1909 VFL Grand Final
Encyclopedia
The 1909 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football
game contested between the Carlton Football Club
and South Melbourne Football Club
, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
in Melbourne
on 2 October 1909. It was the 12th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League
, staged to determine the premiers for the 1909 VFL season
. The match, attended by 37,759 spectators, was won by South Melbourne by two points, marking that club's first premiership victory.
During the season, the Carlton Football Club had been split by such a level of discord, infighting and dissatisfaction during the 1909 season that its coach Jack Worrall
resigned, for the good of the club, after round 13 (he remained Club Secretary for the remainder of the season).
Carlton champion, captain Fred "Pompey" Elliott
— after whom the Australian military hero Brigadier General "Pompey" Elliott
would later be given his nickname — took over the coaching duties in round 14. Carlton won its last four home and away matches under "Pompey" Elliott, by 51 points, 40 points, 46 points, and 15 points respectively.
South Melbourne had finished on top of the end-of-season ladder with 56 points, just ahead of Carlton (56 points) on percentage (168.9% to 146.8%). Under the rules of the amended "Argus system" under which the 1909 Final Series was conducted, South Melbourne had a considerable advantage as the “Minor Premier”. In the event of South Melbourne not winning the match between the winners of the First and Second Semi-Finals, it had the right of “challenge” and could demand a “Grand Final” match against the winner of the Preliminary Final (if it won the Preliminary Final, it would be automatically declared the Premiership Team without any need for a further match).
The First Semi-Final was played between teams (2) and (4); Carlton, 15 points ahead at half-time went on to beat Essendon
14.8 (92) to 9.2 (56). The Second Semi-Final was played between teams (1) and (3); South Melbourne, two points behind at half-time, went on to beat Collingwood
10.8 (68) to 6.11 (47).
The Preliminary Final was played between the Semi-Final Winners; Carlton. 8 points in front at half-time, went on to beat South Melbourne in an acrimonious match, where South Melbourne tried in vain to out muscle and intimidate Carlton, 10.9 (69) to 7.5 (47), giving "Pompey" Elliott six consecutive wins as a coach (51 points, 40 points, 46 points, 15 points, 36 points, and 22 points respectively).
who was injured, and its winger Jim Caldwell
who had been suspended for nine matches for striking Carlton’s George Bruce
in the Preliminary Final. Norm Clark
was available for Carlton.
From the outset it was clear that South Melbourne had learned from the Preliminary Final and was going to play football, rather than “go the knuckle”. The match, played in a rather unsettling wind, was very closely contested, with the teams tied at both quarter- and half-time.
In the first quarter, South Melbourne’s back-flanker Tom Grimshaw
was felled, eventually recovered consciousness, and finished the match standing in the goal-square. In the second quarter, Carlton’s Jack Baquie
, badly injured his ankle, left the field, and eventually returned in the third quarter to stand in the forward-pocket. In the third quarter, Carlton rover Martin Gotz
was knocked out was carried from the ground, he returned to the ground in the last quarter and stood in the forward line.
In a powerful third quarter, in which Belcher, Ricketts, Cameron, Mortimer, and Gough in sequence brought the ball from the deep back-line to the forward-line untouched by a single Carlton player, eventuating in Gough’s goal, South Melbourne drew ahead of Carlton, 4.12 (36) to 3.11 (29).
In the last quarter, Carlton had several chances to win, scoring 1.1 to South Melbourne’s two behinds. With five minutes to go, "Mallee" Johnson and Charlie Hammond
got the ball to centre half-forward Harvey Kelly
, who kicked a goal, bringing Carlton to 2 points behind. Carlton lost the ensuing centre-bounce at the restart of play. The ball got to South Melbourne's forward Len Mortimer. His kick did not make the distance. Carlton moved forward, kicking the ball towards the goals, but William Thomas
took what turned out to be a match-saving mark for South Melbourne, as the ball was not near either goal for the remainder of the match. South Melbourne 4.14 (38) beat Carlton 4.12 (36).
Carlton:
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
game contested between the Carlton Football Club
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
and South Melbourne Football Club
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
on 2 October 1909. It was the 12th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
, staged to determine the premiers for the 1909 VFL season
1909 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1909.-Premiership season:In 1909, the VFL competition consisted of ten 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...
. The match, attended by 37,759 spectators, was won by South Melbourne by two points, marking that club's first premiership victory.
The Season
In round 2, Carlton had beaten South Melbourne by 17 points. A half-time in the round 11 match, South Melbourne leads Carlton 4.4 (28) to 0.11 (11). In the third quarter Carlton score 9.2 (56) to South Melbourne’s single behind, and go on to win the match by 24 points.During the season, the Carlton Football Club had been split by such a level of discord, infighting and dissatisfaction during the 1909 season that its coach Jack Worrall
Jack Worrall
John "Jack" Worrall was an Australian rules footballer for Fitzroy in the VFA and a test cricketer, a coach of both sports and a sporting journalist....
resigned, for the good of the club, after round 13 (he remained Club Secretary for the remainder of the season).
Carlton champion, captain Fred "Pompey" Elliott
Fred Elliott (footballer)
Fred 'Pompey' Elliott was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League .Elliott made his debut for the Carlton Football Club in Round 1 of the 1900 season. He had previously spent a year playing with Melbourne. He was named as Carlton's captain for the 1908 season and became...
— after whom the Australian military hero Brigadier General "Pompey" Elliott
Harold Edward Elliott
Major General Harold Edward "Pompey" Elliott CB, CMG, DSO, DCM, VD was a senior officer in the Australian Army during the First World War. Elliot also served as a Senator in the Australian parliament.-Early life:...
would later be given his nickname — took over the coaching duties in round 14. Carlton won its last four home and away matches under "Pompey" Elliott, by 51 points, 40 points, 46 points, and 15 points respectively.
The final series
As premiers in 1906, 1907, and 1908, Carlton was set to win its fourth consecutive premiership; and as an 1897 foundation club, South Melbourne was attempting to win its first.South Melbourne had finished on top of the end-of-season ladder with 56 points, just ahead of Carlton (56 points) on percentage (168.9% to 146.8%). Under the rules of the amended "Argus system" under which the 1909 Final Series was conducted, South Melbourne had a considerable advantage as the “Minor Premier”. In the event of South Melbourne not winning the match between the winners of the First and Second Semi-Finals, it had the right of “challenge” and could demand a “Grand Final” match against the winner of the Preliminary Final (if it won the Preliminary Final, it would be automatically declared the Premiership Team without any need for a further match).
The First Semi-Final was played between teams (2) and (4); Carlton, 15 points ahead at half-time went on to beat Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
14.8 (92) to 9.2 (56). The Second Semi-Final was played between teams (1) and (3); South Melbourne, two points behind at half-time, went on to beat Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
10.8 (68) to 6.11 (47).
The Preliminary Final was played between the Semi-Final Winners; Carlton. 8 points in front at half-time, went on to beat South Melbourne in an acrimonious match, where South Melbourne tried in vain to out muscle and intimidate Carlton, 10.9 (69) to 7.5 (47), giving "Pompey" Elliott six consecutive wins as a coach (51 points, 40 points, 46 points, 15 points, 36 points, and 22 points respectively).
The Grand Final
The South Melbourne side was missing its full-back Bill DolphinBill Dolphin
Bill Dolphin was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League ....
who was injured, and its winger Jim Caldwell
Jim Caldwell (footballer)
Jim Caldwell was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League ....
who had been suspended for nine matches for striking Carlton’s George Bruce
George Bruce (footballer)
George Bruce was an Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton in the VFL during the early 1900s.Bruce was a wingman and arrived at Carlton from West Adelaide. He was a member of three successive premiership sides from 1906 to 1908, the last of which came in a year when he represented...
in the Preliminary Final. Norm Clark
Norm Clark
Norman "Hackenschmidt" Clark was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Carlton Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1905 and 1912....
was available for Carlton.
From the outset it was clear that South Melbourne had learned from the Preliminary Final and was going to play football, rather than “go the knuckle”. The match, played in a rather unsettling wind, was very closely contested, with the teams tied at both quarter- and half-time.
In the first quarter, South Melbourne’s back-flanker Tom Grimshaw
Tom Grimshaw
Tom Grimshaw was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League ....
was felled, eventually recovered consciousness, and finished the match standing in the goal-square. In the second quarter, Carlton’s Jack Baquie
Jack Baquie
John 'Jack' Baquie was an Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne and Carlton in the Victorian Football League ....
, badly injured his ankle, left the field, and eventually returned in the third quarter to stand in the forward-pocket. In the third quarter, Carlton rover Martin Gotz
Martin Gotz
Martin Gotz was an Australian rules footballer in the early 20th century who most notably played for Carlton in the Victorian Football League ....
was knocked out was carried from the ground, he returned to the ground in the last quarter and stood in the forward line.
In a powerful third quarter, in which Belcher, Ricketts, Cameron, Mortimer, and Gough in sequence brought the ball from the deep back-line to the forward-line untouched by a single Carlton player, eventuating in Gough’s goal, South Melbourne drew ahead of Carlton, 4.12 (36) to 3.11 (29).
In the last quarter, Carlton had several chances to win, scoring 1.1 to South Melbourne’s two behinds. With five minutes to go, "Mallee" Johnson and Charlie Hammond
Charlie Hammond
Charles William Hammond was an Australian rules footballer who played with the Carlton Football Club in the Victorian Football League . Hammond is notable as the only footballer in history to play in five Carlton premiership sides.Hammond played originally for Northcote in the Victorian Football...
got the ball to centre half-forward Harvey Kelly
Harvey Kelly
Harvey "Duff" Kelly was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne and Carlton in the Victorian Football League ....
, who kicked a goal, bringing Carlton to 2 points behind. Carlton lost the ensuing centre-bounce at the restart of play. The ball got to South Melbourne's forward Len Mortimer. His kick did not make the distance. Carlton moved forward, kicking the ball towards the goals, but William Thomas
William Thomas (footballer)
William 'Bill' Thomas was a former Australian rules footballer who played for the South Melbourne Football Club in the VFL between 1906 and 1913 and then for the Richmond Football Club from 1914 to 1916 and again in 1919...
took what turned out to be a match-saving mark for South Melbourne, as the ball was not near either goal for the remainder of the match. South Melbourne 4.14 (38) beat Carlton 4.12 (36).
Teams
- Umpire - Jack ElderJack Elder (umpire)Jack Elder was a former Australian rules football umpire who in 1996 was named as the VFL/AFL's Umpire of the Century....
Score
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Melbourne Sydney Swans The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney... |
0.5 | 2.9 | 4.12 | 4.14 | 4.14 (38) |
| Carlton Carlton Football Club The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897... |
0.5 | 2.9 | 3.11 | 4.12 | 4.12 (36) |
Goal kickers
South Melbourne:- Franks 1
- Gough 1
- Mortimer 1
- Ricketts 1
Carlton:
- Topping 2
- Baquie 1
- Kelly 1