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1948 VFL season

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1948 VFL premiership season
Melbourne Football Club team, premiers
Teams12
PremiersMelbourne
6th premiership
Minor premiersEssendon
9th minor premiership
Brownlow MedallistBill Morris (Richmond)
Lindsay White (Geelong)
Matches played119
Highest86,198
← 1947
1949 →

The 1948 VFL season was the 52nd season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 17 April until 9 October, and comprised a 19-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top four clubs.

The premiership was won by the Melbourne Football Club for the sixth time, after it defeated Essendon by 39 points in the 1948 VFL Grand Final Replay.

Background

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In 1948, 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-way reverse" of matches 1 to 8.

Once the 19 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1948 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the Page–McIntyre system.

Home-and-away season

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Round 1

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 21.19 (145) St Kilda 9.11 (65) Western Oval 14,000 17 April 1948
Fitzroy 13.14 (92) Geelong 9.16 (70) Brunswick Street Oval 17,000 17 April 1948
South Melbourne 18.15 (123) Richmond 17.6 (108) Lake Oval 28,000 17 April 1948
Melbourne 12.5 (77) Essendon 13.18 (96) MCG 29,000 17 April 1948
North Melbourne 9.12 (66) Collingwood 11.20 (86) Arden Street Oval 20,000 17 April 1948
Hawthorn 11.10 (76) Carlton 17.15 (117) Glenferrie Oval 16,000 17 April 1948

Round 2

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 15.17 (107) North Melbourne 10.8 (68) Kardinia Park 17,500 24 April 1948
Carlton 8.10 (58) Fitzroy 10.18 (78) Princes Park 32,000 24 April 1948
St Kilda 7.6 (48) Melbourne 11.13 (79) Junction Oval 9,000 24 April 1948
Richmond 20.12 (132) Footscray 8.9 (57) Punt Road Oval 29,000 24 April 1948
Essendon 11.16 (82) Hawthorn 8.11 (59) Windy Hill 16,000 26 April 1948
Collingwood 18.17 (125) South Melbourne 10.12 (72) Victoria Park 47,000 26 April 1948

Round 3

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 10.11 (71) South Melbourne 13.16 (94) Arden Street Oval 19,000 1 May 1948
Footscray 12.12 (84) Hawthorn 6.9 (45) Western Oval 13,000 1 May 1948
St Kilda 11.12 (78) Richmond 15.16 (106) Junction Oval 14,000 1 May 1948
Melbourne 6.12 (48) Fitzroy 12.14 (86) MCG 31,000 1 May 1948
Essendon 16.12 (108) Collingwood 14.9 (93) Windy Hill 30,000 1 May 1948
Geelong 12.15 (87) Carlton 13.11 (89) Kardinia Park 23,000 1 May 1948

Round 4

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 14.21 (105) North Melbourne 11.15 (81) Glenferrie Oval 9,000 8 May 1948
Fitzroy 19.14 (128) St Kilda 6.8 (44) Brunswick Street Oval 10,000 8 May 1948
Collingwood 18.13 (121) Geelong 13.10 (88) Victoria Park 18,000 8 May 1948
Carlton 12.24 (96) Footscray 15.8 (98) Princes Park 19,000 8 May 1948
Richmond 12.12 (84) Melbourne 13.11 (89) Punt Road Oval 19,000 8 May 1948
South Melbourne 11.12 (78) Essendon 20.20 (140) Lake Oval 20,000 8 May 1948

Round 5

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
St Kilda 12.12 (84) South Melbourne 14.23 (107) Junction Oval 10,000 15 May 1948
Melbourne 14.11 (95) North Melbourne 6.14 (50) MCG 13,000 15 May 1948
Fitzroy 15.19 (109) Hawthorn 6.11 (47) Brunswick Street Oval 8,500 15 May 1948
Essendon 13.17 (95) Richmond 14.11 (95) Windy Hill 23,000 15 May 1948
Geelong 11.13 (79) Footscray 8.10 (58) Kardinia Park 17,500 15 May 1948
Collingwood 8.17 (65) Carlton 9.9 (63) Victoria Park 31,000 15 May 1948

Round 6

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 12.16 (88) St Kilda 9.10 (64) Arden Street Oval 7,000 22 May 1948
Carlton 14.9 (93) Essendon 19.7 (121) Princes Park 25,000 22 May 1948
South Melbourne 9.5 (59) Melbourne 15.15 (105) Lake Oval 17,500 22 May 1948
Hawthorn 17.10 (112) Geelong 12.3 (75) Glenferrie Oval 9,500 22 May 1948
Footscray 10.11 (71) Fitzroy 9.10 (64) Western Oval 18,000 22 May 1948
Richmond 21.14 (140) Collingwood 9.21 (75) Punt Road Oval 33,000 22 May 1948

Round 7

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 9.11 (65) Richmond 12.14 (86) Glenferrie Oval 17,000 29 May 1948
Footscray 8.12 (60) South Melbourne 3.10 (28) Western Oval 17,000 29 May 1948
Fitzroy 9.20 (74) North Melbourne 7.8 (50) Brunswick Street Oval 12,000 29 May 1948
Essendon 12.11 (83) Geelong 14.15 (99) Windy Hill 13,000 29 May 1948
St Kilda 4.12 (36) Collingwood 10.18 (78) Junction Oval 11,000 29 May 1948
Melbourne 15.12 (102) Carlton 7.9 (51) MCG 35,000 29 May 1948

Round 8

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 15.16 (106) South Melbourne 19.12 (126) Kardinia Park 19,500 5 June 1948
Collingwood 11.17 (83) Melbourne 11.10 (76) Victoria Park 20,000 5 June 1948
St Kilda 7.12 (54) Hawthorn 10.12 (72) Junction Oval 7,000 5 June 1948
North Melbourne 11.6 (72) Footscray 8.9 (57) Arden Street Oval 12,000 5 June 1948
Fitzroy 12.8 (80) Essendon 9.10 (64) Brunswick Street Oval 25,000 5 June 1948
Richmond 13.10 (88) Carlton 9.21 (75) Punt Road Oval 33,000 5 June 1948

Round 9

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Essendon 12.14 (86) North Melbourne 4.8 (32) Windy Hill 17,000 12 June 1948
South Melbourne 9.12 (66) Fitzroy 15.11 (101) Lake Oval 33,000 12 June 1948
Hawthorn 8.8 (56) Collingwood 12.27 (99) Glenferrie Oval 18,000 12 June 1948
Footscray 11.9 (75) Melbourne 9.14 (68) Western Oval 20,000 14 June 1948
Carlton 12.11 (83) St Kilda 7.18 (60) Princes Park 11,000 14 June 1948
Richmond 15.14 (104) Geelong 14.19 (103) Punt Road Oval 28,000 14 June 1948

Round 10

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 14.6 (90) Richmond 9.16 (70) Arden Street Oval 12,000 19 June 1948
Geelong 21.13 (139) St Kilda 9.9 (63) Kardinia Park 12,300 19 June 1948
Essendon 18.12 (120) Footscray 4.14 (38) Windy Hill 22,000 19 June 1948
Collingwood 15.12 (102) Fitzroy 13.7 (85) Victoria Park 38,000 19 June 1948
Melbourne 18.12 (120) Hawthorn 11.13 (79) MCG 12,200 19 June 1948
South Melbourne 13.9 (87) Carlton 23.11 (149) Lake Oval 24,000 19 June 1948

Round 11

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 9.7 (61) South Melbourne 12.15 (87) Glenferrie Oval 8,000 3 July 1948
Fitzroy 19.20 (134) Richmond 14.11 (95) Brunswick Street Oval 25,000 3 July 1948
Carlton 10.23 (83) North Melbourne 14.10 (94) Princes Park 13,500 3 July 1948
Melbourne 9.17 (71) Geelong 8.9 (57) MCG 16,000 3 July 1948
St Kilda 11.6 (72) Essendon 17.22 (124) Junction Oval 6,000 3 July 1948
Footscray 10.11 (71) Collingwood 19.9 (123) Western Oval 19,000 3 July 1948

Round 12

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Richmond 21.18 (144) South Melbourne 9.13 (67) Punt Road Oval 21,000 10 July 1948
Essendon 13.13 (91) Melbourne 9.11 (65) Windy Hill 17,000 10 July 1948
Collingwood 19.13 (127) North Melbourne 10.11 (71) Victoria Park 19,500 10 July 1948
Carlton 17.10 (112) Hawthorn 10.9 (69) Princes Park 9,000 10 July 1948
St Kilda 7.11 (53) Footscray 13.13 (91) Junction Oval 7,000 10 July 1948
Geelong 13.9 (87) Fitzroy 9.17 (71) Kardinia Park 18,500 10 July 1948

Round 13

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 24.19 (163) St Kilda 8.10 (58) MCG 10,000 17 July 1948
Footscray 10.14 (74) Richmond 12.9 (81) Western Oval 20,000 17 July 1948
North Melbourne 10.8 (68) Geelong 10.15 (75) Arden Street Oval 12,000 17 July 1948
Hawthorn 9.12 (66) Essendon 18.14 (122) Glenferrie Oval 12,000 17 July 1948
South Melbourne 10.12 (72) Collingwood 13.16 (94) Lake Oval 22,000 17 July 1948
Fitzroy 12.12 (84) Carlton 16.17 (113) Brunswick Street Oval 27,000 17 July 1948

Round 14

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Richmond 21.20 (146) St Kilda 5.9 (39) Punt Road Oval 11,000 24 July 1948
Fitzroy 11.11 (77) Melbourne 17.11 (113) Brunswick Street Oval 17,500 24 July 1948
Collingwood 12.13 (85) Essendon 16.11 (107) Victoria Park 35,000 24 July 1948
Carlton 24.9 (153) Geelong 9.8 (62) Princes Park 17,500 24 July 1948
South Melbourne 14.18 (102) North Melbourne 15.14 (104) Lake Oval 12,000 24 July 1948
Hawthorn 11.7 (73) Footscray 11.12 (78) Glenferrie Oval 8,000 24 July 1948

Round 15

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 11.18 (84) Hawthorn 8.9 (57) Arden Street Oval 9,000 31 July 1948
St Kilda 11.6 (72) Fitzroy 9.10 (64) Junction Oval 12,000 31 July 1948
Geelong 10.18 (78) Collingwood 10.13 (73) Kardinia Park 19,000 31 July 1948
Melbourne 6.8 (44) Richmond 15.16 (106) MCG 41,000 7 August 1948
Essendon 11.21 (87) South Melbourne 8.11 (59) Windy Hill 14,000 7 August 1948
Footscray 4.17 (41) Carlton 15.19 (109) Western Oval 17,500 7 August 1948

Round 16

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 11.25 (91) Geelong 7.15 (57) Western Oval 8,000 14 August 1948
Carlton 10.20 (80) Collingwood 10.10 (70) Princes Park 31,000 14 August 1948
South Melbourne 5.11 (41) St Kilda 5.9 (39) Lake Oval 5,500 14 August 1948
North Melbourne 5.12 (42) Melbourne 10.14 (74) Arden Street Oval 6,000 14 August 1948
Hawthorn 6.7 (43) Fitzroy 4.16 (40) Glenferrie Oval 8,500 14 August 1948
Richmond 8.7 (55) Essendon 8.10 (58) Punt Road Oval 29,000 14 August 1948

Round 17

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 15.13 (103) South Melbourne 7.12 (54) MCG 13,500 21 August 1948
Geelong 11.14 (80) Hawthorn 11.15 (81) Kardinia Park 10,000 21 August 1948
Fitzroy 9.9 (63) Footscray 11.15 (81) Brunswick Street Oval 12,000 21 August 1948
Collingwood 15.18 (108) Richmond 10.12 (72) Victoria Park 28,000 21 August 1948
St Kilda 8.10 (58) North Melbourne 7.19 (61) Junction Oval 5,000 21 August 1948
Essendon 16.15 (111) Carlton 11.11 (77) Windy Hill 28,000 21 August 1948

Round 18

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Collingwood 15.19 (109) St Kilda 11.4 (70) Victoria Park 11,000 28 August 1948
Carlton 13.14 (92) Melbourne 15.11 (101) Princes Park 27,000 28 August 1948
Richmond 17.11 (113) Hawthorn 9.6 (60) Punt Road Oval 16,000 28 August 1948
South Melbourne 7.7 (49) Footscray 14.16 (100) Lake Oval 10,500 28 August 1948
North Melbourne 8.12 (60) Fitzroy 6.10 (46) Arden Street Oval 8,000 28 August 1948
Geelong 9.10 (64) Essendon 10.12 (72) Kardinia Park 18,500 28 August 1948

Round 19

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 7.12 (54) St Kilda 9.13 (67) Glenferrie Oval 5,000 4 September 1948
Footscray 18.21 (129) North Melbourne 11.10 (76) Western Oval 12,000 4 September 1948
Essendon 10.11 (71) Fitzroy 7.11 (53) Windy Hill 14,000 4 September 1948
Carlton 9.21 (75) Richmond 9.16 (70) Princes Park 24,000 4 September 1948
South Melbourne 21.15 (141) Geelong 6.9 (45) Lake Oval 8,000 4 September 1948
Melbourne 13.11 (89) Collingwood 8.11 (59) MCG 42,500 4 September 1948

Ladder

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(P) Premiers
Qualified for finals
# Team P W L D PF PA % Pts
1 Essendon 19 16 2 1 1838 1340 137.2 66
2 Melbourne (P) 19 13 6 0 1682 1347 124.9 52
3 Collingwood 19 13 6 0 1775 1500 118.3 52
4 Footscray 19 12 7 0 1499 1453 103.2 48
5 Richmond 19 11 7 1 1895 1509 125.6 46
6 Carlton 19 10 9 0 1768 1564 113.0 40
7 Fitzroy 19 9 10 0 1529 1355 112.8 36
8 North Melbourne 19 8 11 0 1328 1589 83.6 32
9 Geelong 19 7 12 0 1558 1737 89.7 28
10 South Melbourne 19 7 12 0 1512 1826 82.8 28
11 Hawthorn 19 5 14 0 1280 1690 75.7 20
12 St Kilda 19 2 17 0 1124 1878 59.9 8

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 82.4
Source: AFL Tables

Finals series

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Semi-finals

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Team 1 Qtr 2 Qtr 3 Qtr Final
Collingwood 3.8 6.11 12.14 17.17 (119)
Footscray 4.3 8.9 9.9 12.12 (84)
Attendance: 71,514
Team 1 Qtr 2 Qtr 3 Qtr Final
Essendon 3.2 8.9 12.12 13.16 (94)
Melbourne 3.2 4.3 8.8 8.10 (58)
Attendance: 72,394

Preliminary final

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Team 1 Qtr 2 Qtr 3 Qtr Final
Melbourne 4.6 11.13 19.15 25.16 (166)
Collingwood 6.2 8.5 11.8 15.11 (101)
Attendance: 63,500

Grand final

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Team 1 Qtr 2 Qtr 3 Qtr Final
Essendon 0.6 2.15 6.21 7.27 (69)
Melbourne 3.0 4.5 6.8 10.9 (69)
Attendance: 86,198

Grand final replay

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Team 1 Qtr 2 Qtr 3 Qtr Final
Essendon 0.3 5.5 6.6 7.8 (50)
Melbourne 6.2 9.3 11.6 13.11 (89)
Attendance:52,226

Season notes

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  • All VFL matches were now scheduled to start at 2:15pm; previously it had been 2:30pm.
  • In round 7, Melbourne champion Norm Smith played his two hundredth game. He was reported for abusing the umpire; despite his claim that he had only said "don't be silly", he was suspended for four weeks.
  • After Carlton's round 11 loss at home to North Melbourne, police drew their batons to protect the umpires from Carlton fans.
  • In the round 16 match between Footscray and Geelong at the Western Oval the north wind was so fierce that when the Geelong full-back Bruce Morrison kicked the ball off after Footscray had scored a behind, the ball floated back over his head and went through the goal; the Goal umpire signalled a "forced behind". Only 1.1 (7) of the game's combined score of 18.40 (148) was scored against the wind.
  • The 1948 Grand Final was the first drawn Grand Final in VFL history. The second was the 1977 VFL Grand Final, and the third was the 2010 AFL Grand Final.

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ "Geelong wins VFL seconds title". The Argus. Melbourne. 4 October 1948. p. 15.
  • Hogan, P., The Tigers of Old, The Richmond Football Club, (Richmond), 1996. ISBN 0-646-18748-1
  • Maplestone, M., Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996, Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996. ISBN 0-9591740-2-8
  • Rogers, S. & Brown, A., Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL Results 1897–1997 (Sixth Edition), Viking Books, (Ringwood), 1998. ISBN 0-670-90809-6
  • 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. ISBN 0-670-86814-0

Sources

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