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1904 VFL season#Round 1

{{Short description|Eighth season of the Victorian Football League (VFL)}}

{{Use Australian English|date=December 2017}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}

{{Infobox VFL season

| year = 1904

| image = Fitzroy fc 1904.jpg

| imagesize = 258px

| caption = {{AFL Fit}} 1904 VFL premiership team

| date = 7 May—17 September 1904

| teams = 8

| premiers = {{AFL Fit}}

| premcount = 3

| minorpremiers = {{AFL Fit}}

| mpcount = 3

| leadinggoalkicker = Vin Coutie ({{AFL Mel}})

| goals = 39

| matches = 71

| prevseason = {{coloured link|white|1903 VFL season|1903}}

| nextseason = {{coloured link|white|1905 VFL season|1905}}

}}

The 1904 VFL season was the eighth season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest-level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured eight clubs and ran from 7 May to 17 September, comprising a 17-round home-and-away season followed by a two-week finals series featuring the top four clubs.

{{AFL Fit}} won the premiership, defeating {{AFL Car}} by 24 points in the 1904 VFL grand final; it was Fitzroy's third VFL premiership. Fitzroy also won the minor premiership by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with a 12–5 win–loss record. {{AFL Mel}}'s Vin Coutie won the leading goalkicker medal as the league's leading goalkicker.

Background

In 1904, the VFL competition consisted of eight 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 14 rounds. Then, based on ladder positions after those 14 rounds, three further 'sectional rounds' were played, with the teams ranked 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th playing in one section and the teams ranked 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th playing in the other.

Once the 17 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1904 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the amended "Argus system".

Home-and-away season

=Round 1=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 8.10 (58)

| {{AFL SM}}

| 2.5 (17)

| EMCG

| 7 May 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Col}}

| 9.15 (69)

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 7.9 (51)

| Victoria Park

| 7 May 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Car}}

| 1.8 (14)

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 16.12 (108)

| Princes Park

| 7 May 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL|StK}}

| 12.13 (85)

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 5.9 (39)

| Junction Oval

| 7 May 1904

{{s-end}}

=Round 2=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 11.17 (83)

| {{AFL|StK}}

| 5.3 (33)

| Brunswick Street Oval

| 14 May 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 10.7 (67)

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 5.13 (43)

| Corio Oval

| 14 May 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 7.7 (49)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 7.13 (55)

| MCG

| 14 May 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL SM}}

| 1.13 (19)

| {{AFL Car}}

| 5.6 (36)

| Lake Oval

| 14 May 1904

{{s-end}}

=Round 3=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Col}}

| 4.5 (29)

| {{AFL SM}}

| 7.13 (55)

| Victoria Park

| 21 May 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Car}}

| 8.17 (65)

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 4.8 (32)

| Princes Park

| 21 May 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 3.5 (23)

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 14.15 (99)

| MCG

| 21 May 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL|StK}}

| 5.3 (33)

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 10.9 (69)

| Junction Oval

| 21 May 1904

{{s-end}}

=Round 4=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 6.4 (40)

| {{AFL SM}}

| 6.16 (52)

| Corio Oval

| 28 May 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 4.9 (33)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 6.6 (42)

| Brunswick Street Oval

| 28 May 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL|StK}}

| 4.7 (31)

| {{AFL Car}}

| 6.4 (40)

| Junction Oval

| 28 May 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 9.17 (71)

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 6.3 (39)

| SCG

| 28 May 1904

{{s-end}}

=Round 5=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 6.13 (49)

| {{AFL|StK}}

| 4.10 (34)

| Corio Oval

| 4 June 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 6.5 (41)

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 11.17 (83)

| EMCG

| 4 June 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL SM}}

| 8.16 (64)

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 5.9 (39)

| Lake Oval

| 4 June 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Col}}

| 6.12 (48)

| {{AFL Car}}

| 8.5 (53)

| Victoria Park

| 4 June 1904

{{s-end}}

=Round 6=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 12.6 (78)

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 6.18 (54)

| Brunswick Street Oval

| 6 June 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL SM}}

| 15.10 (100)

| {{AFL|StK}}

| 9.4 (58)

| Lake Oval

| 6 June 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 6.5 (41)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 6.7 (43)

| EMCG

| 6 June 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 8.10 (58)

| {{AFL Car}}

| 5.5 (35)

| MCG

| 6 June 1904

{{s-end}}

=Round 7=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 9.12 (66)

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 15.7 (97)

| Corio Oval

| 11 June 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 6.9 (45)

| {{AFL SM}}

| 5.14 (44)

| Brunswick Street Oval

| 11 June 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Car}}

| 7.5 (47)

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 7.11 (53)

| Princes Park

| 11 June 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL|StK}}

| 7.7 (49)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 4.10 (34)

| Junction Oval

| 11 June 1904

{{s-end}}

=Round 8=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 13.13 (91)

| {{AFL|StK}}

| 4.2 (26)

| MCG

| 25 June 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL SM}}

| 10.9 (69)

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 4.5 (29)

| Lake Oval

| 25 June 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 4.10 (34)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 8.10 (58)

| Corio Oval

| 25 June 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 8.8 (56)

| {{AFL Car}}

| 7.10 (52)

| Brunswick Street Oval

| 25 June 1904

{{s-end}}

=Round 9=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 9.12 (66)

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 4.4 (28)

| EMCG

| 2 July 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Col}}

| 4.5 (29)

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 8.6 (54)

| Victoria Park

| 2 July 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Car}}

| 9.7 (61)

| {{AFL SM}}

| 5.7 (37)

| Princes Park

| 2 July 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL|StK}}

| 11.12 (78)

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 4.7 (31)

| Junction Oval

| 2 July 1904

{{s-end}}

=Round 10=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 8.10 (58)

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 5.13 (43)

| Brunswick Street Oval

| 9 July 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 6.8 (44)

| {{AFL|StK}}

| 6.3 (39)

| EMCG

| 9 July 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL SM}}

| 5.15 (45)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 6.6 (42)

| Lake Oval

| 9 July 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 4.11 (35)

| {{AFL Car}}

| 5.5 (35)

| Corio Oval

| 9 July 1904

{{s-end}}

=Round 11=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Col}}

| 7.13 (55)

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 3.6 (24)

| Victoria Park

| 16 July 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Car}}

| 9.7 (61)

| {{AFL|StK}}

| 4.1 (25)

| Princes Park

| 16 July 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL SM}}

| 6.5 (41)

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 4.15 (39)

| Lake Oval

| 16 July 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 3.12 (30)

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 4.11 (35)

| MCG

| 16 July 1904

{{s-end}}

=Round 12=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 9.13 (67)

| {{AFL SM}}

| 11.7 (73)

| MCG

| 23 July 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Car}}

| 6.10 (46)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 6.4 (40)

| Princes Park

| 23 July 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL|StK}}

| 5.5 (35)

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 7.16 (58)

| Junction Oval

| 23 July 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 6.8 (44)

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 3.9 (27)

| Brunswick Street Oval

| 23 July 1904

{{s-end}}

=Round 13=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL|StK}}

| 6.10 (46)

| {{AFL SM}}

| 10.5 (65)

| Junction Oval

| 30 July 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Col}}

| 5.6 (36)

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 7.10 (52)

| Victoria Park

| 30 July 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Car}}

| 6.14 (50)

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 4.10 (34)

| Princes Park

| 30 July 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 5.12 (42)

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 4.13 (37)

| Corio Oval

| 30 July 1904

{{s-end}}

=Round 14=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Col}}

| 14.12 (96)

| {{AFL|StK}}

| 6.10 (46)

| Victoria Park

| 13 August 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 11.10 (76)

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 6.4 (40)

| MCG

| 13 August 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL SM}}

| 5.16 (46)

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 8.10 (58)

| Lake Oval

| 13 August 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 5.5 (35)

| {{AFL Car}}

| 5.9 (39)

| EMCG

| 13 August 1904

{{s-end}}

=Pre-sectional ladder=

class=wikitable

| style=width:1em bgcolor=E6E6FA |

Section A
style=width:1em bgcolor=FEEAD3 |Section B

{{Australian rules football ladder start}}

|- style=background:#E6E6FA

| 1 || align=left | {{AFL Fit}} || 14 || 10 || 4 || 0 || 837 || 594 || 140.9 || 40

|- style=background:#FEEAD3

| 2 || align=left | {{AFL Car}} || 14 || 9 || 4 || 1 || 634 || 611 || 103.8 || 38

|- style=background:#E6E6FA

| 3 || align=left | {{AFL SM}} || 14 || 9 || 5 || 0 || 727 || 647 || 112.4 || 36

|- style=background:#FEEAD3

| 4 || align=left | {{AFL Col}} || 14 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 676 || 632 || 107.0 || 28

|- style=background:#E6E6FA

| 5 || align=left | {{AFL Ess}} || 14 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 632 || 646 || 97.8 || 28

|- style=background:#FEEAD3

| 6 || align=left | {{AFL Mel}} || 14 || 6 || 8 || 0 || 771 || 754 || 102.3 || 24

|- style=background:#E6E6FA

| 7 || align=left | {{AFL Gee}} || 14 || 4 || 9 || 1 || 635 || 786 || 80.8 || 18

|- style=background:#FEEAD3

| 8 || align=left | {{AFL|StK}} || 14 || 3 || 11 || 0 || 618 || 860 || 71.9 || 12

|}

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Source: [https://afltables.com/afl/seas/1904.html#lad AFL Tables]

=Round 15 (Sectional round 1)=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Col}}

| 14.12 (96)

| {{AFL Car}}

| 6.10 (46)

| Victoria Park

| 20 August 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 8.9 (57)

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 5.9 (39)

| EMCG

| 20 August 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 4.14 (38)

| {{AFL SM}}

| 3.15 (33)

| Brunswick Street Oval

| 20 August 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 13.15 (93)

| {{AFL|StK}}

| 3.3 (21)

| MCG

| 20 August 1904

{{s-end}}

=Round 16 (Sectional round 2)=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Car}}

| 1.8 (14)

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 5.13 (43)

| Princes Park

| 27 August 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL|StK}}

| 2.8 (20)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 12.9 (81)

| Junction Oval

| 27 August 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL SM}}

| 4.3 (27)

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 8.11 (59)

| Lake Oval

| 27 August 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 4.6 (30)

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 8.5 (53)

| Corio Oval

| 27 August 1904

{{s-end}}

=Round 17 (Sectional round 3)=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Car}}

| 16.11 (107)

| {{AFL|StK}}

| 7.7 (49)

| Princes Park

| 3 September 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 5.10 (40)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 7.9 (51)

| MCG

| 3 September 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 13.9 (87)

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 4.2 (26)

| EMCG

| 3 September 1904

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 3.4 (22)

| {{AFL SM}}

| 6.8 (44)

| Corio Oval

| 3 September 1904

{{s-end}}

Ladder

class=wikitable

| (P)

Premiers
bgcolor=FFFFBB |Qualified for finals

{{Australian rules football ladder start}}

|- style=background:#FFFFBB

| 1 || align=left | {{AFL Fit}} (P) || 17 || 12 || 5 || 0 || 954 || 744 || 128.2 || 48

|- style=background:#FFFFBB

| 2 || align=left | {{AFL Car}} || 17 || 10 || 6 || 1 || 804 || 762 || 105.5 || 42

|- style=background:#FFFFBB

| 3 || align=left | {{AFL Col}} || 17 || 10 || 7 || 0 || 867 || 741 || 117.0 || 40

|- style=background:#FFFFBB

| 4 || align=left | {{AFL Ess}} || 17 || 10 || 7 || 0 || 835 || 738 || 113.1 || 40

|-

| 5 || align=left | {{AFL SM}} || 17 || 10 || 7 || 0 || 831 || 766 || 108.5 || 40

|-

| 6 || align=left | {{AFL Mel}} || 17 || 8 || 9 || 0 || 947 || 840 || 112.7 || 32

|-

| 7 || align=left | {{AFL Gee}} || 17 || 4 || 12 || 1 || 726 || 940 || 77.2 || 18

|-

| 8 || align=left | {{AFL|StK}} || 17 || 3 || 14 || 0 || 708 || 1141 || 62.1 || 12

|}

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 49.1
Source: [https://afltables.com/afl/seas/1904.html#flad AFL Tables]

Finals series

=Semi-finals=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Date

| Attendance

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Car}}

| 6.7 (43)

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 6.4 (40)

| Victoria Park

| 10 September 1904

| 16,000

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 9.7 (61)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 7.8 (50)

| MCG

| 10 September 1904

| 25,000

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

{{s-end}}

=Grand final=

{{main|1904 VFL grand final}}

{{AFLGameHeader|title=Grand final}}

{{AFLGame|Saturday, 17 September (2:50 pm)|{{AFL Fit}}|9.7 (61)|H|{{AFL Car}}|5.7 (37)|Melbourne Cricket Ground|32,688|}}

{{AFLGameFooter}}

Season notes

  • The final home-and-away match between South Melbourne and Fitzroy at the Lake Oval was a torrid affair. Billy McGee of South Melbourne and Harry Clarke of Fitzroy were each suspended for three matches, while South Melbourne's Billy Gent ran amok during the match, charging at players and was reported on three striking charges; Gent was suspended for the remainder of 1904 and all of 1905 (20 matches).
  • After the drawn match between Geelong and Carlton at Corio Oval on 9 July 1904, a spectator was arrested for attacking the field umpire, Henry "Ivo" Crapp.
  • The VFL introduced boundary umpires.
  • In round four, Essendon played Melbourne in Sydney in front of only 6,000 spectators at the Sydney Cricket Ground, lost to Melbourne, took five days to return to Melbourne by sea, then lost again to Fitzroy in their Saturday's round five match.
  • In the Final Premiership match Carlton was surging ahead of Fitzroy, and one of the Carlton forwards (Ross, 1996, does not name him, but it was most likely Mick Grace) took a powerful high overhead mark with his knees in his opponent's back. The field umpire, Henry "Ivo" Crapp, obeying the VFL rules of the day, paid a free kick to the Fitzroy player for "interference". Fitzroy steadied and went on to win the game. There was such an outcry after the match that the VFL immediately amended its rules to allow for what it now termed "unintentional interference".

Awards

References

  • Maplestone, M., Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996, Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996. {{ISBN|0-9591740-2-8}}
  • Rogers, S. & Brown, A., Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL Results 1897–1997 (Sixth Edition), Viking Books, (Ringwood), 1998. {{ISBN|0-670-90809-6}}
  • Ross, J. (ed), 100 Years of Australian Football 1897–1996: The Complete Story of the AFL, All the Big Stories, All the Great Pictures, All the Champions, Every AFL Season Reported, Viking, (Ringwood), 1996. {{ISBN|0-670-86814-0}}

Sources

  • [https://afltables.com/afl/seas/1904.html 1904 VFL season] at AFL Tables
  • [https://www.australianfootball.com/seasons/season/afl/138/premiership%2Bseason/1/1/1904 1904 VFL season] at Australian Football

{{Australian Football League}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1904 VFL season}}

Category:Australian Football League seasons

VFL season