1973 VFL season
The 1973 Victorian Football League season was the 77th season of the elite Australian rules football competition.
| 1973 VFL Premiership season | |
|---|---|
| Teams | 12 |
| Premiers | Richmond (8th premiership) |
| Minor premiers | Collingwood (16th minor premiership) |
| Matches played | 138 |
| Attendance | 3,338,648 (24,193 per match) |
| Highest attendance | 116,956 |
| Coleman Medallist | Peter McKenna (Collingwood) |
| Brownlow Medallist | Keith Greig (North Melbourne) |
Premiership season
In 1973, 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 22 rounds; matches 12 to 22 were the "home-and-way reverse" of matches 1 to 11.
Once the 22 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1973 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the "McIntyre Final Five system".
Round 1
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 9.12 (66) | St Kilda | 14.14 (98) | MCG | 44,737 | 7 April 1973 |
| Fitzroy | 20.17 (137) | Footscray | 12.15 (87) | Junction Oval | 14,988 | 7 April 1973 |
| Essendon | 19.13 (127) | Richmond | 19.15 (129) | Windy Hill | 27,959 | 7 April 1973 |
| Collingwood | 17.22 (124) | South Melbourne | 6.12 (48) | Victoria Park | 23,412 | 7 April 1973 |
| North Melbourne | 14.14 (98) | Hawthorn | 9.16 (70) | Arden Street Oval | 15,934 | 7 April 1973 |
| Geelong | 10.8 (68) | Carlton | 18.16 (124) | Kardinia Park | 26,130 | 7 April 1973 |
Round 2
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 14.14 (98) | Melbourne | 13.22 (100) | Glenferrie Oval | 13,128 | 14 April 1973 |
| Carlton | 18.15 (123) | North Melbourne | 14.12 (96) | Princes Park | 29,185 | 14 April 1973 |
| Richmond | 18.19 (127) | Geelong | 16.14 (110) | MCG | 29,665 | 14 April 1973 |
| St Kilda | 20.8 (128) | Fitzroy | 10.11 (71) | Moorabbin Oval | 23,662 | 14 April 1973 |
| South Melbourne | 15.19 (109) | Essendon | 21.20 (146) | Lake Oval | 16,260 | 14 April 1973 |
| Footscray | 11.16 (82) | Collingwood | 14.18 (102) | Western Oval | 24,794 | 14 April 1973 |
Round 3
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Collingwood | 21.23 (149) | Geelong | 11.13 (79) | Victoria Park | 49,552 | 21 April 1973 |
| St Kilda | 12.9 (81) | Richmond | 17.8 (110) | Moorabbin Oval | 33,022 | 21 April 1973 |
| North Melbourne | 11.18 (84) | Fitzroy | 10.18 (78) | Arden Street Oval | 18,704 | 21 April 1973 |
| South Melbourne | 17.16 (118) | Footscray | 20.15 (135) | Lake Oval | 13,199 | 23 April 1973 |
| Melbourne | 11.9 (75) | Carlton | 11.16 (82) | MCG | 49,439 | 23 April 1973 |
| Hawthorn | 27.8 (170) | Essendon | 15.12 (102) | VFL Park | 32,045 | 23 April 1973 |
Round 4
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 11.18 (84) | North Melbourne | 14.20 (104) | MCG | 48,923 | 25 April 1973 |
| Collingwood | 19.16 (130) | St Kilda | 8.12 (60) | VFL Park | 49,552 | 25 April 1973 |
| Geelong | 17.16 (118) | South Melbourne | 12.14 (86) | Kardinia Park | 14,739 | 28 April 1973 |
| Fitzroy | 13.9 (87) | Melbourne | 13.16 (94) | Junction Oval | 16,101 | 28 April 1973 |
| Carlton | 14.11 (95) | Hawthorn | 12.11 (83) | Princes Park | 27,913 | 28 April 1973 |
| Footscray | 8.19 (67) | Essendon | 17.13 (115) | Western Oval | 25,314 | 28 April 1973 |
Round 5
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 13.13 (91) | Richmond | 16.14 (110) | MCG | 37,667 | 5 May 1973 |
| Essendon | 16.26 (122) | Geelong | 15.16 (106) | Windy Hill | 19,007 | 5 May 1973 |
| South Melbourne | 6.12 (48) | St Kilda | 10.16 (76) | Lake Oval | 13,513 | 5 May 1973 |
| Hawthorn | 18.16 (124) | Footscray | 16.12 (108) | Glenferrie Oval | 11,402 | 5 May 1973 |
| North Melbourne | 13.20 (98) | Collingwood | 15.19 (109) | Arden Street Oval | 27,048 | 5 May 1973 |
| Carlton | 15.15 (105) | Fitzroy | 10.8 (68) | VFL Park | 19,654 | 5 May 1973 |
Round 6
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Fitzroy | 15.17 (107) | Hawthorn | 12.13 (85) | Junction Oval | 10,706 | 12 May 1973 |
| Collingwood | 15.10 (100) | Melbourne | 10.16 (76) | Victoria Park | 21,360 | 12 May 1973 |
| Geelong | 11.14 (80) | Footscray | 14.14 (98) | Kardinia Park | 15,305 | 12 May 1973 |
| St Kilda | 18.13 (121) | Essendon | 21.14 (140) | Moorabbin Oval | 23,120 | 12 May 1973 |
| Richmond | 18.20 (128) | Carlton | 15.12 (102) | MCG | 54,139 | 12 May 1973 |
| North Melbourne | 18.16 (124) | South Melbourne | 11.14 (80) | VFL Park | 10,020 | 12 May 1973 |
Round 7
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 17.10 (112) | South Melbourne | 12.11 (83) | MCG | 16,075 | 19 May 1973 |
| Footscray | 14.9 (93) | St Kilda | 13.12 (90) | Western Oval | 14,953 | 19 May 1973 |
| Essendon | 20.24 (144) | North Melbourne | 11.8 (74) | Windy Hill | 26,907 | 19 May 1973 |
| Carlton | 16.23 (119) | Collingwood | 8.12 (60) | Princes Park | 43,531 | 19 May 1973 |
| Hawthorn | 19.15 (129) | Geelong | 9.14 (68) | Glenferrie Oval | 11,621 | 19 May 1973 |
| Richmond | 16.21 (117) | Fitzroy | 12.8 (80) | VFL Park | 19,539 | 19 May 1973 |
Round 8
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Collingwood | 15.13 (103) | Fitzroy | 10.8 (68) | Victoria Park | 20,822 | 26 May 1973 |
| Richmond | 10.22 (82) | Hawthorn | 16.23 (119) | MCG | 32,613 | 26 May 1973 |
| St Kilda | 16.10 (106) | Geelong | 8.12 (60) | Moorabbin Oval | 15,114 | 26 May 1973 |
| North Melbourne | 8.8 (56) | Footscray | 8.8 (56) | Arden Street Oval | 16,148 | 26 May 1973 |
| South Melbourne | 7.9 (51) | Carlton | 19.16 (130) | Lake Oval | 14,659 | 26 May 1973 |
| Essendon | 12.9 (81) | Melbourne | 10.11 (71) | VFL Park | 25,603 | 26 May 1973 |
Round 9
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 14.6 (90) | North Melbourne | 18.13 (121) | Kardinia Park | 18,868 | 4 June 1973 |
| Footscray | 9.14 (68) | Melbourne | 10.14 (74) | Western Oval | 17,973 | 4 June 1973 |
| Fitzroy | 16.8 (104) | South Melbourne | 7.15 (57) | Junction Oval | 10,119 | 4 June 1973 |
| Carlton | 19.19 (133) | Essendon | 13.14 (92) | Princes Park | 39,646 | 4 June 1973 |
| St Kilda | 11.12 (78) | Hawthorn | 8.16 (64) | Moorabbin Oval | 22,521 | 4 June 1973 |
| Collingwood | 15.15 (105) | Richmond | 10.6 (66) | VFL Park | 55,827 | 4 June 1973 |
Round 10
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 11.14 (80) | St Kilda | 7.12 (54) | Arden Street Oval | 16,387 | 9 June 1973 |
| Essendon | 15.17 (107) | Fitzroy | 14.13 (97) | Windy Hill | 16,632 | 9 June 1973 |
| South Melbourne | 9.8 (62) | Richmond | 13.14 (92) | Lake Oval | 10,726 | 9 June 1973 |
| Melbourne | 20.19 (139) | Geelong | 11.15 (81) | MCG | 19,900 | 9 June 1973 |
| Hawthorn | 14.11 (95) | Collingwood | 15.18 (108) | Glenferrie Oval | 19,963 | 9 June 1973 |
| Carlton | 13.13 (91) | Footscray | 9.11 (65) | VFL Park | 18,205 | 9 June 1973 |
Round 11
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 13.12 (90) | North Melbourne | 12.9 (81) | MCG | 32,957 | 16 June 1973 |
| Footscray | 7.16 (58) | Richmond | 17.7 (109) | Western Oval | 16,733 | 16 June 1973 |
| Collingwood | 23.16 (154) | Essendon | 16.16 (112) | Victoria Park | 31,754 | 16 June 1973 |
| Geelong | 16.8 (104) | Fitzroy | 11.15 (81) | Kardinia Park | 12,786 | 16 June 1973 |
| St Kilda | 13.13 (91) | Carlton | 9.13 (67) | Moorabbin Oval | 25,081 | 16 June 1973 |
| Hawthorn | 17.17 (119) | South Melbourne | 11.10 (76) | VFL Park | 9,436 | 16 June 1973 |
Round 12
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 12.13 (85) | North Melbourne | 10.10 (70) | Glenferrie Oval | 12,380 | 23 June 1973 |
| Carlton | 17.12 (114) | Geelong | 9.13 (67) | Princes Park | 14,202 | 23 June 1973 |
| St Kilda | 11.14 (80) | Melbourne | 6.18 (54) | Moorabbin Oval | 24,262 | 23 June 1973 |
| Richmond | 15.21 (111) | Essendon | 13.17 (95) | MCG | 43,892 | 23 June 1973 |
| South Melbourne | 12.5 (77) | Collingwood | 15.9 (99) | Lake Oval | 12,484 | 23 June 1973 |
| Fitzroy | 13.11 (89) | Footscray | 10.15 (75) | VFL Park | 7,016 | 23 June 1973 |
Round 13
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Fitzroy | 10.11 (71) | St Kilda | 20.11 (131) | Junction Oval | 14,776 | 30 June 1973 |
| Essendon | 20.19 (139) | South Melbourne | 16.14 (110) | Windy Hill | 13,042 | 30 June 1973 |
| Collingwood | 13.17 (95) | Footscray | 14.6 (90) | Victoria Park | 18,253 | 30 June 1973 |
| Melbourne | 15.15 (105) | Hawthorn | 15.22 (112) | MCG | 25,787 | 30 June 1973 |
| North Melbourne | 16.19 (115) | Carlton | 16.11 (107) | Arden Street Oval | 19,355 | 30 June 1973 |
| Richmond | 21.7 (133) | Geelong | 13.11 (89) | VFL Park | 13,219 | 30 June 1973 |
Round 14
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 11.12 (78) | Richmond | 17.15 (117) | Arden Street Oval | 19,114 | 7 July 1973 |
| Collingwood | 15.13 (103) | St Kilda | 12.10 (82) | Victoria Park | 25,312 | 7 July 1973 |
| South Melbourne | 18.15 (123) | Geelong | 12.6 (78) | Lake Oval | 9,681 | 7 July 1973 |
| Melbourne | 19.20 (134) | Fitzroy | 14.13 (97) | MCG | 13,105 | 7 July 1973 |
| Hawthorn | 14.24 (108) | Carlton | 12.14 (86) | Glenferrie Oval | 18,316 | 7 July 1973 |
| Essendon | 21.6 (132) | Footscray | 13.19 (97) | VFL Park | 12,417 | 7 July 1973 |
Round 15
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Footscray | 12.7 (79) | South Melbourne | 20.21 (141) | Western Oval | 11,115 | 14 July 1973 |
| Fitzroy | 16.12 (108) | North Melbourne | 13.18 (96) | Junction Oval | 9,886 | 14 July 1973 |
| Essendon | 23.13 (151) | Hawthorn | 18.8 (116) | Windy Hill | 22,437 | 14 July 1973 |
| Carlton | 18.14 (122) | Melbourne | 12.9 (81) | Princes Park | 22,283 | 14 July 1973 |
| Geelong | 13.10 (88) | Collingwood | 13.18 (96) | Kardinia Park | 15,892 | 14 July 1973 |
| Richmond | 13.12 (90) | St Kilda | 11.11 (77) | VFL Park | 31,502 | 14 July 1973 |
Round 16
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| St Kilda | 14.16 (100) | South Melbourne | 13.15 (93) | Moorabbin Oval | 17,454 | 21 July 1973 |
| Footscray | 6.9 (45) | Hawthorn | 9.11 (65) | Western Oval | 10,987 | 21 July 1973 |
| Richmond | 16.14 (110) | Melbourne | 9.19 (73) | MCG | 30,492 | 21 July 1973 |
| Geelong | 12.10 (82) | Essendon | 11.15 (81) | Kardinia Park | 16,746 | 21 July 1973 |
| Fitzroy | 12.19 (91) | Carlton | 11.14 (80) | Junction Oval | 14,800 | 21 July 1973 |
| North Melbourne | 11.10 (76) | Collingwood | 10.11 (71) | VFL Park | 25,650 | 21 July 1973 |
Round 17
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Essendon | 15.12 (102) | St Kilda | 10.19 (79) | Windy Hill | 21,469 | 28 July 1973 |
| Carlton | 15.17 (107) | Richmond | 10.21 (81) | Princes Park | 28,592 | 28 July 1973 |
| South Melbourne | 19.16 (130) | North Melbourne | 14.7 (91) | Lake Oval | 13,637 | 28 July 1973 |
| Hawthorn | 15.10 (100) | Fitzroy | 9.9 (63) | Glenferrie Oval | 12,386 | 28 July 1973 |
| Melbourne | 12.15 (87) | Collingwood | 17.24 (126) | MCG | 37,838 | 28 July 1973 |
| Footscray | 21.15 (141) | Geelong | 13.14 (92) | VFL Park | 13,546 | 28 July 1973 |
Round 18
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 14.11 (95) | Hawthorn | 14.10 (94) | Kardinia Park | 13,546 | 4 August 1973 |
| St Kilda | 15.20 (110) | Footscray | 12.14 (86) | Moorabbin Oval | 15,217 | 4 August 1973 |
| Richmond | 15.14 (104) | Fitzroy | 13.14 (92) | MCG | 20,578 | 4 August 1973 |
| North Melbourne | 13.13 (91) | Essendon | 14.10 (94) | Arden Street Oval | 21,071 | 4 August 1973 |
| Collingwood | 19.7 (121) | Carlton | 15.16 (106) | Victoria Park | 37,660 | 4 August 1973 |
| South Melbourne | 12.14 (86) | Melbourne | 11.12 (78) | VFL Park | 15,255 | 4 August 1973 |
Round 19
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 11.11 (77) | Richmond | 12.10 (82) | Glenferrie Oval | 20,236 | 11 August 1973 |
| Footscray | 10.8 (68) | North Melbourne | 10.14 (74) | Western Oval | 13,581 | 11 August 1973 |
| Essendon | 17.13 (115) | Melbourne | 15.11 (101) | Windy Hill | 18,008 | 11 August 1973 |
| Carlton | 20.17 (137) | South Melbourne | 11.14 (80) | Princes Park | 22,181 | 11 August 1973 |
| Fitzroy | 10.19 (79) | Collingwood | 19.10 (124) | Junction Oval | 19,103 | 11 August 1973 |
| Geelong | 13.8 (86) | St Kilda | 11.17 (83) | VFL Park | 19,477 | 11 August 1973 |
Round 20
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 11.11 (77) | St Kilda | 15.8 (98) | Glenferrie Oval | 16,952 | 18 August 1973 |
| Collingwood | 8.11 (59) | Richmond | 14.16 (100) | Victoria Park | 28,286 | 18 August 1973 |
| North Melbourne | 9.10 (64) | Geelong | 7.6 (48) | Arden Street Oval | 11,121 | 18 August 1973 |
| Melbourne | 10.13 (73) | Footscray | 17.8 (110) | MCG | 12,563 | 18 August 1973 |
| South Melbourne | 15.11 (101) | Fitzroy | 14.21 (105) | Lake Oval | 8,584 | 18 August 1973 |
| Carlton | 17.9 (111) | Essendon | 10.7 (67) | VFL Park | 36,160 | 18 August 1973 |
Round 21
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 22.11 (143) | South Melbourne | 13.16 (94) | MCG | 24,307 | 25 August 1973 |
| Geelong | 17.11 (113) | Melbourne | 14.14 (98) | Kardinia Park | 15,489 | 25 August 1973 |
| St Kilda | 16.18 (114) | North Melbourne | 14.12 (96) | Moorabbin Oval | 29,257 | 25 August 1973 |
| Fitzroy | 13.22 (100) | Essendon | 9.23 (77) | Junction Oval | 14,875 | 25 August 1973 |
| Footscray | 10.15 (75) | Carlton | 9.12 (66) | Western Oval | 18,988 | 25 August 1973 |
| Collingwood | 16.10 (106) | Hawthorn | 13.10 (88) | VFL Park | 48,059 | 25 August 1973 |
Round 22
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 16.20 (116) | South Melbourne | 11.13 (79) | Glenferrie Oval | 9,842 | 1 September 1973 |
| Fitzroy | 17.15 (117) | Geelong | 14.17 (101) | Junction Oval | 9,172 | 1 September 1973 |
| Carlton | 20.15 (135) | St Kilda | 13.9 (87) | Princes Park | 22,753 | 1 September 1973 |
| Richmond | 10.16 (76) | Footscray | 11.11 (77) | MCG | 24,671 | 1 September 1973 |
| Essendon | 16.6 (102) | Collingwood | 17.10 (112) | Windy Hill | 28,049 | 1 September 1973 |
| North Melbourne | 11.5 (71) | Melbourne | 9.12 (66) | VFL Park | 9,411 | 1 September 1973 |
Ladder
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | PP | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Collingwood | 22 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 2356 | 1878 | 125.5 | 76 | Finals |
| 2 | Richmond (P) | 22 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 2301 | 1957 | 117.6 | 68 | |
| 3 | Carlton | 22 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 2342 | 1850 | 126.6 | 60 | |
| 4 | Essendon | 22 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 2443 | 2341 | 104.4 | 52 | |
| 5 | St Kilda | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2024 | 1922 | 105.3 | 48 | |
| 6 | North Melbourne | 22 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 1938 | 1986 | 97.6 | 46 | |
| 7 | Hawthorn | 22 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 2194 | 2002 | 109.6 | 44 | |
| 8 | Fitzroy | 22 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 1990 | 2194 | 90.7 | 36 | |
| 9 | Footscray | 22 | 7 | 14 | 1 | 1860 | 2109 | 88.2 | 30 | |
| 10 | Melbourne | 22 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 1938 | 2111 | 91.8 | 28 | |
| 11 | Geelong | 22 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 1903 | 2426 | 78.4 | 24 | |
| 12 | South Melbourne | 22 | 4 | 18 | 0 | 1932 | 2445 | 79.0 | 16 |
Source: VFL ladder
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers.
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers.
Finals
Elimination Final
| Home team | Score | Away team | Score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Essendon | 13.13 (91) | St Kilda | 24.14 (158) | VFL Park | 53,405 | 8 September |
Qualifying Final
| Home team | Score | Away team | Score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 10.11 (71) | Carlton | 13.13 (91) | MCG | 86,386 | 8 September |
Semi Finals
| Home team | Score | Away team | Score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 15.18 (108) | St Kilda | 9.14 (68) | MCG | 86,483 | 15 September |
| Collingwood | 12.15 (87) | Carlton | 15.17 (107) | VFL Park | 60,072 | 15 September |
Preliminary Final
| Home team | Score | Away team | Score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Collingwood | 14.14 (98) | Richmond | 15.15 (105) | MCG | 98,652 | 22 September |
Grand final
Richmond defeated Carlton 16.20 (116) to 12.14 (86), in front of a crowd of 116956 people. (For an explanation of scoring see Australian rules football).
Awards
- The 1973 VFL Premiership team was Richmond.
- The VFL's leading goalkicker was Peter McKenna of Collingwood who kicked 84 goals (including 2 goals in the finals).
- The winner of the 1973 Brownlow Medal was Keith Greig of North Melbourne with 27 votes.
- South Melbourne took the "wooden spoon" in 1973.
- The reserves premiership was won by Richmond. Richmond 17.18 (120) defeated Geelong 8.12 (60) in the Grand Final, held as a curtain-raiser to the seniors Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 29 September.[1]
Notable events
- The centre diamond was used on all VFL grounds throughout 1973 and 1974. It was replaced by the centre square at the beginning of the 1975 VFL season.
- The VFL introduced a new clearance system, "10-year rule", in order to render the VFL immune from the sorts of "restraint of trade" difficulties that were being experienced, at the time, in New South Wales in relation to Rugby League footballers, whereby any VFL player who had played ten years with a single club was eligible for a free transfer to the club of his choice.
- Although twenty-two VFL players were eligible to do so, only six players, George Bisset (Footscray to Collingwood), Barry Davis (Essendon to North Melbourne), Carl Ditterich (St Kilda to Melbourne), Adrian Gallagher (Carlton to Footscray), John Rantall (South Melbourne to North Melbourne), and Doug Wade (Geelong to North Melbourne) took advantage of the new rule. The rule was rescinded in May 1973.
- The new North Melbourne coach Ron Barassi recruited champion half-backs Barry Davis (who had already played 218 games for Essendon), John Rantall (who had already played 174 games for South Melbourne), and champion full-forward Doug Wade (who had already played 208 games for Geelong). North Melbourne improved from last place in 1972 to sixth in 1973.
- In Round 11 Kevin Murray played his 300th game for Fitzroy.
- In Round 21, Hawthorn full-forward Peter Hudson, who had been injured in Round 1 of 1972, returned to the VFL. He beat four opponents and kicked 8 goals.
- In Round 22, Hawthorn hosted its last senior VFL football match at Glenferrie Oval. The ground was notable for its temperamental playing surface and narrow flanks (wedged between the railway line on the one side and houses on the other). The venue had long been described by football fans as "the sardine can." Hawthorn subsequently played its home games at Princes Park for the next eighteen seasons.
- In the first moments of the Grand Final, Carlton's captain-coach John Nicholls was running out of goal to mark a kick from Alex Jesaulenko when Richmond's's back-pocket Laurie Fowler ran straight at Nicholls and smashed him in the head. Nicholls was given the mark and a 15-yard penalty. He kicked a goal; however, due to severe double vision cause by Fowler's blow, Nicholls could hardly see anything, and effectively took no further part in the match even though he stayed on the ground. In the second quarter Richmond's Neil Balme knocked out Carlton full-back Geoff Southby with a vicious elbow strike to the head (Southby did not return after half-time, and it took some months for him to fully recover from the effects of the assault). In the ensuing brawl, Balme also attacked Carlton's Vin Waite. Balme was not reported by the umpires.
- The Richmond Football Club won the premiership in all grades in 1973: its Senior Team, Reserves Team and Under-19 team all won their Grand Finals at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Grand Final Day; and the Essex Heights Football Club, which served as Richmond's Under-17 team, won the South-East Suburban League premiership.[2]
Footnotes
- "Wesley gets into the Barrot act". The Age. Melbourne, VIC. 1 October 1973. p. 27.
- Percy Beams (1 October 1973). "Tom's grand design". The Age. Melbourne, VIC. p. 28.
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gollark: Hmm, that's annoying, I ran `pacman -Syu` on my server and it just keeps saying "Import PGP key whatever [Y/n]" and ignores my input.
gollark: How big's the old thing's SSD?
gollark: Arch only fills about 8GB on my USB stick, so you should be okay.
References
- 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
External links
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