1938 VFL Premiership season Teams 12 Premiers Carlton (6th premiership)Minor premiers Carlton (9th minor premiership)Matches played 112 Highest attendance 96,486 Leading Goalkicker Medallist Ron Todd (Collingwood ) Brownlow Medallist Dick Reynolds (Essendon )
The 1938 Victorian Football League season was the 42nd season of the elite Australian rules football competition.
Premiership season [ ]
In 1938, 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 18 rounds; matches 12 to 18 were the "home-and-way reverse" of matches 1 to 7.
Once the 18 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1938 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the Page–McIntyre system .
Round 1 [ ]
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Venue
Crowd
Date
Geelong
17.13 (115)
Melbourne
20.12 (132)
Corio Oval
16,000
23 April 1938
Essendon
17.17 (119)
St Kilda
12.13 (85)
Windy Hill
15,000
23 April 1938
Richmond
19.26 (140)
North Melbourne
9.9 (63)
Punt Road Oval
16,000
23 April 1938
South Melbourne
14.13 (97)
Footscray
9.14 (68)
Lake Oval
18,000
23 April 1938
Fitzroy
12.15 (87)
Collingwood
14.21 (105)
Brunswick Street Oval
22,000
23 April 1938
Hawthorn
11.10 (76)
Carlton
14.8 (92)
Glenferrie Oval
18,000
23 April 1938
Round 2 [ ]
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Venue
Crowd
Date
North Melbourne
9.10 (64)
South Melbourne
6.8 (44)
Arden Street Oval
11,000
30 April 1938
Collingwood
18.19 (127)
Essendon
9.20 (74)
Victoria Park
15,000
30 April 1938
Carlton
12.23 (95)
Richmond
14.10 (94)
Princes Park
32,000
30 April 1938
Melbourne
14.8 (92)
Hawthorn
16.15 (111)
MCG
11,327
30 April 1938
St Kilda
13.16 (94)
Geelong
8.17 (65)
Junction Oval
17,000
30 April 1938
Footscray
13.17 (95)
Fitzroy
10.5 (65)
Western Oval
15,000
30 April 1938
Round 3 [ ]
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Venue
Crowd
Date
Geelong
20.16 (136)
North Melbourne
6.11 (47)
Corio Oval
9,500
7 May 1938
Fitzroy
12.11 (83)
Melbourne
17.14 (116)
Brunswick Street Oval
14,000
7 May 1938
South Melbourne
8.12 (60)
St Kilda
11.17 (83)
Lake Oval
18,000
7 May 1938
Hawthorn
8.14 (62)
Footscray
9.16 (70)
Glenferrie Oval
14,500
7 May 1938
Richmond
15.12 (102)
Collingwood
11.26 (92)
Punt Road Oval
30,000
7 May 1938
Essendon
14.17 (101)
Carlton
15.12 (102)
Windy Hill
17,000
7 May 1938
Round 4 [ ]
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Venue
Crowd
Date
Melbourne
23.15 (153)
South Melbourne
15.11 (101)
MCG
14,569
14 May 1938
Footscray
8.17 (65)
Geelong
10.12 (72)
Western Oval
16,000
14 May 1938
Collingwood
21.15 (141)
Hawthorn
14.16 (100)
Victoria Park
14,000
14 May 1938
Carlton
17.19 (121)
Fitzroy
10.10 (70)
Princes Park
16,000
14 May 1938
St Kilda
15.9 (99)
Richmond
13.11 (89)
Junction Oval
25,000
14 May 1938
North Melbourne
14.17 (101)
Essendon
19.11 (125)
Arden Street Oval
15,000
14 May 1938
Round 5 [ ]
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Venue
Crowd
Date
Hawthorn
13.9 (87)
Richmond
12.12 (84)
Glenferrie Oval
18,000
21 May 1938
Essendon
15.15 (105)
South Melbourne
11.19 (85)
Windy Hill
14,000
21 May 1938
St Kilda
11.16 (82)
North Melbourne
10.12 (72)
Junction Oval
14,000
21 May 1938
Melbourne
10.12 (72)
Footscray
10.16 (76)
MCG
14,979
21 May 1938
Geelong
21.21 (147)
Fitzroy
11.9 (75)
Corio Oval
10,000
21 May 1938
Collingwood
17.12 (114)
Carlton
19.16 (130)
Victoria Park
38,000
21 May 1938
Round 6 [ ]
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Venue
Crowd
Date
Footscray
17.19 (121)
St Kilda
7.13 (55)
Western Oval
21,000
28 May 1938
Carlton
14.18 (102)
Melbourne
16.11 (107)
Princes Park
20,000
28 May 1938
South Melbourne
13.16 (94)
Hawthorn
18.12 (120)
Lake Oval
11,000
28 May 1938
Richmond
18.9 (117)
Geelong
12.16 (88)
Punt Road Oval
22,000
28 May 1938
Fitzroy
14.9 (93)
Essendon
11.13 (79)
Brunswick Street Oval
13,000
28 May 1938
North Melbourne
10.7 (67)
Collingwood
23.11 (149)
Arden Street Oval
12,000
28 May 1938
Round 7 [ ]
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Venue
Crowd
Date
Geelong
19.32 (146)
South Melbourne
10.10 (70)
Corio Oval
8,000
4 June 1938
Fitzroy
12.15 (87)
Richmond
14.10 (94)
Brunswick Street Oval
16,000
4 June 1938
Essendon
16.20 (116)
Hawthorn
16.7 (103)
Windy Hill
12,000
4 June 1938
North Melbourne
9.14 (68)
Footscray
9.16 (70)
Arden Street Oval
15,000
4 June 1938
Melbourne
17.13 (115)
Collingwood
15.11 (101)
MCG
30,877
4 June 1938
St Kilda
6.15 (51)
Carlton
12.18 (90)
Junction Oval
24,000
4 June 1938
Round 8 [ ]
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Venue
Crowd
Date
Melbourne
18.14 (122)
North Melbourne
14.8 (92)
MCG
12,808
11 June 1938
Essendon
12.12 (84)
Geelong
14.23 (107)
Windy Hill
19,000
11 June 1938
Collingwood
16.23 (119)
St Kilda
14.9 (93)
Victoria Park
17,500
11 June 1938
Carlton
15.20 (110)
Footscray
12.11 (83)
Princes Park
43,000
13 June 1938
South Melbourne
8.14 (62)
Richmond
20.15 (135)
Lake Oval
19,000
13 June 1938
Hawthorn
7.11 (53)
Fitzroy
12.22 (94)
Glenferrie Oval
16,000
13 June 1938
Round 9 [ ]
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Venue
Crowd
Date
Geelong
11.23 (89)
Hawthorn
6.13 (49)
Corio Oval
7,000
18 June 1938
Fitzroy
16.12 (108)
South Melbourne
8.8 (56)
Brunswick Street Oval
12,000
18 June 1938
St Kilda
14.12 (96)
Melbourne
16.16 (112)
Junction Oval
14,000
18 June 1938
Richmond
15.14 (104)
Essendon
15.9 (99)
Punt Road Oval
20,000
18 June 1938
Footscray
13.9 (87)
Collingwood
10.5 (65)
Western Oval
18,000
18 June 1938
North Melbourne
11.5 (71)
Carlton
16.25 (121)
Arden Street Oval
13,000
18 June 1938
Round 10 [ ]
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Venue
Crowd
Date
Hawthorn
8.12 (60)
St Kilda
9.10 (64)
Glenferrie Oval
10,000
25 June 1938
Fitzroy
12.16 (88)
North Melbourne
6.10 (46)
Brunswick Street Oval
12,000
25 June 1938
Essendon
14.16 (100)
Footscray
17.9 (111)
Windy Hill
18,000
25 June 1938
Richmond
12.17 (89)
Melbourne
10.8 (68)
Punt Road Oval
23,000
25 June 1938
Geelong
13.12 (90)
Collingwood
13.17 (95)
Corio Oval
13,000
25 June 1938
South Melbourne
11.7 (73)
Carlton
16.13 (109)
Lake Oval
14,000
25 June 1938
Round 11 [ ]
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Venue
Crowd
Date
Footscray
13.20 (98)
Richmond
7.4 (46)
Western Oval
20,000
2 July 1938
Collingwood
12.17 (89)
South Melbourne
12.5 (77)
Victoria Park
10,000
2 July 1938
Carlton
12.16 (88)
Geelong
12.10 (82)
Princes Park
19,500
2 July 1938
North Melbourne
13.14 (92)
Hawthorn
12.6 (78)
Arden Street Oval
4,000
2 July 1938
St Kilda
11.8 (74)
Fitzroy
10.11 (71)
Junction Oval
10,000
2 July 1938
Melbourne
11.13 (79)
Essendon
13.7 (85)
MCG
12,054
2 July 1938
Round 12 [ ]
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Venue
Crowd
Date
St Kilda
15.13 (103)
Essendon
22.17 (149)
Junction Oval
17,000
13 June 1938
North Melbourne
14.3 (87)
Richmond
12.11 (83)
Arden Street Oval
11,000
9 July 1938
Footscray
19.19 (133)
South Melbourne
10.10 (70)
Western Oval
16,000
9 July 1938
Collingwood
10.19 (79)
Fitzroy
10.13 (73)
Victoria Park
15,000
9 July 1938
Carlton
12.12 (84)
Hawthorn
8.15 (63)
Princes Park
14,000
9 July 1938
Melbourne
11.8 (74)
Geelong
13.14 (92)
MCG
20,185
9 July 1938
Round 13 [ ]
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Venue
Crowd
Date
Hawthorn
10.9 (69)
Melbourne
9.16 (70)
Glenferrie Oval
7,000
23 July 1938
Geelong
14.20 (104)
St Kilda
15.13 (103)
Corio Oval
7,000
23 July 1938
Fitzroy
13.8 (86)
Footscray
18.21 (129)
Brunswick Street Oval
16,000
23 July 1938
South Melbourne
14.11 (95)
North Melbourne
13.18 (96)
Lake Oval
8,000
23 July 1938
Essendon
17.17 (119)
Collingwood
17.16 (118)
Windy Hill
13,000
23 July 1938
Richmond
20.12 (132)
Carlton
12.19 (91)
Punt Road Oval
28,000
23 July 1938
Round 14 [ ]
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Venue
Crowd
Date
St Kilda
10.12 (72)
South Melbourne
7.12 (54)
Junction Oval
10,000
30 July 1938
Footscray
17.14 (116)
Hawthorn
4.7 (31)
Western Oval
11,000
30 July 1938
Collingwood
9.9 (63)
Richmond
11.10 (76)
Victoria Park
22,000
30 July 1938
Carlton
11.16 (82)
Essendon
10.16 (76)
Princes Park
18,000
30 July 1938
North Melbourne
7.9 (51)
Geelong
15.16 (106)
Arden Street Oval
8,000
30 July 1938
Melbourne
14.12 (96)
Fitzroy
14.9 (93)
MCG
9,060
30 July 1938
Round 15 [ ]
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Venue
Crowd
Date
Richmond
7.11 (53)
St Kilda
7.14 (56)
Punt Road Oval
15,000
6 August 1938
Essendon
13.9 (87)
North Melbourne
16.8 (104)
Windy Hill
10,000
6 August 1938
South Melbourne
9.16 (70)
Melbourne
14.15 (99)
Lake Oval
8,000
6 August 1938
Geelong
13.15 (93)
Footscray
10.10 (70)
Corio Oval
18,500
6 August 1938
Hawthorn
12.11 (83)
Collingwood
18.15 (123)
Glenferrie Oval
8,000
6 August 1938
Fitzroy
11.10 (76)
Carlton
19.12 (126)
Brunswick Street Oval
17,000
6 August 1938
Round 16 [ ]
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Venue
Crowd
Date
North Melbourne
12.11 (83)
St Kilda
7.15 (57)
Arden Street Oval
9,000
13 August 1938
Footscray
19.17 (131)
Melbourne
13.13 (91)
Western Oval
19,000
13 August 1938
Fitzroy
13.12 (90)
Geelong
19.12 (126)
Brunswick Street Oval
8,000
13 August 1938
Carlton
14.17 (101)
Collingwood
19.7 (121)
Princes Park
37,000
13 August 1938
Richmond
19.18 (132)
Hawthorn
12.11 (83)
Punt Road Oval
9,000
13 August 1938
South Melbourne
13.13 (91)
Essendon
12.14 (86)
Lake Oval
8,000
13 August 1938
Round 17 [ ]
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Venue
Crowd
Date
Hawthorn
17.15 (117)
South Melbourne
9.20 (74)
Glenferrie Oval
7,000
20 August 1938
Geelong
20.17 (137)
Richmond
12.12 (84)
Corio Oval
19,500
20 August 1938
Essendon
15.17 (107)
Fitzroy
15.6 (96)
Windy Hill
9,000
20 August 1938
Collingwood
22.18 (150)
North Melbourne
14.12 (96)
Victoria Park
14,000
20 August 1938
St Kilda
17.17 (119)
Footscray
12.9 (81)
Junction Oval
17,000
20 August 1938
Melbourne
14.12 (96)
Carlton
11.13 (79)
MCG
25,241
20 August 1938
Round 18 [ ]
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Venue
Crowd
Date
Footscray
18.11 (119)
North Melbourne
11.18 (84)
Western Oval
13,000
27 August 1938
Collingwood
12.19 (91)
Melbourne
11.16 (82)
Victoria Park
30,000
27 August 1938
Carlton
15.14 (104)
St Kilda
13.10 (88)
Princes Park
16,000
27 August 1938
South Melbourne
12.8 (80)
Geelong
15.12 (102)
Lake Oval
6,000
27 August 1938
Richmond
13.15 (93)
Fitzroy
15.18 (108)
Punt Road Oval
7,000
27 August 1938
Hawthorn
9.15 (69)
Essendon
12.18 (90)
Glenferrie Oval
6,500
27 August 1938
Ladder [ ]
1938 VFL ladder
Pos
Team
Pld
W
L
D
PF
PA
PP
Pts
1
Carlton (P)
18
14
4
0
1827
1574
116.1
56
Finals
2
Geelong
18
13
5
0
1897
1468
129.2
52
3
Footscray
18
13
5
0
1723
1386
124.3
52
4
Collingwood
18
12
6
0
1942
1652
117.6
48
5
Melbourne
18
11
7
0
1776
1676
106.0
44
6
Richmond
18
10
8
0
1747
1563
111.8
40
7
Essendon
18
9
9
0
1801
1760
102.3
36
8
St Kilda
18
9
9
0
1474
1606
91.8
36
9
North Melbourne
18
6
12
0
1384
1852
74.7
24
10
Fitzroy
18
5
13
0
1543
1742
88.6
20
11
Hawthorn
18
4
14
0
1414
1717
82.4
16
12
South Melbourne
18
2
16
0
1353
1885
71.8
8
Source:
VFL Ladder Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers
Finals [ ]
Semi finals [ ]
Home team
Score
Away team
Score
Venue
Crowd
Date
Footscray
10.16 (76)
Collingwood
18.9 (117)
MCG
68,556
3 September
Carlton
16.17 (113)
Geelong
10.21 (81)
MCG
65,332
10 September
Preliminary Final [ ]
Home team
Score
Away team
Score
Venue
Crowd
Date
Geelong
14.14 (98)
Collingwood
21.9 (135)
MCG
60,956
17 September
Grand final [ ]
Carlton defeated Collingwood 15.10 (100) to 13.7 (85), in front of a crowd of 96,834 people. (For an explanation of scoring see Australian rules football ).
Awards [ ]
The 1938 VFL Premiership team was Carlton .
The VFL's leading goalkicker was Ron Todd of Collingwood with 102 goals (120 after finals).
The Argus newspaper's "Player of the Year", was shared between Norman Ware of Footscray and Marcus Boyall of Collingwood .
The winner of the 1938 Brownlow Medal was Dick Reynolds of Essendon with 18 votes.
South Melbourne took the "wooden spoon" in 1938.
The seconds premiership was won by Geelong for the second consecutive season. Geelong 12.19 (91) defeated Footscray 12.8 (80) in the Grand Final, played as a stand-alone game on Thursday 29 September (Show Day holiday) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, before a crowd of 5,500.[1]
Notable events [ ]
Geelong half-back flanker Jack Grant won the 1938 130-yard Stawell Gift in eleven and eleven-sixteenths seconds, off a handicap of 11½ yards.
The VFL investigated an allegation from the Carlton Football Club that Collingwood rover Harry Collier had king-hit Carlton wingman Jack Carney (one of the smallest ever VFL players at 160 cm) as the teams left the field after the final bell of the Round 5 match at Victoria Park. Collier was suspended for the rest of the 1938 season.
Jack Titus revealed that he had been offered £50 by a betting syndicate to play "dead" in Richmond's Round 8 match against South Melbourne . Richmond thrashed South Melbourne 20.15 (135) to 8.14 (62).
Footscray becomes the first of the three teams who joined the league in 1925 to make the finals. North Melbourne would not make its first final appearance until 1945 and Hawthorn 's first appearance came in 1957.
With their win over Collingwood in Round 5, Carlton held an overall winning record against every other club in the competition. However, this would only last until Round 16 when the clubs next met, with Collingwood evening the record. With their Grand Final victory over the Magpies, Carlton once again had a winning record over every other club in combined regular season and finals matches. This would last until Round 8 of the following season , with Collingwood defeating Carlton to even their record.
Four of the six games in Round 13 were decided by a one-point margin.[2]
References [ ]
^ "Geelong's match". The Argus . Melbourne. 30 September 1938. p. 22.
^ Fiddian, Marc (1994). Boilovers, Thrillers and Grand Eras in League and Association Football . Pakenham, Victoria: Pakenham Gazette. p. 42. ISBN 1875475087 .
Rogers, S. & Brown, A., Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL Results 1897–1997 (Sixth Edition), Viking Books, (Ringwood), 1998. ISBN 0-670-90809-6
Ross, J. (ed), 100 Years of Australian Football 1897–1996: The Complete Story of the AFL, All the Big Stories, All the Great Pictures, All the Champions, Every AFL Season Reported , Viking, (Ringwood), 1996. ISBN 0-670-86814-0
External links [ ]
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