1959 VFL season

Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1959.

Premiership season

In 1959, 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 1959 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the "Page-McIntyre system".

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Round 8

Round 9

Round 10

Round 11

Round 12

Round 13

Round 14

Round 15

Round 16

Round 17

Round 18

Ladder

Consolation Night Series Competition

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: Fitzroy 10.10 (70) defeated Hawthorn 4.16 (40)

Premiership Finals

First Semi-Final

Second Semi-Final

Preliminary Final

Grand final

Awards

• The 1959 VFL Premiership team was Melbourne.
• The VFL's leading goalkicker was Ron Evans of Essendon who kicked 79 goals (including 10 goals in the final series).
• The winner of the 1959 Brownlow Medal was Bob Skilton of South Melbourne with 20 votes. He won on a count-back from Verdun Howell of St Kilda.
  • As a consequence of its 1981 decision to change its rules relating to tied Brownlow Medal contests, the AFL awarded a retrospective medal to Verdun Howell in 1989.
• Footscray took the "wooden spoon" in 1959.

Notable events

• The committee of the Essendon, fifth on the ladder at the end of 1958, take the innovative step of employing Bert Willee, the chief lecturer in physical education at the University of Melbourne, to design and supervise the delivery of a carefully planned programme of physical training for each player, taking into account the special requirements of each playing position, as well as concentrating on the special needs of each individual player. Essendon play in the 1959 Grand Final (having finished the season in fourth place).
• The VFL renames the Second Eighteens' competition as the Reserves.
• The VFL renames the Third Eighteens' competition as the Under-19s.
• The VFL introduces "The Premiership Cup", to be awarded to the Premiership team immediately after the Grand Final Match.
• As Carlton team was running down the players race at the Brunswick Street Oval before the start of its round 10 match against Fitzroy, Carlton centre half-back Bob Crowe stumbled and fell, badly injuring his knee (before he had reached the playing field). A short time after the match began, it was obvious that Crowe was in great pain and was totally unable to keep up with the play. Carlton appealed to the field umpire, and they were allowed to substitute one of their reserves for Crowe, even though he had taken the field.
• The Collingwood Secretary, Gordon Carlyon and four Collingwood footballers receive death threats before the round 14 match against Carlton that are thought to be connected with a potential betting plunge.,
• Despite losing its first five matches, the 1958 premiers Collingwood make the final four.

References

• 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

• 1959 Season - AFL Tables