1928 VFL Grand Final
Encyclopedia
The 1928 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football
game contested between the Collingwood Football Club
and Richmond Football Club
, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
in Melbourne
on 29 September 1928. It was the 32nd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League
, staged to determine the premiers for the 1928 VFL season
. The match, attended by 50,026 spectators, was won by Collingwood by a margin of 33 points, marking that club's seventh premiership victory and second in succession.
, the 1928 season
held significant hurdles for the Magpies to overcome – contentious pay cuts, a threatened player’s strike, allegations of bribery against two team members and a long injury list contributed to a late-season slump. Still, they managed to top the ladder by the end of the season, winning 15 of 18 home-and-away games.
In contrast, Richmond was in excellent shape at the end of the home-and-away season. The side finished second on the ladder, and defeated Carlton
by 53 points in the First Semi-Final. Collingwood and Melbourne
contested a draw in the Second Semi-Final, forcing a replay the following week which was won by Collingwood by four points. As such, Richmond had a three-week break between its Semi-Final and the Grand Final.
The first quarter was a scramble, and the defenses of both sides held. Collingwood used all six of their followers in the ruck for the first half, saving Percy Rowe
for the second half. A blistering 10 minutes in the 2nd quarter saw Collingwood seize control of the match to lead by 21 points at half time, with Gordon “Nuts” Coventry
kicking 4 goals for the quarter. Rowe repeatedly absorbed the pressure from Richmond’s backs to provide protection for Coventry run to the ball. Despite the Tigers reducing their opponent’s lead to 16 points at 3-quarter time, the Magpies banged on 2 quick goals early in the final quarter to effectively seal the game. Collingwood won by 33 points, and Coventry finished with 9 goals, a Grand Final record that stood for 61 years, until equaled by Gary Ablett in the 1989 VFL Grand Final
.
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 Collingwood Football Club
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
and Richmond Football Club
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
, 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 29 September 1928. It was the 32nd 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 1928 VFL season
1928 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1928.-Premiership season:In 1928, 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...
. The match, attended by 50,026 spectators, was won by Collingwood by a margin of 33 points, marking that club's seventh premiership victory and second in succession.
Background
Despite winning the 1927 flag1927 VFL Grand Final
The 1927 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and Richmond Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 1 October 1927...
, the 1928 season
1928 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1928.-Premiership season:In 1928, 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...
held significant hurdles for the Magpies to overcome – contentious pay cuts, a threatened player’s strike, allegations of bribery against two team members and a long injury list contributed to a late-season slump. Still, they managed to top the ladder by the end of the season, winning 15 of 18 home-and-away games.
In contrast, Richmond was in excellent shape at the end of the home-and-away season. The side finished second on the ladder, and defeated 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...
by 53 points in the First Semi-Final. Collingwood and Melbourne
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
contested a draw in the Second Semi-Final, forcing a replay the following week which was won by Collingwood by four points. As such, Richmond had a three-week break between its Semi-Final and the Grand Final.
Right to challenge
This season was played under the amended Argus System. If Richmond had won this match, Collingwood would have had the right to challenge Richmond to a rematch for the premiership on the following weekend, because Collingwood was the minor premier. The winner of that match would then have won the premiership.Match summary
Collingwood saw Richmond as a skillful, confident team, but also vulnerable to being distracted as well. They set out to taunt the Tigers with name-calling and other verbal challenges while maintaining the ball as their first objective.The first quarter was a scramble, and the defenses of both sides held. Collingwood used all six of their followers in the ruck for the first half, saving Percy Rowe
Percy Rowe
Percy Rowe is a former player and coach in the Victorian Football League.Rowe was the coach of the Fitzroy Football Club in 1935 and the Carlton Football Club for only the 1937 season before he was replaced by captain-coach Brighton Diggins. He is the father of Des Rowe, who captained...
for the second half. A blistering 10 minutes in the 2nd quarter saw Collingwood seize control of the match to lead by 21 points at half time, with Gordon “Nuts” Coventry
Gordon Coventry
Gordon "Nuts" Coventry was an Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football League . With 1,299 goals over 18 seasons, Coventry remains one of the greatest full forwards the game has ever seen...
kicking 4 goals for the quarter. Rowe repeatedly absorbed the pressure from Richmond’s backs to provide protection for Coventry run to the ball. Despite the Tigers reducing their opponent’s lead to 16 points at 3-quarter time, the Magpies banged on 2 quick goals early in the final quarter to effectively seal the game. Collingwood won by 33 points, and Coventry finished with 9 goals, a Grand Final record that stood for 61 years, until equaled by Gary Ablett in the 1989 VFL Grand Final
1989 VFL Grand Final
The 1989 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Hawthorn Football Club and the Geelong Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 30 September 1989. It was the 93rd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
.
Match statistics
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collingwood | 2.4 | 7.8 | 9.11 | 13.18 (96) |
| Richmond | 0.3 | 4.5 | 7.7 | 9.9 (63) |
| Best | Collingwood | G Coventry Gordon Coventry Gordon "Nuts" Coventry was an Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football League . With 1,299 goals over 18 seasons, Coventry remains one of the greatest full forwards the game has ever seen... , H Collier Harry Collier Harry Collier was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.-Playing career:Originally from Ivanhoe, Victoria, Collier played for the Collingwood Football Club, debuting in 1926... , S Coventry Syd Coventry -St Kilda:Originally from Diamond Creek, Victoria, Coventry journeyed across the Bass Strait after the First World War to work in the mines at Queenstown, Tasmania, taking with him a reputation as a fine footballer... , Rowe Percy Rowe Percy Rowe is a former player and coach in the Victorian Football League.Rowe was the coach of the Fitzroy Football Club in 1935 and the Carlton Football Club for only the 1937 season before he was replaced by captain-coach Brighton Diggins. He is the father of Des Rowe, who captained... , A Collier Albert Collier Albert "Leeter" Collier was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.-Playing career:... , F Murphy Frank Murphy (Australian rules footballer) Frank Murphy was an Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the VFL.Murphy was a half forward as a member of a successful Collingwood side played in four premierships, three of them with his brother Len... , Rumney Harold Rumney Harold Rumney is a former Australian rules footballer.Rumney was rejected by Carlton Football Club after 15 games in 2 seasons and transferred to Collingwood Football Club. His arrival at Collingwood was fortuitous. He played in the quartet of premierships, 1927–1930. He also played in the 1935... , Libbis |
| Richmond | O’Halloran Thomas O'Halloran Thomas O'Halloran was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1925 and 1934 for the Richmond Football Club. He served as Richmond's Vice President in 1936 and 1940.- References :... , Murdoch Joe Murdoch Arthur 'Joe' Murdoch was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL in between 1927 and 1936 for the Richmond Football Club.... , Watson, B McCormack Basil McCormack Basil McCormack was a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1925 and 1936 for the Richmond Football Club.- References :* Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old , Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996*... , Harris, Lilburne Cyril Lilburne Cyril 'Dooley' Lilburne was an Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1926 and 1929 for the Richmond Football Club.- References :* Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old , Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996... , Fincher Jack Fincher (footballer) Jack Fincher was an Australian rules footballer who played for Richmond and Footscray in the Victorian Football League .... |
|
| Goals | Collingwood | G Coventry (9), L Murphy Len Murphy Leonard 'Len' Murphy was an Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood and Footscray in the VFL. His older brother Frank played beside him for much of his career.... (2), Harris John Harris (Australian footballer) John 'Jiggy' Harris was an Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood and Hawthorn in the VFL.Recruited from Brighton, Harris started his career at Collingwood where he played as both a wingman and half forward flanker. He was a member of Collingwood premiership sides in 1927 and 1928... , Makeham |
| Richmond | Weidner Harry Weidner Harry Weidner was an Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond in the Victorian Football League .Weidner was a half forward flanker from Warragul who kicked at least 25 goals every season from 1928 to 1931 and was Richmond's second top goal-kicker in the first of those years... (2), Titus Jack Titus Jack "Skinny" Titus was an Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1926 and 1943 for the Richmond Football Club. In the golden era of the 1930s, Titus was one of the great forwards who regularly thrilled the crowds with spectacular goalkicking feats... (2), O’Halloran (2), Emprey Ralph Empey Ralph Empey was an Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond in the Victorian Football League .... , (2), Goding |
- Umpire - Jack McMurrayJack McMurray, Sr.Jack McMurray Senior was a leading Australian rules football field umpire in the Victorian Football League in the early twentieth century.- Footballer :McMurray was born in Port Melbourne, Victoria in 1889....
- Attendance - 50,026
- Gate - ₤2,533