1978 VFL season
| 1978 VFL Premiership season | |
|---|---|
| Teams | 12 |
| Premiers |
Hawthorn (4th premiership) |
| Minor premiers |
 North Melbourne(2nd minor premiership) |
| Night series |
Fitzroy (1st Night series win) |
| Matches played | 138 |
| Attendance | 3,478,015 (25,203 per match) |
| Highest attendance | 101,704 |
| Coleman Medallist | Kelvin Templeton (Footscray) |
| Brownlow Medallist |
Malcolm Blight (North Melbourne) |
|
← 1977 1979 → | |
The 1978 Victorian Football League season was the 82nd season of the elite Australian rules football competition.
Night Series
Fitzroy defeated North Melbourne 13.18 (96) to 2.8 (20) in the Final at VFL Park.
Premiership season
Round 1
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 22.15 (147) | Melbourne | 9.14 (68) | Princes Park | 10,632 | 1 April 1978 |
| Footscray | 11.14 (80) | North Melbourne | 23.11 (149) | Western Oval | 20,420 | 1 April 1978 |
| Fitzroy | 15.11 (101) | St Kilda | 16.13 (109) | Junction Oval | 17,030 | 1 April 1978 |
| Essendon | 19.9 (123) | South Melbourne | 14.18 (102) | Windy Hill | 23,562 | 1 April 1978 |
| Geelong | 11.10 (76) | Collingwood | 17.16 (118) | Kardinia Park | 27,463 | 1 April 1978 |
| Richmond | 25.24 (174) | Carlton | 14.13 (97) | MCG | 49,031 | 1 April 1978 |
Round 2
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 25.16 (166) | Richmond | 14.9 (93) | Arden Street Oval | 22,505 | 8 April 1978 |
| Collingwood | 22.23 (155) | Essendon | 12.16 (88) | Victoria Park | 34,160 | 8 April 1978 |
| Carlton | 13.17 (95) | Geelong | 15.19 (109) | Princes Park | 16,841 | 8 April 1978 |
| South Melbourne | 16.8 (104) | Hawthorn | 18.24 (132) | Lake Oval | 15,037 | 8 April 1978 |
| St Kilda | 20.17 (137) | Footscray | 19.16 (130) | Moorabbin Oval | 18,540 | 8 April 1978 |
| Melbourne | 24.23 (167) | Fitzroy | 23.19 (157) | MCG | 15,613 | 8 April 1978 |
Round 3
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 16.14 (110) | St Kilda | 15.20 (110) | MCG | 35,602 | 15 April 1978 |
| Footscray | 10.16 (76) | Geelong | 21.14 (140) | Western Oval | 16,949 | 15 April 1978 |
| Essendon | 15.15 (105) | Fitzroy | 14.17 (101) | Windy Hill | 16,300 | 15 April 1978 |
| Carlton | 13.20 (98) | Melbourne | 11.19 (85) | Princes Park | 17,765 | 15 April 1978 |
| South Melbourne | 18.11 (119) | Collingwood | 14.18 (102) | Lake Oval | 20,733 | 15 April 1978 |
| North Melbourne | 16.15 (111) | Hawthorn | 12.14 (86) | VFL Park | 39,097 | 15 April 1978 |
Round 4
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 18.17 (125) | Richmond | 15.8 (98) | Kardinia Park | 20,566 | 22 April 1978 |
| Fitzroy | 21.17 (143) | South Melbourne | 18.16 (124) | Junction Oval | 13,660 | 22 April 1978 |
| Collingwood | 14.19 (103) | Hawthorn | 15.15 (105) | Victoria Park | 28,714 | 22 April 1978 |
| St Kilda | 14.16 (100) | North Melbourne | 17.17 (119) | Moorabbin Oval | 29,117 | 22 April 1978 |
| Melbourne | 18.19 (127) | Footscray | 18.12 (120) | MCG | 14,865 | 22 April 1978 |
| Essendon | 19.17 (131) | Carlton | 16.8 (104) | VFL Park | 34,516 | 22 April 1978 |
Round 5
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 19.16 (130) | Melbourne | 8.11 (59) | MCG | 34,212 | 25 April 1978 |
| St Kilda | 14.14 (98) | Geelong | 9.11 (65) | VFL Park | 43,388 | 25 April 1978 |
| Hawthorn | 14.17 (101) | Fitzroy | 15.12 (102) | Princes Park | 13,528 | 29 April 1978 |
| Footscray | 15.20 (110) | Essendon | 13.15 (93) | Western Oval | 20,328 | 29 April 1978 |
| North Melbourne | 19.10 (124) | Collingwood | 17.13 (115) | Arden Street Oval | 31,424 | 29 April 1978 |
| South Melbourne | 18.9 (117) | Carlton | 17.14 (116) | Lake Oval | 20,183 | 29 April 1978 |
Round 6
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 21.15 (141) | St Kilda | 31.18 (204) | MCG | 24,852 | 6 May 1978 |
| Geelong | 12.16 (88) | North Melbourne | 16.14 (110) | Kardinia Park | 23,074 | 6 May 1978 |
| Essendon | 22.18 (150) | Richmond | 19.15 (129) | Windy Hill | 21,946 | 6 May 1978 |
| Carlton | 19.12 (126) | Hawthorn | 24.13 (157) | Princes Park | 19,464 | 6 May 1978 |
| Fitzroy | 14.12 (96) | Collingwood | 22.16 (148) | Junction Oval | 25,282 | 6 May 1978 |
| South Melbourne | 18.15 (123) | Footscray | 16.9 (105) | VFL Park | 19,263 | 6 May 1978 |
Round 7
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 14.14 (98) | South Melbourne | 19.11 (125) | MCG | 25,904 | 13 May 1978 |
| Hawthorn | 27.15 (177) | Footscray | 13.13 (91) | Princes Park | 9,099 | 13 May 1978 |
| North Melbourne | 14.14 (98) | Fitzroy | 14.11 (95) | Arden Street Oval | 14,150 | 13 May 1978 |
| St Kilda | 17.11 (113) | Essendon | 16.11 (107) | Moorabbin Oval | 30,760 | 13 May 1978 |
| Collingwood | 9.14 (68) | Carlton | 12.13 (85) | Victoria Park | 26,782 | 13 May 1978 |
| Melbourne | 21.13 (139) | Geelong | 18.18 (126) | VFL Park | 13,072 | 13 May 1978 |
Round 8
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 8.13 (61) | North Melbourne | 20.17 (137) | MCG | 21,268 | 20 May 1978 |
| Essendon | 11.10 (76) | Geelong | 7.18 (60) | Windy Hill | 21,212 | 20 May 1978 |
| Carlton | 8.15 (63) | Fitzroy | 9.7 (61) | Princes Park | 21,520 | 20 May 1978 |
| South Melbourne | 20.16 (136) | St Kilda | 4.13 (37) | Lake Oval | 21,494 | 20 May 1978 |
| Footscray | 14.5 (89) | Collingwood | 14.9 (93) | Western Oval | 19,096 | 20 May 1978 |
| Hawthorn | 14.15 (99) | Richmond | 9.16 (70) | VFL Park | 27,224 | 20 May 1978 |
Round 9
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 16.13 (109) | South Melbourne | 14.11 (95) | Kardinia Park | 21,603 | 27 May 1978 |
| Fitzroy | 13.14 (92) | Footscray | 18.9 (117) | Junction Oval | 11,903 | 27 May 1978 |
| Collingwood | 12.20 (92) | Richmond | 10.16 (76) | Victoria Park | 28,651 | 27 May 1978 |
| Carlton | 18.9 (117) | North Melbourne | 8.11 (59) | Princes Park | 30,976 | 27 May 1978 |
| St Kilda | 8.9 (57) | Hawthorn | 13.19 (97) | Moorabbin Oval | 25,293 | 27 May 1978 |
| Essendon | 15.12 (102) | Melbourne | 8.12 (60) | VFL Park | 28,231 | 27 May 1978 |
Round 10
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 12.24 (96) | Geelong | 8.13 (61) | Princes Park | 11,066 | 3 June 1978 |
| Richmond | 12.14 (86) | Fitzroy | 11.14 (80) | MCG | 21,122 | 3 June 1978 |
| North Melbourne | 13.7 (85) | Essendon | 12.10 (82) | Arden Street Oval | 28,828 | 3 June 1978 |
| South Melbourne | 24.18 (162) | Melbourne | 14.8 (92) | Lake Oval | 15,738 | 5 June 1978 |
| Footscray | 19.11 (125) | Carlton | 15.14 (104) | Western Oval | 30,197 | 5 June 1978 |
| Collingwood | 18.23 (131) | St Kilda | 14.13 (97) | VFL Park | 72,669 | 5 June 1978 |
Round 11
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Fitzroy | 16.15 (111) | Geelong | 16.18 (114) | Junction Oval | 10,300 | 17 June 1978 |
| Essendon | 16.8 (104) | Hawthorn | 19.19 (133) | Windy Hill | 23,302 | 17 June 1978 |
| Collingwood | 17.25 (127) | Melbourne | 10.7 (67) | Victoria Park | 19,931 | 17 June 1978 |
| Carlton | 23.27 (165) | St Kilda | 8.17 (65) | Princes Park | 25,388 | 17 June 1978 |
| Richmond | 23.17 (155) | Footscray | 14.13 (97) | MCG | 22,764 | 17 June 1978 |
| North Melbourne | 17.15 (117) | South Melbourne | 15.7 (97) | VFL Park | 31,037 | 17 June 1978 |
Round 12
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Carlton | 20.17 (137) | Richmond | 13.16 (94) | Princes Park | 28,266 | 24 June 1978 |
| Melbourne | 15.18 (108) | Hawthorn | 18.20 (128) | MCG | 14,652 | 24 June 1978 |
| North Melbourne | 8.12 (60) | Footscray | 13.12 (90) | Arden Street Oval | 14,269 | 24 June 1978 |
| St Kilda | 17.9 (111) | Fitzroy | 20.14 (134) | Moorabbin Oval | 15,822 | 24 June 1978 |
| South Melbourne | 13.19 (97) | Essendon | 17.18 (120) | Lake Oval | 18,574 | 24 June 1978 |
| Geelong | 13.18 (96) | Collingwood | 7.14 (56) | VFL Park | 31,636 | 24 June 1978 |
Round 13
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 21.14 (140) | South Melbourne | 18.11 (119) | Princes Park | 13,583 | 1 July 1978 |
| Footscray | 33.15 (213) | St Kilda | 16.10 (106) | Western Oval | 16,300 | 1 July 1978 |
| Richmond | 21.16 (142) | North Melbourne | 17.15 (117) | MCG | 27,156 | 1 July 1978 |
| Essendon | 12.26 (98) | Collingwood | 14.21 (105) | Windy Hill | 29,913 | 1 July 1978 |
| Geelong | 8.9 (57) | Carlton | 9.13 (67) | Kardinia Park | 25,185 | 1 July 1978 |
| Fitzroy | 19.27 (141) | Melbourne | 8.13 (61) | VFL Park | 13,933 | 1 July 1978 |
Round 14
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 19.7 (121) | St Kilda | 18.16 (124) | Arden Street Oval | 12,599 | 8 July 1978 |
| Footscray | 20.7 (127) | Melbourne | 8.11 (59) | Western Oval | 13,325 | 8 July 1978 |
| Richmond | 17.20 (122) | Geelong | 18.9 (117) | MCG | 24,417 | 8 July 1978 |
| South Melbourne | 22.11 (143) | Fitzroy | 13.15 (93) | Lake Oval | 16,642 | 8 July 1978 |
| Essendon | 13.24 (102) | Carlton | 14.11 (95) | Windy Hill | 29,831 | 8 July 1978 |
| Collingwood | 13.6 (84) | Hawthorn | 10.14 (74) | VFL Park | 46,066 | 8 July 1978 |
Round 15
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 10.14 (74) | North Melbourne | 7.13 (55) | Princes Park | 16,214 | 15 July 1978 |
| Collingwood | 17.12 (114) | South Melbourne | 12.22 (94) | Victoria Park | 23,729 | 15 July 1978 |
| St Kilda | 10.11 (71) | Richmond | 19.11 (125) | Moorabbin Oval | 18,954 | 15 July 1978 |
| Geelong | 12.12 (84) | Footscray | 10.12 (72) | Kardinia Park | 15,700 | 15 July 1978 |
| Fitzroy | 15.11 (101) | Essendon | 11.17 (83) | Junction Oval | 13,550 | 15 July 1978 |
| Carlton | 17.13 (115) | Melbourne | 2.14 (26) | VFL Park | 16,870 | 15 July 1978 |
Round 16
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 14.9 (93) | Richmond | 17.19 (121) | MCG | 18,416 | 22 July 1978 |
| Geelong | 16.8 (104) | St Kilda | 12.20 (92) | Kardinia Park | 16,219 | 22 July 1978 |
| Fitzroy | 18.14 (122) | Hawthorn | 17.19 (121) | Junction Oval | 12,240 | 22 July 1978 |
| Collingwood | 7.17 (59) | North Melbourne | 15.11 (101) | Victoria Park | 32,286 | 22 July 1978 |
| Carlton | 16.16 (112) | South Melbourne | 9.17 (71) | Princes Park | 24,277 | 22 July 1978 |
| Footscray | 15.17 (107) | Essendon | 13.8 (86) | VFL Park | 30,200 | 22 July 1978 |
Round 17
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| St Kilda | 20.21 (141) | Melbourne | 13.11 (89) | Moorabbin Oval | 13,118 | 29 July 1978 |
| North Melbourne | 18.14 (122) | Geelong | 10.16 (76) | Arden Street Oval | 15,775 | 29 July 1978 |
| South Melbourne | 15.15 (105) | Footscray | 13.13 (91) | Lake Oval | 14,112 | 29 July 1978 |
| Richmond | 20.16 (136) | Essendon | 13.18 (96) | MCG | 41,878 | 29 July 1978 |
| Hawthorn | 13.17 (95) | Carlton | 18.11 (119) | Princes Park | 28,132 | 29 July 1978 |
| Collingwood | 16.11 (107) | Fitzroy | 11.11 (77) | VFL Park | 32,246 | 29 July 1978 |
Round 18
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Footscray | 17.10 (112) | Hawthorn | 17.16 (118) | Western Oval | 17,285 | 5 August 1978 |
| Fitzroy | 11.16 (82) | North Melbourne | 19.10 (124) | Junction Oval | 13,022 | 5 August 1978 |
| Essendon | 11.16 (82) | St Kilda | 18.13 (121) | Windy Hill | 18,410 | 5 August 1978 |
| Carlton | 14.19 (103) | Collingwood | 8.14 (62) | Princes Park | 43,313 | 5 August 1978 |
| Melbourne | 13.17 (95) | Geelong | 14.17 (101) | MCG | 12,363 | 5 August 1978 |
| South Melbourne | 14.9 (93) | Richmond | 9.16 (70) | VFL Park | 31,717 | 5 August 1978 |
Round 19
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| St Kilda | 13.7 (85) | South Melbourne | 3.19 (37) | Moorabbin Oval | 20,933 | 12 August 1978 |
| Hawthorn | 18.19 (127) | Richmond | 10.10 (70) | Princes Park | 15,980 | 12 August 1978 |
| Collingwood | 11.16 (82) | Footscray | 10.6 (66) | Victoria Park | 24,069 | 12 August 1978 |
| North Melbourne | 26.18 (174) | Melbourne | 8.13 (61) | Arden Street Oval | 9,183 | 12 August 1978 |
| Geelong | 14.8 (92) | Essendon | 13.7 (85) | Kardinia Park | 15,080 | 12 August 1978 |
| Carlton | 9.15 (69) | Fitzroy | 8.10 (58) | VFL Park | 21,410 | 12 August 1978 |
Round 20
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Essendon | 19.16 (130) | Melbourne | 21.10 (136) | Windy Hill | 11,984 | 19 August 1978 |
| South Melbourne | 24.11 (155) | Geelong | 26.11 (167) | Lake Oval | 15,259 | 19 August 1978 |
| Footscray | 9.17 (71) | Fitzroy | 21.13 (139) | Western Oval | 12,525 | 19 August 1978 |
| Richmond | 16.13 (109) | Collingwood | 19.9 (123) | MCG | 59,580 | 19 August 1978 |
| North Melbourne | 9.16 (70) | Carlton | 19.17 (131) | Arden Street Oval | 28,965 | 19 August 1978 |
| St Kilda | 21.13 (139) | Hawthorn | 12.11 (83) | VFL Park | 31,677 | 19 August 1978 |
Round 21
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 15.16 (106) | South Melbourne | 11.19 (85) | MCG | 13,488 | 26 August 1978 |
| Geelong | 13.8 (86) | Hawthorn | 13.10 (88) | Kardinia Park | 21,663 | 26 August 1978 |
| Fitzroy | 20.14 (134) | Richmond | 17.15 (117) | Junction Oval | 11,200 | 26 August 1978 |
| Collingwood | 22.15 (147) | St Kilda | 15.17 (107) | Victoria Park | 31,537 | 26 August 1978 |
| Carlton | 23.7 (145) | Footscray | 15.12 (102) | Princes Park | 22,397 | 26 August 1978 |
| North Melbourne | 11.11 (77) | Essendon | 7.9 (51) | VFL Park | 22,337 | 26 August 1978 |
Round 22
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 16.15 (111) | South Melbourne | 12.15 (87) | Arden Street Oval | 15,607 | 2 September 1978 |
| Geelong | 13.22 (100) | Fitzroy | 5.8 (38) | Kardinia Park | 22,842 | 2 September 1978 |
| Hawthorn | 17.16 (118) | Essendon | 16.13 (109) | Princes Park | 14,534 | 2 September 1978 |
| Melbourne | 19.11 (125) | Collingwood | 24.12 (156) | MCG | 40,267 | 2 September 1978 |
| St Kilda | 16.10 (106) | Carlton | 9.12 (66) | Moorabbin Oval | 35,850 | 2 September 1978 |
| Richmond | 19.20 (134) | Footscray | 11.15 (81) | VFL Park | 17,768 | 2 September 1978 |
Grand final
Main article: 1978 VFL Grand Final
Hawthorn defeated North Melbourne 18.13 (121) to 15.13 (103), in front of a crowd of 101704 people. (For an explanation of scoring see Australian rules football).
Ladder
| ||||||||||||
| TEAM | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | PTS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Melbourne | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 2407 | 1991 | 120.89 | 64 | |||
| 2 | Hawthorn (P) | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 2496 | 2120 | 117.74 | 64 | |||
| 3 | Collingwood | 22 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 2347 | 2072 | 113.27 | 60 | |||
| 4 | Carlton | 22 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 2329 | 1994 | 116.80 | 56 | |||
| 5 | Geelong | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2153 | 2104 | 102.33 | 48 | |||
| 6 | St Kilda | 22 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 2330 | 2503 | 93.09 | 46 | |||
| 7 | Richmond | 22 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 2459 | 2389 | 102.93 | 42 | |||
| 8 | South Melbourne | 22 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 2390 | 2383 | 100.29 | 36 | |||
| 9 | Fitzroy | 22 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 2258 | 2339 | 96.54 | 32 | |||
| 10 | Essendon | 22 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 2203 | 2337 | 94.27 | 32 | |||
| 11 | Footscray | 22 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 2272 | 2508 | 90.59 | 28 | |||
| 12 | Melbourne | 22 | 5 | 17 | 0 | 2025 | 2929 | 69.14 | 20 | |||
| Key: P = Played, W = Won, L = Lost, D = Drawn, PF = Points for, PA = Points against | ||||||||||||
Awards
- The Coleman Medal was won by Kelvin Templeton of Footscray with 118 goals
- The Brownlow Medal was won by Malcolm Blight of North Melbourne
- The reserves premiership was won by North Melbourne. North Melbourne 17.29 (131) defeated Hawthorn 11.13 (79) in the Grand Final, held as a curtain-raiser to the seniors Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 30 September.[1]
Notable events
- The 19th and 20th men were converted into interchange players, meaning that any two players could be rested at any time, and could return to the field.
- In Round 2, Fitzroy broke South Melbourne's 1976 record for the highest losing score against Melbourne by four points.
- In Round 6, Melbourne and St Kilda set the current record for the highest aggregate score in a game, the two teams amassing 52.33 (345). This broke the record set in the 1972 Grand Final.
- In Round 13, Footscray set the record for highest score in a game, scoring 33.15 (213) against St Kilda. This beat Carlton's nine-year-old 1969 record by three points. The new record was beaten in the following 1979 VFL season. In this match, Kelvin Templeton kicked 15.9, the most goals in a game for a Footscray player, and the most scoring shots ever by any player.
- In Round 20, Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser (who was the Number 1 ticket holder for Carlton throughout his time in office) was booed incessantly during the second half of the North Melbourne vs Carlton match at the Arden Street Oval. The booing continued right up to the moment when Mr. Fraser stepped inside his limousine and was driven away from the ground.
See also
References
- ↑ "All the scores". The Age (Melbourne, VIC). 2 October 1978. p. 32.
- Stephen Rogers and Ashley Brown (1998). Every Game Ever Played. 6th ed. Victoria: Penguin Books.
- 1978 Season - AFL Tables
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