1940.E2.80.931953: World War II and after AFL Grand Final

the vfl grand final in 1946 stands of mcg

football served distraction people on home front during war, particularly during darkest days between 1941 , 1943. australian government requisitioned number of vfl grounds, including mcg. therefore, grand final staged @ princes park (carlton) in 1942, 1943 , 1945, , @ st kilda s junction oval in 1944 when fitzroy won last premiership on second hottest grand final day on record. 1943 clash thrilling contest, richmond defeating essendon 5 points. 1942 , 1945 matches marred violence, , latter game has gone down in history bloodbath . amazing crowd of 62,986 crammed carlton ground game, played weeks after armistice japan declared.

so when mcg relinquished government in august 1946, there great expectation in buildup grand final, essendon booted record score defeat melbourne. attendances 1930s levels 1947 , 85,815 turned see carlton beat essendon solitary point; similar crowd year later watched bombers , demons play first draw in grand final history. melbourne won replay following week. sight of thousands sitting between fence , boundary line, first seen in late 1930s, usual @ grand final. spectators admitted on first-come basis, , thousands took lining outside stadium in days before match gain best vantage point when gates opened on morning of match. reservations raised spectator safety mcg being filled above capacity.