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1968 VFL season#Preliminary Final

{{Short description|72nd 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 = 1968

| image =

| imagesize =

| caption =

| teams = 12

| premiers ={{AFL Car}}

| count = 9

| minor premiers ={{AFL Ess}}

| mpcount = 10

| pre-season name = Consolation series

| pre-season cup ={{AFL Haw}}

| pscount = 1

| matches = 124

| attendance =

| highattend = 116,828

| top goal scorer =Peter Hudson ({{AFL Haw}})

| brownlow medal = Bob Skilton ({{AFL SM}})

| prevseason = 1967

| nextseason = 1969

}}

The 1968 VFL season was the 72nd season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 15 April until 28 September, and comprised a 20-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top four clubs.

The premiership was won by the Carlton Football Club for the ninth time, after it defeated {{AFL Ess}} by three points in the 1968 VFL Grand Final.

Background

In 1968, 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 20 rounds; matches 12 to 20 were the "home-and-way reverse" of matches 1 to 9.

Once the 20 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1968 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 Foo}}

| 9.18 (72)

| {{AFL NM}}

| 13.10 (88)

| Western Oval

| 18,269

| 15 April 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 26.16 (172)

| {{AFL Haw}}

| 15.9 (99)

| Windy Hill

| 17,000

| 15 April 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Col}}

| 10.12 (72)

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 11.22 (88)

| Victoria Park

| 37,018

| 15 April 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Car}}

| 13.22 (100)

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 7.12 (54)

| Princes Park

| 30,158

| 15 April 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL SM}}

| 18.17 (125)

| {{AFL StK}}

| 13.22 (100)

| Lake Oval

| 23,675

| 15 April 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 14.10 (94)

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 12.18 (90)

| MCG

| 24,991

| 15 April 1968

{{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}}

| 17.24 (126)

| {{AFL SM}}

| 19.12 (126)

| Glenferrie Oval

| 13,536

| 20 April 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL StK}}

| 16.22 (118)

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 9.8 (62)

| Moorabbin Oval

| 21,758

| 20 April 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 9.17 (71)

| {{AFL Foo}}

| 6.11 (47)

| Kardinia Park

| 14,589

| 20 April 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL NM}}

| 9.9 (63)

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 10.22 (82)

| Arden Street Oval

| 14,810

| 20 April 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 14.16 (100)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 10.11 (71)

| Princes Park

| 17,149

| 20 April 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 17.16 (118)

| {{AFL Car}}

| 10.12 (72)

| MCG

| 51,889

| 20 April 1968

{{s-end}}

=Round 3=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Crowd

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Car}}

| 1.11 (17)

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 7.8 (50)

| Princes Park

| 37,406

| 25 April 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 10.15 (75)

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 17.21 (123)

| MCG

| 52,175

| 25 April 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Foo}}

| 14.10 (94)

| {{AFL Haw}}

| 16.9 (105)

| Western Oval

| 14,054

| 27 April 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Col}}

| 2.19 (31)

| {{AFL StK}}

| 10.7 (67)

| Victoria Park

| 29,491

| 27 April 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL SM}}

| 13.10 (88)

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 14.14 (98)

| Lake Oval

| 17,260

| 27 April 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL NM}}

| 15.17 (107)

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 14.7 (91)

| Arden Street Oval

| 13,122

| 27 April 1968

{{s-end}}

=Round 4=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Crowd

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 12.10 (82)

| {{AFL NM}}

| 12.4 (76)

| MCG

| 19,498

| 4 May 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 13.19 (97)

| {{AFL Foo}}

| 12.13 (85)

| Princes Park

| 11,378

| 4 May 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 16.19 (115)

| {{AFL SM}}

| 10.15 (75)

| Windy Hill

| 19,000

| 4 May 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL StK}}

| 12.12 (84)

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 7.18 (60)

| Moorabbin Oval

| 30,606

| 4 May 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 6.10 (46)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 4.13 (37)

| Kardinia Park

| 19,144

| 4 May 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Haw}}

| 11.11 (77)

| {{AFL Car}}

| 15.10 (100)

| Glenferrie Oval

| 17,606

| 4 May 1968

{{s-end}}

=Round 5=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Crowd

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL NM}}

| 6.13 (49)

| {{AFL StK}}

| 9.7 (61)

| Arden Street Oval

| 14,409

| 11 May 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 16.16 (112)

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 11.15 (81)

| Windy Hill

| 18,500

| 11 May 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Col}}

| 17.11 (113)

| {{AFL Haw}}

| 11.16 (82)

| Victoria Park

| 20,688

| 11 May 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Car}}

| 16.15 (111)

| {{AFL Foo}}

| 5.9 (39)

| Princes Park

| 14,490

| 11 May 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL SM}}

| 8.10 (58)

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 13.25 (103)

| Lake Oval

| 17,783

| 11 May 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 9.9 (63)

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 10.10 (70)

| MCG

| 31,862

| 11 May 1968

{{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}}

| 13.7 (85)

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 6.12 (48)

| Western Oval

| 10,441

| 18 May 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 6.8 (44)

| {{AFL StK}}

| 19.6 (120)

| Princes Park

| 12,852

| 18 May 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Col}}

| 13.14 (92)

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 9.12 (66)

| Victoria Park

| 28,302

| 18 May 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 14.17 (101)

| {{AFL NM}}

| 4.7 (31)

| MCG

| 24,317

| 18 May 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Haw}}

| 10.11 (71)

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 12.10 (82)

| Glenferrie Oval

| 10,100

| 18 May 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL SM}}

| 10.11 (71)

| {{AFL Car}}

| 12.11 (83)

| Lake Oval

| 13,420

| 18 May 1968

{{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}}

| 7.15 (57)

| {{AFL SM}}

| 8.13 (61)

| Arden Street Oval

| 7,730

| 25 May 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 11.14 (80)

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 10.18 (78)

| Windy Hill

| 22,980

| 25 May 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Car}}

| 15.11 (101)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 9.13 (67)

| Princes Park

| 26,045

| 25 May 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 11.14 (80)

| {{AFL Haw}}

| 11.10 (76)

| MCG

| 17,263

| 25 May 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL StK}}

| 11.13 (79)

| {{AFL Foo}}

| 4.11 (35)

| Moorabbin Oval

| 16,056

| 25 May 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 11.21 (87)

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 7.6 (48)

| Kardinia Park

| 11,474

| 25 May 1968

{{s-end}}

=Round 8=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Crowd

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Foo}}

| 9.8 (62)

| {{AFL SM}}

| 11.9 (75)

| Western Oval

| 14,755

| 8 June 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Col}}

| 11.13 (79)

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 13.7 (85)

| Victoria Park

| 24,375

| 8 June 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL NM}}

| 9.11 (65)

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 13.11 (89)

| Arden Street Oval

| 13,209

| 8 June 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 11.15 (81)

| {{AFL Haw}}

| 11.14 (80)

| MCG

| 31,325

| 10 June 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL StK}}

| 16.17 (113)

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 8.9 (57)

| Moorabbin Oval

| 43,231

| 10 June 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 4.10 (34)

| {{AFL Car}}

| 13.15 (93)

| Princes Park

| 19,306

| 10 June 1968

{{s-end}}

=Round 9=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Crowd

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 9.9 (63)

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 17.17 (119)

| MCG

| 39,609

| 15 June 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 15.9 (99)

| {{AFL StK}}

| 11.9 (75)

| Kardinia Park

| 29,404

| 15 June 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 11.17 (83)

| {{AFL Foo}}

| 5.11 (41)

| Windy Hill

| 14,000

| 15 June 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Car}}

| 20.11 (131)

| {{AFL NM}}

| 10.15 (75)

| Princes Park

| 15,270

| 15 June 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Haw}}

| 21.14 (140)

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 16.14 (110)

| Glenferrie Oval

| 11,039

| 15 June 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL SM}}

| 19.10 (124)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 15.9 (99)

| Lake Oval

| 17,193

| 15 June 1968

{{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}}

| 13.15 (93)

| {{AFL SM}}

| 8.15 (63)

| Kardinia Park

| 17,794

| 22 June 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 12.12 (84)

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 15.15 (105)

| Princes Park

| 11,204

| 22 June 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL NM}}

| 8.14 (62)

| {{AFL Haw}}

| 15.16 (106)

| Arden Street Oval

| 7,884

| 22 June 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 9.14 (68)

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 15.6 (96)

| MCG

| 32,932

| 22 June 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Foo}}

| 5.7 (37)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 9.11 (65)

| Western Oval

| 13,120

| 22 June 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL StK}}

| 3.10 (28)

| {{AFL Car}}

| 8.8 (56)

| Moorabbin Oval

| 28,885

| 22 June 1968

{{s-end}}

=Round 11=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Crowd

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Haw}}

| 15.11 (101)

| {{AFL StK}}

| 17.9 (111)

| Glenferrie Oval

| 19,279

| 29 June 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 14.20 (104)

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 12.9 (81)

| Windy Hill

| 24,450

| 29 June 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Col}}

| 13.16 (94)

| {{AFL NM}}

| 4.8 (32)

| Victoria Park

| 14,814

| 29 June 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Car}}

| 11.19 (85)

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 6.7 (43)

| Princes Park

| 15,234

| 29 June 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 17.20 (122)

| {{AFL Foo}}

| 16.8 (104)

| MCG

| 17,844

| 29 June 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL SM}}

| 17.15 (117)

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 13.12 (90)

| Lake Oval

| 11,241

| 29 June 1968

{{s-end}}

=Round 12=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Crowd

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL StK}}

| 15.19 (109)

| {{AFL SM}}

| 6.9 (45)

| Moorabbin Oval

| 19,059

| 6 July 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 11.14 (80)

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 14.16 (100)

| Princes Park

| 8,530

| 6 July 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL NM}}

| 8.9 (57)

| {{AFL Foo}}

| 9.18 (72)

| Arden Street Oval

| 7,844

| 6 July 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Haw}}

| 11.17 (83)

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 17.10 (112)

| Glenferrie Oval

| 12,480

| 6 July 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 17.12 (114)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 17.15 (117)

| MCG

| 43,165

| 6 July 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 8.7 (55)

| {{AFL Car}}

| 9.9 (63)

| Kardinia Park

| 25,007

| 6 July 1968

{{s-end}}

=Round 13=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Crowd

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 10.11 (71)

| {{AFL StK}}

| 10.16 (76)

| MCG

| 30,581

| 13 July 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Foo}}

| 18.18 (126)

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 5.13 (43)

| Western Oval

| 13,092

| 13 July 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 16.19 (115)

| {{AFL NM}}

| 9.9 (63)

| Windy Hill

| 11,690

| 13 July 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Col}}

| 18.14 (122)

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 18.7 (115)

| Victoria Park

| 16,357

| 13 July 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Car}}

| 11.14 (80)

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 10.14 (74)

| Princes Park

| 24,245

| 13 July 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL SM}}

| 12.10 (82)

| {{AFL Haw}}

| 15.11 (101)

| Lake Oval

| 11,191

| 13 July 1968

{{s-end}}

=Round 14=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Crowd

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 10.10 (70)

| {{AFL SM}}

| 12.8 (80)

| MCG

| 18,976

| 20 July 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 13.11 (89)

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 9.16 (70)

| Kardinia Park

| 23,932

| 20 July 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 13.17 (95)

| {{AFL NM}}

| 9.14 (68)

| Princes Park

| 7,563

| 20 July 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Haw}}

| 24.8 (152)

| {{AFL Foo}}

| 10.10 (70)

| Glenferrie Oval

| 13,810

| 20 July 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL StK}}

| 11.10 (76)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 12.13 (85)

| Moorabbin Oval

| 28,246

| 20 July 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 7.13 (55)

| {{AFL Car}}

| 6.13 (49)

| Windy Hill

| 32,000

| 20 July 1968

{{s-end}}

=Round 15=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Crowd

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 13.16 (94)

| {{AFL StK}}

| 9.10 (64)

| MCG

| 42,740

| 27 July 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Col}}

| 4.12 (36)

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 7.12 (54)

| Victoria Park

| 25,849

| 27 July 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Car}}

| 9.14 (68)

| {{AFL Haw}}

| 11.15 (81)

| Princes Park

| 18,470

| 27 July 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL NM}}

| 5.8 (38)

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 6.4 (40)

| Arden Street Oval

| 5,826

| 27 July 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Foo}}

| 9.12 (66)

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 10.11 (71)

| Western Oval

| 10,148

| 27 July 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL SM}}

| 7.12 (54)

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 14.13 (97)

| Lake Oval

| 14,690

| 27 July 1968

{{s-end}}

=Round 16=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Crowd

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 15.21 (111)

| {{AFL SM}}

| 10.11 (71)

| MCG

| 22,404

| 3 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 11.9 (75)

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 10.8 (68)

| Kardinia Park

| 14,240

| 3 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL StK}}

| 8.13 (61)

| {{AFL NM}}

| 6.3 (39)

| Moorabbin Oval

| 13,355

| 3 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 13.15 (93)

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 13.16 (94)

| Princes Park

| 12,080

| 3 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Haw}}

| 15.11 (101)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 10.16 (76)

| Glenferrie Oval

| 26,928

| 3 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Foo}}

| 16.6 (102)

| {{AFL Car}}

| 10.10 (70)

| Western Oval

| 15,184

| 3 August 1968

{{s-end}}

=Round 17=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Crowd

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL NM}}

| 7.9 (51)

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 11.19 (85)

| Arden Street Oval

| 9,374

| 10 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 10.7 (67)

| {{AFL Haw}}

| 7.9 (51)

| Kardinia Park

| 20,822

| 10 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Car}}

| 18.14 (122)

| {{AFL SM}}

| 11.14 (80)

| Princes Park

| 15,620

| 10 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 10.14 (74)

| {{AFL Foo}}

| 9.11 (65)

| MCG

| 18,733

| 10 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL StK}}

| 12.19 (91)

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 6.5 (41)

| Moorabbin Oval

| 15,643

| 10 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 20.18 (138)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 7.11 (53)

| Windy Hill

| 21,300

| 10 August 1968

{{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}}

| 14.13 (97)

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 8.11 (59)

| Glenferrie Oval

| 14,359

| 17 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Foo}}

| 6.8 (44)

| {{AFL StK}}

| 16.13 (109)

| Western Oval

| 15,211

| 17 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 10.12 (72)

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 14.10 (94)

| Princes Park

| 9,782

| 17 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL SM}}

| 9.14 (68)

| {{AFL NM}}

| 11.13 (79)

| Lake Oval

| 7,412

| 17 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 10.14 (74)

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 7.12 (54)

| MCG

| 68,529

| 17 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Col}}

| 10.10 (70)

| {{AFL Car}}

| 16.11 (107)

| Victoria Park

| 24,496

| 17 August 1968

{{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}}

| 11.13 (79)

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 11.22 (88)

| Glenferrie Oval

| 21,772

| 24 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 14.13 (97)

| {{AFL NM}}

| 13.9 (87)

| Kardinia Park

| 13,872

| 24 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 10.6 (66)

| {{AFL StK}}

| 9.12 (66)

| Windy Hill

| 24,700

| 24 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Car}}

| 21.17 (143)

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 12.19 (91)

| Princes Park

| 16,123

| 24 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL SM}}

| 11.12 (78)

| {{AFL Foo}}

| 11.16 (82)

| Lake Oval

| 8,012

| 24 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 12.14 (86)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 12.15 (87)

| MCG

| 29,967

| 24 August 1968

{{s-end}}

=Round 20=

{{s-start}}

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"

| Home team

| Home team score

| Away team

| Away team score

| Venue

| Crowd

| Date

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Fit}}

| 17.14 (116)

| {{AFL Haw}}

| 18.18 (126)

| Princes Park

| 11,440

| 31 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Col}}

| 23.19 (157)

| {{AFL SM}}

| 14.14 (98)

| Victoria Park

| 11,648

| 31 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 18.21 (129)

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 12.8 (80)

| MCG

| 34,546

| 31 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL StK}}

| 16.14 (110)

| {{AFL Gee}}

| 8.11 (59)

| Moorabbin Oval

| 34,073

| 31 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL Foo}}

| 12.13 (85)

| {{AFL Ess}}

| 15.22 (112)

| Western Oval

| 19,196

| 31 August 1968

|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| {{AFL NM}}

| 11.13 (79)

| {{AFL Car}}

| 15.10 (100)

| Arden Street Oval

| 16,189

| 31 August 1968

{{s-end}}

Ladder

class=wikitable

| (P)

Premiers
bgcolor=FFFFBB |Qualified for finals

{{Australian rules football ladder start}}

|- style=background:#FFFFBB

| 1 || align=left | {{AFL Ess}} || 20 || 16 || 3 || 1 || 1860 || 1428 || 130.3 || 66

|- style=background:#FFFFBB

| 2 || align=left | {{AFL Car}} (P) || 20 || 15 || 5 || 0 || 1751 || 1343 || 130.4 || 60

|- style=background:#FFFFBB

| 3 || align=left | {{AFL Gee}} || 20 || 15 || 5 || 0 || 1528 || 1431 || 106.8 || 60

|- style=background:#FFFFBB

| 4 || align=left | {{AFL StK}} || 20 || 14 || 5 || 1 || 1718 || 1263 || 136.0 || 58

|-

| 5 || align=left | {{AFL Ric}} || 20 || 14 || 6 || 0 || 1889 || 1536 || 123.0 || 56

|-

| 6 || align=left | {{AFL Haw}} || 20 || 9 || 10 || 1 || 1934 || 1869 || 103.5 || 38

|-

| 7 || align=left | {{AFL Col}} || 20 || 9 || 11 || 0 || 1623 || 1717 || 94.5 || 36

|-

| 8 || align=left | {{AFL Mel}} || 20 || 8 || 12 || 0 || 1434 || 1709 || 83.9 || 32

|-

| 9 || align=left | {{AFL SM}} || 20 || 6 || 13 || 1 || 1639 || 1954 || 83.9 || 26

|-

| 10 || align=left | {{AFL Foo}} || 20 || 5 || 15 || 0 || 1413 || 1710 || 82.6 || 20

|-

| 11 || align=left | {{AFL Fit}} || 20 || 4 || 16 || 0 || 1643 || 2035 || 80.7 || 16

|-

| 12 || align=left | {{AFL NM}} || 20 || 3 || 17 || 0 || 1266 || 1703 || 74.3 || 12

|}

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 82.1
Source: [https://afltables.com/afl/seas/1968.html#lad AFL Tables]

Finals series

=Semi-finals=

class="wikitable"

!Team

!1 Qtr 2.2.14 6.0.36

!2 Qtr 4.5.29 9.10.64

!3 Qtr 7.7.49.12.10.82

!Final 10.8.68 19.13.127

Geelong

|align=center|4.4

|align=center|9.7

|align=center|14.10

|align=center|19.13 (127)

St Kilda

|align=center|2.4

|align=center|4.10

|align=center|8.13

|align=center|11.17 (83)

align=center|Attendance: 98,885

class="wikitable"

!Team

!1 Qtr

!2 Qtr

!3 Qtr

!Final

Essendon

|align=center|1.2

|align=center|7.6

|align=center|7.8

|align=center|8.11 (59)

Carlton

|align=center|5.8

|align=center|6.9

|align=center|11.12

|align=center|13.17 (95)

align=center|Attendance: 106,365

=Preliminary final=

class="wikitable"

!Team

!1 Qtr 5.0.30 1.5.11

!2 Qtr 9.2.56.3.8.26

!3 Qtr 14.5.89 5.9.39

!Final 16.11.107 8.13.61

Essendon

|align=center|3.6

|align=center|7.10

|align=center|10.18

|align=center|11.25 (91)

Geelong

|align=center|5.3

|align=center|8.6

|align=center|8.10

|align=center|9.13 (67)

align=center|Attendance: 103,549

=Grand final=

{{Main|1968 VFL Grand Final}}

class="wikitable"

!Team

!1 Qtr

!2 Qtr

!3 Qtr

!Final

Carlton

|align=center|2.2

|align=center|6.8

|align=center|7.9

|align=center|7.14 (56)

Essendon

|align=center|2.1

|align=center|5.1

|align=center|6.4

|align=center|8.5 (53)

align=center|Attendance: 116,917

Consolation Night Series Competition

The consolation night series were held under the floodlights at Lake Oval, South Melbourne, for the teams (5th to 12th on ladder) out of the finals at the end of the home and away rounds.

Final: Hawthorn 16.15 (111) defeated North Melbourne 6.14 (50).

Season notes

  • The season's home-and-away draw was extended from 18 to 20 rounds. This now meant that each team met nine of the other eleven teams twice in a season.
  • In Round 3, the Anzac Day match between Carlton and Essendon at Princes Park was greatly affected by an unusually strong wind that blew across the ground from wing to wing, making kicking and marking entirely unpredictable as balls would almost turn at right angles in the air as they moved down the ground towards the outer (eastern) end and lost the protection of the stands (or, whilst in the stand-protected western end, the ball went above the protection of the stands). In an otherwise close, hard-fought match with not many scoring opportunities available, Carlton were least able to cope with the windy conditions, kicking 1.11 (17) to Essendon's 7.8 (50).
  • In Round 7, Essendon played Richmond at Windy Hill in a rain-sodden game that finished in such dark conditions that players could not see across the ground. In the last quarter, a goal was awarded to Geoff Gosper, although several Richmond players protested that the ball had hit the post. Essendon won the match by two points, 11.14 (80) to Richmond's 10.18 (78).
  • After the Round 8 match between {{AFL Haw}} and Richmond at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the teams and many of the fans left the ground believing the game had been tied 11.15 (81) apiece. After the goal-umpires checked their scorecards, it was confirmed that the scoreboard was reading incorrectly, and that Richmond had, in fact, won by a point: 11.15 (81) to 11.14 (80).
  • Peter Hudson became the first player to kick 100 goals in a season since John Coleman in 1952.
  • In Round 17 and Round 18 respectively, Ron Barassi and Brian Dixon played their 250th VFL games. At the time, only thirteen other players had reached the milestone.
  • After Round 18 of the Under-19s competition, {{AFL Gee}} was stripped of all premiership points that it had earned in matches in which it had fielded ineligible player John Taylor, who was residentially tied to {{AFL Foo}}. The lost points relegated Geelong from fourth to last place on the ladder.{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|publication-place=Melbourne|author=Marc Fiddian|page=24|title=Cats out of U. 19 finals|date=24 August 1968}}

Awards

  • The 1968 VFL Premiership team was Carlton.
  • The VFL's leading goalkicker was Peter Hudson of Hawthorn who kicked 125 goals.
  • The winner of the 1968 Brownlow Medal was Bob Skilton of South Melbourne with 24 votes.
  • North Melbourne took the "wooden spoon" in 1968.
  • The reserves premiership was won by {{AFL Ess}}. Essendon 15.7 (97) defeated {{AFL Ric}} 13.14 (92) in the Grand Final, held as a curtain-raiser to the seniors Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 28 September.{{cite news|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|publication-place=Melbourne|date=30 September 1968|title=Reserves flag to Bombers|page=51|author=Rex Pullen}}

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/1968.html 1968 VFL season] at AFL Tables
  • [https://www.australianfootball.com/seasons/season/afl/138/premiership%2Bseason/1/1/1968 1968 VFL season] at Australian Football

{{Australian Football League}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1968 VFL season}}

Category:Australian Football League seasons

VFL season