The 1940 Victorian Football League (VFL) season was the 44th season of the VFL. The season saw 115 Australian rules footballers make their senior VFL debut and a further 24 transfer to new clubs having previously played in the VFL.
Summary
Debuts
| Name
|
Club
|
Age at debut
|
Round debuted
|
Games
|
Goals
|
Notes
|
| Jim Mooring
|
Carlton
|
22 years, 196 days
|
1[1]
|
126
|
161
|
|
| Jack Bennett
|
Carlton
|
19 years, 332 days
|
4[2]
|
119
|
46
|
|
| Gordon Cameron
|
Carlton
|
18 years, 97 days
|
6[3]
|
17
|
1
|
|
| Bert McTaggart
|
Carlton
|
24 years, 49 days
|
7[4]
|
9
|
6
|
|
| Bernie Bignell
|
Carlton
|
23 years, 20 days
|
7[5]
|
6
|
0
|
|
| Jack Bavin
|
Carlton
|
22 years, 284 days
|
5[6]
|
5
|
1
|
|
| Dick Chandler
|
Carlton
|
30 years, 100 days
|
12[7]
|
1
|
1
|
Previously played for Hawthorn.
|
| Harry Mears
|
Collingwood
|
18 years, 109 days
|
16[8]
|
62
|
61
|
|
| Jack Pimm
|
Collingwood
|
19 years, 224 days
|
4[9]
|
58
|
113
|
|
| Ron Carruthers
|
Collingwood
|
21 years, 322 days
|
12[10]
|
48
|
3
|
Father of Ron Carruthers Jr..
|
| Bill Noonan
|
Collingwood
|
23 years, 122 days
|
10[11]
|
42
|
16
|
|
| Dan Knott
|
Collingwood
|
21 years, 319 days
|
2[12]
|
18
|
2
|
Brother of Arch and George Knott.
|
| Charlie Newman
|
Collingwood
|
19 years, 150 days
|
2[13]
|
17
|
0
|
|
| Colin Campbell
|
Collingwood
|
22 years, 137 days
|
4[14]
|
17
|
4
|
|
| Norm Oliver
|
Collingwood
|
18 years, 16 days
|
18[15]
|
13
|
2
|
|
| Ken Williams
|
Collingwood
|
22 years, 139 days
|
5[16]
|
12
|
2
|
|
| Kevin Barrett
|
Collingwood
|
24 years, 292 days
|
1[17]
|
4
|
4
|
|
| Bennie Le Sueur
|
Collingwood
|
23 years, 78 days
|
7[18]
|
3
|
0
|
Previously played for Footscray.
|
| Leo Tyrrell
|
Collingwood
|
25 years, 27 days
|
10[19]
|
2
|
0
|
Previously played for North Melbourne.
|
| Geoff Nicholls
|
Collingwood
|
20 years, 288 days
|
11[20]
|
2
|
2
|
|
| Gordon Lane
|
Essendon
|
19 years, 44 days
|
12[21]
|
131
|
256
|
|
| Cec Ruddell
|
Essendon
|
22 years, 340 days
|
1[22]
|
122
|
0
|
|
| Allan Hird
|
Essendon
|
21 years, 365 days
|
15[23]
|
102
|
2
|
Father of Allan Hird Jr. and grandfather of James Hird. Previously played for Hawthorn.
|
| Harold Lambert
|
Essendon
|
18 years, 51 days
|
11[24]
|
99
|
2
|
Brother of Chris Lambert.
|
| Norm Betson
|
Essendon
|
25 years, 343 days
|
8[25]
|
78
|
41
|
|
| Joe Evans
|
Essendon
|
20 years, 28 days
|
4[26]
|
21
|
1
|
|
| Ivor McIvor
|
Essendon
|
22 years, 329 days
|
15[27]
|
12
|
9
|
|
| Max Smith
|
Essendon
|
24 years, 135 days
|
4[28]
|
7
|
2
|
Brother of Clive Smith.
|
| Charlie Challenger
|
Essendon
|
22 years, 161 days
|
4[29]
|
2
|
0
|
|
| Jack Hunter
|
Essendon
|
25 years, 275 days
|
11[30]
|
2
|
7
|
|
| Alan Ruthven
|
Fitzroy
|
18 years, 80 days
|
11[31]
|
222
|
442
|
1950 Brownlow Medallist.
|
| Bert Clay
|
Fitzroy
|
25 years, 46 days
|
9[32]
|
157
|
48
|
Brother of Ivor Clay.
|
| Stan Wright
|
Fitzroy
|
22 years, 102 days
|
8[33]
|
81
|
37
|
|
| Ken Sier
|
Fitzroy
|
18 years, 217 days
|
18[34]
|
59
|
61
|
|
| Des Calverley
|
Fitzroy
|
20 years, 186 days
|
5[35]
|
52
|
16
|
|
| Lindsay Dyring
|
Fitzroy
|
21 years, 169 days
|
9[36]
|
45
|
5
|
|
| Alf Clay
|
Fitzroy
|
26 years, 110 days
|
1[37]
|
41
|
17
|
Previously played for Hawthorn and Footscray.
|
| Kevin Fox
|
Fitzroy
|
22 years, 204 days
|
1[38]
|
22
|
32
|
Previously played for Carlton.
|
| Ted Hill
|
Fitzroy
|
26 years, 103 days
|
1[39]
|
22
|
2
|
Previously played for Collingwood.
|
| Shadrach James
|
Fitzroy
|
22 years, 163 days
|
3[40]
|
18
|
20
|
Cousin of Doug Nicholls.
|
| Syd McGain
|
Fitzroy
|
23 years, 133 days
|
8[41]
|
12
|
0
|
Previously played for Essendon.
|
| Bob Merrick
|
Fitzroy
|
22 years, 155 days
|
1[42]
|
6
|
2
|
|
| Alan Muir
|
Fitzroy
|
18 years, 242 days
|
1[43]
|
6
|
0
|
|
| Lindsay McNamara
|
Fitzroy
|
21 years, 279 days
|
4[44]
|
4
|
1
|
Previously played for South Melbourne.
|
| Keith Forbes
|
Fitzroy
|
33 years, 363 days
|
5[45]
|
4
|
10
|
Previously played for Essendon and North Melbourne.
|
| Wal Dudley
|
Fitzroy
|
22 years, 24 days
|
9[46]
|
3
|
4
|
Played first-class cricket for Victoria.
|
| George Tribe
|
Footscray
|
19 years, 262 days
|
9[47]
|
66
|
80
|
Australian Test cricketer. Brother of Tom Tribe.
|
| Ted Ellis
|
Footscray
|
27 years, 64 days
|
1[48]
|
65
|
2
|
Father of Lindsay and Kingsley Ellis, and grandfather of Daniel Merriweather. Previously played for North Melbourne.
|
| Len Murphy
|
Footscray
|
30 years, 163 days
|
2[49]
|
25
|
28
|
Brother of Frank Murphy. Previously played for Collingwood.
|
| Bill Crosling
|
Footscray
|
21 years, 263 days
|
15[50]
|
17
|
5
|
|
| Harry Dolphin
|
Footscray
|
21 years, 264 days
|
4[51]
|
15
|
0
|
|
| Billy Power
|
Footscray
|
22 years, 365 days
|
13[52]
|
12
|
0
|
|
| Jim May
|
Footscray
|
30 years, 12 days
|
1[53]
|
6
|
3
|
|
| Dick Chirgwin
|
Footscray
|
26 years, 52 days
|
16[54]
|
3
|
0
|
Previously played for Richmond and South Melbourne.
|
| Alf Boniface
|
Footscray
|
23 years, 126 days
|
6[55]
|
2
|
0
|
|
| Lloyd Robinson
|
Footscray
|
22 years, 113 days
|
18[56]
|
1
|
0
|
|
| Bill Harwood
|
Geelong
|
19 years, 232 days
|
2[57]
|
69
|
16
|
|
| Len Toyne
|
Geelong
|
17 years, 339 days
|
8[58]
|
35
|
15
|
|
| Ron Sceney
|
Geelong
|
22 years, 233 days
|
6[59]
|
2
|
3
|
|
| Wally Culpitt
|
Hawthorn
|
22 years, 118 days
|
3[60]
|
125
|
116
|
|
| Kevin Curran
|
Hawthorn
|
19 years, 172 days
|
7[61]
|
85
|
9
|
|
| Colin Austen
|
Hawthorn
|
19 years, 217 days
|
11[62]
|
85
|
0
|
1949 Brownlow Medallist.
|
| Jack Carmody
|
Hawthorn
|
28 years, 325 days
|
1[63]
|
64
|
46
|
Previously played for Collingwood.
|
| Dudley Bragg
|
Hawthorn
|
23 years, 64 days
|
1[64]
|
44
|
1
|
|
| Laurie Peters
|
Hawthorn
|
24 years, 72 days
|
17[65]
|
24
|
0
|
|
| Reg Bell
|
Hawthorn
|
26 years, 224 days
|
1[66]
|
23
|
0
|
|
| Bert Graham
|
Hawthorn
|
19 years, 183 days
|
18[67]
|
23
|
9
|
|
| Alan Barelli
|
Hawthorn
|
20 years, 61 days
|
13[68]
|
18
|
16
|
|
| Ern Elder
|
Hawthorn
|
23 years, 178 days
|
7[69]
|
12
|
0
|
|
| Wally Bristowe
|
Hawthorn
|
18 years, 105 days
|
15[70]
|
11
|
4
|
|
| Brendan Brady
|
Hawthorn
|
23 years, 161 days
|
12[71]
|
8
|
7
|
|
| Vin Doherty
|
Hawthorn
|
29 years, 32 days
|
1[72]
|
5
|
13
|
Previously played for Collingwood.
|
| Bruce Hone
|
Hawthorn
|
26 years, 276 days
|
1[73]
|
5
|
3
|
|
| Reg Farrant
|
Hawthorn
|
19 years, 308 days
|
12[74]
|
5
|
1
|
|
| Dick Pirrie
|
Hawthorn
|
20 years, 86 days
|
18[75]
|
3
|
0
|
Son of Richard Pirrie, brother of Kevin Pirrie and uncle of Stephen Pirrie.
|
| Max Carmichael
|
Hawthorn
|
20 years, 28 days
|
4[76]
|
2
|
3
|
|
| Roy Long
|
Hawthorn
|
25 years, 292 days
|
9[77]
|
2
|
0
|
|
| Kevin Landrigan
|
Hawthorn
|
23 years, 226 days
|
18[78]
|
1
|
0
|
|
| Col McLean
|
Melbourne
|
19 years, 336 days
|
11[79]
|
138
|
1
|
|
| Shane McGrath
|
Melbourne
|
20 years, 354 days
|
5[80]
|
118
|
3
|
|
| Adrian Dullard
|
Melbourne
|
22 years, 225 days
|
17[81]
|
116
|
143
|
Father of Anthony Dullard.
|
| Fred Fanning
|
Melbourne
|
18 years, 174 days
|
1[82]
|
104
|
411
|
Holds the record for most goals in a VFL/AFL match, with 18.
|
| Bernie Neenan
|
Melbourne
|
22 years, 306 days
|
14[83]
|
8
|
11
|
|
| Jack Atkins
|
Melbourne
|
23 years, 144 days
|
3[84]
|
4
|
1
|
Son of Ernie Atkins.
|
| Noel Ellis
|
Melbourne
|
19 years, 46 days
|
17[85]
|
3
|
0
|
|
| Jock McCorkell
|
North Melbourne
|
21 years, 300 days
|
1[86]
|
167
|
5
|
|
| Arthur Slater
|
North Melbourne
|
25 years, 196 days
|
10[87]
|
39
|
27
|
Previously played for Essendon.
|
| Geoff Willis
|
North Melbourne
|
18 years, 328 days
|
12[88]
|
36
|
3
|
|
| Col Spratling
|
North Melbourne
|
22 years, 74 days
|
11[89]
|
18
|
7
|
|
| Jack Ryan
|
North Melbourne
|
25 years, 146 days
|
1[90]
|
9
|
2
|
Previously played for Footscray.
|
| Laurie Davies
|
North Melbourne
|
23 years, 287 days
|
4[91]
|
9
|
3
|
|
| Vin Casey
|
North Melbourne
|
22 years, 104 days
|
16[92]
|
8
|
2
|
|
| Vin Hogan
|
North Melbourne
|
19 years, 215 days
|
7[93]
|
7
|
0
|
|
| Len Thomas
|
North Melbourne
|
26 years, 131 days
|
1[94]
|
6
|
9
|
Son of Bill Thomas. Previously played for South Melbourne and Hawthorn.
|
| Ray Wynd
|
North Melbourne
|
19 years, 231 days
|
17[95]
|
4
|
3
|
|
| Merv Bolger
|
North Melbourne
|
20 years, 353 days
|
6[96]
|
3
|
0
|
|
| Norm Tomkinson
|
North Melbourne
|
22 years, 194 days
|
9[97]
|
2
|
2
|
|
| Ray Bromley
|
North Melbourne
|
24 years, 329 days
|
16[98]
|
2
|
0
|
|
| Neil Hasell
|
North Melbourne
|
21 years, 337 days
|
16[99]
|
2
|
0
|
|
| Trevor Jones
|
North Melbourne
|
22 years, 106 days
|
16[100]
|
1
|
1
|
|
| Jack Kenny
|
North Melbourne
|
25 years, 96 days
|
18[101]
|
1
|
0
|
|
| Leo Merrett
|
Richmond
|
20 years, 50 days
|
5[102]
|
170
|
53
|
|
| Bill Perkins
|
Richmond
|
20 years, 153 days
|
9[103]
|
148
|
10
|
|
| Bernie Waldron
|
Richmond
|
20 years, 80 days
|
7[104]
|
83
|
22
|
|
| Ray Steele
|
Richmond
|
22 years, 344 days
|
1[105]
|
42
|
1
|
Grandfather of Stuart Steele.
|
| Roy Quinn
|
Richmond
|
20 years, 345 days
|
8[106]
|
25
|
25
|
Son of Billy Quinn.
|
| Jack Quinn
|
Richmond
|
22 years, 25 days
|
11[107]
|
19
|
14
|
Played for South Melbourne earlier in the 1940 VFL season.
|
| Joe Reilly
|
Richmond
|
23 years, 244 days
|
4[108]
|
17
|
0
|
|
| Bill Cosgrove
|
Richmond
|
21 years, 168 days
|
1[109]
|
3
|
0
|
Killed in action in 1943. Uncle of Peter Cosgrove.
|
| Alby Hodges
|
Richmond
|
22 years, 99 days
|
14[110]
|
1
|
0
|
|
| Billy King
|
South Melbourne
|
19 years, 338 days
|
13[111]
|
136
|
17
|
|
| Don Grossman
|
South Melbourne
|
19 years, 143 days
|
4[112]
|
93
|
32
|
|
| Howard Jasper
|
South Melbourne
|
20 years, 326 days
|
14[113]
|
26
|
3
|
|
| Ian Chinn
|
South Melbourne
|
23 years, 28 days
|
6[114]
|
17
|
28
|
|
| Harry Gray
|
South Melbourne
|
24 years, 18 days
|
3[115]
|
9
|
5
|
|
| Stan Brown
|
South Melbourne
|
18 years, 241 days
|
11[116]
|
9
|
4
|
|
| Frank Hill
|
South Melbourne
|
26 years, 102 days
|
9[117]
|
5
|
0
|
|
| George Bates
|
South Melbourne
|
26 years, 127 days
|
4[118]
|
3
|
0
|
Previously played for Collingwood and Richmond.
|
| Merv Dudley
|
South Melbourne
|
23 years, 78 days
|
16[119]
|
3
|
7
|
|
| Arthur Turner
|
South Melbourne
|
20 years, 217 days
|
16[120]
|
3
|
0
|
|
| Kevin O'Halloran
|
South Melbourne
|
25 years, 108 days
|
2[121]
|
2
|
3
|
Father of Eddie O'Halloran. Previously played for St Kilda.
|
| Jack Fergeus
|
South Melbourne
|
22 years, 31 days
|
11[122]
|
2
|
1
|
|
| Gordon Hamilton
|
South Melbourne
|
20 years, 28 days
|
15[123]
|
2
|
0
|
Drowned aged 20, while attempting to save the life of a young girl.
|
| Keith Virtue
|
South Melbourne
|
23 years, 125 days
|
18[124]
|
2
|
3
|
|
| Dick Chirgwin
|
South Melbourne
|
20 years, 137 days
|
2[125]
|
1
|
0
|
Previously played for Richmond.
|
| Keith McNaughton
|
South Melbourne
|
19 years, 11 days
|
18[126]
|
1
|
0
|
|
| Bob Wilkie
|
St Kilda
|
19 years, 334 days
|
6[127]
|
117
|
13
|
Brother-in-law of Jack and Tom Meehan.
|
| Ernest McIntyre
|
St Kilda
|
19 years, 85 days
|
12[128]
|
80
|
57
|
Played first-class cricket for Victoria.
|
| Keith Miller
|
St Kilda
|
20 years, 165 days
|
3[129]
|
50
|
42
|
Played Test cricket for Australia.
|
| Ron McLeod
|
St Kilda
|
21 years, 205 days
|
14[130]
|
39
|
35
|
Previously played for North Melbourne.
|
| Jack Cliff
|
St Kilda
|
20 years, 347 days
|
2[131]
|
32
|
8
|
|
| Norm Raines
|
St Kilda
|
19 years, 253 days
|
6[132]
|
19
|
17
|
|
| Jack Bray
|
St Kilda
|
24 years, 198 days
|
14[133]
|
17
|
18
|
|
| Terry O'Brien
|
St Kilda
|
21 years, 235 days
|
10[134]
|
13
|
21
|
|
| Ron Mudge
|
St Kilda
|
19 years, 243 days
|
15[135]
|
11
|
1
|
|
| Marcus Hines
|
St Kilda
|
20 years, 250 days
|
14[136]
|
6
|
2
|
|
| Eddie Cranage
|
St Kilda
|
23 years, 10 days
|
9[137]
|
4
|
0
|
|
| Jack Rogers
|
St Kilda
|
27 years, 154 days
|
18[138]
|
4
|
0
|
|
| Laurie Taylor
|
St Kilda
|
23 years, 222 days
|
11[139]
|
1
|
0
|
Previously played for South Melbourne.
|
References
|
|---|
| VFL debuts |
- 1897
- 1898
- 1899
- 1900
- 1901
- 1902
- 1903
- 1904
- 1905
- 1906
- 1907
- 1908
- 1909
- 1910
- 1911
- 1912
- 1913
- 1914
- 1915
- 1916
- 1917
- 1918
- 1919
- 1920
- 1921
- 1922
- 1923
- 1924
- 1925
- 1926
- 1927
- 1928
- 1929
- 1930
- 1931
- 1932
- 1933
- 1934
- 1935
- 1936
- 1937
- 1938
- 1939
- 1940
- 1941
- 1942
- 1943
- 1944
- 1945
- 1946
- 1947
- 1948
- 1949
- 1950
- 1951
- 1952
- 1953
- 1954
- 1955
- 1956
- 1957
- 1958
- 1959
- 1960
- 1961
- 1962
- 1963
- 1964
- 1965
- 1966
- 1967
- 1968
- 1969
- 1970
- 1971
- 1972
- 1973
- 1974
- 1975
- 1976
- 1977
- 1978
- 1979
- 1980
- 1981
- 1982
- 1983
- 1984
- 1985
- 1986
- 1987
- 1988
- 1989
|
|---|
| AFL debuts | |
|---|