The 1951 VFL season was the 55th 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 competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 21 April until 29 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 Geelong Football Club for the fourth time, after it defeated by eleven points in the 1951 VFL Grand Final.

Premiership season

In 1951, 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 1951 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" , , 13.17 (95) , , 6.5 (41) ,

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 numb ...

, 22,000 , 21 April 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.8 (86) , , 10.16 (76) , Windy Hill , 24,000 , 21 April 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 20.21 (141) , , 7.6 (48) ,

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 ...

, 23,000 , 21 April 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.9 (87) , , 7.15 (57) , Princes Park , 13,000 , 21 April 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.9 (99) , , 15.10 (100) ,

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 ...

, 22,000 , 21 April 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.18 (78) , , 16.12 (108) ,

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 Jun ...

, 27,000 , 21 April 1951

Round 2

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.14 (62) , , 12.9 (81) , Arden Street Oval , 13,000 , 28 April 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.11 (83) , , 10.7 (67) ,

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 Rules ...

, 18,000 , 28 April 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.7 (37) , , 14.13 (97) ,

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 Sout ...

, 18,000 , 28 April 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.7 (61) , , 12.14 (86) ,

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 ...

, 12,000 , 28 April 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.15 (57) , , 15.16 (106) ,

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 ...

, 37,000 , 28 April 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.11 (41) , , 4.16 (40) ,

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 administ ...

, 26,000 , 28 April 1951

Round 3

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.15 (87) , , 9.10 (64) ,

, 10,000 , 5 May 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.9 (69) , , 5.13 (43) ,

, 20,000 , 5 May 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.18 (102) , , 7.8 (50) ,

, 24,500 , 5 May 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.12 (84) , , 16.12 (108) , Princes Park , 28,000 , 5 May 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.12 (60) , , 12.12 (84) ,

, 21,500 , 5 May 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.20 (104) , , 14.7 (91) ,

, 14,000 , 5 May 1951

Round 4

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.6 (78) , , 9.19 (73) , Arden Street Oval , 15,000 , 12 May 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.10 (70) , , 6.16 (52) ,

, 20,500 , 12 May 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.8 (98) , , 14.7 (91) ,

, 15,000 , 12 May 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 17.18 (120) , , 7.14 (56) ,

, 15,000 , 12 May 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.11 (83) , , 5.14 (44) , Windy Hill , 35,000 , 12 May 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.7 (91) , , 9.13 (67) ,

, 20,500 , 12 May 1951

Round 5

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.18 (60) , , 14.14 (98) ,

, 9,000 , 19 May 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.15 (81) , , 7.11 (53) ,

, 18,000 , 19 May 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 19.15 (129) , , 10.12 (72) , Princes Park , 24,500 , 19 May 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.6 (96) , , 11.12 (78) ,

, 16,000 , 19 May 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.12 (96) , , 10.8 (68) ,

, 24,500 , 19 May 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 16.20 (116) , , 9.11 (65) ,

, 38,000 , 19 May 1951

Round 6

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.15 (93) , , 6.10 (46) ,

, 19,000 , 2 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 18.9 (117) , , 19.12 (126) ,

, 20,000 , 2 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.8 (74) , , 12.16 (88) , Arden Street Oval , 15,000 , 2 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.16 (70) , , 7.17 (59) ,

, 10,000 , 2 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.7 (91) , , 9.14 (68) ,

, 24,000 , 2 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.12 (78) , , 8.10 (58) ,

, 30,000 , 2 June 1951

Round 7

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 20.13 (133) , , 8.15 (63) ,

, 20,000 , 9 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.19 (97) , , 11.12 (78) ,

, 20,000 , 9 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.9 (75) , , 13.12 (90) , Windy Hill , 30,000 , 9 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.13 (67) , , 12.9 (81) ,

, 51,000 , 11 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.15 (51) , , 12.12 (84) ,

, 17,000 , 11 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 17.14 (116) , , 9.15 (69) ,

, 17,000 , 11 June 1951

Round 8

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.5 (59) , , 11.11 (77) ,

, 19,500 , 16 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.13 (103) , , 12.7 (79) , Windy Hill , 15,000 , 16 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.11 (53) , , 9.13 (67) , Princes Park , 31,000 , 16 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.9 (93) , , 6.12 (48) , Arden Street Oval , 13,000 , 16 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.14 (86) , , 7.11 (53) ,

, 8,500 , 16 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.12 (66) , , 12.16 (88) ,

, 26,000 , 16 June 1951

Round 9

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.14 (74) , , 8.8 (56) ,

, 32,000 , 23 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.13 (85) , , 12.13 (85) ,

, 18,000 , 23 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.19 (49) , , 23.14 (152) ,

, 18,500 , 23 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.11 (59) , , 13.13 (91) , Arden Street Oval , 24,000 , 23 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.9 (57) , , 13.7 (85) ,

, 12,000 , 23 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.11 (65) , , 15.15 (105) ,

, 17,000 , 23 June 1951

Round 10

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.7 (49) , , 13.15 (93) ,

, 21,000 , 30 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.12 (72) , , 12.5 (77) ,

, 25,000 , 30 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.20 (104) , , 5.10 (40) , Princes Park , 22,000 , 30 June 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.14 (74) , , 11.9 (75) ,

, 8,500 , 7 July 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.14 (74) , , 10.10 (70) , Windy Hill , 30,000 , 7 July 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.7 (49) , , 12.12 (84) ,

, 22,500 , 7 July 1951

Round 11

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 18.12 (120) , , 13.8 (86) ,

, 10,000 , 14 July 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.23 (95) , , 10.7 (67) ,

, 13,500 , 14 July 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.13 (103) , , 21.9 (135) ,

, 22,000 , 14 July 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.13 (79) , , 11.16 (82) ,

, 15,000 , 14 July 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.14 (56) , , 9.10 (64) ,

, 27,000 , 14 July 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.9 (51) , , 7.14 (56) ,

, 25,000 , 14 July 1951

Round 12

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.17 (71) , , 6.9 (45) ,

, 20,000 , 21 July 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.10 (76) , , 4.16 (40) ,

, 8,000 , 21 July 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.8 (62) , , 18.11 (119) ,

, 18,000 , 21 July 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.6 (54) , , 10.14 (74) ,

, 16,000 , 21 July 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.12 (48) , , 8.8 (56) , Arden Street Oval , 14,000 , 21 July 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.8 (38) , , 7.13 (55) ,

, 14,000 , 21 July 1951

Round 13

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.8 (56) , , 13.17 (95) ,

, 19,000 , 28 July 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 16.18 (114) , , 8.11 (59) , Windy Hill , 13,000 , 28 July 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 18.21 (129) , , 12.10 (82) ,

, 14,000 , 28 July 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.14 (62) , , 9.11 (65) , Princes Park , 34,000 , 28 July 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.20 (98) , , 10.10 (70) ,

, 10,000 , 28 July 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.10 (76) , , 4.5 (29) ,

, 25,500 , 28 July 1951

Round 14

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.21 (69) , , 6.9 (45) ,

, 9,000 , 4 August 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 16.10 (106) , , 8.12 (60) , Windy Hill , 20,000 , 4 August 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.8 (74) , , 9.14 (68) ,

, 6,000 , 4 August 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.10 (70) , , 11.15 (81) , Arden Street Oval , 14,000 , 4 August 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 3.11 (29) , , 4.7 (31) ,

, 26,500 , 4 August 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.12 (66) , , 4.9 (33) ,

, 17,000 , 4 August 1951

Round 15

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.12 (48) , , 9.6 (60) ,

, 10,000 , 11 August 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.15 (51) , , 10.13 (73) ,

, 11,000 , 11 August 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.9 (81) , , 5.7 (37) ,

, 30,500 , 11 August 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.19 (61) , , 12.11 (83) , Princes Park , 17,500 , 11 August 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.16 (100) , , 15.9 (99) ,

, 10,000 , 11 August 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 4.6 (30) , , 8.9 (57) ,

, 22,000 , 11 August 1951

Round 16

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.16 (106) , , 18.17 (125) ,

, 12,000 , 18 August 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 18.15 (123) , , 8.17 (65) , Windy Hill , 26,000 , 18 August 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.12 (66) , , 6.8 (44) ,

, 25,500 , 18 August 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.11 (71) , , 8.11 (59) , Arden Street Oval , 6,000 , 18 August 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.12 (66) , , 11.15 (81) ,

, 14,000 , 18 August 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.9 (87) , , 13.9 (87) ,

, 17,500 , 18 August 1951

Round 17

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 18.17 (125) , , 10.12 (72) ,

, 14,000 , 25 August 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.15 (93) , , 3.6 (24) ,

, 18,000 , 25 August 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.14 (80) , , 9.10 (64) ,

, 14,000 , 25 August 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.13 (79) , , 7.11 (53) , Windy Hill , 30,000 , 25 August 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.16 (106) , , 8.13 (61) , Princes Park , 11,000 , 25 August 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.9 (81) , , 12.10 (82) ,

, 21,000 , 25 August 1951

Round 18

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.15 (93) , , 6.12 (48) ,

, 24,500 , 1 September 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.10 (64) , , 16.12 (108) , Princes Park , 27,000 , 1 September 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 18.16 (124) , , 14.11 (95) ,

, 10,000 , 1 September 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.8 (38) , , 10.10 (70) ,

, 10,000 , 1 September 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.15 (81) , , 8.13 (61) , Arden Street Oval , 12,000 , 1 September 1951 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.18 (72) , , 10.19 (79) ,

, 16,500 , 1 September 1951

Ladder

Finals

First Semi-Final

Second Semi-Final

Preliminary Final

Grand final

Awards

* The 1951 VFL Premiership team was Geelong. * The VFL's leading goalkicker was George Goninon of Geelong with 86 goals, including the finals series. John Coleman of

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 Ki ...

was the leading goalkicker for the home-and-away season with 75 goals. * The winner of the 1951

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 t ...

was

Bernie Smith Bernard Keith Smith (19 December 1927 – 21 April 1985) was an Australian rules footballer who represented in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) and in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1940s and 1950s. Smi ...

of Geelong with 23 votes. *

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 ...

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 1951.

Notable events

* The maximum match payment to players permissible under the league's "Coulter Law" was increased from £4-0-0 to £5-0-0 per match. * The VFL established the Dr. W. C. McClelland Club Trophy, which was awarded on the basis of an aggregate of the performances of all three club teams, week by week, over the entire season. A First Eighteen win was worth 10 points, a Second Eighteen win was worth 4 points, and a Third Eighteen win was worth 2 points. In the case of a drawn match the relevant points are halved. * In the best performance by a centre half-back since "Duncan's match" in 1927, South Melbourne's centre half-back Ron Clegg took 32 marks in the drawn match against

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 ...

. * Essendon's full-forward John Coleman was reported for striking Carlton's back-pocket Harry Caspar in the last home and away match of the season. Coleman had scored seven goals during the match. Coleman was suspended for four matches and, as a consequence, he missed the entire final series (see Harry Caspar: "the man who cost Essendon the flag"). * In a desperate effort to cover for the loss of players through suspension, illness and injury, Essendon's coach

Dick Reynolds Richard Sylvannus Reynolds (20 June 1915 – 2 September 2002) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Reynolds is one of four footballers to have won three Brownlow ...

came out of retirement and played in the Grand Final as 20th man. Reynolds came on in the last quarter. He did not score any goals and, when he accidentally bumped into Keith McDonald, he prevented McDonald taking a critical mark.

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

1951 Season – AFL Tables
{{Australian Football League 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 ...