RWOWIKI Random Page - Season 1950

[ScottH]

You win a few, you lose a "few".
At least we beat the pies (once)!!

Season 1950 - RWOwiki

[Frog]

Bombers by 105 and 92 points in rounds 2 and 13 that year.
Essendon were the 1950 premiers having been beaten only once during the season - By North Melbourne in round 6 (North won by 15).

1950 Season here

[Nico]

Must have been an ordinary side back then because we beat Hawthorn twice, Richmond and St Kilda; the easy beats of the comp at the time. Surely we beat Collingwood at the Lake Oval and not Victoria Park.

[Nico]

Must have been an ordinary side back then because we beat Hawthorn twice, Richmond and St Kilda; the easy beats of the comp at the time. Surely we beat Collingwood at the Lake Oval and not Victoria Park.

Richmond was better than I thought; they beat the Pies on the ladder that year.

Some interesting stats come out of Frogs post.

Hawthorn had very few supporters and at home had 6500 attend when they played us. Geelong averaged 20133 per game at home. I think last week's crowd was about 23500, not much of an improvement, and their away crowds back then indicated that the long trek up the Geelong Highway was too much for most.

North drew crowds above the average most weeks. How things have changed.
St Kilda drew big crowds.
Collingwood were not going so good so their fair weather supporters were staying away.
Round 15 had an avearge of 12250 per game so it must have been one dirty winters day in Melbourne.
From memory when all sides had their own home ground the smallest capacity was Hawthorn (Glenferrie Oval, disgraceful venue) then Richmond (Punt Road) followed by North Melbourne (Arden St) and Fitzroy (Brunswick St Oval). South and StKilda who were close to each other had by far the best wet weather grounds. Fitzroy and Collingwood had that horrible muddy smell on wet days.

[Frog]

Whilst those numbers may sound low and disappoint, Melbourne's population is 1.33 million in 1950, 3.36 million in 2010.
Similarly, Geelong's population in 1950 (I estimate at) 60,000, in 2010 it is > 180,000

I suppose back in 1950, most of the travel to the ground would have been public transport (where it existed). Cars were not really a family popular item back then. I guess what I am saying is that the crowds wouldn't surprise me that much - It was a different time.

See for Melbourne numbers
See for Geelong details