The 1909 VFL season was the 13th season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest-level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured ten clubs and ran from 1 May to 2 October, comprising an 18-match home-and-away season followed by a four-week finals series featuring the top four clubs.

1909 VFL premiership season
South Melbourne 1909 VFL premiership team
Date1 May—2 October 1909
Teams10
PremiersSouth Melbourne
1st premiership
Minor premiersSouth Melbourne
1st minor premiership
Leading goalkicker medallistDick Lee (Collingwood)
58 goals
Matches played94
← 1908
1910 →

South Melbourne won the premiership, defeating Carlton by two points in the 1909 VFL grand final; it was South Melbourne's first VFL premiership. South Melbourne also won the minor premiership by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with a 14–4 win–loss record. Collingwood's Dick Lee won his third consecutive leading goalkicker medal as the league's leading goalkicker.

Background

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In 1909, the VFL competition consisted of ten 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.

Once the 18 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1909 VFL premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the amended Argus system.

Home-and-away season

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Round 1

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Geelong 6.8 (44) South Melbourne 8.5 (53) Corio Oval 1 May 1909
Essendon 6.18 (54) St Kilda 6.8 (44) EMCG 1 May 1909
Collingwood 9.7 (61) Fitzroy 10.12 (72) Victoria Park 1 May 1909
Carlton 3.14 (32) University 6.11 (47) Princes Park 1 May 1909
Richmond 9.9 (63) Melbourne 11.8 (74) Punt Road Oval 1 May 1909

Round 2

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Fitzroy 12.16 (88) Geelong 3.10 (28) Brunswick Street Oval 8 May 1909
University 5.7 (37) Richmond 6.6 (42) EMCG 8 May 1909
Melbourne 7.5 (47) Essendon 9.13 (67) MCG 8 May 1909
St Kilda 3.5 (23) Collingwood 3.11 (29) Junction Oval 8 May 1909
South Melbourne 7.3 (45) Carlton 4.4 (28) Lake Oval 8 May 1909

Round 3

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
St Kilda 5.12 (42) University 2.9 (21) Junction Oval 15 May 1909
Essendon 8.18 (66) Geelong 9.5 (59) EMCG 15 May 1909
Carlton 7.8 (50) Collingwood 4.9 (33) Princes Park 15 May 1909
South Melbourne 12.16 (88) Melbourne 3.6 (24) Lake Oval 15 May 1909
Richmond 4.13 (37) Fitzroy 9.14 (68) Punt Road Oval 15 May 1909

Round 4

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Melbourne 6.15 (51) St Kilda 6.4 (40) MCG 22 May 1909
Fitzroy 5.7 (37) South Melbourne 11.10 (76) Brunswick Street Oval 22 May 1909
Essendon 8.11 (59) University 9.14 (68) EMCG 22 May 1909
Collingwood 12.13 (85) Richmond 7.7 (49) Victoria Park 22 May 1909
Geelong 12.13 (85) Carlton 8.13 (61) Corio Oval 22 May 1909

Round 5

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
St Kilda 7.8 (50) Richmond 11.4 (70) Junction Oval 29 May 1909
University 9.9 (63) Geelong 3.10 (28) EMCG 29 May 1909
Fitzroy 5.7 (37) Essendon 8.13 (61) Brunswick Street Oval 29 May 1909
South Melbourne 6.10 (46) Collingwood 3.8 (26) Lake Oval 29 May 1909
Melbourne 8.9 (57) Carlton 12.8 (80) MCG 29 May 1909

Round 6

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Richmond 10.11 (71) South Melbourne 8.10 (58) Punt Road Oval 5 June 1909
Geelong 6.12 (48)Note St Kilda 6.13 (49) Corio Oval 5 June 1909
Collingwood 10.13 (73) Essendon 4.7 (31) Victoria Park 5 June 1909
Carlton 6.12 (48) Fitzroy 5.9 (39) Princes Park 5 June 1909
University 6.10 (46) Melbourne 9.11 (65) EMCG 5 June 1909

Round 7

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Essendon 9.8 (62) South Melbourne 9.9 (63) EMCG 7 June 1909
Collingwood 8.17 (65) University 4.5 (29) Victoria Park 7 June 1909
Carlton 10.12 (72) Richmond 6.7 (43) Princes Park 7 June 1909
Melbourne 18.9 (117) Geelong 5.8 (38) MCG 7 June 1909
St Kilda 4.11 (35) Fitzroy 11.10 (76) Junction Oval 7 June 1909

Round 8

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
South Melbourne 11.15 (81) University 2.6 (18) Lake Oval 12 June 1909
Fitzroy 5.12 (42) Melbourne 8.7 (55) Brunswick Street Oval 12 June 1909
Essendon 8.7 (55) Richmond 8.15 (63) EMCG 12 June 1909
Geelong 5.10 (40) Collingwood 10.8 (68) Corio Oval 12 June 1909
St Kilda 5.10 (40) Carlton 10.9 (69) Junction Oval 12 June 1909

Round 9

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Carlton 6.14 (50) Essendon 4.9 (33) Princes Park 19 June 1909
South Melbourne 14.13 (97) St Kilda 2.8 (20) Lake Oval 19 June 1909
Richmond 4.15 (39) Geelong 5.7 (37) Punt Road Oval 19 June 1909
University 8.20 (68) Fitzroy 3.10 (28) EMCG 26 June 1909
Melbourne 10.5 (65) Collingwood 10.5 (65) MCG 26 June 1909

Round 10

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Melbourne 12.10 (82) Richmond 2.3 (15) MCG 3 July 1909
South Melbourne 17.9 (111) Geelong 4.7 (31) Lake Oval 3 July 1909
St Kilda 6.6 (42) Essendon 9.18 (72) Junction Oval 3 July 1909
Fitzroy 2.9 (21) Collingwood 6.16 (52) Brunswick Street Oval 3 July 1909
University 7.7 (49) Carlton 10.9 (69) EMCG 3 July 1909

Round 11

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Richmond 7.8 (50) University 11.15 (81) Punt Road Oval 10 July 1909
Essendon 5.10 (40) Melbourne 3.12 (30) EMCG 10 July 1909
Collingwood 11.18 (84) St Kilda 6.8 (44) Victoria Park 10 July 1909
Carlton 9.14 (68) South Melbourne 6.8 (44) Princes Park 10 July 1909
Geelong 9.7 (61) Fitzroy 13.9 (87) Corio Oval 10 July 1909

Round 12

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Melbourne 3.6 (24) South Melbourne 6.9 (45) MCG 17 July 1909
Fitzroy 9.14 (68) Richmond 3.7 (25) Brunswick Street Oval 17 July 1909
University 11.14 (80) St Kilda 4.2 (26) EMCG 17 July 1909
Geelong 6.9 (45) Essendon 12.8 (80) Corio Oval 17 July 1909
Collingwood 5.7 (37) Carlton 5.6 (36) Victoria Park 17 July 1909

Round 13

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Carlton 19.16 (130) Geelong 10.10 (70) Princes Park 24 July 1909
St Kilda 5.11 (41) Melbourne 12.7 (79) Junction Oval 24 July 1909
South Melbourne 4.6 (30) Fitzroy 5.14 (44) Lake Oval 24 July 1909
University 4.19 (43) Essendon 11.9 (75) EMCG 24 July 1909
Richmond 5.7 (37) Collingwood 8.24 (72) Punt Road Oval 24 July 1909

Round 14

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Richmond 9.11 (65) St Kilda 6.13 (49) Punt Road Oval 31 July 1909
Geelong 6.11 (47) University 12.15 (87) Corio Oval 31 July 1909
Essendon 10.9 (69) Fitzroy 7.7 (49) EMCG 31 July 1909
Collingwood 8.6 (54) South Melbourne 6.7 (43) Victoria Park 31 July 1909
Carlton 10.21 (81) Melbourne 4.6 (30) Princes Park 31 July 1909

Round 15

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
St Kilda 3.8 (26) Geelong 2.10 (22) Junction Oval 7 August 1909
Essendon 14.14 (98) Collingwood 6.6 (42) EMCG 7 August 1909
Melbourne 4.4 (28) University 2.15 (27) MCG 14 August 1909
South Melbourne 18.11 (119) Richmond 3.8 (26) Lake Oval 14 August 1909
Fitzroy 2.9 (21) Carlton 11.6 (72) Brunswick Street Oval 14 August 1909

Round 16

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Geelong 6.9 (45) Melbourne 9.14 (68) Corio Oval 21 August 1909
Fitzroy 11.11 (77) St Kilda 5.1 (31) Brunswick Street Oval 21 August 1909
South Melbourne 6.5 (41) Essendon 5.7 (37) Lake Oval 21 August 1909
University 5.9 (39) Collingwood 5.9 (39) EMCG 21 August 1909
Richmond 9.6 (60) Carlton 14.16 (100) Punt Road Oval 21 August 1909

Round 17

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Collingwood 11.11 (77) Geelong 4.8 (32) Victoria Park 28 August 1909
Carlton 11.13 (79) St Kilda 5.3 (33) Princes Park 28 August 1909
University 5.9 (39) South Melbourne 9.11 (65) EMCG 28 August 1909
Melbourne 9.7 (61) Fitzroy 4.7 (31) MCG 28 August 1909
Richmond 5.9 (39) Essendon 12.11 (83) Punt Road Oval 28 August 1909

Round 18

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Date
St Kilda 5.5 (35) South Melbourne 7.15 (57) Junction Oval 4 September 1909
Geelong 13.14 (92) Richmond 4.7 (31) Corio Oval 4 September 1909
Fitzroy 9.6 (60) University 8.12 (60) Brunswick Street Oval 4 September 1909
Collingwood 15.18 (108) Melbourne 9.12 (66) Victoria Park 4 September 1909
Essendon 4.10 (34) Carlton 6.13 (49) EMCG 4 September 1909

Ladder

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(P) Premiers
Qualified for finals
# Team P W L D PF PA % Pts
1 South Melbourne (P) 18 14 4 0 1162 688 168.9 56
2 Carlton 18 14 4 0 1174 800 146.8 56
3 Collingwood 18 12 4 2 1070 821 130.3 52
4 Essendon 18 11 7 0 1076 884 121.7 44
5 Melbourne 18 10 7 1 1023 962 106.3 42
6 Fitzroy 18 8 9 1 945 930 101.6 34
7 University 18 7 9 2 902 901 100.1 32
8 Richmond 18 6 12 0 825 1282 64.4 24
9 Geelong 18 3 15 0 852 1301 65.5 12
10 St Kilda 18 2 16 0 670 1130 59.3 8

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 53.9
Source: AFL Tables

Finals series

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All of the 1909 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 but in the Grand Final the home team was the team that won the Preliminary Final.

Semi-finals

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Home team Score Away team Score Venue Date
Carlton 14.8 (92) Essendon 9.2 (56) MCG 11 September
South Melbourne 10.8 (68) Collingwood 6.11 (47) MCG 18 September

Preliminary final

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Home team Score Away team Score Venue Date
South Melbourne 7.5 (47) Carlton 10.9 (69) MCG 25 September

Grand final

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Home team Score Away team Score Venue Date
Carlton 4.12 (36) South Melbourne 4.14 (38) MCG 2 October

Season notes

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  • In the second-round match against the University Football Club, badly concussed Richmond follower Bill Burns, who was about to leave for hospital, heard that Richmond was about to lose the match, returned to the field of play, took a mark, kicked the winning goal, and was carried off the ground on his teammates' shoulders. Later in 1909, Burns was suspended for life after being found guilty of a kicking charge; however, the sentence was later reduced on appeal.
  • On 19 May 1909, the VFL Permit Committee considered the extraordinary application for a clearance to Carlton by South Melbourne footballer Bill Goddard. Although Goddard had played in all of South Melbourne's pre-season matches, South Melbourne readily agreed to clear him on the grounds that "he will not be selected in our team as we do not considered him good enough as a player".[1] The application was made independently by Goddard, and unsolicited by Carlton, because Goddard "had seen a couple of the Carlton players who told him that he could get a game" and "[having seen] one of the committee, had decided to apply for a clearance".[1] However, Carlton's secretary, Jack Worrall, informed the Committee that "This application has been made without the consent of my committee, and I further wish to state the committee do not desire the services of Mr. Goddard".[1] The Permit Committee refused Goddard's application.[2]
    • (Goddard transferred to Carlton in 1910, playing 13 senior games with Carlton, before transferring to St Kilda in 1911.)
  • ^ In Round 6, St Kilda defeated Geelong on the field by one point, but the game was awarded to Geelong on protest after it was established that Billy Stewart, who played for St Kilda in that match, was under suspension for a striking in match in Bendigo the previous week. St Kilda had been aware that Stewart was suspended, but its defence against playing him was procedural: that although Stewart's suspension had been handed down on 3 June, it had not been formally communicated to the VFL until 6 June, one day after the match; but the League found that the suspension was valid for the dates specified by the Bendigo Football Association, and it did not need to have been communicated to the League for it to reciprocally valid.[3] This is the only such forfeiture to have lasted in senior VFL/AFL history (other such forfeits have temporarily occurred in the seniors, but were later reversed on appeal).
  • In Round 7 against Geelong, Harry Brereton of Melbourne, in only his seventh game, became the first player to kick nine or more goals in a match since Jim McShane in 1899.
  • A Round 8 match between Fitzroy and Melbourne was marred by numerous incidents of foul play. Spectators were involved in a large brawl at the end of the game.
  • The Round 13 match between Carlton and Geelong saw the teams score an aggregate of 29.26 (200), the highest in VFL history to that time.
  • There were riots in the crowd after the Round 13 match between South Melbourne and Fitzroy.
  • An imminent on-field brawl between players from Collingwood and South Melbourne in their Round 14 match was averted when the appearance of a policeman on the ground calmed both teams down.
  • The Round 15 match between St Kilda and Geelong is the last VFL/AFL game as of 2017 in which no goals were scored in the second half. On a flooded Junction Oval, St Kilda kicked 0.7 to Geelong's 0.5 after half time.
  • University's draw with Collingwood in Round 16 was the closest that the Students got to defeating the Magpies in a League match.[4]
  • A Collingwood spectator jumped the fence at the Round 18 match against Melbourne and punched a Melbourne player. Melbourne's Secretary, Mr. J.A. Harper, ran onto the field and made a citizens' arrest.
  • The Argus newspaper published the height, weight and occupation of each player in the finals for the first time.

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Migratory Footballers: A Peculiar case, The Argus, (Thursday, 20 May 1909), p.5.
  2. ^ Victorian League: Permit Business, The Age, (Thursday, 20 May 1909), p.8.
  3. ^ "Football Protest – Match awarded to Geelong". The Argus. Melbourne. 12 June 1909. p. 17.
  4. ^ Fiddian, Marc (1994). Boilovers, Thrillers and Grand Eras in League and Association Football. Pakenham, Victoria: Pakenham Gazette. p. 31. ISBN 1875475087.
  • Hogan, P., The Tigers Of Old, The Richmond Football Club, (Richmond), 1996. ISBN 0-646-18748-1
  • Maplestone, M., Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996, Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996. ISBN 0-9591740-2-8
  • 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

Sources

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