| 1963 VFL premiership season | |
|---|---|
| Teams | 12 |
| Premiers | Geelong 6th premiership |
| Minor premiers | Hawthorn 2nd minor premiership |
| Consolation series | Footscray 1st Consolation series win |
| Brownlow Medallist | Bob Skilton (South Melbourne) |
| Coleman Medallist | John Peck (Hawthorn) |
| Matches played | 112 |
| Highest | 101,209 |
← 1962
1964 →
| |
The 1963 VFL season was the 67th season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 20 April until 5 October, 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 Geelong Football Club for the sixth time, after it defeated Hawthorn by 49 points in the 1963 VFL Grand Final.
In 1963, 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 1963 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the Page–McIntyre system.
Persistent rain throughout the week and further heavy downpours on the Friday (12 July) caused the postponement of all Round 11 matches until the following Saturday (20 July). All remaining home-and-away and finals matches were played a week later than had been scheduled.
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 16.26 (122) | South Melbourne | 9.9 (63) | Kardinia Park | 33,953 | 20 April 1963 |
| St Kilda | 13.5 (83) | Melbourne | 9.11 (65) | Junction Oval | 31,300 | 20 April 1963 |
| North Melbourne | 11.11 (77) | Footscray | 5.10 (40) | Arden Street Oval | 21,960 | 20 April 1963 |
| Hawthorn | 8.12 (60) | Essendon | 13.7 (85) | Glenferrie Oval | 30,000 | 20 April 1963 |
| Richmond | 11.14 (80) | Collingwood | 18.16 (124) | Punt Road Oval | 32,200 | 20 April 1963 |
| Fitzroy | 10.12 (72) | Carlton | 14.11 (95) | Brunswick Street Oval | 25,167 | 20 April 1963 |
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| South Melbourne | 12.14 (86) | Richmond | 17.7 (109) | Lake Oval | 25,700 | 25 April 1963 |
| Melbourne | 14.16 (100) | Hawthorn | 13.18 (96) | MCG | 55,293 | 25 April 1963 |
| Essendon | 16.13 (109) | Geelong | 6.14 (50) | Windy Hill | 40,000 | 27 April 1963 |
| Collingwood | 8.14 (62) | North Melbourne | 12.9 (81) | Victoria Park | 32,210 | 27 April 1963 |
| Carlton | 7.11 (53) | St Kilda | 6.15 (51) | Princes Park | 39,490 | 27 April 1963 |
| Footscray | 15.11 (101) | Fitzroy | 7.13 (55) | Western Oval | 21,791 | 27 April 1963 |
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Fitzroy | 9.13 (67) | St Kilda | 11.11 (77) | Brunswick Street Oval | 18,544 | 4 May 1963 |
| Essendon | 9.14 (68) | Melbourne | 9.9 (63) | Windy Hill | 27,283 | 4 May 1963 |
| Collingwood | 8.16 (64) | Hawthorn | 13.22 (100) | Victoria Park | 27,419 | 4 May 1963 |
| Richmond | 6.12 (48) | North Melbourne | 10.9 (69) | Punt Road Oval | 23,200 | 4 May 1963 |
| Geelong | 10.25 (85) | Footscray | 10.4 (64) | Kardinia Park | 26,523 | 4 May 1963 |
| South Melbourne | 10.14 (74) | Carlton | 16.15 (111) | Lake Oval | 22,850 | 4 May 1963 |
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 21.25 (151) | South Melbourne | 11.14 (80) | Glenferrie Oval | 15,000 | 11 May 1963 |
| Footscray | 14.12 (96) | Richmond | 11.11 (77) | Western Oval | 21,695 | 11 May 1963 |
| Carlton | 9.13 (67) | Essendon | 8.13 (61) | Princes Park | 42,919 | 11 May 1963 |
| North Melbourne | 3.7 (25) | Geelong | 7.19 (61) | Arden Street Oval | 21,700 | 11 May 1963 |
| Melbourne | 14.10 (94) | Fitzroy | 8.7 (55) | MCG | 25,462 | 11 May 1963 |
| St Kilda | 14.13 (97) | Collingwood | 11.7 (73) | Junction Oval | 37,700 | 11 May 1963 |
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 10.12 (72) | St Kilda | 3.11 (29) | Kardinia Park | 33,084 | 18 May 1963 |
| Footscray | 8.9 (57) | Hawthorn | 11.10 (76) | Western Oval | 22,251 | 18 May 1963 |
| Collingwood | 15.10 (100) | Melbourne | 7.10 (52) | Victoria Park | 30,121 | 18 May 1963 |
| South Melbourne | 17.11 (113) | North Melbourne | 11.9 (75) | Lake Oval | 14,900 | 18 May 1963 |
| Fitzroy | 6.15 (51) | Essendon | 16.16 (112) | Brunswick Street Oval | 15,504 | 18 May 1963 |
| Richmond | 11.9 (75) | Carlton | 11.11 (77) | Punt Road Oval | 25,400 | 18 May 1963 |
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| St Kilda | 13.16 (94) | South Melbourne | 8.5 (53) | Junction Oval | 26,400 | 25 May 1963 |
| Melbourne | 20.15 (135) | Richmond | 7.14 (56) | MCG | 33,914 | 25 May 1963 |
| Hawthorn | 11.17 (83) | North Melbourne | 9.7 (61) | Glenferrie Oval | 14,387 | 25 May 1963 |
| Essendon | 13.16 (94) | Footscray | 6.18 (54) | Windy Hill | 27,455 | 25 May 1963 |
| Carlton | 7.16 (58) | Geelong | 7.22 (64) | Princes Park | 47,514 | 25 May 1963 |
| Fitzroy | 9.5 (59) | Collingwood | 12.14 (86) | Brunswick Street Oval | 23,930 | 25 May 1963 |
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 8.10 (58) | St Kilda | 9.12 (66) | Arden Street Oval | 17,125 | 1 June 1963 |
| Geelong | 9.12 (66) | Hawthorn | 9.12 (66) | Kardinia Park | 29,374 | 1 June 1963 |
| Collingwood | 10.11 (71) | Essendon | 13.9 (87) | Victoria Park | 44,501 | 1 June 1963 |
| South Melbourne | 11.8 (74) | Melbourne | 8.22 (70) | Lake Oval | 17,160 | 1 June 1963 |
| Richmond | 17.13 (115) | Fitzroy | 13.8 (86) | Punt Road Oval | 16,500 | 1 June 1963 |
| Footscray | 7.7 (49) | Carlton | 8.9 (57) | Western Oval | 26,107 | 1 June 1963 |
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Essendon | 13.11 (89) | Richmond | 7.5 (47) | Windy Hill | 21,200 | 8 June 1963 |
| Carlton | 6.8 (44) | Collingwood | 6.10 (46) | Princes Park | 38,698 | 8 June 1963 |
| St Kilda | 8.13 (61) | Hawthorn | 9.11 (65) | Junction Oval | 34,900 | 8 June 1963 |
| Footscray | 6.16 (52) | South Melbourne | 5.9 (39) | Western Oval | 22,950 | 10 June 1963 |
| Fitzroy | 2.11 (23) | North Melbourne | 6.15 (51) | Brunswick Street Oval | 13,400 | 10 June 1963 |
| Melbourne | 11.16 (82) | Geelong | 4.11 (35) | MCG | 81,550 | 10 June 1963 |
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 18.6 (114) | North Melbourne | 9.10 (64) | MCG | 23,971 | 22 June 1963 |
| Geelong | 16.13 (109) | Richmond | 10.11 (71) | Kardinia Park | 20,681 | 22 June 1963 |
| Essendon | 4.16 (40) | St Kilda | 8.8 (56) | Windy Hill | 24,725 | 22 June 1963 |
| Collingwood | 11.6 (72) | Footscray | 6.4 (40) | Victoria Park | 26,173 | 22 June 1963 |
| South Melbourne | 8.10 (58) | Fitzroy | 5.9 (39) | Lake Oval | 12,850 | 22 June 1963 |
| Hawthorn | 9.6 (60) | Carlton | 7.12 (54) | Glenferrie Oval | 25,300 | 22 June 1963 |
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Collingwood | 19.11 (125) | South Melbourne | 11.8 (74) | Victoria Park | 24,820 | 29 June 1963 |
| Carlton | 8.8 (56) | Melbourne | 12.12 (84) | Princes Park | 32,600 | 29 June 1963 |
| St Kilda | 14.13 (97) | Footscray | 15.11 (101) | Junction Oval | 27,700 | 29 June 1963 |
| Fitzroy | 9.13 (67) | Geelong | 3.13 (31) | Brunswick Street Oval | 16,221 | 6 July 1963 |
| Richmond | 4.10 (34) | Hawthorn | 11.14 (80) | Punt Road Oval | 20,300 | 6 July 1963 |
| North Melbourne | 5.5 (35) | Essendon | 9.9 (63) | Arden Street Oval | 17,560 | 6 July 1963 |
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 9.4 (58) | St Kilda | 14.16 (100) | Punt Road Oval | 15,000 | 20 July 1963 |
| Footscray | 3.6 (24) | Melbourne | 10.9 (69) | Western Oval | 18,231 | 20 July 1963 |
| Hawthorn | 9.17 (71) | Fitzroy | 6.2 (38) | Glenferrie Oval | 10,500 | 20 July 1963 |
| South Melbourne | 6.10 (46) | Essendon | 12.20 (92) | Lake Oval | 16,000 | 20 July 1963 |
| Geelong | 7.13 (55) | Collingwood | 5.13 (43) | Kardinia Park | 31,578 | 20 July 1963 |
| North Melbourne | 8.14 (62) | Carlton | 5.9 (39) | Arden Street Oval | 13,870 | 20 July 1963 |
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 14.14 (98) | St Kilda | 5.9 (39) | MCG | 55,060 | 27 July 1963 |
| Footscray | 10.11 (71) | North Melbourne | 7.10 (52) | Western Oval | 15,715 | 27 July 1963 |
| Essendon | 11.17 (83) | Hawthorn | 7.10 (52) | Windy Hill | 25,500 | 27 July 1963 |
| Collingwood | 12.12 (84) | Richmond | 13.7 (85) | Victoria Park | 23,286 | 27 July 1963 |
| Carlton | 16.19 (115) | Fitzroy | 11.8 (74) | Princes Park | 16,909 | 27 July 1963 |
| South Melbourne | 8.12 (60) | Geelong | 14.11 (95) | Lake Oval | 14,500 | 27 July 1963 |
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 9.10 (64) | South Melbourne | 20.10 (130) | Punt Road Oval | 15,000 | 3 August 1963 |
| Hawthorn | 13.6 (84) | Melbourne | 8.14 (62) | Glenferrie Oval | 34,000 | 3 August 1963 |
| Fitzroy | 7.7 (49) | Footscray | 10.20 (80) | Brunswick Street Oval | 13,892 | 3 August 1963 |
| Geelong | 14.15 (99) | Essendon | 9.8 (62) | Kardinia Park | 40,885 | 3 August 1963 |
| North Melbourne | 9.17 (71) | Collingwood | 8.10 (58) | Arden Street Oval | 16,083 | 3 August 1963 |
| St Kilda | 14.12 (96) | Carlton | 7.13 (55) | Junction Oval | 30,100 | 3 August 1963 |
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 11.8 (74) | Richmond | 10.4 (64) | Arden Street Oval | 9,807 | 10 August 1963 |
| Footscray | 5.8 (38) | Geelong | 8.10 (58) | Western Oval | 25,645 | 10 August 1963 |
| Carlton | 17.13 (115) | South Melbourne | 8.9 (57) | Princes Park | 17,510 | 10 August 1963 |
| St Kilda | 16.21 (117) | Fitzroy | 2.3 (15) | Junction Oval | 15,700 | 10 August 1963 |
| Melbourne | 19.8 (122) | Essendon | 10.11 (71) | MCG | 71,086 | 10 August 1963 |
| Hawthorn | 15.9 (99) | Collingwood | 8.9 (57) | Glenferrie Oval | 19,458 | 10 August 1963 |
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 15.8 (98) | North Melbourne | 5.13 (43) | Kardinia Park | 21,396 | 17 August 1963 |
| Fitzroy | 8.9 (57) | Melbourne | 22.21 (153) | Brunswick Street Oval | 11,989 | 17 August 1963 |
| Collingwood | 6.6 (42) | St Kilda | 14.20 (104) | Victoria Park | 27,298 | 17 August 1963 |
| South Melbourne | 6.9 (45) | Hawthorn | 15.15 (105) | Lake Oval | 14,100 | 17 August 1963 |
| Richmond | 7.10 (52) | Footscray | 16.21 (117) | Punt Road Oval | 15,200 | 17 August 1963 |
| Essendon | 10.10 (70) | Carlton | 11.10 (76) | Windy Hill | 29,000 | 17 August 1963 |
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 12.12 (84) | South Melbourne | 5.9 (39) | Arden Street Oval | 9,506 | 24 August 1963 |
| Essendon | 16.21 (117) | Fitzroy | 5.6 (36) | Windy Hill | 14,175 | 24 August 1963 |
| Carlton | 10.18 (78) | Richmond | 12.13 (85) | Princes Park | 15,170 | 24 August 1963 |
| St Kilda | 12.18 (90) | Geelong | 8.21 (69) | Junction Oval | 44,900 | 24 August 1963 |
| Hawthorn | 13.21 (99) | Footscray | 8.7 (55) | Glenferrie Oval | 17,000 | 24 August 1963 |
| Melbourne | 19.15 (129) | Collingwood | 10.8 (68) | MCG | 43,057 | 24 August 1963 |
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Collingwood | 20.14 (134) | Fitzroy | 12.15 (87) | Victoria Park | 16,892 | 31 August 1963 |
| South Melbourne | 8.7 (55) | St Kilda | 19.14 (128) | Lake Oval | 22,920 | 31 August 1963 |
| Richmond | 7.8 (50) | Melbourne | 14.13 (97) | Punt Road Oval | 17,780 | 31 August 1963 |
| North Melbourne | 6.9 (45) | Hawthorn | 12.14 (86) | Arden Street Oval | 12,963 | 31 August 1963 |
| Footscray | 4.4 (28) | Essendon | 12.12 (84) | Western Oval | 27,231 | 31 August 1963 |
| Geelong | 13.17 (95) | Carlton | 5.4 (34) | Kardinia Park | 29,732 | 31 August 1963 |
Going into the final home-and-away round, Hawthorn was the only team with a guaranteed finals berth. It was down to Geelong, Melbourne, St Kilda and Essendon to fight it out for the remaining three play-off positions.
| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 12.19 (91) | South Melbourne | 8.8 (56) | MCG | 24,871 | 7 September 1963 |
| Fitzroy | 8.8 (56) | Richmond | 16.13 (109) | Brunswick Street Oval | 9,951 | 7 September 1963 |
| Carlton | 13.13 (91) | Footscray | 8.11 (59) | Princes Park | 15,319 | 7 September 1963 |
| St Kilda | 17.14 (116) | North Melbourne | 4.8 (32) | Junction Oval | 22,800 | 7 September 1963 |
| Hawthorn | 6.16 (52) | Geelong | 13.12 (90) | Glenferrie Oval | 35,000 | 7 September 1963 |
| Essendon | 12.11 (83) | Collingwood | 8.8 (56) | Windy Hill | 29,700 | 7 September 1963 |
| (P) | Premiers |
| Qualified for finals |
| # | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawthorn | 18 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 1485 | 1137 | 130.6 | 54 |
| 2 | Geelong (P) | 18 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 1354 | 1056 | 128.2 | 54 |
| 3 | Melbourne | 18 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 1680 | 1136 | 147.9 | 52 |
| 4 | St Kilda | 18 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 1501 | 1071 | 140.1 | 52 |
| 5 | Essendon | 18 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 1470 | 1069 | 137.5 | 52 |
| 6 | Carlton | 18 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 1275 | 1234 | 103.3 | 40 |
| 7 | North Melbourne | 18 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 1059 | 1244 | 85.1 | 32 |
| 8 | Collingwood | 18 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 1365 | 1427 | 95.7 | 28 |
| 9 | Footscray | 18 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 1126 | 1283 | 87.8 | 28 |
| 10 | Richmond | 18 | 5 | 13 | 0 | 1279 | 1687 | 75.8 | 20 |
| 11 | South Melbourne | 18 | 4 | 14 | 0 | 1202 | 1722 | 69.8 | 16 |
| 12 | Fitzroy | 18 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 986 | 1716 | 57.5 | 4 |
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 73.1
Source: AFL Tables
| First Semi-final | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 14 September (2:30 pm) | Melbourne 9.17 (71) | def. | St Kilda 8.16 (64) | MCG (crowd: 88,914) | Report |
| Second Semi-final | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 21 September (2:30 pm) | Hawthorn 11.16 (82) | def. by | Geelong 14.17 (101) | MCG (crowd: 91,471) | Report |
| Preliminary final | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 28 September (2:30 pm) | Hawthorn 11.11 (77) | def. | Melbourne 10.8 (68) | MCG (crowd: 86,586) | Report |
| Grand final | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 5 October (2:50 pm) | Hawthorn 8.12 (60) | def. by | Geelong 15.19 (109) | MCG (crowd: 101,209) | Report |
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 10.9 (69) defeated Richmond 9.9 (63)
