The 1913 VFL season was the 17th season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest-level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured ten clubs and ran from 26 April to 27 September, comprising an 18-match home-and-away season followed by a four-week finals series featuring the top four clubs.

1913 VFL premiership season
Fitzroy 1913 VFL premiership team
Date26 April—27 September 1913
Teams10
PremiersFitzroy
5th premiership
Minor premiersFitzroy
4th minor premiership
Leading goalkicker medallistRoy Park (University)
53 goals
Matches played94
← 1912
1914 →

Fitzroy won the premiership, defeating St Kilda by 13 points in the 1913 VFL grand final; it was Fitzroy's fifth VFL premiership. Fitzroy also won the minor premiership by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with a 16–2 win–loss record. University's Roy Park won the leading goalkicker medal as the league's leading goalkicker.

Background

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In 1913, 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 place on the field at any time during the match.

Each team played each other twice in a home-and-away season of 18 rounds.

Once the 18 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1913 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 Date
Geelong 7.13 (55) Richmond 5.7 (37) Corio Oval 26 April 1913
Fitzroy 10.19 (79) University 5.7 (37) Brunswick Street Oval 26 April 1913
South Melbourne 8.15 (63) St Kilda 8.6 (54) Lake Oval 26 April 1913
Melbourne 5.7 (37) Collingwood 8.12 (60) MCG 26 April 1913
Essendon 9.13 (67) Carlton 11.17 (83) EMCG 26 April 1913

Round 2

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Collingwood 10.17 (77) Geelong 11.2 (68) Victoria Park 3 May 1913
Carlton 8.13 (61) South Melbourne 9.7 (61) Princes Park 3 May 1913
University 10.12 (72) Melbourne 14.15 (99) MCG 3 May 1913
St Kilda 10.7 (67) Fitzroy 3.16 (34) Junction Oval 3 May 1913
Richmond 11.12 (78) Essendon 13.11 (89) Punt Road Oval 3 May 1913

Round 3

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Fitzroy 8.14 (62) Geelong 6.7 (43) Brunswick Street Oval 10 May 1913
Carlton 11.13 (79) Melbourne 7.11 (53) Princes Park 10 May 1913
University 9.11 (65) St Kilda 10.13 (73) MCG 10 May 1913
South Melbourne 8.9 (57) Richmond 9.2 (56) Lake Oval 10 May 1913
Essendon 10.5 (65) Collingwood 10.10 (70) EMCG 10 May 1913

Round 4

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Richmond 9.14 (68) St Kilda 7.12 (54) Punt Road Oval 17 May 1913
Geelong 14.14 (98) University 7.9 (51) Corio Oval 17 May 1913
Essendon 7.14 (56) South Melbourne 15.13 (103) EMCG 17 May 1913
Melbourne 4.7 (31) Fitzroy 7.11 (53) MCG 17 May 1913
Collingwood 6.8 (44) Carlton 5.8 (38) Victoria Park 17 May 1913

Round 5

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Geelong 7.15 (57) South Melbourne 9.17 (71) Corio Oval 24 May 1913
Collingwood 9.16 (70) Richmond 6.12 (48) Victoria Park 24 May 1913
St Kilda 8.13 (61) Melbourne 7.14 (56) Junction Oval 24 May 1913
Fitzroy 7.9 (51) Essendon 5.6 (36) Brunswick Street Oval 24 May 1913
University 8.8 (56) Carlton 10.12 (72) MCG 24 May 1913

Round 6

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Fitzroy 6.7 (43) Richmond 5.6 (36) Brunswick Street Oval 31 May 1913
Essendon 3.5 (23) Geelong 6.11 (47) EMCG 31 May 1913
Carlton 4.13 (37) St Kilda 3.6 (24) Princes Park 31 May 1913
South Melbourne 6.16 (52) Melbourne 4.4 (28) Lake Oval 31 May 1913
University 2.8 (20) Collingwood 7.12 (54) MCG 31 May 1913

Round 7

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Essendon 14.22 (106) University 6.5 (41) EMCG 7 June 1913
Collingwood 13.11 (89) St Kilda 7.12 (54) Victoria Park 7 June 1913
Melbourne 7.10 (52) Geelong 12.12 (84) MCG 7 June 1913
South Melbourne 7.8 (50) Fitzroy 11.17 (83) Lake Oval 7 June 1913
Richmond 8.13 (61) Carlton 10.7 (67) Punt Road Oval 7 June 1913

Round 8

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Collingwood 5.7 (37) Fitzroy 6.11 (47) Victoria Park 9 June 1913
University 10.9 (69) South Melbourne 13.12 (90) MCG 9 June 1913
Richmond 7.10 (52) Melbourne 5.10 (40) Punt Road Oval 9 June 1913
St Kilda 9.11 (65) Essendon 7.13 (55) Junction Oval 9 June 1913
Geelong 7.12 (54) Carlton 9.15 (69) Corio Oval 9 June 1913

Round 9

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Essendon 9.17 (71) Melbourne 3.12 (30) EMCG 14 June 1913
University 5.10 (40) Richmond 12.11 (83) MCG 14 June 1913
St Kilda 11.12 (78) Geelong 10.11 (71) Junction Oval 14 June 1913
South Melbourne 10.15 (75) Collingwood 7.9 (51) Lake Oval 14 June 1913
Fitzroy 14.15 (99) Carlton 9.10 (64) Brunswick Street Oval 14 June 1913

Round 10

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
St Kilda 9.11 (65) South Melbourne 13.14 (92) Junction Oval 21 June 1913
Collingwood 14.11 (95) Melbourne 6.11 (47) Victoria Park 21 June 1913
Carlton 15.15 (105) Essendon 11.12 (78) Princes Park 21 June 1913
Richmond 12.9 (81) Geelong 8.15 (63) Punt Road Oval 21 June 1913
University 5.5 (35) Fitzroy 10.15 (75) MCG 21 June 1913

Round 11

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Melbourne 7.20 (62) University 7.11 (53) MCG 28 June 1913
Fitzroy 7.11 (53) St Kilda 5.9 (39) Brunswick Street Oval 28 June 1913
Essendon 8.9 (57) Richmond 10.7 (67) EMCG 28 June 1913
Geelong 8.12 (60) Collingwood 11.5 (71) Corio Oval 28 June 1913
South Melbourne 12.16 (88) Carlton 5.11 (41) Lake Oval 28 June 1913

Round 12

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
St Kilda 18.20 (128) University 7.14 (56) Junction Oval 5 July 1913
Richmond 3.17 (35) South Melbourne 8.11 (59) Punt Road Oval 5 July 1913
Collingwood 10.12 (72) Essendon 7.12 (54) Victoria Park 5 July 1913
Geelong 11.12 (78) Fitzroy 8.13 (61) Corio Oval 5 July 1913
Melbourne 10.7 (67) Carlton 7.12 (54) MCG 5 July 1913

Round 13

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Fitzroy 12.14 (86) Melbourne 3.10 (28) Brunswick Street Oval 19 July 1913
Carlton 6.18 (54) Collingwood 11.11 (77) Princes Park 19 July 1913
St Kilda 9.8 (62) Richmond 5.6 (36) Junction Oval 19 July 1913
University 5.6 (36) Geelong 17.18 (120) MCG 19 July 1913
South Melbourne 5.12 (42) Essendon 7.20 (62) Lake Oval 19 July 1913

Round 14

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Melbourne 5.5 (35) St Kilda 9.17 (71) MCG 26 July 1913
Essendon 4.12 (36) Fitzroy 7.12 (54) EMCG 26 July 1913
Carlton 9.22 (76) University 3.8 (26) Princes Park 26 July 1913
South Melbourne 12.10 (82) Geelong 9.12 (66) Lake Oval 26 July 1913
Richmond 5.15 (45) Collingwood 10.9 (69) Punt Road Oval 26 July 1913

Round 15

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Melbourne 2.7 (19) South Melbourne 5.18 (48) MCG 2 August 1913
Collingwood 12.15 (87) University 10.10 (70) Victoria Park 2 August 1913
Richmond 6.10 (46) Fitzroy 11.13 (79) Punt Road Oval 2 August 1913
Geelong 11.10 (76) Essendon 8.5 (53) Corio Oval 2 August 1913
St Kilda 10.10 (70) Carlton 11.3 (69) Junction Oval 2 August 1913

Round 16

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Geelong 4.23 (47) Melbourne 4.2 (26) Corio Oval 9 August 1913
Fitzroy 8.11 (59) South Melbourne 7.14 (56) Brunswick Street Oval 9 August 1913
Carlton 9.9 (63) Richmond 7.9 (51) Princes Park 9 August 1913
University 8.12 (60) Essendon 9.8 (62) MCG 9 August 1913
St Kilda 12.10 (82) Collingwood 6.8 (44) Junction Oval 9 August 1913

Round 17

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
South Melbourne 17.9 (111) University 8.13 (61) Lake Oval 23 August 1913
Essendon 7.8 (50) St Kilda 9.8 (62) EMCG 23 August 1913
Carlton 6.10 (46) Geelong 9.15 (69) Princes Park 23 August 1913
Melbourne 9.10 (64) Richmond 8.5 (53) Punt Road Oval 23 August 1913
Fitzroy 9.10 (64) Collingwood 4.13 (37) Brunswick Street Oval 23 August 1913

Round 18

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Richmond 15.11 (101) University 8.11 (59) Punt Road Oval 30 August 1913
Geelong 15.18 (108) St Kilda 5.10 (40) Corio Oval 30 August 1913
Collingwood 7.12 (54) South Melbourne 8.8 (56) Victoria Park 30 August 1913
Carlton 4.8 (32) Fitzroy 7.13 (55) Princes Park 30 August 1913
Melbourne 6.6 (42) Essendon 6.16 (52) MCG 30 August 1913

Ladder

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(P) Premiers
Qualified for finals
# Team P W L D PF PA % Pts
1 Fitzroy (P) 18 16 2 0 1137 788 144.3 64
2 South Melbourne 18 14 3 1 1256 977 128.6 58
3 Collingwood 18 13 5 0 1158 984 117.7 52
4 St Kilda 18 11 7 0 1149 1081 106.3 44
5 Geelong 18 10 8 0 1264 1016 124.4 40
6 Carlton 18 9 8 1 1110 1100 100.9 38
7 Richmond 18 6 12 0 1034 1090 94.9 24
8 Essendon 18 6 12 0 1072 1148 93.4 24
9 Melbourne 18 4 14 0 816 1143 71.4 16
10 University 18 0 18 0 907 1576 57.6 0

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 60.6
Source: AFL Tables

Finals series

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All of the 1913 finals were played at the MCG, so the home team in the semi-finals and preliminary final was 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 Date
St Kilda 12.12 (84) South Melbourne 6.15 (51) MCG 6 September
Fitzroy 11.14 (80) Collingwood 6.7 (43) MCG 13 September

Preliminary final

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Home team Score Away team Score Venue Date
St Kilda 10.10 (70) Fitzroy 6.9 (45) MCG 20 September

Grand final

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Season notes

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  • The VFL formed an independent tribunal to hear charges against players.
  • Prior to Melbourne's Round 4 match against Fitzroy, six of the club's players went on strike to protest the club committee's failure to support a player charged by police after striking a Carlton player in Round 3. After Melbourne President Dr. William C. McClelland entered the club rooms and personally informed the players they would be expelled from the club if they did not take the field, the players called off their strike.[1]
  • In the round 14 match against Fitzroy, controversy erupted after VFL Stewards incorrectly reported Essendon follower Bill Walker.[1]
  • University Football Club's full-forward Roy Park, who stood only 5"5" (165 cm), was selected as the Victorian Interstate team's full-forward, and kicked 53 of University's 115 goals for the season. Park was the second player to win the goalkicking when his team won the wooden spoon, after Charlie Baker of St Kilda in 1902, whose team also finished last without a win.

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ a b Ross, John (1996). 100 Years of Australian Football. Ringwood, Australia: Viking Books. p. 382. ISBN 9781854714343.
  • Rogers, S. & Brown, A., Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL Results 1897–1997 (Sixth Edition), Viking Books, (Ringwood), 1998. ISBN 0-670-90809-6

Sources

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