1925

It was a brave new world for the VFL in 1925, with the league expanding to include Footscray, Hawthorn and North Melbourne. It was perfect timing for Carlton, as we won all of our games against the expansion teams, which represented 4 out of our 5 wins for the season. The Blues would have had a bleak season without the expansion teams, for without these teams we would have crashed to last place.

Another advantage of the expanded competition was the elimination of the bye, which had been caused by the University merging with Melbourne at the end of the 1914 season, leaving 9 clubs in the competition. Interestingly, not every club played each other twice, as the competition was played over 17 rounds.

The Blues started badly in 1925, though, with 5 losses from their first 6 games, four of which were by six goals or more. In spite of the expansion teams, this left Carlton on the bottom of the ladder. The club did pick up slightly though, winning four of its last eleven games, with three of those losses being quite close (14 points or less).

Ladder

People of 1925

Captains: Maurie Beasy, Paddy O'Brien & Ray Brew
Coaches: Paddy O'Brien, Ray Brew & Jim Caldwell
Leading Goal-kicker: Harvey Dunn - 35 goals

Debuts

Round 14: Harry McPherson
Round 13: Maurie Connell, George Robbins
Round 11: Frank Donoghue
Round 9: Jack Cahill
Round 7: Percy Outram
Round 6: Charlie McSwain
Round 4: Carl Keller
Round 3: Frank Irwin, Gerald O'Halloran
Round 2: Ronnie Byrne, Hope Evans, Bill Koop
Round 1: Ted Brewis, Victor Davis, Ned Kick, Alan Leitch, Harold Rumney, Billy Stone, Jack Vale, Jack Way

Carlton to the Front

A Carlton reform group has adopted this slogan and had 3,000 pamphlets printed to be distributed.
Click here> http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article76437789
In late April the reform group swept aside the old committee. Believing the club's debt was £300, it was found to be nearer £700!

Player Payments

Carlton paid a total of £1,726 to it's players.
This was the sixth highest in the League behind Essendon with £2,197, St. Kilda £1,895, Collingwood £1,876, Richmond £1,793, and Footscray with £1,773
Lowest of the 11 clubs was Hawthorn with £1,311 (Melbourne's total was not available)

Club Carnival

The Argus May 09 1925 (p23),
At the League meeting;
"Mr. H. Clover (Carlton) said that his club proposed to hold a carnival at the Motordrome on June 4, 5, and 6. The last day was a Saturday, when three League matches were being played, and the round being concluded on Monday (King's Birthday). He asked for the permission of the League to hold the carnival on the Saturday afternoon.
In support of the application Mr. D. Crone (the second Carlton delegate) said that the carnival was being held to ease the financial position of the club.
Mr. M. Green (Fitzroy) moved and Mr. A. McGowan (Essendon) seconded that the application be refused. The motion was agreed to.
Mr. Crone said it was proposed to play football in the evening, when the ground would be brightly illuminated."

"Owing to the inclement weather the second night of the Carlton Football Club's carnival at the Motordrome, which was to held last night, had to be postponed. The profits for the night were insured for £200 againt 10 points of rain, but just insufficient fell in the stipulated time to enable this to be claimed. The carnival will be continued to-night and perhaps on Monday night. To-night there will be night football, the final of the long distance kicking competition (open to all footballers in Victoria), the champion high-mark contest, a race for heavy weight footballers, and relay races. Another item will be the tug-of-war championship. Teams have been entered by Richmond, Yarraville, Warragul, North Melbourne, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, and the Gasworks."
(Argus June 06 1925 p19)
Carlton's Ted Brewis won the long distance kicking final with a kick of 65 yards 3 inches

April 18
Carlton played South Melbourne District in a practice match.
Carlton suppled some of its players to the juniors to strengthen them.
Joe Russell an old Carlton player captained them.
Paddy O'Brien captain-coached the Blues
Pringle who was going back to Tasmania played a fine game. New players who did well were Leith, (Tasmania), O'Halloran, a forward, (NSW), Kick, a back-man from Dunolly, McSwain, from Merbein, Davis, forward from Preston, Brewis, half-back from Maryborough.
Carlton won 14.13.97 - 8.7.55 (Trove; Sun News - Pic. April 20 p18)

April 25
Carlton played Carlton District in a practice match.
Better players; Watson, Bell, Davies, Brew, O'Brien, Carter, Faust.
New men, Koops, Stone and Brewis played well.
Snowy Martin played well for the District.
Carlton won 8.25.73 - 6.8.56