1939 VFL season#Round 16
{{Short description|43rd season of the Victorian Football League (VFL)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=December 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox Australian rules football season
| competition = vfl_premiership
| year = 1939
| image = Melbourne fc 1939.jpg
| imagesize = 250px
| caption = Melbourne Football Club, premier team
| teams = 12
| premiers ={{AFL Mel}}
| count = 3
| minor premiers ={{AFL Mel}}
| mpcount = 1
| pre-season name =
| pre-season cup =
| pscount =
| matches = 112
| attendance =
| highattend = 78,110
| leading goal medal =Ron Todd ({{AFL Col}})
| brownlow medal =Marcus Whelan ({{AFL Col}})
| prevseason = 1938
| nextseason = 1940
}}
The 1939 VFL season was the 43rd season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 22 April until 30 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 Melbourne Football Club for the third time, after it defeated {{AFL Col}} by 53 points in the 1939 VFL Grand Final.
Background
In 1939, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus one substitute player, known as the 19th man. A player could be substituted for any reason; however, once substituted, a player could not return to the field of play under any circumstances.
Teams played each other in a home-and-away season of 18 rounds; matches 12 to 18 were the "home-and-way reverse" of matches 1 to 7.
Once the 18 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1939 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the Page–McIntyre 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}}
| 11.18 (84)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 17.19 (121)
| MCG
| 21,840
| 22 April 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 18.14 (122)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 14.7 (91)
| 17,500
| 22 April 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 20.22 (142)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 13.10 (88)
| 25,000
| 22 April 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL|StK}}
| 18.20 (128)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 9.13 (67)
| 15,500
| 22 April 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 11.9 (75)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 9.12 (66)
| 14,000
| 22 April 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 14.18 (102)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 15.17 (107)
| 23,000
| 22 April 1939
{{s-end}}
=Round 2=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 17.13 (115)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 11.11 (77)
| 11,000
| 29 April 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 14.18 (102)
| {{AFL|StK}}
| 20.14 (134)
| 15,000
| 29 April 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 19.21 (135)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 21.15 (141)
| 20,000
| 29 April 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 20.19 (139)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 17.8 (110)
| 26,000
| 29 April 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 15.17 (107)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 21.20 (146)
| 17,000
| 29 April 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 14.8 (92)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 11.13 (79)
| 15,000
| 29 April 1939
{{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}}
| 16.16 (112)
| {{AFL|StK}}
| 10.21 (81)
| MCG
| 25,703
| 6 May 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 16.8 (104)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 15.16 (106)
| 21,000
| 6 May 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 17.11 (113)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 14.14 (98)
| 20,000
| 6 May 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 17.21 (123)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 16.10 (106)
| 18,000
| 6 May 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 17.14 (116)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 8.18 (66)
| 12,000
| 6 May 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 9.14 (68)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 10.17 (77)
| 15,000
| 6 May 1939
{{s-end}}
=Round 4=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 14.24 (108)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 13.7 (85)
| 15,000
| 13 May 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 10.17 (77)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 11.11 (77)
| 12,000
| 13 May 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 11.8 (74)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 15.20 (110)
| 10,500
| 13 May 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 19.15 (129)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 11.15 (81)
| 11,000
| 13 May 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL|StK}}
| 20.11 (131)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 13.16 (94)
| 28,000
| 13 May 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 5.12 (42)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 14.16 (100)
| 23,000
| 13 May 1939
{{s-end}}
=Round 5=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 12.18 (90)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 15.16 (106)
| 12,000
| 20 May 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 14.21 (105)
| {{AFL|StK}}
| 8.18 (66)
| 18,000
| 20 May 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 16.22 (118)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 13.11 (89)
| 11,000
| 20 May 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 18.12 (120)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 16.6 (102)
| 14,000
| 20 May 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 11.13 (79)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 17.14 (116)
| 15,000
| 20 May 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 13.8 (86)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 11.17 (83)
| 20,000
| 20 May 1939
{{s-end}}
=Round 6=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 19.23 (137)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 3.12 (30)
| MCG
| 16,523
| 27 May 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 14.14 (98)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 12.7 (79)
| 15,000
| 27 May 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 8.13 (61)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 9.14 (68)
| 34,000
| 27 May 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL|StK}}
| 16.18 (114)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 10.16 (76)
| 17,000
| 27 May 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 11.13 (79)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 15.10 (100)
| 13,000
| 27 May 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 15.11 (101)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 13.10 (88)
| 14,500
| 27 May 1939
{{s-end}}
=Round 7=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 17.13 (115)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 14.13 (97)
| 8,000
| 3 June 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 14.15 (99)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 18.14 (122)
| 11,000
| 3 June 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 8.14 (62)
| {{AFL|StK}}
| 13.17 (95)
| 15,000
| 3 June 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 12.15 (87)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 7.23 (65)
| 12,500
| 3 June 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 6.17 (53)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 12.17 (89)
| 40,000
| 3 June 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 10.12 (72)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 10.18 (78)
| 20,000
| 3 June 1939
{{s-end}}
=Round 8=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 7.13 (55)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 12.21 (93)
| 21,000
| 10 June 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL|StK}}
| 18.12 (120)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 16.10 (106)
| 17,000
| 10 June 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 18.15 (123)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 12.12 (84)
| 36,000
| 10 June 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 9.16 (70)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 13.13 (91)
| 18,000
| 12 June 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 18.14 (122)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 15.13 (103)
| MCG
| 22,016
| 12 June 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 21.17 (143)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 14.12 (96)
| 9,000
| 12 June 1939
{{s-end}}
=Round 9=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 12.14 (86)
| {{AFL|StK}}
| 19.16 (130)
| 13,500
| 17 June 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 19.19 (133)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 15.13 (103)
| 20,000
| 17 June 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 15.18 (108)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 12.14 (86)
| 9,000
| 17 June 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 12.22 (94)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 9.15 (69)
| 17,000
| 17 June 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 11.15 (81)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 13.12 (90)
| 10,000
| 17 June 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 10.18 (78)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 14.21 (105)
| 14,000
| 17 June 1939
{{s-end}}
=Round 10=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 16.15 (111)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 7.14 (56)
| 6,500
| 24 June 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 17.13 (115)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 10.13 (73)
| 11,000
| 24 June 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 19.11 (125)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 16.19 (115)
| 11,000
| 24 June 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 15.12 (102)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 11.10 (76)
| 11,000
| 24 June 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 22.22 (154)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 8.12 (60)
| MCG
| 26,063
| 24 June 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL|StK}}
| 14.14 (98)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 9.16 (70)
| 28,000
| 24 June 1939
{{s-end}}
=Round 11=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 7.9 (51)
| {{AFL|StK}}
| 9.12 (66)
| 17,000
| 1 July 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 8.4 (52)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 7.12 (54)
| 8,000
| 1 July 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 5.10 (40)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 3.7 (25)
| 6,000
| 1 July 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 18.9 (117)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 7.18 (60)
| 10,500
| 1 July 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 15.13 (103)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 7.18 (60)
| 11,000
| 1 July 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 7.6 (48)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 14.12 (96)
| 6,000
| 1 July 1939
{{s-end}}
=Round 12=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 11.18 (84)
| {{AFL|StK}}
| 15.17 (107)
| 18,000
| 8 July 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 10.20 (80)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 9.16 (70)
| 12,000
| 8 July 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 17.20 (122)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 18.15 (123)
| 13,000
| 8 July 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 13.21 (99)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 15.16 (106)
| 22,000
| 8 July 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 18.12 (120)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 16.13 (109)
| 10,500
| 8 July 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 12.16 (88)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 16.17 (113)
| 14,000
| 8 July 1939
{{s-end}}
=Round 13=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 7.7 (49)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 13.25 (103)
| 15,000
| 15 July 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 19.11 (125)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 8.13 (61)
| 10,500
| 15 July 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 14.14 (98)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 12.5 (77)
| 19,000
| 15 July 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 18.11 (119)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 11.16 (82)
| 8,000
| 15 July 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL|StK}}
| 16.19 (115)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 13.6 (84)
| 16,500
| 15 July 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 7.18 (60)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 10.17 (77)
| MCG
| 16,247
| 15 July 1939
{{s-end}}
=Round 14=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 15.22 (112)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 13.12 (90)
| 5,000
| 22 July 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 15.19 (109)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 9.9 (63)
| 10,000
| 22 July 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL|StK}}
| 10.18 (78)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 15.12 (102)
| 28,000
| 22 July 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 18.14 (122)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 10.8 (68)
| 17,000
| 22 July 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 9.14 (68)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 13.7 (85)
| 11,000
| 22 July 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 10.13 (73)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 11.13 (79)
| 16,500
| 22 July 1939
{{s-end}}
=Round 15=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 14.18 (102)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 9.6 (60)
| MCG
| 12,882
| 5 August 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 15.17 (107)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 6.11 (47)
| 8,000
| 5 August 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 18.8 (116)
| {{AFL|StK}}
| 13.11 (89)
| 19,000
| 5 August 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 24.15 (159)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 9.17 (71)
| 12,000
| 5 August 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 12.6 (78)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 18.15 (123)
| 10,000
| 5 August 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 10.20 (80)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 12.7 (79)
| 6,000
| 5 August 1939
{{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}}
| 15.11 (101)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 18.8 (116)
| 14,000
| 12 August 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 19.15 (129)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 12.10 (82)
| 7,500
| 12 August 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 16.8 (104)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 10.13 (73)
| 14,000
| 12 August 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 18.16 (124)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 7.20 (62)
| 11,000
| 12 August 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 22.16 (148)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 13.17 (95)
| MCG
| 9,413
| 12 August 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL|StK}}
| 13.13 (91)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 18.14 (122)
| 17,000
| 12 August 1939
{{s-end}}
=Round 17=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 7.17 (59)
| {{AFL|StK}}
| 12.12 (84)
| 6,500
| 19 August 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 10.10 (70)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 10.8 (68)
| 9,000
| 19 August 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 14.17 (101)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 9.7 (61)
| 10,000
| 19 August 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 11.14 (80)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 12.12 (84)
| 5,000
| 19 August 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 6.15 (51)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 7.17 (59)
| 7,500
| 19 August 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 13.10 (88)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 6.13 (49)
| 40,000
| 19 August 1939
{{s-end}}
=Round 18=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL|StK}}
| 11.13 (79)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 6.16 (52)
| 12,000
| 2 September 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 11.17 (83)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 6.7 (43)
| 3,500
| 2 September 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 13.13 (91)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 8.11 (59)
| 28,000
| 2 September 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 16.22 (118)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 8.14 (62)
| 10,000
| 2 September 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 11.10 (76)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 9.11 (65)
| 3,500
| 2 September 1939
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 11.15 (81)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 4.11 (35)
| MCG
| 9,043
| 2 September 1939
{{s-end}}
Ladder
| class=wikitable
| (P) | Premiers |
| bgcolor=FFFFBB | | Qualified for finals |
{{Australian rules football ladder start}}
|- style=background:#FFFFBB
| 1 || align=left | {{AFL Mel}} (P) || 18 || 15 || 3 || 0 || 1928 || 1502 || 128.4 || 60
|- style=background:#FFFFBB
| 2 || align=left | {{AFL Col}} || 18 || 15 || 3 || 0 || 1872 || 1535 || 122.0 || 60
|- style=background:#FFFFBB
| 3 || align=left | {{AFL Ric}} || 18 || 13 || 5 || 0 || 1734 || 1469 || 118.0 || 52
|- style=background:#FFFFBB
| 4 || align=left | {{AFL|StK}} || 18 || 13 || 5 || 0 || 1806 || 1550 || 116.5 || 52
|-
| 5 || align=left | {{AFL Car}} || 18 || 12 || 6 || 0 || 1796 || 1459 || 123.1 || 48
|-
| 6 || align=left | {{AFL Ess}} || 18 || 8 || 10 || 0 || 1696 || 1749 || 97.0 || 32
|-
| 7 || align=left | {{AFL Gee}} || 18 || 7 || 11 || 0 || 1582 || 1713 || 92.4 || 28
|-
| 8 || align=left | {{AFL Fit}} || 18 || 6 || 11 || 1 || 1482 || 1661 || 89.2 || 26
|-
| 9 || align=left | {{AFL NM}} || 18 || 6 || 12 || 0 || 1561 || 1709 || 91.3 || 24
|-
| 10 || align=left | {{AFL Haw}} || 18 || 5 || 12 || 1 || 1427 || 1657 || 86.1 || 22
|-
| 11 || align=left | {{AFL Foo}} || 18 || 4 || 14 || 0 || 1494 || 1809 || 82.6 || 16
|-
| 12 || align=left | {{AFL SM}} || 18 || 3 || 15 || 0 || 1367 || 1932 || 70.8 || 12
|}
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 91.4
Source: [https://afltables.com/afl/seas/1939.html#lad AFL Tables]
Finals series
=Semi-finals=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Score
| Away team
| Score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 6.6 (42)
| {{AFL|StK}}
| 10.12 (72)
| MCG
| 51,411
| 9 September
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 15.14 (104)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 12.18 (90)
| MCG
| 54,776
| 16 September
{{s-end}}
=Preliminary final=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Score
| Away team
| Score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 20.14 (134)
| {{AFL|StK}}
| 15.15 (105)
| MCG
| 66,848
| 23 September
{{s-end}}
=Grand final=
{{Main|1939 VFL Grand Final}}
Season notes
- Two key rule changes were made nationally in 1939.
- The holding the ball rule was altered to eliminate the provision for a player to drop the ball when tackled, meaning that a player was forced to either kick or handpass the ball when tackled to avoid conceding a free kick.
- The boundary throw-in was reintroduced whenever the ball went out of bounds, except when put out deliberately, instead of a free kick being awarded against the last player to touch the ball, as had been the case since 1925.{{cite news|newspaper=Camperdown Chronicle|publication-place=Camperdown, VIC|title=Throw-pass attacked|date=5 November 1938|page=4}}
- Hawthorn's win over Carlton in round 5 was its first as a member of the VFL. Carlton had won the first 25 meetings.
- All round 18 matches were postponed for a week because all grounds were under water from constant rain.
- North Melbourne's win over Geelong in Round 18 was the club's first since their initial meeting in round 1 of the 1925 VFL season, North Melbourne's first match as a member of the VFL, breaking a streak of 23 consecutive wins by Geelong.
- Ahead of its semi-final against Richmond on 9 September, St Kilda president Dave McNamara put to the club's committee that it borrow and wear South Melbourne's guernseys for the game, to wear the white and red colours of the Polish merchant service in place of the red, white and black colours of Germany in the week after the declaration of World War II. St Kilda had done similar during McNamara's playing days in World War I adopting Belgium's red, white and yellow in place of the German colours for several years;{{cite news|newspaper=The Herald|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC|title=Saints may wear South's guernseys|date=4 September 1939|page=18}} but on this occasion the club decided to remain in its traditional colours.{{cite news|title=Uniforms unchanged|newspaper=The Argus|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC|date=7 September 1939|page=18}}
Awards
- The 1939 VFL Premiership team was Melbourne.
- The VFL's leading goalkicker was Ron Todd of Collingwood with 98 goals (121 after finals).
- The Argus newspaper's "Player of the Year", was shared between Jack Dyer of Richmond and Dick Reynolds of Essendon.
- The winner of the 1939 Brownlow Medal was Marcus Whelan of Collingwood with 23 votes.
- South Melbourne took the "wooden spoon" in 1939.
- The seconds premiership was won by {{AFL Mel}}. Melbourne 22.12 (144) defeated {{AFL Ric}} 17.13 (115) in the Grand Final, played as a stand-alone game on Thursday 28 September (Show Day holiday) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, before a crowd of 4,100.{{cite news|newspaper=The Argus|page=15|title=Melbourne wins|publication-place=Melbourne|date=29 September 1939}}
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/1939.html 1939 VFL season] at AFL Tables
- [https://www.australianfootball.com/seasons/season/afl/138/premiership%2Bseason/1/1/1939 1939 VFL season] at Australian Football
{{Australian Football League}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:1939 VFL season}}