Weird football scores

[mianfei]

n-point margins in round n

Margins of 20 Points in Round 20:

In 1945 the first ever round 20 was played and in one of the matches Collingwood 12.15-87 defeated Richmond 8.19-67 by 20 points.

A team being defeated by 20 points in a round 20 match didn't happen again until 1979.

This time Collingwood again defeated Richmond (13.17-95 to 10.15-75).

The next occurrence of a team winning by 20 points in round 20 was in 1984.

Richmond with experience of such things this time was the winner defeating WB/Footscray. (12.13-85 to 9.11-65.)

The only other and last occurrences have been in 1990 and 2001.

In 1990 round 20, Carlton 16.11-107 defeated Essendon 12.15-87.
In 2001 round 20, Essendon 15.17-107 defeated Collingwood 13.9-87.

Incidentally, the first round 19 was also played in 1945 and in that round Sydney/SM defeated Melbourne by 19 points. (12.20-92 to 10.13-73).

There have been only 4 occurrences since of a margin of 19 points in a round 19 but two of them have involved Melbourne.

Is round 20 the highest round where a margin of n points in round n has occurred?

Given the high frequencies of the smaller margins, I would imagine that all other values of n would have seen such an occurrence?

 

[RogersResults]

Re: n-point margins in round n

Is round 20 the highest round where a margin of n points in round n has occurred?

Given the high frequencies of the smaller margins, I would imagine that all other values of n would have seen such an occurrence?

Frequency of margin coinciding with round number.

Round/Margin Times....Last
5...................19...... 2009
6.................. 18...... 2006
13................ 18 ..... 2008
2 ................. 17...... 2008
11................ 16...... 2010
1.................. 15...... 2007
9.................. 15..... 2008
10................ 14.......2007
16................ 14..... 1993
17................ 13...... 2008
12................ 12...... 2004
15................ 12 ......2006
18................ 12...... 2009
4.................. 11...... 2007
7.................. 11...... 2009
8.................. 11...... 1998
14................. 9...... 1992
3.................. 8....... 2007
19................ 5....... 1998
20................ 5....... 2001
21................ 5 ...... 2002
22................ 4 ...... 2006

 

[mianfei]

Re: n-point margins in round n

Frequency of margin coinciding with round number.

Round/Margin Times....Last
16................ 14..... 1993
14................. 9...... 1992

Round 16 always seems to produce so many strange matches, so when I looked a day ago at your table I thought no surprise. Round 14, on the other hand, is a little more surprising, and it took a bit of though to realise that the last time we saw a 14-point margin in Round 14 was actually the replay of the only Grand Final at VFL Park. The great West Coast Eagles backline was firmly on top even though the only man who could ever match it on even terms kicked six goals two behinds. The previous case in 1989 between Melbourne and Brisbane I actually remember a bit better because the Demons were miles ahead for most of the match but relaxed late in the piece. The next previous case, on a typically windy day at the Western Oval in 1984, saw Footscray lead by eight goals at quarter-time against a Fitzroy side that had won its previous four but was without Matthew Rendell, only to be pegged back without - like Melbourne in 1989 - ever looking like losing.

Fitzroy in 1984 are one of only three sides - South Melbourne in 1925 and North Melbourne in 1994 are the others - to lose two matches in one season by losing only the first quarter.

 

[Catsace]

Pies 9.22.76 vs Dees 11.10.76

I am sure the last time the Pies played a game where 9.22 was involved was the 1977 Grand Final, where North scored that exact score to the Pies 10.16.76.

Famous scoreline indeed.

 

[Fight For It]

Here's an interesting parallel that I know is not likely to be equalled any time soon:

July 28, 1956    Glenferrie Oval

[COLOR=Sienna]Hawthorn[/COLOR]           3-6    7-9    9-13   10-18    78    
[COLOR=Red]South Melbourne[/COLOR]    4-0    8-0    11-3    12-6    78

13 May, 2000    Football Park (I watched this game from a pub in Boronia!)

[COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Port Adelaide[/COLOR]       3-9    6-13   8-15   10-18    78    
[COLOR=Navy]Geelong[/COLOR]             4-3    8-5    11-6    12-6    78

Although there are among the 143 drawn V/AFL games many pairs with the same scores where the number of goals was the same or differed by one, this pair is unique because one side had scored two fewer goals than the other. In fact, only seven draws where one side scored two goals fewer than the other have been played since 1897. The following game provides a remarkable parallel to the 1956 game because it was between the same two clubs at the same ground. Bob Skilton in fact played in both games, and made a heroic effort in the second one that is sufficient to make the following game a contender for the most memorable of the 136 drawn home-and-away games in V/AFL history. he kicked five goals playing with severe concussion in the second half - and further to add to a truly memorable game, Peter Bedford, another Brownlow winner, made his VFL debut with four goals.

April 20, 1968    Glenferrie Oval

[COLOR=Sienna]Hawthorn[/COLOR]           5-3    9-9    15-20   17-24   126    
[COLOR=Red]South Melbourne[/COLOR]    4-3    8-8    11-10   19-12   126

The QB match was also another to add to the above list, with the scores being level despite Collingwood kicking 2 fewer goals.

 

[mianfei]

Pies 9.22.76 vs Dees 11.10.76

I am sure the last time the Pies played a game where 9.22 was involved was the 1977 Grand Final, where North scored that exact score to the Pies 10.16.76.

Famous scoreline indeed.

You’ve got it one better, Catsace.

The 1997 Grand Final is the only previous time any Collingwood match has had a final score of 9.22.

Another interesting point: Collingwood backman John Mahon kicked his only goal from a sixty-game career in a drawn game with Carlton in 1964. I am pretty sure no player with such a long career has kicked their only goal in a drawn match! That match was pretty strange itself:

8 August 1964, Princes Park

[COLOR="Navy"]Carlton       6-5    7-6    11-13    11-13  79[/COLOR]
Collingwood   0-3    8-3     8-4     12-7   79

22 goals 15 kicked at one end and only one goal five at the other shows it was one terribly windy day: indeed that is what is said about the whole winter of 1964. What is more remarkable again - I have discussed this a bit before - is that the score with which Carlton and Collingwood drew this match was not reached by any of the other ten teams playing that day. A drawn match providing a round’s two highest scores may seem and is extraordinary, though there are two other occurrences since and two in 1921.

Another remarkable point is that, after that match had been played, Collingwood had kicked the most goals for the third successive round, but their score had been only equal highest in two of them. No century scores were kicked in this period, though the low scores generally in 1964 were not entirely due to muddy grounds: as I noted before the conditions on August 8 were dry and partly sunny, but very difficult because of the violent gales. When such extreme gales blow, scores will be higher if the wind blows down rather than across the ground, because in the former case each team can score freely for two quarters, but in the latter scoring at either end can be more difficult than on the worst mud-heaps as the ball is confined to one wing.

 

[Catsace]

Interesting stat there Mianfei, didn't know that a reasonably unremarkable score like 9.22 was only seen in a Pies match just twice!

I recall a game also in 1977 where South Melbourne defeated Melbourne 8.22.70 to 9.11.65, and i was at a remarkable game in July 1997 at the 'G' where Geelong, on a reasonably fine day scored a win over Collingwood 9.26.80 to 10.12.72. Geelong always seemed to lead by a goal or two, but did so by mainly booting points! Strange match that one.

Also of course was the 1979 Qualifying final between North and Colingwood again, where North won 18.13.121 to the Pies 9.28.82. Wonder if that match would be the biggest win in a final by a side having fewer scoring shots?

 

[mianfei]

Interesting stat there Mianfei, didn't know that a reasonably unremarkable score like 9.22 was only seen in a Pies match just twice!

I recall a game also in 1977 where South Melbourne defeated Melbourne 8.22.70 to 9.11.65, and i was at a remarkable game in July 1997 at the 'G' where Geelong, on a reasonably fine day scored a win over Collingwood 9.26.80 to 10.12.72. Geelong always seemed to lead by a goal or two, but did so by mainly booting points! Strange match that one.

That South Melbourne versus Melbourne game actually has scores of 8.22 (70) to 9.10 (64). Though these scores look quite low, in reality it would be equivalent to a game with twenty goals by both teams on an ordinary day. The conditions were probably as bad as those for Round 11 of 1989 (no footage survives) and the match would have been cancelled had those who thought the ground too wet had their wish. Imagine a season with only 21 games!

The 1997 game was the farewell to Billy Brownless, along with Ablett the key figure behind Geelong’s amazing 3,558 point tally in 1992.

Also of course was the 1979 Qualifying final between North and Colingwood again, where North won 18.13.121 to the Pies 9.28.82. Wonder if that match would be the biggest win in a final by a side having fewer scoring shots?

It certainly is. There have been about twenty home-and-away games where a team has lost by 39 or more points with more scoring shots, but no final equals it, you are right.

 

[emuboy]

Sometimes, games are not weird in their own right, but put together form amazing coincidences. Some examples include:

In 1984, Melbourne lost three successive games by 32 points, going down to Fitzroy, Footscray & Collingwood in Rounds 18-20.

In 1986, Fitzroy thrashed St Kilda by 85 points, winning 24.16-160 to 11.9-75. In 1996, the Saints demolished the Lions by the same margin in a Round 4 match at Waverley, winning 24.16-160 to 11.9-75.

Melbourne's highest ever score, 28-14-182 has been scored by it twice, both times against North Melbourne in 1986 & 1991.

The Adelaide Crows' greatest winning margin over Hawthorn is 86 points, but remarkably this has occurred three times; in 1991 (the Crows' first ever game), 2000 & 2004.

In Round 19, 1991 the Brisbane Bears travelled to Kardinia Park and came away from the game against Geelong with a 101-point thrashing. The next week, Collingwood visited the Bears at Carrara, and proved impolite guests, with the Magpies trouncing Brisbane by 101 points under lights. The margin of 101 points has occurred 11 times in the history of the league, with one side losing by that margin in successive weeks! (I'll stand corrected on this, but I think the Bears' 1991 team is the last to date to lose by 100 plus points in successive weeks).

 

[mianfei]

In Round 19, 1991 the Brisbane Bears travelled to Kardinia Park and came away from the game against Geelong with a 101-point thrashing. The next week, Collingwood visited the Bears at Carrara, and proved impolite guests, with the Magpies trouncing Brisbane by 101 points under lights. The margin of 101 points has occurred 11 times in the history of the league, with one side losing by that margin in successive weeks! (I'll stand corrected on this, but I think the Bears' 1991 team is the last to date to lose by 100 plus points in successive weeks).

As a person with on-and-off interest in prime numbers, the fact that the margin of 101 points has occurred eleven times is remarkable because, as you can see, 11 and 101 are (almost certainly) the only primes of the form 10^n+1.

Getting back to footy, you are right that Brisbane in 1991 stands as the last team to lose consecutive games by 100 points. The only previous ones are:

1. St. Kilda in the last two sectional matches of 1901
2. St. Kilda in Rounds 15 and 16 of 1911
   • (a result of a player strike; the only 100-point wins from 1907 to 1918)
3. Melbourne in Rounds 15 and 16 of 1919
4. Hawthorn in Rounds 11 and 12 of 1944
5. St. Kilda in Rounds 16 and 17 of 1980
   • only team to concede 30 goals in consecutive matches
6. St. Kilda in Rounds 1, 2 and 3 of 1985
   • only team to lose three consecutive games by 100 points or more

 

[Barkly St End]

Apologies if this has been covered, but I can recall one game (late 70s/early 80s) when Hawthorn kicked 42 behinds in the one game.

I would think that's the only time that any VFL/AFL team has ever required the scoreboard to plonk a four in the tens column for the goals or behinds tally.

 

[mianfei]

Apologies if this has been covered, but I can recall one game (late 70s/early 80s) when Hawthorn kicked 42 behinds in the one game.

I would think that's the only time that any VFL/AFL team has ever required the scoreboard to plonk a four in the tens column for the goals or behinds tally.

The game was on May 7 of 1977 at Prices Park and the score was:

[COLOR="Sienna"]Hawthorn     5-11    10-24    15-32    25-41  191[/COLOR]
St. Kilda    2-0     10-3     11-5     16-7   103

I wonder just what the scoreboard attendants would have done when Hawthorn racked up its fortieth behind? I have read that old clocks had no means of allowing for a quarter that went for over 35 minutes, which became far from unknown when 100 points was scored in a quarter a couple of times a year (and happened in the last quarter of that game). Thus I imagine that the scoreboard attendants would have had to be innovative to cope with Hawthorn’s incredible behind tally. I wonder what happened in 1934 when Geelong became the first team to score thirty behinds?

If one breaks the scores up quarter-by-quarter, the 1977 game becomes even more interesting:

[COLOR="Sienna"]Hawthorn    5-11 (41)   5-13 (43)    5-8 (38)   10-9  (69)[/COLOR]
St. Kilda   2-0 (12)    8-3 (51)     1-2 (8)     5-2 (32)

With the wind ([COLOR="Sienna"]Hawthorn[/COLOR] in quarters 1 and 3; St. Kilda in quarters 2 and 4):
[COLOR="Sienna"]Hawthorn 10-19 (79)[/COLOR]
St. Kilda 13-5 (83)

Into the wind ([COLOR="Sienna"]Hawthorn[/COLOR] in quarters 2 and 4; St. Kilda in quarters 1 and 3):
[COLOR="Sienna"]Hawthorn 15-22 (112)[/COLOR]
St. Kilda 3-2 (20)

It is notable how Hawthorn scored consistently into the wind, whereas St. Kilda could hardly score without the aid of the breeze. The two quarters where St. Kilda had the breeze had an amazing total of 55 aggregate scoring shots, and the twenty-nine aggregate scoring shots for the second quarter is a record for any quarter of a V/AFL match.

The whole round on which this match was played is in fact, amazing not only for this game and Hawthorn’s record behinds and scoring shots. At Windy Hill, Footscray gave Essendon its biggest loss ever at the ground and doubled their previous biggest winning margin over the Bombers, whilst at VFL Park Collingwood beat Carlton by 102 points to beat the Blues’ biggest ever loss by two points. I am still amazed at Carlton and Essendon losing by 100 points on the same day. Ask if that has ever happened and you would surely get a “no” though it did happen on this amazing day. The average score for Round 6 of 1977 is the ninth highest on record, and the average margin the fourteenth highest. Only a high-scoring thriller at Albert Park between South Melbourne and Fitzroy where the Swans got away late in the last quarter prevented the round ranking higher.

 

[Catsace]

I recall that day vividly, being the first time i went to a VFL game, Geelong vs Melbourne. Geelong won 21.17.143 to 13.15.93, a nice even 50pt win, but i recall the astonished voices of the fans of the day listening to their trannies relaying to all around them....hawthorn are 10.24.to 10.3....Hawthorn are 15.32......Hawthorn 19.38!! Remarkable game, even to hear 2nd hand. Certainly i will never forget my first ever match!

 

[Barkly St End]

The game was on May 7 of 1977 at Prices Park and the score was:

[COLOR=sienna]Hawthorn     5-11    10-24    15-32    25-41  191[/COLOR]
St. Kilda    2-0     10-3     11-5     16-7   103

I wonder just what the scoreboard attendants would have done when Hawthorn racked up its fortieth behind? I have read that old clocks had no means of allowing for a quarter that went for over 35 minutes, which became far from unknown when 100 points was scored in a quarter a couple of times a year (and happened in the last quarter of that game). Thus I imagine that the scoreboard attendants would have had to be innovative to cope with Hawthorn’s incredible behind tally. I wonder what happened in 1934 when Geelong became the first team to score thirty behinds?

If one breaks the scores up quarter-by-quarter, the 1977 game becomes even more interesting:

[COLOR=sienna]Hawthorn    5-11 (41)   5-13 (43)    5-8 (38)   10-9  (69)[/COLOR]
St. Kilda   2-0 (12)    8-3 (51)     1-2 (8)     5-2 (32)
 
With the wind ([COLOR=sienna]Hawthorn[/COLOR] in quarters 1 and 3; St. Kilda in quarters 2 and 4):
[COLOR=sienna]Hawthorn 10-19 (79)[/COLOR]
St. Kilda 13-5 (83)
 
Into the wind ([COLOR=sienna]Hawthorn[/COLOR] in quarters 2 and 4; St. Kilda in quarters 1 and 3):
[COLOR=sienna]Hawthorn 15-22 (112)[/COLOR]
St. Kilda 3-2 (20)

It is notable how Hawthorn scored consistently into the wind, whereas St. Kilda could hardly score without the aid of the breeze. The two quarters where St. Kilda had the breeze had an amazing total of 55 aggregate scoring shots, and the twenty-nine aggregate scoring shots for the second quarter is a record for any quarter of a V/AFL match.

The whole round on which this match was played is in fact, amazing not only for this game and Hawthorn’s record behinds and scoring shots. At Windy Hill, Footscray gave Essendon its biggest loss ever at the ground and doubled their previous biggest winning margin over the Bombers, whilst at VFL Park Collingwood beat Carlton by 102 points to beat the Blues’ biggest ever loss by two points. I am still amazed at Carlton and Essendon losing by 100 points on the same day. Ask if that has ever happened and you would surely get a “no” though it did happen on this amazing day. The average score for Round 6 of 1977 is the ninth highest on record, and the average margin the fourteenth highest. Only a high-scoring thriller at Albert Park between South Melbourne and Fitzroy where the Swans got away late in the last quarter prevented the round ranking higher.

Thanks for that, interesting stuff.

Now that you mention it, I have a recollection of that Foots vs Ess game, and I'm pretty certain that Essendon played the last quarter with only 17 men, and as a consequence, Footscray might have banged in something like 12 goals in that final quarter.

The other interesting thing is that the following year, St Kilda allowed Footscray to score the then record socre of 33:15:213 (beating the previous score of 30:30:210).

Footscray scored 12 goals in the last quarter that time as well, and Templeton kicked 9 of them, finishing with 15 goals 9 for the match - he could easily have broken the all time goal scoring record that day.

If any doggies fans ever get a chance to see that final quarter, it's simply unbelievable. St Kilda scored the first 2 goals of the quarter, to be only 30 points down, and then it was one way traffic for the remaining 25 minutes!

 

[emuboy]

As a person with on-and-off interest in prime numbers, the fact that the margin of 101 points has occurred eleven times is remarkable because, as you can see, 11 and 101 are (almost certainly) the only primes of the form 10^n+1.


Getting back to footy, you are right that Brisbane in 1991 stands as the last team to lose consecutive games by 100 points. The only previous ones are:

1. St. Kilda in the last two sectional matches of 1901
2. St. Kilda in Rounds 15 and 16 of 1911
   • (a result of a player strike; the only 100-point wins from 1907 to 1918)
3. Melbourne in Rounds 15 and 16 of 1919
4. Hawthorn in Rounds 11 and 12 of 1944
5. St. Kilda in Rounds 16 and 17 of 1980
   • only team to concede 30 goals in consecutive matches
6. St. Kilda in Rounds 1, 2 and 3 of 1985
   • only team to lose three consecutive games by 100 points or more

I am suprised that consecutive century thrashings are so rare; I thought with some of the terrible teams seen in football (North Melbourne in the early 1930s, St Kilda in the mid 1940s to mid 1950s and Fitzroy in the 1960s) this might have come up more often. However, it is worth noting that arguably the worst team ever - University - did not once lose by a game by 100 points or more in their brief tenure from 1908-14.

Another coincidental score I forgot to mention yesterday was that in 1977, Footscray and Melbourne repeated their 1954 Grand Final Scores at the MCG, the Bulldogs beating the Demons 15.12-102 to 7.9-51. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, this game did not net them the 1977 premiership, it was a rather meaningless mid season game between two non finalists. But it is strange that such an important scoreline for both teams should be repeated 23 years later.

 

[Marklar_33]

In 1985, St Kilda lost by 100+ points in Rounds 1, 2, 3 and 7. Is this the most 100 point losses in a season (4 out of 7 must surely be a record of ineptitude!)

 

[mianfei]

Thanks for that, interesting stuff.

Now that you mention it, I have a recollection of that Foots vs Ess game, and I'm pretty certain that Essendon played the last quarter with only 17 men, and as a consequence, Footscray might have banged in something like 12 goals in that final quarter.

The other interesting thing is that the following year, St Kilda allowed Footscray to score the then record socre of 33:15:213 (beating the previous score of 30:30:210).

Footscray scored 12 goals in the last quarter that time as well, and Templeton kicked 9 of them, finishing with 15 goals 9 for the match - he could easily have broken the all time goal scoring record that day.

If any doggies fans ever get a chance to see that final quarter, it's simply unbelievable. St Kilda scored the first 2 goals of the quarter, to be only 30 points down, and then it was one way traffic for the remaining 25 minutes!

Footscray actually kicked 11.4 (70) in the last quarter of the 1977 game against Essendon, in the process setting a record of seven players kicking three goals or more, which has been equalled about half-a-dozen times but never beaten. The seven were:

• Kelvin Templeton with five
• Geoff Jennings with four
• Ian Morrison with four
• Jim Edmond with three
• Ray Huppatz with three
• Ian Low with three
• Ian Dunstan with three

Their score of 29.15 ranks as Footscray’s second highest ever, and was the third highest score of 1977 and at the time the equal seventh highest score in the VFL. I have seen all the last-quarter goals (ten of an amazing 22 for the match) by Templeton and Dunstan from the 1978 game, but apparently at least one person has the whole match on video and does not want to make it available. I would be willing to pay $50 or more for such performances as Templeton and Dunstan put on!

 

[Ron The Bear]

In 1985, St Kilda lost by 100+ points in Rounds 1, 2, 3 and 7. Is this the most 100 point losses in a season (4 out of 7 must surely be a record of ineptitude!)

4 is the record in one year

1982 Footscray, R1, 3, 18, 22
1985 St.Kilda R1, 2, 3, 7
1991 Brisbane R4, 19, 20, 23
1996 Fitzroy R5, 9, 13, 21

 

[Marklar_33]

4 is the record in one year

1982 Footscray, R1, 3, 18, 22
1985 St.Kilda R1, 2, 3, 7
1991 Brisbane R4, 19, 20, 23
1996 Fitzroy R5, 9, 13, 21

Cheers. Unsure why I didnt think to look at Fitzroy circa 95-96

 

[Connor7395]

Here's an interesting parallel that I know is not likely to be equalled any time soon:

July 28, 1956    Glenferrie Oval

[COLOR="Sienna"]Hawthorn[/COLOR]           3-6    7-9    9-13   10-18    78    
[COLOR="Red"]South Melbourne[/COLOR]    4-0    8-0    11-3    12-6    78

13 May, 2000    Football Park (I watched this game from a pub in Boronia!)

[COLOR="DeepSkyBlue"]Port Adelaide[/COLOR]       3-9    6-13   8-15   10-18    78    
[COLOR="Navy"]Geelong[/COLOR]             4-3    8-5    11-6    12-6    78

Although there are among the 143 drawn V/AFL games many pairs with the same scores where the number of goals was the same or differed by one, this pair is unique because one side had scored two fewer goals than the other. In fact, only seven draws where one side scored two goals fewer than the other have been played since 1897. The following game provides a remarkable parallel to the 1956 game because it was between the same two clubs at the same ground. Bob Skilton in fact played in both games, and made a heroic effort in the second one that is sufficient to make the following game a contender for the most memorable of the 136 drawn home-and-away games in V/AFL history. he kicked five goals playing with severe concussion in the second half - and further to add to a truly memorable game, Peter Bedford, another Brownlow winner, made his VFL debut with four goals.

April 20, 1968    Glenferrie Oval

[COLOR="Sienna"]Hawthorn[/COLOR]           5-3    9-9    15-20   17-24   126    
[COLOR="Red"]South Melbourne[/COLOR]    4-3    8-8    11-10   19-12   126

Collingwood and Melbourne on Queens Birthday a few weeks ago, Collingwood had 9.22 to 11.10. There's your fourth instance.

 

[Sports Guru]

As you guys have already commented a lot on the topic, I would simply like to say that everybody has tried his best to put his efforts well to show up his knowledge and intellect while recalling past memories. Thanks guys for such a great stuff!!!

 

[Barkly St End]

Talking about drawn games where one team scored two or more fewer goals than the opponent, let's not forget that in the very first drawn grand final (there have only been two), one team scored three fewer goals.

 

[emuboy]

Talking about drawn games where one team scored two or more fewer goals than the opponent, let's not forget that in the very first drawn grand final (there have only been two), one team scored three fewer goals.

That was quite an amazing game in 1948; 7.27 Essendon to 10.9 Melbourne. The Essendon team must have been cursing themselves for their bad kicking all summer, as in the following week's replay they never got into the match at any stage, the Demons wrapping up the match in the first quarter and cruising home by 39 points.

What also is very interesting is that while the 1948 Grand Final attracted over 80000 fans, just over 50000 turned up a week later for the replay. The replay was in wet weather, but no wetter than some of the other well attended Grand Finals in this era. It is a similar story with 1977; far fewer fans attended the replay. I'm not sure about the weather for this game, but the high scoring 21.25 to 19.10 win by the Kangaroos over the Magpies suggests fine weather.

 

[Catsace]

Regarding the weather for the 1977 Grand Final(s) both days were fine and sunny, perfect weather for footy. The 1st Grand Final was just a game of pressure, with Collingwood streaking away in the 3rd quarter, and they led 66-39 at 3/4 time from memory. The Kangas actually got in front by as much as 7 pts late in the last quarter before a snapped behind by Moore and the celebrated mark and goal by Twiggy Dunne levelled the scores. Amazing way to greet the first live telecast of a Grand Final!!

 

[Barkly St End]

What also is very interesting is that while the 1948 Grand Final attracted over 80000 fans, just over 50000 turned up a week later for the replay. The replay was in wet weather, but no wetter than some of the other well attended Grand Finals in this era. It is a similar story with 1977; far fewer fans attended the replay. I'm not sure about the weather for this game, but the high scoring 21.25 to 19.10 win by the Kangaroos over the Magpies suggests fine weather.

IN the immediate post-war period, perhaps it was too much of a luxury?

Another possibility is that it's harder for those coming from ou of town to organise themselves?

Perhaps the bomber supporters knew they had blown it?