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1959 VFL NIGHT PREMIERSHIP

David Eastman   //   February 15, 2017

*Fitzroy's drought-breakers - the 'Roys broke through for their first flag at senior level since winning the 1944 VFL premiership. It was a brief moment of joy for Fitzroy fans who would not taste premiership success again until the 1978 Night Series.


*Stormy weather - the 1959 series was plagued by rain and heavy winds which kept fans away in droves:

- the Round 1 Fitzroy-Richmond match was played in atrocious weather, drawing a record-low Night Series crowd for this era of just 2,600 people.

- the Grand Final was played in similar conditions, drawing a crowd of only 9,300 fans; a total that still stands as the lowest-ever Night Series/Pre-Season Grand Final crowd (the second lowest was 15,650 in 1968). 

Picture
The Age announces Fitzroy's first senior premiership since the 1944 VFL Grand Final [29-9-1959]
- the 1959 series crowds totalled 76,200, down from 107,750 in 1958. This remains the second-lowest total in series history (only surpassed by the 1970 series which attracted 72,732 fans).


*Prizemoney - increased from £400 to £500 for the winning team, and from £200 to £250 for the runner-up.


*Records Broken - in the midst of such a low scoring era in Australian football, the 1959 series produced Night Series records for the biggest winning margin and for most goals in a match:

- Fitzroy's 85-point victory in the first round set a record that remained unsurpassed until 1979;

- North Melbourne's Peter Schofield kicked 10 goals in the series-opener against the Swans (a record for most goals in a Night Series match that would stand until New Year's Eve 1999 when Carlton's Brendan Fevola kicked 12 goals).


*Dividend sharing - in 1958 all 12 league clubs had received a share of gate receipts from both the Night Series and the VFL Finals, with clubs playing the most games in each of the respective series receiving the most revenue.

A new dividend-sharing scheme was introduced in 1959 that saw only the bottom eight clubs receive a share of Night Series gate receipts. To offset this (and avoid a repeat of 1956 when the top four received less than the bottom eight), the League also set aside £1000 to be divided equally between the four clubs competing in the VFL finals. [Football Record 3-9-1959]


ROUND 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DATE

TEAMS

1/4

1/2

3/4

FINAL

MARGIN

VENUE

DAY/TIME

CROWD

Sep-03

South Melbourne (9)

5.2 (32)

8.5 (53)

14.6 (90)

17.10 (112)

20

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Thu (8:00pm)

15,800

North Melbourne (6)

4.1 (25)

4.5 (29)

9.11 (65)

13.14 (92)

Sep-07

Hawthorn (7)

5.5 (35)

5.8 (38)

8.13 (61)

11.17 (83)

52

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Mon (8:00pm)

12,400

St Kilda (8)

2.1 (13)

3.3 (21)

4.6 (30)

4.7 (31)

Sep-10

Geelong (10)

2.2 (14)

6.9 (45)

7.13 (55)

9.16 (70)

5

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Thu (8:00pm)

12,000

Footscray (12)

3.5 (23)

4.6 (30)

5.10 (40)

9.11 (65)

Sep-14

Fitzroy (5)

3.5 (23)

9.7 (61)

15.11 (101)

19.18 (132)

85

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Mon (8:00pm)

2,600

Richmond (11)

1.0 (6)

2.6 (18)

4.9 (33)

6.11 (47)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEMI FINALS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DATE

TEAMS

1/4

1/2

3/4

FINAL

MARGIN

VENUE

DAY/TIME

CROWD

Sep-17

Hawthorn (7)

4.2 (26)

9.8 (62)

10.11 (71)

13.14 (92)

4

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Thu (8:00pm)

16,100

South Melbourne (9)

5.3 (33)

8.5 (53)

11.9 (75)

13.10 (88)

Sep-21

Geelong v Fitzroy moved to Sept.22nd due to torrential rain

Sep-22

Fitzroy (5)

1.4 (10)

2.7 (19)

6.11 (47)

10.16 (76)

26

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Tue (8:00pm)

8,100

Geelong (10)

0.3 (3)

3.8 (26)

4.11 (35)

6.14 (50)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GRAND FINAL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DATE

TEAMS

1/4

1/2

3/4

FINAL

MARGIN

VENUE

DAY/TIME

CROWD

Sep-28

Fitzroy (5)

6.1 (37)

7.5 (47)

9.10 (64)

10.10 (70)

30

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Mon (8:00pm)

9,300

Hawthorn (7)

0.1 (1)

1.7 (13)

2.9 (21)

4.16 (40)

 


MATCH REPORTS

Listed below are match reports for all 7 games played during the series. This is the first time these reports have been collated and published online or in print.
Unless otherwise noted the information was sourced from The Football Record and The Age newspaper.

ROUND 1

Match 1 - Thursday, September 3

SOUTH MELBOURNE

5.2 (32)

8.5 (53)

14.6 (90)

17.10 (112)

NORTH MELBOURNE

4.1 (25)

4.5 (29)

9.11 (65)

13.14 (92)

BEST PLAYERS:

South Melbourne

McCormack, Boyd, Landorf, Svenson, McGowan, Skilton

North Melbourne

Schofield, Cooke, K. Dean, O’Brien, Taggart, Poole

GOALKICKERS:

South Melbourne

Skilton 5, McGowan 3, Oaten 3, Power 2, Burke 2, McCormack, Munn

North Melbourne

Schofield 10, Taggert 2, Jenkins

REPLACEMENTS:

South Melbourne

unknown

North Melbourne

unknown

UMPIRE:

Mance

CROWD:

15,800*

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

CROWD DISCREPANCY:

The Football Record (7-9-1959) has a crowd of 15,000, The Age (4-9-1959) has 15,800

Series attendance totals published in later editions of the Football Record are based on a crowd of 15,800 for this match.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 2 - Monday, September 7

HAWTHORN

5.5 (35)

5.8 (38)

8.13 (61)

11.17 (83)

ST KILDA

2.1 (13)

3.3 (21)

4.6 (30)

4.7 (31)

BEST PLAYERS:

Hawthorn

Hughes, Arthur, Peck, Nalder, Youren, Yeoman

St Kilda

Howell, Guy, W. Stephenson, Jeans, Synman, Morrow

GOALKICKERS:

Hawthorn

Arthur 4, Peck 3, Voigt 2, Nisbett, O’Mahony

St Kilda

W. Stephenson 3, Burgess

REPLACEMENTS:

Hawthorn

unknown

St Kilda

unknown

UMPIRE:

Nash

CROWD:

12,400

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 3 - Thursday, September 10

GEELONG

2.2 (14)

6.9 (45)

7.13 (55)

9.16 (70)

FOOTSCRAY

3.5 (23)

4.6 (30)*

5.10 (40)

9.11 (65)

BEST PLAYERS:

Geelong

Tresize, Long, Goodland, Rice, W. Goggin, McGrath

Footscray

Gardiner, Baxter, Lee, Ion, Spargo, A. Edwards

GOALKICKERS:

Geelong

Long 4, Tresize 2, Goodland, Webb, Yeates

Footscray

Gardiner 3, Baxter 3, Westacott, Devery, Prior

REPLACEMENTS:

Geelong

(none)

Footscray

Westacott replaced Whitten (selected side)

Howard replaced Maloney (third quarter)

UMPIRE:

Woolfe

CROWD:

12,000

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

SCORE DISCREPANCY:

Footscray's 1/2 time score in The Football Record = 4.6 (The Age has 4.8)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 4 - Monday, September 14

FITZROY

3.5 (23)

9.7 (61)

15.11 (101)

19.18 (132)

RICHMOND

1.0 (6)

2.6 (18)

4.9 (33)

6.11 (47)

BEST PLAYERS:

Fitzroy

Aston, Henderson, Furness, Barclay, Slocum, Abrahams

Richmond

Dean, Patterson, Rees, O’Toole, Cuzens, Branton

GOALKICKERS:

Fitzroy

Gotch 5, Slocum 3, Barclay 2, Abrahams 2, Wright 2, Clark 2, Aston 2, Wiegard

Richmond

O’Toole 2, Wilson, Allsopp, Langridge, Gardner

REPLACEMENTS:

Fitzroy

(none)

Richmond

Jacobs replaced Williams (quarter unknown)

Holt replaced Langridge (quarter unknown)

UMPIRE:

Barbour

CROWD:

2,600

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

Low crowd due to the match being played on an extremely cold and wet night.

Kevin Murray (Fitzroy) was reported for charging – later found guilty but given a reprimand by the tribunal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEMI-FINALS

Match 5 - Thursday, September 17

HAWTHORN

4.2 (26)

9.8 (62)

10.11 (71)

13.14 (92)

SOUTH MELBOURNE

5.3 (33)

8.5 (53)

11.9 (75)

13.10 (88)

BEST PLAYERS:

Hawthorn

Edwards, Arthur, Peck, Woodley, Wilson, O’Mahony

South Melbourne

Skilton, Heriot, McGowan, Gunn, McCormack, Oaten

GOALKICKERS:

Hawthorn

Voigt 4, Peck 3, O’Mahony 3, Arthur 2, Edwards

South Melbourne

Skilton 4, McGowan 3, Oaten 3, Gunn 2, Taube

REPLACEMENTS:

Hawthorn

(none)

South Melbourne

Bourke replaced Kelton (last quarter)

Dunn replaced Gunn (last quarter)

UMPIRE:

Irving

CROWD:

16,100

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 6 - Tuesday, September 22

FITZROY

1.4 (10)

2.7 (19)

6.11 (47)

10.16 (76)

GEELONG

0.3 (3)

3.8 (26)

4.11 (35)

6.14 (50)

BEST PLAYERS:

Fitzroy

Henderson, Gotch, Murray, Furness, Wright, Mackenzie

Geelong

Long, Tresize, Rice, Yeates, Helmer, Vinar

GOALKICKERS:

Fitzroy

Gotch 4, Wright 4, Clark, Campbell

Geelong

Helmer 2, Yeates, Webb, Borack, Long

REPLACEMENTS:

Fitzroy

Zorzi replaced Pert (selected team)

Pigot replaced Barclay (second quarter)

Geelong

O’Connell replaced Yeates (last quarter)

UMPIRE:

Schwab

CROWD:

8,100

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

Originally scheduled for Sept.21 but postponed due to torrential rain

 

1959 VFL NIGHT PREMIERSHIP - GRAND FINAL

FITZROY

HAWTHORN

Len Smith

COACH

Jack Hale

 

MacKenzie

Henderson

Ross

BACKS

McVilly

Hughes

Kennedy (C)

Hughson*

Ongarello

Murray

HALF-BACKS

Nalder

Kaine

S. Hay

Williams

Furness

Aston

CENTRES

Youren

Edwards

Yeoman

Abrahams

Barclay

Campbell

HALF-FORWARDS

Simmonds

McArthur*

O’Mahony

Clark

Gotch

Wright

FORWARDS

Peck

Voigt

Wilson

Gale (C)

Harvey

FOLLOWERS

Woodley

Cooper

Slocum

ROVER

Arthur

 

Powell*

Bromage

RESERVES

Fisher

Howells*

Webb, Zoral, McMaster, Smith, Laver

EMERGENCIES

P. Hay*, Shelton, M. Young, Nisbett, Northcote

*Powell replaced Hughson in starting 18

*Howells replaced McArthur in the selected side

(Hughson was demoted to 19th man and entered

(P. Hay was promoted from emergency to reserve)

the game in the final quarter)

 

Match 7 - Monday, September 28

FITZROY

6.1 (37)

7.5 (47)

9.10 (64)

10.10 (70)

HAWTHORN

0.1 (1)

1.7 (13)

2.9 (21)

4.16 (40)

BEST PLAYERS:

Fitzroy

Wright, Clark, Aston, Furness, Murray, Ross

Hawthorn

Nalder, Howells, Youren, Arthur, Woodley, McVilly

GOALKICKERS:

Fitzroy

Wright 4, Campbell 2, Slocum 2, Clark, Abrahams

Hawthorn

Fisher, Edwards, McVilly, Youren

REPLACEMENTS:

Fitzroy

Powell was promoted into the starting line-up, Hughson was demoted to 19th man

Hughson replaced Slocum (last quarter)

Bromage replaced Gotch (last quarter)

Hawthorn

Howells replaced McArthur (selected side) - P.Hay promoted from emergency to 20th man

Fisher replaced ??? (it's unknown when he entered the game as 19th man or who he replaced)

UMPIRE:

Nash

CROWD:

9,300*

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

Like most of the 1959 series the crowd was low due to bad weather. The final was played on what The Age described as a "bitterly cold and wet night".

These teams played a rematch under lights on Oct.10 at Shepparton; Hawthorn winning by 23 points (10.13 to 7.8) in front of 12,000 local fans.

CROWD DISCREPANCY:

Media reports of the day (and current AFL records) have the crowd for this match as 9,200

Later editions of the Football Record (1-9-1960 / 26-9-1960 / 2-9-1965 / 25-9-1967 / 4-9-1968 / 28-9-1970) confirm it was actually 9,300

 


1960 VFL NIGHT SERIES
Last updated 17/11/2018
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The author is a proud member of the Australian Football Heritage Group (AFHG), which is dedicated to preserving Australian football's history.
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