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1974 VFL season

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1974 VFL premiership season
Teams12
PremiersRichmond
9th premiership
Minor premiersRichmond
7th minor premiership
Brownlow MedallistKeith Greig (North Melbourne)
Coleman MedallistDoug Wade (North Melbourne)
Attendance
Matches played138
Total attendance3,243,600 (23,504 per match)
Highest113,839
← 1973
1975 →

The 1974 VFL season was the 78th season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 6 April until 28 September, and comprised a 22-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top five clubs.

The premiership was won by the Richmond Football Club for the ninth time and second time consecutively, after it defeated North Melbourne by 41 points in the 1974 VFL Grand Final.

Background

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In 1974, 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.

Once the 22 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1974 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the "McIntyre final five system".

Home-and-away season

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Round 1

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 16.14 (110) Geelong 9.11 (65) Western Oval 15,204 6 April 1974
Collingwood 17.15 (117) Essendon 15.10 (100) Victoria Park 30,493 6 April 1974
Carlton 14.13 (97) Melbourne 6.12 (48) Princes Park 16,562 6 April 1974
South Melbourne 15.10 (100) North Melbourne 11.14 (80) Lake Oval 10,744 6 April 1974
Richmond 12.16 (88) Hawthorn 15.14 (104) MCG 38,735 6 April 1974
St Kilda 11.17 (83) Fitzroy 6.7 (43) Moorabbin Oval 17,286 6 April 1974

Round 2

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Fitzroy 9.13 (67) Richmond 15.26 (116) Junction Oval 17,040 13 April 1974
Hawthorn 6.12 (48) Collingwood 10.11 (71) Princes Park 28,689 13 April 1974
Geelong 15.7 (97) Carlton 12.16 (88) Kardinia Park 21,043 13 April 1974
Melbourne 11.20 (86) St Kilda 14.16 (100) MCG 36,708 15 April 1974
Essendon 21.24 (150) South Melbourne 10.18 (78) Windy Hill 25,348 15 April 1974
North Melbourne 20.12 (132) Footscray 11.9 (75) Arden Street Oval 21,358 15 April 1974

Round 3

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Collingwood 16.16 (112) Footscray 14.15 (99) Victoria Park 23,233 20 April 1974
Carlton 11.15 (81) Richmond 18.11 (119) Princes Park 33,050 20 April 1974
South Melbourne 8.18 (66) Hawthorn 20.15 (135) Lake Oval 12,157 20 April 1974
Melbourne 16.10 (106) Geelong 16.14 (110) MCG 21,041 20 April 1974
North Melbourne 17.18 (120) Fitzroy 7.11 (53) Arden Street Oval 21,358 20 April 1974
Essendon 16.14 (110) St Kilda 15.15 (105) VFL Park 35,064 20 April 1974

Round 4

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Fitzroy 18.12 (120) Collingwood 17.9 (111) Junction Oval 28,471 25 April 1974
North Melbourne 19.9 (123) Carlton 6.15 (51) VFL Park 54,086 25 April 1974
Geelong 6.9 (45) St Kilda 8.13 (61) Kardinia Park 18,550 27 April 1974
Footscray 15.6 (96) South Melbourne 7.9 (51) Western Oval 12,491 27 April 1974
Richmond 13.16 (94) Melbourne 9.15 (69) MCG 28,080 27 April 1974
Hawthorn 9.15 (69) Essendon 5.13 (43) Princes Park 17,590 27 April 1974

Round 5

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 13.11 (89) North Melbourne 19.15 (129) MCG 23,616 4 May 1974
Essendon 12.26 (98) Geelong 10.14 (74) Windy Hill 19,123 4 May 1974
St Kilda 13.12 (90) Richmond 15.20 (110) Moorabbin Oval 30,673 4 May 1974
South Melbourne 14.16 (100) Fitzroy 15.10 (100) Lake Oval 10,316 4 May 1974
Collingwood 13.14 (92) Carlton 10.14 (74) Victoria Park 33,452 4 May 1974
Hawthorn 8.14 (62) Footscray 11.19 (85) VFL Park 20,281 4 May 1974

Round 6

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 22.20 (152) St Kilda 9.5 (59) Arden Street Oval 17,545 11 May 1974
Fitzroy 18.16 (124) Hawthorn 13.16 (94) Junction Oval 10,583 11 May 1974
Carlton 19.21 (135) South Melbourne 12.9 (81) Princes Park 19,902 11 May 1974
Richmond 17.11 (113) Geelong 18.15 (123) MCG 31,483 11 May 1974
Footscray 17.12 (114) Essendon 8.16 (64) Western Oval 26,309 11 May 1974
Collingwood 13.11 (89) Melbourne 12.7 (79) VFL Park 25,161 11 May 1974

Round 7

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Geelong 9.5 (59) North Melbourne 13.12 (90) Kardinia Park 24,685 18 May 1974
Essendon 15.15 (105) Richmond 16.19 (115) Windy Hill 24,376 18 May 1974
South Melbourne 13.16 (94) Melbourne 11.10 (76) Lake Oval 10,239 18 May 1974
St Kilda 12.10 (82) Collingwood 11.22 (88) Moorabbin Oval 27,876 18 May 1974
Hawthorn 13.22 (100) Carlton 8.12 (60) Princes Park 21,202 18 May 1974
Footscray 12.15 (87) Fitzroy 8.12 (60) VFL Park 19,450 18 May 1974

Round 8

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 9.16 (70) Richmond 13.17 (95) Arden Street Oval 22,841 25 May 1974
Collingwood 11.14 (80) Geelong 18.13 (121) Victoria Park 22,858 25 May 1974
Carlton 9.12 (66) Footscray 9.12 (66) Princes Park 20,830 25 May 1974
Melbourne 6.15 (51) Hawthorn 13.21 (99) MCG 18,029 25 May 1974
Fitzroy 16.11 (107) Essendon 14.15 (99) Junction Oval 15,516 25 May 1974
South Melbourne 8.9 (57) St Kilda 10.10 (70) VFL Park 16,516 25 May 1974

Round 9

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 18.15 (123) St Kilda 10.16 (76) Princes Park 12,630 1 June 1974
Geelong 16.12 (108) South Melbourne 17.7 (109) Kardinia Park 15,664 1 June 1974
Footscray 13.16 (94) Melbourne 8.8 (56) Western Oval 15,415 1 June 1974
North Melbourne 11.15 (81) Essendon 16.15 (111) Arden Street Oval 20,027 1 June 1974
Richmond 9.20 (74) Collingwood 21.17 (143) MCG 66,829 1 June 1974
Fitzroy 7.10 (52) Carlton 16.15 (111) VFL Park 19,906 1 June 1974

Round 10

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Collingwood 12.10 (82) North Melbourne 8.15 (63) Victoria Park 25,892 8 June 1974
South Melbourne 9.13 (67) Richmond 23.9 (147) Lake Oval 12,054 8 June 1974
St Kilda 9.9 (63) Footscray 11.10 (76) Moorabbin Oval 17,667 8 June 1974
Melbourne 19.10 (124) Fitzroy 13.15 (93) MCG 12,414 8 June 1974
Essendon 9.14 (68) Carlton 16.7 (103) Windy Hill 24,436 8 June 1974
Hawthorn 14.13 (97) Geelong 10.6 (66) VFL Park 18,562 8 June 1974

Round 11

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Carlton 20.13 (133) St Kilda 13.10 (88) Princes Park 26,030 15 June 1974
South Melbourne 10.13 (73) Collingwood 15.14 (104) Lake Oval 16,908 15 June 1974
Melbourne 10.10 (70) Essendon 15.15 (105) VFL Park 21,396 15 June 1974
North Melbourne 14.11 (95) Hawthorn 9.21 (75) Arden Street Oval 17,368 17 June 1974
Richmond 19.19 (133) Footscray 15.11 (101) MCG 68,446 17 June 1974
Geelong 10.15 (75) Fitzroy 10.13 (73) Kardinia Park 18,396 17 June 1974

Round 12

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
North Melbourne 28.17 (185) South Melbourne 12.7 (79) Arden Street Oval 9,016 22 June 1974
Hawthorn 19.17 (131) Richmond 15.18 (108) Princes Park 15,710 22 June 1974
Fitzroy 13.14 (92) St Kilda 12.15 (87) Junction Oval 12,519 22 June 1974
Essendon 13.12 (90) Collingwood 19.9 (123) Windy Hill 25,867 22 June 1974
Melbourne 11.13 (79) Carlton 15.18 (108) MCG 23,336 22 June 1974
Geelong 13.14 (92) Footscray 8.10 (58) VFL Park 16,320 22 June 1974

Round 13

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Footscray 11.14 (80) North Melbourne 19.10 (124) Western Oval 20,937 29 June 1974
Collingwood 13.18 (96) Hawthorn 13.12 (90) Victoria Park 26,028 29 June 1974
Carlton 20.19 (139) Geelong 10.6 (66) Princes Park 23,490 29 June 1974
St Kilda 11.13 (79) Melbourne 13.10 (88) Moorabbin Oval 13,804 29 June 1974
South Melbourne 11.16 (82) Essendon 14.12 (96) Lake Oval 10,494 29 June 1974
Richmond 29.21 (195) Fitzroy 9.12 (66) VFL Park 16,455 29 June 1974

Round 14

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Melbourne 11.24 (90) Richmond 23.15 (153) MCG 21,146 6 July 1974
Essendon 11.9 (75) Hawthorn 23.17 (155) Windy Hill 16,493 6 July 1974
Collingwood 24.14 (158) Fitzroy 19.13 (127) Victoria Park 17,913 6 July 1974
Carlton 10.12 (72) North Melbourne 18.13 (121) Princes Park 27,600 6 July 1974
South Melbourne 19.27 (141) Footscray 12.19 (91) Lake Oval 9,739 6 July 1974
St Kilda 12.20 (92) Geelong 11.12 (78) VFL Park 13,926 6 July 1974

Round 15

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 16.14 (110) South Melbourne 4.7 (31) Princes Park 7,075 13 July 1974
Geelong 12.11 (83) Melbourne 9.9 (63) Kardinia Park 10,873 13 July 1974
St Kilda 16.13 (109) Essendon 10.8 (68) Moorabbin Oval 14,244 13 July 1974
Footscray 6.10 (46) Collingwood 7.12 (54) Western Oval 18,515 13 July 1974
Richmond 15.15 (105) Carlton 11.9 (75) MCG 36,417 13 July 1974
Fitzroy 8.7 (55) North Melbourne 10.8 (68) VFL Park 7,615 13 July 1974

Round 16

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Richmond 15.24 (114) St Kilda 11.13 (79) MCG 28,045 20 July 1974
Footscray 8.12 (60) Hawthorn 12.9 (81) Western Oval 15,299 20 July 1974
Fitzroy 10.13 (73) South Melbourne 19.19 (133) Junction Oval 8,110 20 July 1974
North Melbourne 19.14 (128) Melbourne 9.10 (64) Arden Street Oval 9,094 20 July 1974
Geelong 11.11 (77) Essendon 14.9 (93) Kardinia Park 15,897 20 July 1974
Carlton 18.10 (118) Collingwood 13.4 (82) VFL Park 47,558 20 July 1974

Round 17

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Essendon 9.10 (64) Footscray 13.15 (93) Windy Hill 16,250 27 July 1974
St Kilda 10.13 (73) North Melbourne 11.16 (82) Moorabbin Oval 15,954 27 July 1974
Hawthorn 13.28 (106) Fitzroy 8.10 (58) Princes Park 6,198 27 July 1974
Melbourne 15.21 (111) Collingwood 17.13 (115) MCG 22,893 27 July 1974
South Melbourne 14.17 (101) Carlton 11.14 (80) Lake Oval 14,114 27 July 1974
Geelong 8.9 (57) Richmond 13.15 (93) VFL Park 15,578 27 July 1974

Round 18

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Fitzroy 9.16 (70) Footscray 14.9 (93) Junction Oval 9,552 3 August 1974
Collingwood 13.10 (88) St Kilda 13.16 (94) Victoria Park 21,433 3 August 1974
Carlton 14.12 (96) Hawthorn 18.12 (120) Princes Park 23,180 3 August 1974
North Melbourne 15.9 (99) Geelong 15.15 (105) Arden Street Oval 10,638 3 August 1974
Richmond 20.15 (135) Essendon 12.16 (88) MCG 34,011 3 August 1974
Melbourne 11.17 (83) South Melbourne 14.13 (97) VFL Park 13,188 3 August 1974

Round 19

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
St Kilda 9.13 (67) South Melbourne 13.15 (93) Moorabbin Oval 17,833 10 August 1974
Hawthorn 17.20 (122) Melbourne 14.13 (97) Princes Park 8,476 10 August 1974
Essendon 24.15 (159) Fitzroy 8.13 (61) Windy Hill 10,753 10 August 1974
Geelong 8.8 (56) Collingwood 10.19 (79) Kardinia Park 22,826 10 August 1974
Footscray 10.8 (68) Carlton 4.20 (44) Western Oval 28,151 10 August 1974
Richmond 15.12 (102) North Melbourne 11.11 (77) VFL Park 40,399 10 August 1974

Round 20

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Essendon 14.14 (98) North Melbourne 16.12 (108) Windy Hill 19,229 17 August 1974
Collingwood 10.20 (80) Richmond 16.11 (107) Victoria Park 36,729 17 August 1974
Carlton 17.14 (116) Fitzroy 10.15 (75) Princes Park 13,400 17 August 1974
South Melbourne 13.7 (85) Geelong 12.14 (86) Lake Oval 12,176 17 August 1974
Melbourne 10.15 (75) Footscray 23.21 (159) MCG 17,951 17 August 1974
St Kilda 11.9 (75) Hawthorn 16.12 (108) VFL Park 21,561 17 August 1974

Round 21

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Richmond 23.24 (162) South Melbourne 17.27 (129) MCG 32,651 24 August 1974
Geelong 15.12 (102) Hawthorn 9.8 (62) Kardinia Park 17,844 24 August 1974
Footscray 7.19 (61) St Kilda 7.15 (57) Western Oval 17,675 24 August 1974
Fitzroy 14.16 (100) Melbourne 20.13 (133) Junction Oval 7,803 24 August 1974
North Melbourne 25.15 (165) Collingwood 10.14 (74) Arden Street Oval 25,757 24 August 1974
Carlton 12.11 (83) Essendon 12.17 (89) VFL Park 27,321 24 August 1974

Round 22

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 10.17 (77) North Melbourne 16.10 (106) Princes Park 28,110 31 August 1974
Footscray 13.9 (87) Richmond 11.14 (80) Western Oval 25,190 31 August 1974
Fitzroy 15.11 (101) Geelong 17.11 (113) Junction Oval 8,812 31 August 1974
Essendon 20.17 (137) Melbourne 15.13 (103) Windy Hill 13,561 31 August 1974
St Kilda 15.11 (101) Carlton 19.9 (123) Moorabbin Oval 16,458 31 August 1974
Collingwood 13.15 (93) South Melbourne 15.10 (100) VFL Park 33,786 31 August 1974

Ladder

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(P) Premiers
Qualified for finals
# Team P W L D PF PA % Pts
1 Richmond (P) 22 17 5 0 2558 1979 129.3 68
2 North Melbourne 22 16 6 0 2398 1728 138.8 64
3 Hawthorn 22 15 7 0 2168 1729 125.4 60
4 Collingwood 22 15 7 0 2131 2037 104.6 60
5 Footscray 22 13 8 1 1899 1746 108.8 54
6 Geelong 22 11 11 0 1858 1989 93.4 44
7 Carlton 22 10 11 1 2053 1941 105.8 42
8 Essendon 22 10 12 0 2110 2162 97.6 40
9 South Melbourne 22 9 12 1 1947 2327 83.7 38
10 St Kilda 22 7 15 0 1790 2018 88.7 28
11 Fitzroy 22 4 17 1 1770 2481 71.3 18
12 Melbourne 22 3 19 0 1840 2385 77.1 12

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 92.9
Source: AFL Tables

Finals series

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Finals week 1

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Home team Score Away team Score Venue Crowd Date
Collingwood 19.10 (124) Footscray 6.19 (55) VFL Park 57,912 7 September
Hawthorn 8.17 (65) North Melbourne 15.13 (103) MCG 77,519 7 September

Finals week 2

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Home team Score Away team Score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 21.12 (138) Collingwood 13.10 (88) MCG 84,846 14 September
Richmond 10.13 (73) North Melbourne 6.16 (52) VFL Park 57,569 14 September

Preliminary final

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Home team Score Away team Score Venue Crowd Date
Hawthorn 7.9 (51) North Melbourne 8.8 (56) MCG 88,262 21 September

Grand final

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Season notes

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  • North Melbourne would become the first team to trial coloured shorts (club colour royal blue), due to the impending introduction of colour television in Australia. All teams (except Collingwood, Richmond and St. Kilda where black was a club colour) would follow suit from the beginning of 1975 after colour television was introduced.
  • In the Round 7 match between Essendon and Richmond at Windy Hill, Richmond's Mal Brown clashed with Essendon's Graeme Jenkin as the teams moved towards the locker rooms at the half-time siren; after Essendon runner Laurie Ashley went out of his way to confront and abuse Brown, Brown struck Ashley, starting a 15-minute brawl that involved players, team officials, trainers, fans, and police. Richmond's Brian Roberts was left with a broken nose, while Essendon trainer Jim Bradley and a fan were both knocked unconscious and had to be carried from the arena on stretchers. Four players and three officials were charged as a result of the investigation:
    • Laurie Ashley (Essendon runner): suspended for 6 matches after being held to be responsible for starting the brawl.
    • Mal Brown (Richmond player): suspended for one match for striking Laurie Ashley.
    • Jim Bradley (Essendon fitness adviser): suspended for 6 matches for charging and striking Mal Brown.
    • Steve Parsons (Richmond player): suspended for 4 matches for striking Jim Bradley.
    • Ron Andrews (Essendon player): suspended for 6 matches for striking Brian Roberts.
    • Graeme Richmond (Richmond team manager): suspended until 31 December 1974 (17 matches) and fined $2,000 by the VFL Board of Directors for conduct unbecoming or prejudicial to the interests of the League. On 18 September, the VFL demanded that Richmond pay the fine or face indefinite suspension, but the VFL dropped the fine on appeal.
    • John Cassin (Essendon player): cleared after the tribunal found that he was only trying to assist in breaking up the brawl.
    • As a result of a police investigation, assault charges were laid against Steve Parsons and Graeme Richmond; both Parsons and Richmond were cleared of these charges on 11 September.
  • In the Round 21 match between Richmond and South Melbourne, there is a record 51 aggregate behinds and 91 aggregate scoring shots.
  • North Melbourne full-forward Doug Wade kicked his 1,000th career goal in the qualifying final against Hawthorn at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 7 September. He also kicked his 100th goal of the season in the grand final.

Awards

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  • The 1974 VFL seniors Premiership team was Richmond.
  • The 1974 VFL reserves Premiership team was Fitzroy.
  • The 1974 VFL under 19s Premiership team was Collingwood.
  • The VFL's leading goalkicker was Doug Wade of North Melbourne who kicked 103 goals (including 12 goals in the finals).
  • The winner of the 1974 Brownlow Medal was Keith Greig of North Melbourne with 27 votes.
    • Many were even more surprised at Greig winning his second Brownlow than they had been at him winning his first (in 1973). In 1973 Barry Davis had won North Melbourne's best and fairest award, and in 1974 John Rantall won North Melbourne's best and fairest award. Greig had not even been the "runner-up" in North Melbourne's best and fairest in either 1973 or 1974.
  • Melbourne took the seniors "wooden spoon" in 1974.
  • Collingwood 17.14 (116) defeated Essendon 9.14 (68) in the grand final of the under 19s premiership, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 28 September.
  • Fitzroy 26.13 (169) defeated Footscray 16.12 (108) in the grand final of the reserves premiership, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 28 September.[1]
  • Richmond 18.20 (128) defeated North Melbourne 13.9 (87) in the grand final of the seniors premiership, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 28 September.

References

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  1. ^ "Fitzroy did coach proud". The Age. Melbourne. 30 September 1974. p. 22.

Sources

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