1933

1933 was our seventh consecutive season in the finals and came towards the end of the longest Premiership drought in Carlton's history (we wouldn't win a flag between 1916 and 1937).

After two narrow wins in the first two rounds against South Melbourne and Hawthorn, the club found itself in second place on the ladder behind Richmond in first. A 37 point loss to Geelong in round 3 and another loss to Collingwood by only 4 points in round 5 saw the club sitting in fifth place on the ladder. Both of these clubs, along with Carlton and Richmond, had been particularly strong in recent seasons (the late 1920's and early 1930's).

A run of solid form between rounds 6 and 11 lifted the club to second place on the ladder, sitting behind Richmond by percentage. Carlton would win 4 of its last 7 games to finish the regular season and would finish in third place. Meeting Geelong in the first Semi Final, the Blues would get out of the gates to a great start, kicking 6 goals to 2 in the first term to lead by an even 4 goals at quarter time. Unfortunately Geelong then managed to close the team down, and we only managed 4 goals for the remainder of the game, the Cats winning by 13 points (12.12 84 to 10.11 71).

This was the last of seven successive seasons in which Carlton would play finals football, finishing fifth in 1934. The stay out of the finals would be shortlived, however, the Blues back playing finals football in 1935.

Veterans' Match August 12 at Princes Park

Blue team; (17 named)
Horrie Clover, Newton Chandler, Alec Farrow, Jimmy Goonan, Harold Bell, Jim Watson, George Gough, Charlie Fisher, Ernie Dingwall, Harvey Dunn, Frank Martin, (R) Bob Wilson, Rupe Hiskens, Frank Irwin, Harold Carter, Jimmy Robertson, Maurie Beasy.
Blue & Whites (21 named)
Ray Brew, Ern Cowley, Morrie Ewans, M. Johnson, J. Stevenson, H. Poole, Harry Haughton, H. Morgan, A. Sharpe, E. Everett, Paddy O'Brien, Edric Bickford, Ernie McAlpine, M. Connell, J. Shortell, W. Blackman, J. Fraser, W. Ross, F. Leehane, Percy Outram, Peter Williams.

Other matches included the Carlton Women's team playing Richmond, Chinese Athletic Association playing the Paterson, Laing and Bruce team plus school matches.
There were also a long-kicking contest, a footballers' sprint and two mile handicap by the Moreland Athletic Association.
7,000 people attended
Frank Gill won the long-kick with a drop kick of 65 yards, Harry Vallence was runner up.
Carlton Footballer's 100 Yard Handicap Sprint; 1. F. Gilby, 2. M. Crisp, 3. J. Cooper

Club Colours

Four League clubs have altered their guernsies.
Hawthorn have reversed their brown guernsey with a gold vee, to a gold guernsey with a brown vee.
North Melbourne have a blue and white vertical striped guernsey instead of all blue with a white vee.
St.Kilda have added a club monogram on the left breast and the black sleeves have been altered to white.
Melbourne have done away with the red band and replaced it with a red collar and red vee yoke.

Ladder

People of 1933

Captain: Frank Gill
Coach: Dan Minogue
Leading Goal-kicker: Harry Vallence - 84 goals

Debuts

Round 17: Ray Harry
Round 15: Steve Bloomer, Ray Quinn
Round 7: Rod Leffanue
Round 6: Jack Cooper
Round 5: Les Hughson
Round 4: Bob Green
Round 3: Jack Hale

Footnote

A total of 1,746,100 (av. 16,167) attended the V.F.L. home and away season.
Carlton's total attendance was 420,827 (approx.)
Average crowd of 23,379.

1891 v 1933

Former umpire Dick Gibson writing in the Sporting Globe (July 22 p6) said the 1891 Carlton team would beat the 1933 team.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article181737914