1972 VFL Grand Final
Encyclopedia
The 1972 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football
game contested between the Carlton Football Club
and Richmond Football Club
, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
in Melbourne
on 7 October 1972. It was the 76th annual Grand Final
of the Victorian Football League
, staged to determine the premiers for the 1972 VFL season
. The match, attended 112,393 spectators, was won by Carlton by a margin of 27 points, marking that club's 11th premiership victory.
, Carlton had finished first on the ladder with 18 wins, 3 losses and a draw. Richmond had finished second with 18 wins and 4 losses.
In the finals series leading up to the Grand Final, Richmond defeated Collingwood
by 44 points in the Qualifying Final before meeting Carlton in the Second Semi Final. This game resulted in a draw, with both teams scoring 8.13 (61). In the Second Semi Final Replay, Richmond won comfortably by 41 points, sending them straight through to the Grand Final. Carlton then beat St Kilda by 16 poionts to match up with Richmond once again in the premiership decider.
The Grand Final was turned into a shoot-out. Exactly 50 goals were kicked in the game, with the teams compiling a combined score of 50.27 (327). This was, at the time, the highest scoring game in VFL
history, Grand Final or otherwise, and has been bettered only seven times since. Carlton and Richmond held the highest and second highest team Grand Final scores in history (equalling the previous record of 22.18 (150) set by Essendon in 1946); Carlton's score of 28.9 (177) remains the highest in Grand Final history, and Richmond's 22.18 (150) remains the highest losing score in a Grand Final. Richmond's score was the tenth highest score of the season: only in 1924, 1937, 1940, 1954, 1962, 1976 and 2001 have other teams lost matches with scores among the ten highest of a season.
Alex Jesaulenko
kicked seven goals while Robert Walls
(in a best-on-ground performance) and John Nicholls bagged six each for Carlton. Richmond had eleven individual goal-kickers, with Neil Balme
kicking five.
Carlton's opening term score of 8.4 (52) and second term score of 10.2 (62) set the records for the best first and second quarter scores in Grand Final history (Hawthorn
would later equal the first quarter score in the 1989 VFL Grand Final
).
This was the first of two consecutive Grand Finals to be contested between these teams. In the 1973 VFL Grand Final
the fortunes were reversed, with Richmond running out winners by a margin of 30 points.
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 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 7 October 1972. It was the 76th annual Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
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 1972 VFL season
1972 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1972.-Premiership season:In 1972, 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...
. The match, attended 112,393 spectators, was won by Carlton by a margin of 27 points, marking that club's 11th premiership victory.
Background
At the conclusion of the regular home-and-away season1972 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1972.-Premiership season:In 1972, 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...
, Carlton had finished first on the ladder with 18 wins, 3 losses and a draw. Richmond had finished second with 18 wins and 4 losses.
In the finals series leading up to the Grand Final, Richmond defeated Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
by 44 points in the Qualifying Final before meeting Carlton in the Second Semi Final. This game resulted in a draw, with both teams scoring 8.13 (61). In the Second Semi Final Replay, Richmond won comfortably by 41 points, sending them straight through to the Grand Final. Carlton then beat St Kilda by 16 poionts to match up with Richmond once again in the premiership decider.
Match summary
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
8.4 (52) | 18.6 (114) | 25.9 (159) | 28.9 (177) |
| Richmond 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,... |
5.4 (34) | 10.9 (69) | 15.15 (105) | 22.18 (150) |
The Grand Final was turned into a shoot-out. Exactly 50 goals were kicked in the game, with the teams compiling a combined score of 50.27 (327). This was, at the time, the highest scoring game in VFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
history, Grand Final or otherwise, and has been bettered only seven times since. Carlton and Richmond held the highest and second highest team Grand Final scores in history (equalling the previous record of 22.18 (150) set by Essendon in 1946); Carlton's score of 28.9 (177) remains the highest in Grand Final history, and Richmond's 22.18 (150) remains the highest losing score in a Grand Final. Richmond's score was the tenth highest score of the season: only in 1924, 1937, 1940, 1954, 1962, 1976 and 2001 have other teams lost matches with scores among the ten highest of a season.
Alex Jesaulenko
Alex Jesaulenko
Alex 'Jezza' Jesaulenko MBE is a former Australian rules footballer and coach. He is regarded as one of the game's greatest-ever players and is an official Legend of the Australian Football Hall of Fame...
kicked seven goals while Robert Walls
Robert Walls
Robert Walls is a former Australian rules footballer and coach who now works primarily as a television commentator and newspaper columnist on the sport. On 22 June 2006 he was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.- Carlton :...
(in a best-on-ground performance) and John Nicholls bagged six each for Carlton. Richmond had eleven individual goal-kickers, with Neil Balme
Neil Balme
Neil Allen Balme is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1969 and 1979 for the Richmond Football Club.-Playing career:...
kicking five.
Carlton's opening term score of 8.4 (52) and second term score of 10.2 (62) set the records for the best first and second quarter scores in Grand Final history (Hawthorn
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
would later equal the first quarter score 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...
).
This was the first of two consecutive Grand Finals to be contested between these teams. In the 1973 VFL Grand Final
1973 VFL Grand Final
The 1973 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Richmond Football Club and Carlton Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 1973. It was the 77th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
the fortunes were reversed, with Richmond running out winners by a margin of 30 points.
Teams
- Umpire - Bill DellerBill DellerWilliam "Bill" Deller OAM was a leading Australian rules football field umpire in the Victorian Football League in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s....
Goalkickers
Carlton:
|
Richmond:
|
See also
- 1972 VFL season1972 VFL seasonResults and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1972.-Premiership season:In 1972, 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...