The 1921 VFL season was the 25th season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest-level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured nine clubs and ran from 7 May to 15 October, comprising a 16-match home-and-away season followed by a four-week finals series featuring the top four clubs.
won the premiership, defeating by four points in the 1921 VFL grand final; it was Richmond's second (consecutive and overall) VFL premiership. Carlton won the minor premiership by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with a 13–1–2 win–loss–draw record. 's Cliff Rankin won the leading goalkicker medal as the league's leading goalkicker.
Background In 1921, the VFL competition consisted of nine teams of 18 on-the-field players each, with no "reserves", although any of the 18 players who had left the playing field for any reason could later resume their place on the field at any time during the match.
Each team played each other twice in a home-and-away season of 18 rounds (i.e., 16 matches and 2 byes).
Once the 18 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1921 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the amended "Argus system".
Home-and-away season
Round 1
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.6 (66) | | 9.13 (67) | Junction Oval | 15,000 | 7 May 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.12 (78) | | 12.6 (78) | EMCG | 3,500 | 7 May 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.13 (73) | | 9.3 (57) | Victoria Park | 20,000 | 7 May 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.11 (53) | | 8.14 (62) | Punt Road Oval | 32,000 | 7 May 1921
Round 2
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.11 (53) | | 8.15 (63) | Brunswick Street Oval | 25,000 | 14 May 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.9 (51) | | 11.16 (82) | Lake Oval | 27,000 | 14 May 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.19 (85) | | 10.16 (76) | Corio Oval | 15,000 | 14 May 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.11 (53) | | 14.13 (97) | MCG | 14,994 | 14 May 1921
Round 3
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.6 (36) | | 5.14 (44) | Brunswick Street Oval | 18,000 | 21 May 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 16.9 (105) | | 13.9 (87) | Victoria Park | 10,000 | 21 May 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 15.11 (101) | | 11.12 (78) | Princes Park | 30,000 | 21 May 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 4.14 (38) | | 11.15 (81) | Lake Oval | 12,000 | 21 May 1921
Round 4
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.10 (70) | | 9.15 (69) | MCG | 8,892 | 28 May 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.13 (79) | | 9.8 (62) | Corio Oval | 10,000 | 28 May 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.20 (50) | | 6.14 (50) | Princes Park | 28,000 | 28 May 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.12 (54) | | 9.17 (71) | EMCG | 18,000 | 28 May 1921
Round 5
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.11 (53) | | 6.16 (52) | Punt Road Oval | 30,000 | 4 June 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.10 (70) | | 10.10 (70) | Lake Oval | 25,000 | 4 June 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.14 (62) | | 12.12 (84) | Brunswick Street Oval | 35,000 | 6 June 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.18 (90) | | 13.12 (90) | Junction Oval | 20,000 | 6 June 1921
Round 6
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.13 (79) | | 5.5 (35) | Corio Oval | 12,000 | 11 June 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.13 (67) | | 6.8 (44) | Victoria Park | 20,000 | 11 June 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 14.11 (95) | | 13.14 (92) | Punt Road Oval | 12,000 | 11 June 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.18 (60) | | 18.9 (117) | EMCG | 18,000 | 11 June 1921
Round 7
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 17.12 (114) | | 9.10 (64) | Victoria Park | 10,000 | 18 June 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.15 (81) | | 8.13 (61) | Princes Park | 40,000 | 18 June 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.15 (69) | | 4.17 (41) | MCG | 11,214 | 18 June 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.14 (86) | | 10.11 (71) | Punt Road Oval | 12,000 | 18 June 1921
Round 8
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.12 (42) | | 13.11 (89) | Junction Oval | 15,000 | 25 June 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.14 (74) | | 8.5 (53) | Lake Oval | 15,000 | 25 June 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.13 (85) | | 6.10 (46) | Brunswick Street Oval | 10,000 | 25 June 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.13 (55) | | 8.14 (62) | MCG | 19,889 | 25 June 1921
Round 9
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.10 (76) | | 8.16 (64) | Corio Oval | 9,000 | 2 July 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.12 (42) | | 11.17 (83) | EMCG | 6,000 | 2 July 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.16 (88) | | 10.4 (64) | Princes Park | 35,000 | 2 July 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.18 (66) | | 6.12 (48) | Lake Oval | 12,000 | 2 July 1921
Round 10
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 14.15 (99) | | 6.12 (48) | Princes Park | 42,000 | 9 July 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 13.9 (87) | | 11.8 (74) | Lake Oval | 20,000 | 9 July 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.12 (54) | | 11.14 (80) | MCG | 7,783 | 9 July 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.18 (66) | | 8.8 (56) | Brunswick Street Oval | 12,000 | 9 July 1921
Round 11
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.12 (66) | | 8.13 (61) | Punt Road Oval | 15,000 | 16 July 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 2.15 (27) | | 9.18 (72) | EMCG | 6,000 | 16 July 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 3.14 (32) | | 7.7 (49) | Victoria Park | 4,500 | 16 July 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 0.18 (18) | | 6.8 (44) | Junction Oval | 6,000 | 16 July 1921
Round 12
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.13 (61) | | 5.13 (43) | EMCG | 15,000 | 23 July 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.12 (60) | | 14.13 (97) | Punt Road Oval | 27,000 | 23 July 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.12 (72) | | 6.11 (47) | Corio Oval | 14,000 | 23 July 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.14 (44) | | 22.10 (142) | Junction Oval | 17,000 | 23 July 1921
Round 13
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.11 (71) | | 2.11 (23) | Victoria Park | 4,000 | 30 July 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.21 (69) | | 7.11 (53) | Lake Oval | 5,000 | 30 July 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.15 (69) | | 5.6 (36) | Punt Road Oval | 10,000 | 30 July 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 4.15 (39) | | 3.6 (24) | Brunswick Street Oval | 15,000 | 30 July 1921
Round 14
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.20 (56) | | 5.19 (49) | MCG | 6,488 | 20 August 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.10 (46) | | 10.12 (72) | Victoria Park | 25,000 | 20 August 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.15 (81) | | 7.14 (56) | Princes Park | 25,000 | 20 August 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 13.8 (86) | | 9.10 (64) | Corio Oval | 16,000 | 20 August 1921
Round 15
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.11 (59) | | 12.6 (78) | MCG | 13,832 | 27 August 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.19 (61) | | 7.11 (53) | Princes Park | 10,000 | 27 August 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.16 (82) | | 9.9 (63) | Junction Oval | 9,000 | 27 August 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.10 (40) | | 8.7 (55) | Lake Oval | 25,000 | 27 August 1921
Round 16
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.8 (62) | | 9.9 (63) | Brunswick Street Oval | 8,000 | 3 September 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.15 (45) | | 11.14 (80) | EMCG | 14,000 | 3 September 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.7 (67) | | 12.7 (79) | Junction Oval | 16,000 | 3 September 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.11 (47) | | 8.15 (63) | Corio Oval | 24,000 | 3 September 1921
Round 17
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 14.11 (95) | | 7.5 (47) | Punt Road Oval | 15,000 | 10 September 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.7 (67) | | 3.10 (28) | Corio Oval | 14,000 | 10 September 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.14 (74) | | 11.8 (74) | EMCG | 6,000 | 10 September 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 14.16 (100) | | 10.16 (76) | Princes Park | 16,000 | 10 September 1921
Round 18
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.19 (79) | | 6.9 (45) | Brunswick Street Oval | 8,000 | 17 September 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 16.19 (115) | | 10.11 (71) | MCG | 9,789 | 17 September 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 14.12 (96) | | 13.16 (94) | Junction Oval | 10,000 | 17 September 1921 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.7 (37) | | 9.10 (64) | Victoria Park | 30,000 | 17 September 1921
Ladder (P) Premiers Qualified for finals
|- style=background:#FFFFBB | 1 || align=left | || 16 || 13 || 1 || 2 || 1265 || 891 || 142.0 || 56 |- style=background:#FFFFBB | 2 || align=left | (P) || 16 || 12 || 4 || 0 || 1132 || 975 || 116.1 || 48 |- style=background:#FFFFBB | 3 || align=left | || 16 || 9 || 7 || 0 || 1066 || 953 || 111.9 || 36 |- style=background:#FFFFBB | 4 || align=left | || 16 || 9 || 7 || 0 || 1118 || 1054 || 106.1 || 36 |- | 5 || align=left | || 16 || 6 || 8 || 2 || 957 || 921 || 103.9 || 28 |- | 6 || align=left | || 16 || 6 || 8 || 2 || 1096 || 1149 || 95.4 || 28 |- | 7 || align=left | || 16 || 5 || 10 || 1 || 908 || 1073 || 84.6 || 22 |- | 8 || align=left | || 16 || 4 || 11 || 1 || 998 || 1295 || 77.1 || 18 |- | 9 || align=left | || 16 || 3 || 11 || 2 || 965 || 1194 || 80.8 || 16
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points forAverage score: 66.0Source: AFL Tables
Finals series All of the 1921 finals were played at the MCG so the home team in the semi-finals and preliminary final is purely the higher ranked team from the ladder but in the grand final the home team was the team that won the preliminary final.
Semi-finals
! Home team ! Score ! Away team ! Score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 16.19 (115) | | 6.18 (54) | MCG | 41,649 | 24 September |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.11 (65) | Collingwood | 7.10 (52) | MCG | 37,813 | 1 October
Preliminary final
! Home team ! Score ! Away team ! Score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.7 (67) | | 7.17 (59) | MCG | 42,866 | 8 October
Grand final
Season notes
Umpires demand that the VFL provides greater protection, including the wire netting of the umpire's race to the ground (in order to protect them from fists, projectiles and, particularly, ladies' hat-pins) and a stronger police guard. In the last quarter of the Round 7 match between Richmond and Essendon at the Punt Road Oval, Richmond had kicked a point. The ball was returned from the crowd to the Essendon full-back Bert Day who was on the boundary line, not the goal line. The ball had been stabbed by someone in the crowd. Day, noticing the deflated condition of the ball, kicked it idly from the boundary line over to the field Umpire (E. P. Williamson) to inspect. Richmond full-forward George Bayliss pounced on the ball and kicked a goal with it. Day's kick from the boundary line was mistakenly treated as if it had been a kick out from the goal line and, despite all of Essendon's protests, a goal was awarded to Bayliss.