# 1945 VFL season

The 1945 VFL season was the 49th season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 21 April until 29 September, and comprised a 20-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top four clubs.
The premiership was won by the Carlton Football Club for the seventh time, after it defeated South Melbourne by 28 points in the 1945 VFL Grand Final.

## Background

In 1945, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus one substitute player, known as the 19th 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 20 rounds; matches 12 to 20 were the "home-and-way reverse" of matches 1 to 9.
The determination of the 1945 season's fixtures were greatly complicated by the fact that both the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the Lake Oval were appropriated for military use and, because of this, Melbourne shared the Punt Road Oval with Richmond as their home ground, and South Melbourne shared the Junction Oval with St Kilda as their home ground.
Once the 20 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1945 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the Page–McIntyre system.

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

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| St Kilda | 10.17 (77) | South Melbourne | 17.16 (118) | Junction Oval | 17,000 | 21 April 1945 |
| Essendon | 22.18 (150) | Hawthorn | 12.7 (79) | Windy Hill | 11,000 | 21 April 1945 |
| Collingwood | 13.13 (91) | North Melbourne | 10.10 (70) | Victoria Park | 13,000 | 21 April 1945 |
| Carlton | 13.9 (87) | Melbourne | 15.18 (108) | Princes Park | 16,000 | 21 April 1945 |
| Richmond | 14.11 (95) | Footscray | 16.9 (105) | Punt Road Oval | 24,000 | 21 April 1945 |
| Geelong | 10.8 (68) | Fitzroy | 15.16 (106) | Kardinia Park | 10,000 | 21 April 1945 |

### Round 2

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 7.18 (60) | Richmond | 8.17 (65) | Arden Street Oval | 11,500 | 28 April 1945 |
| Melbourne | 17.16 (118) | St Kilda | 7.7 (49) | Punt Road Oval | 8,000 | 28 April 1945 |
| Footscray | 18.9 (117) | Geelong | 12.9 (81) | Western Oval | 11,500 | 28 April 1945 |
| Fitzroy | 8.16 (64) | Essendon | 9.10 (64) | Brunswick Street Oval | 19,000 | 28 April 1945 |
| South Melbourne | 12.14 (86) | Collingwood | 11.10 (76) | Junction Oval | 19,000 | 28 April 1945 |
| Hawthorn | 16.10 (106) | Carlton | 9.18 (72) | Glenferrie Oval | 11,000 | 28 April 1945 |

### Round 3

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 13.11 (89) | South Melbourne | 15.19 (109) | Punt Road Oval | 27,000 | 5 May 1945 |
| Fitzroy | 12.9 (81) | Footscray | 14.14 (98) | Brunswick Street Oval | 20,000 | 5 May 1945 |
| Collingwood | 10.21 (81) | Melbourne | 11.12 (78) | Victoria Park | 12,000 | 5 May 1945 |
| St Kilda | 15.10 (100) | Hawthorn | 11.13 (79) | Junction Oval | 10,000 | 5 May 1945 |
| North Melbourne | 14.15 (99) | Geelong | 10.15 (75) | Arden Street Oval | 6,000 | 5 May 1945 |
| Essendon | 22.18 (150) | Carlton | 7.8 (50) | Windy Hill | 16,000 | 5 May 1945 |

### Round 4

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 9.11 (65) | Richmond | 13.7 (85) | Punt Road Oval | 23,000 | 12 May 1945 |
| Geelong | 9.13 (67) | South Melbourne | 10.23 (83) | Kardinia Park | 10,500 | 12 May 1945 |
| Footscray | 11.13 (79) | North Melbourne | 14.8 (92) | Western Oval | 15,000 | 12 May 1945 |
| Collingwood | 13.23 (101) | Hawthorn | 9.9 (63) | Victoria Park | 11,000 | 12 May 1945 |
| Carlton | 12.12 (84) | Fitzroy | 11.11 (77) | Princes Park | 12,000 | 12 May 1945 |
| St Kilda | 14.17 (101) | Essendon | 23.18 (156) | Junction Oval | 12,000 | 12 May 1945 |

### Round 5

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 15.7 (97) | Richmond | 20.11 (131) | Glenferrie Oval | 13,000 | 19 May 1945 |
| Fitzroy | 11.10 (76) | North Melbourne | 13.14 (92) | Brunswick Street Oval | 14,000 | 19 May 1945 |
| Carlton | 12.18 (90) | St Kilda | 11.13 (79) | Princes Park | 11,000 | 19 May 1945 |
| Melbourne | 18.12 (120) | Geelong | 15.10 (100) | Punt Road Oval | 7,000 | 19 May 1945 |
| South Melbourne | 15.9 (99) | Footscray | 12.11 (83) | Junction Oval | 30,000 | 19 May 1945 |
| Essendon | 12.16 (88) | Collingwood | 11.21 (87) | Windy Hill | 17,000 | 19 May 1945 |

### Round 6

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 9.12 (66) | South Melbourne | 8.10 (58) | Arden Street Oval | 25,000 | 26 May 1945 |
| Geelong | 10.16 (76) | Hawthorn | 10.8 (68) | Kardinia Park | 10,000 | 26 May 1945 |
| Footscray | 11.16 (82) | Melbourne | 7.13 (55) | Western Oval | 13,000 | 26 May 1945 |
| St Kilda | 8.20 (68) | Fitzroy | 12.21 (93) | Junction Oval | 10,000 | 26 May 1945 |
| Richmond | 12.11 (83) | Essendon | 9.17 (71) | Punt Road Oval | 28,000 | 26 May 1945 |
| Collingwood | 15.18 (108) | Carlton | 12.11 (83) | Victoria Park | 18,000 | 26 May 1945 |

### Round 7

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 10.12 (72) | North Melbourne | 18.11 (119) | Punt Road Oval | 14,000 | 2 June 1945 |
| Fitzroy | 7.23 (65) | South Melbourne | 10.15 (75) | Brunswick Street Oval | 19,000 | 2 June 1945 |
| Essendon | 14.28 (112) | Geelong | 9.10 (64) | Windy Hill | 8,000 | 2 June 1945 |
| Carlton | 12.17 (89) | Richmond | 13.16 (94) | Princes Park | 21,000 | 2 June 1945 |
| Hawthorn | 11.15 (81) | Footscray | 17.14 (116) | Glenferrie Oval | 10,000 | 2 June 1945 |
| St Kilda | 7.12 (54) | Collingwood | 19.16 (130) | Junction Oval | 12,000 | 2 June 1945 |

### Round 8

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 16.15 (111) | St Kilda | 13.6 (84) | Punt Road Oval | 15,000 | 9 June 1945 |
| South Melbourne | 12.16 (88) | Melbourne | 9.4 (58) | Junction Oval | 18,000 | 9 June 1945 |
| North Melbourne | 16.10 (106) | Hawthorn | 10.8 (68) | Arden Street Oval | 7,000 | 9 June 1945 |
| Footscray | 12.15 (87) | Essendon | 7.14 (56) | Western Oval | 23,000 | 9 June 1945 |
| Fitzroy | 23.15 (153) | Collingwood | 8.10 (58) | Brunswick Street Oval | 20,000 | 9 June 1945 |
| Geelong | 10.9 (69) | Carlton | 14.21 (105) | Kardinia Park | 11,000 | 9 June 1945 |

### Round 9

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 12.10 (82) | South Melbourne | 20.10 (130) | Glenferrie Oval | 13,000 | 16 June 1945 |
| Essendon | 12.20 (92) | North Melbourne | 18.14 (122) | Windy Hill | 20,000 | 16 June 1945 |
| Collingwood | 13.12 (90) | Richmond | 8.13 (61) | Victoria Park | 20,000 | 16 June 1945 |
| Carlton | 11.11 (77) | Footscray | 11.20 (86) | Princes Park | 20,000 | 16 June 1945 |
| St Kilda | 14.17 (101) | Geelong | 14.12 (96) | Junction Oval | 7,000 | 16 June 1945 |
| Melbourne | 11.15 (81) | Fitzroy | 14.17 (101) | Punt Road Oval | 13,000 | 16 June 1945 |

### Round 10

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Footscray | 16.15 (111) | St Kilda | 7.6 (48) | Western Oval | 9,000 | 23 June 1945 |
| Fitzroy | 12.14 (86) | Richmond | 13.11 (89) | Brunswick Street Oval | 18,000 | 23 June 1945 |
| Melbourne | 15.14 (104) | Hawthorn | 12.14 (86) | Punt Road Oval | 6,000 | 23 June 1945 |
| South Melbourne | 12.15 (87) | Essendon | 5.11 (41) | Junction Oval | 22,000 | 23 June 1945 |
| Geelong | 7.5 (47) | Collingwood | 21.18 (144) | Kardinia Park | 9,000 | 23 June 1945 |
| North Melbourne | 7.17 (59) | Carlton | 12.12 (84) | Arden Street Oval | 15,000 | 23 June 1945 |

### Round 11

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Essendon | 7.12 (54) | Melbourne | 9.14 (68) | Windy Hill | 8,000 | 30 June 1945 |
| Collingwood | 9.10 (64) | Footscray | 10.9 (69) | Victoria Park | 19,000 | 30 June 1945 |
| Carlton | 8.8 (56) | South Melbourne | 7.8 (50) | Princes Park | 25,500 | 30 June 1945 |
| St Kilda | 6.15 (51) | North Melbourne | 6.21 (57) | Junction Oval | 7,500 | 30 June 1945 |
| Richmond | 14.28 (112) | Geelong | 8.8 (56) | Punt Road Oval | 11,000 | 30 June 1945 |
| Hawthorn | 7.8 (50) | Fitzroy | 10.15 (75) | Glenferrie Oval | 7,500 | 30 June 1945 |

### Round 12

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Footscray | 15.12 (102) | Richmond | 11.8 (74) | Western Oval | 17,000 | 7 July 1945 |
| Fitzroy | 17.27 (129) | Geelong | 4.9 (33) | Brunswick Street Oval | 7,000 | 7 July 1945 |
| South Melbourne | 14.22 (106) | St Kilda | 6.14 (50) | Junction Oval | 9,000 | 7 July 1945 |
| Hawthorn | 15.17 (107) | Essendon | 7.12 (54) | Glenferrie Oval | 5,500 | 7 July 1945 |
| North Melbourne | 11.11 (77) | Collingwood | 13.5 (83) | Arden Street Oval | 14,000 | 7 July 1945 |
| Melbourne | 12.8 (80) | Carlton | 12.9 (81) | Punt Road Oval | 16,000 | 7 July 1945 |

### Round 13

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Essendon | 7.14 (56) | Fitzroy | 11.14 (80) | Windy Hill | 10,000 | 14 July 1945 |
| Collingwood | 11.14 (80) | South Melbourne | 7.12 (54) | Victoria Park | 24,000 | 14 July 1945 |
| Carlton | 13.12 (90) | Hawthorn | 8.11 (59) | Princes Park | 10,000 | 14 July 1945 |
| Richmond | 18.10 (118) | North Melbourne | 15.9 (99) | Punt Road Oval | 21,000 | 14 July 1945 |
| St Kilda | 9.10 (64) | Melbourne | 10.23 (83) | Junction Oval | 6,000 | 14 July 1945 |
| Geelong | 11.14 (80) | Footscray | 13.19 (97) | Kardinia Park | 6,000 | 14 July 1945 |

### Round 14

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 15.15 (105) | St Kilda | 13.3 (81) | Glenferrie Oval | 5,000 | 21 July 1945 |
| Geelong | 9.9 (63) | North Melbourne | 13.19 (97) | Kardinia Park | 7,500 | 21 July 1945 |
| Carlton | 11.9 (75) | Essendon | 10.18 (78) | Princes Park | 14,000 | 21 July 1945 |
| South Melbourne | 14.11 (95) | Richmond | 10.17 (77) | Junction Oval | 32,000 | 21 July 1945 |
| Footscray | 9.7 (61) | Fitzroy | 8.15 (63) | Western Oval | 19,000 | 21 July 1945 |
| Melbourne | 10.17 (77) | Collingwood | 16.16 (112) | Punt Road Oval | 15,000 | 21 July 1945 |

### Round 15

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Essendon | 18.15 (123) | St Kilda | 3.6 (24) | Windy Hill | 5,000 | 28 July 1945 |
| Richmond | 13.14 (92) | Melbourne | 11.13 (79) | Punt Road Oval | 13,000 | 28 July 1945 |
| South Melbourne | 18.27 (135) | Geelong | 10.7 (67) | Junction Oval | 8,000 | 28 July 1945 |
| North Melbourne | 11.7 (73) | Footscray | 8.6 (54) | Arden Street Oval | 12,000 | 28 July 1945 |
| Hawthorn | 9.13 (67) | Collingwood | 15.9 (99) | Glenferrie Oval | 8,000 | 28 July 1945 |
| Fitzroy | 7.12 (54) | Carlton | 9.4 (58) | Brunswick Street Oval | 16,000 | 28 July 1945 |

### Round 16

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 7.14 (56) | Melbourne | 17.13 (115) | Kardinia Park | 7,000 | 4 August 1945 |
| Footscray | 7.13 (55) | South Melbourne | 8.8 (56) | Western Oval | 27,000 | 4 August 1945 |
| Collingwood | 16.8 (104) | Essendon | 10.15 (75) | Victoria Park | 19,000 | 4 August 1945 |
| Richmond | 15.15 (105) | Hawthorn | 19.7 (121) | Punt Road Oval | 13,000 | 4 August 1945 |
| North Melbourne | 12.6 (78) | Fitzroy | 4.9 (33) | Arden Street Oval | 14,000 | 4 August 1945 |
| St Kilda | 7.15 (57) | Carlton | 11.13 (79) | Junction Oval | 10,000 | 4 August 1945 |

### Round 17

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Fitzroy | 17.27 (129) | St Kilda | 8.14 (62) | Brunswick Street Oval | 5,000 | 11 August 1945 |
| Essendon | 14.22 (106) | Richmond | 10.13 (73) | Windy Hill | 12,000 | 11 August 1945 |
| Carlton | 13.11 (89) | Collingwood | 13.5 (83) | Princes Park | 25,000 | 11 August 1945 |
| South Melbourne | 21.8 (134) | North Melbourne | 10.16 (76) | Junction Oval | 26,000 | 11 August 1945 |
| Hawthorn | 14.21 (105) | Geelong | 9.13 (67) | Glenferrie Oval | 5,500 | 11 August 1945 |
| Melbourne | 12.18 (90) | Footscray | 12.9 (81) | Punt Road Oval | 12,000 | 11 August 1945 |

### Round 18

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Footscray | 15.15 (105) | Hawthorn | 13.11 (89) | Western Oval | 12,000 | 18 August 1945 |
| Collingwood | 17.19 (121) | St Kilda | 5.12 (42) | Victoria Park | 8,000 | 18 August 1945 |
| North Melbourne | 11.17 (83) | Melbourne | 8.10 (58) | Arden Street Oval | 8,000 | 18 August 1945 |
| South Melbourne | 10.13 (73) | Fitzroy | 11.16 (82) | Junction Oval | 20,000 | 18 August 1945 |
| Geelong | 14.7 (91) | Essendon | 16.13 (109) | Kardinia Park | 8,500 | 18 August 1945 |
| Richmond | 12.9 (81) | Carlton | 13.15 (93) | Punt Road Oval | 38,000 | 18 August 1945 |

### Round 19

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 10.13 (73) | South Melbourne | 12.20 (92) | Punt Road Oval | 17,000 | 25 August 1945 |
| Hawthorn | 11.11 (77) | North Melbourne | 10.10 (70) | Glenferrie Oval | 12,000 | 25 August 1945 |
| Essendon | 15.17 (107) | Footscray | 9.13 (67) | Windy Hill | 20,000 | 25 August 1945 |
| Collingwood | 16.7 (103) | Fitzroy | 10.17 (77) | Victoria Park | 24,000 | 25 August 1945 |
| Carlton | 23.23 (161) | Geelong | 9.13 (67) | Princes Park | 9,000 | 25 August 1945 |
| St Kilda | 7.6 (48) | Richmond | 13.22 (100) | Junction Oval | 8,000 | 25 August 1945 |

### Round 20

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 13.14 (92) | St Kilda | 9.11 (65) | Kardinia Park | 7,500 | 1 September 1945 |
| Fitzroy | 14.22 (106) | Melbourne | 15.11 (101) | Brunswick Street Oval | 5,000 | 1 September 1945 |
| South Melbourne | 16.16 (112) | Hawthorn | 11.10 (76) | Junction Oval | 12,000 | 1 September 1945 |
| North Melbourne | 14.17 (101) | Essendon | 13.17 (95) | Arden Street Oval | 12,000 | 1 September 1945 |
| Richmond | 8.19 (67) | Collingwood | 12.15 (87) | Punt Road Oval | 23,000 | 1 September 1945 |
| Footscray | 8.14 (62) | Carlton | 16.19 (115) | Western Oval | 30,000 | 1 September 1945 |

## Ladder

| (P) | Premiers |
| | Qualified for finals |
| # | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts |
| 1 | South Melbourne | 20 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 1840 | 1396 | 131.8 | 64 |
| 2 | Collingwood | 20 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 1902 | 1477 | 128.8 | 60 |
| 3 | North Melbourne | 20 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 1696 | 1526 | 111.1 | 52 |
| 4 | Carlton (P) | 20 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 1718 | 1607 | 106.9 | 52 |
| 5 | Footscray | 20 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 1717 | 1576 | 108.9 | 48 |
| 6 | Fitzroy | 20 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 1730 | 1452 | 119.1 | 46 |
| 7 | Richmond | 20 | 11 | 9 | 0 | 1802 | 1742 | 103.4 | 44 |
| 8 | Essendon | 20 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 1837 | 1614 | 113.8 | 42 |
| 9 | Melbourne | 20 | 8 | 12 | 0 | 1683 | 1699 | 99.1 | 32 |
| 10 | Hawthorn | 20 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 1665 | 1944 | 85.6 | 24 |
| 11 | Geelong | 20 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 1415 | 2180 | 64.9 | 8 |
| 12 | St Kilda | 20 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 1305 | 2097 | 62.2 | 8 |
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for Average score: 84.6 Source: AFL Tables

## Finals series
### Semi-finals

| Home team | Score | Away team | Score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 8.20 (68) | Carlton | 14.10 (94) | Princes Park | 54,846 | 8 September |
| South Melbourne | 13.10 (88) | Collingwood | 11.11 (77) | Princes Park | 46,224 | 15 September |

### Preliminary final

| Home team | Score | Away team | Score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Collingwood | 12.8 (80) | Carlton | 13.12 (90) | Princes Park | 41,305 | 22 September |

### Grand final
## Season notes

* The home-and-away season was expanded to 20 rounds.
* The VFL adopted the "downfield free kick" rule, such that if a player is fouled after disposing of the ball, the free kick is taken at the spot where the ball lands by the nearest team-mate, not at the spot of the foul.
* St Kilda changed its nickname from Seagulls to Panthers in the 1945 season, after a supporter had presented the club with an oil painting of a panther to be hung in the club rooms. The change never truly caught on, and fell out of common use relatively quickly.
* South Melbourne's captain and Brownlow Medal winner Herbie Matthews and South Melbourne forward Keith Smith were dropped from the Round 13 match by their club for refusing to play in the positions they were directed to play in.
* After its Round 14 loss to Essendon, Carlton won its next nine consecutive matches (including the Grand Final).
* North Melbourne made the finals for the first time since entering the VFL in 1925. Of the three clubs to enter the league in 1925, only Hawthorn had not yet made the finals, and would not do so until 1957.
* The 1945 second semi-final was South Melbourne's last finals win as "South Melbourne". The club did not play finals again until 1970, and did not win another final until 1996, after it had moved to Sydney – a fifty-one-year gap.
* Carlton's 1945 premiership win was the first time since the Page–McIntyre system had been adopted in 1931 that a team from fourth place on the home-and-away ladder won the Grand Final.
* The Grand Final was held at Princes Park for the last time. It has been held at the MCG every year since, except 1991 (due to redevelopment works at the ground), 2020 and 2021 (both due to the COVID-19 pandemic preventing the match being played at the ground).
* The Grand Final, played in extremely wet, muddy conditions, is remembered as "the Bloodbath" for its overall continuous violence (on the field and amongst the fans), and its plethora of crude king hits and brawls (many of which were broken up with the assistance of team officials and the police). The Melbourne tabloid newspaper, The Truth, called it "the most repugnant spectacle League football has ever known", with ten players reported for a total of sixteen offences.

## Awards

* The 1945 VFL Premiership team was Carlton.
* The VFL's leading goalkicker was Fred Fanning of Melbourne with 67 goals.
* No Brownlow Medal was awarded in 1945.
* St Kilda took the "wooden spoon" in 1945.
* The seconds premiership was won by Footscray. Footscray 9.16 (70) defeated Fitzroy 9.3 (57) in the Grand Final, played as a stand-alone match on Saturday 22 September at Victoria Park before a crowd of 6,000.