1979 VFL season
| 1979 VFL Premiership season | |
|---|---|
| Teams | 12 |
| Premiers |
Carlton (12th premiership) |
| Minor premiers |
Carlton (14th minor premiership) |
| Night series |
Collingwood (1st Night series win) |
| Matches played | 138 |
| Attendance | 3,574,281 (25,901 per match) |
| Highest attendance | 113,545 |
| Coleman Medallist | Kelvin Templeton (Footscray) |
| Brownlow Medallist | Peter Moore (Collingwood) |
|
← 1978 1980 → | |
The 1979 Victorian Football League season was the 83rd season of the elite Australian rules football competition.
Night Series
Collingwood defeated Hawthorn 12.8 (80) to 7.10 (52) in the Final.
Premiership season
Round 1
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Collingwood | 9.15 (69) | Fitzroy | 21.23 (149) | Victoria Park | 29,345 | 7 April 1979 |
| Carlton | 23.13 (151) | Geelong | 15.11 (101) | Princes Park | 24,771 | 7 April 1979 |
| South Melbourne | 15.21 (111) | Richmond | 19.11 (125) | Lake Oval | 18,603 | 7 April 1979 |
| St Kilda | 19.14 (128) | Hawthorn | 14.19 (103) | Moorabbin Oval | 22,060 | 7 April 1979 |
| Melbourne | 18.17 (125) | Footscray | 16.17 (113) | MCG | 24,133 | 7 April 1979 |
| North Melbourne | 17.27 (129) | Essendon | 16.13 (109) | Arden Street Oval | 22,633 | 7 April 1979 |
Round 2
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Footscray | 13.16 (94) | North Melbourne | 20.13 (133) | Western Oval | 23,457 | 14 April 1979 |
| Fitzroy | 12.14 (86) | South Melbourne | 21.13 (139) | Junction Oval | 19,437 | 14 April 1979 |
| Hawthorn | 13.24 (102) | Collingwood | 19.18 (132) | Princes Park | 29,355 | 14 April 1979 |
| Geelong | 15.16 (106) | Melbourne | 9.13 (67) | Kardinia Park | 23,858 | 16 April 1979 |
| Essendon | 21.22 (148) | St Kilda | 9.10 (64) | Windy Hill | 26,499 | 16 April 1979 |
| Richmond | 13.18 (96) | Carlton | 23.9 (147) | MCG | 59,942 | 16 April 1979 |
Round 3
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Carlton | 14.17 (101) | Essendon | 11.14 (80) | VFL Park | 41,717 | 31 March 1979 |
| South Melbourne | 18.10 (118) | Melbourne | 16.15 (111) | Lake Oval | 14,431 | 21 April 1979 |
| Hawthorn | 18.15 (123) | Geelong | 11.17 (83) | Princes Park | 14,703 | 21 April 1979 |
| St Kilda | 15.14 (104) | Footscray | 16.13 (109) | Moorabbin Oval | 18,275 | 21 April 1979 |
| Richmond | 20.12 (132) | Fitzroy | 16.16 (112) | MCG | 24,635 | 21 April 1979 |
| North Melbourne | 18.19 (127) | Collingwood | 14.15 (99) | Arden Street Oval | 29,747 | 21 April 1979 |
Despite being formally a part of Round 3, the Carlton vs Essendon match was played as a stand-alone match on the Saturday before Round 1, and was therefore the opening match of the season.
Round 4
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 16.23 (119) | Richmond | 15.19 (109) | MCG | 44,708 | 25 April 1979 |
| Hawthorn | 29.15 (189) | South Melbourne | 15.5 (95) | VFL Park | 37,276 | 25 April 1979 |
| Geelong | 10.13 (73) | North Melbourne | 19.9 (123) | Kardinia Park | 21,353 | 28 April 1979 |
| Collingwood | 31.21 (207) | St Kilda | 3.11 (29) | Victoria Park | 29,380 | 28 April 1979 |
| Footscray | 20.8 (128) | Essendon | 19.14 (128) | Western Oval | 26,981 | 28 April 1979 |
| Fitzroy | 11.16 (82) | Carlton | 20.19 (139) | Junction Oval | 21,477 | 28 April 1979 |
Round 5
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 19.24 (138) | South Melbourne | 12.16 (88) | Arden Street Oval | 16,015 | 5 May 1979 |
| Essendon | 10.16 (76) | Fitzroy | 25.22 (172) | Windy Hill | 19,741 | 5 May 1979 |
| Carlton | 15.20 (110) | Melbourne | 13.18 (96) | Princes Park | 24,248 | 5 May 1979 |
| Richmond | 11.16 (82) | Hawthorn | 24.17 (161) | MCG | 31,448 | 5 May 1979 |
| St Kilda | 17.10 (112) | Geelong | 22.10 (142) | Moorabbin Oval | 15,481 | 5 May 1979 |
| Collingwood | 20.17 (137) | Footscray | 12.17 (89) | VFL Park | 34,163 | 5 May 1979 |
Round 6
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Collingwood | 14.15 (99) | Essendon | 19.19 (133) | Victoria Park | 27,824 | 12 May 1979 |
| South Melbourne | 26.19 (175) | St Kilda | 11.20 (86) | Lake Oval | 12,394 | 12 May 1979 |
| Geelong | 9.18 (72) | Footscray | 7.5 (47) | Kardinia Park | 27,824 | 12 May 1979 |
| Melbourne | 21.14 (140) | Fitzroy | 24.19 (163) | MCG | 21,783 | 12 May 1979 |
| Hawthorn | 16.12 (108) | Carlton | 25.18 (168) | Princes Park | 29,935 | 12 May 1979 |
| North Melbourne | 14.15 (99) | Richmond | 13.16 (94) | VFL Park | 22,626 | 12 May 1979 |
Round 7
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Footscray | 22.17 (149) | South Melbourne | 14.17 (101) | Western Oval | 15,045 | 19 May 1979 |
| Fitzroy | 14.18 (102) | Hawthorn | 11.24 (90) | Junction Oval | 15,870 | 19 May 1979 |
| Essendon | 23.18 (156) | Melbourne | 9.20 (74) | Windy Hill | 21,592 | 19 May 1979 |
| Carlton | 15.14 (104) | North Melbourne | 16.12 (108) | Princes Park | 39,411 | 19 May 1979 |
| St Kilda | 16.15 (111) | Richmond | 14.15 (99) | Moorabbin Oval | 18,087 | 19 May 1979 |
| Collingwood | 13.14 (92) | Geelong | 6.15 (51) | VFL Park | 37,260 | 19 May 1979 |
Round 8
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 17.18 (120) | Melbourne | 10.17 (77) | Princes Park | 10,997 | 26 May 1979 |
| Richmond | 22.26 (158) | Footscray | 12.13 (85) | MCG | 21,672 | 26 May 1979 |
| North Melbourne | 13.16 (94) | Fitzroy | 21.22 (148) | Arden Street Oval | 17,469 | 26 May 1979 |
| Geelong | 12.11 (83) | Essendon | 12.12 (84) | Kardinia Park | 25,402 | 26 May 1979 |
| South Melbourne | 6.8 (44) | Collingwood | 20.11 (131) | Lake Oval | 21,282 | 26 May 1979 |
| Carlton | 15.13 (103) | St Kilda | 9.10 (64) | VFL Park | 28,817 | 26 May 1979 |
Round 9
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 17.9 (111) | North Melbourne | 23.18 (156) | MCG | 23,261 | 2 June 1979 |
| Fitzroy | 18.15 (123) | St Kilda | 11.12 (78) | Junction Oval | 14,963 | 2 June 1979 |
| Collingwood | 19.18 (132) | Richmond | 10.20 (80) | Victoria Park | 31,474 | 2 June 1979 |
| Hawthorn | 16.12 (108) | Essendon | 17.14 (116) | Princes Park | 24,875 | 2 June 1979 |
| Footscray | 11.12 (78) | Carlton | 18.19 (127) | Western Oval | 21,362 | 2 June 1979 |
| Geelong | 18.15 (123) | South Melbourne | 17.8 (110) | VFL Park | 15,750 | 2 June 1979 |
Round 10
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Essendon | 16.19 (115) | South Melbourne | 14.15 (99) | Windy Hill | 18,916 | 9 June 1979 |
| Carlton | 18.15 (123) | Collingwood | 16.11 (107) | Princes Park | 46,106 | 9 June 1979 |
| St Kilda | 9.11 (65) | Melbourne | 12.13 (85) | Moorabbin Oval | 17,390 | 9 June 1979 |
| Richmond | 14.17 (101) | Geelong | 18.19 (127) | MCG | 24,824 | 9 June 1979 |
| Fitzroy | 17.17 (119) | Footscray | 11.8 (74) | VFL Park | 14,357 | 9 June 1979 |
| Hawthorn | 23.18 (156) | North Melbourne | 16.9 (105) | SCG | 31,391 | 10 June 1979 |
Round 11
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Fitzroy | 19.18 (132) | Geelong | 9.11 (65) | Junction Oval | 17,520 | 16 June 1979 |
| Hawthorn | 15.10 (100) | Footscray | 15.11 (101) | Princes Park | 12,513 | 16 June 1979 |
| Melbourne | 11.16 (82) | Collingwood | 13.18 (96) | MCG | 53,562 | 16 June 1979 |
| St Kilda | 15.17 (107) | North Melbourne | 16.14 (110) | Moorabbin Oval | 19,705 | 18 June 1979 |
| South Melbourne | 18.18 (126) | Carlton | 20.12 (132) | Lake Oval | 26,740 | 18 June 1979 |
| Essendon | 20.12 (132) | Richmond | 16.12 (108) | VFL Park | 53,116 | 18 June 1979 |
Round 12
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 25.16 (166) | South Melbourne | 16.14 (110) | MCG | 21,216 | 23 June 1979 |
| Hawthorn | 19.18 (132) | St Kilda | 13.15 (93) | Princes Park | 13,176 | 23 June 1979 |
| Footscray | 18.12 (120) | Melbourne | 11.15 (81) | Western Oval | 14,308 | 23 June 1979 |
| Essendon | 15.11 (101) | North Melbourne | 6.18 (54) | Windy Hill | 30,795 | 23 June 1979 |
| Geelong | 15.17 (107) | Carlton | 14.17 (101) | Kardinia Park | 29,941 | 23 June 1979 |
| Fitzroy | 17.20 (122) | Collingwood | 11.14 (80) | VFL Park | 56,975 | 23 June 1979 |
Round 13
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Collingwood | 25.19 (169) | Hawthorn | 8.16 (64) | Victoria Park | 22,903 | 30 June 1979 |
| Carlton | 21.12 (138) | Richmond | 12.10 (82) | Princes Park | 21,792 | 30 June 1979 |
| North Melbourne | 8.21 (69) | Footscray | 12.9 (81) | Arden Street Oval | 13,925 | 30 June 1979 |
| South Melbourne | 15.20 (110) | Fitzroy | 20.16 (136) | Lake Oval | 13,850 | 30 June 1979 |
| St Kilda | 9.12 (66) | Essendon | 15.15 (105) | Moorabbin Oval | 18,802 | 30 June 1979 |
| Geelong | 16.12 (108) | Melbourne | 9.3 (57) | VFL Park | 13,272 | 30 June 1979 |
Round 14
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Essendon | 10.11 (71) | Footscray | 6.14 (50) | Windy Hill | 25,240 | 7 July 1979 |
| Richmond | 17.18 (120) | Melbourne | 10.16 (76) | MCG | 19,879 | 7 July 1979 |
| South Melbourne | 13.11 (89) | Hawthorn | 10.14 (74) | Lake Oval | 10,626 | 7 July 1979 |
| North Melbourne | 17.16 (118) | Geelong | 14.16 (100) | Arden Street Oval | 14,971 | 7 July 1979 |
| St Kilda | 6.16 (52) | Collingwood | 15.11 (101) | Moorabbin Oval | 21,588 | 7 July 1979 |
| Carlton | 17.14 (116) | Fitzroy | 9.11 (65) | VFL Park | 58,736 | 7 July 1979 |
Round 15
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 24.23 (167) | South Melbourne | 24.10 (154) | MCG | 15,039 | 14 July 1979 |
| Footscray | 24.16 (160) | St Kilda | 11.15 (81) | Western Oval | 13,386 | 14 July 1979 |
| Collingwood | 10.16 (76) | North Melbourne | 20.13 (133) | Victoria Park | 30,415 | 14 July 1979 |
| Carlton | 18.18 (126) | Essendon | 12.11 (83) | Princes Park | 44,661 | 14 July 1979 |
| Hawthorn | 11.13 (79) | Geelong | 11.12 (78) | VFL Park | 20,777 | 14 July 1979 |
| Richmond | 22.20 (152) | Fitzroy | 20.15 (135) | SCG | 17,140 | 15 July 1979 |
Round 16
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 14.20 (104) | Richmond | 18.11 (119) | Princes Park | 13,557 | 21 July 1979 |
| Geelong | 20.9 (129) | St Kilda | 14.20 (104) | Kardinia Park | 14,613 | 21 July 1979 |
| Collingwood | 23.17 (155) | Footscray | 3.15 (33) | Victoria Park | 21,041 | 21 July 1979 |
| Fitzroy | 16.16 (112) | Essendon | 15.9 (99) | Junction Oval | 19,684 | 21 July 1979 |
| Melbourne | 9.7 (61) | Carlton | 19.26 (140) | MCG | 26,388 | 21 July 1979 |
| North Melbourne | 12.16 (88) | South Melbourne | 8.18 (66) | VFL Park | 14,725 | 21 July 1979 |
Round 17
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| St Kilda | 19.14 (128) | South Melbourne | 16.12 (108) | Moorabbin Oval | 12,969 | 28 July 1979 |
| Footscray | 12.10 (82) | Geelong | 18.14 (122) | Western Oval | 14,284 | 28 July 1979 |
| Carlton | 15.21 (111) | Hawthorn | 12.11 (83) | Princes Park | 22,159 | 28 July 1979 |
| Richmond | 16.15 (111) | North Melbourne | 19.10 (124) | MCG | 38,111 | 28 July 1979 |
| Essendon | 9.17 (71) | Collingwood | 14.8 (92) | Windy Hill | 31,968 | 28 July 1979 |
| Fitzroy | 36.22 (238) | Melbourne | 6.12 (48) | VFL Park | 12,149 | 28 July 1979 |
Round 18
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| South Melbourne | 31.9 (195) | Footscray | 15.16 (106) | Lake Oval | 9,815 | 4 August 1979 |
| Hawthorn | 15.14 (104) | Fitzroy | 15.25 (115) | Princes Park | 15,104 | 4 August 1979 |
| Melbourne | 21.8 (134) | Essendon | 16.9 (105) | MCG | 25,367 | 4 August 1979 |
| Geelong | 18.16 (124) | Collingwood | 9.9 (63) | Kardinia Park | 30,495 | 4 August 1979 |
| North Melbourne | 18.11 (119) | Carlton | 21.15 (141) | Arden Street Oval | 28,902 | 4 August 1979 |
| Richmond | 28.22 (190) | St Kilda | 18.11 (119) | VFL Park | 24,651 | 4 August 1979 |
Round 19
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Footscray | 13.19 (97) | Richmond | 6.5 (41) | Western Oval | 12,537 | 11 August 1979 |
| Fitzroy | 7.12 (54) | North Melbourne | 17.19 (121) | Junction Oval | 16,659 | 11 August 1979 |
| Essendon | 14.12 (96) | Geelong | 8.8 (56) | Windy Hill | 23,336 | 11 August 1979 |
| Collingwood | 14.11 (95) | South Melbourne | 13.9 (87) | Victoria Park | 18,041 | 11 August 1979 |
| Carlton | 22.17 (149) | St Kilda | 6.9 (45) | Princes Park | 17,127 | 11 August 1979 |
| Hawthorn | 14.11 (95) | Melbourne | 8.25 (73) | VFL Park | 12,897 | 11 August 1979 |
Round 20
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Essendon | 9.16 (70) | Hawthorn | 10.14 (74) | Windy Hill | 19,034 | 18 August 1979 |
| North Melbourne | 15.27 (117) | Melbourne | 6.9 (45) | Arden Street Oval | 10,680 | 18 August 1979 |
| South Melbourne | 16.6 (102) | Geelong | 10.12 (72) | Lake Oval | 11,298 | 18 August 1979 |
| St Kilda | 9.6 (60) | Fitzroy | 10.16 (76) | Moorabbin Oval | 12,330 | 18 August 1979 |
| Richmond | 10.15 (75) | Collingwood | 13.17 (95) | MCG | 61,624 | 18 August 1979 |
| Carlton | 12.18 (90) | Footscray | 8.6 (54) | VFL Park | 25,075 | 18 August 1979 |
Round 21
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 24.17 (161) | St Kilda | 12.24 (96) | MCG | 18,435 | 25 August 1979 |
| Hawthorn | 7.18 (60) | North Melbourne | 24.21 (165) | Princes Park | 18,501 | 25 August 1979 |
| Geelong | 17.13 (115) | Richmond | 12.17 (89) | Kardinia Park | 18,039 | 25 August 1979 |
| Fitzroy | 22.19 (151) | Footscray | 14.16 (100) | Junction Oval | 12,076 | 25 August 1979 |
| Collingwood | 18.12 (120) | Carlton | 14.17 (101) | Victoria Park | 36,509 | 25 August 1979 |
| Essendon | 13.17 (95) | South Melbourne | 10.16 (76) | VFL Park | 32,127 | 25 August 1979 |
Round 22
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Footscray | 9.11 (65) | Hawthorn | 14.19 (103) | Western Oval | 12,839 | 1 September 1979 |
| Essendon | 8.15 (63) | Richmond | 18.14 (122) | Windy Hill | 22,589 | 1 September 1979 |
| Collingwood | 23.16 (154) | Melbourne | 15.13 (103) | Victoria Park | 27,206 | 1 September 1979 |
| Carlton | 23.16 (154) | South Melbourne | 17.19 (121) | Princes Park | 24,479 | 1 September 1979 |
| Geelong | 16.16 (112) | Fitzroy | 15.17 (107) | Kardinia Park | 21,801 | 1 September 1979 |
| North Melbourne | 21.18 (144) | St Kilda | 9.11 (65) | VFL Park | 20,571 | 1 September 1979 |
Grand final
Main article: 1979 VFL Grand Final
Carlton defeated Collingwood 11.16 (82) to 11.11 (77), in front of a crowd of 112845 people. (For an explanation of scoring see Australian rules football).
Ladder
| ||||||||||||
| TEAM | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | PTS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carlton (P) | 22 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 2772 | 1986 | 139.58 | 76 | |||
| 2 | North Melbourne | 22 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 2574 | 2083 | 123.57 | 68 | |||
| 3 | Collingwood | 22 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 2501 | 1974 | 126.70 | 60 | |||
| 4 | Fitzroy | 22 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 2699 | 2198 | 122.79 | 60 | |||
| 5 | Essendon | 22 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 2236 | 2127 | 105.12 | 50 | |||
| 6 | Geelong | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2149 | 2140 | 100.42 | 48 | |||
| 7 | Hawthorn | 22 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 2332 | 2336 | 99.83 | 40 | |||
| 8 | Richmond | 22 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 2451 | 2512 | 97.57 | 36 | |||
| 9 | Footscray | 22 | 7 | 14 | 1 | 2015 | 2463 | 81.81 | 30 | |||
| 10 | South Melbourne | 22 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 2424 | 2666 | 90.92 | 24 | |||
| 11 | Melbourne | 22 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 2093 | 2759 | 75.86 | 24 | |||
| 12 | St Kilda | 22 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 1857 | 2859 | 64.95 | 12 | |||
| Key: P = Played, W = Won, L = Lost, D = Drawn, PF = Points for, PA = Points against | ||||||||||||
Awards
- The leading goalkicker was Kelvin Templeton of Footscray with 91 goals
- The Brownlow Medal was won by Peter Moore
- The reserves premiership, known as the Commodore Cup, was won by North Melbourne. North Melbourne 13.14 (92) defeated Collingwood 9.13 (67) in the Grand Final, held as a stand-alone night match at VFL Park on Friday, 28 September, before a crowd of 6,047.[1]
Notable events
- The record for greatest winning margin was set twice during 1979.
- In Round 4, Collingwood defeated St Kilda by 178 points, breaking the record set sixty years earlier, in the 1919 VFL season by South Melbourne.
- Collingwood's new record was broken only three months later in Round 17, when Fitzroy defeated Melbourne by 190 points, a record which has yet to be broken.
- Fitzroy's score of 36.22 (238) in the same game also set the record for highest score in a VFL/AFL game. This beat the record set by Footscray in the 1978 VFL season by twenty-five points, and remained the record until 1992.
- Fitzroy made the finals for the first time since 1960.
See also
References
- Stephen Rogers and Ashley Brown (1998). Every Game Ever Played. 6th ed. Victoria: Penguin Books.
- 1979 Season - AFL Tables
- ↑ "Murphy shines in Roos' win". The Age (Melbourne, VIC). 29 September 1979. p. 40.
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