1938 VFL season

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1938 VFL premiership season
Teams12
PremiersCarlton
6th premiership
Minor premiersCarlton
9th minor premiership
Brownlow MedallistDick Reynolds (Essendon)
Leading Goalkicker MedallistRon Todd (Collingwood)
Matches played112
Highest96,486
← 1937
1939 →

The 1938 VFL season was the 42nd season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 23 April until 24 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 Carlton Football Club for the sixth time, after it defeated Collingwood by 15 points in the 1938 VFL Grand Final.

Background[edit]

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.

Home-and-away season[edit]

Round 1[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

(P) Premiers
Qualified for finals
# Team P W L D PF PA % Pts
1 Carlton (P) 18 14 4 0 1827 1574 116.1 56
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

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 92.0
Source: AFL Tables

Finals series[edit]

Semi-finals[edit]

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[edit]

Home team Score Away team Score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 14.14 (98) Collingwood 21.9 (135) MCG 60,956 17 September

Grand final[edit]

Season notes[edit]

  • 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.[1]

Awards[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Fiddian, Marc (1994). Boilovers, Thrillers and Grand Eras in League and Association Football. Pakenham, Victoria: Pakenham Gazette. p. 42. ISBN 1875475087.
  2. ^ "Geelong's match". The Argus. Melbourne. 30 September 1938. p. 22.
  • 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[edit]