1966 VFL season explained

Competition:vfl_premiership
Year:1966
Teams:12
Count:1
Mpcount:13
Pre-Season Name:Consolation series
Pscount:2
Matches:112
Highattend:102,055
Top Goal Scorer:Ted Fordham
Brownlow Medal:Ian Stewart
Prevseason:1965
Nextseason:1967

The 1966 VFL season was the 70th season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 23 April until 24 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 St Kilda Football Club, after it defeated by one point in the VFL Grand Final. It was St Kilda's first, and to date only premiership, making it the last of the eight foundation clubs to win a premiership.

Background

In 1966, 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 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 1966 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the Page–McIntyre system.

Home-and-away season

Round 1

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"| Home team| Home team score| Away team| Away team score| Venue| Crowd| Date|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 11.6 (72)| | 9.4 (58)| Windy Hill| 31,560| 23 April 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 17.13 (115)| | 9.8 (62)| Victoria Park| 32,741| 23 April 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 16.19 (115)| | 9.8 (62)| Lake Oval| 22,376| 23 April 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 4.9 (33)| | 17.7 (109)| MCG| 64,934| 25 April 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 11.9 (75)| | 13.9 (87)| Western Oval| 23,252| 25 April 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 14.16 (100)| | 16.10 (106)| Princes Park| 43,695| 25 April 1966

Round 2

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"| Home team| Home team score| Away team| Away team score| Venue| Crowd| Date|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 7.14 (56)| | 3.11 (29)| Glenferrie Oval| 14,000| 30 April 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 13.16 (94)| | 11.8 (74)| Kardinia Park| 21,490| 30 April 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 17.15 (117)| | 5.17 (47)| MCG| 28,596| 30 April 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 5.13 (43)| | 12.20 (92)| Arden Street Oval| 19,813| 30 April 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 5.12 (42)| | 9.17 (71)| Brunswick Street Oval| 20,362| 30 April 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 15.17 (107)| | 7.12 (54)| Moorabbin Oval| 30,810| 30 April 1966

Round 3

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"| Home team| Home team score| Away team| Away team score| Venue| Crowd| Date|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 9.13 (67)| | 15.13 (103)| Arden Street Oval| 17,261| 7 May 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 18.15 (123)| | 11.14 (80)| MCG| 32,608| 7 May 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 14.22 (106)| | 7.15 (57)| Lake Oval| 17,259| 7 May 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 12.14 (86)| | 7.4 (46)| Kardinia Park| 17,395| 7 May 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 8.18 (66)| | 8.6 (54)| Windy Hill| 43,487| 7 May 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 6.8 (44)| | 10.16 (76)| Brunswick Street Oval| 16,714| 7 May 1966

Round 4

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"| Home team| Home team score| Away team| Away team score| Venue| Crowd| Date|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 12.17 (89)| | 17.17 (119)| MCG| 31,497| 14 May 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 9.13 (67)| | 14.15 (99)| Glenferrie Oval| 10,873| 14 May 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 12.13 (85)| | 5.18 (48)| Victoria Park| 40,272| 14 May 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 15.12 (102)| | 5.11 (41)| Princes Park| 31,819| 14 May 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 15.11 (101)| | 7.16 (58)| Moorabbin Oval| 37,140| 14 May 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 12.12 (84)| | 5.16 (46)| Western Oval| 14,672| 14 May 1966

Round 5

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"| Home team| Home team score| Away team| Away team score| Venue| Crowd| Date|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 12.8 (80)| | 15.8 (98)| Kardinia Park| 21,655| 21 May 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 10.10 (70)| | 4.10 (34)| Western Oval| 12,424| 21 May 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 7.11 (53)| | 13.17 (95)| Lake Oval| 33,255| 21 May 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 9.10 (64)| | 17.11 (113)| Brunswick Street Oval| 15,279| 21 May 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 7.4 (46)| | 11.15 (81)| Arden Street Oval| 21,293| 21 May 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 3.14 (32)| | 11.13 (79)| MCG| 35,955| 21 May 1966

Round 6

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"| Home team| Home team score| Away team| Away team score| Venue| Crowd| Date|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 12.16 (88)| | 9.9 (63)| MCG| 45,254| 28 May 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 15.15 (105)| | 12.9 (81)| Windy Hill| 15,400| 28 May 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 12.18 (90)| | 8.9 (57)| Victoria Park| 26,153| 28 May 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 11.13 (79)| | 6.10 (46)| Princes Park| 23,598| 28 May 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 8.7 (55)| | 12.20 (92)| Arden Street Oval| 15,290| 28 May 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 17.16 (118)| | 8.6 (54)| Moorabbin Oval| 19,737| 28 May 1966

Round 7

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"| Home team| Home team score| Away team| Away team score| Venue| Crowd| Date|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 11.12 (78)| | 15.12 (102)| Glenferrie Oval| 18,755| 4 June 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 12.6 (78)| | 15.12 (102)| Brunswick Street Oval| 14,338| 4 June 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 17.16 (118)| | 15.16 (106)| Lake Oval| 15,800| 4 June 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 14.10 (94)| | 9.6 (60)| MCG| 38,498| 4 June 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 6.12 (48)| | 8.20 (68)| Western Oval| 23,721| 4 June 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 8.9 (57)| | 8.8 (56)| Kardinia Park| 25,398| 4 June 1966

Round 8

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"| Home team| Home team score| Away team| Away team score| Venue| Crowd| Date|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 11.5 (71)| | 7.8 (50)| Western Oval| 15,983| 11 June 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 14.21 (105)| | 11.10 (76)| Victoria Park| 37,034| 11 June 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 7.15 (57)| | 8.6 (54)| Princes Park| 26,510| 11 June 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 8.13 (61)| | 11.14 (80)| Brunswick Street Oval| 12,987| 13 June 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 10.11 (71)| | 8.23 (71)| MCG| 33,959| 13 June 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 8.8 (56)| | 7.7 (49)| Moorabbin Oval| 50,548| 13 June 1966

Round 9

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"| Home team| Home team score| Away team| Away team score| Venue| Crowd| Date|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 16.13 (109)| | 11.8 (74)| MCG| 55,426| 18 June 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 9.17 (71)| | 4.13 (37)| Windy Hill| 18,600| 18 June 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 9.11 (65)| | 4.12 (36)| Arden Street Oval| 8,957| 18 June 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 20.24 (144)| | 5.1 (31)| Kardinia Park| 13,550| 18 June 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 11.7 (73)| | 13.20 (98)| Lake Oval| 25,100| 18 June 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 9.13 (67)| | 9.9 (63)| Glenferrie Oval| 19,500| 18 June 1966

Round 10

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"| Home team| Home team score| Away team| Away team score| Venue| Crowd| Date|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 17.15 (117)| | 8.9 (57)| Kardinia Park| 13,941| 25 June 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 8.19 (67)| | 8.7 (55)| Western Oval| 11,733| 25 June 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 14.16 (100)| | 15.6 (96)| Windy Hill| 20,600| 25 June 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 17.15 (117)| | 6.9 (45)| Victoria Park| 37,607| 25 June 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 11.17 (83)| | 3.7 (25)| MCG| 14,688| 25 June 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 8.17 (65)| | 6.6 (42)| Arden Street Oval| 10,573| 25 June 1966

Round 11

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"| Home team| Home team score| Away team| Away team score| Venue| Crowd| Date|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 10.7 (67)| | 22.8 (140)| Brunswick Street Oval| 9,351| 2 July 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 9.21 (75)| | 13.15 (93)| MCG| 39,217| 2 July 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 15.15 (105)| | 7.12 (54)| Moorabbin Oval| 21,507| 2 July 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 6.13 (49)| | 11.13 (79)| Glenferrie Oval| 15,880| 9 July 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 7.11 (53)| | 6.6 (42)| Princes Park| 29,240| 9 July 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 12.10 (82)| | 13.12 (90)| Lake Oval| 22,750| 9 July 1966

Round 12

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"| Home team| Home team score| Away team| Away team score| Venue| Crowd| Date|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 8.5 (53)| | 10.15 (75)| Brunswick Street Oval| 6,936| 16 July 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 12.13 (85)| | 6.6 (42)| Moorabbin Oval| 15,003| 16 July 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 10.15 (75)| | 6.6 (42)| Arden Street Oval| 8,114| 16 July 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 15.7 (97)| | 5.7 (37)| Kardinia Park| 23,114| 16 July 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 5.7 (37)| | 16.14 (110)| Glenferrie Oval| 13,990| 16 July 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 8.13 (61)| | 4.6 (30)| MCG| 38,094| 16 July 1966

Round 13

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"| Home team| Home team score| Away team| Away team score| Venue| Crowd| Date|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 7.15 (57)| | 11.16 (82)| Western Oval| 16,573| 23 July 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 6.16 (52)| | 6.6 (42)| Windy Hill| 19,400| 23 July 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 19.14 (128)| | 9.7 (61)| Victoria Park| 18,094| 23 July 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 7.15 (57)| | 5.11 (41)| Princes Park| 33,367| 23 July 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 23.13 (151)| | 9.5 (59)| MCG| 18,254| 23 July 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 9.11 (65)| | 9.17 (71)| Lake Oval| 20,100| 23 July 1966

Round 14

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"| Home team| Home team score| Away team| Away team score| Venue| Crowd| Date|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 10.12 (72)| | 14.13 (97)| MCG| 35,460| 30 July 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 10.16 (76)| | 14.17 (101)| Glenferrie Oval| 12,237| 30 July 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 7.9 (51)| | 10.11 (71)| Western Oval| 16,951| 30 July 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 7.10 (52)| | 18.9 (117)| Victoria Park| 38,918| 30 July 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 12.15 (87)| | 9.6 (60)| Princes Park| 15,203| 30 July 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 10.18 (78)| | 4.16 (40)| Moorabbin Oval| 30,530| 30 July 1966

Round 15

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"| Home team| Home team score| Away team| Away team score| Venue| Crowd| Date|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 14.11 (95)| | 10.12 (72)| Kardinia Park| 28,729| 6 August 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 13.17 (95)| | 13.11 (89)| Brunswick Street Oval| 8,795| 6 August 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 18.17 (125)| | 15.19 (109)| Lake Oval| 14,200| 6 August 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 11.16 (82)| | 12.11 (83)| Arden Street Oval| 5,835| 6 August 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 13.8 (86)| | 16.9 (105)| MCG| 73,834| 6 August 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 18.7 (115)| | 10.13 (73)| Windy Hill| 28,000| 6 August 1966

Round 16

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"| Home team| Home team score| Away team| Away team score| Venue| Crowd| Date|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 19.19 (133)| | 10.6 (66)| Moorabbin Oval| 20,083| 13 August 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 14.9 (93)| | 6.9 (45)| Windy Hill| 14,600| 13 August 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 12.21 (93)| | 6.8 (44)| Victoria Park| 19,900| 13 August 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 14.15 (99)| | 10.10 (70)| Princes Park| 13,127| 13 August 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 6.12 (48)| | 11.16 (82)| MCG| 54,976| 13 August 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 18.11 (119)| | 9.13 (67)| Glenferrie Oval| 8,429| 13 August 1966

Round 17

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"| Home team| Home team score| Away team| Away team score| Venue| Crowd| Date|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 17.16 (118)| | 11.13 (79)| Kardinia Park| 19,654| 20 August 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 5.10 (40)| | 17.22 (124)| Brunswick Street Oval| 12,165| 20 August 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 10.11 (71)| | 10.12 (72)| Lake Oval| 20,200| 20 August 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 11.13 (79)| | 15.10 (100)| Glenferrie Oval| 21,520| 20 August 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 12.12 (84)| | 21.15 (141)| MCG| 46,319| 20 August 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 4.1 (25)| | 12.14 (86)| Western Oval| 14,516| 20 August 1966

Round 18

|- bgcolor="#CCCCFF"| Home team| Home team score| Away team| Away team score| Venue| Crowd| Date|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 12.16 (88)| | 11.5 (71)| Arden Street Oval| 10,419| 27 August 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 11.18 (84)| | 7.7 (49)| Windy Hill| 22,200| 27 August 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 18.24 (132)| | 3.10 (28)| Victoria Park| 20,324| 27 August 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 5.10 (40)| | 16.14 (110)| Princes Park| 37,236| 27 August 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 14.9 (93)| | 13.5 (83)| Moorabbin Oval| 23,860| 27 August 1966|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"| | 20.23 (143)| | 11.10 (76)| MCG| 18,980| 27 August 1966

Ladder

(P) Premiers
bgcolor=FFFFBB Qualified for finals
|- style=background:#FFFFBB| 1 || align=left | || 18 || 15 || 3 || 0 || 1687 || 1073 || 157.2 || 60|- style=background:#FFFFBB| 2 || align=left | (P) || 18 || 14 || 4 || 0 || 1641 || 1149 || 142.8 || 56|- style=background:#FFFFBB| 3 || align=left | || 18 || 14 || 4 || 0 || 1599 || 1162 || 137.6 || 56|- style=background:#FFFFBB| 4 || align=left | || 18 || 14 || 4 || 0 || 1457 || 1204 || 121.0 || 56|-| 5 || align=left | || 18 || 13 || 4 || 1 || 1626 || 1320 || 123.2 || 54|-| 6 || align=left | || 18 || 10 || 8 || 0 || 1233 || 1143 || 107.9 || 40|-| 7 || align=left | || 18 || 7 || 10 || 1 || 1294 || 1381 || 93.7 || 30|-| 8 || align=left | || 18 || 7 || 11 || 0 || 1486 || 1505 || 98.7 || 28|-| 9 || align=left | || 18 || 5 || 13 || 0 || 1224 || 1650 || 74.2 || 20|-| 10 || align=left | || 18 || 4 || 14 || 0 || 1004 || 1458 || 68.9 || 16|-| 11 || align=left | || 18 || 3 || 15 || 0 || 1235 || 1580 || 78.2 || 12|-| 12 || align=left | || 18 || 1 || 17 || 0 || 1004 || 1865 || 53.8 || 4|}

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 76.3
Source: AFL Tables

Finals series

Semi-finals

Team1 Qtr2 Qtr3 QtrFinal
Geelong3.43.57.912.14 (86)
Essendon6.110.513.615.6 (96)
Attendance: 93,765

Preliminary final

Team1 Qtr2 Qtr3 QtrFinal
St Kilda4.110.210.215.4 (94)
Essendon[1] 2.43.43.97.10 (52)
Attendance: 93,453

Grand final

See main article: 1966 VFL Grand Final.

Team1 Qtr2 Qtr3 QtrFinal
Collingwood2.15.77.1110.13 (73)
St Kilda2.55.68.910.14 (74)
Attendance: 102,055

Night Series Competition

The 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 season.

Final: North Melbourne 20.12 (132) defeated Hawthorn 12.7 (79).

Season notes

Awards

References

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Of the twenty players selected to play for Essendon, (see https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jB0QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=apMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1718%2C2691114) twelve of them – Greg Brown, Jack Clarke, Barry Davis, Kevin Egan, Ted Fordham, Ken Fraser, Darryl Gerlach, Geoff Gosper, Graeme Johnston, Don McKenzie, Hugh Mitchell, and Geoff Pryor – had grown up in the Essendon district (also, another two "locals", Russell Blew, and Barry Capuano had played and five and six senior games, respectively, that season) (see https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=H69PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WJMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1663%2C2676220).
  2. News: The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne. 1 August 1966. 42. Bob Crimeen. Angle on rectangle.
  3. News: The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne. 18 August 1966. 46. New rules in night series.
  4. Web site: Rule changes 1858-2013 . Australian Football League . 8 February 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140223121838/http://www.afl.com.au/afl-hq/the-afl-explained/rule-changes-1858-2013 . 23 February 2014 .
  5. News: The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne. 31 August 1966. 63. Richmond out of under-19 four.
  6. News: The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne. 26 September 1966. Hart clinched Tigers' win. 42. Rex Pullen.