1961 VFL Grand Final

The 1961 VFL Grand Final took place on September 23, 1961 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground between VFL clubs Footscray and Hawthorn.

Hawthorn, who were competing in their inaugural VFL Grand Final despite being in the competition since 1925, came into the game as minor premiers and favourites. Footscray, the 1954 premiership winners, had finished the home and away season in fourth place but upset the Ron Barassi led Melbourne by 27 points in the Preliminary Final to end their sequence of seven Grand Final appearances in a row.

It was a young Footscray side, with only two players coming into the game with more than 80 VFL games behind them although one of them was veteran Ted Whitten. Hawthorn's Brendan Edwards was playing in his 100th VFL game and dominated in the centre. Despite trailing at half time, Hawthorn won comfortably in the end courtesy of a six goal to one third quarter.

Teams

Aussie rules team old| title = Hawthorn
backpocket1 = Reg Poole
fullback = Les Kaine
backpocket2 = Graham Cooper
halfbackflank1 = Sted Hay
centrehalfback = John McArthur
halfbackflank2 = Cam McPherson
wing1 = Colin Youren
centre = Brendan Edwards
wing2 = John Fisher
halfforwardflank1 = Ian Mort
centrehalfforward = Garry Young
halfforwardflank2 = Morton Browne
forwardpocket1 = Malcolm Hill
fullforward = John Peck
forwardpocket2 = John Cunningham
ruck = John Winneke
ruckrover = Graham Arthur (c)
rover = Ian Law
reserve1 = Phil Hay
reserve2 = Ron Nalder
coach = John Kennedy, Sr.

Aussie rules team old| title = Footscray
backpocket1 = Charlie Evans
fullback = Bernie Lee
backpocket2 = Bob Ware
halfbackflank1 = John Jillard
centrehalfback = John Hoiles
halfbackflank2 = Barry Ion
wing1 = Alex Gardiner
centre = Bob Spargo
wing2 = Ian Bryant
halfforwardflank1 = John Quarrell
centrehalfforward = Graham Ion
halfforwardflank2 = Barney McKellar
forwardpocket1 = Ted Whitten
fullforward = Jack Slattery
forwardpocket2 = Keith Beamish
ruck = John Schultz
ruckrover = Cameron McDonald
rover = Merv Hobbs
reserve1 = Ken Duff
reserve2 = Charlie Stewart
coach = Ted Whitten

tatistics

Goal kickers

Attendance

* MCG attendance - 107,935

References

* [http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/games/1961/071019610923.html 1961 Grand Final page on AFL Tables]
* "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

* 1961 VFL season