The 1962 VFL season was the 66th season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 21 April until 29 September, and comprised an 18-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top four clubs.

1962 VFL premiership season
Teams12
PremiersEssendon
11th premiership
Minor premiersEssendon
11th minor premiership
Consolation seriesRichmond
1st Consolation series win
Brownlow MedallistAlistair Lord (Geelong)
Coleman MedallistDoug Wade (Geelong)
Matches played113
Highest99,203
← 1961
1963 →

The premiership was won by the Essendon Football Club for the eleventh time, after it defeated Carlton by 32 points in the 1962 VFL Grand Final.

Background

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In 1962, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus two substitute players, known as the 19th man and the 20th 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 1962 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the Page–McIntyre system.

Home-and-away season

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Round 1

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 11.13 (79) Richmond 6.15 (51) MCG 41,634 21 April 1962
Footscray 12.8 (80) Hawthorn 6.11 (47) Western Oval 30,752 21 April 1962
Carlton 13.10 (88) Geelong 19.13 (127) Princes Park 41,846 21 April 1962
Essendon 12.13 (85) Fitzroy 7.6 (48) Windy Hill 29,200 23 April 1962
Collingwood 5.8 (38) St Kilda 9.9 (63) Victoria Park 42,170 23 April 1962
South Melbourne 14.13 (97) North Melbourne 13.13 (91) Lake Oval 22,340 23 April 1962

Round 2

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
St Kilda 10.13 (73) South Melbourne 13.7 (85) Junction Oval 23,200 28 April 1962
Geelong 7.7 (49) Melbourne 8.8 (56) Kardinia Park 20,344 28 April 1962
Fitzroy 6.7 (43) Footscray 16.15 (111) Brunswick Street Oval 18,754 28 April 1962
North Melbourne 7.9 (51) Essendon 10.8 (68) Arden Street Oval 15,496 28 April 1962
Hawthorn 13.9 (87) Collingwood 10.15 (75) Glenferrie Oval 23,500 28 April 1962
Richmond 9.11 (65) Carlton 11.9 (75) Punt Road Oval 17,784 28 April 1962

Round 3

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 18.10 (118) Hawthorn 12.7 (79) Kardinia Park 25,819 5 May 1962
Fitzroy 9.11 (65) St Kilda 16.7 (103) Brunswick Street Oval 16,981 5 May 1962
Essendon 12.22 (94) Richmond 9.13 (67) Windy Hill 22,500 5 May 1962
Carlton 16.14 (110) North Melbourne 7.6 (48) Princes Park 19,933 5 May 1962
Melbourne 14.10 (94) Footscray 4.11 (35) MCG 55,012 5 May 1962
South Melbourne 7.14 (56) Collingwood 15.10 (100) Lake Oval 29,840 5 May 1962

Round 4

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 17.17 (119) South Melbourne 10.11 (71) Western Oval 24,168 12 May 1962
Collingwood 6.15 (51) Melbourne 12.11 (83) Victoria Park 31,315 12 May 1962
Richmond 13.15 (93) Geelong 18.10 (118) Punt Road Oval 24,336 12 May 1962
North Melbourne 7.14 (56) Fitzroy 18.13 (121) Arden Street Oval 13,100 12 May 1962
St Kilda 10.15 (75) Essendon 11.13 (79) Junction Oval 37,300 12 May 1962
Hawthorn 12.6 (78) Carlton 12.19 (91) Glenferrie Oval 22,300 12 May 1962

Round 5

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 16.8 (104) North Melbourne 13.5 (83) MCG 20,748 19 May 1962
Hawthorn 11.8 (74) Richmond 9.16 (70) Glenferrie Oval 18,000 19 May 1962
Footscray 13.12 (90) St Kilda 9.19 (73) Western Oval 30,661 19 May 1962
Carlton 11.7 (73) Essendon 17.16 (118) Princes Park 36,457 19 May 1962
South Melbourne 10.13 (73) Fitzroy 13.16 (94) Lake Oval 17,760 19 May 1962
Geelong 11.9 (75) Collingwood 13.9 (87) Kardinia Park 27,788 19 May 1962

Round 6

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 8.15 (63) South Melbourne 1.11 (17) MCG 25,737 26 May 1962
Fitzroy 11.13 (79) Hawthorn 8.8 (56) Brunswick Street Oval 14,781 26 May 1962
Essendon 14.9 (93) Footscray 13.9 (87) Windy Hill 37,000 26 May 1962
St Kilda 13.10 (88) Richmond 12.8 (80) Junction Oval 33,600 26 May 1962
North Melbourne 6.14 (50) Geelong 19.15 (129) Arden Street Oval 14,140 26 May 1962
Collingwood 12.8 (80) Carlton 10.4 (64) Victoria Park 34,528 26 May 1962

Round 7

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Richmond 14.7 (91) North Melbourne 6.12 (48) Punt Road Oval 16,943 2 June 1962
South Melbourne 7.11 (53) Essendon 16.15 (111) Lake Oval 25,640 2 June 1962
Footscray 9.9 (63) Collingwood 4.4 (28) Western Oval 40,224 2 June 1962
Hawthorn 9.8 (62) St Kilda 12.22 (94) Glenferrie Oval 28,000 4 June 1962
Carlton 10.10 (70) Melbourne 7.12 (54) Princes Park 32,000 4 June 1962
Geelong 13.22 (100) Fitzroy 9.8 (62) Kardinia Park 29,230 4 June 1962

Round 8

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 9.10 (64) South Melbourne 6.8 (44) Kardinia Park 17,873 9 June 1962
Fitzroy 12.4 (76) Melbourne 9.20 (74) Brunswick Street Oval 15,499 9 June 1962
Richmond 9.10 (64) Footscray 11.11 (77) Punt Road Oval 26,656 9 June 1962
Hawthorn 9.15 (69) Essendon 7.10 (52) Glenferrie Oval 21,000 9 June 1962
North Melbourne 7.10 (52) Collingwood 15.19 (109) Arden Street Oval 18,503 9 June 1962
St Kilda 5.13 (43) Carlton 6.10 (46) Junction Oval 38,300 9 June 1962

Round 9

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 11.18 (84) St Kilda 11.6 (72) MCG 48,952 23 June 1962
Essendon 15.17 (107) Geelong 10.7 (67) Windy Hill 35,000 23 June 1962
Collingwood 10.14 (74) Fitzroy 9.11 (65) Victoria Park 26,488 23 June 1962
Carlton 12.9 (81) Footscray 9.10 (64) Princes Park 32,400 23 June 1962
South Melbourne 10.13 (73) Richmond 11.13 (79) Lake Oval 17,000 23 June 1962
North Melbourne 10.8 (68) Hawthorn 10.7 (67) Arden Street Oval 8,470 23 June 1962

Round 10

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 7.10 (52) St Kilda 6.12 (48) Kardinia Park 23,295 30 June 1962
Footscray 12.10 (82) North Melbourne 8.17 (65) Western Oval 20,579 30 June 1962
Collingwood 14.16 (100) Richmond 13.10 (88) Victoria Park 25,479 30 June 1962
South Melbourne 7.8 (50) Hawthorn 12.14 (86) Lake Oval 10,150 30 June 1962
Melbourne 7.13 (55) Essendon 10.13 (73) MCG 86,275 30 June 1962
Fitzroy 6.15 (51) Carlton 7.10 (52) Brunswick Street Oval 20,340 30 June 1962

Round 11

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 11.14 (80) Melbourne 14.12 (96) Glenferrie Oval 18,000 7 July 1962
Footscray 8.10 (58) Geelong 20.9 (129) Western Oval 34,032 7 July 1962
Carlton 17.14 (116) South Melbourne 6.12 (48) Princes Park 20,200 7 July 1962
St Kilda 10.8 (68) North Melbourne 12.6 (78) Junction Oval 17,750 7 July 1962
Richmond 10.16 (76) Fitzroy 9.12 (66) Punt Road Oval 18,470 7 July 1962
Essendon 13.16 (94) Collingwood 11.11 (77) Windy Hill 37,000 7 July 1962

Round 12

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 12.22 (94) South Melbourne 5.15 (45) Arden Street Oval 9,543 14 July 1962
Richmond 10.9 (69) Melbourne 12.12 (84) Punt Road Oval 21,174 14 July 1962
Hawthorn 13.6 (84) Footscray 16.6 (102) Glenferrie Oval 16,000 14 July 1962
Fitzroy 5.19 (49) Essendon 14.18 (102) Brunswick Street Oval 21,236 14 July 1962
St Kilda 16.12 (108) Collingwood 12.13 (85) Junction Oval 29,500 14 July 1962
Geelong 8.9 (57) Carlton 11.7 (73) Kardinia Park 30,591 14 July 1962

Round 13

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Essendon 13.11 (89) North Melbourne 8.7 (55) Windy Hill 20,500 21 July 1962
Collingwood 15.9 (99) Hawthorn 9.6 (60) Victoria Park 16,848 21 July 1962
Carlton 9.13 (67) Richmond 6.15 (51) Princes Park 19,029 21 July 1962
South Melbourne 9.9 (63) St Kilda 11.14 (80) Lake Oval 14,380 21 July 1962
Melbourne 9.9 (63) Geelong 10.19 (79) MCG 51,470 21 July 1962
Footscray 10.5 (65) Fitzroy 5.16 (46) Western Oval 17,721 21 July 1962

Round 14

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 6.11 (47) Melbourne 9.14 (68) Western Oval 28,801 28 July 1962
Collingwood 11.10 (76) South Melbourne 10.12 (72) Victoria Park 19,115 28 July 1962
Hawthorn 11.17 (83) Geelong 16.13 (109) Glenferrie Oval 18,000 28 July 1962
St Kilda 13.16 (94) Fitzroy 8.6 (54) Junction Oval 18,450 28 July 1962
Richmond 11.17 (83) Essendon 12.12 (84) Punt Road Oval 24,043 28 July 1962
North Melbourne 7.6 (48) Carlton 11.12 (78) Arden Street Oval 16,436 28 July 1962

Round 15

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 15.8 (98) Richmond 7.12 (54) Kardinia Park 23,555 4 August 1962
Fitzroy 7.8 (50) North Melbourne 8.12 (60) Brunswick Street Oval 9,399 4 August 1962
Essendon 15.7 (97) St Kilda 5.17 (47) Windy Hill 26,000 4 August 1962
Carlton 8.11 (59) Hawthorn 7.11 (53) Princes Park 18,250 4 August 1962
South Melbourne 9.9 (63) Footscray 10.20 (80) Lake Oval 17,200 4 August 1962
Melbourne 14.8 (92) Collingwood 11.11 (77) MCG 54,312 4 August 1962

Round 16

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Fitzroy 17.16 (118) South Melbourne 22.11 (143) Brunswick Street Oval 10,169 11 August 1962
Collingwood 7.11 (53) Geelong 12.23 (95) Victoria Park 30,000 11 August 1962
North Melbourne 10.11 (71) Melbourne 11.17 (83) Arden Street Oval 10,339 11 August 1962
Richmond 11.11 (77) Hawthorn 15.4 (94) Punt Road Oval 15,992 11 August 1962
St Kilda 12.14 (86) Footscray 11.10 (76) Junction Oval 36,300 11 August 1962
Essendon 10.11 (71) Carlton 9.8 (62) Windy Hill 39,000 11 August 1962

Round 17

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Richmond 10.8 (68) St Kilda 8.16 (64) Punt Road Oval 20,752 18 August 1962
Geelong 14.18 (102) North Melbourne 10.11 (71) Kardinia Park 26,707 18 August 1962
Carlton 17.14 (116) Collingwood 11.8 (74) Princes Park 32,550 18 August 1962
South Melbourne 7.10 (52) Melbourne 9.13 (67) Lake Oval 18,300 18 August 1962
Hawthorn 12.11 (83) Fitzroy 13.13 (91) Glenferrie Oval 9,600 18 August 1962
Footscray 15.11 (101) Essendon 9.10 (64) Western Oval 31,185 18 August 1962

Round 18

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 9.9 (63) Richmond 12.10 (82) Arden Street Oval 10,602 25 August 1962
Fitzroy 5.14 (44) Geelong 18.14 (122) Brunswick Street Oval 18,447 25 August 1962
Essendon 13.15 (93) South Melbourne 13.10 (88) Windy Hill 20,900 25 August 1962
Collingwood 12.10 (82) Footscray 7.11 (53) Victoria Park 23,936 25 August 1962
St Kilda 14.16 (100) Hawthorn 9.11 (65) Junction Oval 17,450 25 August 1962
Melbourne 11.9 (75) Carlton 5.10 (40) MCG 54,264 25 August 1962

Ladder

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(P) Premiers
Qualified for finals
# Team P W L D PF PA % Pts
1 Essendon (P) 18 16 2 0 1574 1207 130.4 64
2 Geelong 18 14 4 0 1690 1213 139.3 56
3 Melbourne 18 14 4 0 1374 1092 125.8 56
4 Carlton 18 13 5 0 1361 1205 112.9 52
5 Footscray 18 11 7 0 1390 1281 108.5 44
6 St Kilda 18 9 9 0 1379 1267 108.8 36
7 Collingwood 18 9 9 0 1365 1386 98.5 36
8 Richmond 18 5 13 0 1308 1446 90.5 20
9 Hawthorn 18 5 13 0 1307 1510 86.6 20
10 Fitzroy 18 5 13 0 1222 1529 79.9 20
11 North Melbourne 18 4 14 0 1152 1575 73.1 16
12 South Melbourne 18 3 15 0 1193 1604 74.4 12

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 75.5
Source: AFL Tables

Finals series

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Semi-finals

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Team 1 Qtr 2 Qtr 3 Qtr Final
Melbourne 2.4 6.4 11.9 11.10 (76)
Carlton 2.3 6.5 9.7 11.12 (78)
Attendance: 82,773
Team 1 Qtr 2 Qtr 3 Qtr Final
Essendon 3.3 7.6 10.13 14.21 (105)
Geelong 2.8 6.13 7.15 7.17 (59)
Attendance: 95,393

Preliminary final

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Team 1 Qtr 2 Qtr 3 Qtr Final
Geelong 4.2 7.4 9.5 13.7 (85)
Carlton 3.3 4.4 8.9 12.13 (85)
Attendance: 87,824

Preliminary final replay

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Team 1 Qtr 2 Qtr 3 Qtr Final
Geelong 3.2 5.9 7.12 10.13 (73)
Carlton 1.4 5.8 9.9 10.18 (78)
Attendance: 99,203

Grand final

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Team 1 Qtr 2 Qtr 3 Qtr Final
Essendon 6.5 7.7 10.10 13.12 (90)
Carlton 1.1 5.6 7.8 8.10 (58)
Attendance: 98,385

Consolation Night Series Competition

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The night series were held under the floodlights at Lake Oval, South Melbourne, for the teams (5th to 12th on ladder) out of the finals at the end of the season.

Final: Richmond 8.16 (64) defeated Hawthorn 9.6 (60)

Season notes

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  • Having abandoned live telecasts of the last quarters of VFL matches at the end of 1960, and having forbidden Saturday evening replays during the 1961 season, the VFL agreed to allow television stations to broadcast one hour of replays each Saturday evening, provided no more than 30 minutes of any one match was broadcast. A separate arrangement was made to allow a replay of the entire Grand Final match.
  • St Kilda won its first match against Collingwood at Victoria Park since round 2, 1919.
  • On Anzac Day, a representative match was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground between the Victorian team from the 1961 Brisbane Carnival, and a team representing the rest of the league. The Rest 13.7 (85) defeated the Carnival team 10.17 (77) in front of a crowd of 17,068.[1]
  • In the Round 10 match between Carlton and Fitzroy at the Brunswick Street Oval, scores were level at 51 apiece when the final siren sounded; but, play was at the opposite end of the venue to the grandstand where the siren was located, and the umpire did not hear it. From the ensuing ball-up, Carlton's Martin Cross punched the ball through for a rushed behind, and Carlton won by that point. Fitzroy did not protest the result;[2] it did request that the Fitzroy Cricket Club install new sirens at the other end of the field, but the request was rejected.[3]
  • In September, the VFL purchased land to the east of Melbourne, at Mulgrave, upon which later built VFL Park.
  • The preliminary final replay between Carlton and Geelong was by Carlton won by five points. In the final moments of the match, Geelong full forward Doug Wade took a strong mark directly in front of the Geelong goals, but he was penalised for interfering with Carlton full-back Peter Barry.
  • In the grand final, a badly injured Geoff Leek played one of the best matches in his career to nullify Carlton's John Nicholls and pave the way for a sound 32 point win by Essendon.

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ Kevin Hogan (26 April 1962). "Another dent for side's pride". The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne. p. 46.
  2. ^ Rex Pullen (2 July 1962). "That "late" win – no protest". The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne. p. 34.
  3. ^ "Lions fail to get sirens". The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne. 7 July 1962. p. 43.
  4. ^ "Bulldogs subdue St Kilda's dash". The Age. Melbourne. 24 September 1962. p. 18.
  • Hogan, P., The Tigers of Old, The Richmond Football Club, (Richmond), 1996. ISBN 0-646-18748-1
  • Maplestone, M., Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996, Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996. ISBN 0-9591740-2-8
  • 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
  • Ross, J. (ed.), The Australian Football Hall of Fame, HarperCollinsPublishers, (Pymble), 1999. ISBN 0-7322-6426-X

Sources

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