1913 VFL season

1913 VFL premiership season
Fitzroy Football Club, Premiers
Teams	10
Premiers	Fitzroy 5th premiership
Minor premiers	Fitzroy 4th minor premiership
Leading Goalkicker Medallist	Roy Park (University)
Matches played	94
Highest	59,479
←  1912 1914  →

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, ran from 26 April until 27 September, and comprised an 18-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top four clubs.

The premiership was won by the Fitzroy Football Club for the fifth time, after it defeated St Kilda by 13 points in the 1913 VFL Grand Final.

Background

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

Round 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(P)	Premiers
	Qualififed 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

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

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

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

Grand final

Main article: 1913 VFL Grand Final

Season notes

• 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

• The 1913 VFL Premiership team was Fitzroy.
• The VFL's leading goalkicker was Roy Park of University with 53 goals.
• University took the "wooden spoon" in 1913.

References

1. 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

• 1913 VFL season at AFL Tables
• 1913 VFL season at Australian Football