1967 VFL premiership season
Teams12
PremiersRichmond
6th premiership
Minor premiersRichmond
6th minor premiership
Consolation seriesFootscray
3rd Consolation series win
Brownlow MedallistRoss Smith (St Kilda)
Coleman MedallistDoug Wade (Geelong)
Matches played112
Highest109,396
← 1966
1968 →

The 1967 VFL season was the 71st season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 15 April until 23 September, and comprised an 18-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top four clubs.

The premiership was won by the Richmond Football Club for the sixth time, after it defeated Geelong by nine points in the 1967 VFL Grand Final.

Background

In 1967, 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 18 rounds; matches 12 to 18 were the "home-and-way reverse" of matches 1 to 7.

Once the 18 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1967 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the Page–McIntyre system.

Home-and-away season

Round 1

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Hawthorn 20.12 (132) South Melbourne 15.12 (102) Glenferrie Oval 18,294 15 April 1967 North Melbourne 8.14 (62) Melbourne 9.13 (67) Arden Street Oval 13,690 15 April 1967 St Kilda 22.13 (145) Footscray 9.10 (64) Moorabbin Oval 28,564 15 April 1967 Richmond 15.20 (110) Essendon 11.9 (75) MCG 56,387 15 April 1967 Geelong 13.13 (91) Collingwood 13.12 (90) Kardinia Park 35,151 15 April 1967 Fitzroy 5.6 (36) Carlton 18.22 (130) Princes Park 24,211 15 April 1967

Round 2

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Footscray 12.6 (78) Richmond 8.22 (70) Western Oval 19,286 22 April 1967 Essendon 7.11 (53) St Kilda 8.8 (56) Windy Hill 26,100 22 April 1967 Collingwood 16.17 (113) North Melbourne 7.8 (50) Victoria Park 23,576 22 April 1967 Carlton 12.16 (88) Hawthorn 6.8 (44) Princes Park 31,558 22 April 1967 Melbourne 9.8 (62) Geelong 14.11 (95) MCG 37,759 22 April 1967 South Melbourne 15.13 (103) Fitzroy 10.5 (65) Lake Oval 11,739 22 April 1967

Round 3

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Geelong 11.15 (81) Hawthorn 7.5 (47) Kardinia Park 17,227 29 April 1967 Footscray 6.5 (41) South Melbourne 11.13 (79) Western Oval 18,283 29 April 1967 Carlton 10.13 (73) North Melbourne 8.9 (57) Princes Park 19,041 29 April 1967 St Kilda 9.13 (67) Melbourne 10.9 (69) Moorabbin Oval 27,760 29 April 1967 Richmond 11.12 (78) Fitzroy 7.11 (53) MCG 20,938 29 April 1967 Essendon 8.6 (54) Collingwood 10.16 (76) Windy Hill 34,600 29 April 1967

Round 4

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date North Melbourne 10.8 (68) Richmond 11.22 (88) Arden Street Oval 12,750 6 May 1967 Hawthorn 10.6 (66) St Kilda 15.11 (101) Glenferrie Oval 20,352 6 May 1967 Fitzroy 9.10 (64) Geelong 22.13 (145) Princes Park 9,747 6 May 1967 Collingwood 13.17 (95) Footscray 5.7 (37) Victoria Park 21,855 6 May 1967 South Melbourne 18.19 (127) Essendon 13.10 (88) Lake Oval 18,756 6 May 1967 Melbourne 5.15 (45) Carlton 16.8 (104) MCG 48,513 6 May 1967

Round 5

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Footscray 12.11 (83) Melbourne 12.10 (82) Western Oval 15,818 13 May 1967 Fitzroy 9.6 (60) North Melbourne 13.13 (91) Princes Park 9,897 13 May 1967 Essendon 8.13 (61) Geelong 10.12 (72) Windy Hill 24,100 13 May 1967 Collingwood 13.25 (103) South Melbourne 7.15 (57) Victoria Park 33,714 13 May 1967 Richmond 16.22 (118) Hawthorn 5.13 (43) MCG 27,175 13 May 1967 St Kilda 11.9 (75) Carlton 11.14 (80) Moorabbin Oval 44,382 13 May 1967

Round 6

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Hawthorn 7.9 (51) North Melbourne 10.13 (73) Glenferrie Oval 10,136 20 May 1967 Geelong 16.12 (108) South Melbourne 13.11 (89) Kardinia Park 21,565 20 May 1967 Carlton 10.13 (73) Collingwood 9.13 (67) Princes Park 43,589 20 May 1967 St Kilda 9.4 (58) Richmond 14.15 (99) Moorabbin Oval 32,342 20 May 1967 Melbourne 13.15 (93) Fitzroy 7.9 (51) MCG 17,582 20 May 1967 Footscray 4.7 (31) Essendon 11.13 (79) Western Oval 21,278 20 May 1967

Round 7

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Fitzroy 9.12 (66) Hawthorn 16.14 (110) Princes Park 7,600 27 May 1967 Essendon 10.12 (72) Melbourne 6.10 (46) Windy Hill 17,684 27 May 1967 Collingwood 16.20 (116) St Kilda 14.14 (98) Victoria Park 31,877 27 May 1967 Richmond 18.11 (119) Geelong 12.9 (81) MCG 50,348 27 May 1967 North Melbourne 7.13 (55) Footscray 6.6 (42) Arden Street Oval 10,280 27 May 1967 South Melbourne 11.12 (78) Carlton 11.12 (78) Lake Oval 21,870 27 May 1967

Round 8

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Hawthorn 12.8 (80) Melbourne 18.17 (125) Glenferrie Oval 13,772 3 June 1967 Carlton 11.19 (85) Geelong 12.9 (81) Princes Park 30,481 3 June 1967 South Melbourne 20.18 (138) St Kilda 14.25 (109) Lake Oval 26,584 3 June 1967 Footscray 7.15 (57) Fitzroy 12.9 (81) Western Oval 11,727 3 June 1967 North Melbourne 12.16 (88) Essendon 13.10 (88) Arden Street Oval 16,120 3 June 1967 Richmond 13.5 (83) Collingwood 13.12 (90) MCG 71,946 3 June 1967

Round 9

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Essendon 21.16 (142) Hawthorn 6.15 (51) Windy Hill 13,277 10 June 1967 Collingwood 19.20 (134) Fitzroy 4.9 (33) Victoria Park 18,643 10 June 1967 St Kilda 9.17 (71) North Melbourne 8.13 (61) Moorabbin Oval 17,258 10 June 1967 Melbourne 19.14 (128) South Melbourne 12.17 (89) MCG 45,723 12 June 1967 Carlton 14.7 (91) Richmond 13.15 (93) Princes Park 37,384 12 June 1967 Geelong 15.12 (102) Footscray 9.8 (62) Kardinia Park 21,963 12 June 1967

Round 10

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date North Melbourne 16.11 (107) South Melbourne 14.7 (91) Arden Street Oval 11,967 24 June 1967 Collingwood 17.16 (118) Hawthorn 12.9 (81) Victoria Park 17,363 24 June 1967 Richmond 24.14 (158) Melbourne 12.9 (81) MCG 38,519 24 June 1967 St Kilda 18.14 (122) Geelong 10.10 (70) Moorabbin Oval 27,055 24 June 1967 Fitzroy 9.11 (65) Essendon 13.13 (91) Princes Park 12,076 24 June 1967 Footscray 7.12 (54) Carlton 11.4 (70) Western Oval 19,883 24 June 1967

Round 11

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Geelong 12.6 (78) North Melbourne 9.18 (72) Kardinia Park 14,415 1 July 1967 Fitzroy 9.9 (63) St Kilda 15.21 (111) Princes Park 9,851 1 July 1967 South Melbourne 8.9 (57) Richmond 14.25 (109) Lake Oval 15,520 1 July 1967 Hawthorn 8.11 (59) Footscray 14.12 (96) Glenferrie Oval 7,530 1 July 1967 Melbourne 9.11 (65) Collingwood 14.14 (98) MCG 30,848 1 July 1967 Essendon 9.16 (70) Carlton 12.7 (79) Windy Hill 23,906 1 July 1967

Round 12

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Essendon 13.15 (93) Richmond 10.12 (72) Windy Hill 24,600 8 July 1967 Collingwood 6.15 (51) Geelong 12.16 (88) Victoria Park 36,121 8 July 1967 South Melbourne 10.17 (77) Hawthorn 13.12 (90) Lake Oval 11,448 8 July 1967 Melbourne 8.7 (55) North Melbourne 5.22 (52) MCG 19,191 15 July 1967 Footscray 3.15 (33) St Kilda 11.12 (78) Western Oval 17,939 15 July 1967 Carlton 10.16 (76) Fitzroy 10.8 (68) Princes Park 16,370 15 July 1967

Round 13

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Geelong 13.12 (90) Melbourne 8.9 (57) Kardinia Park 18,780 22 July 1967 Fitzroy 19.21 (135) South Melbourne 12.10 (82) Princes Park 10,800 22 July 1967 Richmond 19.16 (130) Footscray 8.10 (58) MCG 20,827 22 July 1967 St Kilda 18.6 (114) Essendon 13.13 (91) Moorabbin Oval 31,972 22 July 1967 North Melbourne 9.8 (62) Collingwood 11.15 (81) Arden Street Oval 18,851 22 July 1967 Hawthorn 9.9 (63) Carlton 11.21 (87) Glenferrie Oval 17,552 22 July 1967

Round 14

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Melbourne 8.10 (58) St Kilda 12.19 (91) MCG 29,175 29 July 1967 Fitzroy 8.10 (58) Richmond 8.19 (67) Princes Park 13,864 29 July 1967 Collingwood 8.14 (62) Essendon 10.11 (71) Victoria Park 27,320 29 July 1967 Hawthorn 11.12 (78) Geelong 7.16 (58) Glenferrie Oval 12,087 29 July 1967 South Melbourne 10.11 (71) Footscray 5.10 (40) Lake Oval 8,635 29 July 1967 North Melbourne 8.9 (57) Carlton 6.8 (44) Arden Street Oval 14,582 29 July 1967

Round 15

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Essendon 14.15 (99) South Melbourne 7.16 (58) Windy Hill 15,800 5 August 1967 Carlton 7.10 (52) Melbourne 6.13 (49) Princes Park 20,138 5 August 1967 Richmond 14.21 (105) North Melbourne 13.7 (85) MCG 34,447 5 August 1967 St Kilda 17.17 (119) Hawthorn 8.8 (56) Moorabbin Oval 23,406 5 August 1967 Geelong 9.14 (68) Fitzroy 7.8 (50) Kardinia Park 16,443 5 August 1967 Footscray 14.9 (93) Collingwood 12.15 (87) Western Oval 16,867 5 August 1967

Round 16

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Hawthorn 7.12 (54) Richmond 23.30 (168) Glenferrie Oval 19,441 12 August 1967 Carlton 11.7 (73) St Kilda 9.8 (62) Princes Park 32,912 12 August 1967 Melbourne 7.12 (54) Footscray 7.9 (51) MCG 17,039 12 August 1967 North Melbourne 9.12 (66) Fitzroy 15.15 (105) Arden Street Oval 8,509 12 August 1967 Geelong 10.13 (73) Essendon 4.10 (34) Kardinia Park 25,956 12 August 1967 South Melbourne 5.6 (36) Collingwood 16.14 (110) Lake Oval 10,034 12 August 1967

Round 17

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Richmond 12.13 (85) St Kilda 7.11 (53) MCG 48,200 19 August 1967 Fitzroy 8.18 (66) Melbourne 9.8 (62) Princes Park 8,027 19 August 1967 Essendon 13.11 (89) Footscray 12.15 (87) Windy Hill 8,700 19 August 1967 North Melbourne 9.19 (73) Hawthorn 7.3 (45) Arden Street Oval 4,846 19 August 1967 South Melbourne 9.9 (63) Geelong 21.13 (139) Lake Oval 10,034 19 August 1967 Collingwood 12.13 (85) Carlton 8.12 (60) Victoria Park 34,784 19 August 1967

Round 18

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Geelong 15.15 (105) Richmond 18.9 (117) Kardinia Park 34,616 26 August 1967 Footscray 7.11 (53) North Melbourne 8.7 (55) Western Oval 10,669 26 August 1967 Carlton 10.22 (82) South Melbourne 7.7 (49) Princes Park 15,609 26 August 1967 Hawthorn 13.13 (91) Fitzroy 10.14 (74) Glenferrie Oval 13,846 26 August 1967 Melbourne 8.12 (60) Essendon 7.14 (56) MCG 24,282 26 August 1967 St Kilda 14.16 (100) Collingwood 8.5 (53) Moorabbin Oval 28,862 26 August 1967

Ladder

(P) Premiers
Qualified for finals
# Team P W L D PF PA % Pts
1 Richmond (P) 18 15 3 0 1869 1281 145.9 60
2 Carlton 18 14 3 1 1425 1133 125.8 58
3 Geelong 18 13 5 0 1625 1323 122.8 52
4 Collingwood 18 12 6 0 1629 1232 132.2 48
5 St Kilda 18 11 7 0 1630 1328 122.7 44
6 Essendon 18 8 9 1 1406 1327 106.0 34
7 Melbourne 18 8 10 0 1258 1417 88.8 32
8 North Melbourne 18 7 10 1 1234 1310 94.2 30
9 South Melbourne 18 5 12 1 1446 1763 82.0 22
10 Hawthorn 18 5 13 0 1241 1766 70.3 20
11 Fitzroy 18 4 14 0 1193 1655 72.1 16
12 Footscray 18 4 14 0 1060 1481 71.6 16

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 78.8
Source: AFL Tables

Finals series

Semi-finals

First Semi-final
Saturday, 2 September (2:30 pm) Geelong 16.12 (108) def. Collingwood 11.12 (78) MCG (crowd: 91,715) Report
  • Collingwood captain Des Tuddenham was reported for striking, found guilty and suspended for four matches.
  • After slipping on the MCG's old practice-wicket area and copping a knee from Collingwood big man Ernie Hug[1] in the first quarter, Sam Newman was taken by ambulance to St Vincent's Hospital for emergency treatment,[2] which eventually resulted in him having a kidney removed.
Second Semi-final
Saturday, 9 September 2:30pm Richmond def. Carlton MCG (crowd: 99,051)
5.8 (38)
10.13 (73)
14.16 (100)
 20.21 (141)
Q1
Q2
Q3
 Final
3.4 (22)
7.9 (51)
11.12 (78)
 14.17 (101)
Umpires: Sheales
Television broadcast: Seven Network
Hart 6
Brown, Patterson 3
B. Richardson, Northey, Guinane 2
Barrot, Bartlett 1
Goals 3 Munari, Nicholls
2 Kekovich, Barassi, Jesaulenko
1 Silvagni, Gallagher
Barrot, Hart, Clay, Dean, Guinane, Burgin Best Nicholls, Goold, Munari, Barassi, Silvagni, Gallagher
Crowe for striking Nicholls Reports
  • Richmond ruckman Neville Crowe was found guilty and suspended for four matches.

Preliminary final

Preliminary Final
Saturday, 16 September 2:30pm Geelong def. Carlton MCG (crowd: 95,542)
1.0 (6)
6.2 (38)
14.3 (87)
 17.6 (108)
Q1
Q2
Q3
 Final
5.2 (32)
10.5 (65)
11.7 (73)
 11.13 (79)
Umpires: Sheales
Television broadcast: Seven Network
Wade 5
Sharrock 4
Ryan, Mitchell, Andrews 2
Polinelli, Newland 1
Goals 3 Gallagher
2 Jesaulenko
1 Collins, Stone, Nicholls, Barassi, Robertson, Auchettl
Sharrock, Goggin, Farmer, Polinelli, Ryan, Closter, Mitchell, Walker Best Nicholls, Barassi, Collis, Hall, Gill, Goold, Gallagher, Collins

Grand final

Main article: 1967 VFL Grand Final

Grand final
Saturday, 23 September (2:30 pm) Richmond 16.18 (114) def. Geelong 15.15 (105) MCG (crowd: 109,396) Report

Night Series Competition

The night series were held under the floodlights at Lake Oval, South Melbourne, for the teams (5th to 12th on ladder) out of the finals at the end of the season.

Final: Footscray 15.11 (101) defeated South Melbourne 8.8 (56).

Season notes

Awards

References

  1. ^ Collins (2009), p.196
  2. ^ "Geelong player in hospital—serious". The Age. 4 September 1967. p. 1.
  3. ^ Kevin Hogan (26 April 1967). ""Clash" was so friendly". The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne. p. 72.
  4. ^ Rex Pullen (25 September 1967). "Kangaroos too good". The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne. p. 55.

Sources