1923 VFL Grand Final

The 1923 VFL Grand Final took place on October 20, 1923 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground between VFL clubs Essendon and Fitzroy. The match was scheduled to take place a week earlier but was postponed as the ground had been flooded after heavy rain. As a result this Grand Final coincided with the Caulfield Cup.

Fitzroy were the reigning premiers while Essendon hadn't won a premiership since 1912. Essendon were known at this time as the "Mosquito Fleet", due to their large number of small and pacy players such as Charlie Hardy and George Shorten.

George Rawle made his VFL debut in the Grand Final.

Teams

Aussie rules team old| title = Essendon
backpocket1 = Vince Irwin
fullback = Fred Baring
backpocket2 = Clyde Donaldson
halfbackflank1 = Joe Harrison
centrehalfback = Tom Fitzmaurice
halfbackflank2 = Roy Laing
wing1 = Jack Garden
centre = Charlie May
wing2 = Rowley Watt
halfforwardflank1 = Tommy Jenkins
centrehalfforward = Justin McCarthy
halfforwardflank2 = George Shorten
forwardpocket1 = Syd Barker (c)
fullforward = Greg Stockdale
forwardpocket2 = Charlie Hardy
ruck = Norm Beckton
ruckrover = George Rawle
rover = Frank Maher
reserve1 =
reserve2 =
coach = Syd Barker

Aussie rules team old| title = Fitzroy
backpocket1 = Jim Atkinson
fullback = Horrie Jenkin
backpocket2 = Len Wigraft
halfbackflank1 = Jim Tarbolton
centrehalfback = Stan Molan
halfbackflank2 = Ern Elliot
wing1 = Arch Dickens
centre = Tommy Corrigan
wing2 = Clarrie Sherry
halfforwardflank1 = Percy Parratt
centrehalfforward = Norm Cockram
halfforwardflank2 = Gordon Rattray (c)
forwardpocket1 = Les Bryant
fullforward = Jimmy Freake
forwardpocket2 = Harold Carter
ruck = Gordon McCracken
ruckrover = Goldie Collins
rover = Clive Fergie
reserve1 =
reserve2 =
coach = Vic Belcher

* Umpire - Alexander Mutch

tatistics

Goalkickers

Attendance

* MCG crowd - 46,566

References

* [http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/games/1923/050619231020.html 1923 VFL Grand Final statistics]
* "The Official statistical history of the AFL 2004"
* Ross, J. (ed), "100 Years of Australian Football 1897-1996: The Complete Story of the AFL, All the Big Stories, All the Great Pictures, All the Champions, Every AFL Season Reported", Viking, (Ringwood), 1996. ISBN 0-670-86814-0

ee also

* 1923 VFL season