The 1923 VFL season was the 27th season of the

Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football competition in Australia operated by the Australian Football League (AFL) as a second-tier, regional, semi-professional competition. It includes teams from clubs based in east ...

(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 Australian rules football playing field, oval field, often a modified ...

competition in Victoria. The season featured nine clubs and ran from 5 May to 20 October, comprising a 16-match home-and-away season followed by a four-week

finals series Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...

featuring the top four clubs. won the premiership, defeating by 17 points in the 1923 VFL grand final; it was Essendon's fifth VFL premiership. Essendon also won the

minor premiership A minor premiership is the title given to the team which finishes a sporting competition first in the league standings after the regular season but prior to commencement of the finals in several Australian sports leagues. Origins The etymolo ...

by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with a 13–3 win–loss record. Essendon's Greg Stockdale won the leading goalkicker medal as the league's leading goalkicker.

Background

In 1923, the VFL competition had 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 1923 VFL ''Premiers'' were determined by the specific format and conventions of the amended "''Argus'' system".

Home-and-away season

Round 1

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.8 (50) , , 7.13 (55) ,

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

, 17,939 , 5 May 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.13 (103) , , 8.12 (60) , Windy Hill , 20,000 , 5 May 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.7 (79) , , 16.5 (101) ,

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

, 16,000 , 5 May 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.13 (79) , , 8.8 (56) ,

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

, 30,000 , 5 May 1923

Round 2

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.22 (52) , , 11.14 (80) ,

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 w ...

, 10,000 , 12 May 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.11 (65) , , 9.9 (63) ,

, 12,000 , 12 May 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.11 (65) , , 12.7 (79) , Victoria Park , 30,000 , 12 May 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.8 (56) , , 14.16 (100) , Princes Park , 15,000 , 12 May 1923

Round 3

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.11 (71) , , 8.13 (61) ,

, 12,000 , 19 May 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 4.15 (39) , , 6.13 (49) ,

, 20,000 , 19 May 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.9 (69) , , 6.12 (48) ,

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 ...

, 20,000 , 19 May 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.10 (52) , , 8.12 (60) ,

Punt Road Oval Punt Road Oval, also known as the Richmond Cricket Ground or known by naming rights sponsorship as the Swinburne Centre, is an Australian rules football ground and a former Cricket oval located within the Yarra Park precinct of East Melbourne, ...

, 15,000 , 19 May 1923

Round 4

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.8 (56) , , 8.13 (61) ,

, 20,000 , 26 May 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.18 (84) , , 6.13 (49) ,

, 15,232 , 26 May 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 16.23 (119) , , 10.12 (72) , Victoria Park , 12,000 , 26 May 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.11 (65) , , 14.19 (103) , Princes Park , 33,000 , 26 May 1923

Round 5

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 4.13 (37) , , 8.12 (60) , Windy Hill , 35,000 , 2 June 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.15 (63) , , 12.13 (85) ,

, 26,000 , 2 June 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.16 (82) , , 5.14 (44) , Victoria Park , 22,000 , 4 June 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.11 (89) , , 10.15 (75) ,

, 12,000 , 4 June 1923

Round 6

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.16 (58) , , 6.10 (46) ,

, 9,500 , 9 June 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.11 (77) , , 9.16 (70) ,

, 18,000 , 9 June 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.19 (49) , , 7.9 (51) , Princes Park , 20,000 , 9 June 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.11 (65) , , 12.15 (87) ,

, 16,000 , 9 June 1923

Round 7

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.14 (50) , , 8.8 (56) ,

, 11,500 , 16 June 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 4.14 (38) , , 9.20 (74) ,

, 17,000 , 16 June 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.12 (60) , , 11.8 (74) ,

, 29,979 , 16 June 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.15 (75) , , 6.14 (50) , Victoria Park , 18,000 , 16 June 1923

Round 8

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.13 (97) , , 8.6 (54) , Windy Hill , 13,000 , 23 June 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.13 (85) , , 4.10 (34) ,

, 20,000 , 23 June 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.11 (53) , , 7.5 (47) ,

, 20,000 , 23 June 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.11 (65) , , 11.8 (74) ,

, 17,558 , 23 June 1923

Round 9

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.14 (56) , , 6.9 (45) ,

, 20,000 , 7 July 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.10 (76) , , 6.6 (42) , Victoria Park , 8,000 , 7 July 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.10 (88) , , 13.15 (93) , Princes Park , 12,000 , 7 July 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.15 (51) , , 10.10 (70) ,

, 15,000 , 7 July 1923

Round 10

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.8 (56) , , 11.11 (77) , Victoria Park , 15,000 , 14 July 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.8 (86) , , 12.13 (85) , Princes Park , 26,000 , 14 July 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.17 (83) , , 11.12 (78) ,

, 11,000 , 14 July 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.5 (35) , , 1.12 (18) ,

, 24,000 , 14 July 1923

Round 11

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.8 (56) , , 10.15 (75) ,

, 9,353 , 21 July 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.12 (60) , , 8.8 (56) ,

, 23,000 , 21 July 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.13 (91) , , 7.9 (51) , Windy Hill , 15,000 , 21 July 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.14 (56) , , 6.11 (47) ,

, 28,000 , 21 July 1923

Round 12

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.11 (47) , , 7.10 (52) ,

, 12,000 , 28 July 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.8 (68) , , 7.9 (51) , Windy Hill , 25,000 , 28 July 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.7 (43) , , 4.7 (31) , Victoria Park , 20,000 , 28 July 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.11 (59) , , 5.10 (40) , Princes Park , 14,000 , 28 July 1923

Round 13

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.12 (60) , , 3.7 (25) ,

, 18,000 , 4 August 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.13 (67) , , 5.11 (41) ,

, 12,000 , 4 August 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.18 (72) , , 3.8 (26) ,

, 15,000 , 4 August 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.13 (103) , , 5.7 (37) , Windy Hill , 25,000 , 4 August 1923

Round 14

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.13 (49) , , 11.18 (84) ,

, 15,599 , 11 August 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.15 (63) , , 10.10 (70) ,

, 17,000 , 11 August 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.18 (78) , , 8.9 (57) ,

, 34,000 , 11 August 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.10 (76) , , 6.19 (55) ,

, 12,000 , 11 August 1923

Round 15

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.8 (62) , , 8.6 (54) , Windy Hill , 18,000 , 25 August 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.17 (71) , , 13.9 (87) ,

, 30,000 , 25 August 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.4 (46) , , 11.14 (80) ,

, 12,146 , 25 August 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.8 (68) , , 13.11 (89) ,

, 20,000 , 25 August 1923

Round 16

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.19 (97) , , 9.15 (69) ,

, 23,000 , 1 September 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.20 (98) , , 6.5 (41) , Windy Hill , 10,000 , 1 September 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.12 (72) , , 10.12 (72) , Princes Park , 18,000 , 1 September 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.19 (79) , , 13.13 (91) ,

, 18,000 , 1 September 1923

Round 17

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.7 (55) , , 14.16 (100) ,

, 25,000 , 8 September 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.12 (84) , , 6.13 (49) , Victoria Park , 20,000 , 8 September 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.20 (74) , , 7.4 (46) , Princes Park , 12,000 , 8 September 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.6 (60) , , 8.14 (62) ,

, 20,000 , 8 September 1923

Round 18

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.11 (89) , , 11.15 (81) ,

, 9,000 , 15 September 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.20 (68) , , 7.6 (48) ,

, 40,441 , 15 September 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.21 (87) , , 21.12 (138) ,

, 9,414 , 15 September 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 15.13 (103) , , 4.14 (38) ,

, 16,000 , 15 September 1923

Ladder

, - style=background:#FFFFBB , 1 , , align=left , (P) , , 16 , , 13 , , 3 , , 0 , , 1188 , , 875 , , 135.8 , , 52 , - style=background:#FFFFBB , 2 , , align=left , , , 16 , , 11 , , 5 , , 0 , , 1120 , , 968 , , 115.7 , , 44 , - style=background:#FFFFBB , 3 , , align=left , , , 16 , , 9 , , 7 , , 0 , , 1061 , , 989 , , 107.3 , , 36 , - style=background:#FFFFBB , 4 , , align=left , , , 16 , , 9 , , 7 , , 0 , , 1128 , , 1085 , , 104.0 , , 36 , - , 5 , , align=left , , , 16 , , 8 , , 7 , , 1 , , 1138 , , 1043 , , 109.1 , , 34 , - , 6 , , align=left , , , 16 , , 8 , , 8 , , 0 , , 947 , , 959 , , 98.7 , , 32 , - , 7 , , align=left , , , 16 , , 6 , , 9 , , 1 , , 1000 , , 1191 , , 84.0 , , 26 , - , 8 , , align=left , , , 16 , , 4 , , 12 , , 0 , , 906 , , 1139 , , 79.5 , , 16 , - , 9 , , align=left , , , 16 , , 3 , , 13 , , 0 , , 980 , , 1219 , , 80.4 , , 12 Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 65.8
Source
AFL Tables
/onlyinclude>

Finals series

Semi-finals

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.13 (97) , , 8.14 (62) ,

, 56,240 , 22 September 1923 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.9 (57) , , 10.14 (74) ,

, 55,614 , 29 September 1923

Preliminary final

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.7 (43) , , 7.13 (55) ,

, 55,039 , 6 October 1923

Grand final

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Crowd , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.15 (63) , , 6.10 (46) ,

, 46,566 , 20 October 1923

Season notes

* New scoreboards are erected at each home ground by the VFL's publication, ''The Football Record''. With the help of a key published in that Saturday afternoon's ''Record'', spectators can decipher the coded quarter-by-quarter scores of the other three matches as they appear on these scoreboards throughout the afternoon. * After the round 13 match against

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

at Windy Hill, at an after-match function in the Essendon rooms, Carlton rover

George Bolt George Bruce Bolt (24 May 1893 – 27 July 1963) was a pioneering New Zealand aviator. Biography Bolt was born in Dunedin in 1893. He formed the Canterbury Aero Club in 1910, helping to make and fly gliders on the Cashmere Hills. He used the ...

and backman Jack Morrissey (who had not played in that game) came to blows. The Carlton Committee met the next day and suspended both players indefinitely. Bolt never played for Carlton again (he reappeared with Hawthorn in 1925, then he played for North Melbourne in 1926 and 1927); Jack Morrissey played his next game for Carlton on 27 June 1925 (round 9). * The 1922 Victorian Interstate team captain, and Carlton star ruckman, Bert Boromeo was overheard being intensely critical of the Carlton captain-coach

Horrie Clover Horace Ray Clover (20 March 1895 – 1 January 1984) was a leading Australian rules footballer in the (then) Victorian Football League (VFL). Family The son of Robert James Clover (1864-1900), and Phoebe Rubina Clover (-1901), née Smith, Hor ...

at the same function. The Carlton Committee was upset at such behaviour occurring on the premises of another club, and suspended Boromeo immediately; eventually, in 1926, Carlton cleared Boromeo to Richmond for whom he played 14 games. * Following 's two-point loss against in Round 17, Geelong protested the result and sought that the game be replayed, arguing that the game had been played short of its full duration because the umpire had failed to blow time on on several occasions. Although the timekeepers agreed that the final quarter had been played at least 90 seconds short of full time, the protest was dismissed. * The Essendon Premiership team was known as the "Mosquito Fleet", due to the number of small, very fast players in the side. Six were 5'6" (167 cm) or less: Charlie Hardy 5'1" (155 cm), who played his first VFL game at the age of 34, George Shorten 5'5" (165 cm), Jack Garden 5'5" (165 cm), Frank Maher 5'6" (167.5 cm), Vince Irwin 5'6" (167.5 cm), and Jimmy Sullivan 5'6" (167.5 cm). * In Round 10 against St. Kilda, Essendon kicked the season's lowest score, but they still won the premiership. They became the first premier team to have also kicked the season's lowest score, an occurrence replicated in 1968, 1970, 1992 and 1995. * The Challenge Final match had to be postponed for a week as the

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

was under water due to intense rain. This meant that the Challenge Final was played on Saturday 20 October 1923, Caulfield Cup Day. *The semi-final between and was held after a

curtain-raiser A curtain raiser is a performance or performer that opens a show or event for the main attraction; it is usually shorter than the main attraction, but not always. The term is derived from the act of raising the stage curtain. The fashion in th ...

between

Camberwell Camberwell ( ) is an List of areas of London, area of South London, England, in the London Borough of Southwark, southeast of Charing Cross. Camberwell was first a village associated with the church of St Giles' Church, Camberwell, St Giles ...

and Fairfield in the

Melbourne District Football Association The VFL Sub-Districts (VFLSD), sometimes referred to as the Victorian Sub-District Football League (VSDFL), was an Australian rules football competition played in the state of Victoria and managed by the Victorian Football League (VFL), now known ...

grand final.

Awards

* The 1923 VFL Premiership team was

. * The VFL's leading goalkicker was Greg Stockdale of

with 68 goals. *

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

took the "

wooden spoon A wooden spoon is a Kitchen utensil, utensil commonly used in food preparation. In addition to its culinary uses, wooden spoons also feature in folk art and culture. History The word ''spoon'' derives from an ancient word meaning a chip of woo ...

" in 1923. * The Victorian Junior League premiership, which is today recognised as the VFL reserves, was won by ''(main: 1923 VJFL season)''.

References

* Hogan, P., ''The Tigers Of Old'', The Richmond Football Club, (Richmond), 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.

Sources

1923 VFL season
at AFL Tables
1923 VFL season
at Australian Football {{DEFAULTSORT:1923 VFL season Australian Football League seasons VFL season