1946 VFL thirds season

1946 VFL thirds season
Date	3 May – 21 September
Teams	7
Premiers	North Melbourne 1st premiership
Minor premiers	Melbourne 1st minor premiership

The 1946 VFL thirds season was the inaugural season of the VFL thirds, the Australian rules football competition operating as the junior competition to the Victorian Football League (VFL).^[1]

Only 7 of the 12 VFL clubs with senior teams fielded a thirds side in the inaugural season − Collingwood, Fitzroy, Footscray, Geelong and South Melbourne did not compete. Several VFL clubs already operated thirds teams in local competitions, while others were affiliated with existing junior clubs.^[2]

North Melbourne won the first grand final, defeating Carlton.^[3]

Ladder

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	D	Pts
1	Melbourne					44
2	North Melbourne (P)					40
3	Carlton					32
4	Essendon					28
5	Richmond					16
6	St Kilda					8
7	Hawthorn					4

Finals series

Semi-finals

	Semi-finals
Saturday, 7 September (12:00 pm)	Melbourne 4.8 (32)	def. by	North Melbourne 13.13 (91)	Ransford Oval	[4][5]
Saturday, 7 September (12:00 pm)	Carlton 6.13 (49)	def.	Essendon 2.9 (21)	McAlister Oval	[4][6]

Preliminary final

	Preliminary final
Saturday, 14 September (2:45 pm)	Melbourne 11.10 (76)	def. by	Carlton 12.21 (93)	Warringal Park, Heidelberg	[7][8]

Grand final

	Grand final
Saturday, 21 September (12:00 pm)	North Melbourne 11.9 (75)	def.	Carlton 5.12 (42)	Warringal Park, Heidelberg	[9][10]

References

1. "Richmond are strong". Trove. The Argus.
2. "The Under-19s". Collingwood Forever.
3. "New name likely for thirds". The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne, VIC. 2 April 1960. p. 66.
4. "Junior Football". Sporting Globe. No. 2527. Victoria, Australia. 7 September 1946. p. 3 (Edition1). Retrieved 18 January 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
5. "Many Seniors For Seconds' Semi-Final". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 31, 206. Victoria, Australia. 6 September 1946. p. 13. Retrieved 18 January 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
6. "Gardiner Medal". The Age. No. 28508. Victoria, Australia. 6 September 1946. p. 8. Retrieved 18 January 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
7. "Amateur Football". The Herald. No. 21, 629. Victoria, Australia. 14 September 1946. p. 10. Retrieved 18 January 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
8. "Sale's Best". The Age. No. 28, 514. Victoria, Australia. 13 September 1946. p. 8. Retrieved 18 January 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
9. "Junior Football". Sporting Globe. No. 2531. Victoria, Australia. 21 September 1946. p. 3 (Edition1). Retrieved 18 January 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
10. "Tomorrow's Sport". The Herald. No. 21, 634. Victoria, Australia. 20 September 1946. p. 15. Retrieved 18 January 2024 – via National Library of Australia.