# 1947 VFL season

The 1947 VFL season was the 51st season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 19 April until 27 September, 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 Carlton Football Club for the eighth time, after it defeated Essendon by one point in the 1947 VFL Grand Final.

## Background

In 1947, 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 1947 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 |
| Geelong | 19.15 (129) | Hawthorn | 12.12 (84) | Kardinia Park | 13,000 | 19 April 1947 |
| Essendon | 16.23 (119) | South Melbourne | 10.8 (68) | Windy Hill | 19,000 | 19 April 1947 |
| Collingwood | 20.18 (138) | Fitzroy | 14.8 (92) | Victoria Park | 24,000 | 19 April 1947 |
| Carlton | 17.20 (122) | Melbourne | 16.13 (109) | Princes Park | 24,000 | 19 April 1947 |
| Richmond | 18.27 (135) | North Melbourne | 15.14 (104) | Punt Road Oval | 20,000 | 19 April 1947 |
| St Kilda | 12.16 (88) | Footscray | 22.17 (149) | Junction Oval | 14,000 | 19 April 1947 |

### Round 2

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 8.11 (59) | St Kilda | 8.13 (61) | Arden Street Oval | 8,000 | 26 April 1947 |
| Fitzroy | 13.22 (100) | Richmond | 11.11 (77) | Brunswick Street Oval | 22,000 | 26 April 1947 |
| Melbourne | 14.25 (109) | Geelong | 11.7 (73) | MCG | 12,000 | 26 April 1947 |
| Footscray | 15.13 (103) | Essendon | 13.11 (89) | Western Oval | 22,000 | 26 April 1947 |
| Hawthorn | 13.9 (87) | Collingwood | 19.20 (134) | Glenferrie Oval | 15,000 | 26 April 1947 |
| South Melbourne | 12.12 (84) | Carlton | 9.16 (70) | Lake Oval | 30,000 | 26 April 1947 |

### Round 3

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Fitzroy | 12.20 (92) | Melbourne | 12.11 (83) | Brunswick Street Oval | 18,000 | 3 May 1947 |
| Essendon | 21.10 (136) | St Kilda | 19.11 (125) | Windy Hill | 13,000 | 3 May 1947 |
| South Melbourne | 10.18 (78) | North Melbourne | 12.10 (82) | Lake Oval | 18,000 | 3 May 1947 |
| Hawthorn | 12.10 (82) | Footscray | 20.14 (134) | Glenferrie Oval | 11,000 | 3 May 1947 |
| Geelong | 12.17 (89) | Collingwood | 14.24 (108) | Kardinia Park | 14,600 | 3 May 1947 |
| Richmond | 5.18 (48) | Carlton | 17.19 (121) | Punt Road Oval | 32,000 | 3 May 1947 |

### Round 4

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Collingwood | 19.24 (138) | South Melbourne | 12.14 (86) | Victoria Park | 25,000 | 10 May 1947 |
| Carlton | 16.16 (112) | Footscray | 7.16 (58) | Princes Park | 37,000 | 10 May 1947 |
| Richmond | 10.12 (72) | Melbourne | 18.12 (120) | Punt Road Oval | 16,000 | 10 May 1947 |
| St Kilda | 10.17 (77) | Hawthorn | 12.12 (84) | Junction Oval | 10,500 | 10 May 1947 |
| North Melbourne | 4.15 (39) | Fitzroy | 19.26 (140) | Arden Street Oval | 12,000 | 10 May 1947 |
| Geelong | 11.17 (83) | Essendon | 16.19 (115) | Kardinia Park | 14,500 | 10 May 1947 |

### Round 5

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 16.11 (107) | Richmond | 10.9 (69) | Glenferrie Oval | 13,000 | 17 May 1947 |
| Footscray | 17.18 (120) | North Melbourne | 11.13 (79) | Western Oval | 13,000 | 17 May 1947 |
| Fitzroy | 19.18 (132) | St Kilda | 7.14 (56) | Brunswick Street Oval | 10,000 | 17 May 1947 |
| South Melbourne | 13.9 (87) | Geelong | 15.16 (106) | Lake Oval | 12,000 | 17 May 1947 |
| Melbourne | 15.5 (95) | Collingwood | 9.16 (70) | MCG | 33,500 | 17 May 1947 |
| Essendon | 8.16 (64) | Carlton | 14.7 (91) | Windy Hill | 32,000 | 17 May 1947 |

### Round 6

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 9.12 (66) | Melbourne | 12.9 (81) | Glenferrie Oval | 16,000 | 24 May 1947 |
| Fitzroy | 8.15 (63) | South Melbourne | 15.11 (101) | Brunswick Street Oval | 16,000 | 24 May 1947 |
| Richmond | 18.18 (126) | Geelong | 11.11 (77) | Punt Road Oval | 14,500 | 24 May 1947 |
| North Melbourne | 15.12 (102) | Essendon | 14.10 (94) | Arden Street Oval | 12,000 | 24 May 1947 |
| Footscray | 13.12 (90) | Collingwood | 10.16 (76) | Western Oval | 26,000 | 24 May 1947 |
| St Kilda | 7.11 (53) | Carlton | 23.17 (155) | Junction Oval | 18,000 | 24 May 1947 |

### Round 7

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 7.12 (54) | St Kilda | 6.13 (49) | Kardinia Park | 13,500 | 31 May 1947 |
| Essendon | 11.17 (83) | Fitzroy | 10.14 (74) | Windy Hill | 17,500 | 31 May 1947 |
| Collingwood | 10.13 (73) | Richmond | 10.14 (74) | Victoria Park | 27,500 | 31 May 1947 |
| Carlton | 13.21 (99) | North Melbourne | 11.14 (80) | Princes Park | 25,000 | 31 May 1947 |
| South Melbourne | 15.14 (104) | Hawthorn | 12.20 (92) | Lake Oval | 15,000 | 31 May 1947 |
| Melbourne | 17.3 (105) | Footscray | 15.8 (98) | MCG | 34,500 | 31 May 1947 |

### Round 8

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 15.15 (105) | St Kilda | 5.13 (43) | MCG | 11,000 | 7 June 1947 |
| Hawthorn | 10.15 (75) | North Melbourne | 10.11 (71) | Glenferrie Oval | 12,000 | 7 June 1947 |
| Carlton | 16.21 (117) | Geelong | 7.10 (52) | Princes Park | 16,000 | 7 June 1947 |
| South Melbourne | 15.9 (99) | Richmond | 15.13 (103) | Lake Oval | 24,000 | 7 June 1947 |
| Footscray | 12.11 (83) | Fitzroy | 7.7 (49) | Western Oval | 20,000 | 7 June 1947 |
| Essendon | 9.14 (68) | Collingwood | 11.16 (82) | Windy Hill | 22,000 | 7 June 1947 |

### Round 9

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Fitzroy | 16.15 (111) | Hawthorn | 8.14 (62) | Brunswick Street Oval | 13,000 | 14 June 1947 |
| North Melbourne | 9.6 (60) | Melbourne | 11.15 (81) | Arden Street Oval | 14,000 | 14 June 1947 |
| Geelong | 16.7 (103) | Footscray | 11.20 (86) | Kardinia Park | 14,500 | 14 June 1947 |
| Richmond | 7.14 (56) | Essendon | 18.17 (125) | Punt Road Oval | 34,000 | 14 June 1947 |
| St Kilda | 11.9 (75) | South Melbourne | 18.13 (121) | Junction Oval | 12,000 | 16 June 1947 |
| Collingwood | 16.16 (112) | Carlton | 13.8 (86) | Victoria Park | 43,500 | 16 June 1947 |

### Round 10

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 8.11 (59) | South Melbourne | 9.15 (69) | MCG | 28,000 | 21 June 1947 |
| Footscray | 4.17 (41) | Richmond | 10.12 (72) | Western Oval | 20,000 | 21 June 1947 |
| North Melbourne | 13.8 (86) | Geelong | 18.11 (119) | Arden Street Oval | 8,000 | 21 June 1947 |
| Hawthorn | 6.9 (45) | Essendon | 18.20 (128) | Glenferrie Oval | 14,000 | 21 June 1947 |
| St Kilda | 9.13 (67) | Collingwood | 15.20 (110) | Junction Oval | 11,000 | 21 June 1947 |
| Fitzroy | 8.7 (55) | Carlton | 10.8 (68) | Brunswick Street Oval | 29,000 | 21 June 1947 |

### Round 11

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 23.15 (153) | St Kilda | 7.10 (52) | Punt Road Oval | 13,000 | 28 June 1947 |
| Essendon | 12.13 (85) | Melbourne | 10.15 (75) | Windy Hill | 21,000 | 28 June 1947 |
| Collingwood | 14.19 (103) | North Melbourne | 9.15 (69) | Victoria Park | 15,000 | 28 June 1947 |
| Carlton | 18.17 (125) | Hawthorn | 8.14 (62) | Princes Park | 14,000 | 28 June 1947 |
| South Melbourne | 15.9 (99) | Footscray | 12.10 (82) | Lake Oval | 25,000 | 28 June 1947 |
| Geelong | 10.10 (70) | Fitzroy | 11.15 (81) | Kardinia Park | 16,000 | 28 June 1947 |

### Round 12

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 4.10 (34) | Richmond | 12.11 (83) | Arden Street Oval | 7,500 | 5 July 1947 |
| Footscray | 5.14 (44) | St Kilda | 6.8 (44) | Western Oval | 10,000 | 5 July 1947 |
| Hawthorn | 12.11 (83) | Geelong | 16.21 (117) | Glenferrie Oval | 5,500 | 5 July 1947 |
| South Melbourne | 8.14 (62) | Essendon | 11.17 (83) | Lake Oval | 18,000 | 5 July 1947 |
| Fitzroy | 9.11 (65) | Collingwood | 7.6 (48) | Brunswick Street Oval | 18,000 | 5 July 1947 |
| Melbourne | 9.10 (64) | Carlton | 10.9 (69) | MCG | 38,000 | 5 July 1947 |

### Round 13

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 16.11 (107) | Melbourne | 5.16 (46) | Kardinia Park | 15,000 | 12 July 1947 |
| Essendon | 10.18 (78) | Footscray | 8.11 (59) | Windy Hill | 20,000 | 12 July 1947 |
| Collingwood | 8.17 (65) | Hawthorn | 6.9 (45) | Victoria Park | 12,000 | 12 July 1947 |
| Carlton | 10.14 (74) | South Melbourne | 9.16 (70) | Princes Park | 28,000 | 12 July 1947 |
| St Kilda | 8.15 (63) | North Melbourne | 13.25 (103) | Junction Oval | 6,000 | 12 July 1947 |
| Richmond | 12.12 (84) | Fitzroy | 11.12 (78) | Punt Road Oval | 28,000 | 12 July 1947 |

### Round 14

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 8.14 (62) | South Melbourne | 8.18 (66) | Arden Street Oval | 8,000 | 19 July 1947 |
| Footscray | 13.18 (96) | Hawthorn | 10.7 (67) | Western Oval | 10,000 | 19 July 1947 |
| Collingwood | 12.11 (83) | Geelong | 11.11 (77) | Victoria Park | 15,000 | 19 July 1947 |
| Carlton | 10.10 (70) | Richmond | 9.9 (63) | Princes Park | 26,000 | 19 July 1947 |
| Melbourne | 7.10 (52) | Fitzroy | 11.8 (74) | MCG | 23,000 | 19 July 1947 |
| St Kilda | 7.13 (55) | Essendon | 14.18 (102) | Junction Oval | 7,000 | 19 July 1947 |

### Round 15

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 10.12 (72) | Richmond | 11.15 (81) | MCG | 32,000 | 26 July 1947 |
| Hawthorn | 16.18 (114) | St Kilda | 10.9 (69) | Glenferrie Oval | 5,000 | 26 July 1947 |
| Fitzroy | 16.7 (103) | North Melbourne | 7.14 (56) | Brunswick Street Oval | 11,000 | 26 July 1947 |
| Essendon | 16.21 (117) | Geelong | 12.5 (77) | Windy Hill | 16,000 | 26 July 1947 |
| South Melbourne | 9.15 (69) | Collingwood | 9.15 (69) | Lake Oval | 25,000 | 26 July 1947 |
| Footscray | 13.11 (89) | Carlton | 14.9 (93) | Western Oval | 25,000 | 26 July 1947 |

### Round 16

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Carlton | 7.12 (54) | Essendon | 13.16 (94) | Princes Park | 38,000 | 2 August 1947 |
| Richmond | 13.18 (96) | Hawthorn | 8.7 (55) | Punt Road Oval | 12,000 | 2 August 1947 |
| St Kilda | 9.9 (63) | Fitzroy | 10.17 (77) | Junction Oval | 8,000 | 2 August 1947 |
| Geelong | 13.19 (97) | South Melbourne | 7.19 (61) | Kardinia Park | 15,500 | 9 August 1947 |
| Collingwood | 7.14 (56) | Melbourne | 7.19 (61) | Victoria Park | 25,000 | 9 August 1947 |
| North Melbourne | 10.12 (72) | Footscray | 11.10 (76) | Arden Street Oval | 12,000 | 9 August 1947 |

### Round 17

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 16.19 (115) | Richmond | 13.9 (87) | Kardinia Park | 18,500 | 16 August 1947 |
| Essendon | 19.12 (126) | North Melbourne | 12.14 (86) | Windy Hill | 13,000 | 16 August 1947 |
| Collingwood | 17.10 (112) | Footscray | 12.12 (84) | Victoria Park | 25,000 | 16 August 1947 |
| Carlton | 14.19 (103) | St Kilda | 3.12 (30) | Princes Park | 11,000 | 16 August 1947 |
| Melbourne | 13.21 (99) | Hawthorn | 14.9 (93) | MCG | 11,500 | 16 August 1947 |
| South Melbourne | 10.11 (71) | Fitzroy | 12.10 (82) | Lake Oval | 20,000 | 16 August 1947 |

### Round 18

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 12.11 (83) | South Melbourne | 19.14 (128) | Glenferrie Oval | 8,000 | 23 August 1947 |
| Footscray | 11.14 (80) | Melbourne | 24.11 (155) | Western Oval | 11,000 | 23 August 1947 |
| St Kilda | 10.13 (73) | Geelong | 15.17 (107) | Junction Oval | 7,000 | 23 August 1947 |
| Fitzroy | 18.22 (130) | Essendon | 8.14 (62) | Brunswick Street Oval | 18,000 | 23 August 1947 |
| Richmond | 20.14 (134) | Collingwood | 8.12 (60) | Punt Road Oval | 31,000 | 23 August 1947 |
| North Melbourne | 10.12 (72) | Carlton | 14.13 (97) | Arden Street Oval | 12,000 | 23 August 1947 |

### Round 19

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 16.17 (113) | South Melbourne | 11.13 (79) | Punt Road Oval | 22,000 | 30 August 1947 |
| Fitzroy | 20.18 (138) | Footscray | 10.14 (74) | Brunswick Street Oval | 13,000 | 30 August 1947 |
| Collingwood | 14.17 (101) | Essendon | 16.12 (108) | Victoria Park | 33,000 | 30 August 1947 |
| St Kilda | 10.18 (78) | Melbourne | 27.9 (171) | Junction Oval | 6,000 | 30 August 1947 |
| North Melbourne | 10.14 (74) | Hawthorn | 10.10 (70) | Arden Street Oval | 4,000 | 30 August 1947 |
| Geelong | 17.7 (109) | Carlton | 16.11 (107) | Kardinia Park | 21,500 | 30 August 1947 |
Round 19 is notable for Fred Fanning's 18-goal performance, which, to date, is the most goals ever scored by an individual player in VFL/AFL history for a single game. It was also his final game.

## Ladder

| (P) | Premiers |
| | Qualified for finals |
| # | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts |
| 1 | Carlton (P) | 19 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 1833 | 1368 | 134.0 | 60 |
| 2 | Essendon | 19 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 1876 | 1528 | 122.8 | 56 |
| 3 | Fitzroy | 19 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 1736 | 1370 | 126.7 | 52 |
| 4 | Richmond | 19 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 1726 | 1582 | 109.1 | 48 |
| 5 | Collingwood | 19 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 1738 | 1546 | 112.4 | 46 |
| 6 | Melbourne | 19 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 1742 | 1488 | 117.1 | 44 |
| 7 | Geelong | 19 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 1761 | 1705 | 103.3 | 44 |
| 8 | South Melbourne | 19 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 1602 | 1652 | 97.0 | 34 |
| 9 | Footscray | 19 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 1646 | 1713 | 96.1 | 34 |
| 10 | North Melbourne | 19 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 1390 | 1789 | 77.7 | 16 |
| 11 | Hawthorn | 19 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 1456 | 1907 | 76.4 | 16 |
| 12 | St Kilda | 19 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 1221 | 2079 | 58.7 | 6 |
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for Average score: 86.5 Source: AFL Tables

## Finals series
### Semi-finals

| Home team | Score | Away team | Score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Fitzroy | 16.7 (103) | Richmond | 11.9 (75) | MCG | 82,570 | 6 September |
| Carlton | 14.15 (99) | Essendon | 11.17 (83) | MCG | 75,475 | 13 September |

### Preliminary final

| Home team | Score | Away team | Score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Essendon | 16.13 (109) | Fitzroy | 14.12 (96) | MCG | 55,648 | 20 September |

### Grand final

| | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final | | |
| Saturday, 27 September (2:15 pm) | Carlton | def. | Essendon | Melbourne Cricket Ground (crowd: 85,793) | |
| | 4.0 (24) 8.0 (48) 10.4 (64) 13.8 (86) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 3.7 (25) 8.11 (59) 10.15 (75) 11.19 (85) | Umpires: Alfred Sawyer | Umpires: Alfred Sawyer |
| Davies 4, Baird 3, Turner 2, Garby, Henfry, Howell, Stafford | Davies 4, Baird 3, Turner 2, Garby, Henfry, Howell, Stafford | Goals | Hutchison 4, Brittingham 2, Reynolds 2, Cassin, Goodingham, Rawle | Hutchison 4, Brittingham 2, Reynolds 2, Cassin, Goodingham, Rawle |
| Clark, Green, Turner, Henfry, Davies, Grieve, Jack Bennett, Conley | Clark, Green, Turner, Henfry, Davies, Grieve, Jack Bennett, Conley | Best | Buttsworth, Jones, McClure, Hutchison, Reynolds, Lambert, Cassin, Harper, Allanson | Buttsworth, Jones, McClure, Hutchison, Reynolds, Lambert, Cassin, Harper, Allanson |
| Deacon (cramp), Bailey (knee) | Deacon (cramp), Bailey (knee) | Injuries | | |
| | | Reports | Cassin, for elbowing Hands in the third quarter | Cassin, for elbowing Hands in the third quarter |

## Season notes

* In Round 2, South Melbourne returned to the Lake Oval for the first time since 1941 after it was vacated by the military and had its grandstand rebuilt; this was the final home ground change related to World War II.
* At the first bounce, at the very start of the round 5 match between Hawthorn and Richmond, Richmond ruckman Laurie Taylor punched the ball an amazing 40 yards and dislocated his shoulder.
* Richmond champion Jack Titus, having retired early in the 1946 VFA season, having scored 1159 goals in his senior career of 294 games with Richmond (1926–1943), 23 games with Coburg (1945–1946), and 14 games for Victoria (1929–1934, 1936), played one match for the Richmond Second Eighteen when it was short of players at the age of 39 and scored 12 goals against North Melbourne.
* In round 6, with North Melbourne trailing Essendon by 44 points at three quarter time, North Melbourne captain Les Foote moved into the ruck and almost single-handedly led a comeback which ended with an eight-point victory to North Melbourne: North Melbourne 15.12 (102) to Essendon 14.10 (94).
* Western Australia defeated Victoria 16.10 (106) to 14.17 (101) at the Tenth ANFC Carnival in Tasmania. Also, in a challenge match, a combined South Australian and Western Australian team defeated the Victorian team 21.14 (140) to 19.15 (129).
* In the final round and his last league match before accepting a coaching job in the Western District, Melbourne's Fred Fanning kicked 18 goals 1 behind. This broke Gordon Coventry's Round 12, 1930 record for the most goals by one player in a VFL match, and still stands today.
* Carlton won the Grand Final by a point after Fred Stafford kicked a goal just before the final bell.

## Awards

* The 1947 VFL Premiership team was Carlton.
* The VFL's leading goalkicker was Fred Fanning of Melbourne with 97 goals.
* The winner of the 1947 Brownlow Medal was Bert Deacon of Carlton with 20 votes.
* St Kilda took the "wooden spoon" in 1947.
* The seconds premiership was won by North Melbourne. North Melbourne 16.13 (109) defeated Richmond 14.10 (94) in the Grand Final, played as a curtain-raiser to the senior Grand Final on Saturday 27 September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
* The thirds premiership was won by Melbourne (main: 1947 VFL thirds season)