The 1924 VFL season was the 28th 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). I ...

(VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured nine clubs, ran from 26 April until 27 September, and comprised a 16-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top four clubs. 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 ...

for the sixth time and second time consecutively, after it won the round-robin finals series which was held in this season only. It is the last time a VFL/AFL premiership was not decided by a

Grand Final Primarily in Australian sports, a grand final (sometimes colloquially abbreviated to "grannie") is a game that decides a sports league's premiership (or championship) winning team, i.e. the conclusive game of a finals (or play-off) series. Sy ...

. The season saw the first presentation of the

Brownlow Medal The Charles Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal (and informally as "Charlie"), is awarded to the "best and fairest" player in the Australian Football League (AFL) during the home-and-away season, as determined by votes cast by ...

for fairest and best player in the league, won by Edward Greeves ().

Premiership season

In 1924, the VFL competition consisted of nine 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 (i.e., 16 matches and 2 byes). Once the 18 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1924 VFL premiership was determined by an experimental 1924 finals system, which the VFL used in this season only. The format was similar to the round-robin format used in 1897 Finals System, but included the minor premier's right to challenge, which existed under the amended ''Argus'' System.

Round 1

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 10.7 (67) , , 13.16 (94) ,

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 ...

, 20,000 , 26 April 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 12.12 (84) , , 11.16 (82) ,

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 ...

, 15,000 , 26 April 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 8.15 (63) , , 12.7 (79) ,

Windy Hill Windy Hill may refer to: Places * Windy Hill, Essendon, an Australian rules football ground in the Melbourne area * Windy Hill Wind Farm, a wind power station near Ravenshoe, Queensland, Australia * Windy Hill (Pennines), a hill on the Pennines w ...

, 25,000 , 26 April 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 16.9 (105) , , 15.13 (103) ,

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 Rul ...

, 30,000 , 26 April 1924

Round 2

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 10.15 (75) , , 7.11 (53) ,

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 ...

, 13,000 , 3 May 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 10.17 (77) , , 7.15 (57) , Victoria Park , 19,000 , 3 May 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 7.14 (56) , , 7.14 (56) , Princes Park , 40,000 , 3 May 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 7.15 (57) , , 12.14 (86) ,

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 Sou ...

, 28,000 , 3 May 1924

Round 3

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 14.13 (97) , , 10.14 (74) ,

, 20,000 , 10 May 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 12.13 (85) , , 8.11 (59) ,

, 25,000 , 10 May 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 8.13 (61) , , 8.14 (62) , MCG , 18,211 , 10 May 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.22 (76) , , 13.12 (90) ,

, 26,000 , 10 May 1924

Round 4

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 11.10 (76) , , 14.25 (109) , Princes Park , 23,000 , 17 May 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 12.9 (81) , , 7.11 (53) ,

, 22,000 , 17 May 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 5.18 (48) , , 10.14 (74) ,

, 22,000 , 17 May 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 8.12 (60) , , 12.8 (80) ,

, 12,000 , 17 May 1924

Round 5

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 10.16 (76) , , 10.9 (69) , MCG , 22,072 , 24 May 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 13.16 (94) , , 3.13 (31) ,

, 22,000 , 24 May 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 13.24 (102) , , 11.10 (76) ,

, 16,000 , 24 May 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 19.17 (131) , , 16.11 (107) , Victoria Park , 25,000 , 24 May 1924

Round 6

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.19 (73) , , 8.6 (54) ,

, 20,000 , 31 May 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.19 (73) , , 9.9 (63) ,

, 12,000 , 31 May 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 10.8 (68) , , 8.13 (61) ,

, 35,000 , 31 May 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.15 (69) , , 8.8 (56) ,

, 25,000 , 31 May 1924

Round 7

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 10.16 (76) , , 11.16 (82) , Victoria Park , 14,000 , 7 June 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 10.12 (72) , , 11.12 (78) , Princes Park , 29,000 , 7 June 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 11.17 (83) , , 13.9 (87) , MCG , 27,533 , 9 June 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 12.13 (85) , , 14.9 (93) ,

, 30,000 , 9 June 1924

Round 8

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 12.15 (87) , , 5.11 (41) ,

, 15,000 , 14 June 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 16.17 (113) , , 3.13 (31) ,

, 20,000 , 14 June 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 12.23 (95) , , 10.10 (70) ,

, 21,000 , 14 June 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.12 (66) , , 6.15 (51) ,

, 12,000 , 14 June 1924

Round 9

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 7.9 (51) , , 9.14 (68) , Victoria Park , 22,000 , 21 June 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 3.10 (28) , , 5.8 (38) , Princes Park , 21,000 , 21 June 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 7.6 (48) , , 7.3 (45) ,

, 20,000 , 21 June 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 5.12 (42) , , 10.11 (71) , MCG , 18,769 , 21 June 1924

Round 10

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 8.15 (63) , , 6.15 (51) , MCG , 14,286 , 28 June 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 4.10 (34) , , 8.12 (60) , Victoria Park , 20,000 , 28 June 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 15.14 (104) , , 8.8 (56) , Princes Park , 27,770 , 28 June 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.7 (61) , , 5.13 (43) ,

, 30,000 , 28 June 1924

Round 11

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 4.17 (41) , , 9.10 (64) ,

, 20,000 , 5 July 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 10.20 (80) , , 9.8 (62) ,

, 18,000 , 5 July 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 16.16 (112) , , 6.16 (52) ,

, 13,000 , 5 July 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 10.19 (79) , , 8.14 (62) ,

, 28,000 , 5 July 1924

Round 12

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 11.10 (76) , , 7.11 (53) , Victoria Park , 8,000 , 12 July 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 14.15 (99) , , 8.8 (56) , Princes Park , 17,000 , 12 July 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.14 (68) , , 9.11 (65) ,

, 15,000 , 12 July 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.8 (62) , , 6.13 (49) ,

, 33,000 , 12 July 1924

Round 13

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 13.14 (92) , , 12.16 (88) ,

, 25,000 , 19 July 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 7.12 (54) , , 8.16 (64) ,

, 26,000 , 19 July 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 10.14 (74) , , 8.14 (62) ,

, 20,000 , 19 July 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 7.13 (55) , , 9.8 (62) , MCG , 17,931 , 19 July 1924

Round 14

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 18.15 (123) , , 7.6 (48) ,

, 12,000 , 26 July 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 10.12 (72) , , 12.12 (84) , Princes Park , 30,000 , 26 July 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 12.13 (85) , , 5.8 (38) ,

, 16,000 , 26 July 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 7.14 (56) , , 12.13 (85) ,

, 38,000 , 26 July 1924

Round 15

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.19 (73) , , 9.7 (61) ,

, 26,000 , 2 August 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.16 (70) , , 6.15 (51) , Victoria Park , 18,000 , 2 August 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 5.9 (39) , , 11.12 (78) ,

, 10,000 , 2 August 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 5.9 (39) , , 8.8 (56) , MCG , 7,382 , 2 August 1924

Round 16

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 16.13 (109) , , 6.10 (46) ,

, 10,000 , 23 August 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 17.19 (121) , , 9.21 (75) ,

, 14,000 , 23 August 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.19 (73) , , 5.6 (36) ,

, 15,600 , 23 August 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 13.19 (97) , , 4.7 (31) ,

, 22,000 , 23 August 1924

Round 17

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 6.13 (49) , , 8.13 (61) , Victoria Park , 21,000 , 30 August 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.7 (61) , , 6.18 (54) , Princes Park , 15,000 , 30 August 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.13 (67) , , 16.14 (110) , MCG , 12,487 , 30 August 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.5 (59) , , 11.17 (83) ,

, 20,000 , 30 August 1924

Round 18

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.13 (67) , , 9.14 (68) ,

, 16,500 , 6 September 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 12.10 (82) , , 14.12 (96) ,

, 10,000 , 6 September 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 6.14 (50) , , 11.20 (86) ,

, 13,000 , 6 September 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 12.16 (88) , , 8.12 (60) ,

, 30,000 , 6 September 1924

Ladder

1924 finals series

In 1924, the VFL dispensed with the amended ''Argus'' system and adopted a new finals system initially proposed by Carlton delegate Reg Hunt. The new scheme saw the top four clubs play a round-robin semi-finals series over three weeks, with two matches played each Saturday. Then, if the minor premiers did not finish on top of the round-robin ladder, a Grand Final would be played between the minor premiers and round-robin winner. Essendon ultimately finished on top of the finals ladder on the basis of its greater percentage than ; and, as minor premier, Essendon won the premiership without a Grand Final. The scheme was developed primarily as a result of demand for entry to finals matches in the early 1920s exceeding the capacity of the

Melbourne Cricket Ground 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 ...

. It was noted that while an average of 80,000 spectators attended a four-game home-and-away round, the capacity of the Melbourne Cricket Ground was limited to about 55,000; and, as such, under the ''Argus'' system, in which only one final was played each day, many spectators were turned away. However, playing two semi-finals on each day would allow more spectators to attend. The original intent of the system was partially realised, with 65,000 spectators attending the first week of semi-finals, and 60,000 attending the second week; although, only 42,000 attended the third week, when the dead rubber between and was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the premiership-deciding – match was played on the smaller South Melbourne Cricket Ground. However, even the weeks with higher spectator numbers did not translate to better financial performance: extra competing teams meant more clubs whose members were entitled free admission and fewer neutral spectators paying at the gate. As a result, the new scheme was abandoned at the end of the year and the amended ''Argus'' system resumed from 1925.

Semi-finals

Week 1

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 8.10 (58) , , 2.6 (18) , MCG , 42,522 , 13 September 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 13.7 (85) , , 9.3 (57) ,

, 22,300 , 13 September 1924

Week 2

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 11.10 (76) , , 8.8 (56) , Princes Park , 26,000 , 20 September 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 10.12 (72) , , 4.15 (39) , MCG , 35,407 , 20 September 1924

Week 3

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.13 (67) , , 6.11 (47) ,

, 25,000 , 27 September 1924 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 13.8 (86) , , 10.13 (73) , MCG , 17,503 , 27 September 1924

Finals ladder

Finals team squads

As there was no designated grand final, this also meant that there were no grand final teams in 1924; instead there was an "Essendon finals squad", a "Fitzroy finals squad", a "Richmond finals squad", and a "South Melbourne finals squad". Listed in alphabetical order the four squads were: * Essendon squad:

Fred Baring Frederick Albert Baring (15 December 1890 – 10 December 1961) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the early 1900s. In 1997 he was named at fullback in Essendon's officia ...

Syd Barker, Sr. Sydney Quinton Barker Sr. (26 November 1887 – 23 March 1930) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond, Essendon and North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). His son, also named Syd Barker, had a brief leagu ...

(captain),

Norm Beckton Norman Aubrey Beckton (4 May 1898 – 8 September 1984) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the VFL during the 1920s. Football Beckton played as a ruckman and won Essendon's best and fairest In Australian spo ...

, Clyde Donaldson, Charlie Farrell, Tom Fitzmaurice,

Jack Garden Jack Garden (3 March 1895 – 1 December 1955) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the VFL. A wingman, Garden debuted for Essendon in 1915 but did not play again until 1920 due to war service. He won the Essendon B ...

, Harry Gregory, Charlie Hardy,

Harry Hunter Harry Hunter (24 February 1902 – 23 April 1971) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1920s. Hunter, who started out in the Victorian Football Association with Footscra ...

, Tommy Jenkins, Roy Laing, Frank Maher, Charlie May, Justin McCarthy,

George Rawle George Rawle (2 December 1889 – 12 June 1978) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon in the VFL during the 1920s. Rawle suffered a severe ankle injury when a boy, and the bone calloused, leading to the foot being badly de ...

, George Shorten, Greg Stockdale, Jimmy Sullivan, and Rowley Watt. * Fitzroy squad: Bill Adams,

Jim Atkinson James Archibald "Snowy" Atkinson (4 April 1896 – 11 June 1956) was an Australian rules footballer and first class cricketer. Family The son of Michael James Atkinson, and Margaret Atkinson, née Markland, James Archibald Atkinson was born in ...

(captain),

Arthur Batchelor Arthur Vincent Batchelor (25 November 1902 – 5 May 1952) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Fitzroy and North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Batchelor originally trained with Melbourne Melbourne ( ; B ...

Les Bryant Leslie Allan Bryant (29 June 1896 – 24 April 1965) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Football A follower, Bryant started his career at West Adelaide. Bryant joined Norwood in ...

, Charlie Chapman, Goldie Collins, Tommy Corrigan,

Arch Dickens Harold Arthur "Arch" Dickens (19 June 1903 – 25 May 1996) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy and Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Dickens was recruited from Preston. He played on a wing for Fitzroy in ...

, Steve Donnellan,

Ern Elliott Ernest George "Puffer" Elliott (3 January 1900 – 17 November 1980) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Elliott was a half back flanker in Fitzroy's 1922 VFL premiership winni ...

, Clive Fergie, Jimmy Freake, Len Gale, Tom Hickey,

Horrie Jenkin Horace Valentine Jenkin (14 February 1893 – 17 January 1985) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy Fitzroy or FitzRoy may refer to: People As a given name *Several members of the Somerset family (Dukes of Beaufort) hav ...

, Gordon McCracken,

Stan Molan Stanley Michael "Stan" Molan (26 September 1893 – 27 June 1943) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Molan was already 24 when he started his career at Fitzroy. He was handy in fr ...

Jack Moriarty Jack Moriarty (30 April 1901 – 5 September 1980) was an Australian rules footballer and champion goal-kicker in the Australian Football League, Victorian Football League (VFL). Family The son of the Fitzroy full-back, dual premiership play ...

, Gordon Rattray,

Jim Tarbotton James Harold Tarbotton, a.k.a. Tarbolton (5 May 1899 – 4 April 1997) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy Football Club, Fitzroy in the Australian Football League, Victorian Football League (VFL). Family The son of James ...

, Len Wigraft, and Fred Williams. * Richmond squad: Jack Barnett, Ted Bourke,

Ralph Empey Ralph Empey (22 September 1904 – 28 September 1960) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Football Empey played his early football at Scotch College and made his first VFL appe ...

, Clarrie Hall, Joe Harrison,

Doug Hayes Douglas Leo Hayes (16 September 1896 – 5 June 1985) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond in the Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia ser ...

Gordon Hislop David Gordon Hislop (1 June 1901 – 12 September 1985) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond Football Club, Richmond in the Australian Football League, Victorian Football League (VFL). Hislop died in Tasmania on 12 Septe ...

, Max Hislop,

Jim Karthaus James Stoddart Karthaus (23 June 1898 – 20 October 1989) was a former Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond in the Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in ...

, Bob McCaskill,

Norm McIntosh Norman 'Snowy' McIntosh (3 March 1890 – 11 March 1965) was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1920 and 1924 for the Richmond Football Club. Recruited from South Fremantle, where he had played for ten seasons inc ...

, Angus MacIsaac,

Keith Millar Keith James Millar (15 August 1906 – 13 July 1971) was an Australians, Australian sportsman who played Australian rules football with Richmond Football Club, Richmond in the Australian Football League, Victorian Football League (VFL) during ...

, Dan Minogue (captain), Mel Morris, Reuben Reid, George Rudolph, James Smith,

Jim Spain Jim Spain (17 September 1902 – 19 June 1983) was a former Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond in the Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia ...

, Ernie Taylor,

Vic Thorp Victor Charles Thorp (25 October 1890 – 1 October 1941) was an Australian rules footballer for the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1910 and 1925. Nicknamed "Flippa", Thorp was the first true champion player t ...

, and George Valentine. * South Melbourne squad: Harry Alexander,

Bobby Allison Robert Arthur Allison (born December 3, 1937) is a former American professional stock car racing driver and owner. Allison was the founder of the Alabama Gang, a group of drivers based in Hueytown, Alabama, where there were abundant short tracks ...

, Phil Brooks, Martin Brown, Roy Cazaly (captain), Bill Condon, Fred Fleiter,

Arthur Hando Arthur Hando (6 June 1891 – 14 February 1949) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the South Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Recruited from Victorian Football Association (VFA) club Brunswick, H ...

Jacky Harris Jacky Harris (17 November 1900 – 25 November 1943) was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Austral ...

, Ted Johnson,

Tom Joyce Tom Joyce (born 1956) is a sculptor and MacArthur Fellow known for his work in forged steel and cast iron. Using skills and technology acquired through early training as a blacksmith, Joyce addresses the environmental, political, and social impli ...

Frank Laird Frank Graham Laird (20 May 1893 – 17 September 1964) was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Austr ...

Harold Mahony Harold Segerson Mahony (13 February 1867 – 27 June 1905) was a Scottish-born Irish tennis player who is best known for winning the singles title at the Wimbledon Championships in 1896. His career lasted from 1888 until his death in 1905. Maho ...

, Herb Matthews, Bob McDonald,

Charles McDonald Charles McDonald may refer to: * Charles James McDonald (1793–1860), politician and jurist from the U.S. state of Georgia * Charles McDonald (Australian politician) (1860–1925), Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives * Charles McDon ...

Gil Miller Gilbert Henry Miller (17 August 1903 – 14 October 1944) was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in ...

, Charlie Nicholls,

Jack O'Connell Jack O'Connell may refer to: * Jack O'Connell (actor) (born 1990), English actor * Jack O'Connell (Australian politician) (1903–1972), member of the Victorian Legislative Council * Jack O'Connell (diplomat) (1921–2010), American diplomat and CI ...

Ted O'Meara Edward Patrick O'Meara (26 March 1903 – 1 August 1941) was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Family The son of Cornelius O'Meara (1853-1944), and Mary O'Meara (1866-1940) ...

, Frank Ross, Joe Scanlan, Paddy Scanlan, Mark Tandy, and Les Woodfield.

Awards

* The 1924 VFL premiership team was Essendon. * The VFL's leading goalkicker was

of Fitzroy with 82 goals, a VFL record. (Moriarty had played 13 senior games for Essendon in 1922, and after playing in Essendon's Second Eighteen for 1923, and was released to Fitzroy). * The winner of the 1924 (inaugural)

was Edward "Carji" Greeves of

Geelong Geelong ( ) ( Wathawurrung: ''Djilang''/''Djalang'') is a port city in the south eastern Australian state of Victoria, located at the eastern end of Corio Bay (the smaller western portion of Port Phillip Bay) and the left bank of Barwon ...

with 7 votes. * St Kilda took the wooden spoon in 1924. * The seconds grand final was scratched and the premiership was awarded to after minor premiers refused to travel to Geelong for the grand final.

Notable events

* Administrator Charles Brownlow died on 23 January 1924; the Charles Brownlow Trophy, more commonly known as the

, was instituted in his memory. The trophy is to be awarded to "the best and fairest player" in the VFL as determined by the votes of the field umpire at the end of each home-and-away match. From 1924 to 1930, there was a single vote cast per match. *The VFL started fixing the schedule from 1924 to ensure that neither and nor and played home matches on the same day due to the heavy transport and labour burden associated with running the two nearby venues at the same time. This arrangement continued as long as the clubs played at nearby locations. *

Bill Twomey, Sr. William Patrick Twomey Sr. (14 May 1899 - 25 March 1977) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood and Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Family The son of Michael Twomey and Annie Twomey, née Carey, William ...

who played for

Collingwood Collingwood, meaning "wood of disputed ownership", may refer to: Educational institutions * Collingwood College, Victoria, an Australian state Prep to Year 12 school * Collingwood College, Durham, college of Durham University, England * Collingw ...

(1918–1922) and would play for Hawthorn (1933–1934), the father of Collingwood's

Bill Twomey, Jr. Bill Twomey Jr. (28 September 1927 – 1 October 1996) was an Australian rules footballer, who played in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Often described as an "enigma", Twomey was, for a time, considered the best centreman in the game. He ...

(1945–1958), Pat Twomey (1947–1949; 1952–1953), and Mick Twomey (1951–1961), and the grandfather of Collingwood's David Twomey (1979–1985) wins the 1924, 130-yard

Stawell Gift The Stawell Gift is Australia's oldest and richest short-distance running race. It is the main event in an annual carnival held on Easter weekend by the Stawell Athletic Club, with the main race finals on the holiday Monday, at Central Park, S ...

in 12.1 seconds, off a handicap of 8½ yards. * The Fitzroy versus Carlton match in the opening round was the first VFL match in which both teams scored 100 points. * The VFL adopts the convention of home teams wearing black shorts and away teams wearing white shorts. * Because the 1924 premiership was determined by a round-robin system, Essendon won the premiership despite being beaten by runners-up Richmond 9.13 (67) to 6.11 (47) in the last round-robin match; this is the only time in VFL/AFL history that the premiers lost their last match of the season. Richmond would have needed to win by at least 43 points to challenge Essendon to a grand final. * Many of the Essendon players were unhappy at the poor performances of some of their teammates in the final round robin match against Richmond, and there were heated arguments and fist-fights in the rooms after the match and after a post-match function later that evening, related to accusations of

match fixing In organized sports, match fixing is the act of playing or officiating a match with the intention of achieving a pre-determined result, violating the rules of the game and often the law. There are many reasons why match fixing might take place, ...

and receiving bribes. * On the Saturday after the VFL grand final, Essendon (in its role as 1924 VFL premiers) was challenged by 1924 VFA premiers, Footscray, to a match in aid of Dame Nellie Melba's Limbless Soldiers' Appeal, purportedly (but not officially) for the championship of Victoria. Footscray unexpectedly defeated Essendon 9.10 (64) to 4.12 (36). Again there were accusations of match fixing, and champion centre half-back Tom Fitzmaurice was so disgusted with many of his teammates having, in his view, deliberately lost the match, he never played again for Essendon. * The Seconds grand final, to have been staged between and minor premiers on 4 October, was originally scheduled to be played at Geelong's home ground,

, but after Essendon raised its objections, the Seconds League rescheduled the match for

Kardinia Park Kardinia Park is a major public park located in South Geelong, Victoria. A number of public and sporting facilities are located in the park: a major AFL stadium, a secondary football oval, a cricket field, an open air swimming pool, a number ...

, which was a neutral venue, but still located in Geelong. Essendon again objected, and after the league dismissed their complaint, refused to travel to Geelong. Consequently, the match was scratched and the Seconds premiership was awarded to Geelong.

Notes

References

* Hogan P: ''The Tigers Of Old'', Richmond FC, (Melbourne), 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.

External links

1924 Season - AFL Tables

1924 VFL Premiers vs VFA Premiers Match
– BoylesFootballPhotos
Frost, L., "Did the 1924 Bombers throw their last game?", (25 September, 2006), AFL Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:1924 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 ...