1924 finals series

[Roobs321]

100th anniversary of the one-off round robin finals series (attempt to address crowd shutout by playing two games per week instead of one). 4 teams played each other, and if the minor premier didn’t finish top, there would be a granny. Also ‘finals squads’ rather than GF teams. Essendon did finish top (conceding a miserly 124 points across three matches) so a granny didn’t occur. Curious situation where the last day of the season saw the premier lose in the last game (and effective decider) to the runner-up, but not by enough to be overhauled in percentage (also happened to be played at Lake Oval) and Souths & Fitzroy finished the year on a dead rubber final (at the G). The premiers were actually in a foul mood post-game after the poor performance by some, with heated arguments, fist fights and allegations of match fixing; presumably one of the unhappiest premiers despite going b2b. Tiges would’ve needed to score a couple more goals to force a GF.

Fascinating stuff, imagine the talk if this happened today, oh lordy. Only season since 1897 inaugural to do round-robin with (in the end) no decider. Was also the inaugural Brownlow (he passed early in the year), the highest leading goalkicker tally to that point, and the first season with a match where both sides scored 100+. Bill Twomey Senior (in his time away from football) won the Stawell Gift. And obviously the final season before North, Doggies and Hawthorn joined the fray. Essendon’s 1st and 6th flags in the round-robin years.

 

[mike ross]

I remember those days fondly.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Also no grand final played in the reserves that year, because Essendon didn't want to travel to Geelong.

 

[The 747]

Wasn't my favourite final series. Preferred 1953.

 

[Roobs321]

It would be an interesting finals series to live through, between administrators, fans and clubs. Could make for an interesting docudrama subject or something.

 

[Roobs321]

On that same day (27 September 1924):

- the Guinness/Barrett crash that killed Tom Barrett and put an end to riding mechanics in two-seat motor racing. Driver KL Guinness (of the KLG spark plug and Guinness Brewery family) was also too injured to return to racing and (possibly cte-related?) suicided 13 years later

 

[TRP1996]

Prefer the 1916 Finals Series, personally.

 

[Cleansweep17]

I heard the average weight of players back then were 35kg and the tallest guy was 5 foot.

The wind blew some away.

 

[Shane Heard]

I remember that season ..because me and my pals would go to the games with an onion tied to our belts..which was the style at the time.

 

[TiAn_]

I’m biased, but my personal highlight that year was the Bulldogs beating Essendon in the 1924 match for Dame Nellie Melba's Appeal for Limbless Soldiers, aka the 1924 Championship of Victoria.

 

[Percel]

Sheedy has a lot to answer for, the 1924 Consumption Cup was always doomed to fail

 

[North park]

100th anniversary of the one-off round robin finals series (attempt to address crowd shutout by playing two games per week instead of one). 4 teams played each other, and if the minor premier didn’t finish top, there would be a granny. Also ‘finals squads’ rather than GF teams. Essendon did finish top (conceding a miserly 124 points across three matches) so a granny didn’t occur. Curious situation where the last day of the season saw the premier lose in the last game (and effective decider) to the runner-up, but not by enough to be overhauled in percentage (also happened to be played at Lake Oval) and Souths & Fitzroy finished the year on a dead rubber final (at the G). The premiers were actually in a foul mood post-game after the poor performance by some, with heated arguments, fist fights and allegations of match fixing; presumably one of the unhappiest premiers despite going b2b. Tiges would’ve needed to score a couple more goals to force a GF.

Fascinating stuff, imagine the talk if this happened today, oh lordy. Only season since 1897 inaugural to do round-robin with (in the end) no decider. Was also the inaugural Brownlow (he passed early in the year), the highest leading goalkicker tally to that point, and the first season with a match where both sides scored 100+. Bill Twomey Senior (in his time away from football) won the Stawell Gift. And obviously the final season before North, Doggies and Hawthorn joined the fray. Essendon’s 1st and 6th flags in the round-robin years.

Thanks for providing the background to this interesting piece of VFL history.

I knew a Round Robin finals series was played in 1924 for the first time since the inaugural season of 1897, but wasn't aware of the reasons for the change from the Argus System that had been in place since 1901.

It sounds as if the VFL wanted to maximise the number of finals matches by having each team play against each other. So 3 x 2 = 6 finals matches compared to 3 (and sometimes 4) matches under the Argus System.

Not surprised to hear that 100 years ago the VFL was making changes to make more money by having more finals matches. Obviously they weren't inventive enough though in 1924 to play games in Round 0 the week before Round 1

 

[caloschwaby]

Also no grand final played in the reserves that year, because Essendon didn't want to travel to Geelong.

Wtf you weren't kidding

 

[Godzke]

Syd Barker at the peak of his powers that year before retiring to the Ma-Roos the following year .

 

[Captivating]

Also no grand final played in the reserves that year, because Essendon didn't want to travel to Geelong.

Was Dimma Hardwick the coach?

 

[Nugett]

View attachment 2022645

Wtf you weren't kidding

Apparently the only land that Geelong was offering Essendon to go down there was Mogs Creek….

 

[benji2]

Was the reason behind bringing the round Robin series back the very late finish to the 1923 season due to bad weather (Caulfield Cup, October 20th)?


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[Roobs321]

Was the reason behind bringing the round Robin series back the very late finish to the 1923 season due to bad weather (Caulfield Cup, October 20th)?


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

I’m not certain, but it may have been one reason, having a delayed GF (latest GF in VFL/AFL history) held the same day as the 1923 Caulfield Cup (won by Wynette) must’ve ruffled a few feathers and caused some logistical problems.

Interestingly from that time, the Commonwealth Electoral Act (1924) amendment was signed by the GG on 10 October 1924 which made voting compulsory in Australia and establishing penalties for failing to do so. Registered voter turnout went from a record low 59% (1.65 mill) in 1922 to 91% (2.99 mill) in 1925. In Tasmania (who Senator Herbert Payne represented) it was only 46%. That private Senators Bill amendment seems to have seen speedier passage than one might expect (introduced, passed and royally assented that July) and was signed by the GG the Friday after the VFL-VFA Championship of Victoria match against Footscray. It provides a good era post-season separator, that the three new additions to the expanded VFL in January 1925 came at a time when voting was now compulsory.

 

[Gordon Farkas]

Where are all the trolls who should be here taunting Essendon fans that it’s now a hundred years since their team last won a (round robin) final…

 

[PerthBoy86]

I remember those days fondly.

Was wearing an onion the fashion at the time?

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Also no grand final played in the reserves that year, because Essendon didn't want to travel to Geelong.

Really rate this attitude

I’m biased, but my personal highlight that year was the Bulldogs beating Essendon in the 1924 match for Dame Nellie Melba's Appeal for Limbless Soldiers, aka the 1924 Championship of Victoria.

This is a great little chapter of history, would love to see it explained further.

How good is the name of the game. No marketing back then.

Rumours that Footscray convinced Essendon to throw the game to make it a demonstration of how strong they were, to boost their bid for VFL entry.

Rumours that Footscray paid them

Rumours that Essendon players backed Footscray and threw the game to give themselves an end of season payday

The truth is probably far less interesting, as it tends to be, and it was just a normal, unaffected game. But it seems its lost in history.

 

[TiAn_]

Really rate this attitude




This is a great little chapter of history, would love to see it explained further.

How good is the name of the game. No marketing back then.

Rumours that Footscray convinced Essendon to throw the game to make it a demonstration of how strong they were, to boost their bid for VFL entry.

Rumours that Footscray paid them

Rumours that Essendon players backed Footscray and threw the game to give themselves an end of season payday

The truth is probably far less interesting, as it tends to be, and it was just a normal, unaffected game. But it seems its lost in history.

From what I’ve read the idea that some Essendon players played dead comes from comments by two of their players about a decade later, but it was never substantiated and the Essendon team was a bit of a mess at the time. A couple weeks before the Championship they punched on after their last finals game (round robin that year) and then punched on again after their ‘premiership’ celebration.