NON-PREMIERSHIP MATCHES

1960 VFL NIGHT PREMIERSHIP

RESULTS
ABOUT
TEAMS / FORMAT
EVENTS
MATCH REPORTS
RESULTS

SUMMARY OF RESULTS

Date

Teams

1/4

1/2

3/4

Final

Margin

Venue

Day/Time

Crowd

ROUND 1

Sep-01

South Melbourne (8)

0.3 (3)

2.5 (17)

5.7 (37)

7.13 (55)

3

Lake Oval,

Thu

15,800

Footscray (10)

0.5 (5)

5.7 (37)

7.9 (51)

7.10 (52)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

Sep-06

Carlton (7)

0.0 (0)

2.3 (15)

4.7 (31)

6.10 (46)

5

Lake Oval,

Tue

10,600

Richmond (12)

3.2 (20)

5.4 (34)

7.7 (49)

7.9 (51)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

Sep-08

St Kilda (6)

1.1 (7)

3.4 (22)

5.5 (35)

6.5 (41)

18

Lake Oval,

Thu

5,600

Geelong (9)

2.1 (13)

5.7 (37)

7.10 (52)

8.11 (59)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

Sep-13

Hawthorn (5)

3.6 (24)

7.9 (51)

12.15 (87)

17.21 (123)

62

Lake Oval,

Tue

9,800

North Melbourne (11)

2.4 (16)

6.5 (41)

9.5 (59)

9.7 (61)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

SEMI FINALS

Sep-15

South Melbourne (8)

3.2 (20)

5.7 (37)

8.13 (61)

11.14 (80)

29

Lake Oval,

Thu

16,800

Richmond (12)

0.3 (3)

1.7 (13)

2.10 (22)

6.15 (51)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

Sep-20

Geelong (9)

2.3 (15)

3.4 (22)

4.4 (28)

6.8 (44)

60

Lake Oval,

Tue

14,500

Hawthorn (5)

3.5 (23)

8.10 (58)

10.13 (73)

14.20 (104)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

GRAND FINAL

Sep-26

South Melbourne vs Hawthorn moved to Sept.27 due to torrential rain

Mon

-

Sep-27

South Melbourne (8)

2.3 (15)

4.7 (31)

9.11 (65)

10.12 (72)

13

Lake Oval,

Tue

20,000

Hawthorn (5)

1.2 (8)

2.6 (18)

6.8 (44)

8.11 (59)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

 

ABOUT

ABOUT THE 1960 SERIES

*Swans upset the Hawks - Hawthorn finished the home and away rounds on 11 wins and only missed the finals on percentage. They continued that form through the Night Series with crushing 62 and 60 point wins in the opening rounds.

In contrast, South finished the home and away season four wins behind the Hawks (and a healthy dose of percentage) and were lucky to even make the night final, having come from 13 points down at three-quarter-time of their opening match to steal a three-point win.

Hawthorn entered the final as unbackable favourites only to succumb to a much more determined opponent seeking their third night premiership title. The Age match report notes that the prizemoney of £500 for the winning team seemed to inspire the Swans to their best performance of the season by far.

Picture
Headline from The Age announcing South Melbourne's triumph [29-9-1960]

*Dividend sharing - the formula was tweaked... again! In 1959 only the eight competing clubs had received a share of gate receipts from the Night Series, with the clubs playing the most games receiving the most revenue.

A new dividend-sharing scheme was introduced in 1960 that saw all 12 clubs receive a share of Night Series gate receipts: 80% going to the eight competing clubs (10% each) and 20% to the four non-competing clubs (5% each). This was similar to the system usually in place for the VFL finals series. [Football Record 1-9-1960] The system proved a success and remained in place until this era of the Night Series ended in 1971.
TEAMS / FORMAT

PARTICIPATING TEAMS

The series featured the eight teams that missed the VFL finals series:
5th - Hawthorn
6th - St Kilda
7th - Carlton
8th - South Melbourne
9th - Geelong
10th - Footscray
11th - North Melbourne
12th - Richmond
They competed for the K.G. Luke Trophy (valued at £75 and donated by VFL President Kenneth Luke) with the winning team receiving £500 and the runner-up £250.

SERIES FORMAT

The teams were randomly drawn in the opening round (5 vs 11 / 6 vs 9 / 7 vs 12 / 8 vs 10) with winning teams advancing to the next stage, and losing teams eliminated from the series.

EVENTS

NOTABLE EVENTS

*Lights out - the first light failure since the series started in 1956 occurred during the Richmond-South Melbourne first semi final. The incident occurred at the end of the first quarter when one light tower shut down, leaving a large part of Richmond's forward line in semi-darkness throughout the second quarter. The Tigers protested but VFL secretary Eric McCutcheon sent a message out to the umpire that the match should continue. The lights eventually came back on late in the halftime break. [The Age 16-9-1960]


*Skilton raises the trophy - South Melbourne's captain Ron Clegg missed the night final due to injury. In his absence Bob Skilton led the Swans to the flag.

MATCH REPORTS

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
SEMI FINALS
G.F. TEAMS
GRAND FINAL
ROUND 1

Match 1 - Thursday, September 1

SOUTH MELBOURNE

0.3 (3)

2.5 (17)

5.7 (37)*

7.13 (55)

FOOTSCRAY

0.5 (5)

5.7 (37)

7.9 (51)

7.10 (52)

BEST PLAYERS:

South Melbourne

Skilton, McGowan, Oaten, Gunstone, Power, Stockman

Footscray

Evans, McDonald, Schultz, Jillard, Howard, Whitten

GOALKICKERS:

South Melbourne

Skilton 3, McGowan, McCormack, Oaten, Gunstone

Footscray

Ion 3, McDonald 2, Whitten, Quarrell

REPLACEMENTS:

South Melbourne

unknown

Footscray

unknown

UMPIRE:

Mance

CROWD:

15,800

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

SCORE DISCREPANCY:

SM's 3/4 time score in The Football Record = 5.7 (The Age has 5.8)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 2 - Tuesday, September 6

CARLTON

0.0 (0)

2.3 (15)

4.7 (31)

6.10 (46)

RICHMOND

3.2 (20)

5.4 (34)

7.7 (49)

7.9 (51)

BEST PLAYERS:

Carlton

Donaldson, J. Nicholls, Sankey, Pavlou

Richmond

Saddington, Morris, Cuzens, Branton, Guinane, Grimmond, Simpson

GOALKICKERS:

Carlton

Sankey 2, Donaldson 2, Gilchrist, Brereton

Richmond

Langridge 2, Morris, Saddington, Swift, Crowe, Drummett

REPLACEMENTS:

Carlton

unknown

Richmond

unknown

UMPIRE:

Schwab

CROWD:

10,600

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 3 - Thursday, September 8

ST KILDA

1.1 (7)

3.4 (22)

5.5 (35)

6.5 (41)

GEELONG

2.1 (13)

5.7 (37)

7.10 (52)

8.11 (59)

BEST PLAYERS:

St Kilda

Guy, Guyatt, K. Roberts, Howell, Morrow, McCarthy

Geelong

Wooller, O’Neill, S. Lord, Long, McGrath, W. Goggin

GOALKICKERS:

St Kilda

Morrow 2, Lee, McCarthy, Holmes, K. Roberts

Geelong

Wooller 2, Burke 2, Borrack, Cook, Goggin, A. Cook

REPLACEMENTS:

St Kilda

unknown

Geelong

unknown

UMPIRE:

Brophy

CROWD:

5,600

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 4 - Tuesday, September 13

HAWTHORN

3.6 (24)

7.9 (51)

12.15 (87)

17.21 (123)

NORTH MELBOURNE

2.4 (16)

6.5 (41)

9.5 (59)

9.7 (61)

BEST PLAYERS:

Hawthorn

Arthur, Connell, Critchley, Fisher, Young, M. Youren

North Melbourne

Taggart, Aylett, Turner, Dwyer, Dugdale, Cheatley

GOALKICKERS:

Hawthorn

Arthur 4, Connell 4, Law 3, Peck 3, Fisher 2, Critchley

North Melbourne

Dugdale 5, Taggart 2, Aylett, Schofield

REPLACEMENTS:

Hawthorn

Falconer replaced Toy (last quarter)

Voigt replaced M. Young (last quarter)

North Melbourne

Goring replaced Cowan (last quarter)

O’Brien replaced Poole (last quarter)

UMPIRE:

Irving

CROWD:

9,800

SOURCE:

AGE/Football Record

NOTES:

-

 

SEMI FINALS

Match 5 - Thursday, September 15

SOUTH MELBOURNE

3.2 (20)

5.7 (37)

8.13 (61)

11.14 (80)

RICHMOND

0.3 (3)

1.7 (13)

2.10 (22)

6.15 (51)

BEST PLAYERS:

South Melbourne

McGowan, Oaten, Skilton, Heriot, Taylor, McCormack

Richmond

Branton, Jacobs, Dean, Grimmond, Guinane, Thompson, Wilkinson

GOALKICKERS:

South Melbourne

McGowan 4, Oaten 4, Taylor, Boyd, Skilton

Richmond

Wilkinson 2, Morris, Jacobs, Simpson, Langridge

REPLACEMENTS:

South Melbourne

Gunstone replaced McLaughlin (last quarter)

Richmond

Ricci replaced Saddington (third quarter)

UMPIRE:

Andrew

CROWD:

16,800

SOURCE:

AGE/Football Record

NOTES:

For the first time since the series commenced in 1956 one of the light towers suffered a power failure. The incident occurred
at the end of the first quarter and meant a large part of Richmond's forward line was in semi-darkness throughout the second quarter.

The lights eventually came back on late in the halftime break. [The Age 16-9-1960]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 6 - Tuesday, September 20

GEELONG

2.3 (15)

3.4 (22)

4.4 (28)

6.8 (44)

HAWTHORN

3.5 (23)

8.10 (58)

10.13 (73)

14.20 (104)

BEST PLAYERS:

Geelong

Vinar, Bourke, S. Lord, Mather, W. Goggin, Brown

Hawthorn

Mort, Kaine, Arthur, Nalder, Law, Simmonds

GOALKICKERS:

Geelong

Vinar 2, Brown, Williams, Wooller, A. Lord

Hawthorn

Young 3, Arthur 3, Law 2, Fisher 2, Connell 2, Peck, Mort

REPLACEMENTS:

Geelong

R. Van ‘T Hag replaced Wooller (half-time)

E. Van ‘T Hag replaced Long (half-time)

(NOTE - McGrath left the field with broken ribs during last quarter; Geelong played a man short
for the rest of the match)

Hawthorn

Hill replaced Cooper (half-time)

Cabble replaced Mort (last quarter)

UMPIRE:

Schwab

CROWD:

14,500

SOURCE:

AGE/Football Record

NOTES:

-

 

G.F. TEAMS

SOUTH MELBOURNE

COACH

Bill Faul

 

BACKS

Kiteley

Heriot

Deacon

HALF-BACKS

Stockman

Taylor

Crough

CENTRES

McCormack

Power

Dunn

HALF-FORWARDS

Brain

Trethowan

Oaten

FORWARDS

Boyd

Chisholm

McGowan

FOLLOWERS

Johnson

Briglia

ROVER

Skilton (C)

 

RESERVES

Munn

Gunstone

EMERGENCIES

Woolley

Burke

Downes

HAWTHORN

COACH

John Kennedy

 

BACKS

Simmonds

Kaine

Cooper

HALF-BACKS

Dineen

McArthur

S. Hay

CENTRES

Youren

Nalder

Edwards

HALF-FORWARDS

Mort

Arthur (C)

Fisher

FORWARDS

Law

Winneke

M. Young

FOLLOWERS

Peck

P. Hay

ROVER

Connell

 

RESERVES

unknown

EMERGENCIES

(from: Hill, Cabble, Critchel, Toy, Shelton)

 

GRAND FINAL

1960 VFL NIGHT PREMIERSHIP - GRAND FINAL

Match 7 - Tuesday, September 27

SOUTH MELBOURNE

2.3 (15)

4.7 (31)

9.11 (65)

10.12 (72)

HAWTHORN

1.2 (8)

2.6 (18)

6.8 (44)

8.11 (59)

BEST PLAYERS:

South Melbourne

Heriot, Kiteley, Skilton, Johnson, Chisholm, Oaten, McGowan

Hawthorn

Mort, Winneke, Nalder, Dineen, Youren, McArthur

GOALKICKERS:

South Melbourne

Chisholm 3, Oaten 3, McGowan, Skilton, Briglia, Johnson

Hawthorn

Arthur 3, Law 2, Peck, Mort, P. Hay

REPLACEMENTS:

South Melbourne

Munn replaced Briglia (third quarter)

Gunstone replaced Taylor (last quarter)

Hawthorn

(none)

UMPIRE:

Nunn

CROWD:

20,000

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

Postponed from Sept.26 due to torrential rain making the ground unplayable.

Bob Skilton captained South Melbourne in the absence of Ron Clegg (injured).

 

Written and researched by David Eastman
First published 15/2/2017
Last updated 11/7/2021