1926 VFL season#Round 8
{{Short description|30th season of the Victorian Football League (VFL)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=December 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox VFL season
| year = 1926
| image = Melbourne fc 1926.jpg
| imagesize = 258px
| caption = {{AFL Mel}} 1926 VFL premiership team
| date = 1 May—9 October 1926
| teams = 12
| premiers = {{AFL Mel}}
| premcount = 2
| runnersup = {{AFL Col}}
| rucount = 9
| minorpremiers = {{AFL Col}}
| mpcount = 8
| brownlowmedal = Ivor Warne-Smith ({{AFL Mel}})
| votes = 9
| leadinggoalkicker = Gordon Coventry ({{AFL Col}})
| goals = 78
| matches = 112
| attendance = 1,966,841
| highattendha = 32,475 (round 15, {{AFL Mel}} v {{AFL Col}})
| highattendfinals = 59,632 (grand final, {{AFL Col}} v {{AFL Mel}})
| prevseason = {{coloured link|white|1925 VFL season|1925}}
| nextseason = {{coloured link|white|1927 VFL season|1927}}
}}
The 1926 VFL season was the 30th season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest-level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs and ran from 1 May to 9 October, comprising an 18-match home-and-away season followed by a four-week finals series featuring the top four clubs.
{{AFL Mel}} won the premiership, defeating {{AFL Col}} by 57 points in the 1926 VFL grand final; it was Melbourne's second VFL premiership. Collingwood won the minor premiership by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with a 15–3 win–loss record. Melbourne's Ivor Warne-Smith won the Brownlow Medal as the league's best and fairest player, and Collingwood's Gordon Coventry won the leading goalkicker medal as the league's leading goalkicker.
Background
In 1926, the VFL competition consisted of twelve 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.
Teams played each other in a home-and-away season of 18 rounds; matches 12 to 17 were the "home-and-way reverse" of matches 1 to 6, and match 18 the "home-and-away reverse" of match 9.
Once the 18 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1926 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
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 13.14 (92)
| {{AFL StK}}
| 8.15 (63)
| MCG
| 18,742
| 1 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 15.14 (104)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 6.17 (53)
| 15,000
| 1 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 11.11 (77)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 12.13 (85)
| 20,000
| 1 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 13.15 (93)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 3.9 (27)
| 15,000
| 1 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 7.13 (55)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 14.10 (94)
| 25,000
| 1 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 6.14 (50)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 9.16 (70)
| 16,000
| 1 May 1926
{{s-end}}
=Round 2=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 8.9 (57)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 13.12 (90)
| 15,000
| 8 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 6.11 (47)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 10.18 (78)
| 25,000
| 8 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 9.15 (69)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 8.10 (58)
| 18,000
| 8 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 5.8 (38)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 5.12 (42)
| 7,000
| 8 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL StK}}
| 15.15 (105)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 16.14 (110)
| 20,000
| 8 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 18.8 (116)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 8.10 (58)
| 22,000
| 8 May 1926
{{s-end}}
=Round 3=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 17.17 (119)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 14.5 (89)
| MCG
| 9,495
| 15 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 11.13 (79)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 11.12 (78)
| 15,000
| 15 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 10.9 (69)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 8.13 (61)
| 30,000
| 15 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 6.11 (47)
| {{AFL StK}}
| 6.14 (50)
| 23,000
| 15 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 6.11 (47)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 17.17 (119)
| 13,000
| 15 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 9.10 (64)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 8.12 (60)
| 18,000
| 15 May 1926
{{s-end}}
=Round 4=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 12.12 (84)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 12.7 (79)
| 15,000
| 22 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 10.11 (71)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 9.12 (66)
| 25,000
| 22 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 16.16 (112)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 14.16 (100)
| 14,000
| 22 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 7.8 (50)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 7.16 (58)
| 14,000
| 22 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL StK}}
| 9.8 (62)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 7.9 (51)
| 22,000
| 22 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 7.5 (47)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 6.13 (49)
| 20,000
| 22 May 1926
{{s-end}}
=Round 5=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 19.8 (122)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 12.17 (89)
| MCG
| 28,628
| 29 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 13.7 (85)
| {{AFL StK}}
| 5.8 (38)
| 20,000
| 29 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 10.15 (75)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 11.7 (73)
| 15,000
| 29 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 9.13 (67)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 14.16 (100)
| 10,000
| 29 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 9.14 (68)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 10.15 (75)
| 19,500
| 29 May 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 7.16 (58)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 7.6 (48)
| 25,000
| 29 May 1926
{{s-end}}
=Round 6=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 6.10 (46)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 15.15 (105)
| 16,000
| 5 June 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 12.16 (88)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 8.11 (59)
| 16,000
| 5 June 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 10.13 (73)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 6.15 (51)
| 30,000
| 5 June 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL StK}}
| 12.7 (79)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 6.14 (50)
| 10,000
| 5 June 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 10.13 (73)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 12.11 (83)
| 26,000
| 5 June 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 11.11 (77)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 11.15 (81)
| 10,000
| 5 June 1926
{{s-end}}
=Round 7=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 10.13 (73)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 10.14 (74)
| 12,000
| 7 June 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 12.16 (88)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 8.17 (65)
| MCG
| 20,974
| 7 June 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 11.15 (81)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 14.12 (96)
| 8,000
| 7 June 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 13.11 (89)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 7.9 (51)
| 25,600
| 7 June 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL StK}}
| 9.12 (66)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 10.16 (76)
| 24,000
| 7 June 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 10.11 (71)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 14.9 (93)
| 20,000
| 7 June 1926
{{s-end}}
=Round 8=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 11.19 (85)
| {{AFL StK}}
| 9.12 (66)
| 22,000
| 19 June 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 10.9 (69)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 11.9 (75)
| 23,000
| 19 June 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 28.16 (184)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 8.10 (58)
| 14,000
| 19 June 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 17.7 (109)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 7.10 (52)
| 20,000
| 19 June 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 10.12 (72)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 18.10 (118)
| 9,000
| 19 June 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 13.15 (93)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 9.5 (59)
| 15,000
| 19 June 1926
{{s-end}}
=Round 9=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 4.9 (33)
| {{AFL StK}}
| 5.17 (47)
| 5,000
| 26 June 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 8.8 (56)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 9.13 (67)
| 14,000
| 26 June 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 10.9 (69)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 12.12 (84)
| 12,000
| 26 June 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 10.10 (70)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 6.13 (49)
| 30,000
| 26 June 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 21.28 (154)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 1.7 (13)
| MCG
| 7,514
| 26 June 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 9.15 (69)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 8.9 (57)
| 18,000
| 26 June 1926
{{s-end}}
=Round 10=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 8.10 (58)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 11.16 (82)
| 10,000
| 3 July 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 8.19 (67)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 8.5 (53)
| 21,500
| 3 July 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL StK}}
| 7.17 (59)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 10.7 (67)
| 12,500
| 3 July 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 6.13 (49)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 11.12 (78)
| 13,000
| 3 July 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 8.5 (53)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 10.16 (76)
| 5,000
| 3 July 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 7.17 (59)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 8.6 (54)
| 32,000
| 3 July 1926
{{s-end}}
=Round 11=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 14.9 (93)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 10.8 (68)
| 12,000
| 10 July 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 11.8 (74)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 7.5 (47)
| 10,000
| 10 July 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 14.15 (99)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 5.11 (41)
| 23,000
| 10 July 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 11.14 (80)
| {{AFL StK}}
| 9.9 (63)
| 15,000
| 10 July 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 9.13 (67)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 8.8 (56)
| 20,000
| 10 July 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 14.15 (99)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 8.12 (60)
| MCG
| 11,651
| 10 July 1926
{{s-end}}
=Round 12=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 10.15 (75)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 16.12 (108)
| 27,000
| 17 July 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 7.14 (56)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 15.17 (107)
| 17,000
| 17 July 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 18.16 (124)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 11.16 (82)
| 16,000
| 17 July 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 8.17 (65)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 8.9 (57)
| 12,000
| 17 July 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL StK}}
| 3.11 (29)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 17.16 (118)
| 14,000
| 17 July 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 4.8 (32)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 6.14 (50)
| 10,000
| 17 July 1926
{{s-end}}
=Round 13=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 10.10 (70)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 10.10 (70)
| 4,500
| 7 August 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 12.18 (90)
| {{AFL StK}}
| 5.8 (38)
| 10,500
| 7 August 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 10.17 (77)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 12.20 (92)
| 10,000
| 7 August 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 15.17 (107)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 6.12 (48)
| 14,000
| 7 August 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 6.10 (46)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 10.9 (69)
| 20,000
| 7 August 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 12.18 (90)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 8.10 (58)
| MCG
| 27,785
| 7 August 1926
{{s-end}}
=Round 14=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL StK}}
| 7.11 (53)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 10.21 (81)
| 15,000
| 14 August 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 16.8 (104)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 3.10 (28)
| 7,000
| 14 August 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 12.10 (82)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 10.15 (75)
| 25,000
| 14 August 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 10.7 (67)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 9.16 (70)
| 6,000
| 14 August 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 8.15 (63)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 14.21 (105)
| 10,000
| 14 August 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 8.14 (62)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 10.7 (67)
| 20,000
| 14 August 1926
{{s-end}}
=Round 15=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 10.9 (69)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 14.18 (102)
| 5,000
| 21 August 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 15.22 (112)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 7.6 (48)
| 10,000
| 21 August 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 18.18 (126)
| {{AFL StK}}
| 9.10 (64)
| 7,000
| 21 August 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 18.15 (123)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 9.9 (63)
| 8,000
| 21 August 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 6.7 (43)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 13.15 (93)
| MCG
| 32,475
| 21 August 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 12.13 (85)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 9.8 (62)
| 29,000
| 21 August 1926
{{s-end}}
=Round 16=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 9.16 (70)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 15.16 (106)
| 12,000
| 28 August 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 9.19 (73)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 11.14 (80)
| 5,000
| 28 August 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 8.16 (64)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 14.13 (97)
| 26,550
| 28 August 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 18.18 (126)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 15.14 (104)
| 25,000
| 28 August 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 10.8 (68)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 13.16 (94)
| 15,000
| 28 August 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL StK}}
| 2.11 (23)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 14.11 (95)
| 13,000
| 28 August 1926
{{s-end}}
=Round 17=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 10.10 (70)
| {{AFL StK}}
| 12.14 (86)
| 5,000
| 4 September 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 19.16 (130)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 8.18 (66)
| 11,500
| 4 September 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 17.18 (120)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 13.7 (85)
| 6,000
| 4 September 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 20.20 (140)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 9.14 (68)
| MCG
| 6,684
| 4 September 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 8.9 (57)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 9.9 (63)
| 32,000
| 4 September 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 13.8 (86)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 11.11 (77)
| 25,000
| 4 September 1926
{{s-end}}
=Round 18=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 11.12 (78)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 18.13 (121)
| 5,000
| 11 September 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 9.17 (71)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 10.14 (74)
| 25,000
| 11 September 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL StK}}
| 13.12 (90)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 11.5 (71)
| 6,000
| 11 September 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 6.13 (49)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 13.15 (93)
| 5,000
| 11 September 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 15.14 (104)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 6.13 (49)
| 14,000
| 11 September 1926
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 12.24 (96)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 7.5 (47)
| 20,000
| 11 September 1926
{{s-end}}
Ladder
| class=wikitable
| (P) | Premiers |
| bgcolor=FFFFBB | | Qualified for finals |
{{Australian rules football ladder start}}
|- style=background:#FFFFBB
| 1 || align=left | {{AFL Col}} || 18 || 15 || 3 || 0 || 1604 || 1074 || 149.3 || 60
|- style=background:#FFFFBB
| 2 || align=left | {{AFL Gee}} || 18 || 15 || 3 || 0 || 1605 || 1105 || 145.2 || 60
|- style=background:#FFFFBB
| 3 || align=left | {{AFL Mel}} (P) || 18 || 14 || 4 || 0 || 1720 || 1175 || 146.4 || 56
|- style=background:#FFFFBB
| 4 || align=left | {{AFL Ess}} || 18 || 12 || 6 || 0 || 1303 || 1048 || 124.3 || 48
|-
| 5 || align=left | {{AFL SM}} || 18 || 12 || 6 || 0 || 1408 || 1184 || 118.9 || 48
|-
| 6 || align=left | {{AFL Car}} || 18 || 11 || 7 || 0 || 1314 || 1234 || 106.5 || 44
|-
| 7 || align=left | {{AFL Ric}} || 18 || 9 || 9 || 0 || 1376 || 1495 || 92.0 || 36
|-
| 8 || align=left | {{AFL Fit}} || 18 || 6 || 12 || 0 || 1363 || 1583 || 86.1 || 24
|-
| 9 || align=left | {{AFL StK}} || 18 || 6 || 12 || 0 || 1081 || 1427 || 75.8 || 24
|-
| 10 || align=left | {{AFL Foo}} || 18 || 4 || 14 || 0 || 1164 || 1665 || 69.9 || 16
|-
| 11 || align=left | {{AFL Haw}} || 18 || 3 || 14 || 1 || 1094 || 1648 || 66.4 || 14
|-
| 12 || align=left | {{AFL NM}} || 18 || 0 || 17 || 1 || 1102 || 1496 || 73.7 || 2
|}
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 74.7
Source: [https://afltables.com/afl/seas/1926.html#lad AFL Tables]
Finals series
All of the 1926 finals were played at the MCG so the home team in the semi-finals and preliminary final is purely 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=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Score
| Away team
| Score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 10.10 (70)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 17.15 (117)
| MCG
| 50,662
| 18 September
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| 12.12 (84)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 13.17 (95)
| MCG
| 44,286
| 25 September
{{s-end}}
=Preliminary final=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Score
| Away team
| Score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 6.6 (42)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 5.9 (39)
| MCG
| 50,162
| 2 October
{{s-end}}
=Grand final=
{{Main|1926 VFL Grand Final}}
Season notes
- In order to ensure that each team had nine home games in every season, the 17 game home-and-away season of 1925 was extended to 18 matches in 1926.
- Following the retirement due to ill-health of Sir Baldwin Spencer, former Melbourne footballer, club doctor, and VFL delegate Dr. William C. McClelland became President of the VFL. He served from 1926 to 1956.
- Halfway through the 1924 season, Carlton's champion Horrie Clover retired as a player due to a serious illness. He was subsequently appointed Secretary of the Carlton Club and, as well, he was made a member of the VFL's Umpire and permit Committee. By the start of 1926, Clover's health had improved to the extent that he resumed his career with Carlton, playing another 78 senior games from 1926 to 1931. Due to the perceived conflict of interest, he was made to resign from the VFL Committee.
- As the players were walking off the field for their half-time break in the preliminary final, the Melbourne centreman Bob Corbett was viciously king-hit from behind, suffering a broken jaw; Essendon's Charlie May was subsequently suspended for all of 1927 for the incident. With no replacements allowed, Melbourne were forced to continue with 17 men and were gamely defending against the Essendon onslaught in the last quarter when, with only minutes to go in the match, a barely conscious Corbett staggered out onto the field with his head swathed in bandages, and took up his position in the centre, freeing up Ivor Warne-Smith to lead the Melbourne attack. In a mark of respect for Corbett's great courage, Essendon tough-man and rugged full-back Harry Hunter, who was racing up the ground towards the Essendon goals, saw a battered Corbett standing in his way. Under normal circumstances, Hunter, who was known to take no prisoners, would have run straight through Corbett; however, in what was described as an act of great chivalry by a sportsman and a gentleman, Hunter sidestepped Corbett, and delivered the ball down the ground through another avenue. Melbourne won 6.6 (42) to Essendon's 5.9 (39). The king-hit led to strong calls for substitute replacement players.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3812938/450551 Old Boy, "Football: Preliminary Final", The Argus, (Monday, 4 October 1926), p. 16.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3815168 Football Incident: Corbett's Injury: C. May (Essendon) Suspended, The Argus, (Friday, 15 October 1926), p. 5.][https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AboUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_9cDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4875%2C1508798 Rough Football: May (Essendon) Punished: Out for a Season, The Age, (Friday, 15 October 1926), p. 10.]
Awards
- The 1926 VFL Premiership team was Melbourne.
- The VFL's leading goalkicker was Gordon Coventry of Collingwood with 83 goals; a VFL record.
- The winner of the 1926 Brownlow Medal was Ivor Warne-Smith of Melbourne with 9 votes.
- North Melbourne took the "wooden spoon" in 1926.
- The seconds premiership was won by {{AFL Car}}. Carlton 14.11 (95) defeated {{AFL Gee}} 5.13 (43) in the challenge Grand Final, played as a curtain raiser to the firsts Grand Final on 9 October at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.{{cite news|newspaper=The Argus|page=8|title=Junior League|publication-place=Melbourne|date=11 October 1926}}
References
{{Reflist}}
- 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/1926.html 1926 VFL season] at AFL Tables
- [https://www.australianfootball.com/seasons/season/afl/138/premiership%2Bseason/1/1/1926 1926 VFL season] at Australian Football
{{Australian Football League}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:1926 VFL season}}