The 1963 VFL season was the 67th 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 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 The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed the Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. The club competes in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's premier competition, and are the 2022 ...

for the sixth time, after it defeated by 49 points in the

1963 VFL Grand Final The 1963 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and Hawthorn Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 5 October 1963. It was the 66th annual AFL Grand Final, ...

Premiership season

In 1963, 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 1963 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 ...

Alterations to 1963 match fixtures

Persistent rain throughout the week and further heavy downpours on the Friday (12 July) caused the postponement of all Round 11 matches until the following Saturday (20 July). All remaining home-and-away and finals matches were played a week later than had been scheduled.

Round 1

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 16.26 (122) , , 9.9 (63) ,

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 ...

, 33,953 , 20 April 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 13.5 (83) , , 9.11 (65) ,

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 ...

, 31,300 , 20 April 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 11.11 (77) , , 5.10 (40) ,

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 ...

, 21,960 , 20 April 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 8.12 (60) , , 13.7 (85) ,

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 ...

, 30,000 , 20 April 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 11.14 (80) , , 18.16 (124) ,

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 ...

, 32,200 , 20 April 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 10.12 (72) , , 14.11 (95) ,

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 ...

, 25,167 , 20 April 1963

Round 2

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 12.14 (86) , , 17.7 (109) ,

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 ...

, 25,700 , 25 April 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 14.16 (100) , , 13.18 (96) ,

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 ...

, 55,293 , 25 April 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 16.13 (109) , , 6.14 (50) , Windy Hill , 40,000 , 27 April 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 8.14 (62) , , 12.9 (81) ,

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 ...

, 32,210 , 27 April 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 7.11 (53) , , 6.15 (51) , Princes Park , 39,490 , 27 April 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 15.11 (101) , , 7.13 (55) ,

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 ...

, 21,791 , 27 April 1963

Round 3

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.13 (67) , , 11.11 (77) ,

, 18,544 , 4 May 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.14 (68) , , 9.9 (63) , Windy Hill , 27,283 , 4 May 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 8.16 (64) , , 13.22 (100) ,

, 27,419 , 4 May 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 6.12 (48) , , 10.9 (69) ,

, 23,200 , 4 May 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 10.25 (85) , , 10.4 (64) ,

, 26,523 , 4 May 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 10.14 (74) , , 16.15 (111) ,

, 22,850 , 4 May 1963

Round 4

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 21.25 (151) , , 11.14 (80) ,

, 15,000 , 11 May 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 14.12 (96) , , 11.11 (77) ,

, 21,695 , 11 May 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.13 (67) , , 8.13 (61) , Princes Park , 42,919 , 11 May 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 3.7 (25) , , 7.19 (61) ,

, 21,700 , 11 May 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 14.10 (94) , , 8.7 (55) ,

, 25,462 , 11 May 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 14.13 (97) , , 11.7 (73) ,

, 37,700 , 11 May 1963

Round 5

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 10.12 (72) , , 3.11 (29) ,

, 33,084 , 18 May 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 8.9 (57) , , 11.10 (76) ,

, 22,251 , 18 May 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 15.10 (100) , , 7.10 (52) ,

, 30,121 , 18 May 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 17.11 (113) , , 11.9 (75) ,

, 14,900 , 18 May 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 6.15 (51) , , 16.16 (112) ,

, 15,504 , 18 May 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 11.9 (75) , , 11.11 (77) ,

, 25,400 , 18 May 1963

Round 6

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 13.16 (94) , , 8.5 (53) ,

, 26,400 , 25 May 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 20.15 (135) , , 7.14 (56) ,

, 33,914 , 25 May 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 11.17 (83) , , 9.7 (61) ,

, 14,387 , 25 May 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 13.16 (94) , , 6.18 (54) , Windy Hill , 27,455 , 25 May 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 7.16 (58) , , 7.22 (64) , Princes Park , 47,514 , 25 May 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.5 (59) , , 12.14 (86) ,

, 23,930 , 25 May 1963

Round 7

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 8.10 (58) , , 9.12 (66) ,

, 17,125 , 1 June 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.12 (66) , , 9.12 (66) ,

, 29,374 , 1 June 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 10.11 (71) , , 13.9 (87) ,

, 44,501 , 1 June 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 11.8 (74) , , 8.22 (70) ,

, 17,160 , 1 June 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 17.13 (115) , , 13.8 (86) ,

, 16,500 , 1 June 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 7.7 (49) , , 8.9 (57) ,

, 26,107 , 1 June 1963

Round 8

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 13.11 (89) , , 7.5 (47) , Windy Hill , 21,200 , 8 June 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 6.8 (44) , , 6.10 (46) , Princes Park , 38,698 , 8 June 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 8.13 (61) , , 9.11 (65) ,

, 34,900 , 8 June 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 6.16 (52) , , 5.9 (39) ,

, 22,950 , 10 June 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 2.11 (23) , , 6.15 (51) ,

, 13,400 , 10 June 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 11.16 (82) , , 4.11 (35) ,

, 81,550 , 10 June 1963

Round 9

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 18.6 (114) , , 9.10 (64) ,

, 23,971 , 22 June 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 16.13 (109) , , 10.11 (71) ,

, 20,681 , 22 June 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 4.16 (40) , , 8.8 (56) , Windy Hill , 24,725 , 22 June 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 11.6 (72) , , 6.4 (40) ,

, 26,173 , 22 June 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 8.10 (58) , , 5.9 (39) ,

, 12,850 , 22 June 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.6 (60) , , 7.12 (54) ,

, 25,300 , 22 June 1963

Round 10

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 19.11 (125) , , 11.8 (74) ,

, 24,820 , 29 June 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 8.8 (56) , , 12.12 (84) , Princes Park , 32,600 , 29 June 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 14.13 (97) , , 15.11 (101) ,

, 27,700 , 29 June 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.13 (67) , , 3.13 (31) ,

, 16,221 , 6 July 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 4.10 (34) , , 11.14 (80) ,

, 20,300 , 6 July 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 5.5 (35) , , 9.9 (63) ,

, 17,560 , 6 July 1963

Round 11

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.4 (58) , , 14.16 (100) ,

, 15,000 , 20 July 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 3.6 (24) , , 10.9 (69) ,

, 18,231 , 20 July 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.17 (71) , , 6.2 (38) ,

, 10,500 , 20 July 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 6.10 (46) , , 12.20 (92) ,

, 16,000 , 20 July 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 7.13 (55) , , 5.13 (43) ,

, 31,578 , 20 July 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 8.14 (62) , , 5.9 (39) ,

, 13,870 , 20 July 1963

Round 12

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 14.14 (98) , , 5.9 (39) ,

, 55,060 , 27 July 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 10.11 (71) , , 7.10 (52) ,

, 15,715 , 27 July 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 11.17 (83) , , 7.10 (52) , Windy Hill , 25,500 , 27 July 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 12.12 (84) , , 13.7 (85) ,

, 23,286 , 27 July 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 16.19 (115) , , 11.8 (74) , Princes Park , 16,909 , 27 July 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 8.12 (60) , , 14.11 (95) ,

, 14,500 , 27 July 1963

Round 13

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.10 (64) , , 20.10 (130) ,

, 15,000 , 3 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 13.6 (84) , , 8.14 (62) ,

, 34,000 , 3 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 7.7 (49) , , 10.20 (80) ,

, 13,892 , 3 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 14.15 (99) , , 9.8 (62) ,

, 40,885 , 3 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 9.17 (71) , , 8.10 (58) ,

, 16,083 , 3 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 14.12 (96) , , 7.13 (55) ,

, 30,100 , 3 August 1963

Round 14

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 11.8 (74) , , 10.4 (64) ,

, 9,807 , 10 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 5.8 (38) , , 8.10 (58) ,

, 25,645 , 10 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 17.13 (115) , , 8.9 (57) , Princes Park , 17,510 , 10 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 16.21 (117) , , 2.3 (15) ,

, 15,700 , 10 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 19.8 (122) , , 10.11 (71) ,

, 71,086 , 10 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 15.9 (99) , , 8.9 (57) ,

, 19,458 , 10 August 1963

Round 15

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 15.8 (98) , , 5.13 (43) ,

, 21,396 , 17 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 8.9 (57) , , 22.21 (153) ,

, 11,989 , 17 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 6.6 (42) , , 14.20 (104) ,

, 27,298 , 17 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 6.9 (45) , , 15.15 (105) ,

, 14,100 , 17 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 7.10 (52) , , 16.21 (117) ,

, 15,200 , 17 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 10.10 (70) , , 11.10 (76) , Windy Hill , 29,000 , 17 August 1963

Round 16

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 12.12 (84) , , 5.9 (39) ,

, 9,506 , 24 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 16.21 (117) , , 5.6 (36) , Windy Hill , 14,175 , 24 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 10.18 (78) , , 12.13 (85) , Princes Park , 15,170 , 24 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 12.18 (90) , , 8.21 (69) ,

, 44,900 , 24 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 13.21 (99) , , 8.7 (55) ,

, 17,000 , 24 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 19.15 (129) , , 10.8 (68) ,

, 43,057 , 24 August 1963

Round 17

, - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 20.14 (134) , , 12.15 (87) ,

, 16,892 , 31 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 8.7 (55) , , 19.14 (128) ,

, 22,920 , 31 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 7.8 (50) , , 14.13 (97) ,

, 17,780 , 31 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 6.9 (45) , , 12.14 (86) ,

, 12,963 , 31 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 4.4 (28) , , 12.12 (84) ,

, 27,231 , 31 August 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 13.17 (95) , , 5.4 (34) ,

, 29,732 , 31 August 1963

Round 18

Going into the final home-and-away round, Hawthorn was the only team with a guaranteed finals berth. It was down to Geelong, Melbourne, St Kilda and Essendon to fight it out for the remaining three play-off positions. , - style="background:#ccf;" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - style="background:#fff;" , , 12.19 (91) , , 8.8 (56) ,

, 24,871 , 7 September 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 8.8 (56) , , 16.13 (109) ,

, 9,951 , 7 September 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 13.13 (91) , , 8.11 (59) , Princes Park , 15,319 , 7 September 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 17.14 (116) , , 4.8 (32) ,

, 22,800 , 7 September 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 6.16 (52) , , 13.12 (90) ,

, 35,000 , 7 September 1963 , - style="background:#fff;" , , 12.11 (83) , , 8.8 (56) , Windy Hill , 29,700 , 7 September 1963

Ladder

Consolation Night Series Competition

The night series were held under the floodlights at Lake Oval,

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 ...

, for the teams (5th to 12th on ladder) out of the finals at the end of the season. Final: Footscray 10.9 (69) defeated

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, ...

9.9 (63)

Finals series

Week one

Week two

Week three

Week four

Awards

* The 1963 VFL Premiership team was

Geelong Geelong ( ) (Wathawurrung: ''Djilang''/''Djalang'') is a port city in the southeastern 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 River, ...

. * The VFL's leading goalkicker was John Peck of

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 ...

who kicked 75 goals (including 6 goals in the final series). * The winner of the 1963

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

Bob Skilton Robert John "Bob" Skilton (born 8 November 1938) is a former Australian rules footballer who represented in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Playing as a rover, Skilton is one of only four players to have won the Brownlow Medal three tim ...

with 20 votes. *

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 ...

took the "wooden spoon" in 1963. * The reserves premiership was won by . Geelong 13.12 (90) defeated 7.11 (53) in the Grand Final, held as a curtain-raiser to the seniors Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 5 October.

Notable events

* In Round 5, Collingwood was the first team to score at least 100 points against

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 ...

since Footscray in the 1954 Grand Final;

Terry Waters Terry Waters (14 December 1943 – 27 July 2020) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Originally from Victorian Football Association (VFA) club Dandenong, Waters' transfer app ...

kicked 7 goals in Collingwood's 15.10 (100) to 7.10 (52) victory. * On Saturday 15 June, South Australia beat Victoria 12.8 (80) to 10.13 (73) at 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 ...

in front of 59,260 spectators. In a brutal return match, in Adelaide, a straighter-kicking Victoria beat South Australia 8.6 (54) to 5.12 (42), a match notorious for a powerful king-hit delivered by Victorian John Peck, who had been included in the team for the return match in order to provide more "grunt" and physical menace, to the jaw of an unsuspecting Brian Sawley. Sawley went some distance in the air before collapsing unconscious in the mud, and had to be carried from the field on a stretcher. Peck was reported, and at the VFL tribunal, Peck testified that the king-hit was in retaliation for Sawley having kicked him in the stomach; Peck was suspended for two weeks. * Fitzroy's only win during the year was against eventual premiers Geelong, and was achieved without captain-coach Kevin Murray, who was in Adelaide playing for Victoria. Reserves captain Wally Clark took over, and Geelong's weakness in terrible conditions proved their undoing. * Owing to extremely cold and wet weather, Round 11 was postponed from 13 to 20 July. As of 2022, this is the last time that a complete round of football has been postponed due to weather.

References

Bibliography

* * Rogers, S. & Brown, A., ''Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL Results 1897–1997 (Sixth Edition)'', Viking Books, (Ringwood), 1998. *

External links

1963 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 ...