1949 VFL season#Grand Final Teams
{{Short description|53rd season of the Victorian Football League (VFL)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=December 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox Australian rules football season
| competition = vfl_premiership
| year = 1949
| image = Essendon fc 1949.jpg
| imagesize = 250px
| caption = Essendon Football Club, premiers
| teams = 12
| premiers ={{AFL Ess}}
| count = 9
| minor premiers ={{AFL NM}}
| mpcount = 1
| pre-season name =
| pre-season cup =
| pscount =
| matches = 118
| attendance =
| highattend = 88,718
| leading goal medal =John Coleman ({{AFL Ess}})
| brownlow medal = Ron Clegg (South Melbourne)
Col Austen ({{AFL Haw}})
| prevseason = 1948
| nextseason = 1950
}}
The 1949 VFL season was the 53rd season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 16 April until 24 September, and comprised a 19-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top four clubs.
The premiership was won by the Essendon Football Club for the ninth time, after it defeated {{AFL Car}} by 73 points in the 1949 VFL Grand Final.
Background
In 1949, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus two substitute players, known as the 19th man and the 20th 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 19 rounds; matches 12 to 19 were the "home-and-way reverse" of matches 1 to 8.
Once the 19 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1949 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 Gee}}
| 21.19 (145)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 12.11 (83)
| 25,000
| 16 April 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 18.12 (120)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 9.3 (57)
| 13,500
| 16 April 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 19.13 (127)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 10.17 (77)
| 21,500
| 16 April 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL StK}}
| 11.10 (76)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 14.14 (98)
| 18,000
| 16 April 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 16.16 (112)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 6.12 (48)
| 29,000
| 18 April 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 19.13 (127)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 8.10 (58)
| 30,000
| 18 April 1949
{{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}}
| 5.13 (43)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 20.12 (132)
| 13,000
| 23 April 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 12.7 (79)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 9.14 (68)
| 15,500
| 23 April 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 12.13 (85)
| {{AFL StK}}
| 12.10 (82)
| 9,000
| 23 April 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 7.14 (56)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 10.15 (75)
| 20,000
| 23 April 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 12.8 (80)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 11.16 (82)
| MCG
| 29,000
| 23 April 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 15.16 (106)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 15.15 (105)
| 25,000
| 23 April 1949
{{s-end}}
=Round 3=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 14.8 (92)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 9.5 (59)
| 15,000
| 30 April 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 14.14 (98)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 10.15 (75)
| 19,000
| 30 April 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 7.14 (56)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 8.9 (57)
| 30,000
| 30 April 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 21.27 (153)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 7.6 (48)
| 9,250
| 30 April 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 14.16 (100)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 7.6 (48)
| MCG
| 24,000
| 30 April 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL StK}}
| 5.15 (45)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 13.16 (94)
| 13,000
| 30 April 1949
{{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}}
| 17.11 (113)
| {{AFL StK}}
| 11.14 (80)
| 12,000
| 7 May 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 4.15 (39)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 12.3 (75)
| 12,000
| 7 May 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 13.15 (93)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 15.15 (105)
| 17,500
| 7 May 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 8.11 (59)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 7.9 (51)
| 12,000
| 7 May 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 5.10 (40)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 9.11 (65)
| 11,500
| 7 May 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 6.9 (45)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 7.22 (64)
| 29,000
| 7 May 1949
{{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}}
| 5.16 (46)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 6.12 (48)
| MCG
| 19,000
| 14 May 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 15.13 (103)
| {{AFL StK}}
| 10.11 (71)
| 15,500
| 14 May 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 11.18 (84)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 9.15 (69)
| 21,000
| 14 May 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 16.8 (104)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 10.14 (74)
| 33,000
| 14 May 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 10.8 (68)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 6.14 (50)
| 11,000
| 14 May 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 9.13 (67)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 14.21 (105)
| 7,500
| 14 May 1949
{{s-end}}
=Round 6=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 15.13 (103)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 8.12 (60)
| 21,000
| 21 May 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 12.14 (86)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 10.22 (82)
| 10,500
| 21 May 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 11.16 (82)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 12.9 (81)
| 23,000
| 21 May 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 18.13 (121)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 12.10 (82)
| 28,500
| 21 May 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL StK}}
| 4.13 (37)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 8.13 (61)
| 7,500
| 21 May 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 13.23 (101)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 12.7 (79)
| 9,000
| 21 May 1949
{{s-end}}
=Round 7=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 6.12 (48)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 12.15 (87)
| 10,000
| 28 May 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 11.9 (75)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 13.12 (90)
| 15,000
| 28 May 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 8.13 (61)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 8.7 (55)
| 17,000
| 28 May 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 21.21 (147)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 9.12 (66)
| 28,000
| 28 May 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 8.10 (58)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 12.15 (87)
| 17,000
| 28 May 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL StK}}
| 8.14 (62)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 14.11 (95)
| 13,000
| 28 May 1949
{{s-end}}
=Round 8=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 10.15 (75)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 11.13 (79)
| 22,500
| 4 June 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 21.22 (148)
| {{AFL StK}}
| 4.12 (36)
| 12,000
| 4 June 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 14.13 (97)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 10.7 (67)
| 29,500
| 4 June 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 10.17 (77)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 10.6 (66)
| MCG
| 11,000
| 4 June 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 12.7 (79)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 14.14 (98)
| 12,500
| 4 June 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 7.17 (59)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 10.12 (72)
| 12,500
| 4 June 1949
{{s-end}}
=Round 9=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 17.14 (116)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 12.7 (79)
| 27,500
| 11 June 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 10.13 (73)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 8.15 (63)
| 10,000
| 11 June 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 15.16 (106)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 12.9 (81)
| 19,500
| 11 June 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 11.12 (78)
| {{AFL StK}}
| 7.7 (49)
| 10,000
| 13 June 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 7.10 (52)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 10.14 (74)
| 16,000
| 13 June 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 12.12 (84)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 14.15 (99)
| 46,000
| 13 June 1949
{{s-end}}
=Round 10=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 18.25 (133)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 6.9 (45)
| 16,000
| 18 June 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 20.12 (132)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 6.10 (46)
| 12,000
| 18 June 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 8.19 (67)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 10.10 (70)
| 15,000
| 18 June 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 11.12 (78)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 12.14 (86)
| 26,500
| 18 June 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL StK}}
| 7.14 (56)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 11.11 (77)
| 8,500
| 18 June 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 16.5 (101)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 16.8 (104)
| 29,000
| 18 June 1949
{{s-end}}
=Round 11=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 14.17 (101)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 9.9 (63)
| MCG
| 24,000
| 2 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 10.12 (72)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 12.9 (81)
| 14,000
| 2 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 15.16 (106)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 6.16 (52)
| 12,000
| 2 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL StK}}
| 13.11 (89)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 14.13 (97)
| 7,000
| 2 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 25.17 (167)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 11.6 (72)
| 18,000
| 2 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 9.9 (63)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 7.16 (58)
| 13,000
| 2 July 1949
{{s-end}}
=Round 12=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 12.11 (83)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 7.18 (60)
| 14,000
| 9 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 14.10 (94)
| {{AFL StK}}
| 6.13 (49)
| 7,000
| 9 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 14.17 (101)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 14.14 (98)
| MCG
| 20,000
| 9 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 7.0 (42)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 16.16 (112)
| 7,000
| 9 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 8.6 (54)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 4.13 (37)
| 21,000
| 9 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 6.12 (48)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 11.15 (81)
| 15,000
| 9 July 1949
{{s-end}}
=Round 13=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL StK}}
| 16.15 (111)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 13.13 (91)
| 6,000
| 16 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 8.22 (70)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 6.13 (49)
| 16,000
| 16 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 7.16 (58)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 10.13 (73)
| 22,000
| 16 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 9.13 (67)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 9.8 (62)
| 17,500
| 16 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 16.21 (117)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 9.13 (67)
| 7,000
| 16 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 13.15 (93)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 4.10 (34)
| 15,000
| 16 July 1949
{{s-end}}
=Round 14=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 11.8 (74)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 10.12 (72)
| 13,000
| 23 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 13.17 (95)
| {{AFL StK}}
| 9.10 (64)
| 9,500
| 23 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 8.24 (72)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 17.11 (113)
| 19,000
| 23 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 11.15 (81)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 14.13 (97)
| 7,500
| 23 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 10.11 (71)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 11.15 (81)
| 21,000
| 23 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 8.5 (53)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 9.17 (71)
| 9,000
| 23 July 1949
{{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}}
| 12.7 (79)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 9.11 (65)
| MCG
| 14,500
| 30 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 16.23 (119)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 5.6 (36)
| 9,500
| 30 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 11.16 (82)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 17.11 (113)
| 26,500
| 30 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL StK}}
| 13.11 (89)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 9.14 (68)
| 10,000
| 30 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 8.14 (62)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 8.11 (59)
| 14,000
| 30 July 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 13.9 (87)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 6.7 (43)
| 17,500
| 30 July 1949
{{s-end}}
=Round 16=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 10.14 (74)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 8.10 (58)
| 10,000
| 6 August 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 10.19 (79)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 8.17 (65)
| 4,000
| 6 August 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 9.10 (64)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 8.10 (58)
| 20,000
| 6 August 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL StK}}
| 10.9 (69)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 8.12 (60)
| 12,000
| 6 August 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 7.14 (56)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 11.12 (78)
| 16,000
| 6 August 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 7.16 (58)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 7.13 (55)
| 28,000
| 6 August 1949
{{s-end}}
=Round 17=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 15.16 (106)
| {{AFL StK}}
| 7.10 (52)
| MCG
| 18,000
| 13 August 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 13.10 (88)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 9.16 (70)
| 9,000
| 13 August 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 9.13 (67)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 10.17 (77)
| 10,000
| 13 August 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 13.16 (94)
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 8.11 (59)
| 12,000
| 13 August 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 16.21 (117)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 10.11 (71)
| 29,000
| 13 August 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 6.11 (47)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 12.18 (90)
| 24,500
| 13 August 1949
{{s-end}}
=Round 18=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 7.14 (56)
| {{AFL NM}}
| 11.16 (82)
| 14,500
| 20 August 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 6.15 (51)
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 9.8 (62)
| 6,000
| 20 August 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Col}}
| 9.19 (73)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 7.14 (56)
| 13,500
| 20 August 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Car}}
| 13.17 (95)
| {{AFL StK}}
| 10.14 (74)
| 10,000
| 20 August 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL SM}}
| 14.8 (92)
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 8.14 (62)
| 4,000
| 20 August 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 11.10 (76)
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 15.11 (101)
| MCG
| 58,500
| 20 August 1949
{{s-end}}
=Round 19=
{{s-start}}
|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| Home team
| Home team score
| Away team
| Away team score
| Venue
| Crowd
| Date
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Haw}}
| 10.16 (76)
| {{AFL Mel}}
| 15.12 (102)
| 9,000
| 27 August 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Fit}}
| 19.12 (126)
| {{AFL SM}}
| 10.17 (77)
| 7,000
| 27 August 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ess}}
| 14.13 (97)
| {{AFL Foo}}
| 8.13 (61)
| 20,000
| 27 August 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL Ric}}
| 22.12 (144)
| {{AFL Gee}}
| 10.15 (75)
| 11,000
| 27 August 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL StK}}
| 11.15 (81)
| {{AFL Col}}
| 10.12 (72)
| 17,000
| 27 August 1949
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
| {{AFL NM}}
| 15.18 (108)
| {{AFL Car}}
| 7.10 (52)
| 35,116
| 27 August 1949
{{s-end}}
Ladder
| class=wikitable
| (P) | Premiers |
| bgcolor=FFFFBB | | Qualified for finals |
{{Australian rules football ladder start}}
|- style=background:#FFFFBB
| 1 || align=left | {{AFL NM}} || 19 || 14 || 5 || 0 || 1471 || 1235 || 119.1 || 56
|- style=background:#FFFFBB
| 2 || align=left | {{AFL Car}} || 19 || 13 || 6 || 0 || 1679 || 1328 || 126.4 || 52
|- style=background:#FFFFBB
| 3 || align=left | {{AFL Col}} || 19 || 13 || 6 || 0 || 1616 || 1308 || 123.5 || 52
|- style=background:#FFFFBB
| 4 || align=left | {{AFL Ess}} (P) || 19 || 13 || 6 || 0 || 1649 || 1366 || 120.7 || 52
|-
| 5 || align=left | {{AFL Mel}} || 19 || 12 || 7 || 0 || 1516 || 1341 || 113.0 || 48
|-
| 6 || align=left | {{AFL Ric}} || 19 || 10 || 9 || 0 || 1733 || 1485 || 116.7 || 40
|-
| 7 || align=left | {{AFL Fit}} || 19 || 10 || 9 || 0 || 1488 || 1521 || 97.8 || 40
|-
| 8 || align=left | {{AFL Gee}} || 19 || 9 || 10 || 0 || 1722 || 1540 || 111.8 || 36
|-
| 9 || align=left | {{AFL Foo}} || 19 || 7 || 12 || 0 || 1211 || 1444 || 83.9 || 28
|-
| 10 || align=left | {{AFL SM}} || 19 || 6 || 13 || 0 || 1343 || 1669 || 80.5 || 24
|-
| 11 || align=left | {{AFL StK}} || 19 || 4 || 15 || 0 || 1272 || 1730 || 73.5 || 16
|-
| 12 || align=left | {{AFL Haw}} || 19 || 3 || 16 || 0 || 1153 || 1886 || 61.1 || 12
|}
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 78.3
Source: [https://afltables.com/afl/seas/1949.html#lad AFL Tables]
Finals series
=Semi-finals=
| class="wikitable"
!Team !1 Qtr !2 Qtr !3 Qtr !Final |
| Collingwood
|align=center|2.0 |align=center|4.1 |align=center|6.4 |align=center|8.6 (54) |
| Essendon
|align=center|4.1 |align=center|11.3 |align=center|15.9 |align=center|20.16 (136) |
| align=center|Attendance: 87,702 |
| class="wikitable"
!Team !1 Qtr !2 Qtr !3 Qtr !Final |
| North Melbourne
|align=center|2.3 |align=center|7.3 |align=center|11.4 |align=center|14.7 (91) |
| Carlton
|align=center|3.5 |align=center|5.9 |align=center|9.10 |align=center|15.13 (103) |
| align=center|Attendance: 70,856 |
=Preliminary final=
| class="wikitable"
!Team !1 Qtr !2 Qtr !3 Qtr !Final |
| North Melbourne
|align=center|2.1 |align=center|4.1 |align=center|7.4 |align=center|9.7 (61) |
| Essendon
|align=center|3.2 |align=center|6.8 |align=center|8.10 |align=center|11.12 (78) |
| align=center|Attendance: 69,281 |
=Grand final=
Notable events
- In Round 1, John Coleman of Essendon kicked 12 goals in his first VFL game; he was best on the ground. He kicked a goal with his first kick in VFL football, having taken a mark in the first seconds of the match; and he kicked a goal with his last kick of the 1949 season, in last minutes of the Grand Final, to bring his season's total to 100 goals.
- In Round 12, Hawthorn scored seven goals and no behinds in its match against Essendon. This is the first time since Round 9, 1899 that a team did not score a single behind in a VFL match.
- In Round 19, Richmond's captain-coach Jack Dyer played his last VFL game, having played 16 games for Victoria, 312 senior games for Richmond, and 12 games in Richmond Seconds over 19 VFL seasons.
Awards
- The 1949 VFL Premiership team was Essendon.
- The VFL's leading goalkicker was John Coleman of Essendon with 100 goals (including 15 goals in the final series).
- The winner of the 1949 Brownlow Medal was Ron Clegg of South Melbourne with 23 votes on a countback from Colin Austen of Hawthorn (because Clegg had been best on the ground six times to Austen's five).
- As a consequence of its 1981 decision to change its rules relating to tied Brownlow Medal contests, the AFL awarded a retrospective medal to Colin Austen in 1989.
- Hawthorn took the "wooden spoon" in 1949.
- The seconds premiership was won by {{AFL Mel}}. Melbourne 17.10 (112) defeated {{AFL Ess}} 9.14 (68) in the Grand Final, played as a curtain-raiser to the senior Grand Final on Saturday 24 September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.{{cite news|newspaper=The Sporting Globe|page=10|title=Melb. easily in Second 18s|publication-place=Melbourne|date=24 September 1949}}
References
{{Reflist}}
- Hogan, P., The Tigers of Old, The Richmond Football Club, (Richmond), 1996. {{ISBN|0-646-18748-1}}
- 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/1949.html 1949 VFL season] at AFL Tables
- [https://www.australianfootball.com/seasons/season/afl/138/premiership%2Bseason/1/1/1949 1949 VFL season] at Australian Football
{{Australian Football League}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:1949 VFL season}}