# 1910 VFL season

The 1910 VFL season was the 14th season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest-level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured ten clubs and ran from 30 April to 1 October, comprising an 18-match home-and-away season followed by a four-week finals series featuring the top four clubs.
Collingwood won the premiership, defeating Carlton by 14 points in the 1910 VFL grand final; it was Collingwood's third VFL premiership. Carlton won the minor premiership by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with a 15–3 win–loss record. Geelong's Percy Martini won the leading goalkicker medal as the league's leading goalkicker.

## Background

In 1910, the VFL competition comprised ten 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.
Once the 18 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1910 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the amended "Argus system".

## Home-and-away season
### Round 1

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| St Kilda | 3.12 (30) | University | 7.10 (52) | Junction Oval | 30 April 1910 |
| Essendon | 3.18 (36) | Fitzroy | 9.10 (64) | EMCG | 30 April 1910 |
| Carlton | 9.9 (63) | Collingwood | 5.5 (35) | Princes Park | 30 April 1910 |
| South Melbourne | 11.12 (78) | Richmond | 4.8 (32) | Lake Oval | 30 April 1910 |
| Melbourne | 6.6 (42) | Geelong | 13.21 (99) | MCG | 30 April 1910 |

### Round 2

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Fitzroy | 14.15 (99) | St Kilda | 4.12 (36) | Brunswick Street Oval | 14 May 1910 |
| Collingwood | 13.9 (87) | South Melbourne | 5.16 (46) | Victoria Park | 14 May 1910 |
| Richmond | 16.18 (114) | Melbourne | 5.7 (37) | Punt Road Oval | 14 May 1910 |
| University | 8.10 (58) | Essendon | 15.17 (107) | EMCG | 14 May 1910 |
| Geelong | 6.9 (45) | Carlton | 10.15 (75) | Corio Oval | 14 May 1910 |

### Round 3

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Fitzroy | 7.11 (53) | Geelong | 9.13 (67) | Brunswick Street Oval | 21 May 1910 |
| Collingwood | 13.13 (91) | St Kilda | 2.6 (18) | Victoria Park | 21 May 1910 |
| University | 10.13 (73) | Richmond | 7.10 (52) | EMCG | 21 May 1910 |
| South Melbourne | 10.7 (67) | Essendon | 11.7 (73) | Lake Oval | 21 May 1910 |
| Melbourne | 5.6 (36) | Carlton | 9.15 (69) | MCG | 21 May 1910 |

### Round 4

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Geelong | 6.9 (45) | University | 9.4 (58) | Corio Oval | 28 May 1910 |
| Carlton | 6.13 (49) | South Melbourne | 4.8 (32) | Princes Park | 28 May 1910 |
| St Kilda | 7.9 (51) | Melbourne | 8.6 (54) | Junction Oval | 28 May 1910 |
| Richmond | 7.19 (61) | Fitzroy | 4.8 (32) | Punt Road Oval | 28 May 1910 |
| Essendon | 6.7 (43) | Collingwood | 4.17 (41) | EMCG | 28 May 1910 |

### Round 5

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| South Melbourne | 6.14 (50) | University | 7.6 (48) | Lake Oval | 4 June 1910 |
| Geelong | 5.16 (46) | Richmond | 4.5 (29) | Corio Oval | 4 June 1910 |
| Essendon | 8.15 (63) | St Kilda | 7.9 (51) | EMCG | 4 June 1910 |
| Collingwood | 10.16 (76) | Melbourne | 4.4 (28) | Victoria Park | 4 June 1910 |
| Fitzroy | 9.9 (63) | Carlton | 14.20 (104) | Brunswick Street Oval | 4 June 1910 |

### Round 6

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Geelong | 11.12 (78) | South Melbourne | 6.6 (42) | Corio Oval | 6 June 1910 |
| St Kilda | 7.7 (49) | Richmond | 8.14 (62) | Junction Oval | 6 June 1910 |
| Melbourne | 10.7 (67) | Essendon | 16.21 (117) | MCG | 6 June 1910 |
| Fitzroy | 7.9 (51) | Collingwood | 11.14 (80) | Brunswick Street Oval | 6 June 1910 |
| University | 5.5 (35) | Carlton | 11.8 (74) | EMCG | 6 June 1910 |

### Round 7

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Carlton | 6.15 (51) | Essendon | 7.10 (52) | Princes Park | 11 June 1910 |
| South Melbourne | 11.15 (81) | Melbourne | 6.10 (46) | Lake Oval | 11 June 1910 |
| St Kilda | 9.6 (60) | Geelong | 10.14 (74) | Junction Oval | 11 June 1910 |
| University | 13.14 (92) | Fitzroy | 8.8 (56) | EMCG | 11 June 1910 |
| Richmond | 5.7 (37) | Collingwood | 6.9 (45) | Punt Road Oval | 11 June 1910 |

### Round 8

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| St Kilda | 4.5 (29) | South Melbourne | 6.13 (49) | Junction Oval | 18 June 1910 |
| Essendon | 5.12 (42) | Geelong | 2.9 (21) | EMCG | 18 June 1910 |
| Collingwood | 6.10 (46) | University | 6.6 (42) | Victoria Park | 18 June 1910 |
| Melbourne | 6.14 (50) | Fitzroy | 8.18 (66) | MCG | 18 June 1910 |
| Richmond | 7.6 (48) | Carlton | 7.15 (57) | Punt Road Oval | 18 June 1910 |

### Round 9

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Fitzroy | 7.13 (55) | South Melbourne | 11.6 (72) | Brunswick Street Oval | 25 June 1910 |
| Carlton | 9.10 (64) | St Kilda | 4.7 (31) | Princes Park | 25 June 1910 |
| University | 7.7 (49) | Melbourne | 4.11 (35) | EMCG | 25 June 1910 |
| Richmond | 6.10 (46) | Essendon | 9.14 (68) | Punt Road Oval | 25 June 1910 |
| Geelong | 10.9 (69) | Collingwood | 6.11 (47) | Corio Oval | 25 June 1910 |

### Round 10

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Richmond | 10.7 (67) | South Melbourne | 10.11 (71) | Punt Road Oval | 2 July 1910 |
| Geelong | 15.10 (100) | Melbourne | 8.3 (51) | Corio Oval | 2 July 1910 |
| University | 7.12 (54) | St Kilda | 6.9 (45) | EMCG | 2 July 1910 |
| Fitzroy | 11.5 (71) | Essendon | 12.17 (89) | Brunswick Street Oval | 2 July 1910 |
| Collingwood | 2.10 (22) | Carlton | 6.15 (51) | Victoria Park | 2 July 1910 |

### Round 11

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Melbourne | 4.10 (34) | Richmond | 12.15 (87) | MCG | 9 July 1910 |
| Essendon | 8.9 (57) | University | 11.9 (75) | EMCG | 9 July 1910 |
| Carlton | 16.11 (107) | Geelong | 3.15 (33) | Princes Park | 9 July 1910 |
| St Kilda | 4.10 (34) | Fitzroy | 8.14 (62) | Junction Oval | 9 July 1910 |
| South Melbourne | 13.17 (95) | Collingwood | 4.9 (33) | Lake Oval | 9 July 1910 |

### Round 12

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Richmond | 5.11 (41) | University | 10.7 (67) | Punt Road Oval | 16 July 1910 |
| Essendon | 6.9 (45) | South Melbourne | 5.4 (34) | EMCG | 16 July 1910 |
| Carlton | 13.22 (100) | Melbourne | 4.11 (35) | Princes Park | 16 July 1910 |
| Geelong | 11.6 (72) | Fitzroy | 4.9 (33) | Corio Oval | 16 July 1910 |
| St Kilda | 6.8 (44) | Collingwood | 7.12 (54) | Junction Oval | 16 July 1910 |

### Round 13

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Melbourne | 6.12 (48) | St Kilda | 4.11 (35) | MCG | 23 July 1910 |
| Fitzroy | 3.7 (25) | Richmond | 5.5 (35) | Brunswick Street Oval | 23 July 1910 |
| Collingwood | 5.13 (43) | Essendon | 2.9 (21) | Victoria Park | 23 July 1910 |
| University | 8.13 (61) | Geelong | 5.8 (38) | EMCG | 23 July 1910 |
| South Melbourne | 4.7 (31) | Carlton | 6.8 (44) | Lake Oval | 23 July 1910 |

### Round 14

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Carlton | 5.13 (43) | Fitzroy | 4.16 (40) | Princes Park | 30 July 1910 |
| University | 3.6 (24) | South Melbourne | 10.7 (67) | EMCG | 30 July 1910 |
| Richmond | 5.12 (42) | Geelong | 6.6 (42) | Punt Road Oval | 30 July 1910 |
| St Kilda | 5.8 (38) | Essendon | 11.11 (77) | Junction Oval | 30 July 1910 |
| Melbourne | 7.6 (48) | Collingwood | 9.12 (66) | MCG | 30 July 1910 |

### Round 15

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Richmond | 8.6 (54) | St Kilda | 1.10 (16) | Punt Road Oval | 6 August 1910 |
| Collingwood | 7.12 (54) | Fitzroy | 6.6 (42) | Victoria Park | 6 August 1910 |
| South Melbourne | 11.12 (78) | Geelong | 3.8 (26) | Lake Oval | 6 August 1910 |
| Essendon | 4.18 (42) | Melbourne | 7.12 (54) | EMCG | 13 August 1910 |
| Carlton | 11.12 (78) | University | 6.14 (50) | Princes Park | 13 August 1910 |

### Round 16

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Melbourne | 8.6 (54) | South Melbourne | 8.10 (58) | MCG | 20 August 1910 |
| Geelong | 7.11 (53) | St Kilda | 3.6 (24) | Corio Oval | 20 August 1910 |
| Fitzroy | 3.5 (23) | University | 7.6 (48) | Brunswick Street Oval | 20 August 1910 |
| Collingwood | 8.13 (61) | Richmond | 5.4 (34) | Victoria Park | 20 August 1910 |
| Essendon | 8.12 (60) | Carlton | 7.10 (52) | EMCG | 20 August 1910 |

### Round 17

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Fitzroy | 12.16 (88) | Melbourne | 2.11 (23) | Brunswick Street Oval | 27 August 1910 |
| Carlton | 9.8 (62) | Richmond | 6.9 (45) | Princes Park | 27 August 1910 |
| South Melbourne | 11.11 (77) | St Kilda | 10.5 (65) | Lake Oval | 27 August 1910 |
| Geelong | 10.19 (79) | Essendon | 10.11 (71) | Corio Oval | 27 August 1910 |
| University | 9.5 (59) | Collingwood | 10.15 (75) | EMCG | 27 August 1910 |

### Round 18

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Melbourne | 9.6 (60) | University | 7.7 (49) | MCG | 3 September 1910 |
| Essendon | 6.14 (50) | Richmond | 7.9 (51) | EMCG | 3 September 1910 |
| Collingwood | 4.13 (37) | Geelong | 2.9 (21) | Victoria Park | 3 September 1910 |
| South Melbourne | 7.10 (52) | Fitzroy | 4.5 (29) | Lake Oval | 3 September 1910 |
| St Kilda | 5.6 (36) | Carlton | 2.12 (24) | Junction Oval | 3 September 1910 |

## Ladder

| (P) | Premiers |
| | Qualified for finals |
| # | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts |
| 1 | Carlton | 18 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 1167 | 729 | 160.1 | 60 |
| 2 | Collingwood (P) | 18 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 993 | 812 | 122.3 | 52 |
| 3 | South Melbourne | 18 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 1080 | 884 | 122.2 | 48 |
| 4 | Essendon | 18 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 1113 | 963 | 115.6 | 48 |
| 5 | Geelong | 18 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 1008 | 952 | 105.9 | 42 |
| 6 | University | 18 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 994 | 979 | 101.5 | 40 |
| 7 | Richmond | 18 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 937 | 913 | 102.6 | 30 |
| 8 | Fitzroy | 18 | 5 | 13 | 0 | 952 | 1048 | 90.8 | 20 |
| 9 | Melbourne | 18 | 4 | 14 | 0 | 802 | 1347 | 59.5 | 16 |
| 10 | St Kilda | 18 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 692 | 1111 | 62.3 | 4 |
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for Average score: 54.1 Source: AFL Tables

## Finals series

All of the 1910 finals were played at the MCG so the home team in the semi-finals and Preliminary Final is purely the higher ranked team from the ladder but in the Grand Final the home team was the team that won the Preliminary Final.

### Semi-finals

| Home team | Score | Away team | Score | Venue | Date |
| Collingwood | 14.11 (95) | Essendon | 5.7 (37) | MCG | 10 September |
| Carlton | 6.17 (53) | South Melbourne | 10.5 (65) | MCG | 17 September |

### Preliminary final

| Home team | Score | Away team | Score | Venue | Date |
| Collingwood | 8.7 (55) | South Melbourne | 6.8 (44) | MCG | 24 September |

### Grand final

| Team | 1 Qtr | 2 Qtr | 3 Qtr | Final |
| Carlton | 1.2 | 2.6 | 4.9 | 6.11 (47) |
| Collingwood | 4.3 | 5.3 | 8.5 | 9.7 (61) |

## Season notes

* Former Carlton coach Jack Worrall was appointed umpires' coach, with a view to raising standards and decreasing violence.
* Round 2, originally scheduled for 7 May, was postponed by one week, and remaining rounds pushed back by one week, due to the death of King Edward VII on 6 May. The Victorian Football Association and Metropolitan Junior Football Association also took the same action.
* In the last quarter of the round 4 match between Carlton and South Melbourne, Carlton's George Topping coward-hit South Melbourne's Bert Streckfuss behind the play, causing spectators to jump the fence and participate in an all-in melee with players and officials. Topping was suspended for the remainder of 1910 and all of 1911 as a result of the incident.
* VFL conducted an inquiry into allegations that particular players from Carlton, Fitzroy, Melbourne, and South Melbourne had been paid to play "dead". In particular, Carlton's Doug Gillespie, Alex "Bongo" Lang, and Doug Fraser were investigated (the inquiry dealt with Lang and Fraser behind closed doors). Gillespie was exonerated, while Lang and Fraser were each suspended for five years.
* St Kilda, after losing its first seventeen games, defeated minor premier Carlton in a major upset in the last round to avoid its expected fifth winless season. It remains the worst start by a VFL/AFL team that did not finish winless, equalled in 2001 by Fremantle.
* Carlton player and Secretary Arthur Charles "Shooter" Ford was charged with abusing and physically threatening the field umpire (off the field) after Carlton's round 14 match against Fitzroy; Ford was suspended for 12 months and debarred from his role as Club Secretary. There was speculation that the issue between the two was connected with the suspension of George Topping earlier in the season.
* T.W Sherrin manufactured special footballs for the Premiership Finals.

## Awards

* The 1910 VFL Premiership team was Collingwood.
* The VFL's leading goalkicker was Percy Martini of Geelong with 51 goals.
* St Kilda took the "wooden spoon" in 1910.