1961 VFL Season

Season Details

Name: 1961 VFL Season
Team(s): 12
Round(s): 18
Finals System: Page-McIntyre System
Match(es): 112

Season Results

Premiers: Hawthorn
Runners-Up: Footscray
Minor Premiers: Hawthorn
Brownlow Medallist(s): John James (Carlton)
Coleman Medallist(s): Tom Carroll (Carlton)

Team Results

Team Ladder (W-D-L & P%) Brownlow Leader(s) Goalkicking Leader(s) (Home-and-Away)
Hawthorn (P) 1st 14 -0- 4 125.1% Ian Law (17) John Peck (44)
Melbourne 2nd 12 -1- 5 131.2% Ron Barassi (10) Bob Johnson (35)
St Kilda 3rd 11 -0- 7 117.1% Verdun Howell, Lance Oswald (10) Ian Rowland, Bill Stephenson (24)
Footscray (R) 4th 11 -0- 7 109.7% Charlie Evans, Ted Whitten (12) Ted Whitten (35)
Fitzroy 5th 10 -1- 7 116.8% Kevin Murray (11) Owen Abrahams (32)
Geelong 6th 10 -1- 7 100.4% Doug Wade, John Yeates (6) Doug Wade (51)
Essendon 7th 9 -1- 8 109.5% Johnny Birt (9) Hugh Mitchell (33)
Carlton 8th 9 -0- 9 96.5% John James (21) Tom Carroll (54)
Collingwood 9th 5 -1- 12 84.8% John Henderson (10) Kevin Pay (31)
Richmond 10th 5 -0- 13 78.9% Ron Branton (11) Ted Langridge (29)
South Melbourne 11th 5 -0- 13 72.2% Frank Johnson (13) Brian McGowan (38)
North Melbourne 12th 4 -1- 13 79.1% Laurie Dwyer (19) John Dugdale (47)

Umpire Results

Umpire Position Umpire(s)
Field Umpire 10
Goal Umpire 5
Boundary Umpire 4

Season Fixture

Round 1

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 15/04/1961 2:20 PM Fitzroy v Melbourne Brunswick Street Oval 46 - 75 31,787
SAT 15/04/1961 2:20 PM Geelong v Collingwood Kardinia Park 96 - 57 23,973
SAT 15/04/1961 2:20 PM St Kilda v Carlton Junction Oval 38 - 48 30,400
SAT 15/04/1961 2:20 PM North Melbourne v Essendon Arden Street Oval 58 - 49 24,000
SAT 15/04/1961 2:20 PM Hawthorn v South Melbourne Glenferrie Oval 56 - 81 20,000
SAT 15/04/1961 2:20 PM Richmond v Footscray Punt Road Oval 74 - 102 20,000

Round 2

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 22/04/1961 2:20 PM Melbourne v Hawthorn MCG 44 - 76 34,640
SAT 22/04/1961 2:20 PM South Melbourne v Geelong Lakeside Oval 80 - 84 24,258
SAT 22/04/1961 2:20 PM Carlton v Fitzroy Princes Park 59 - 54 30,000
SAT 22/04/1961 2:20 PM Essendon v St Kilda Windy Hill 85 - 69 23,000
SAT 22/04/1961 2:20 PM Collingwood v Richmond Victoria Park 34 - 57 25,000
SAT 22/04/1961 2:20 PM Footscray v North Melbourne Western Oval 97 - 52 22,178

Round 3

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
TUE 25/04/1961 2:30 PM Essendon v Melbourne Windy Hill 57 - 82 32,000
TUE 25/04/1961 2:30 PM Richmond v South Melbourne Punt Road Oval 45 - 89 27,650
SAT 29/04/1961 2:20 PM St Kilda v Geelong Junction Oval 83 - 50 29,300
SAT 29/04/1961 2:20 PM Carlton v Footscray Princes Park 72 - 81 34,254
SAT 29/04/1961 2:20 PM Hawthorn v Fitzroy Glenferrie Oval 95 - 69 21,500
SAT 29/04/1961 2:20 PM Collingwood v North Melbourne Victoria Park 88 - 62 26,574

Round 4

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 06/05/1961 2:20 PM Melbourne v St Kilda MCG 81 - 84 40,572
SAT 06/05/1961 2:20 PM Geelong v Essendon Kardinia Park 61 - 143 21,437
SAT 06/05/1961 2:20 PM South Melbourne v Carlton Lakeside Oval 56 - 72 25,624
SAT 06/05/1961 2:20 PM Fitzroy v Richmond Brunswick Street Oval 95 - 108 17,861
SAT 06/05/1961 2:20 PM Footscray v Collingwood Western Oval 73 - 64 34,029
SAT 06/05/1961 2:20 PM North Melbourne v Hawthorn Arden Street Oval 55 - 85 13,500

Round 5

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 13/05/1961 2:20 PM Geelong v Melbourne Kardinia Park 55 - 120 18,873
SAT 13/05/1961 2:20 PM North Melbourne v Carlton Arden Street Oval 83 - 109 21,500
SAT 13/05/1961 2:20 PM Hawthorn v Essendon Glenferrie Oval 75 - 76 31,000
SAT 13/05/1961 2:20 PM Richmond v St Kilda Punt Road Oval 85 - 86 22,500
SAT 13/05/1961 2:20 PM South Melbourne v Footscray Lakeside Oval 84 - 82 26,748
SAT 13/05/1961 2:20 PM Collingwood v Fitzroy Victoria Park 55 - 116 30,560

Round 6

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 20/05/1961 2:20 PM Richmond v Geelong Punt Road Oval 68 - 112 24,600
SAT 20/05/1961 2:20 PM Essendon v South Melbourne Windy Hill 133 - 54 32,600
SAT 20/05/1961 2:20 PM Fitzroy v North Melbourne Brunswick Street Oval 97 - 79 17,963
SAT 27/05/1961 2:20 PM Footscray v Melbourne Western Oval 62 - 87 29,490
SAT 27/05/1961 2:20 PM Carlton v Collingwood Princes Park 65 - 54 33,161
SAT 27/05/1961 2:20 PM St Kilda v Hawthorn Junction Oval 100 - 81 32,900

Round 7

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 03/06/1961 2:20 PM Melbourne v Carlton MCG 104 - 79 49,678
SAT 03/06/1961 2:20 PM Geelong v Footscray Kardinia Park 91 - 38 18,683
SAT 03/06/1961 2:20 PM Collingwood v Essendon Victoria Park 119 - 58 28,200
SAT 03/06/1961 2:20 PM North Melbourne v St Kilda Arden Street Oval 68 - 82 13,000
SAT 03/06/1961 2:20 PM South Melbourne v Fitzroy Lakeside Oval 50 - 117 14,500
SAT 03/06/1961 2:20 PM Hawthorn v Richmond Glenferrie Oval 73 - 60 15,000

Round 8

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 10/06/1961 2:20 PM North Melbourne v Geelong Arden Street Oval 79 - 79 16,000
SAT 10/06/1961 2:20 PM Fitzroy v Essendon Brunswick Street Oval 74 - 54 28,083
SAT 10/06/1961 2:20 PM St Kilda v South Melbourne Junction Oval 110 - 46 28,800
MON 12/06/1961 2:20 PM Melbourne v Collingwood MCG 121 - 52 78,465
MON 12/06/1961 2:20 PM Carlton v Richmond Princes Park 49 - 89 24,660
MON 12/06/1961 2:20 PM Footscray v Hawthorn Western Oval 103 - 91 24,132

Round 9

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 17/06/1961 2:20 PM South Melbourne v Melbourne Lakeside Oval 62 - 98 10,260
SAT 17/06/1961 2:20 PM Geelong v Hawthorn Kardinia Park 61 - 70 14,197
SAT 17/06/1961 2:20 PM Essendon v Carlton Windy Hill 89 - 54 25,000
SAT 17/06/1961 2:20 PM Collingwood v St Kilda Victoria Park 94 - 84 27,280
SAT 17/06/1961 2:20 PM Footscray v Fitzroy Western Oval 59 - 63 21,107
SAT 17/06/1961 2:20 PM Richmond v North Melbourne Punt Road Oval 82 - 76 13,000

Round 10

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 24/06/1961 2:20 PM North Melbourne v Melbourne Arden Street Oval 44 - 93 11,500
SAT 24/06/1961 2:20 PM Geelong v Fitzroy Kardinia Park 64 - 57 16,881
SAT 24/06/1961 2:20 PM Hawthorn v Carlton Glenferrie Oval 78 - 46 21,500
SAT 24/06/1961 2:20 PM Richmond v Essendon Punt Road Oval 92 - 74 23,000
SAT 24/06/1961 2:20 PM St Kilda v Footscray Junction Oval 59 - 37 28,100
SAT 24/06/1961 2:20 PM Collingwood v South Melbourne Victoria Park 84 - 44 24,637

Round 11

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 01/07/1961 2:20 PM Melbourne v Richmond MCG 120 - 54 38,090
SAT 01/07/1961 2:20 PM Carlton v Geelong Princes Park 78 - 118 17,936
SAT 01/07/1961 2:20 PM Essendon v Footscray Windy Hill 83 - 92 22,400
SAT 01/07/1961 2:20 PM Fitzroy v St Kilda Brunswick Street Oval 63 - 62 19,291
SAT 01/07/1961 2:20 PM South Melbourne v North Melbourne Lakeside Oval 68 - 50 10,500
SAT 01/07/1961 2:20 PM Hawthorn v Collingwood Glenferrie Oval 90 - 36 31,500

Round 12

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 08/07/1961 2:20 PM Melbourne v Fitzroy MCG 44 - 44 29,947
SAT 08/07/1961 2:20 PM Collingwood v Geelong Victoria Park 41 - 58 20,700
SAT 08/07/1961 2:20 PM Carlton v St Kilda Princes Park 62 - 30 14,636
SAT 08/07/1961 2:20 PM Essendon v North Melbourne Windy Hill 63 - 28 12,800
SAT 08/07/1961 2:20 PM South Melbourne v Hawthorn Lakeside Oval 49 - 65 13,860
SAT 08/07/1961 2:20 PM Footscray v Richmond Western Oval 42 - 33 16,648

Round 13

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 15/07/1961 2:20 PM Hawthorn v Melbourne Glenferrie Oval 58 - 40 27,500
SAT 15/07/1961 2:20 PM Richmond v Collingwood Punt Road Oval 38 - 54 22,790
SAT 15/07/1961 2:20 PM North Melbourne v Footscray Arden Street Oval 75 - 72 15,000
SAT 22/07/1961 2:20 PM Geelong v South Melbourne Kardinia Park 82 - 67 18,480
SAT 22/07/1961 2:20 PM Fitzroy v Carlton Brunswick Street Oval 85 - 76 24,561
SAT 22/07/1961 2:20 PM St Kilda v Essendon Junction Oval 98 - 50 34,600

Round 14

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 29/07/1961 2:20 PM Melbourne v Essendon MCG 78 - 87 31,155
SAT 29/07/1961 2:20 PM Geelong v St Kilda Kardinia Park 73 - 68 25,993
SAT 29/07/1961 2:20 PM Footscray v Carlton Western Oval 83 - 51 21,639
SAT 29/07/1961 2:20 PM South Melbourne v Richmond Lakeside Oval 105 - 68 14,350
SAT 29/07/1961 2:20 PM Fitzroy v Hawthorn Brunswick Street Oval 87 - 94 23,012
SAT 29/07/1961 2:20 PM North Melbourne v Collingwood Arden Street Oval 67 - 64 15,000

Round 15

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 05/08/1961 2:20 PM St Kilda v Melbourne Junction Oval 66 - 55 33,100
SAT 05/08/1961 2:20 PM Essendon v Geelong Windy Hill 94 - 56 27,000
SAT 05/08/1961 2:20 PM Carlton v South Melbourne Princes Park 111 - 52 16,880
SAT 05/08/1961 2:20 PM Richmond v Fitzroy Punt Road Oval 63 - 68 15,547
SAT 05/08/1961 2:20 PM Collingwood v Footscray Victoria Park 40 - 78 22,324
SAT 05/08/1961 2:20 PM Hawthorn v North Melbourne Glenferrie Oval 100 - 47 14,000

Round 16

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 12/08/1961 2:20 PM Melbourne v Geelong MCG 89 - 87 48,245
SAT 12/08/1961 2:20 PM Carlton v North Melbourne Princes Park 70 - 68 15,430
SAT 12/08/1961 2:20 PM Essendon v Hawthorn Windy Hill 72 - 79 27,200
SAT 12/08/1961 2:20 PM St Kilda v Richmond Junction Oval 91 - 8 20,600
SAT 12/08/1961 2:20 PM Footscray v South Melbourne Western Oval 101 - 46 19,242
SAT 12/08/1961 2:20 PM Fitzroy v Collingwood Brunswick Street Oval 92 - 70 23,768

Round 17

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 19/08/1961 2:20 PM Melbourne v Footscray MCG 88 - 48 52,195
SAT 19/08/1961 2:20 PM Geelong v Richmond Kardinia Park 77 - 46 17,976
SAT 19/08/1961 2:20 PM Collingwood v Carlton Victoria Park 72 - 88 21,849
SAT 19/08/1961 2:20 PM South Melbourne v Essendon Lakeside Oval 78 - 107 14,125
SAT 19/08/1961 2:20 PM Hawthorn v St Kilda Glenferrie Oval 120 - 91 34,500
SAT 19/08/1961 2:20 PM North Melbourne v Fitzroy Arden Street Oval 75 - 63 15,000

Round 18

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 26/08/1961 2:20 PM Footscray v Geelong Western Oval 84 - 63 42,015
SAT 26/08/1961 2:20 PM Essendon v Collingwood Windy Hill 88 - 88 18,500
SAT 26/08/1961 2:20 PM Richmond v Hawthorn Punt Road Oval 56 - 81 15,177
SAT 26/08/1961 2:30 PM Carlton v Melbourne Princes Park 90 - 91 21,863
SAT 26/08/1961 2:30 PM St Kilda v North Melbourne Junction Oval 72 - 67 24,250
SAT 26/08/1961 2:50 PM Fitzroy v South Melbourne Brunswick Street Oval 179 - 76 12,815

Finals Week 1

Semi Final

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 02/09/1961 2:30 PM St Kilda v Footscray MCG 60 - 69 86,411

Finals Week 2

Semi Final

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 09/09/1961 2:30 PM Hawthorn v Melbourne MCG 80 - 73 87,744

Finals Week 3

Preliminary Final

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 16/09/1961 2:30 PM Melbourne v Footscray MCG 58 - 85 86,118

Finals Week 4

Grand Final

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 23/09/1961 2:50 PM Hawthorn v Footscray MCG 94 - 51 107,935