1973 VFA season

The Division 1 home-and-away season was played over 18 rounds; the top four then contested the finals under the Page–McIntyre system. The finals were played at the St Kilda Cricket Ground.

{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL

|res_col_header=Q

|title=1973 VFA Division 1 Ladder

|loss_before_draw=true|for_against_style=points|use_goal_percentage=y

|winpoints=4|drawpoints=2

|team1=DAN|name_DAN=Dandenong

|team2=OAK|name_OAK=Oakleigh

|team3=PMB|name_PMB=Port Melbourne

|team4=PRA|name_PRA=Prahran

|team5=GLW|name_GLW=Geelong West

|team6=WIL|name_WIL=Williamstown

|team7=SAN|name_SAN=Sandringham

|team8=SUN|name_SUN=Sunshine

|team9=PRE|name_PRE=Preston

|team10=COB|name_COB=Coburg

|win_DAN=12|loss_DAN=5|draw_DAN=1|pf_DAN=2144|pa_DAN=1834

|win_OAK=12|loss_OAK=6|draw_OAK=0|pf_OAK=2048|pa_OAK=1819

|win_PMB=11|loss_PMB=7|draw_PMB=0|pf_PMB=2186|pa_PMB=2074

|win_PRA=10|loss_PRA=7|draw_PRA=1|pf_PRA=2203|pa_PRA=1997|status_PRA=P

|win_GLW=10|loss_GLW=8|draw_GLW=0|pf_GLW=1986|pa_GLW=1912

|win_WIL=8|loss_WIL=10|draw_WIL=0|pf_WIL=1867|pa_WIL=1919

|win_SAN=7|loss_SAN=11|draw_SAN=0|pf_SAN=1861|pa_SAN=2236

|win_SUN=7|loss_SUN=11|draw_SUN=0|pf_SUN=1820|pa_SUN=2191

|win_PRE=6|loss_PRE=12|draw_PRE=0|pf_PRE=2118|pa_PRE=2151

|win_COB=5|loss_COB=11|draw_COB=2|pf_COB=1942|pa_COB=2026

|col_A=#CCFFCC|text_A=

|result1=A|result2=A|result3=A|result4=A

|status_text_P=Premiers

|col_R=#FFCCCC|text_R=

|result10=R

|class_rules=1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.

|update=complete

|source={{cite news|newspaper=The Age|date=27 August 1973|title=Preston stays in top division|page=22|publication-place=Melbourne|author=John Holland}}

}}

{{AFLGameHeader|title=Semi-finals}}

{{AFLGame|Sunday, 2 September|Port Melbourne|10.17 (77)|A|Prahran|18.21 (129)|St Kilda Cricket Ground|8,000|{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|page=31|author=John Holland|title=Prahran sinks Port|date=3 September 1973|publication-place=Melbourne}}}}

{{AFLGame|Sunday, 9 September|Dandenong|13.23 (101)|A|Oakleigh|17.14 (116)|St Kilda Cricket Ground|14,000|{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|page=27|author=John Holland|date=10 September 1973|title=Oakleigh wins on the post|publication-place=Melbourne}}}}

{{AFLGameFooter}}

{{AFLGameHeader|title=Preliminary Final}}

{{AFLGame|Sunday, 16 September|Dandenong|12.9 (81)|A|Prahran|16.14 (110)|St Kilda Cricket Ground|13,600|{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|page=25|author=John Holland|title=Prahran step closer to flag|date=17 September 1973|publication-place=Melbourne}}}}

{{AFLGameFooter}}

{{AFLGameDetailed

|title = 1973 VFA Division 1 Grand Final

|date = Sunday, 23 September

|home team = Oakleigh

|home Q1= 2.5 (17)

|home Q2= 5.7 (37)

|home Q3= 7.15 (57)

|home final= 10.18 (78)

|home goals= Cloke 3, Halliday 2, Ford, Forster, O'Kane, Robbins, Taylor

|home injuries =

|home reports = Quinn, for striking Rippon in the third quarter

|winner = A

|away team = Prahran

|away Q1= 2.4 (16)

|away Q2= 8.11 (59)

|away Q3= 12.17 (89)

|away final= 15.23 (113)

|away goals= Appleton 4, Weekes 3, Anderson 2, Smith 2, Emselle, Payne, Sinclair, Townsend

|away injuries =

|away reports = Rippon, for striking Quinn in the third quarter
Rippon, for striking Nesbit in the fourth quarter

|venue = St Kilda Cricket Ground

|crowd = 21,200

|report = {{cite news|title=Prahran by 35 points|author=John Holland|date=24 September 1973|newspaper=The Age|page=22|publication-place=Melbourne}}

|umpires = Stirling

|BOG award =

|BOG winner =

|broadcast =

|anthem =

|notes=

}}

• The leading goalkicker for the home-and-away season was Ian Cooper (Sandringham), who kicked 104 goals in the home-and-away season, but did not participate in finals. The leading goalkicker for the whole season including finals was Jim Miller (Dandenong); he kicked 94 goals in the home-and-away season to be third behind Cooper and Graeme McLean (Geelong West, 99 goals), then kicked fourteen goals in the finals to finish with 108 goals for the season.
• The J. J. Liston Trophy was won by Ray Shaw (Preston), who polled 39 votes. Shaw finished ahead of Ricky Browne (Geelong West), who finished second with 38 votes, and Les Stillman (Williamstown), who finished third with 28 votes.{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|date=30 August 1973|title=Rookie wins award|page=30|publication-place=Melbourne|author=John Holland}}
• Port Melbourne won the seconds premiership for the second consecutive season. Port Melbourne 14.23 (107) defeated Preston 12.16 (88) in the Grand Final, played as a stand-alone match on Saturday 15 September at Skinner Reserve.
• Geelong West won the lightning premiership. Geelong West 8.3 (51) defeated Preston 2.9 (21) in the Grand Final, played as a curtain-raiser to the senior Grand Final on Sunday 23 September.

The Division 2 home-and-away season was played over eighteen rounds; the top four then contested the finals under the Page–McIntyre system; all finals were played on Sundays at Toorak Park.

{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL

|res_col_header=Q

|title=1973 VFA Division 2 ladder

|loss_before_draw=true|for_against_style=points|use_goal_percentage=y

|winpoints=4|drawpoints=2

|team1=CAU|name_CAU=Caulfield

|team2=WAV|name_WAV=Waverley

|team3=BRU|name_BRU=Brunswick

|team4=CAM|name_CAM=Camberwell

|team5=FRA|name_FRA=Frankston

|team6=NOR|name_NOR=Northcote

|team7=WER|name_WER=Werribee

|team8=YAR|name_YAR=Yarraville

|team9=MOR|name_MOR=Mordialloc

|team10=BOX|name_BOX=Box Hill

|win_CAU=15|loss_CAU=3|draw_CAU=0|pf_CAU=2514|pa_CAU=1611|status_CAU=P

|win_WAV=14|loss_WAV=4|draw_WAV=0|pf_WAV=2570|pa_WAV=1516

|win_BRU=12|loss_BRU=5|draw_BRU=1|pf_BRU=1987|pa_BRU=1722

|win_CAM=10|loss_CAM=7|draw_CAM=1|pf_CAM=1881|pa_CAM=1761

|win_FRA=10|loss_FRA=7|draw_FRA=1|pf_FRA=2094|pa_FRA=1989

|win_NOR=8|loss_NOR=10|draw_NOR=0|pf_NOR=1745|pa_NOR=2196

|win_WER=7|loss_WER=11|draw_WER=0|pf_WER=1787|pa_WER=2040

|win_YAR=6|loss_YAR=11|draw_YAR=1|pf_YAR=1729|pa_YAR=1994

|win_MOR=6|loss_MOR=12|draw_MOR=0|pf_MOR=1692|pa_MOR=2077

|win_BOX=0|loss_BOX=18|draw_BOX=0|pf_BOX=1475|pa_BOX=2568

|status_text_P=Premiers

|col_A=#CCFFCC|text_A=

|result1=A|result2=A|result3=A|result4=A

|class_rules=1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.

|update=complete

|source={{cite news|newspaper=The Age|page=28|author=John Holland|title=Cooper first VFA man to kick 100 this year|date=13 August 1973|publication-place=Melbourne}}

}}

{{AFLGameHeader|title=Semi-finals}}

{{AFLGame|Sunday, 19 August|Brunswick|18.14 (122)|H|Camberwell|10.18 (78)|Toorak Park|4,500|{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|page=20|author=John Holland|title=Last VFA round vital|date=20 August 1973|publication-place=Melbourne}}}}

{{AFLGame|Sunday, 26 August|Caulfield|19.14 (128)|H|Waverley|14.9 (93)|Toorak Park|7,000|}}

{{AFLGameFooter}}

{{AFLGameHeader|title=Preliminary Final}}

{{AFLGame|Sunday, 2 September|Waverley|14.7 (91)|A|Brunswick|17.18 (120)|Toorak Park|4,000|}}

{{AFLGameFooter}}

{{AFLGameDetailed

|title = 1973 VFA Division 2 Grand Final

|date = Sunday, 9 September

|home team = Caulfield

|home Q1 = 4.4 (28)

|home Q2 = 10.6 (66)

|home Q3 = 12.10 (82)

|home final = 18.20 (128)

|home goals= Logan 6, Hocking 4, Cliff 3, Jewell 3, Baker, Guinane

|home best =

|home injuries =

|home reports =

|winner = H

||away team = Brunswick

|away Q1 = 4.11 (35)

|away Q2 = 6.13 (49)

|away Q3 = 10.21 (81)

|away final = 14.22 (106)

|away goals= Hadzilias 3, Allen 2, Dimattina 2, Hobbs 2, Baird, Egan, Gutterson, Hanton, Liakaureas

|away best=

|away injuries = Horsington (concussion)

|away reports =

|venue = Toorak Park

|crowd = 8,000

|report =

|umpires = John Gambetta

|BOG award =

|BOG winner =

|broadcast =

|anthem =

|notes=Scores were level in time-on in the final quarter before Caulfield kicked four late goals.

}}

• The leading goalkicker for Division 2 was Doug Baird (Brunswick) who kicked 90 goals in the home-and-away season,{{cite news|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|page=59|title=Results in the VFA|date=13 August 1973|edition=First|publication-place=Melbourne}} and 94 goals overall.
• The J. Field Medal was won by Geoff Bryant (Box Hill); Bryant polled 57 votes, at a very high average of 3.2 votes per game, despite his club failing to win a single game for the year. He was a comfortable winner over Ron Allen (Waverley), who polled 45 votes, and Mick Martin (Yarraville), who polled 41 votes.{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|page=31|author=John Holland|title=Bruant takes VFA award|date=16 August 1973|publication-place=Melbourne}}
• Caulfield won the seconds premiership. Caulfield 11.14 (80) drew Brunswick 10.20 (80) in the Grand Final at Northcote Park on Saturday, 8 September; in the Grand Final Replay at Toorak Park on Saturday, 15 September, Caulfield 18.11 (119) d. Brunswick 13.20 (98).
• Caulfield also won the thirds premiership to be premiers in all three grades; as was the case in the seconds, the Grand Final was drawn; Caulfield 18.19 (127) defeated Waverley 16.10 (106) in the Grand Final Replay, held as a curtain-raiser to the seconds Grand Final Replay. It was the second time a club had won all three grades in the same season.

• On 22 April, Dandenong defeated Geelong West by five points, ending Geelong West's 22-game winning streak which dated back to 1971.{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|publication-place=Melbourne|page=19|author=John Holland|date=23 April 1973|title=Substitutes clinch Oaks' win}}
• On 29 April, Waverley 36.20 (236) defeated Box Hill 11.13 (81); at the time, it was the equal-third highest score in Association history.{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|publication-place=Melbourne|page=28|author=John Holland|date=30 April 1973|title=Let-down as VFA sides tie}} On 13 May, only two weeks later, Waverley matched this score again; Waverley 35.26 (236) d. Werribee 7.4 (46).{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|publication-place=Melbourne|page=29|author=John Holland|date=14 May 1973|title=10 goals in a quarter and still beaten}}
• In the final round of the Division 1 home-and-away season, the bottom two teams Coburg and Preston played off against each other at Coburg City Oval in a match which directly determined which of the two clubs was relegated. Despite their respective positions on the ladder, the match attracted between 13,000 and 15,000 spectators, the highest crowd of the home-and-away season. Preston 27.9 (171) defeated Coburg 22.22 (154) in a high scoring game, to hold its place in the top division.{{cite news|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|page=54|author=Stephen Phillips|publication-place=Melbourne|date=27 August 1973|title=West waits, but in vain}}
• Coburg was relegated despite a win–loss record 5–12–2 and a high percentage of 95.8, setting a new record as the best performance by a wooden spooner in Association history.This reference shows Geelong West credited with the best record bya wooden spooner in 1971. By comparison, Coburg's in 1974 improves upon Geelong West's by virtue of its percentage. {{cite news|newspaper=The Age|page=21|author=Terry O'Halloran|title=Roosters win, but relegated|date=30 August 1971|publication-place=Melbourne}} In addition to its two draws, Coburg lost four matches by less than a goal.{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|publication-place=Melbourne|page=17|author=John Holland|date=30 July 1973|title=Coburg causes VFA surprise}}
• Camberwell qualified for the finals for the first time since 1961, clinching its finals position with a one-point win against Waverley in the final round of the season; Camberwell 15.17 (107) d. Waverley 15.16 (106).
• Box Hill was the first club to finish a season winless since Brighton in 1961; however, the club did go on to win its first two matches in the lightning premiership.
• The Division 2 Grand Final was held up for four minutes during the final quarter when all of the match footballs were lost; a replacement ball was eventually found in the Toorak Park club rooms.

• List of VFA/VFL premiers

{{reflist|2}}

{{VFA/VFL seasons}}

{{VFL}}

{{Aussie Rules in Victoria}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1973 Vfa Season}}

Category:Victorian Football League seasons

VFL