NON-PREMIERSHIP MATCHES
1956 VFL NIGHT PREMIERSHIP
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
Date |
Teams |
1/4 |
1/2 |
3/4 |
Final |
Margin |
Venue |
Day/Time |
Crowd |
ROUND
1 |
|||||||||
Aug-23 |
South Melbourne (9) |
1.0 (6) |
6.7 (43) |
7.10 (52) |
13.15 (93) |
20 |
Lake Oval, |
Thu |
14,000 |
St Kilda (11) |
3.6 (24) |
5.7 (37) |
10.12 (72) |
10.13 (73) |
South Melbourne |
(8:00pm) |
|||
Aug-28 |
Essendon (6) |
1.1 (7) |
4.5 (29) |
7.6 (48) |
8.11 (59) |
2 |
Lake Oval, |
Tue |
13,500 |
North Melbourne (12) |
2.4 (16) |
4.7 (31) |
8.12 (60) |
8.13 (61) |
South Melbourne |
(8:00pm) |
|||
Aug-30 |
Richmond (10) |
2.4 (16) |
6.8 (44) |
8.8 (56) |
12.10 (82) |
9 |
Lake Oval, |
Thu |
15,200 |
Hawthorn (7) |
2.4 (16) |
4.8 (32) |
6.16 (52) |
9.19 (73) |
South Melbourne |
(8:00pm) |
|||
Sep-04 |
Carlton (5) |
5.3 (33) |
7.10 (52) |
10.15 (75) |
13.18 (96) |
14 |
Lake Oval, |
Tue |
25,000 |
Fitzroy (8) |
5.1 (31) |
6.3 (39) |
9.8 (62) |
12.10 (82) |
South Melbourne |
(8:00pm) |
|||
SEMI
FINALS |
|||||||||
Sep-06 |
South Melbourne (9) |
4.1 (25) |
7.7 (49) |
8.8 (56) |
9.13 (67) |
5 |
Lake Oval, |
Thu |
17,500 |
North Melbourne (12) |
3.7 (25) |
3.10 (28) |
7.12 (54) |
8.14 (62) |
South Melbourne |
(8:00pm) |
|||
Sep-12 |
Richmond (10) |
2.5 (17) |
5.7 (37) |
7.12 (54) |
9.15 (69) |
12 |
Lake Oval, |
Wed |
25,500 |
Carlton (5) |
3.5 (23) |
8.7 (55) |
8.8 (56) |
11.15 (81) |
South Melbourne |
(8:00pm) |
|||
EXHIBITION
MATCH |
|||||||||
Sep-14 |
Footscray (3) |
4.2 (26) |
8.6 (54) |
12.11 (83) |
12.16 (88) |
45 |
Lake Oval, |
Fri |
12,500 |
Geelong (4) |
1.2 (8) |
4.3 (27) |
5.5 (35) |
6.7 (43) |
South Melbourne |
(8:00pm) |
|||
GRAND
FINAL |
|||||||||
Sep-17 |
South Melbourne (9) |
3.6 (24) |
7.8 (50) |
10.13 (73) |
13.16 (94) |
6 |
Lake Oval, |
Mon |
33,120 |
Carlton (5) |
2.4 (16) |
2.7 (19) |
7.8 (50) |
13.10 (88) |
South Melbourne |
(8:00pm) |
ABOUT THE INAGURAL NIGHT SERIES
Years of frustration and false starts had seen metropolitan Melbourne fall behind other regions in the race for night football. The deadlock was broken when the South Melbourne Cricket Club (SMCC) decided to invest in four light towers to enable night football, soccer, baseball and other sports to be played at the venue.
The series was originally meant to involve VFL and VFA clubs. However, the SMCC set a deadline of September 12th for the night final to be played (that deadline was later extended to September 17th). The VFA home & away season only ended on September 1st which did not leave enough time for their clubs to participate. The VFL chose to go ahead with the series without VFA involvement. The VFA's frustrations were eased by an assurance they would participate in the 1957 night series. They later chose to play night premiership matches at the Lake Oval during the 1957 season instead; a niche market that the VFL had shown no real interest in exploring at that stage. [The Argus 28-9-1956] |
The relatively large night series crowds meant a bottom-eight club that lost their opening round match in the night competition would bank around £700, with the winning club making as much as £2000. This was considerably more than the VFL's top-four clubs who had to divide their finals takings among all 12 clubs.
It was this financial imbalance that led to all clubs taking part in the 1957 Night Series, with the top-four entering the night competition as they were eliminated from the VFL finals race. [The Football Record 14-9-1956 / The Age 20-7-1982]
PARTICIPATING TEAMS
5th - Carlton
6th - Essendon 7th - Hawthorn 8th - Fitzroy 9th - South Melbourne 10th - Richmond 11th - St Kilda 12th - North Melbourne |
SERIES FORMAT
An exhibition match between the VFL's third and fourth-placed teams (Footscray and Geelong respectively) was also played between the night series semi-finals and grand final (see the EVENTS tab for more information about this game).
NOTABLE EVENTS
*The Lake Oval was the venue for the series, and also the home ground of the South Melbourne Football Club, so it was natural that the Swans played in the inaugural match. This soon developed into something of a tradition with South playing the opener in ten of the fifteen series they participated in during this era.
*An exhibition match was played in the period between the night series second semi-final and Grand Final. This was a charity match between the teams finishing 3rd (Footscray) and 4th (Geelong) in the VFL premiership. The match was a fundraiser for Operation Gratitude, a massive fundraising campaign for the RSL and Legacy which ran throughout the second half of 1956.
*Alcohol consumption was a growing problem during the 1956 series with the large crowds transporting in and consuming copious amounts of alcohol. One report of the Richmond-Hawthorn match described night football as "becoming the Mecca of thousands of unruly drinkers, with thousands of empty bottles scattered about the terraces by halftime". [The Argus 31-8-1956]
MATCH REPORTS
Match 1 - Thursday, August 23 |
||||||||
SOUTH MELBOURNE |
1.0 (6) |
6.7 (43) |
7.10 (52) |
13.15 (93) |
||||
ST KILDA |
3.6 (24) |
5.7 (37) |
10.12 (72) |
10.13 (73) |
||||
BEST PLAYERS: |
||||||||
South Melbourne |
McCormack, Ledwidge, Dorgan, E. Lane, Oaten, Marks |
|||||||
St Kilda |
Roberts, Muir, Stephenson, Moloney, Gleeson,
Walsh |
|||||||
GOALKICKERS: |
||||||||
South Melbourne |
Goldsmith 4, McCormack 2, C. Lane 2, Oaten 2, Keyter, E. Lane, Ferguson |
|||||||
St Kilda |
Young 4, Muir 2, Gleeson 2, B. McCarthy, Minahan |
|||||||
REPLACEMENTS: |
||||||||
South Melbourne |
C. Lane replaced Skilton (first quarter) |
|||||||
Ferguson replaced Elder (third quarter) |
||||||||
St Kilda |
Hanrahan replaced B. McCarthy (last quarter) |
|||||||
Watt replaced Williamson (last quarter) |
||||||||
UMPIRE: |
Schwab |
|||||||
CROWD: |
14,000 |
|||||||
SOURCE: |
AGE/ARGUS/Football Record |
|||||||
NOTES: |
||||||||
The opening game of the series ground
to a halt when a South Melbourne player was flattened in the goalsquare. |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Match 2 - Tuesday, August 28 |
||||||||
ESSENDON |
1.1 (7) |
4.5 (29) |
7.6 (48)* |
8.11 (59) |
||||
NORTH MELBOURNE |
2.4 (16) |
4.7 (31) |
8.12 (60)* |
8.13 (61) |
||||
BEST PLAYERS: |
||||||||
Essendon |
Clarke, Booth, Sewell, Gill, Pascoe, Heenan |
|||||||
North Melbourne |
Aylett, O’Halloran, Dwyer, Martyn, Templar,
Spencer |
|||||||
GOALKICKERS: |
||||||||
Essendon |
Willey 3, Booth 2, Hutchison, Shearman, Donohue |
|||||||
North Melbourne |
Spencer 4, Aylett 2, Mantello, Dwyer |
|||||||
REPLACEMENTS: |
||||||||
Essendon |
Carstairs replaced Donohoe (third quarter) |
|||||||
Dench replaced Clarkson (third quarter) |
||||||||
North Melbourne |
Crampton replaced Brady (selected side), Ford replaced English (selected side) |
|||||||
Dozzi replaced K. Dean (last quarter) |
||||||||
Wilson replaced Templar (last quarter) |
||||||||
UMPIRE: |
Barbour |
|||||||
CROWD: |
13,500 |
|||||||
SOURCE: |
AGE/Football Record |
|||||||
SCORE DISCREPANCIES: |
NM's 3/4 time score in
The Football Record = 8.12 (The Age has 7.11) |
|||||||
Essendon's 3/4 time
score in The Football Record = 7.6 (The Age has 7.8) |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Match 3 - Thursday, August 30 |
||||||||
RICHMOND |
2.4 (16) |
6.8 (44) |
8.8 (56) |
12.10 (82) |
||||
HAWTHORN |
2.4 (16) |
4.8 (32) |
6.16 (52) |
9.19 (73) |
||||
BEST PLAYERS: |
||||||||
Richmond |
H. Rowe, D. Rowe, Branton, McDonald, Allsopp,
Cations |
|||||||
Hawthorn |
Coghlan, Metcalfe, O’Brien, Hughes, Kaine, M.
Considine |
|||||||
GOALKICKERS: |
||||||||
Richmond |
Dummett 4, Branton 3, Allsopp, McDonald, Cooke,
Naismith, Poulter |
|||||||
Hawthorn |
Douglas 2, Coghlan 2, Kaine, O’Brien, Cooper,
Metcalfe, Peck |
|||||||
REPLACEMENTS: |
||||||||
Richmond |
unknown |
|||||||
Hawthorn |
unknown |
|||||||
UMPIRE: |
Frood |
|||||||
CROWD: |
15,200 |
|||||||
SOURCE: |
AGE/SUN/Football Record |
|||||||
NOTES: |
- |
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Match 4 - Tuesday, September 4 |
||||||||
CARLTON |
5.3 (33) |
7.10 (52) |
10.15 (75) |
13.18 (96) |
||||
FITZROY |
5.1 (31) |
6.3 (39) |
9.8 (62) |
12.10 (82) |
||||
BEST PLAYERS: |
||||||||
Carlton |
Hands, Mills, Kerr, Clarke, Beasy, Ousley |
|||||||
Fitzroy |
Murray, Clark, Williams, Abraham, Johnstone,
Henderson |
|||||||
GOALKICKERS: |
||||||||
Carlton |
Ousley 4, Beasy 3, Mills 2, Clarke 2, Hands, Kerr |
|||||||
Fitzroy |
Abraham 5, Johnstone 2, Ongarello,
Aston, Clark, Campbell, Knight |
|||||||
REPLACEMENTS: |
||||||||
Carlton |
Licciardo replaced Holt (third quarter) |
|||||||
Hamilton replaced Burnar
(three-quarter time) |
||||||||
Fitzroy |
Ashton replaced Furness (three-quarter time) |
|||||||
Chivers replaced McGregor (three-quarter time) |
||||||||
UMPIRE: |
Nunn |
|||||||
CROWD: |
25,000 |
|||||||
SOURCE: |
AGE/SUN/Football Record |
|||||||
NOTES: |
- |
Match 5 - Thursday, September 6 |
|
||||||||
SOUTH MELBOURNE |
4.1 (25) |
7.7 (49) |
8.8 (56) |
9.13 (67) |
|||||
NORTH MELBOURNE |
3.7 (25) |
3.10 (28) |
7.12 (54) |
8.14 (62) |
|||||
BEST PLAYERS: |
|||||||||
South Melbourne |
Sibun, Goldsmith, Younger, Taylor, Pratt, Primmer |
|
|||||||
North Melbourne |
Aylett, Dwyer, Martyn, Templar, O’Halloran,
Dugdale |
|
|||||||
GOALKICKERS: |
|||||||||
South Melbourne |
Goldsmith 4, D. Matthews 2, Clegg, Monks, Oaten |
|
|||||||
North Melbourne |
Aylett 3, N. Dean, K. Dean, Templar, O’Halloran,
Dugdale |
|
|||||||
REPLACEMENTS: |
|||||||||
South Melbourne |
Younger replaced Hogan (second quarter) |
|
|||||||
Oaten replaced Ledwidge (third quarter) |
|
||||||||
North Melbourne |
Tobin replaced K. Dean (last quarter) |
|
|||||||
Ford replaced N. Dean (last quarter) |
|
||||||||
UMPIRE: |
Woolfe |
|
|||||||
CROWD: |
17,500 |
|
|||||||
SOURCE: |
AGE/SUN/Football Record |
|
|||||||
NOTES: |
- |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Match 6 - Wednesday, September 12 |
|
||||||||
RICHMOND |
2.5 (17) |
5.7 (37) |
7.12 (54) |
9.15 (69) |
|||||
CARLTON |
3.5 (23) |
8.7 (55) |
8.8 (56) |
11.15 (81) |
|||||
BEST PLAYERS: |
|||||||||
Richmond |
Poulter, D. Rowe, H. Rowe, Claxton, Branton,
Dummett |
|
|||||||
Carlton |
Nicholls, Milroy, Mills, Beasy, Hands, James |
|
|||||||
GOALKICKERS: |
|||||||||
Richmond |
Dummett 3, Poulter 2, Claxton 2, McDonald,
Branton |
|
|||||||
Carlton |
Crowe 3, Hands 2, Inglis, Beasy, Mills, Milroy, Zeunert, Clarke |
|
|||||||
REPLACEMENTS: |
|||||||||
Richmond |
(none) |
|
|||||||
Carlton |
Ousley replaced Crowe (third quarter) |
|
|||||||
Berner replaced Sullivan (last quarter) |
|
||||||||
UMPIRE: |
Flanagan |
|
|||||||
CROWD: |
25,500 |
|
|||||||
SOURCE: |
AGE/Football Record |
|
|||||||
NOTES: |
- |
||||||||
Exhibition Match - Friday, September
14 |
||||||||
FOOTSCRAY |
4.2 (26) |
8.6 (54) |
12.11 (83) |
12.16 (88) |
||||
GEELONG |
1.2 (8) |
4.3 (27) |
5.5 (35) |
6.7 (43) |
||||
BEST PLAYERS: |
||||||||
Footscray |
Whitten, Duffy, Collins, Gallagher,
Reynolds, Dixon, Ryan |
|||||||
Geelong |
O’Neill, Pianto,
Tresize, Gazzard,
O’Connell, Hovey, Williams |
|||||||
GOALKICKERS: |
||||||||
Footscray |
Duffy 4, Collins 3, K. Smith, Ryan,
Ross, Dixon, Westcott |
|||||||
Geelong |
Wooller 2, O’Connell 2, Smith, Bartle |
|||||||
UMPIRE: |
Rowe |
|||||||
CROWD: |
12,500 |
|||||||
SOURCE: |
AGE |
|||||||
NOTES: |
||||||||
Fundraiser for 'Operation Gratitude'
played by the VFL teams finishing 3rd (Footscray)
and 4th (Geelong). |
SOUTH
MELBOURNE |
||||
COACH |
Herbie Matthews |
|||
|
||||
BACKS |
Dorgan |
Grant |
Trethowan |
|
HALF-BACKS |
McLaughlin |
Ferguson |
Primmer |
|
CENTRES |
McCormack |
Sibun |
Monks |
|
HALF-FORWARDS |
Matthews |
Clegg |
Pratt |
|
FORWARDS |
Gillett (C) |
Goldsmith |
E. Lane |
|
FOLLOWERS |
Taylor |
Seymour |
||
ROVER |
McGowan |
|||
|
||||
RESERVES |
Tagliabue |
Woolley |
||
EMERGENCIES |
C. Lane, McNeill, Mellesso, Barry |
|||
CARLTON |
||||
COACH |
Jim Francis |
|||
|
||||
BACKS |
Comben |
Ferry |
English |
|
HALF-BACKS |
Zeunert |
James |
Holt |
|
CENTRES |
Gilchrist |
Nicholls |
Sullivan |
|
HALF-FORWARDS |
Kerr |
Milroy |
Hamilton |
|
FORWARDS |
Webster |
Crowe |
Mills |
|
FOLLOWERS |
Hands (C) |
Buckley |
||
ROVER |
Beasy |
|||
|
||||
RESERVES |
Berner |
Ousley |
||
EMERGENCIES |
McCrae, Dawson, Licciardo, Benetti,
K. O’Brien |
1956 VFL NIGHT PREMIERSHIP - GRAND FINAL
Match 7 - Monday, September 17 |
||||||||
SOUTH MELBOURNE |
3.6 (24) |
7.8 (50) |
10.13 (73) |
13.16 (94) |
||||
CARLTON |
2.4 (16) |
2.7 (19) |
7.8 (50) |
13.10 (88) |
||||
BEST PLAYERS: |
||||||||
South Melbourne |
Clegg, McGowan, Goldsmith, Matthews,
Sibun, Taylor |
|||||||
Carlton |
Hands, Zeunert,
English, Crowe, Gilchrist, Kerr |
|||||||
GOALKICKERS: |
||||||||
South Melbourne |
McGowan 4, Goldsmith 3, Sibun, Pratt,
Matthews, Taylor, Clegg, Gillett |
|||||||
Carlton |
Crowe 4, Kerr 2, Hands, Hamilton, Nicholls,
English, Beasy, Berner, Sullivan |
|||||||
REPLACEMENTS: |
||||||||
South Melbourne |
Tagliabue replaced McCormack (last quarter) |
|||||||
Carlton |
Berner replaced Mills (third quarter) |
|||||||
Ousley replaced Hamilton (three-quarter time) |
||||||||
UMPIRE: |
Beitzel |
|||||||
CROWD: |
33,120* |
|||||||
SOURCE: |
AGE |
|||||||
NOTES: |
||||||||
For winning the series South Melbourne received a
cash prize of £200 and the K.G. Luke Trophy (valued at £75). |
||||||||
*CROWD DISCREPANCY: |
||||||||
Media reports of the day (and current AFL
records) have the crowd for this match as 32,450. |
Written and researched by David Eastman
|
First published 15/2/2017
Last updated 11/7/2021 |