The 1946 VFL season was the 50th 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 twelve clubs, ran from 20 April until 5 October, and comprised a 19-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top four clubs. The league's thirds/under-19s competition played its inaugural season. 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 eighth time, after it defeated by 63 points in the 1946 VFL Grand Final.

Premiership season

In 1946, 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-away reverse" of matches 1 to 8. The determination of the 1946 season's fixtures were complicated by the fact that both 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, Australia, Victoria. Founded and managed by the Melbourne Cricket Club, it is the largest stadiu ...

and the

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 ...

were still unavailable and, because of this,

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

shared the

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 ...

with

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, ...

as their home ground, and

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 ...

shared the

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 ...

with St Kilda as their home ground. Melbourne resumed using the

as its home ground in round 17. Once the 19 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1946 VFL ''Premiers'' were determined by the specific format and conventions of the

Page–McIntyre system The McIntyre System, or systems as there have been five of them, is a playoff system that gives an advantage to teams or competitors qualifying higher. The systems were developed by Ken McIntyre, an Australian lawyer, historian and English lect ...

Round 1

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.11 (83) , , 12.15 (87) ,

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 ...

, 32,000 , 20 April 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 20.17 (137) , , 12.19 (91) ,

, 18,000 , 20 April 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.10 (100) , , 14.14 (98) ,

Western Oval Whitten Oval (also known as Victoria University Whitten Oval under a naming rights agreement) is a stadium in the inner-western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in Barkly Street, West Footscray. It is the training and administra ...

, 26,000 , 20 April 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 19.23 (137) , , 12.6 (78) ,

Arden Street Oval Arden Street Oval (also known as North Melbourne Cricket Ground) is a sports oval in North Melbourne, Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria. It is currently the training base of the North Melbourne Football Club, an Australia ...

, 11,000 , 22 April 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.19 (61) , , 18.16 (124) ,

Glenferrie Oval Glenferrie Oval is an Australian rules football stadium located in Hawthorn, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is the historic home of, and is synonymous with, the Hawthorn Football Club, who played there from 1903 and as a VFL/AFL ...

, 19,000 , 22 April 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 16.13 (109) , , 18.9 (117) ,

, 38,000 , 22 April 1946

Round 2

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.14 (104) , , 9.19 (73) ,

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 of ...

, 7,500 , 27 April 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.11 (71) , , 8.5 (53) , Windy Hill , 16,000 , 27 April 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.14 (74) , , 8.10 (58) ,

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 ...

, 22,000 , 27 April 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.12 (66) , , 10.12 (72) , Princes Park , 21,000 , 27 April 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.15 (105) , , 19.19 (133) ,

, 23,000 , 27 April 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.3 (69) , , 16.21 (117) ,

, 14,000 , 27 April 1946

Round 3

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 16.14 (110) , , 6.15 (51) ,

, 17,000 , 4 May 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 20.19 (139) , , 9.9 (63) ,

, 12,000 , 4 May 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 21.15 (141) , , 12.13 (85) , Windy Hill , 17,000 , 4 May 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.14 (86) , , 14.18 (102) ,

, 25,000 , 4 May 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.14 (74) , , 12.12 (84) ,

, 30,000 , 4 May 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.11 (101) , , 19.17 (131) ,

, 16,000 , 4 May 1946

Round 4

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.15 (87) , , 11.8 (74) ,

, 18,000 , 11 May 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.18 (84) , , 19.12 (126) ,

, 11,500 , 11 May 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 19.19 (133) , , 17.10 (112) ,

, 27,000 , 11 May 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.16 (52) , , 16.18 (114) , Princes Park , 30,000 , 11 May 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.6 (54) , , 24.13 (157) ,

, 10,000 , 11 May 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.7 (85) , , 14.20 (104) ,

, 15,000 , 11 May 1946

Round 5

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.8 (74) , , 13.17 (95) ,

, 9,000 , 18 May 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.13 (79) , , 4.15 (39) , Windy Hill , 17,000 , 18 May 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 2.16 (28) , , 14.10 (94) ,

, 24,000 , 18 May 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.15 (81) , , 9.11 (65) , Princes Park , 19,000 , 18 May 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.21 (87) , , 6.17 (53) ,

, 10,000 , 18 May 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.13 (85) , , 22.14 (146) ,

, 18,000 , 18 May 1946

Round 6

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 16.10 (106) , , 13.13 (91) ,

, 8,000 , 25 May 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.21 (63) , , 10.12 (72) ,

, 18,000 , 25 May 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 21.23 (149) , , 13.9 (87) ,

, 15,000 , 25 May 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.13 (43) , , 11.17 (83) ,

, 18,000 , 25 May 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.12 (72) , , 9.15 (69) ,

, 29,000 , 25 May 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.12 (72) , , 22.17 (149) ,

, 19,000 , 25 May 1946

Round 7

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 20.20 (140) , , 7.16 (58) , Windy Hill , 11,000 , 1 June 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.13 (103) , , 11.10 (76) , Princes Park , 42,000 , 1 June 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.16 (76) , , 10.10 (70) ,

, 17,000 , 1 June 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.12 (90) , , 14.15 (99) ,

, 13,000 , 1 June 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.11 (41) , , 14.13 (97) ,

, 12,000 , 1 June 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.8 (68) , , 20.12 (132) ,

, 10,000 , 1 June 1946

Round 8

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.14 (98) , , 9.10 (64) ,

, 12,000 , 8 June 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.2 (56) , , 3.9 (27) ,

, 8,000 , 8 June 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.10 (70) , , 15.17 (107) ,

, 38,000 , 8 June 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.5 (47) , , 15.22 (112) ,

, 17,000 , 10 June 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 16.22 (118) , , 7.13 (55) ,

, 15,000 , 10 June 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 16.16 (112) , , 7.14 (56) ,

, 40,000 , 10 June 1946

Round 9

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.12 (96) , , 8.9 (57) ,

, 11,000 , 15 June 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 16.10 (106) , , 15.9 (99) ,

, 22,000 , 15 June 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 16.22 (118) , , 11.10 (76) , Windy Hill , 32,000 , 15 June 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 17.20 (122) , , 14.13 (97) ,

, 14,000 , 17 June 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 18.20 (128) , , 13.11 (89) , Princes Park , 17,000 , 17 June 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 18.16 (124) , , 15.20 (110) ,

, 38,000 , 17 June 1946

Round 10

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 18.17 (125) , , 12.12 (84) ,

, 26,000 , 22 June 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.20 (92) , , 13.10 (88) , Princes Park , 39,000 , 22 June 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.16 (70) , , 13.8 (86) ,

, 18,000 , 22 June 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.24 (84) , , 9.12 (66) ,

, 8,000 , 22 June 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.8 (98) , , 13.10 (88) ,

, 12,000 , 22 June 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 18.18 (126) , , 12.15 (87) ,

, 11,500 , 22 June 1946

Round 11

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.6 (60) , , 14.14 (98) ,

, 11,000 , 6 July 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 18.9 (117) , , 9.12 (66) ,

, 18,000 , 6 July 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.14 (86) , , 7.11 (53) ,

, 7,000 , 6 July 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.19 (91) , , 7.12 (54) ,

, 9,000 , 6 July 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.13 (91) , , 10.9 (69) ,

, 17,000 , 6 July 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.12 (84) , , 9.9 (63) , Windy Hill , 29,000 , 6 July 1946

Round 12

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.7 (97) , , 21.14 (140) ,

, 11,500 , 13 July 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 16.24 (120) , , 14.8 (92) , Windy Hill , 29,000 , 13 July 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.23 (113) , , 11.14 (80) ,

, 11,000 , 13 July 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.13 (85) , , 11.18 (84) , Princes Park , 26,000 , 13 July 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.14 (74) , , 12.11 (83) ,

, 7,000 , 13 July 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.14 (98) , , 10.12 (72) ,

, 19,000 , 13 July 1946

Round 13

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.11 (47) , , 11.9 (75) ,

, 10,000 , 20 July 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.11 (41) , , 6.10 (46) ,

, 10,000 , 20 July 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.22 (112) , , 11.15 (81) ,

, 5,000 , 20 July 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.13 (67) , , 10.8 (68) ,

, 23,000 , 20 July 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.8 (56) , , 8.13 (61) ,

, 15,000 , 20 July 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.12 (72) , , 7.13 (55) ,

, 26,000 , 20 July 1946

Round 14

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.12 (84) , , 4.7 (31) ,

, 21,000 , 27 July 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 17.19 (121) , , 9.16 (70) ,

, 14,000 , 27 July 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.18 (108) , , 10.11 (71) , Princes Park , 17,000 , 27 July 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.9 (63) , , 16.16 (112) ,

, 12,000 , 27 July 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.9 (63) , , 8.7 (55) ,

, 10,000 , 27 July 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.24 (78) , , 10.13 (73) ,

, 30,000 , 27 July 1946

Round 15

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 21.18 (144) , , 12.7 (79) , Windy Hill , 12,000 , 3 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.24 (114) , , 10.9 (69) ,

, 12,000 , 3 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.16 (106) , , 14.11 (95) ,

, 22,000 , 3 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.10 (100) , , 6.12 (48) ,

, 7,500 , 3 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.21 (93) , , 14.15 (99) ,

, 31,000 , 3 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.10 (94) , , 11.8 (74) ,

, 21,000 , 3 August 1946

Round 16

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.15 (87) , , 16.14 (110) ,

, 13,000 , 10 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.13 (91) , , 16.16 (112) ,

, 23,000 , 10 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 20.10 (130) , , 8.11 (59) ,

, 6,000 , 10 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.18 (102) , , 7.16 (58) ,

, 16,000 , 10 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 18.9 (117) , , 12.15 (87) ,

, 32,000 , 10 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.9 (87) , , 10.18 (78) ,

, 16,000 , 10 August 1946

Round 17

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.11 (89) , , 16.11 (107) ,

, 11,000 , 17 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 18.14 (122) , , 4.10 (34) , Windy Hill , 16,000 , 17 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 20.12 (132) , , 10.10 (70) ,

, 25,000 , 17 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.8 (92) , , 10.17 (77) , Princes Park , 13,000 , 17 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 18.15 (123) , , 13.8 (86) ,

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 ...

, 16,000 , 17 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.16 (58) , , 12.15 (87) ,

, 18,000 , 17 August 1946

Round 18

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.8 (74) , , 15.19 (109) ,

, 7,000 , 24 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 23.27 (165) , , 8.5 (53) ,

, 12,000 , 24 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.11 (65) , , 10.9 (69) ,

, 19,000 , 24 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 17.26 (128) , , 7.11 (53) ,

, 11,000 , 24 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.9 (75) , , 16.20 (116) ,

, 9,000 , 24 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 16.29 (125) , , 13.15 (93) ,

, 38,000 , 24 August 1946

Round 19

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 17.11 (113) , , 11.10 (76) ,

, 19,000 , 31 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 16.18 (114) , , 18.5 (113) , Windy Hill , 23,000 , 31 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.11 (101) , , 14.12 (96) , Princes Park , 27,000 , 31 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.10 (94) , , 6.13 (49) ,

, 10,000 , 31 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 17.18 (120) , , 12.5 (77) ,

, 12,000 , 31 August 1946 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.15 (69) , , 12.22 (94) ,

, 6,000 , 31 August 1946

Ladder

Finals

Semi finals

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Score , Away team , Score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.12 (102) , , 17.18 (120) ,

, 61,277 , 7 September , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.16 (100) , , 13.22 (100) ,

, 77,370 , 14 September , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.16 (76) , , 8.9 (57) ,

, 64,903 , 21 September

Preliminary Final

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Score , Away team , Score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.16 (100) , , 16.17 (113) ,

, 59,444 , 28 September

Grand final

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 ...

defeated

22.18 (150) to 13.9 (87), in front of a crowd of 72,743 people. (For an explanation of scoring see

Awards

* The 1946 VFL Premiership team was

. * The VFL's leading goalkicker was

Bill Brittingham Bill Brittingham (5 September 1923 – 18 June 1996) was an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League, Victorian Football League (VFL). He played in the Essendon Football Club, Essendon premiership teams of 1946, 1949 a ...

with 66 goals, including 8 goals in the finals series.

Des Fothergill Desmond Hugh Fothergill (15 July 1920 – 16 March 1996) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and for Williamstown Football Club in the Victorian Football Associatio ...

of Collingwood was the leading goal-kicker in the home-and-home season, with 63 goals. * The winner of the 1946

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 ...

was

Don Cordner Donald Pruen Cordner (21 January 1922 – 13 May 2009), M.B.B.S. was an Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1940s. His brothers Denis, John and Ted also played for the club. ...

with 20 votes. Cordner was the first of the only two amateur players ever to win the Brownlow Medal; the second was Footscray's John Schultz in 1960. *

Hawthorn Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to: Plants * '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae * ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the family Rosace ...

took the "

wooden spoon Wooden Spoon may refer to: * Wooden spoon, implement * Wooden spoon (award) A wooden spoon is an award that is given to an individual or team that has come last in a competition. Examples range from the academic to sporting and more frivolous e ...

" in 1946. * The seconds premiership was won by . Richmond 7.15 (57) defeated 7.14 (56) in the Grand Final, played as a curtain-raiser to the senior preliminary final on Saturday 28 September at the

. * The inaugural thirds premiership was won by . North Melbourne 11.9 (75) defeated 5.12 (42) in the Grand Final, played on Saturday 21 September.

Notable events

* The ANFC introduced a second substitute player, known as the 20th man; this meant that a team was now composed of 18 "run on" players, and two "reserves" on the bench. A player could be substituted for any reason (not just if he was injured and unable to continue). Once substituted, a player could not return to the field of play under any circumstances. As with the 19th man, the 20th man was paid a match fee only in the event that he took the field. * The ANFC rejected a joint proposal from New South Wales and Tasmania to introduce an "order off" rule for foul play. * The VFL introduced a new Under-19 competition; the teams are referred to as the Third Eighteens. * The VFL resumes the

award. * In Round 1, 33-year-old former champion full-forward

Bob Pratt Harold Robert Pratt Sr. (31 August 1912 – 6 January 2001) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the South Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and the Coburg Football Club in the Victorian Football Asso ...

returned to

after playing for VFA club

Coburg Coburg () is a town located on the Itz river in the Upper Franconia region of Bavaria, Germany. Long part of one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined Bavaria by popular vote only in 1920. Until the revolution of 1918, it was ...

(1940–1941) and serving in the

Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...

(1942–1945). He kicked two goals before badly injuring a leg, and never played again. * In Round 2,

North Melbourne North Melbourne is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, north-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Melbourne local government area. North Melbourne recorded a population of 14,953 at the ...

won its first ever VFL away match against

, having lost the previous 15 meetings. * From ninth position on the ladder at the end of Round 8,

won 13 of its next 14 matches and play in the Grand Final. * At half time in the closely contested Grand Final, a straighter-kicking

10.4 (64) was three points in front of

9.7 (61); in the third quarter Essendon kicked 11.8 (74) to Melbourne's 1.1 (7).

Notes

References

* 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

1946 Season – AFL Tables
{{DEFAULTSORT:1946 Vfl Season Australian Football League seasons

Season A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...