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1924 VFL season

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1924 VFL premiership season
Essendon 1924 VFL premiership team
Overview
Date26 April—27 September 1924
Teams9
PremiersEssendon
6th premiership
Runners-upRichmond
2nd runners-up result
Minor premiersEssendon
4th minor premiership
Brownlow MedallistCarji Greeves (Geelong)
7 votes
Leading goalkicker medallistJack Moriarty (Fitzroy)
75 goals
Attendance
Matches played78
Total attendance1,646,273 (21,106 per match)
Highest (H&A)40,000 (round 2, Carlton v Essendon)
Highest (finals)44,522 (semi-final, Essendon v Fitzroy)
← 1923
1925 →

The 1924 VFL season was the 28th season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest-level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured nine clubs and ran from 26 April to 27 September, comprising a 16-match home-and-away season followed by a three-week finals series featuring the top four clubs.

Essendon won the premiership by finishing atop the finals ladder at the end of the round-robin series with a 2–1 win–loss record and superior percentage to runners-up Richmond; it was Essendon's second consecutive premiership and sixth VFL premiership overall. Essendon also won the minor premiership by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with an 11–4–1 win–loss–draw record. Geelong's Carji Greeves won the inaugural Brownlow Medal as the league's best and fairest player, and Fitzroy's Jack Moriarty won the leading goalkicker medal as the league's leading goalkicker.

Background

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In 1924, the VFL competition consisted of 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 1924 VFL premiership was determined by an experimental 1924 finals system, which the VFL used in this season only. The format was similar to the round-robin format used in 1897 Finals System, but included the minor premier's right to challenge, which existed under the amended Argus System.

In 1924, the VFL dispensed with the amended Argus system and adopted a new finals system initially proposed by Carlton delegate Reg Hunt. The new scheme saw the top four clubs play a round-robin semi-finals series over three weeks, with two matches played each Saturday. Then, if the minor premiers did not finish on top of the round-robin ladder, a Grand Final would be played between the minor premiers and round-robin winner. Essendon ultimately finished on top of the finals ladder on the basis of its greater percentage than Richmond; and, as minor premier, Essendon won the premiership without a Grand Final.[1]

The scheme was developed primarily as a result of demand for entry to finals matches in the early 1920s exceeding the capacity of the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It was noted that while an average of 80,000 spectators attended a four-game home-and-away round, the capacity of the Melbourne Cricket Ground was limited to about 55,000; and, as such, under the Argus system, in which only one final was played each day, many spectators were turned away. However, playing two semi-finals on each day would allow more spectators to attend.[2]

The original intent of the system was partially realised, with 65,000 spectators attending the first week of semi-finals, and 60,000 attending the second week; although, only 42,000 attended the third week, when the dead rubber between South Melbourne and Fitzroy was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the premiership-deciding RichmondEssendon match was played on the smaller South Melbourne Cricket Ground. However, even the weeks with higher spectator numbers did not translate to better financial performance: extra competing teams meant more clubs whose members were entitled free admission and fewer neutral spectators paying at the gate.[3] As a result, the new scheme was abandoned at the end of the year and the amended Argus system resumed from 1925.

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
Richmond 10.7 (67) South Melbourne 13.16 (94) Punt Road Oval 20,000 26 April 1924
St Kilda 12.12 (84) Melbourne 11.16 (82) Junction Oval 15,000 26 April 1924
Essendon 8.15 (63) Collingwood 12.7 (79) Windy Hill 25,000 26 April 1924
Fitzroy 16.9 (105) Carlton 15.13 (103) Brunswick Street Oval 30,000 26 April 1924

Round 2

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 10.15 (75) Richmond 7.11 (53) Corio Oval 13,000 3 May 1924
Collingwood 10.17 (77) St Kilda 7.15 (57) Victoria Park 19,000 3 May 1924
Carlton 7.14 (56) Essendon 7.14 (56) Princes Park 40,000 3 May 1924
South Melbourne 7.15 (57) Fitzroy 12.14 (86) Lake Oval 28,000 3 May 1924

Round 3

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Fitzroy 14.13 (97) Geelong 10.14 (74) Brunswick Street Oval 20,000 10 May 1924
Essendon 12.13 (85) South Melbourne 8.11 (59) Windy Hill 25,000 10 May 1924
Melbourne 8.13 (61) Collingwood 8.14 (62) MCG 18,211 10 May 1924
St Kilda 9.22 (76) Carlton 13.12 (90) Junction Oval 26,000 10 May 1924

Round 4

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Carlton 11.10 (76) Melbourne 14.25 (109) Princes Park 23,000 17 May 1924
South Melbourne 12.9 (81) St Kilda 7.11 (53) Lake Oval 22,000 17 May 1924
Richmond 5.18 (48) Fitzroy 10.14 (74) Punt Road Oval 22,000 17 May 1924
Geelong 8.12 (60) Essendon 12.8 (80) Corio Oval 12,000 17 May 1924

Round 5

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 10.16 (76) South Melbourne 10.9 (69) MCG 22,072 24 May 1924
Essendon 13.16 (94) Richmond 3.13 (31) Windy Hill 22,000 24 May 1924
St Kilda 13.24 (102) Geelong 11.10 (76) Junction Oval 16,000 24 May 1924
Collingwood 19.17 (131) Carlton 16.11 (107) Victoria Park 25,000 24 May 1924

Round 6

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Richmond 9.19 (73) St Kilda 8.6 (54) Punt Road Oval 20,000 31 May 1924
Geelong 9.19 (73) Melbourne 9.9 (63) Corio Oval 12,000 31 May 1924
Fitzroy 10.8 (68) Essendon 8.13 (61) Brunswick Street Oval 35,000 31 May 1924
South Melbourne 9.15 (69) Collingwood 8.8 (56) Lake Oval 25,000 31 May 1924

Round 7

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Collingwood 10.16 (76) Geelong 11.16 (82) Victoria Park 14,000 7 June 1924
Carlton 10.12 (72) South Melbourne 11.12 (78) Princes Park 29,000 7 June 1924
Melbourne 11.17 (83) Richmond 13.9 (87) MCG 27,533 9 June 1924
St Kilda 12.13 (85) Fitzroy 14.9 (93) Junction Oval 30,000 9 June 1924

Round 8

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Fitzroy 12.15 (87) Melbourne 5.11 (41) Brunswick Street Oval 15,000 14 June 1924
Essendon 16.17 (113) St Kilda 3.13 (31) Windy Hill 20,000 14 June 1924
Richmond 12.23 (95) Collingwood 10.10 (70) Punt Road Oval 21,000 14 June 1924
Geelong 9.12 (66) Carlton 6.15 (51) Corio Oval 12,000 14 June 1924

Round 9

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Collingwood 7.9 (51) Fitzroy 9.14 (68) Victoria Park 22,000 21 June 1924
Carlton 3.10 (28) Richmond 5.8 (38) Princes Park 21,000 21 June 1924
South Melbourne 7.6 (48) Geelong 7.3 (45) Lake Oval 20,000 21 June 1924
Melbourne 5.12 (42) Essendon 10.11 (71) MCG 18,769 21 June 1924

Round 10

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 8.15 (63) St Kilda 6.15 (51) MCG 14,286 28 June 1924
Collingwood 4.10 (34) Essendon 8.12 (60) Victoria Park 20,000 28 June 1924
Carlton 15.14 (104) Fitzroy 8.8 (56) Princes Park 27,770 28 June 1924
South Melbourne 9.7 (61) Richmond 5.13 (43) Lake Oval 30,000 28 June 1924

Round 11

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Fitzroy 4.17 (41) South Melbourne 9.10 (64) Brunswick Street Oval 20,000 5 July 1924
Richmond 10.20 (80) Geelong 9.8 (62) Punt Road Oval 18,000 5 July 1924
St Kilda 16.16 (112) Collingwood 6.16 (52) Junction Oval 13,000 5 July 1924
Essendon 10.19 (79) Carlton 8.14 (62) Windy Hill 28,000 5 July 1924

Round 12

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Collingwood 11.10 (76) Melbourne 7.11 (53) Victoria Park 8,000 12 July 1924
Carlton 14.15 (99) St Kilda 8.8 (56) Princes Park 17,000 12 July 1924
Geelong 9.14 (68) Fitzroy 9.11 (65) Corio Oval 15,000 12 July 1924
South Melbourne 9.8 (62) Essendon 6.13 (49) Lake Oval 33,000 12 July 1924

Round 13

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
St Kilda 13.14 (92) South Melbourne 12.16 (88) Junction Oval 25,000 19 July 1924
Fitzroy 7.12 (54) Richmond 8.16 (64) Brunswick Street Oval 26,000 19 July 1924
Essendon 10.14 (74) Geelong 8.14 (62) Windy Hill 20,000 19 July 1924
Melbourne 7.13 (55) Carlton 9.8 (62) MCG 17,931 19 July 1924

Round 14

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 18.15 (123) St Kilda 7.6 (48) Corio Oval 12,000 26 July 1924
Carlton 10.12 (72) Collingwood 12.12 (84) Princes Park 30,000 26 July 1924
South Melbourne 12.13 (85) Melbourne 5.8 (38) Lake Oval 16,000 26 July 1924
Richmond 7.14 (56) Essendon 12.13 (85) Punt Road Oval 38,000 26 July 1924

Round 15

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Essendon 9.19 (73) Fitzroy 9.7 (61) Windy Hill 26,000 2 August 1924
Collingwood 9.16 (70) South Melbourne 6.15 (51) Victoria Park 18,000 2 August 1924
St Kilda 5.9 (39) Richmond 11.12 (78) Junction Oval 10,000 2 August 1924
Melbourne 5.9 (39) Geelong 8.8 (56) MCG 7,382 2 August 1924

Round 16

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Fitzroy 16.13 (109) St Kilda 6.10 (46) Brunswick Street Oval 10,000 23 August 1924
Richmond 17.19 (121) Melbourne 9.21 (75) Punt Road Oval 14,000 23 August 1924
Geelong 9.19 (73) Collingwood 5.6 (36) Corio Oval 15,600 23 August 1924
South Melbourne 13.19 (97) Carlton 4.7 (31) Lake Oval 22,000 23 August 1924

Round 17

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Collingwood 6.13 (49) Richmond 8.13 (61) Victoria Park 21,000 30 August 1924
Carlton 9.7 (61) Geelong 6.18 (54) Princes Park 15,000 30 August 1924
Melbourne 9.13 (67) Fitzroy 16.14 (110) MCG 12,487 30 August 1924
St Kilda 9.5 (59) Essendon 11.17 (83) Junction Oval 20,000 30 August 1924

Round 18

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 9.13 (67) South Melbourne 9.14 (68) Corio Oval 16,500 6 September 1924
Essendon 12.10 (82) Melbourne 14.12 (96) Windy Hill 10,000 6 September 1924
Fitzroy 6.14 (50) Collingwood 11.20 (86) Brunswick Street Oval 13,000 6 September 1924
Richmond 12.16 (88) Carlton 8.12 (60) Punt Road Oval 30,000 6 September 1924

Ladder

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(P) Premiers
Qualified for finals
# Team P W L D PF PA % Pts
1 Essendon (P) 16 11 4 1 1208 918 131.6 46
2 South Melbourne 16 11 5 0 1131 971 116.5 44
3 Fitzroy 16 10 6 0 1224 1092 112.1 40
4 Richmond 16 10 6 0 1083 1057 102.5 40
5 Geelong 16 8 8 0 1116 1041 107.2 32
6 Collingwood 16 8 8 0 1089 1134 96.0 32
7 Carlton 16 5 10 1 1134 1228 92.3 22
8 Melbourne 16 4 12 0 1043 1252 83.3 16
9 St Kilda 16 4 12 0 1045 1380 75.7 16

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 70.0
Source: AFL Tables

Finals series

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Finals week 1

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Essendon 8.10 (58) Fitzroy 2.6 (18) MCG 42,522 13 September 1924
Richmond 13.7 (85) South Melbourne 9.3 (57) Windy Hill 22,300 13 September 1924

Finals week 2

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Fitzroy 11.10 (76) Richmond 8.8 (56) Princes Park 26,000 20 September 1924
Essendon 10.12 (72) South Melbourne 4.15 (39) MCG 35,407 20 September 1924

Finals week 3

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Richmond 9.13 (67) Essendon 6.11 (47) Lake Oval 25,000 27 September 1924
South Melbourne 13.8 (86) Fitzroy 10.13 (73) MCG 17,503 27 September 1924

Finals ladder

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Because Essendon had won the minor premiership and the round-robin competition, it was awarded the premiership without the need for a grand final.

Won the premiership
# Team P W L D PF PA % Pts
1 Essendon 3 2 1 0 177 124 142.7 8
2 Richmond 3 2 1 0 208 180 115.6 8
3 Fitzroy 3 1 2 0 167 200 83.5 4
4 South Melbourne 3 1 2 0 182 230 79.1 4

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

Finals team squads

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As there was no designated grand final, this also meant that there were no grand final teams in 1924;[4] instead there was an "Essendon finals squad", a "Fitzroy finals squad", a "Richmond finals squad", and a "South Melbourne finals squad". Listed in alphabetical order the four squads were:

Season notes

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  • Administrator Charles Brownlow died on 23 January 1924; the Charles Brownlow Trophy, more commonly known as the Brownlow Medal, was instituted in his memory. The trophy was to be awarded to the "best and fairest player" in the VFL as determined by the votes of the field umpire at the end of each home-and-away match; from 1924 to 1930, there was a single vote cast per match.
  • The VFL started fixing the schedule from 1924 to ensure that neither South Melbourne and St Kilda nor Melbourne and Richmond played home matches on the same day due to the heavy transport and labour burden associated with running the two nearby venues at the same time. This arrangement continued as long as the clubs played at nearby locations.[9]
  • Bill Twomey, Sr. who played for Collingwood (1918–1922) and would play for Hawthorn (1933–1934), the father of Collingwood's Bill Twomey, Jr. (1945–1958), Pat Twomey (1947–1949; 1952–1953), and Mick Twomey (1951–1961), and the grandfather of Collingwood's David Twomey (1979–1985) wins the 1924, 130-yard Stawell Gift in 12.1 seconds, off a handicap of 8½ yards.
  • The Fitzroy versus Carlton match in the opening round was the first VFL match in which both teams scored 100 points.
  • The VFL adopted the convention of home teams wearing black shorts and away teams wearing white shorts.
  • Because the 1924 premiership was determined by a round-robin system, Essendon won the premiership despite being beaten by runners-up Richmond 9.13 (67) to 6.11 (47) in the last round-robin match; this is the only time in VFL/AFL history that the premiers lost their last match of the season. Richmond would have needed to win by at least 43 points to challenge Essendon to a grand final.
  • Many of the Essendon players were unhappy at the poor performances of some of their teammates in the final round robin match against Richmond, and there were heated arguments and fist-fights in the rooms after the match and after a post-match function later that evening, related to accusations of match fixing and receiving bribes.
  • On the Saturday after the VFL grand final, Essendon (in its role as 1924 VFL premiers) was challenged by 1924 VFA premiers, Footscray, to a match in aid of Dame Nellie Melba's Limbless Soldiers' Appeal, purportedly (but not officially) for the championship of Victoria. Footscray unexpectedly defeated Essendon 9.10 (64) to 4.12 (36). Again there were accusations of match fixing, and champion centre half-back Tom Fitzmaurice was so disgusted with many of his teammates having, in his view, deliberately lost the match, he never played again for Essendon.
  • The Seconds grand final, to have been staged between Geelong and minor premiers Essendon on 4 October, was originally scheduled to be played at Geelong's home ground, Corio Oval, but after Essendon raised its objections, the Seconds League rescheduled the match for Kardinia Park, which was a neutral venue, but still located in Geelong. Essendon again objected, and after the league dismissed their complaint, refused to travel to Geelong.[10] Consequently, the match was scratched and the Seconds premiership was awarded to Geelong.[11]

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ Rodgers, Stephen, Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL results, 1897–1991, Ringwood, VIC: Viking O'Neil, p. 158
  2. ^ 'Kickero' (9 January 1924). "Football Finals – New Scheme Suggested". The Herald. Melbourne, VIC. p. 10.
  3. ^ "Money and the semi-finals". The Sporting Globe. Melbourne, VIC. 17 September 1924. p. 12.
  4. ^ Since the final round-robin match between Richmond and Essendon was played between the premiers and runners-up, it is sometimes mistakenly (and anachronistically) spoken of as being a "grand final".
  5. ^ Weights compared: Essendon, The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 13 September 1924), p.1.
  6. ^ Weights compared: Fitzroy, The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 13 September 1924), p.1.
  7. ^ Weights compared: Richmond, The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 20 September 1924), p.1.
  8. ^ Weights compared: South Melbourne, The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 20 September 1924), p.1.
  9. ^ Stephen Rodgers (1992), Every Game Ever Played (3rd ed.), Lloyd O'Neil Pty Ltd, p. 158
  10. ^ "League Seconds Final". The Argus. Melbourne. 4 October 1924. p. 32.
  11. ^ "Football – second eighteens". The Argus. Melbourne. 15 October 1924. p. 14.

Sources

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