The 1940 VFL season was the 44th season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 27 April until 28 September, and comprised an 18-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top four clubs.
The premiership was won by the Melbourne Football Club for the fourth time and second time consecutively, after it defeated by 39 points in the 1940 VFL Grand Final.
Background In 1940, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus one substitute player, known as the 19th man. A player could be substituted for any reason; however, once substituted, a player could not return to the field of play under any circumstances.
Teams played each other in a home-and-away season of 18 rounds; matches 12 to 18 were the "home-and-way reverse" of matches 1 to 7.
Once the 18 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1940 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the Page–McIntyre system.
Home-and-away season
Round 1
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 25.11 (161) | | 13.11 (89) | Glenferrie Oval | 14,000 | 27 April 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 13.13 (91) | | 10.20 (80) | Brunswick Street Oval | 20,000 | 27 April 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 18.17 (125) | | 16.12 (108) | Windy Hill | 23,000 | 27 April 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 14.19 (103) | | 17.13 (115) | Punt Road Oval | 24,000 | 27 April 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.14 (80) | | 13.14 (92) | Lake Oval | 18,000 | 27 April 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.18 (72) | | 12.27 (99) | Corio Oval | 12,000 | 27 April 1940
Round 2
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 18.14 (122) | | 14.15 (99) | MCG | 20,044 | 4 May 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.13 (79) | | 14.10 (94) | Victoria Park | 11,000 | 4 May 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 15.19 (109) | | 12.5 (77) | Princes Park | 19,000 | 4 May 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.25 (97) | | 7.13 (55) | Junction Oval | 17,000 | 4 May 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 15.16 (106) | | 7.9 (51) | Arden Street Oval | 11,000 | 4 May 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 17.9 (111) | | 9.12 (66) | Western Oval | 25,000 | 4 May 1940
Round 3
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 15.12 (102) | | 19.15 (129) | Glenferrie Oval | 16,000 | 11 May 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.14 (86) | | 10.15 (75) | Windy Hill | 16,000 | 11 May 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.12 (84) | | 9.11 (65) | Junction Oval | 15,500 | 11 May 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 20.21 (141) | | 15.12 (102) | MCG | 30,867 | 11 May 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 16.19 (115) | | 13.8 (86) | Corio Oval | 8,500 | 11 May 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 18.19 (127) | | 12.18 (90) | Victoria Park | 23,000 | 11 May 1940
Round 4
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.16 (70) | | 13.14 (92) | Western Oval | 16,000 | 18 May 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 13.12 (90) | | 16.20 (116) | Princes Park | 18,000 | 18 May 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 22.13 (145) | | 16.10 (106) | Lake Oval | 9,000 | 18 May 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 17.15 (117) | | 11.6 (72) | Punt Road Oval | 13,000 | 18 May 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.15 (87) | | 10.16 (76) | Brunswick Street Oval | 13,000 | 18 May 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 14.15 (99) | | 10.15 (75) | Arden Street Oval | 11,000 | 18 May 1940
Round 5
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.21 (93) | | 10.12 (72) | Corio Oval | 5,000 | 25 May 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.14 (62) | | 12.11 (83) | Brunswick Street Oval | 14,000 | 25 May 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.18 (90) | | 9.19 (73) | Windy Hill | 12,000 | 25 May 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.11 (53) | | 9.12 (66) | Arden Street Oval | 13,000 | 25 May 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 17.12 (114) | | 13.20 (98) | MCG | 20,043 | 25 May 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.18 (54) | | 11.19 (85) | Junction Oval | 21,000 | 25 May 1940
Round 6
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 17.10 (112) | | 11.10 (76) | Punt Road Oval | 20,000 | 1 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.15 (87) | | 11.15 (81) | Glenferrie Oval | 8,000 | 1 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.6 (66) | | 10.14 (74) | Western Oval | 12,000 | 1 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.13 (85) | | 11.17 (83) | Victoria Park | 11,000 | 1 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.16 (76) | | 8.14 (62) | Princes Park | 16,000 | 1 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 16.9 (105) | | 16.8 (104) | Lake Oval | 9,000 | 1 June 1940
Round 7
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 13.16 (94) | | 12.13 (85) | Punt Road Oval | 10,000 | 8 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 17.11 (113) | | 12.14 (86) | Brunswick Street Oval | 7,000 | 8 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.1 (49) | | 12.34 (106) | Arden Street Oval | 5,000 | 8 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.13 (67) | | 10.22 (82) | Corio Oval | 5,000 | 8 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.12 (72) | | 13.14 (92) | Junction Oval | 13,000 | 8 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.18 (90) | | 12.8 (80) | Western Oval | 13,000 | 8 June 1940
Round 8
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.13 (49) | | 10.15 (75) | Victoria Park | 20,000 | 15 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.9 (81) | | 10.16 (76) | Lake Oval | 12,000 | 15 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.15 (63) | | 13.20 (98) | Arden Street Oval | 5,000 | 15 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.17 (65) | | 15.20 (110) | Glenferrie Oval | 10,000 | 15 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.14 (86) | | 8.15 (63) | Windy Hill | 16,000 | 15 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.15 (87) | | 12.13 (85) | MCG | 19,737 | 17 June 1940
Round 9
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.18 (90) | | 6.10 (46) | Corio Oval | 4,000 | 22 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.30 (90) | | 10.17 (77) | Brunswick Street Oval | 12,000 | 22 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 16.20 (116) | | 18.12 (120) | Princes Park | 13,000 | 22 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 16.16 (112) | | 17.21 (123) | Junction Oval | 13,000 | 22 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.5 (77) | | 12.10 (82) | Punt Road Oval | 19,000 | 22 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 15.10 (100) | | 12.12 (84) | Western Oval | 15,000 | 22 June 1940
Round 10
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 13.11 (89) | | 17.16 (118) | Arden Street Oval | 11,000 | 29 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 15.15 (105) | | 6.10 (46) | Western Oval | 14,000 | 29 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.17 (89) | | 15.13 (103) | Victoria Park | 14,000 | 29 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 13.11 (89) | | 13.18 (96) | Princes Park | 10,000 | 29 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 22.19 (151) | | 24.10 (154) | MCG | 15,265 | 29 June 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 14.18 (102) | | 15.14 (104) | Junction Oval | 15,000 | 29 June 1940
Round 11
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.22 (94) | | 11.10 (76) | Corio Oval | 6,500 | 6 July 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 17.8 (110) | | 14.13 (97) | Brunswick Street Oval | 18,000 | 6 July 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 19.14 (128) | | 16.9 (105) | Windy Hill | 11,000 | 6 July 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.18 (78) | | 19.16 (130) | Lake Oval | 10,000 | 6 July 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.17 (77) | | 14.17 (101) | Glenferrie Oval | 10,000 | 6 July 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.11 (65) | | 9.22 (76) | Punt Road Oval | 18,000 | 6 July 1940
Round 12
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.10 (82) | | 15.10 (100) | Western Oval | 11,000 | 13 July 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 19.14 (128) | | 4.18 (42) | Victoria Park | 6,500 | 13 July 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.24 (90) | | 12.19 (91) | Princes Park | 9,000 | 13 July 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.11 (77) | | 9.16 (70) | Arden Street Oval | 3,000 | 13 July 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.11 (59) | | 6.12 (48) | Junction Oval | 10,000 | 13 July 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 17.20 (122) | | 7.12 (54) | MCG | 18,640 | 13 July 1940
Round 13
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 17.17 (119) | | 8.15 (63) | Glenferrie Oval | 8,000 | 20 July 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 16.17 (113) | | 9.13 (67) | Brunswick Street Oval | 10,000 | 20 July 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 13.17 (95) | | 13.13 (91) | Windy Hill | 17,000 | 20 July 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 13.9 (87) | | 13.16 (94) | Punt Road Oval | 21,000 | 20 July 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 23.18 (156) | | 12.19 (91) | Corio Oval | 8,500 | 20 July 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 17.11 (113) | | 14.14 (98) | Lake Oval | 8,000 | 20 July 1940
Round 14
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.11 (47) | | 13.6 (84) | Arden Street Oval | 4,500 | 27 July 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.19 (91) | | 15.20 (110) | Western Oval | 12,000 | 27 July 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.27 (87) | | 8.12 (60) | Brunswick Street Oval | 17,000 | 27 July 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 14.18 (102) | | 13.9 (87) | Princes Park | 9,000 | 27 July 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.13 (79) | | 12.15 (87) | Punt Road Oval | 9,000 | 27 July 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.6 (60) | | 7.16 (58) | Lake Oval | 10,000 | 27 July 1940
Round 15
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.19 (79) | | 10.13 (73) | Glenferrie Oval | 8,000 | 10 August 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.15 (87) | | 16.11 (107) | Corio Oval | 10,000 | 10 August 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.12 (72) | | 10.15 (75) | Windy Hill | 18,000 | 10 August 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.21 (93) | | 6.17 (53) | Victoria Park | 6,500 | 10 August 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 13.9 (87) | | 15.22 (112) | Junction Oval | 13,000 | 10 August 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 14.12 (96) | | 20.13 (133) | MCG | 16,500 | 10 August 1940
Round 16
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 17.22 (124) | | 8.13 (61) | Western Oval | 8,000 | 17 August 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.18 (90) | | 16.8 (104) | Victoria Park | 8,000 | 17 August 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 13.14 (92) | | 6.16 (52) | Princes Park | 6,000 | 17 August 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.19 (91) | | 13.9 (87) | Lake Oval | 7,000 | 17 August 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 14.15 (99) | | 10.11 (71) | Punt Road Oval | 22,000 | 17 August 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.18 (84) | | 18.12 (120) | Glenferrie Oval | 9,000 | 17 August 1940
Round 17
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Crowd ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.5 (53) | | 16.23 (119) | Arden Street Oval | 5,000 | 24 August 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.17 (77) | | 20.15 (135) | Junction Oval | 14,000 | 24 August 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 26.20 (176) | | 8.14 (62) | MCG | 8,722 | 24 August 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.17 (89) | | 11.18 (84) | Corio Oval | 10,000 | 24 August 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.20 (92) | | 6.16 (52) | Windy Hill | 13,000 | 24 August 1940 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.11 (71) | | 21.14 (140) | Brunswick Street Oval | 20,000