1937 VFL season

1937 VFL premiership season
Geelong captain-coach Reg Hickey
Teams	12
Premiers	Geelong 3rd premiership
Minor premiers	Geelong 5th minor premiership
Brownlow Medallist	Dick Reynolds (Essendon)
Leading goalkicker medallist	Dick Harris (Carlton)
Matches played	112
Highest	88,540
←  1936 1938  →

The 1937 VFL season was the 41st season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 24 April until 25 September, and comprised an 18-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top four clubs.

The premiership was won by the Geelong Football Club for the third time, after it defeated Collingwood by 32 points in the 1937 VFL Grand Final.

Background

In 1937, 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 1937 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
Melbourne	14.8 (92)	Richmond	9.12 (66)	MCG	19,726	24 April 1937
Collingwood	15.16 (106)	Geelong	13.12 (90)	Victoria Park	21,000	24 April 1937
Carlton	18.21 (129)	South Melbourne	7.17 (59)	Princes Park	33,000	24 April 1937
North Melbourne	9.22 (76)	Hawthorn	11.12 (78)	Arden Street Oval	11,000	24 April 1937
St Kilda	12.16 (88)	Fitzroy	10.21 (81)	Junction Oval	23,000	24 April 1937
Footscray	9.17 (71)	Essendon	9.13 (67)	Western Oval	18,000	24 April 1937

Round 2

Home team	Home team score	Away team	Away team score	Venue	Crowd	Date
Hawthorn	14.15 (99)	St Kilda	15.22 (112)	Glenferrie Oval	16,000	1 May 1937
Fitzroy	9.11 (65)	North Melbourne	10.7 (67)	Brunswick Street Oval	16,000	1 May 1937
Essendon	13.7 (85)	Melbourne	25.20 (170)	Windy Hill	14,000	1 May 1937
Richmond	17.15 (117)	Footscray	12.11 (83)	Punt Road Oval	16,000	1 May 1937
South Melbourne	11.19 (85)	Collingwood	20.20 (140)	Lake Oval	25,000	1 May 1937
Geelong	8.12 (60)	Carlton	6.13 (49)	Corio Oval	13,600	1 May 1937

Round 3

Home team	Home team score	Away team	Away team score	Venue	Crowd	Date
Footscray	6.10 (46)	St Kilda	7.9 (51)	Western Oval	13,000	8 May 1937
Fitzroy	15.15 (105)	Hawthorn	9.15 (69)	Brunswick Street Oval	9,000	8 May 1937
Essendon	18.13 (121)	Geelong	14.20 (104)	Windy Hill	11,000	8 May 1937
South Melbourne	11.15 (81)	Richmond	11.15 (81)	Lake Oval	16,000	8 May 1937
North Melbourne	3.16 (34)	Collingwood	9.14 (68)	Arden Street Oval	11,000	8 May 1937
Melbourne	15.17 (107)	Carlton	10.11 (71)	MCG	31,831	8 May 1937

Round 4

Home team	Home team score	Away team	Away team score	Venue	Crowd	Date
Geelong	12.20 (92)	South Melbourne	7.11 (53)	Corio Oval	11,500	15 May 1937
Collingwood	16.14 (110)	Footscray	11.11 (77)	Victoria Park	14,500	15 May 1937
Carlton	10.12 (72)	North Melbourne	10.14 (74)	Princes Park	14,000	15 May 1937
St Kilda	12.18 (90)	Melbourne	12.23 (95)	Junction Oval	25,000	15 May 1937
Richmond	17.10 (112)	Fitzroy	12.12 (84)	Punt Road Oval	18,000	15 May 1937
Hawthorn	11.15 (81)	Essendon	16.13 (109)	Glenferrie Oval	10,000	15 May 1937

Round 5

Home team	Home team score	Away team	Away team score	Venue	Crowd	Date
Geelong	21.23 (149)	Hawthorn	7.11 (53)	Corio Oval	7,300	22 May 1937
Footscray	18.23 (131)	North Melbourne	14.4 (88)	Western Oval	14,000	22 May 1937
Fitzroy	11.16 (82)	South Melbourne	7.18 (60)	Brunswick Street Oval	14,000	22 May 1937
Essendon	8.15 (63)	Richmond	17.13 (115)	Windy Hill	15,000	22 May 1937
Melbourne	13.23 (101)	Collingwood	11.10 (76)	MCG	44,623	22 May 1937
St Kilda	12.19 (91)	Carlton	13.16 (94)	Junction Oval	18,000	22 May 1937

Round 6

Home team	Home team score	Away team	Away team score	Venue	Crowd	Date
North Melbourne	13.8 (86)	St Kilda	15.13 (103)	Arden Street Oval	15,000	29 May 1937
Footscray	8.8 (56)	Melbourne	11.12 (78)	Western Oval	17,000	29 May 1937
South Melbourne	15.11 (101)	Hawthorn	13.20 (98)	Lake Oval	10,000	29 May 1937
Richmond	15.19 (109)	Geelong	12.6 (78)	Punt Road Oval	17,000	29 May 1937
Fitzroy	11.9 (75)	Essendon	8.18 (66)	Brunswick Street Oval	14,000	29 May 1937
Collingwood	11.16 (82)	Carlton	8.7 (55)	Victoria Park	24,000	29 May 1937

Round 7

Home team	Home team score	Away team	Away team score	Venue	Crowd	Date
Melbourne	25.16 (166)	North Melbourne	5.14 (44)	MCG	12,906	5 June 1937
Hawthorn	9.6 (60)	Richmond	8.10 (58)	Glenferrie Oval	10,000	5 June 1937
Essendon	16.12 (108)	South Melbourne	11.10 (76)	Windy Hill	12,000	5 June 1937
Carlton	19.12 (126)	Footscray	9.10 (64)	Princes Park	12,500	5 June 1937
Geelong	16.19 (115)	Fitzroy	10.10 (70)	Corio Oval	8,000	5 June 1937
St Kilda	12.15 (87)	Collingwood	9.15 (69)	Junction Oval	28,000	5 June 1937

Round 8

Home team	Home team score	Away team	Away team score	Venue	Crowd	Date
Geelong	16.13 (109)	St Kilda	11.15 (81)	Corio Oval	12,600	12 June 1937
Essendon	13.11 (89)	Collingwood	19.14 (128)	Windy Hill	13,000	12 June 1937
Richmond	14.24 (108)	Carlton	13.19 (97)	Punt Road Oval	27,000	12 June 1937
Hawthorn	12.10 (82)	Melbourne	15.15 (105)	Glenferrie Oval	18,000	14 June 1937
Fitzroy	14.15 (99)	Footscray	8.14 (62)	Brunswick Street Oval	20,000	14 June 1937
South Melbourne	16.18 (114)	North Melbourne	10.10 (70)	Lake Oval	16,000	14 June 1937

Round 9

Home team	Home team score	Away team	Away team score	Venue	Crowd	Date
North Melbourne	12.16 (88)	Richmond	11.11 (77)	Arden Street Oval	10,000	19 June 1937
Footscray	10.8 (68)	South Melbourne	18.11 (119)	Western Oval	12,000	19 June 1937
Collingwood	16.9 (105)	Fitzroy	12.12 (84)	Victoria Park	18,000	19 June 1937
Carlton	15.24 (114)	Hawthorn	8.11 (59)	Princes Park	11,000	19 June 1937
Melbourne	9.17 (71)	Geelong	15.14 (104)	MCG	29,376	19 June 1937
St Kilda	13.19 (97)	Essendon	11.14 (80)	Junction Oval	14,000	19 June 1937

Round 10

Home team	Home team score	Away team	Away team score	Venue	Crowd	Date
Geelong	18.16 (124)	North Melbourne	4.14 (38)	Corio Oval	9,000	26 June 1937
Fitzroy	7.8 (50)	Melbourne	11.23 (89)	Brunswick Street Oval	16,000	26 June 1937
South Melbourne	14.18 (102)	St Kilda	8.12 (60)	Lake Oval	22,000	26 June 1937
Hawthorn	15.16 (106)	Footscray	14.15 (99)	Glenferrie Oval	7,500	26 June 1937
Richmond	12.8 (80)	Collingwood	14.9 (93)	Punt Road Oval	22,000	26 June 1937
Essendon	13.18 (96)	Carlton	15.18 (108)	Windy Hill	14,000	26 June 1937

Round 11

Home team	Home team score	Away team	Away team score	Venue	Crowd	Date
Melbourne	13.10 (88)	South Melbourne	11.16 (82)	MCG	20,638	3 July 1937
Footscray	11.8 (74)	Geelong	13.15 (93)	Western Oval	5,500	3 July 1937
Collingwood	13.23 (101)	Hawthorn	6.13 (49)	Victoria Park	5,800	3 July 1937
Carlton	13.11 (89)	Fitzroy	8.19 (67)	Princes Park	8,000	3 July 1937
St Kilda	16.6 (102)	Richmond	10.13 (73)	Junction Oval	11,000	3 July 1937
North Melbourne	11.11 (77)	Essendon	11.22 (88)	Arden Street Oval	6,000	3 July 1937

Round 12

Home team	Home team score	Away team	Away team score	Venue	Crowd	Date
Hawthorn	9.15 (69)	North Melbourne	6.15 (51)	Glenferrie Oval	5,000	10 July 1937
Fitzroy	10.19 (79)	St Kilda	5.11 (41)	Brunswick Street Oval	14,000	10 July 1937
Essendon	9.13 (67)	Footscray	11.11 (77)	Windy Hill	11,000	10 July 1937
Richmond	15.12 (102)	Melbourne	13.10 (88)	Punt Road Oval	16,000	10 July 1937
Geelong	13.16 (94)	Collingwood	10.11 (71)	Corio Oval	16,000	10 July 1937
South Melbourne	13.9 (87)	Carlton	7.14 (56)	Lake Oval	22,000	10 July 1937

Round 13

Home team	Home team score	Away team	Away team score	Venue	Crowd	Date
Footscray	11.9 (75)	Richmond	12.6 (78)	Western Oval	10,000	17 July 1937
Collingwood	18.19 (127)	South Melbourne	15.14 (104)	Victoria Park	22,000	17 July 1937
Carlton	9.13 (67)	Geelong	13.14 (92)	Princes Park	15,000	17 July 1937
St Kilda	11.15 (81)	Hawthorn	9.8 (62)	Junction Oval	9,000	17 July 1937
North Melbourne	5.17 (47)	Fitzroy	9.14 (68)	Arden Street Oval	8,000	17 July 1937
Melbourne	11.13 (79)	Essendon	8.15 (63)	MCG	11,449	17 July 1937

Round 14

Home team	Home team score	Away team	Away team score	Venue	Crowd	Date
Richmond	16.23 (119)	South Melbourne	13.11 (89)	Punt Road Oval	18,000	24 July 1937
Collingwood	24.20 (164)	North Melbourne	7.9 (51)	Victoria Park	9,000	24 July 1937
Carlton	16.24 (120)	Melbourne	16.8 (104)	Princes Park	16,000	24 July 1937
St Kilda	17.10 (112)	Footscray	13.15 (93)	Junction Oval	12,000	24 July 1937
Hawthorn	10.11 (71)	Fitzroy	6.13 (49)	Glenferrie Oval	7,500	24 July 1937
Geelong	13.22 (100)	Essendon	9.12 (66)	Corio Oval	8,000	24 July 1937

Round 15

Home team	Home team score	Away team	Away team score	Venue	Crowd	Date
Melbourne	18.16 (124)	St Kilda	11.18 (84)	MCG	25,904	31 July 1937
Fitzroy	11.13 (79)	Richmond	15.13 (103)	Brunswick Street Oval	14,000	31 July 1937
Essendon	11.13 (79)	Hawthorn	13.14 (92)	Windy Hill	6,000	31 July 1937
South Melbourne	13.10 (88)	Geelong	16.11 (107)	Lake Oval	12,000	31 July 1937
Footscray	10.14 (74)	Collingwood	19.12 (126)	Western Oval	10,000	31 July 1937
North Melbourne	10.11 (71)	Carlton	14.8 (92)	Arden Street Oval	11,000	31 July 1937

Round 16

Home team	Home team score	Away team	Away team score	Venue	Crowd	Date
North Melbourne	8.16 (64)	Footscray	13.13 (91)	Arden Street Oval	8,000	7 August 1937
South Melbourne	10.16 (76)	Fitzroy	15.8 (98)	Lake Oval	10,000	7 August 1937
Richmond	13.15 (93)	Essendon	12.19 (91)	Punt Road Oval	14,000	7 August 1937
Collingwood	21.16 (142)	Melbourne	22.21 (153)	Victoria Park	21,000	14 August 1937
Carlton	12.16 (88)	St Kilda	11.12 (78)	Princes Park	12,000	14 August 1937
Hawthorn	13.13 (91)	Geelong	17.12 (114)	Glenferrie Oval	6,000	14 August 1937

Round 17

Home team	Home team score	Away team	Away team score	Venue	Crowd	Date
Hawthorn	15.12 (102)	South Melbourne	10.15 (75)	Glenferrie Oval	6,000	21 August 1937
Geelong	14.6 (90)	Richmond	8.11 (59)	Corio Oval	11,500	21 August 1937
Essendon	17.17 (119)	Fitzroy	10.10 (70)	Windy Hill	7,000	21 August 1937
Carlton	11.15 (81)	Collingwood	9.17 (71)	Princes Park	17,500	21 August 1937
St Kilda	22.19 (151)	North Melbourne	11.5 (71)	Junction Oval	6,000	21 August 1937
Melbourne	15.15 (105)	Footscray	10.14 (74)	MCG	9,553	21 August 1937

Round 18

Home team	Home team score	Away team	Away team score	Venue	Crowd	Date
Fitzroy	12.9 (81)	Geelong	16.13 (109)	Brunswick Street Oval	10,000	28 August 1937
Collingwood	19.15 (129)	St Kilda	13.13 (91)	Victoria Park	11,500	28 August 1937
North Melbourne	13.13 (91)	Melbourne	19.16 (130)	Arden Street Oval	4,500	28 August 1937
Richmond	14.13 (97)	Hawthorn	13.14 (92)	Punt Road Oval	18,000	28 August 1937
South Melbourne	10.16 (76)	Essendon	11.7 (73)	Lake Oval	6,000	28 August 1937
Footscray	13.16 (94)	Carlton	17.14 (116)	Western Oval	8,000	28 August 1937

Ladder

(P)	Premiers
	Qualified for finals

#	Team	P	W	L	D	PF	PA	%	Pts
1	Geelong (P)	18	15	3	0	1824	1348	135.3	60
2	Melbourne	18	15	3	0	1945	1482	131.2	60
3	Collingwood	18	13	5	0	1908	1479	129.0	52
4	Richmond	18	11	6	1	1647	1525	108.0	46
5	Carlton	18	11	7	0	1624	1464	110.9	44
6	St Kilda	18	10	8	0	1600	1580	101.3	40
7	Fitzroy	18	7	11	0	1386	1488	93.1	28
8	Hawthorn	18	7	11	0	1413	1675	84.4	28
9	South Melbourne	18	6	11	1	1527	1698	89.9	26
10	Essendon	18	5	13	0	1530	1689	90.6	20
11	Footscray	18	4	14	0	1409	1722	81.8	16
12	North Melbourne	18	3	15	0	1188	1851	64.2	12

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 88.0
Source: AFL Tables

Finals series

Semi-finals

Home team	Score	Away team	Score	Venue	Crowd	Date
Collingwood	18.12 (120)	Richmond	10.9 (69)	MCG	41,663	4 September
Geelong	19.11 (125)	Melbourne	16.17 (113)	MCG	47,730	11 September

Preliminary final

Home team	Score	Away team	Score	Venue	Crowd	Date
Melbourne	7.10 (52)	Collingwood	16.11 (107)	MCG	55,615	18 September

Grand final

Main article: 1937 VFL Grand Final

Season notes

• Still struggling to recover from the injury that kept him out of the 1936 grand final, Bob Pratt played only six matches (kicking 12 goals) for South Melbourne in the 1937 season.
• Having kicked Collingwood's only goal in the last quarter of the grand final, Gordon Coventry retired having played 306 senior VFL games and having scored 1299 goals.
  • In Round 15, Coventry became the first player to play 300 VFL games
• In Round 16, Collingwood and Melbourne set numerous records for high scoring:
  • a record match aggregate of 295 points, beating by two the record of Essendon and North Melbourne in 1934
  • highest losing score, beating Collingwood's own record against St Kilda in 1931 and still a club record for Collingwood ^[1]

Awards

• The 1937 VFL Premiership team was Geelong.
• The VFL's leading goalkicker was Dick Harris of Richmond with 64 goals.
• The winner of The Argus' "Player of the Year" was Dick Reynolds of Essendon.
• The winner of the 1937 Brownlow Medal was Dick Reynolds of Essendon with 27 votes.
• North Melbourne took the "wooden spoon" in 1937.
• The seconds premiership was won by Geelong. Geelong 12.12 (84) defeated Collingwood 9.11 (65) in the Grand Final, played as a stand-alone game on Thursday 30 September (Show Day holiday) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. ^[2]

References

1. Atkinson, p. 20.
2. "New football record". The Argus. Melbourne. 1 October 1937. p. 20.

• Atkinson, G. (1982) Everything you ever wanted to know about Australian rules football but couldn't be bothered asking, The Five Mile Press: Melbourne. ISBN   0 86788 009 0.
• 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

• 1937 VFL season at AFL Tables
• 1937 VFL season at Australian Football