# 1968 VFL season

The 1968 VFL season was the 72nd season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 15 April until 28 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 ninth time, after it defeated Essendon by three points in the 1968 VFL Grand Final.

## Background

In 1968, 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 20 rounds; matches 12 to 20 were the "home-and-way reverse" of matches 1 to 9.
Once the 20 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1968 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 |
| Footscray | 9.18 (72) | North Melbourne | 13.10 (88) | Western Oval | 18,269 | 15 April 1968 |
| Essendon | 26.16 (172) | Hawthorn | 15.9 (99) | Windy Hill | 17,000 | 15 April 1968 |
| Collingwood | 10.12 (72) | Richmond | 11.22 (88) | Victoria Park | 37,018 | 15 April 1968 |
| Carlton | 13.22 (100) | Geelong | 7.12 (54) | Princes Park | 30,158 | 15 April 1968 |
| South Melbourne | 18.17 (125) | St Kilda | 13.22 (100) | Lake Oval | 23,675 | 15 April 1968 |
| Melbourne | 14.10 (94) | Fitzroy | 12.18 (90) | MCG | 24,991 | 15 April 1968 |

### Round 2

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 17.24 (126) | South Melbourne | 19.12 (126) | Glenferrie Oval | 13,536 | 20 April 1968 |
| St Kilda | 16.22 (118) | Melbourne | 9.8 (62) | Moorabbin Oval | 21,758 | 20 April 1968 |
| Geelong | 9.17 (71) | Footscray | 6.11 (47) | Kardinia Park | 14,589 | 20 April 1968 |
| North Melbourne | 9.9 (63) | Essendon | 10.22 (82) | Arden Street Oval | 14,810 | 20 April 1968 |
| Fitzroy | 14.16 (100) | Collingwood | 10.11 (71) | Princes Park | 17,149 | 20 April 1968 |
| Richmond | 17.16 (118) | Carlton | 10.12 (72) | MCG | 51,889 | 20 April 1968 |

### Round 3

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Carlton | 1.11 (17) | Essendon | 7.8 (50) | Princes Park | 37,406 | 25 April 1968 |
| Richmond | 10.15 (75) | Geelong | 17.21 (123) | MCG | 52,175 | 25 April 1968 |
| Footscray | 14.10 (94) | Hawthorn | 16.9 (105) | Western Oval | 14,054 | 27 April 1968 |
| Collingwood | 2.19 (31) | St Kilda | 10.7 (67) | Victoria Park | 29,491 | 27 April 1968 |
| South Melbourne | 13.10 (88) | Melbourne | 14.14 (98) | Lake Oval | 17,260 | 27 April 1968 |
| North Melbourne | 15.17 (107) | Fitzroy | 14.7 (91) | Arden Street Oval | 13,122 | 27 April 1968 |

### Round 4

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 12.10 (82) | North Melbourne | 12.4 (76) | MCG | 19,498 | 4 May 1968 |
| Fitzroy | 13.19 (97) | Footscray | 12.13 (85) | Princes Park | 11,378 | 4 May 1968 |
| Essendon | 16.19 (115) | South Melbourne | 10.15 (75) | Windy Hill | 19,000 | 4 May 1968 |
| St Kilda | 12.12 (84) | Richmond | 7.18 (60) | Moorabbin Oval | 30,606 | 4 May 1968 |
| Geelong | 6.10 (46) | Collingwood | 4.13 (37) | Kardinia Park | 19,144 | 4 May 1968 |
| Hawthorn | 11.11 (77) | Carlton | 15.10 (100) | Glenferrie Oval | 17,606 | 4 May 1968 |

### Round 5

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 6.13 (49) | St Kilda | 9.7 (61) | Arden Street Oval | 14,409 | 11 May 1968 |
| Essendon | 16.16 (112) | Fitzroy | 11.15 (81) | Windy Hill | 18,500 | 11 May 1968 |
| Collingwood | 17.11 (113) | Hawthorn | 11.16 (82) | Victoria Park | 20,688 | 11 May 1968 |
| Carlton | 16.15 (111) | Footscray | 5.9 (39) | Princes Park | 14,490 | 11 May 1968 |
| South Melbourne | 8.10 (58) | Richmond | 13.25 (103) | Lake Oval | 17,783 | 11 May 1968 |
| Melbourne | 9.9 (63) | Geelong | 10.10 (70) | MCG | 31,862 | 11 May 1968 |

### Round 6

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Footscray | 13.7 (85) | Melbourne | 6.12 (48) | Western Oval | 10,441 | 18 May 1968 |
| Fitzroy | 6.8 (44) | St Kilda | 19.6 (120) | Princes Park | 12,852 | 18 May 1968 |
| Collingwood | 13.14 (92) | Essendon | 9.12 (66) | Victoria Park | 28,302 | 18 May 1968 |
| Richmond | 14.17 (101) | North Melbourne | 4.7 (31) | MCG | 24,317 | 18 May 1968 |
| Hawthorn | 10.11 (71) | Geelong | 12.10 (82) | Glenferrie Oval | 10,100 | 18 May 1968 |
| South Melbourne | 10.11 (71) | Carlton | 12.11 (83) | Lake Oval | 13,420 | 18 May 1968 |

### Round 7

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 7.15 (57) | South Melbourne | 8.13 (61) | Arden Street Oval | 7,730 | 25 May 1968 |
| Essendon | 11.14 (80) | Richmond | 10.18 (78) | Windy Hill | 22,980 | 25 May 1968 |
| Carlton | 15.11 (101) | Collingwood | 9.13 (67) | Princes Park | 26,045 | 25 May 1968 |
| Melbourne | 11.14 (80) | Hawthorn | 11.10 (76) | MCG | 17,263 | 25 May 1968 |
| St Kilda | 11.13 (79) | Footscray | 4.11 (35) | Moorabbin Oval | 16,056 | 25 May 1968 |
| Geelong | 11.21 (87) | Fitzroy | 7.6 (48) | Kardinia Park | 11,474 | 25 May 1968 |

### Round 8

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Footscray | 9.8 (62) | South Melbourne | 11.9 (75) | Western Oval | 14,755 | 8 June 1968 |
| Collingwood | 11.13 (79) | Melbourne | 13.7 (85) | Victoria Park | 24,375 | 8 June 1968 |
| North Melbourne | 9.11 (65) | Geelong | 13.11 (89) | Arden Street Oval | 13,209 | 8 June 1968 |
| Richmond | 11.15 (81) | Hawthorn | 11.14 (80) | MCG | 31,325 | 10 June 1968 |
| St Kilda | 16.17 (113) | Essendon | 8.9 (57) | Moorabbin Oval | 43,231 | 10 June 1968 |
| Fitzroy | 4.10 (34) | Carlton | 13.15 (93) | Princes Park | 19,306 | 10 June 1968 |

### Round 9

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 9.9 (63) | Richmond | 17.17 (119) | MCG | 39,609 | 15 June 1968 |
| Geelong | 15.9 (99) | St Kilda | 11.9 (75) | Kardinia Park | 29,404 | 15 June 1968 |
| Essendon | 11.17 (83) | Footscray | 5.11 (41) | Windy Hill | 14,000 | 15 June 1968 |
| Carlton | 20.11 (131) | North Melbourne | 10.15 (75) | Princes Park | 15,270 | 15 June 1968 |
| Hawthorn | 21.14 (140) | Fitzroy | 16.14 (110) | Glenferrie Oval | 11,039 | 15 June 1968 |
| South Melbourne | 19.10 (124) | Collingwood | 15.9 (99) | Lake Oval | 17,193 | 15 June 1968 |

### Round 10

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 13.15 (93) | South Melbourne | 8.15 (63) | Kardinia Park | 17,794 | 22 June 1968 |
| Fitzroy | 12.12 (84) | Richmond | 15.15 (105) | Princes Park | 11,204 | 22 June 1968 |
| North Melbourne | 8.14 (62) | Hawthorn | 15.16 (106) | Arden Street Oval | 7,884 | 22 June 1968 |
| Melbourne | 9.14 (68) | Essendon | 15.6 (96) | MCG | 32,932 | 22 June 1968 |
| Footscray | 5.7 (37) | Collingwood | 9.11 (65) | Western Oval | 13,120 | 22 June 1968 |
| St Kilda | 3.10 (28) | Carlton | 8.8 (56) | Moorabbin Oval | 28,885 | 22 June 1968 |

### Round 11

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 15.11 (101) | St Kilda | 17.9 (111) | Glenferrie Oval | 19,279 | 29 June 1968 |
| Essendon | 14.20 (104) | Geelong | 12.9 (81) | Windy Hill | 24,450 | 29 June 1968 |
| Collingwood | 13.16 (94) | North Melbourne | 4.8 (32) | Victoria Park | 14,814 | 29 June 1968 |
| Carlton | 11.19 (85) | Melbourne | 6.7 (43) | Princes Park | 15,234 | 29 June 1968 |
| Richmond | 17.20 (122) | Footscray | 16.8 (104) | MCG | 17,844 | 29 June 1968 |
| South Melbourne | 17.15 (117) | Fitzroy | 13.12 (90) | Lake Oval | 11,241 | 29 June 1968 |

### Round 12

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| St Kilda | 15.19 (109) | South Melbourne | 6.9 (45) | Moorabbin Oval | 19,059 | 6 July 1968 |
| Fitzroy | 11.14 (80) | Melbourne | 14.16 (100) | Princes Park | 8,530 | 6 July 1968 |
| North Melbourne | 8.9 (57) | Footscray | 9.18 (72) | Arden Street Oval | 7,844 | 6 July 1968 |
| Hawthorn | 11.17 (83) | Essendon | 17.10 (112) | Glenferrie Oval | 12,480 | 6 July 1968 |
| Richmond | 17.12 (114) | Collingwood | 17.15 (117) | MCG | 43,165 | 6 July 1968 |
| Geelong | 8.7 (55) | Carlton | 9.9 (63) | Kardinia Park | 25,007 | 6 July 1968 |

### Round 13

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 10.11 (71) | St Kilda | 10.16 (76) | MCG | 30,581 | 13 July 1968 |
| Footscray | 18.18 (126) | Geelong | 5.13 (43) | Western Oval | 13,092 | 13 July 1968 |
| Essendon | 16.19 (115) | North Melbourne | 9.9 (63) | Windy Hill | 11,690 | 13 July 1968 |
| Collingwood | 18.14 (122) | Fitzroy | 18.7 (115) | Victoria Park | 16,357 | 13 July 1968 |
| Carlton | 11.14 (80) | Richmond | 10.14 (74) | Princes Park | 24,245 | 13 July 1968 |
| South Melbourne | 12.10 (82) | Hawthorn | 15.11 (101) | Lake Oval | 11,191 | 13 July 1968 |

### Round 14

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 10.10 (70) | South Melbourne | 12.8 (80) | MCG | 18,976 | 20 July 1968 |
| Geelong | 13.11 (89) | Richmond | 9.16 (70) | Kardinia Park | 23,932 | 20 July 1968 |
| Fitzroy | 13.17 (95) | North Melbourne | 9.14 (68) | Princes Park | 7,563 | 20 July 1968 |
| Hawthorn | 24.8 (152) | Footscray | 10.10 (70) | Glenferrie Oval | 13,810 | 20 July 1968 |
| St Kilda | 11.10 (76) | Collingwood | 12.13 (85) | Moorabbin Oval | 28,246 | 20 July 1968 |
| Essendon | 7.13 (55) | Carlton | 6.13 (49) | Windy Hill | 32,000 | 20 July 1968 |

### Round 15

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 13.16 (94) | St Kilda | 9.10 (64) | MCG | 42,740 | 27 July 1968 |
| Collingwood | 4.12 (36) | Geelong | 7.12 (54) | Victoria Park | 25,849 | 27 July 1968 |
| Carlton | 9.14 (68) | Hawthorn | 11.15 (81) | Princes Park | 18,470 | 27 July 1968 |
| North Melbourne | 5.8 (38) | Melbourne | 6.4 (40) | Arden Street Oval | 5,826 | 27 July 1968 |
| Footscray | 9.12 (66) | Fitzroy | 10.11 (71) | Western Oval | 10,148 | 27 July 1968 |
| South Melbourne | 7.12 (54) | Essendon | 14.13 (97) | Lake Oval | 14,690 | 27 July 1968 |

### Round 16

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 15.21 (111) | South Melbourne | 10.11 (71) | MCG | 22,404 | 3 August 1968 |
| Geelong | 11.9 (75) | Melbourne | 10.8 (68) | Kardinia Park | 14,240 | 3 August 1968 |
| St Kilda | 8.13 (61) | North Melbourne | 6.3 (39) | Moorabbin Oval | 13,355 | 3 August 1968 |
| Fitzroy | 13.15 (93) | Essendon | 13.16 (94) | Princes Park | 12,080 | 3 August 1968 |
| Hawthorn | 15.11 (101) | Collingwood | 10.16 (76) | Glenferrie Oval | 26,928 | 3 August 1968 |
| Footscray | 16.6 (102) | Carlton | 10.10 (70) | Western Oval | 15,184 | 3 August 1968 |

### Round 17

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 7.9 (51) | Richmond | 11.19 (85) | Arden Street Oval | 9,374 | 10 August 1968 |
| Geelong | 10.7 (67) | Hawthorn | 7.9 (51) | Kardinia Park | 20,822 | 10 August 1968 |
| Carlton | 18.14 (122) | South Melbourne | 11.14 (80) | Princes Park | 15,620 | 10 August 1968 |
| Melbourne | 10.14 (74) | Footscray | 9.11 (65) | MCG | 18,733 | 10 August 1968 |
| St Kilda | 12.19 (91) | Fitzroy | 6.5 (41) | Moorabbin Oval | 15,643 | 10 August 1968 |
| Essendon | 20.18 (138) | Collingwood | 7.11 (53) | Windy Hill | 21,300 | 10 August 1968 |

### Round 18

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 14.13 (97) | Melbourne | 8.11 (59) | Glenferrie Oval | 14,359 | 17 August 1968 |
| Footscray | 6.8 (44) | St Kilda | 16.13 (109) | Western Oval | 15,211 | 17 August 1968 |
| Fitzroy | 10.12 (72) | Geelong | 14.10 (94) | Princes Park | 9,782 | 17 August 1968 |
| South Melbourne | 9.14 (68) | North Melbourne | 11.13 (79) | Lake Oval | 7,412 | 17 August 1968 |
| Richmond | 10.14 (74) | Essendon | 7.12 (54) | MCG | 68,529 | 17 August 1968 |
| Collingwood | 10.10 (70) | Carlton | 16.11 (107) | Victoria Park | 24,496 | 17 August 1968 |

### Round 19

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 11.13 (79) | Richmond | 11.22 (88) | Glenferrie Oval | 21,772 | 24 August 1968 |
| Geelong | 14.13 (97) | North Melbourne | 13.9 (87) | Kardinia Park | 13,872 | 24 August 1968 |
| Essendon | 10.6 (66) | St Kilda | 9.12 (66) | Windy Hill | 24,700 | 24 August 1968 |
| Carlton | 21.17 (143) | Fitzroy | 12.19 (91) | Princes Park | 16,123 | 24 August 1968 |
| South Melbourne | 11.12 (78) | Footscray | 11.16 (82) | Lake Oval | 8,012 | 24 August 1968 |
| Melbourne | 12.14 (86) | Collingwood | 12.15 (87) | MCG | 29,967 | 24 August 1968 |

### Round 20

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Fitzroy | 17.14 (116) | Hawthorn | 18.18 (126) | Princes Park | 11,440 | 31 August 1968 |
| Collingwood | 23.19 (157) | South Melbourne | 14.14 (98) | Victoria Park | 11,648 | 31 August 1968 |
| Richmond | 18.21 (129) | Melbourne | 12.8 (80) | MCG | 34,546 | 31 August 1968 |
| St Kilda | 16.14 (110) | Geelong | 8.11 (59) | Moorabbin Oval | 34,073 | 31 August 1968 |
| Footscray | 12.13 (85) | Essendon | 15.22 (112) | Western Oval | 19,196 | 31 August 1968 |
| North Melbourne | 11.13 (79) | Carlton | 15.10 (100) | Arden Street Oval | 16,189 | 31 August 1968 |

## Ladder

| (P) | Premiers |
| | Qualified for finals |
| # | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts |
| 1 | Essendon | 20 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 1860 | 1428 | 130.3 | 66 |
| 2 | Carlton (P) | 20 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 1751 | 1343 | 130.4 | 60 |
| 3 | Geelong | 20 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 1528 | 1431 | 106.8 | 60 |
| 4 | St Kilda | 20 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 1718 | 1263 | 136.0 | 58 |
| 5 | Richmond | 20 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 1889 | 1536 | 123.0 | 56 |
| 6 | Hawthorn | 20 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 1934 | 1869 | 103.5 | 38 |
| 7 | Collingwood | 20 | 9 | 11 | 0 | 1623 | 1717 | 94.5 | 36 |
| 8 | Melbourne | 20 | 8 | 12 | 0 | 1434 | 1709 | 83.9 | 32 |
| 9 | South Melbourne | 20 | 6 | 13 | 1 | 1639 | 1954 | 83.9 | 26 |
| 10 | Footscray | 20 | 5 | 15 | 0 | 1413 | 1710 | 82.6 | 20 |
| 11 | Fitzroy | 20 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 1643 | 2035 | 80.7 | 16 |
| 12 | North Melbourne | 20 | 3 | 17 | 0 | 1266 | 1703 | 74.3 | 12 |
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for Average score: 82.1 Source: AFL Tables

## Finals series
### Semi-finals

| Team | 1 Qtr 2.2.14 6.0.36 | 2 Qtr 4.5.29 9.10.64 | 3 Qtr 7.7.49.12.10.82 | Final 10.8.68 19.13.127 |
| Geelong | 4.4 | 9.7 | 14.10 | 19.13 (127) |
| St Kilda | 2.4 | 4.10 | 8.13 | 11.17 (83) |
| Attendance: 98,885 |
| Team | 1 Qtr | 2 Qtr | 3 Qtr | Final |
| Essendon | 1.2 | 7.6 | 7.8 | 8.11 (59) |
| Carlton | 5.8 | 6.9 | 11.12 | 13.17 (95) |
| Attendance: 106,365 |

### Preliminary final

| Team | 1 Qtr 5.0.30 1.5.11 | 2 Qtr 9.2.56.3.8.26 | 3 Qtr 14.5.89 5.9.39 | Final 16.11.107 8.13.61 |
| Essendon | 3.6 | 7.10 | 10.18 | 11.25 (91) |
| Geelong | 5.3 | 8.6 | 8.10 | 9.13 (67) |
| Attendance: 103,549 |

### Grand final

| Team | 1 Qtr | 2 Qtr | 3 Qtr | Final |
| Carlton | 2.2 | 6.8 | 7.9 | 7.14 (56) |
| Essendon | 2.1 | 5.1 | 6.4 | 8.5 (53) |
| Attendance: 116,917 |

## Consolation Night Series Competition

The consolation night series were held under the floodlights at Lake Oval, South Melbourne, for the teams (5th to 12th on ladder) out of the finals at the end of the home and away rounds.
Final: Hawthorn 16.15 (111) defeated North Melbourne 6.14 (50).

## Season notes

* The season's home-and-away draw was extended from 18 to 20 rounds. This now meant that each team met nine of the other eleven teams twice in a season.
* In Round 3, the Anzac Day match between Carlton and Essendon at Princes Park was greatly affected by an unusually strong wind that blew across the ground from wing to wing, making kicking and marking entirely unpredictable as balls would almost turn at right angles in the air as they moved down the ground towards the outer (eastern) end and lost the protection of the stands (or, whilst in the stand-protected western end, the ball went above the protection of the stands). In an otherwise close, hard-fought match with not many scoring opportunities available, Carlton were least able to cope with the windy conditions, kicking 1.11 (17) to Essendon's 7.8 (50).
* In Round 7, Essendon played Richmond at Windy Hill in a rain-sodden game that finished in such dark conditions that players could not see across the ground. In the last quarter, a goal was awarded to Geoff Gosper, although several Richmond players protested that the ball had hit the post. Essendon won the match by two points, 11.14 (80) to Richmond's 10.18 (78).
* After the Round 8 match between Hawthorn and Richmond at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the teams and many of the fans left the ground believing the game had been tied 11.15 (81) apiece. After the goal-umpires checked their scorecards, it was confirmed that the scoreboard was reading incorrectly, and that Richmond had, in fact, won by a point: 11.15 (81) to 11.14 (80).
* Peter Hudson became the first player to kick 100 goals in a season since John Coleman in 1952.
* In Round 17 and Round 18 respectively, Ron Barassi and Brian Dixon played their 250th VFL games. At the time, only thirteen other players had reached the milestone.
* After Round 18 of the Under-19s competition, Geelong was stripped of all premiership points that it had earned in matches in which it had fielded ineligible player John Taylor, who was residentially tied to Footscray. The lost points relegated Geelong from fourth to last place on the ladder.

## Awards

* The 1968 VFL Premiership team was Carlton.
* The VFL's leading goalkicker was Peter Hudson of Hawthorn who kicked 125 goals.
* The winner of the 1968 Brownlow Medal was Bob Skilton of South Melbourne with 24 votes.
* North Melbourne took the "wooden spoon" in 1968.
* The reserves premiership was won by Essendon. Essendon 15.7 (97) defeated Richmond 13.14 (92) in the Grand Final, held as a curtain-raiser to the seniors Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 28 September.