The 1959 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Melbourne Football Club and Essendon Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 20 September 1959. It was the 62nd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers for the 1959 VFL season. The match, attended by 103,506 spectators, was won by Melbourne by 37 points, marking that club's tenth premiership victory.

1959 VFL Grand Final

Melbourne

Essendon
17.13 (115) 11.12 (78)
1 2 3 4
MEL 1.4 (10) 8.5 (53) 11.10 (76) 17.13 (115)
ESS 3.5 (23) 7.8 (50) 10.10 (70) 11.12 (78)
Date26 September 1959
StadiumMelbourne Cricket Ground
Attendance103,506
← 1958 VFL Grand Final 1960 →

This was Melbourne's sixth successive Grand Final appearance. It was the second time in three years in which the two teams met in a Grand Final, with Melbourne also having won the 1957 VFL Grand Final.

Teams

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Melbourne
 
 
 
 
 
Essendon
Melbourne
B: John Beckwith (c) Tassie Johnson John Lord
HB: Geoff Case Dennis Jones Ian Thorogood
C: Ian McLean Laurie Mithen Brian Dixon
HF: Geoff Tunbridge Clyde Laidlaw Hassa Mann
F: Ron Barassi Alan Rowarth Ian Ridley
Foll: Bob Johnson Dick Fenton-Smith Frank 'Bluey' Adams
Res: Don Williams Peter Brenchley
Coach: Norm Smith
Essendon
B: Bob Shearman John Towner Brian Sampson
HB: Alec Epis Ian Shelton Col Hebbard
C: Alby Murdoch Reg Burgess Barry Capuano
HF: Ken Peucker Ken Fraser Greg Sewell
F: David Shaw Ron Evans John Birt
Foll: Geoff Leek Hugh Mitchell Jack Clarke (c)
Res: Barry Mackie Graham Leydin
Coach: Dick Reynolds
  • Umpire: Bill Barbour

Statistics

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Goalkickers

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Melbourne:

  • R Barassi 4
  • A Rowarth 4
  • F Adams 3
  • B Johnson 3
  • H Mann 1
  • I Ridley 1
  • G Tunbridge 1

Essendon:

  • G Sewell 4
  • J Clarke 2
  • R Evans 2
  • D Shaw 2
  • K Fraser 1

References

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  • AFL Tables: 1959 Grand Final
  • The Official statistical history of the AFL 2004
  • Ross, J. (ed), 100 Years of Australian Football 1897–1996: The Complete Story of the AFL, All the Big Stories, All the Great Pictures, All the Champions, Every AFL Season Reported, Viking, (Ringwood), 1996. ISBN 0-670-86814-0

See also

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