1927 VFL season

1927 VFL premiership season
Overview
Date30 April—1 October 1927
Teams12
PremiersCollingwood
6th premiership
Runners-upRichmond
3rd runners-up result
Minor premiersCollingwood
9th minor premiership
Brownlow MedallistSyd Coventry (Collingwood)
7 votes
Leading goalkicker medallistGordon Coventry (Collingwood)
88 goals
Attendance
Matches played111
Total attendance1,862,068 (16,775 per match)
Highest (H&A)42,000 (round 6, Richmond v Carlton)
Highest (finals)63,620 (semi-final, Richmond v Carlton)
← 1926
1928 →

The 1927 VFL season was the 31st season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest-level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs and ran from 30 April to 1 October, comprising an 18-match home-and-away season followed by a three-week finals series featuring the top four clubs.

Collingwood won the premiership, defeating Richmond by twelve points in the 1927 VFL grand final; it was Collingwood's sixth VFL premiership. Collingwood also won the minor premiership by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with a 15–3 win–loss record. Collingwood's Syd Coventry won the Brownlow Medal as the league's best and fairest player, and his brother and teammate Gordon Coventry won his second consecutive leading goalkicker medal as the league's leading goalkicker.

Background

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In 1927, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, with no "reserves", although any of the 18 players who had left the playing field for any reason could later resume their place on the field at any time during the match.

Teams played each other in a home-and-away season of 18 rounds; matches 12 to 17 were the "home-and-away reverse" of matches 1 to 6, and match 18 the "home-and-away reverse" of match 11.

Once the 18 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1927 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the amended "Argus 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 16.19 (115) Richmond 9.11 (65) MCG 22,382 30 April 1927
Collingwood 16.11 (107) Geelong 12.12 (84) Victoria Park 20,000 30 April 1927
Carlton 9.15 (69) South Melbourne 10.10 (70) Princes Park 28,000 30 April 1927
St Kilda 12.16 (88) Hawthorn 11.2 (68) Junction Oval 12,000 30 April 1927
North Melbourne 9.21 (75) Fitzroy 10.11 (71) Arden Street Oval 10,000 30 April 1927
Footscray 10.3 (63) Essendon 16.14 (110) Western Oval 18,000 30 April 1927

Round 2

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Richmond 8.11 (59) St Kilda 6.12 (48) Punt Road Oval 18,000 7 May 1927
Essendon 8.6 (54) North Melbourne 10.5 (65) Windy Hill 20,000 7 May 1927
South Melbourne 12.11 (83) Melbourne 7.11 (53) Lake Oval 25,000 7 May 1927
Geelong 14.20 (104) Footscray 8.12 (60) Corio Oval 15,300 7 May 1927
Hawthorn 7.9 (51) Collingwood 11.11 (77) Glenferrie Oval 9,000 7 May 1927
Fitzroy 11.6 (72) Carlton 14.15 (99) Brunswick Street Oval 25,000 7 May 1927

Round 3

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
St Kilda 8.15 (63) South Melbourne 7.13 (55) Junction Oval 22,000 14 May 1927
Footscray 10.18 (78) Hawthorn 7.10 (52) Western Oval 11,000 14 May 1927
Collingwood 6.13 (49) Richmond 7.13 (55) Victoria Park 20,000 14 May 1927
Carlton 7.5 (47) Essendon 4.12 (36) Princes Park 27,000 14 May 1927
North Melbourne 8.5 (53) Geelong 7.13 (55) Arden Street Oval 20,000 14 May 1927
Melbourne 13.15 (93) Fitzroy 8.11 (59) MCG 14,931 14 May 1927

Round 4

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 8.8 (56) North Melbourne 20.13 (133) Glenferrie Oval 8,000 21 May 1927
Fitzroy 13.14 (92) St Kilda 11.9 (75) Brunswick Street Oval 16,000 21 May 1927
Essendon 8.12 (60) Melbourne 11.12 (78) Windy Hill 20,000 21 May 1927
Richmond 13.22 (100) Footscray 3.12 (30) Punt Road Oval 14,000 21 May 1927
South Melbourne 9.13 (67) Collingwood 16.10 (106) Lake Oval 29,000 21 May 1927
Geelong 18.15 (123) Carlton 11.11 (77) Corio Oval 16,000 21 May 1927

Round 5

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 5.8 (38) Richmond 12.11 (83) Arden Street Oval 18,000 28 May 1927
Footscray 7.13 (55) South Melbourne 6.13 (49) Western Oval 10,000 28 May 1927
Collingwood 18.15 (123) Fitzroy 9.5 (59) Victoria Park 16,000 28 May 1927
Carlton 14.12 (96) Hawthorn 6.16 (52) Princes Park 10,000 28 May 1927
Melbourne 7.16 (58) Geelong 12.13 (85) MCG 18,320 28 May 1927
St Kilda 14.7 (91) Essendon 12.10 (82) Junction Oval 16,000 28 May 1927

Round 6

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 12.8 (80) Melbourne 17.10 (112) Glenferrie Oval 10,000 4 June 1927
Geelong 12.17 (89) St Kilda 11.4 (70) Corio Oval 14,500 4 June 1927
Essendon 7.7 (49) Collingwood 7.14 (56) Windy Hill 25,000 4 June 1927
Fitzroy 8.13 (61) Footscray 13.13 (91) Brunswick Street Oval 15,000 6 June 1927
South Melbourne 14.13 (97) North Melbourne 9.9 (63) Lake Oval 25,000 6 June 1927
Richmond 12.18 (90) Carlton 17.8 (110) Punt Road Oval 42,000 6 June 1927

Round 7

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 15.21 (111) North Melbourne 3.9 (27) MCG 12,075 11 June 1927
Essendon 9.10 (64) Geelong 11.11 (77) Windy Hill 16,000 11 June 1927
Collingwood 25.19 (169) St Kilda 7.15 (57) Victoria Park 16,000 11 June 1927
Carlton 10.6 (66) Footscray 6.12 (48) Princes Park 22,000 11 June 1927
South Melbourne 10.11 (71) Richmond 15.17 (107) Lake Oval 25,000 11 June 1927
Hawthorn 11.11 (77) Fitzroy 15.13 (103) Glenferrie Oval 7,000 11 June 1927

Round 8

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 22.23 (155) Hawthorn 8.8 (56) Corio Oval 8,500 18 June 1927
Fitzroy 14.11 (95) South Melbourne 11.14 (80) Brunswick Street Oval 10,000 18 June 1927
St Kilda 8.7 (55) Melbourne 15.15 (105) Junction Oval 14,000 18 June 1927
Richmond 15.12 (102) Essendon 11.13 (79) Punt Road Oval 25,000 18 June 1927
Footscray 4.12 (36) Collingwood 7.16 (58) Western Oval 17,000 18 June 1927
North Melbourne 4.11 (35) Carlton 9.15 (69) Arden Street Oval 15,000 18 June 1927

Round 9

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 9.6 (60) Richmond 9.20 (74) Glenferrie Oval 10,000 25 June 1927
Essendon 12.12 (84) South Melbourne 15.9 (99) Windy Hill 17,000 25 June 1927
St Kilda 15.7 (97) North Melbourne 13.10 (88) Junction Oval 13,000 25 June 1927
Melbourne 10.13 (73) Footscray 7.9 (51) MCG 15,171 25 June 1927
Geelong 12.15 (87) Fitzroy 12.8 (80) Corio Oval 13,500 25 June 1927
Collingwood 13.5 (83) Carlton 14.11 (95) Victoria Park 33,000 25 June 1927

Round 10

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 3.12 (30) St Kilda 5.13 (43) Western Oval 7,000 2 July 1927
Essendon 6.12 (48) Fitzroy 7.6 (48) Windy Hill 7,000 2 July 1927
Collingwood 8.11 (59) North Melbourne 3.11 (29) Victoria Park 7,000 2 July 1927
Carlton 8.7 (55) Melbourne 10.10 (70) Princes Park 13,000 2 July 1927
South Melbourne 13.19 (97) Hawthorn 5.11 (41) Lake Oval 5,000 2 July 1927
Richmond 9.15 (69) Geelong 7.11 (53) Punt Road Oval 15,000 2 July 1927

Round 11

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 10.12 (72) South Melbourne 9.12 (66) Corio Oval 13,500 9 July 1927
Fitzroy 8.7 (55) Richmond 17.9 (111) Brunswick Street Oval 18,000 9 July 1927
North Melbourne 9.18 (72) Footscray 15.10 (100) Arden Street Oval 12,000 9 July 1927
Hawthorn 9.17 (71) Essendon 11.12 (78) Glenferrie Oval 6,000 9 July 1927
Melbourne 10.12 (72) Collingwood 11.13 (79) MCG 27,092 9 July 1927
St Kilda 6.8 (44) Carlton 21.9 (135) Junction Oval 19,000 9 July 1927

Round 12

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 7.12 (54) St Kilda 8.11 (59) Glenferrie Oval 5,000 16 July 1927
Fitzroy 14.5 (89) North Melbourne 10.14 (74) Brunswick Street Oval 8,000 16 July 1927
Essendon 12.19 (91) Footscray 8.9 (57) Windy Hill 18,000 16 July 1927
Richmond 10.15 (75) Melbourne 6.8 (44) Punt Road Oval 35,000 16 July 1927
Geelong 7.7 (49) Collingwood 9.11 (65) Corio Oval 21,500 16 July 1927
South Melbourne 12.8 (80) Carlton 8.21 (69) Lake Oval 28,000 16 July 1927

Round 13

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 20.20 (140) South Melbourne 11.5 (71) MCG 23,668 23 July 1927
Footscray 9.6 (60) Geelong 10.19 (79) Western Oval 12,500 23 July 1927
Collingwood 18.13 (121) Hawthorn 6.11 (47) Victoria Park 7,000 23 July 1927
Carlton 11.10 (76) Fitzroy 9.16 (70) Princes Park 21,000 23 July 1927
St Kilda 9.17 (71) Richmond 16.14 (110) Junction Oval 16,000 23 July 1927
North Melbourne 7.8 (50) Essendon 7.12 (54) Arden Street Oval 9,000 23 July 1927

Round 14

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 17.21 (123) North Melbourne 3.11 (29) Corio Oval 11,000 30 July 1927
Fitzroy 13.11 (89) Melbourne 11.11 (77) Brunswick Street Oval 15,500 30 July 1927
South Melbourne 13.20 (98) St Kilda 8.9 (57) Lake Oval 14,000 30 July 1927
Hawthorn 8.19 (67) Footscray 11.19 (85) Glenferrie Oval 5,000 30 July 1927
Richmond 9.7 (61) Collingwood 12.12 (84) Punt Road Oval 38,000 30 July 1927
Essendon 8.15 (63) Carlton 10.11 (71) Windy Hill 20,000 30 July 1927

Round 15

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 7.8 (50) Richmond 11.15 (81) Western Oval 15,500 6 August 1927
Collingwood 18.14 (122) South Melbourne 6.7 (43) Victoria Park 15,000 6 August 1927
Carlton 10.6 (66) Geelong 13.20 (98) Princes Park 30,000 6 August 1927
North Melbourne 11.10 (76) Hawthorn 15.9 (99) Arden Street Oval 4,000 6 August 1927
St Kilda 13.11 (89) Fitzroy 11.16 (82) Junction Oval 10,000 6 August 1927
Melbourne 20.20 (140) Essendon 8.2 (50) MCG 15,895 6 August 1927

Round 16

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 13.8 (86) Melbourne 9.7 (61) Corio Oval 17,200 27 August 1927
Essendon 9.18 (72) St Kilda 7.6 (48) Windy Hill 9,000 27 August 1927
Richmond 14.15 (99) North Melbourne 9.8 (62) Punt Road Oval 10,000 27 August 1927
South Melbourne 9.20 (74) Footscray 10.10 (70) Lake Oval 9,000 27 August 1927
Fitzroy 14.11 (95) Collingwood 13.10 (88) Brunswick Street Oval 25,000 27 August 1927
Hawthorn 10.10 (70) Carlton 14.14 (98) Glenferrie Oval 8,000 27 August 1927

Round 17

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 8.12 (60) South Melbourne 11.12 (78) Arden Street Oval 5,000 3 September 1927
Collingwood 3.13 (31) Essendon 4.6 (30) Victoria Park 8,000 3 September 1927
Carlton 4.6 (30) Richmond 3.5 (23) Princes Park 30,000 3 September 1927
Melbourne 10.13 (73) Hawthorn 3.15 (33) MCG 5,268 3 September 1927
St Kilda 9.18 (72) Geelong 8.22 (70) Junction Oval 8,000 3 September 1927
Footscray 15.11 (101) Fitzroy 9.18 (72) Western Oval 8,000 3 September 1927

Round 18

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 10.6 (66) Melbourne 10.13 (73) Western Oval 11,000 10 September 1927
Carlton 15.16 (106) St Kilda 7.9 (51) Princes Park 24,000 10 September 1927
Richmond 16.23 (119) Hawthorn 6.17 (53) Punt Road Oval 11,000 10 September 1927
South Melbourne 14.11 (95) Geelong 15.15 (105) Lake Oval 15,000 10 September 1927
Fitzroy 5.13 (43) Essendon 14.10 (94) Brunswick Street Oval 11,000 10 September 1927
North Melbourne 7.14 (56) Collingwood 11.16 (82) Arden Street Oval 11,000 10 September 1927

Ladder

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(P) Premiers
Qualified for finals
# Team P W L D PF PA % Pts
1 Collingwood (P) 18 15 3 0 1559 1035 150.6 60
2 Richmond 18 14 4 0 1483 1102 134.6 56
3 Geelong 18 14 4 0 1594 1208 132.0 56
4 Carlton 18 13 5 0 1434 1178 121.7 52
5 Melbourne 18 12 6 0 1548 1169 132.4 48
6 South Melbourne 18 9 9 0 1373 1431 95.9 36
7 St Kilda 18 8 10 0 1178 1564 75.3 32
8 Essendon 18 6 11 1 1198 1237 96.8 26
9 Fitzroy 18 6 11 1 1335 1558 85.7 26
10 Footscray 18 6 12 0 1131 1325 85.4 24
11 North Melbourne 18 3 15 0 1085 1476 73.5 12
12 Hawthorn 18 1 17 0 1087 1722 63.1 4

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 74.1
Source: AFL Tables

Finals series

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All of the 1927 finals were played at the MCG so the home team in the semi-finals and Preliminary Final is purely the higher ranked team from the ladder but in the Grand Final the home team was the team that won the Preliminary Final.

Semi-finals

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Home team Score Away team Score Venue Crowd Date
Richmond 12.10 (82) Carlton 11.10 (76) MCG 63,620 17 September
Collingwood 16.18 (114) Geelong 7.6 (48) MCG 40,595 24 September

Grand final

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Home team Score Away team Score Venue Crowd Date
Collingwood 2.13 (25) Richmond 1.7 (13) MCG 34,551 1 October

Season notes

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  • In round 9, remembered as "Duncan's Match", Carlton's centre-halfback Alex Duncan took at least 33 marks (some claim he took as many as 45) in a single match.
  • South Melbourne Football Club introduced a popular innovation: selling reserved grandstand seats.
  • After the round 10 match, the Secretary of the Richmond Football Club, Percy "Pip" Page of "Page–McIntyre system fame, had his jaw broken in a fight that erupted during a club dance.
  • The Grand Final was played under atrocious weather conditions on a Melbourne Cricket Ground that resembled a swamp. The two teams scored a combined 38 points, and it was the lowest combined score of any VFL/AFL game (Grand Final or otherwise) played in the 20th century. Including the four seasons played in the 19th century (1897–1900), it was the equal 11th lowest-scoring game of all time.

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ "League Seconds: Carlton Wins Premiership". The Argus. Melbourne. 10 October 1927. p. 9. Retrieved 11 June 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  • 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

Sources

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