1976 VFL season
Encyclopedia
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League
season of 1976.
Teams played each other in a home-and-away season of 22 rounds; matches 12 to 22 were the "home-and-way reverse" of matches 1 to 11 (except that rounds 14 and 15 were the reverse of 4 and 3 respectively).
Once the 22 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1976 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the "McIntyre Final Five system".
defeated North Melbourne
13.22 (100) to 10.10 (70), in front of a crowd of 110143 people. (For an explanation of scoring see Australian rules football
).
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
season of 1976.
Premiership season
In 1976, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus two substitute players, known as the 19th man and the 20th man. A player could be substituted for any reason; however, once substituted, a player could not return to the field of play under any circumstances.Teams played each other in a home-and-away season of 22 rounds; matches 12 to 22 were the "home-and-way reverse" of matches 1 to 11 (except that rounds 14 and 15 were the reverse of 4 and 3 respectively).
Once the 22 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1976 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the "McIntyre Final Five system".
Grand final
HawthornHawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
defeated North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
13.22 (100) to 10.10 (70), in front of a crowd of 110143 people. (For an explanation of scoring see Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
).
Awards
- The 1976 VFL Premiership team was HawthornHawthorn Football ClubThe Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
. - The VFL's leading goalkickerColeman MedalThe Coleman Medal is awarded yearly to the Australian Football League player who kicks the most goals in regular-season matches in that year...
was Larry DonohueLarry DonohueLarry Donohue is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Geelong Football Club from 1973. He was recruited from the Thomson Football Club. He won the Coleman Medal in 1976 after kicking 99 goals.- References :...
of GeelongGeelong Football ClubThe Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
who kicked 105 goals (including 6 goals in the finals). - The winner of the 1976 Brownlow MedalBrownlow MedalThe Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
was Graham MossGraham MossGraham Moss is a former Australian rules footballer and coach, who was highly successful in both the West Australian Football League and the Victorian Football League . He was a Brownlow Medal-winning ruckman and played 343 senior games in the WAFL and VFL.Moss debuted for Claremont Football Club...
of EssendonEssendon Football ClubThe Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
with 48 votes. - CollingwoodCollingwood Football ClubThe Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
took the "wooden spoon" in 1976.
Notable events
- The VFL introduces two field umpires per match.
- John Nicholls resigns as coach of CarltonCarlton Football ClubThe Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
three days before the VFL season commences. Assistant coach Ian ThorogoodIan ThorogoodIan Thorogood is a former Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League .Thorogood played for Melbourne, including three premiership teams. Following his retirement from playing, he coached Waverley to a premiership in the VFA in 1965...
is promoted to coach. - The round 9 clash between North Melbourne Football ClubNorth Melbourne Football ClubThe North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
and Essendon Football ClubEssendon Football ClubThe Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
proved to be confusing with two umpires. First, an umpire picks out a free kick then decides a ball-up. Ross HenshawRoss HenshawRoss Henshaw is a former Australian rules footballer who played for North Melbourne in the VFL.Henshaw was a tough defender and played in either the back pocket or half back flank for North Melbourne during the 70s and into the early 80s...
was off the ground injured while the reserves were in action. The umpires finally decided that North had to play with just 17 men. North won by 4 points, easily chipping it around and creating loose men around the wing. - The Round 21 match between Footscray and Fitzroy was the first match to provide the two lowest scores of a season.
- In complete contrast, the opening round match between South Melbourne and Geelong saw the Swans kick the highest losing score on record, beating Melbourne's 1940 record.
- Collingwood's six wins is the most by a wooden spooner in V/AFL history. The next best is five and a draw by Geelong in 1957 and Brisbane in 1998.