The 1974 Victorian Football League season was the 78th season of the elite Australian rules football competition.
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".
Grand final
Richmond defeated North Melbourne 18.20 (128) to 13.9 (87), in front of a crowd of 113839 people. (For an explanation of scoring see Australian rules football).
The 1974 VFL Premiership team was Richmond.
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 "wooden spoon" in 1974.
The reserves premiership was won by Fitzroy. Fitzroy 26.13 (169) defeated Footscray 16.12 (108) in the Grand Final, held as a curtain-raiser to the seniors Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 28 September.
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.
