1961 VFL NIGHT PREMIERSHIP

*Geelong's comeback - the Cats claimed their first senior trophy since winning the 1952 VFL Premiership.

However, they did it the hard way; trailing 1961 wooden-spooners North Melbourne by 11 points with seven minutes to go then kicking three goals against the wind to steal the flag.

For North Melbourne it was a missed chance to claim their first silverware at senior level since transferring from the VFA to the VFL in 1925. Their only other opportunity had been in 1950 when they reached the VFL Grand Final but that also ended in heartbreak (the Shinboners' premiership drought would eventually end in 1965).


*Leading goalkicker in the series - Carlton's Tom Carroll (2 games) and North Melbourne's John Dugdale (3 games) kicked 11 goals each to lead all scorers in the series. Geelong's Doug Wade (3 games) was next best with 10 goals.


*Big crowds return - after disappointing crowd totals in 1959 (76,300) and 1960 (93,100) fans flocked back to night football with the 1961 series total exploding to 152,019.
Picture
The 1961 Night Premiership Trophy, located at Geelong FC Museum [David Eastman]
This total was only surpassed in this era by the 1957 series (187,200 from 11 games) and 1965 series (153,635 from 7 games).


*VFL Players' Provident Fund - this served as a pension fund for players and 1961 marked the first time players received credits for taking part in Night Series matches. Night games were deemed to be worth 50% of the usual amount credited for premiership matches.

ROUND 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DATE

TEAMS

1/4

1/2

3/4

FINAL

MARGIN

VENUE

DAY/TIME

CROWD

Aug-31

Collingwood (9)

2.2 (14)

5.7 (37)

10.11 (71)

14.14 (98)

19

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Thu (8:00pm)

16,222

Fitzroy (5)

2.3 (15)

5.6 (36)

8.9 (57)

11.13 (79)

Sep-05

North Melbourne (12)

6.4 (40)

10.5 (65)

13.8 (86)

14.12 (96)

15

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Tue (8:00pm)

17,854

Essendon (7)

2.2 (14)

3.8 (26)

7.11 (53)

11.15 (81)

Sep-07

Geelong (6)

3.0 (18)

7.5 (47)

9.6 (60)

13.7 (85)

5

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Thu (8:00pm)

21,760

South Melbourne (11)

3.3 (21)

3.4 (22)

6.5 (41)

12.8 (80)

Sep-12

Carlton (8)

3.2 (20)

5.5 (35)

9.9 (63)

12.12 (84)

46

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Tue (8:00pm)

23,468

Richmond (10)

1.3 (9)

1.4 (10)

4.5 (29)

5.8 (38)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEMI FINALS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DATE

TEAMS

1/4

1/2

3/4

FINAL

MARGIN

VENUE

DAY/TIME

CROWD

Sep-14

Collingwood v North Melbourne moved to Sept.15th due to torrential rain

Sep-15

North Melbourne (12)

0.2 (2)

7.5 (47)

8.7 (55)

14.10 (94)

26

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Fri (8:00pm)

15,110

Collingwood (9)

2.4 (16)

5.4 (34)

9.5 (59)

10.8 (68)

Sep-19

Geelong (6)

4.4 (28)

7.6 (48)

10.8 (68)

14.12 (96)

25

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Tue (8:00pm)

27,240

Carlton (8)

2.4 (16)

5.8 (38)

9.9 (63)

10.11 (71)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GRAND FINAL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DATE

TEAMS

1/4

1/2

3/4

FINAL

MARGIN

VENUE

DAY/TIME

CROWD

Sep-25

Geelong (6)

1.9 (15)

4.10 (34)

6.15 (51)

9.20 (74)

12

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Mon (8:00pm)

30,365

North Melbourne (12)

0.0 (0)

4.3 (27)

5.5 (35)

9.8 (62)

 

Picture
Action from the opening round Richmond-Carlton match won by the Blues (AFL History instagram)

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, August 31

COLLINGWOOD

2.2 (14)

5.7 (37)

10.11 (71)

14.14 (98)

FITZROY

2.3 (15)

5.6 (36)

8.9 (57)

11.13 (79)

BEST PLAYERS:

Collingwood

Rist, M. Delanty, Norman, Burns, Weideman, Henderson

Fitzroy

Clark, Abrahams, Aston, Vernon, Campbell, Powell

GOALKICKERS:

Collingwood

M. Delanty 4, Weideman 3, Norman 3, K. Rose, Poore, Hutchesson, Roper

Fitzroy

Clark 3, Abrahams 3, Campbell 2, Vernon, Wright, Crow

REPLACEMENTS:

Collingwood

List replaced Turner (selected side)

Burns replaced Gray (first quarter)

Thripp replaced Mahon (second quarter)

Fitzroy

Stevens replaced Duncan (three-quarter time)

Wicks replaced Slocum (three-quarter time)

UMPIRE:

Hodgson

CROWD:

16,222

SOURCE:

AGE/Football Record

NOTES:

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 2 - Tuesday, September 5

NORTH MELBOURNE

6.4 (40)

10.5 (65)

13.8 (86)

14.12 (96)

ESSENDON

2.2 (14)

3.8 (26)

7.11 (53)

11.15 (81)

BEST PLAYERS:

North Melbourne

Dwyer, Dugdale, Teasdale, Robertson, Rowe, Snell

Essendon

Timms, Hebard, Mitchell, Leek, Epis, Murdoch

GOALKICKERS:

North Melbourne

Dugdale 6, Eastmure 3, Snell 3, Teasdale, Aylett

Essendon

Evans 3, Timms 3, King 2, Sampson, Murdoch, Mitchell

REPLACEMENTS:

North Melbourne

O’Brien replaced Ryan (third quarter)

Darby replaced Waddington (last quarter)

Essendon

(none)

UMPIRE:

Irving

CROWD:

17,854

SOURCE:

AGE/Football Record

NOTES:

Essendon's qtr by qtr scores in the Football Record (7-9-1961) are totally wrong: they are shown as 2.3 / 5.6 / 8.9 / 11.15

However, the actual match report on the same page confirms the totals in The Age were correct: 2.2 / 3.8 / 7.11 / 11.15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 3 - Thursday, September 7

GEELONG

3.0 (18)

7.5 (47)

9.6 (60)

13.7 (85)

SOUTH MELBOURNE

3.3 (21)

3.4 (22)

6.5 (41)

12.8 (80)

BEST PLAYERS:

Geelong

Miller, Wade, B. Goggin, McGrath, Callan, Helber

South Melbourne

F. Johnson, McCormack, Skilton, Oaten, Munn, McGowan

GOALKICKERS:

Geelong

Wade 6, B. Goggin 3, Wooller, Yeates, M. Goggin, A. Lord

South Melbourne

Oaten 3, McGowan 3, Skilton 2, Johnson 2, McCormack, Hopkins

REPLACEMENTS:

Geelong

Norman replaced Goodland (third quarter)

South Melbourne

Woolley replaced Oaten (three-quarter time)

UMPIRE:

Brewer

CROWD:

21,760

SOURCE:

AGE/Football Record

NOTES:

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 4 - Tuesday, September 12

CARLTON

3.2 (20)

5.5 (35)

9.9 (63)

12.12 (84)

RICHMOND

1.3 (9)

1.4 (10)

4.5 (29)

5.8 (38)

BEST PLAYERS:

Carlton

Silvagni, Carroll, Collis, Cox, Heathcote, Collins

Richmond

Gahan, Branton, Saddington, Robertson, Johnson, Patterson

GOALKICKERS:

Carlton

Carroll 6, Cross 2, Heathcote, Brereton, Collis, J. Williams

Richmond

Richmond 2, Saddington, Langridge, Johnson

REPLACEMENTS:

Carlton

J. Carroll replaced Crowe (half-time)

Richmond

Richmond replaced Williamson (third quarter)

Lockhart replaced Loughran (three-quarter time)

UMPIRE:

Nunn

CROWD:

23,468

SOURCE:

AGE/Football Record

NOTES:

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEMI-FINALS

Match 5 - Friday, September 15

NORTH MELBOURNE

0.2 (2)

7.5 (47)

8.7 (55)

14.10 (94)

COLLINGWOOD

2.4 (16)

5.4 (34)

9.5 (59)

10.8 (68)

BEST PLAYERS:

North Melbourne

Aylett, Gaudion, Waddington, Ryan, Dwyer, Jenkins, Eastmure

Collingwood

Henderson, Reeves, Bennett, Withers, Delanty, Weideman

GOALKICKERS:

North Melbourne

Aylett 6, Dugdale 3, Eastmure 3, Snell, Mantello

Collingwood

Donald 2, Delanty 2, Beers, Weideman, Norman, Turner, Bennett, Hutchesson

REPLACEMENTS:

North Melbourne

O’Brien replaced Gaudion (last quarter)

Collingwood

(none)

UMPIRE:

Andrew

CROWD:

15,110

SOURCE:

AGE/Football Record

NOTES:

Originally scheduled for Sept.14 but postponed due to torrential rain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 6 - Tuesday, September 19

GEELONG

4.4 (28)

7.6 (48)

10.8 (68)

14.12 (96)

CARLTON

2.4 (16)

5.8 (38)

9.9 (63)

10.11 (71)

BEST PLAYERS:

Geelong

Rice, Long, B. Goggin, Nicholls, Callan, Wooller

Carlton

Silvagni, Nicholls, T. Carroll, Crowe, Collins, Brereton

GOALKICKERS:

Geelong

Wooller 4, Long 3, Wade 2, Rice 2, B. Goggin, Yeates, A. Lord

Carlton

T. Carroll 5, Brereton 3, Silvagni, Nicholls

REPLACEMENTS:

Geelong

Noran replaced Helmer (half-time)

Luttrell replaced O’Neill (last quarter)

Carlton

B. Williams replaced J. Williams (half-time)

J. Carroll replaced Barry (last quarter)

UMPIRE:

Nunn

CROWD:

27,240

SOURCE:

AGE/Football Record

NOTES:

-

 

1961 VFL NIGHT PREMIERSHIP - GRAND FINAL

GEELONG

NORTH MELBOURNE

Bob Davis

COACH

Wally Carter

 

Lowe

West

Callan

BACKS

Waddington

Cheatley

Robinson

Nicholls

Vinar

Devine

HALF-BACKS

Dean

Ryan

Rowe

M. Goggin

Miller

Hamer*

CENTRES

Robertson

Dwyer

Gaudion

A. Lord

Wooller

Norman

HALF-FORWARDS

Ward

Teasdale

Mantello

Long

Wade

Rice

FORWARDS

Snell

Dugdale

Eastmure

McGrath

Yeates (C)

FOLLOWERS

Jenkins

Railton

B. Goggin*

ROVER

Aylett (C)

 

Stephens

Sutherland

RESERVES

Hughes

J. O’Brien

Pomeroy*

O’Donnell*

EMERGENCIES

Darby, D. O’Brien, Perry, Pickering, Saunders

*Hamer and Bill Goggin were withdrawn from Geelong's selected team. Pomeroy and O’Donnell were promoted from Emergencies

 

Match 7 - Monday, September 25

GEELONG

1.9 (15)

4.10 (34)

6.15 (51)

9.20 (74)

NORTH MELBOURNE

0.0 (0)

4.3 (27)

5.5 (35)

9.8 (62)

BEST PLAYERS:

Geelong

Long, O’Donnell, Yeates, Wooller, Pomeroy, Miller, M. Goggin

North Melbourne

Dwyer, Waddington, Cheatley, Gaudion, Teasdale, Snell, Robinson

GOALKICKERS:

Geelong

O’Donnell 3, Wade 2, Yeates, Norman, Callan, Wooller

North Melbourne

Teasdale 3, Dugdale 2, Robertson, Aylett, Eastmure, Jenkins

REPLACEMENTS:

Geelong

Stephens replaced Rice (second quarter)

Sutherland replaced Nicholls (last quarter)

North Melbourne

(none)

UMPIRE:

Irving

CROWD:

30,365*

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

Geelong trailed by 11 points with seven minutes to go but kicked three goals against the wind to steal the match.

CROWD DISCREPANCY:

Current AFL records have the crowd for this match as 30,465

The Age (26-9-1961) and The Football Record (31-8-1962 / 2-9-1965 / 25-9-1967 / 4-9-1968 / 28-9-1970) confirm it was actually 30,365

 

Written and researched by David Eastman
First published 15/2/2017
Last updated 17/11/2018