# 1922 VFL season

The 1922 VFL season was the 26th season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest-level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured nine clubs and ran from 6 May to 14 October, comprising a 16-match home-and-away season followed by a four-week finals series featuring the top four clubs.
Fitzroy won the premiership, defeating Collingwood by eleven points in the 1922 VFL grand final; it was Fitzroy's seventh VFL premiership. Collingwood won the minor premiership by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with a 12–4 win–loss record. Carlton's Horrie Clover won the leading goalkicker medal as the league's leading goalkicker.

## Background

In 1922, the VFL competition consisted of nine 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 (i.e., 16 matches and 2 byes).
Once the 18 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1922 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 | Crowd | Date |
| South Melbourne | 7.13 (55) | Melbourne | 8.12 (60) | Lake Oval | 15,000 | 6 May 1922 |
| St Kilda | 8.8 (56) | Fitzroy | 10.9 (69) | Junction Oval | 12,000 | 6 May 1922 |
| Richmond | 10.13 (73) | Collingwood | 8.8 (56) | Punt Road Oval | 27,000 | 6 May 1922 |
| Essendon | 11.14 (80) | Carlton | 9.8 (62) | Windy Hill | 22,000 | 6 May 1922 |

### Round 2

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 13.10 (88) | Richmond | 12.13 (85) | MCG | 23,902 | 13 May 1922 |
| Collingwood | 9.12 (66) | South Melbourne | 10.12 (72) | Victoria Park | 20,000 | 13 May 1922 |
| Carlton | 10.13 (73) | Fitzroy | 9.9 (63) | Princes Park | 25,000 | 13 May 1922 |
| Geelong | 6.6 (42) | Essendon | 8.16 (64) | Corio Oval | 12,000 | 13 May 1922 |

### Round 3

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Fitzroy | 14.13 (97) | Geelong | 10.12 (72) | Brunswick Street Oval | 12,000 | 20 May 1922 |
| Essendon | 12.12 (84) | South Melbourne | 8.13 (61) | Windy Hill | 20,000 | 20 May 1922 |
| St Kilda | 12.12 (84) | Melbourne | 11.8 (74) | Junction Oval | 10,000 | 20 May 1922 |
| Collingwood | 10.18 (78) | Carlton | 10.11 (71) | Victoria Park | 25,000 | 20 May 1922 |

### Round 4

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 11.9 (75) | Richmond | 11.7 (73) | Corio Oval | 12,000 | 27 May 1922 |
| Carlton | 14.12 (96) | Melbourne | 8.16 (64) | Princes Park | 15,000 | 27 May 1922 |
| South Melbourne | 8.13 (61) | St Kilda | 12.5 (77) | Lake Oval | 20,000 | 27 May 1922 |
| Fitzroy | 6.15 (51) | Essendon | 7.9 (51) | Brunswick Street Oval | 26,000 | 27 May 1922 |

### Round 5

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Collingwood | 15.14 (104) | St Kilda | 4.11 (35) | Victoria Park | 30,000 | 3 June 1922 |
| South Melbourne | 8.15 (63) | Carlton | 4.11 (35) | Lake Oval | 25,000 | 3 June 1922 |
| Melbourne | 9.12 (66) | Geelong | 9.6 (60) | MCG | 16,189 | 5 June 1922 |
| Richmond | 7.12 (54) | Essendon | 9.10 (64) | Punt Road Oval | 40,000 | 5 June 1922 |

### Round 6

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Fitzroy | 9.18 (72) | Richmond | 7.9 (51) | Brunswick Street Oval | 30,000 | 10 June 1922 |
| Essendon | 12.21 (93) | Melbourne | 5.12 (42) | Windy Hill | 15,000 | 10 June 1922 |
| Carlton | 13.19 (97) | St Kilda | 12.14 (86) | Princes Park | 15,000 | 10 June 1922 |
| Geelong | 8.9 (57) | Collingwood | 19.6 (120) | Corio Oval | 12,000 | 10 June 1922 |

### Round 7

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Collingwood | 15.10 (100) | Fitzroy | 10.8 (68) | Victoria Park | 30,000 | 17 June 1922 |
| Carlton | 8.15 (63) | Geelong | 9.19 (73) | Princes Park | 12,000 | 17 June 1922 |
| South Melbourne | 10.14 (74) | Richmond | 12.7 (79) | Lake Oval | 20,000 | 17 June 1922 |
| St Kilda | 13.11 (89) | Essendon | 15.7 (97) | Junction Oval | 20,000 | 17 June 1922 |

### Round 8

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 7.12 (54) | St Kilda | 10.5 (65) | Corio Oval | 12,000 | 24 June 1922 |
| Fitzroy | 9.13 (67) | South Melbourne | 8.8 (56) | Brunswick Street Oval | 20,000 | 24 June 1922 |
| Melbourne | 9.13 (67) | Collingwood | 7.17 (59) | MCG | 17,496 | 24 June 1922 |
| Richmond | 10.6 (66) | Carlton | 12.11 (83) | Punt Road Oval | 30,000 | 24 June 1922 |

### Round 9

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 11.13 (79) | St Kilda | 7.12 (54) | Punt Road Oval | 25,000 | 1 July 1922 |
| Geelong | 16.18 (114) | South Melbourne | 4.6 (30) | Corio Oval | 8,000 | 1 July 1922 |
| Fitzroy | 5.19 (49) | Melbourne | 4.9 (33) | Brunswick Street Oval | 12,000 | 1 July 1922 |
| Essendon | 7.14 (56) | Collingwood | 10.5 (65) | Windy Hill | 30,000 | 1 July 1922 |

### Round 10

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 15.10 (100) | South Melbourne | 9.18 (72) | MCG | 9,850 | 15 July 1922 |
| Fitzroy | 13.11 (89) | St Kilda | 8.14 (62) | Brunswick Street Oval | 17,000 | 15 July 1922 |
| Collingwood | 6.14 (50) | Richmond | 3.13 (31) | Victoria Park | 25,000 | 15 July 1922 |
| Carlton | 11.19 (85) | Essendon | 7.10 (52) | Princes Park | 30,000 | 15 July 1922 |

### Round 11

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Essendon | 12.10 (82) | Geelong | 13.16 (94) | Windy Hill | 15,000 | 22 July 1922 |
| Richmond | 11.14 (80) | Melbourne | 10.17 (77) | Punt Road Oval | 18,000 | 22 July 1922 |
| South Melbourne | 7.14 (56) | Collingwood | 8.16 (64) | Lake Oval | 20,000 | 22 July 1922 |
| Fitzroy | 11.13 (79) | Carlton | 9.7 (61) | Brunswick Street Oval | 30,000 | 22 July 1922 |

### Round 12

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 13.10 (88) | St Kilda | 11.10 (76) | MCG | 14,929 | 29 July 1922 |
| Carlton | 12.16 (88) | Collingwood | 11.17 (83) | Princes Park | 34,000 | 29 July 1922 |
| Geelong | 5.9 (39) | Fitzroy | 5.19 (49) | Corio Oval | 15,000 | 29 July 1922 |
| South Melbourne | 14.15 (99) | Essendon | 11.8 (74) | Lake Oval | 20,000 | 29 July 1922 |

### Round 13

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| St Kilda | 10.15 (75) | South Melbourne | 11.9 (75) | Junction Oval | 15,000 | 5 August 1922 |
| Essendon | 15.7 (97) | Fitzroy | 12.16 (88) | Windy Hill | 20,000 | 5 August 1922 |
| Richmond | 12.17 (89) | Geelong | 11.13 (79) | Punt Road Oval | 15,000 | 5 August 1922 |
| Melbourne | 10.4 (64) | Carlton | 8.13 (61) | MCG | 25,220 | 5 August 1922 |

### Round 14

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 11.6 (72) | Melbourne | 5.16 (46) | Corio Oval | 8,000 | 19 August 1922 |
| Essendon | 15.13 (103) | Richmond | 10.6 (66) | Windy Hill | 25,000 | 19 August 1922 |
| Carlton | 14.19 (103) | South Melbourne | 10.15 (75) | Princes Park | 17,000 | 19 August 1922 |
| St Kilda | 6.10 (46) | Collingwood | 8.9 (57) | Junction Oval | 18,000 | 19 August 1922 |

### Round 15

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Collingwood | 8.20 (68) | Geelong | 6.8 (44) | Victoria Park | 8,000 | 26 August 1922 |
| Richmond | 5.10 (40) | Fitzroy | 3.14 (32) | Punt Road Oval | 5,000 | 26 August 1922 |
| Melbourne | 3.10 (28) | Essendon | 6.8 (44) | MCG | 19,206 | 26 August 1922 |
| St Kilda | 4.16 (40) | Carlton | 5.19 (49) | Junction Oval | 10,000 | 26 August 1922 |

### Round 16

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 13.8 (86) | South Melbourne | 9.10 (64) | Punt Road Oval | 15,000 | 2 September 1922 |
| Essendon | 8.15 (63) | St Kilda | 8.7 (55) | Windy Hill | 15,000 | 2 September 1922 |
| Fitzroy | 8.14 (62) | Collingwood | 11.13 (79) | Brunswick Street Oval | 25,000 | 2 September 1922 |
| Geelong | 11.10 (76) | Carlton | 16.15 (111) | Corio Oval | 15,000 | 2 September 1922 |

### Round 17

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Collingwood | 11.16 (82) | Melbourne | 7.11 (53) | Victoria Park | 15,000 | 9 September 1922 |
| Carlton | 14.10 (94) | Richmond | 7.8 (50) | Princes Park | 25,000 | 9 September 1922 |
| St Kilda | 18.18 (126) | Geelong | 10.11 (71) | Junction Oval | 10,000 | 9 September 1922 |
| South Melbourne | 11.12 (78) | Fitzroy | 14.9 (93) | Lake Oval | 10,000 | 9 September 1922 |

### Round 18

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Collingwood | 6.11 (47) | Essendon | 6.7 (43) | Victoria Park | 32,000 | 16 September 1922 |
| St Kilda | 7.22 (64) | Richmond | 5.7 (37) | Junction Oval | 4,000 | 16 September 1922 |
| South Melbourne | 21.10 (136) | Geelong | 8.10 (58) | Lake Oval | 3,000 | 16 September 1922 |
| Melbourne | 7.13 (55) | Fitzroy | 8.15 (63) | Princes Park | 5,000 | 16 September 1922 |

## Ladder

| (P) | Premiers |
| | Qualified for finals |
| # | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts |
| 1 | Collingwood | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 1178 | 922 | 127.8 | 48 |
| 2 | Essendon | 16 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 1147 | 1028 | 111.6 | 42 |
| 3 | Fitzroy (P) | 16 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 1091 | 1003 | 108.8 | 42 |
| 4 | Carlton | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 1232 | 1092 | 112.8 | 40 |
| 5 | Richmond | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 1039 | 1129 | 92.0 | 28 |
| 6 | Melbourne | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 1005 | 1131 | 88.9 | 28 |
| 7 | St Kilda | 16 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 1090 | 1164 | 93.6 | 22 |
| 8 | Geelong | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 1080 | 1285 | 84.0 | 20 |
| 9 | South Melbourne | 16 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 1127 | 1235 | 91.3 | 18 |
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for Average score: 69.4 Source: AFL Tables

## Finals series

All of the 1922 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; however, in the Grand Final, the home team was the team that won the preliminary final.

### Semi-finals

| Home team | Score | Away team | Score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Essendon | 5.9 (39) | Carlton | 4.10 (34) | MCG | 64,148 | 23 September |
| Collingwood | 5.12 (42) | Fitzroy | 6.10 (46) | MCG | 43,045 | 30 September |

### Preliminary final

| Home team | Score | Away team | Score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Fitzroy | 9.14 (68) | Essendon | 6.9 (45) | MCG | 50,021 | 7 October |

### Grand final
## Season notes

* Essendon began playing its home games at the Essendon Recreation Reserve (known today as Windy Hill) from this season, after the closure of the East Melbourne Cricket Ground at the end of 1921.
* Boundary umpires became responsible for bringing the ball back to the centre after a goal has been scored.
* Angry Richmond fans invaded the field after Richmond's 10-point loss against Essendon in Round 5. Field umpire Arthur Norden, later received a letter threatening his life, and he retired.
* The first issue of the "pink paper", the Saturday evening newspaper The Sporting Globe, was published on 22 July 1922.
* In the Round 17 match against Geelong, St Kilda's centre half-forward Dave McNamara had 12 kicks for the match. From the twelve kicks he scored ten goals, nine of them with place kicks (one 70 yards, another 65 yards), and the tenth was scored with a punt kick. By contrast with that accurate kicking, on the following Saturday, in the Round 18 match against Richmond, McNamara kicked 1.13 (19).
* South Melbourne's percentage of 91.3% is the highest ever by the team finishing last.

## Awards

* The 1922 VFL Premiership team was Fitzroy.
* The VFL's leading goalkicker was Horrie Clover of Carlton with 54 goals (56 after finals).
* South Melbourne took the "wooden spoon" in 1922.
* The Victorian Junior League premiership, which is today recognised as the VFL reserves premiership, was won by Collingwood District (main: 1922 VJFL season).