# 1949 VFL season

The 1949 VFL season was the 53rd season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 16 April until 24 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 Essendon Football Club for the ninth time, after it defeated Carlton by 73 points in the 1949 VFL Grand Final.

## Background

In 1949, 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 1949 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 | 21.19 (145) | Melbourne | 12.11 (83) | Kardinia Park | 25,000 | 16 April 1949 |
| Essendon | 18.12 (120) | Hawthorn | 9.3 (57) | Windy Hill | 13,500 | 16 April 1949 |
| Collingwood | 19.13 (127) | North Melbourne | 10.17 (77) | Victoria Park | 21,500 | 16 April 1949 |
| St Kilda | 11.10 (76) | Fitzroy | 14.14 (98) | Junction Oval | 18,000 | 16 April 1949 |
| Carlton | 16.16 (112) | South Melbourne | 6.12 (48) | Princes Park | 29,000 | 18 April 1949 |
| Richmond | 19.13 (127) | Footscray | 8.10 (58) | Punt Road Oval | 30,000 | 18 April 1949 |

### Round 2

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 5.13 (43) | Richmond | 20.12 (132) | Glenferrie Oval | 13,000 | 23 April 1949 |
| Footscray | 12.7 (79) | Geelong | 9.14 (68) | Western Oval | 15,500 | 23 April 1949 |
| South Melbourne | 12.13 (85) | St Kilda | 12.10 (82) | Lake Oval | 9,000 | 23 April 1949 |
| North Melbourne | 7.14 (56) | Essendon | 10.15 (75) | Arden Street Oval | 20,000 | 23 April 1949 |
| Melbourne | 12.8 (80) | Collingwood | 11.16 (82) | MCG | 29,000 | 23 April 1949 |
| Fitzroy | 15.16 (106) | Carlton | 15.15 (105) | Brunswick Street Oval | 25,000 | 23 April 1949 |

### Round 3

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 14.8 (92) | Richmond | 9.5 (59) | Arden Street Oval | 15,000 | 30 April 1949 |
| Geelong | 14.14 (98) | South Melbourne | 10.15 (75) | Kardinia Park | 19,000 | 30 April 1949 |
| Collingwood | 7.14 (56) | Fitzroy | 8.9 (57) | Victoria Park | 30,000 | 30 April 1949 |
| Carlton | 21.27 (153) | Hawthorn | 7.6 (48) | Princes Park | 9,250 | 30 April 1949 |
| Melbourne | 14.16 (100) | Footscray | 7.6 (48) | MCG | 24,000 | 30 April 1949 |
| St Kilda | 5.15 (45) | Essendon | 13.16 (94) | Junction Oval | 13,000 | 30 April 1949 |

### Round 4

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 17.11 (113) | St Kilda | 11.14 (80) | Punt Road Oval | 12,000 | 7 May 1949 |
| Footscray | 4.15 (39) | North Melbourne | 12.3 (75) | Western Oval | 12,000 | 7 May 1949 |
| Fitzroy | 13.15 (93) | Geelong | 15.15 (105) | Brunswick Street Oval | 17,500 | 7 May 1949 |
| South Melbourne | 8.11 (59) | Melbourne | 7.9 (51) | Lake Oval | 12,000 | 7 May 1949 |
| Hawthorn | 5.10 (40) | Collingwood | 9.11 (65) | Glenferrie Oval | 11,500 | 7 May 1949 |
| Essendon | 6.9 (45) | Carlton | 7.22 (64) | Windy Hill | 29,000 | 7 May 1949 |

### Round 5

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 5.16 (46) | North Melbourne | 6.12 (48) | MCG | 19,000 | 14 May 1949 |
| Geelong | 15.13 (103) | St Kilda | 10.11 (71) | Kardinia Park | 15,500 | 14 May 1949 |
| Essendon | 11.18 (84) | Richmond | 9.15 (69) | Windy Hill | 21,000 | 14 May 1949 |
| Carlton | 16.8 (104) | Collingwood | 10.14 (74) | Princes Park | 33,000 | 14 May 1949 |
| South Melbourne | 10.8 (68) | Footscray | 6.14 (50) | Lake Oval | 11,000 | 14 May 1949 |
| Hawthorn | 9.13 (67) | Fitzroy | 14.21 (105) | Glenferrie Oval | 7,500 | 14 May 1949 |

### Round 6

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 15.13 (103) | South Melbourne | 8.12 (60) | Punt Road Oval | 21,000 | 21 May 1949 |
| Fitzroy | 12.14 (86) | Footscray | 10.22 (82) | Brunswick Street Oval | 10,500 | 21 May 1949 |
| Collingwood | 11.16 (82) | Essendon | 12.9 (81) | Victoria Park | 23,000 | 21 May 1949 |
| Carlton | 18.13 (121) | Geelong | 12.10 (82) | Princes Park | 28,500 | 21 May 1949 |
| St Kilda | 4.13 (37) | Melbourne | 8.13 (61) | Junction Oval | 7,500 | 21 May 1949 |
| North Melbourne | 13.23 (101) | Hawthorn | 12.7 (79) | Arden Street Oval | 9,000 | 21 May 1949 |

### Round 7

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 6.12 (48) | South Melbourne | 12.15 (87) | Glenferrie Oval | 10,000 | 28 May 1949 |
| Essendon | 11.9 (75) | Melbourne | 13.12 (90) | Windy Hill | 15,000 | 28 May 1949 |
| North Melbourne | 8.13 (61) | Geelong | 8.7 (55) | Arden Street Oval | 17,000 | 28 May 1949 |
| Richmond | 21.21 (147) | Fitzroy | 9.12 (66) | Punt Road Oval | 28,000 | 28 May 1949 |
| Footscray | 8.10 (58) | Collingwood | 12.15 (87) | Western Oval | 17,000 | 28 May 1949 |
| St Kilda | 8.14 (62) | Carlton | 14.11 (95) | Junction Oval | 13,000 | 28 May 1949 |

### Round 8

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 10.15 (75) | Richmond | 11.13 (79) | Kardinia Park | 22,500 | 4 June 1949 |
| Collingwood | 21.22 (148) | St Kilda | 4.12 (36) | Victoria Park | 12,000 | 4 June 1949 |
| Carlton | 14.13 (97) | North Melbourne | 10.7 (67) | Princes Park | 29,500 | 4 June 1949 |
| Melbourne | 10.17 (77) | Hawthorn | 10.6 (66) | MCG | 11,000 | 4 June 1949 |
| South Melbourne | 12.7 (79) | Fitzroy | 14.14 (98) | Lake Oval | 12,500 | 4 June 1949 |
| Footscray | 7.17 (59) | Essendon | 10.12 (72) | Western Oval | 12,500 | 4 June 1949 |

### Round 9

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Collingwood | 17.14 (116) | Geelong | 12.7 (79) | Victoria Park | 27,500 | 11 June 1949 |
| Hawthorn | 10.13 (73) | Footscray | 8.15 (63) | Glenferrie Oval | 10,000 | 11 June 1949 |
| South Melbourne | 15.16 (106) | Essendon | 12.9 (81) | Lake Oval | 19,500 | 11 June 1949 |
| North Melbourne | 11.12 (78) | St Kilda | 7.7 (49) | Arden Street Oval | 10,000 | 13 June 1949 |
| Fitzroy | 7.10 (52) | Melbourne | 10.14 (74) | Brunswick Street Oval | 16,000 | 13 June 1949 |
| Richmond | 12.12 (84) | Carlton | 14.15 (99) | Punt Road Oval | 46,000 | 13 June 1949 |

### Round 10

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 18.25 (133) | South Melbourne | 6.9 (45) | Arden Street Oval | 16,000 | 18 June 1949 |
| Geelong | 20.12 (132) | Hawthorn | 6.10 (46) | Kardinia Park | 12,000 | 18 June 1949 |
| Essendon | 8.19 (67) | Fitzroy | 10.10 (70) | Windy Hill | 15,000 | 18 June 1949 |
| Carlton | 11.12 (78) | Melbourne | 12.14 (86) | Princes Park | 26,500 | 18 June 1949 |
| St Kilda | 7.14 (56) | Footscray | 11.11 (77) | Junction Oval | 8,500 | 18 June 1949 |
| Richmond | 16.5 (101) | Collingwood | 16.8 (104) | Punt Road Oval | 29,000 | 18 June 1949 |

### Round 11

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 14.17 (101) | Richmond | 9.9 (63) | MCG | 24,000 | 2 July 1949 |
| Fitzroy | 10.12 (72) | North Melbourne | 12.9 (81) | Brunswick Street Oval | 14,000 | 2 July 1949 |
| Collingwood | 15.16 (106) | South Melbourne | 6.16 (52) | Victoria Park | 12,000 | 2 July 1949 |
| St Kilda | 13.11 (89) | Hawthorn | 14.13 (97) | Junction Oval | 7,000 | 2 July 1949 |
| Geelong | 25.17 (167) | Essendon | 11.6 (72) | Kardinia Park | 18,000 | 2 July 1949 |
| Footscray | 9.9 (63) | Carlton | 7.16 (58) | Western Oval | 13,000 | 2 July 1949 |

### Round 12

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Footscray | 12.11 (83) | Richmond | 7.18 (60) | Western Oval | 14,000 | 9 July 1949 |
| Fitzroy | 14.10 (94) | St Kilda | 6.13 (49) | Brunswick Street Oval | 7,000 | 9 July 1949 |
| Melbourne | 14.17 (101) | Geelong | 14.14 (98) | MCG | 20,000 | 9 July 1949 |
| Hawthorn | 7.0 (42) | Essendon | 16.16 (112) | Glenferrie Oval | 7,000 | 9 July 1949 |
| North Melbourne | 8.6 (54) | Collingwood | 4.13 (37) | Arden Street Oval | 21,000 | 9 July 1949 |
| South Melbourne | 6.12 (48) | Carlton | 11.15 (81) | Lake Oval | 15,000 | 9 July 1949 |

### Round 13

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| St Kilda | 16.15 (111) | South Melbourne | 13.13 (91) | Junction Oval | 6,000 | 16 July 1949 |
| Essendon | 8.22 (70) | North Melbourne | 6.13 (49) | Windy Hill | 16,000 | 16 July 1949 |
| Collingwood | 7.16 (58) | Melbourne | 10.13 (73) | Victoria Park | 22,000 | 16 July 1949 |
| Carlton | 9.13 (67) | Fitzroy | 9.8 (62) | Princes Park | 17,500 | 16 July 1949 |
| Richmond | 16.21 (117) | Hawthorn | 9.13 (67) | Punt Road Oval | 7,000 | 16 July 1949 |
| Geelong | 13.15 (93) | Footscray | 4.10 (34) | Kardinia Park | 15,000 | 16 July 1949 |

### Round 14

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Footscray | 11.8 (74) | Melbourne | 10.12 (72) | Western Oval | 13,000 | 23 July 1949 |
| Essendon | 13.17 (95) | St Kilda | 9.10 (64) | Windy Hill | 9,500 | 23 July 1949 |
| Richmond | 8.24 (72) | North Melbourne | 17.11 (113) | Punt Road Oval | 19,000 | 23 July 1949 |
| South Melbourne | 11.15 (81) | Geelong | 14.13 (97) | Lake Oval | 7,500 | 23 July 1949 |
| Fitzroy | 10.11 (71) | Collingwood | 11.15 (81) | Brunswick Street Oval | 21,000 | 23 July 1949 |
| Hawthorn | 8.5 (53) | Carlton | 9.17 (71) | Glenferrie Oval | 9,000 | 23 July 1949 |

### Round 15

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 12.7 (79) | South Melbourne | 9.11 (65) | MCG | 14,500 | 30 July 1949 |
| Collingwood | 16.23 (119) | Hawthorn | 5.6 (36) | Victoria Park | 9,500 | 30 July 1949 |
| Carlton | 11.16 (82) | Essendon | 17.11 (113) | Princes Park | 26,500 | 30 July 1949 |
| St Kilda | 13.11 (89) | Richmond | 9.14 (68) | Junction Oval | 10,000 | 30 July 1949 |
| North Melbourne | 8.14 (62) | Footscray | 8.11 (59) | Arden Street Oval | 14,000 | 30 July 1949 |
| Geelong | 13.9 (87) | Fitzroy | 6.7 (43) | Kardinia Park | 17,500 | 30 July 1949 |

### Round 16

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Footscray | 10.14 (74) | South Melbourne | 8.10 (58) | Western Oval | 10,000 | 6 August 1949 |
| Fitzroy | 10.19 (79) | Hawthorn | 8.17 (65) | Brunswick Street Oval | 4,000 | 6 August 1949 |
| North Melbourne | 9.10 (64) | Melbourne | 8.10 (58) | Arden Street Oval | 20,000 | 6 August 1949 |
| St Kilda | 10.9 (69) | Geelong | 8.12 (60) | Junction Oval | 12,000 | 6 August 1949 |
| Richmond | 7.14 (56) | Essendon | 11.12 (78) | Punt Road Oval | 16,000 | 6 August 1949 |
| Collingwood | 7.16 (58) | Carlton | 7.13 (55) | Victoria Park | 28,000 | 6 August 1949 |

### Round 17

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 15.16 (106) | St Kilda | 7.10 (52) | MCG | 18,000 | 13 August 1949 |
| Hawthorn | 13.10 (88) | North Melbourne | 9.16 (70) | Glenferrie Oval | 9,000 | 13 August 1949 |
| South Melbourne | 9.13 (67) | Richmond | 10.17 (77) | Lake Oval | 10,000 | 13 August 1949 |
| Footscray | 13.16 (94) | Fitzroy | 8.11 (59) | Western Oval | 12,000 | 13 August 1949 |
| Essendon | 16.21 (117) | Collingwood | 10.11 (71) | Windy Hill | 29,000 | 13 August 1949 |
| Geelong | 6.11 (47) | Carlton | 12.18 (90) | Kardinia Park | 24,500 | 13 August 1949 |

### Round 18

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 7.14 (56) | North Melbourne | 11.16 (82) | Kardinia Park | 14,500 | 20 August 1949 |
| Fitzroy | 6.15 (51) | Richmond | 9.8 (62) | Brunswick Street Oval | 6,000 | 20 August 1949 |
| Collingwood | 9.19 (73) | Footscray | 7.14 (56) | Victoria Park | 13,500 | 20 August 1949 |
| Carlton | 13.17 (95) | St Kilda | 10.14 (74) | Princes Park | 10,000 | 20 August 1949 |
| South Melbourne | 14.8 (92) | Hawthorn | 8.14 (62) | Lake Oval | 4,000 | 20 August 1949 |
| Melbourne | 11.10 (76) | Essendon | 15.11 (101) | MCG | 58,500 | 20 August 1949 |

### Round 19

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 10.16 (76) | Melbourne | 15.12 (102) | Glenferrie Oval | 9,000 | 27 August 1949 |
| Fitzroy | 19.12 (126) | South Melbourne | 10.17 (77) | Brunswick Street Oval | 7,000 | 27 August 1949 |
| Essendon | 14.13 (97) | Footscray | 8.13 (61) | Windy Hill | 20,000 | 27 August 1949 |
| Richmond | 22.12 (144) | Geelong | 10.15 (75) | Punt Road Oval | 11,000 | 27 August 1949 |
| St Kilda | 11.15 (81) | Collingwood | 10.12 (72) | Junction Oval | 17,000 | 27 August 1949 |
| North Melbourne | 15.18 (108) | Carlton | 7.10 (52) | Arden Street Oval | 35,116 | 27 August 1949 |

## Ladder

| (P) | Premiers |
| | Qualified for finals |
| # | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts |
| 1 | North Melbourne | 19 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 1471 | 1235 | 119.1 | 56 |
| 2 | Carlton | 19 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 1679 | 1328 | 126.4 | 52 |
| 3 | Collingwood | 19 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 1616 | 1308 | 123.5 | 52 |
| 4 | Essendon (P) | 19 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 1649 | 1366 | 120.7 | 52 |
| 5 | Melbourne | 19 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 1516 | 1341 | 113.0 | 48 |
| 6 | Richmond | 19 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1733 | 1485 | 116.7 | 40 |
| 7 | Fitzroy | 19 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1488 | 1521 | 97.8 | 40 |
| 8 | Geelong | 19 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 1722 | 1540 | 111.8 | 36 |
| 9 | Footscray | 19 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 1211 | 1444 | 83.9 | 28 |
| 10 | South Melbourne | 19 | 6 | 13 | 0 | 1343 | 1669 | 80.5 | 24 |
| 11 | St Kilda | 19 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 1272 | 1730 | 73.5 | 16 |
| 12 | Hawthorn | 19 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 1153 | 1886 | 61.1 | 12 |
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for Average score: 78.3 Source: AFL Tables

## Finals series
### Semi-finals

| Team | 1 Qtr | 2 Qtr | 3 Qtr | Final |
| Collingwood | 2.0 | 4.1 | 6.4 | 8.6 (54) |
| Essendon | 4.1 | 11.3 | 15.9 | 20.16 (136) |
| Attendance: 87,702 |
| Team | 1 Qtr | 2 Qtr | 3 Qtr | Final |
| North Melbourne | 2.3 | 7.3 | 11.4 | 14.7 (91) |
| Carlton | 3.5 | 5.9 | 9.10 | 15.13 (103) |
| Attendance: 70,856 |

### Preliminary final

| Team | 1 Qtr | 2 Qtr | 3 Qtr | Final |
| North Melbourne | 2.1 | 4.1 | 7.4 | 9.7 (61) |
| Essendon | 3.2 | 6.8 | 8.10 | 11.12 (78) |
| Attendance: 69,281 |

### Grand final

| Team | 1 Qtr | 2 Qtr | 3 Qtr | Final |
| Carlton | 2.4 | 2.10 | 3.12 | 6.16 (52) |
| Essendon | 3.3 | 7.7 | 12.15 | 18.17 (125) |
| Attendance: 88,718 |

## Notable events

* In Round 1, John Coleman of Essendon kicked 12 goals in his first VFL game; he was best on the ground. He kicked a goal with his first kick in VFL football, having taken a mark in the first seconds of the match; and he kicked a goal with his last kick of the 1949 season, in last minutes of the Grand Final, to bring his season's total to 100 goals.
* In Round 12, Hawthorn scored seven goals and no behinds in its match against Essendon. This is the first time since Round 9, 1899 that a team did not score a single behind in a VFL match.
* In Round 19, Richmond's captain-coach Jack Dyer played his last VFL game, having played 16 games for Victoria, 312 senior games for Richmond, and 12 games in Richmond Seconds over 19 VFL seasons.

## Awards

* The 1949 VFL Premiership team was Essendon.
* The VFL's leading goalkicker was John Coleman of Essendon with 100 goals (including 15 goals in the final series).
* The winner of the 1949 Brownlow Medal was Ron Clegg of South Melbourne with 23 votes on a countback from Colin Austen of Hawthorn (because Clegg had been best on the ground six times to Austen's five).
** As a consequence of its 1981 decision to change its rules relating to tied Brownlow Medal contests, the AFL awarded a retrospective medal to Colin Austen in 1989.
* Hawthorn took the "wooden spoon" in 1949.
* The seconds premiership was won by Melbourne. Melbourne 17.10 (112) defeated Essendon 9.14 (68) in the Grand Final, played as a curtain-raiser to the senior Grand Final on Saturday 24 September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.