Grand Final History

Episode 40A Supplementary Episode The Fourth Decade of the VFL (1927-1936)

Welcome to Grand Final History. In this special supplementary episode, we review the fourth decade of the VFL, from 1927 to 1936. We explore the trends, issues, significant incidents, and quirks over the ten years.
New rules, night football, new finals system, new club mascots, goal kicking master classes and the dominant Magpie Machine, the Fourth Decade of the VFL provided a welcome relief for supporters struggling through the Great Depression. This special, supplementary episode provides an overview of the Fourth Decade of VFL football. The teams that did well, the teams that struggled, the players that made a name for themselves and how the League started to flex its economic and political muscle as the game continued to grow in popularity.

Episode 40 1936 Never on a Sunday

Abdications, invasions, Olympics and Grand Finals but some people in 1936 were more worried about all night trams and football being played on a Sunday. It was the VFL’s 40th Season with Richmond’s Punt Rd home ground the centre of an extraordinary dispute that might bankrupt every club and the league. One of the most infamous tribunal hearings will result in a champion missing a Grand Final and decades of fake news. One club takes on a new nickname as part of their rise to success. Another big season in the VFL.
Join us as we recount the dramatic and eventful year of 1936 in VFL history, a year that shaped the future of Australian football and reflected the broader societal changes of the time.

Episode 39 1935 Watch Out For That Truck

Collingwood and South Melbourne play each other seven times, but only one can win the 1935 VFL premiership. It was a year that saw the first night game between VFL clubs and beer came in cans for the first time, two pivotal moments in history. Footscray made their bid for worst jumper of all time and the Magpies almost forfeited a game. North Melbourne and Hawthorn struggled while the league promised to help Rugby Union. Meanwhile Richmond was looking for alternatives to Punt Road for a home ground. And a truck played its part in Grand Final History.
Join us as we delve into the captivating history of 1935, where football, innovation, and world events intertwined to shape a memorable year.

Episode 38 1934 The First Centenary Premiership

In this gripping episode of "Grand Final History", we transport you back in time to relive the highs and lows of the 1934 Victorian Football League (VFL) season. This episode encompasses Melbourne's Centenary year, the effects of economic depression, global political turbulence, and local events as experienced by the average supporter
We examine the game-changing evolution of how football was played, from new rules to record breaking performances. 
This episode captures the essence of the hard-fought season, marked by controversies, dramatic brawls, and exceptional skill demonstrations. Get insider details of the tensions and concerns plaguing the league then, from club financial difficulties to fears of a sport collapse.
We revisit sensational moments like Bob Pratt's legendary 15-goal game, South Melbourne's stunning victory over Collingwood, and the remarkable performance by Laurie Nash. Relive the rollercoaster final matches, leading up to the historic grand final showdown between Richmond and South Melbourne.
In this historical analysis, we expose the unseen drama off the field, from bribery allegations to internal physical clashes, and their impact on the sport. We bring forth tales of bravery, grit, and unyielding spirit, showcased by legendary players, which continue to inspire fans decades later.
Don't miss out on this journey back in time that uncovers the riveting story of the 1934 football season; its thrills and spills, victories and heartbreaks, and every defining moment that shaped this golden era of Australian football.

Episode 37 1933 Every Club Needs a Mascot

It was the year a cartoonist bestowed a mascot onto a VFL club, it was the year Australian Rules and Rugby League tried to invent Universal Football and it was the year St Kilda and North had a game that they both recall very differently. The VFL experimented with a new pricing model for finals, the crowds might have been lower but the league considered it a success. Has the League ever regretted a price rise?  

Episode 36A Supplementary: Football Media Pioneers

So much of football history relies on the pioneering journalists who covered the early years of the VFL. In this episode we take a break from normal programming to look at some of the key reporters in print and the emerging radio media. Find out the names and the stories behind the pseudonyms of those early trail blazers who established media traditions still with us today.

Episode 36 1932 NinthTime is a Charm

Australians struggle with the Depression, unemployment and the death of Phar Lap but there is always footy to look forward to. South Melbourne bring in a new jumper, new management and new players but will it be enough? The Tigers have been runners up four times in five years, their coach Checker Hughes has led teams into eight Grand Finals and been runners up eight times, will it change in 1932?

Episode 35 1931 Almost an Exhibition

Games at the Exhibition Oval, next to the Exhibition Buildings? The VFL was negotiating with Cricket Clubs to get a fair share of revenue for football on grounds controlled by Cricket Clubs and released the 1931 fixture with games at the Exhibition Oval and the Motordrome, opposite the MCG. Football clubs were threatened with eviction. It was going to get tense before an agreement was struck. Collingwood were trying for their fifth premiership in a row but lost a champion player who moved to Tasmania to coach and get a job rather than be unemployed in Melbourne. A Tiger Immortal made their debut but did not get a touch. And the finals get a shake up with the traditional Right of Challenge dismissed for all time.

Episode 34 1930 Harry Waits 59 Years for Charlie

Collingwood are looking for their fourth premiership in a row but with three time premiership captain Syd Coventry appointed Captain Coach of Footscray how will the Magpies cope? Harry Collier finally gets to meet Charlie, it only took 59 years! Geelong supporters wonder if the You Yang mountains are cursed. 1930 was a tough time for many people but footy provided relief for many. And though the rain fell heavily at times some wanted to make Victoria a dry state.

Episode 33A Supplementary: Colden Harrison The Father of Football

The Rum Rebellion, the tragedy of Australia’s frontier wars and the birth of our own game, all of this will be explored as we look at the Henry Colden Antil Harrison, the Father of Football and the forgetting and remembering of his cousin, Tom Wills. Colden Harrison may not have been at the very birth of the game, unlike cousin and brother in law Tom, but his impact was pivotal in the growth and establishment of the native game. And the establishment would recognise him in his own life, even if, in recent times, we have lost focus on the role he played in the making of our great game, Australian Football.