Ask Your Grandfather

Continuing the series of VFL / AFL 'decades in review'... this time from the 20's through to the 40's... another period that the VFL and Australia was touched by war and troubles.

An era where legends were made, heroes were only read about and dreamed of. Where kids kicked rolled up newspapers around because they couldn't afford footballs, but loved the game intensely.


ROARING AGAIN

The 1920's was the final decade of footy before electronic media, radio, television etc. Players then were more mythical legends, with deeds only seen at live on match-days, or read in the papers, or discussed in workshops, pubs or schoolyards. It was the last days of the most pure form of team supporting... of being at your local ground as the only direct contact and involvement you could have with your team.

The 20's also saw the VFL push for the introduction of a new team and elimination of the bye. VFA clubs spent years lobbying the power-brokers at the League before finally settling on North Melbourne, Hawthorn and Footscray (with Prahran missing out). Those three teams were selected for inclusion to the VFL during the 1924 season. At the end of the '24 season, Footscray as VFA premiers, famously went on to win the title 'Champions of Victoria' after defeating the VFL Premiers, Essendon.

The three new clubs commenced VFL action in 1925, but owing to the existing VFL clubs not relinquishing suburban recruiting zones, they were hamstrung from the start (somethings never change). Essendon also recruited a few of the Footscray players that defeated them in the Champions of Victoria match (one of the purest examples of being a sore loser!).



DEPRESSION ERA FOOTBALL

The depression brought in hard and tough football, where playing with an injury was a must unless you wanted to lose your match payments. Also, as money was tight at clubs, the wealthy benefactors at the bigger clubs were able to help with player payments and recruitment through the decade, and this is reflected in the teams listed at the top at the finish of the decade.

In fact, this decade was so lopsided that it is the only one to produce a top 4 that won +60% of their games and have +120% for/against. (The only challenger is the 70's, although the for/against percents were lower).



WAR, LOSS AND RATIONING

The war years again brought a suspension in play, but only for Geelong who stood out of the 1942 and 43 seasons due to wartime travel restrictions. Geelong's players were temporarily transferred to other clubs to allow them to keep playing. Melbourne and Collingwood also struggled to field teams, relying on VFA players and Servicemen to complete their squads.

Matches were also played away from major grounds, as they were requisitioned for the war effort. US soldiers and Australian RAAF personnel were stationed at the MCG (in what the Americans called 'Camp Murphy').

St. Kilda also missed playing some games due to a quirky draw the VFL introduced to eliminate the bye mid-season (in 1943 after 11 rounds, the 11th team got tipped out for the remaining 5 matches).
The war and ration years also proved to be the worst period in Collingwood's history to date, with no flags and the the first time they had won less than 6 out of 10 games. Quite a contrast to the big spending decade before.