 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 3.8 (26) , , 12.12 (84) ,

, 15 July 1911

Round 14

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.6 (36) , , 5.7 (37) ,

, 22 July 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.9 (39) , , 11.11 (77) ,

, 22 July 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.14 (74) , , 6.3 (39) ,

, 22 July 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.6 (42) , , 12.8 (80) ,

, 22 July 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.5 (41) , , 11.10 (76) ,

, 22 July 1911

Round 15

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.14 (86) , , 7.7 (49) ,

, 29 July 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.7 (61) , , 4.11 (35) , EMCG , 29 July 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 18.21 (129) , , 2.3 (15) , Princes Park , 29 July 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.25 (73) , , 5.7 (37) ,

, 29 July 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 4.6 (30) , , 6.16 (52) ,

, 29 July 1911

Round 16

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.5 (71) , , 7.9 (51) , Princes Park , 19 August 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.9 (51) , , 9.6 (60) ,

, 19 August 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.6 (36) , , 4.3 (27) ,

, 19 August 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.8 (38) , , 24.19 (163) ,

, 19 August 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 0.9 (9) , , 14.14 (98) ,

, 19 August 1911

Round 17

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 17.21 (123) , , 5.6 (36) ,

, 26 August 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.13 (91) , , 4.5 (29) ,

, 26 August 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.12 (72) , , 10.3 (63) ,

, 26 August 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 3.7 (25) , , 6.10 (46) ,

, 26 August 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.8 (56) , , 4.17 (41) ,

, 26 August 1911

Round 18

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.9 (57) , , 4.10 (34) ,

, 2 September 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.9 (63) , , 8.10 (58) , EMCG , 2 September 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.8 (62) , , 8.6 (54) , Princes Park , 2 September 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.4 (46) , , 15.17 (107) ,

, 2 September 1911 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.8 (44) , , 15.11 (101) ,

, 2 September 1911

Ladder

Finals

All of the 1911 finals were played at the

so the home team in the Semi Finals and Preliminary Final is purely the higher ranked team from the ladder but in the Grand Final the home team was the team that won the Preliminary Final.

Semi finals

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Score , Away team , Score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , Collingwood , 11.11 (77) ,

South Melbourne South Melbourne is an inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Port Phillip local government area. South Melbourne recorded a population of 11,548 at t ...

, 6.11 (47) ,

, 9 September , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" ,

Essendon Essendon may refer to: Australia *Electoral district of Essendon *Electoral district of Essendon and Flemington *Essendon, Victoria **Essendon railway station **Essendon Airport *Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League United King ...

, 9.15 (69) ,

Carlton Carlton may refer to: People * Carlton (name), a list of those with the given name or surname * Carlton (singer), English soul singer Carlton McCarthy * Carlton, a pen name used by Joseph Caldwell (1773–1835), American educator, Presbyterian ...

, 6.12 (48) ,

, 16 September

Grand final

defeated Collingwood 5.11 (41) to 4.11 (35), in front of a crowd of 43,905 people. (For an explanation of scoring see

Awards

* The 1911 VFL Premiership team was

. * The VFL's leading goalkicker was

Vin Gardiner Vincent Sidley Gardiner (23 October 1885 – 3 October 1972) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne and Carlton in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Gardiner came from a footballing family, his father John had played fo ...

with 47 goals. *

University A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

took the "wooden spoon" in 1911.

Notable events

* In May 1911, after much agitation from the majority of clubs, 12 of the 16 club delegates voted to delete Rule 29 of the VFL constitution, expressly forbidding player payments beyond expenses, which had been added in 1900. It was widely accepted that most clubs had flouted this rule and used creative methods to provide payments: by allowing payments other than reimbursement of expenses to be made to players, this made the competition professional. ** The dissenting clubs who remained amateur were Melbourne and University, as their clubs' laws at the time stated that any player found to be professional would be immediately expelled. * In Round 2, Geelong 7.12 (54) controversially tied Melbourne 7.12 (54) apiece, after

Bert Whittington Albert John Whittington (1 January 1885 – 4 July 1969) was an Australian rules footballer who played with the Geelong Football Club in the VFL. He scored after the siren to tie the game for Geelong against Melbourne, the score at 54 all in ...

(Geelong) took a free kick after the final bell which was touched through the goal face for a behind. Under the rules at the time, the ball should have been declared dead for no score when it was touched; however, umpire

Lardie Tulloch Lawrence Gideon "Lardie" Tulloch (15 April 1871 – 13 September 1955) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Collingwood Football Club in the early years of the Victorian Football League (VFL). Tulloch was born in Melbourne, th ...

had not heard the bell over the crowd and signalled 'all clear' as if the whole passage of play had occurred before the bell. Melbourne lodged a protest against the result, but it was dismissed under a clause which had been newly added to the Laws of the Game prior to the 1911 season to provide clarity in exactly this type of situation, stating "the field umpire shall be the sole judge as to the first sound of the bell," irrespective of the volume of the bell or conduct of the timekeepers. * In Round 4, Essendon became the first team to score 100 points against Collingwood, which was the last club remaining to have not yet conceded 100 points in a game. Essendon's score of 21.12 (138) was the highest by any club since Round 17, 1901. * On 20 August, the SAFL Interstate team defeated Victoria 11.11 (77) to 5.4 (34) to win the

1911 Adelaide Carnival The 1911 Adelaide Carnival was the second edition of the Australasian Football Carnival, an Australian rules football interstate competition. It took place from 2 to 12 August at Adelaide Oval. A crowd of 20,000 witnessed South Australia convin ...

. * In round 9,

Fitzroy Fitzroy or FitzRoy may refer to: People As a given name *Several members of the Somerset family (Dukes of Beaufort) have this as a middle-name: **FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan (1788–1855) ** Henry Charles FitzRoy Somerset, 8th Duke of Beau ...

back-man Bill Marchbanks, a constable with the Victorian Police Force, was refused leave to play for Fitzroy against

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

and was instead, assigned to the

and

match to patrol as a mounted policeman. Near the end of the match, the home crowd roared as South Melbourne suddenly took the lead, causing his horse to rear and throw him against the iron fence. Marchbanks fractured his knee. *

player Jim Martin received a 12-match suspension for striking

player George Holden (see als

during the round 8 match, despite there being no witnesses who saw Martin throw a punch; it appeared that Holden had thrown himself at Martin, who was stationary and braced himself for the collision. Martin was charged with assault, and was found not guilty on appeal when the case went to the District Court, but the tribunal's suspension cost him a place in Essendon's premiership team. *From Round 15, St Kilda players went on strike to protest the club committee's barring of former player and captain Joe Hogan (footballer, born 1875), Joe Hogan and the father of star player

Wels Eicke Wellesley Hastings "Wels" Eicke (27 September 1893 – 10 February 1980) was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Early life and career Eicke was the younger son of George Augustus Eicke (died 28 March 1927) ...

from the club, and the Saints had to use 62 players for the season, the most by any team in the history of the VFL/AFL; due to a series of long-running disputes with the committee, St. Kilda also used 55 players in 1909 and 60 players in 1910.Atkinson, p. 46. After the strike, the club lost its last four games by an average of 96 points. * In Round 15, Vin Gardiner of Carlton became only the second player to kick ten goals in a match; his 21 scoring shots (10.11) also set a new record for a single player in a game. * In Round 16, Essendon scored 24.19 (163) against the strike-affected , setting a new record for the highest score in a VFL match and breaking the previous record of 23.24 (162) set by Geelong in 1899. * In the 1911 finals series, players wore numbers on their backs for the first time in any VFL match played in Melbourne.

References

* Atkinson, G. (1982) ''Everything you ever wanted to know about Australian rules football but couldn't be bothered asking'', The Five Mile Press: Melbourne. . * Rogers, S. & Brown, A., ''Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL Results 1897–1997 (Sixth Edition)'', Viking Books, (Ringwood), 1998.

External links

1911 Season – AFL Tables

Player payments and the great bribery scandal
{{DEFAULTSORT:1911 Vfl Season Australian Football League seasons

VFL season The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia serving as one of the second-tier regional semi-professional competitions which sit underneath the fully professional Australian Football League (AFL). It ...