1951 TANFL season
Australian rules football season
The 1951 Tasmanian Australian National Football League (TANFL) premiership season was an Australian Rules football competition staged in Hobart, Tasmania over fifteen (15) roster rounds and four (4) finals series matches between 14 April and 6 October 1951.
Participating Clubs
Clarence District Football Club
New Town District Football Club
Hobart Football Club
New Norfolk District Football Club
North Hobart Football Club
Sandy Bay Football Club
1951 TANFL Club Coaches
Les McClements (Clarence)
Roy Cazaly (New Town)
Bill Tonks (Hobart)
Arthur Olliver (New Norfolk)
Len McCankie (North Hobart)
Bert Lucas (Sandy Bay)
TANFL Reserves Grand Final
New Town 11.18 (84) v Nth Hobart 10.7 (67) – North Hobart Oval
TANFL Under-19's Grand Final
State Schools Old Boys Football Association (SSOBFA)
Buckingham 17.7 (109) v North West 7.10 (52) – North Hobart Oval
Note: Buckingham affiliated to New Town, North West affiliated to North Hobart.
Intrastate Matches
Jubilee Shield (Saturday, 5 May 1951)
TANFL 15.23 (113) v NTFA 13.14 (92) – Att: 8,886 at North Hobart Oval
Jubilee Shield (Saturday, 16 June 1951)
TANFL 19.18 (132) v NWFU 13.16 (94) – Att: 4,056 at TCA Ground
Jubilee Shield (Saturday, 21 July 1951)
TANFL 14.10 (94) v NTFA 10.19 (79) – Att: 11,300 at York Park
Jubilee Shield (Saturday, 18 August 1951)
TANFL 23.12 (150) v NWFU 17.13 (115) – Att: 4,530 at West Park Oval
Inter-Association Match (Saturday, 21 July 1951)
Huon FA 11.14 (80) v TANFL II 9.9 (63) – Att: 1,000 at Geeveston Oval
Inter-Association Match (Saturday, 18 August 1951)
Huon FA 12.22 (94) v TANFL II 12.15 (87) – Att: 1,326 at TCA Ground
Inter-Association Match (Sunday, 19 August 1951)
TANFL III 15.12 (102) v Queenstown FA 14.13 (97) – Att: N/A at Queenstown Oval
Interstate Matches
Exhibition Match (Saturday, 26 May 1951)
Essendon 20.18 (138) v TANFL 13.4 (82) – Att: 7,973 at North Hobart Oval
Interstate Match (Saturday, 30 June 1951)
Victorian FA 26.15 (171) v Tasmania 12.11 (83) – Att: 6,949 at North Hobart Oval
Leading Goalkickers: TANFL
J.Cooper (Clarence) – 42
Les McClements (Clarence) – 41
W.Pepper (Hobart) – 36
Rex Garwood (New Town) – 35
R.Grattidge (Clarence) – 31
Medal Winners
Rex Garwood (New Town) – William Leitch Medal
R.Toulmin (Sandy Bay) – George Watt Medal (Reserves)
Brian Cartwright (South East) – V.A Geard Medal (Under-19's)
Max Griffiths (New Town) – Weller Arnold Medal (Best TANFL player in Intrastate match)
1951 TANFL Ladder
Round 1
(Saturday, 14 April 1951)
Clarence 12.16 (88) v New Town 12.13 (85) – Att: 3,312 at North Hobart Oval
Hobart 16.15 (111) v Sandy Bay 12.10 (82) – Att: 1,997 at TCA Ground
Nth Hobart 12.8 (80) v New Norfolk 6.11 (47) – Att: 1,430 at Boyer Oval
Round 2
(Saturday, 21 April 1951)
Nth Hobart 8.10 (58) v Sandy Bay 7.12 (54) – Att: 2,847 at North Hobart Oval
Hobart 13.9 (87) v New Town 10.15 (75) – Att: 1,811 at New Town Oval
Clarence 11.11 (77) v New Norfolk 9.15 (69) – Att: 1,226 at Bellerive Oval
Round 3
(Saturday, 28 April 1951)
Clarence 12.11 (83) v Sandy Bay 12.9 (81) – Att: 3,674 at North Hobart Oval
Nth Hobart 12.14 (86) v Hobart 10.13 (73) – Att: 2,659 at TCA Ground
New Norfolk 14.13 (97) v New Town 11.12 (78) – Att: 1,983 at Boyer Oval
Round 4
(Saturday, 12 May 1951)
Hobart 17.15 (117) v New Norfolk 14.11 (95) – Att: 2,395 at North Hobart Oval
Clarence 10.11 (71) v Nth Hobart 8.15 (63) – Att: 3,719 at TCA Ground
New Town 16.14 (110) v Sandy Bay 9.8 (62) – Att: 2,028 at Queenborough Oval
Round 5
(Saturday, 19 May 1951)
Nth Hobart 10.12 (72) v New Town 9.10 (64) – Att: 3,873 at North Hobart Oval
Clarence 17.9 (111) v Hobart 11.19 (85) – Att: 3,217 at Bellerive Oval
New Norfolk 14.8 (92) v Sandy Bay 12.11 (83) – Att: 1,837 at Boyer Oval
Round 6
(Saturday, 2 June 1951)
Nth Hobart 15.17 (107) v New Norfolk 16.9 (105) – Att: 3,396 at North Hobart Oval
Sandy Bay 17.26 (128) v Hobart 10.9 (69) – Att: 1,748 at Queenborough Oval
New Town 16.24 (120) v Clarence 10.10 (70) – Att: 2,068 at Bellerive Oval
Round 7
(Saturday, 9 June & Monday, 11 June 1951)
Sandy Bay 12.12 (84) v Nth Hobart 7.10 (52) – Att: 4,318 at North Hobart Oval
Clarence 13.9 (87) v New Norfolk 7.10 (52) – Att: 1,724 at Boyer Oval
Hobart 9.15 (69) v New Town 8.10 (58) – Att: 5,040 at North Hobart Oval (Monday)
Round 8
(Saturday, 23 June 1951)
Nth Hobart 15.13 (103) v Hobart 11.15 (81) – Att: 2,518 at North Hobart Oval
Sandy Bay 15.15 (105) v Clarence 16.9 (105) – Att: 2,388 at Queenborough Oval
New Town 18.15 (123) v New Norfolk 12.12 (84) – Att: 1,455 at New Town Oval
Round 9
(Saturday, 7 July 1951)
New Town 10.14 (74) v Sandy Bay 10.8 (68) – Att: 3,732 at North Hobart Oval
Nth Hobart 21.7 (133) v Clarence 10.7 (67) – Att: 1,774 at Bellerive Oval
New Norfolk 7.8 (50) v Hobart 5.16 (46) – Att: 964 at Boyer Oval
Round 10
(Saturday, 14 July 1951)
New Norfolk 12.8 (80) v Sandy Bay 10.11 (71) – Att: 2,045 at North Hobart Oval
Hobart 13.21 (99) v Clarence 11.11 (77) – Att: 1,267 at TCA Ground
New Town 11.13 (79) v Nth Hobart 10.17 (77) – Att: 2,817 at New Town Oval
Round 11
(Saturday, 28 July 1951)
Hobart 12.16 (88) v Sandy Bay 5.12 (42) – Att: 2,145 at North Hobart Oval
New Town 10.17 (77) v Clarence 4.10 (34) – Att: 1,759 at New Town Oval
Nth Hobart 4.11 (35) v New Norfolk 3.12 (30) – Att: 1,245 at Boyer Oval
Round 12
(Saturday, 4 August 1951)
New Norfolk 14.9 (93) v Clarence 7.11 (53) – Att: 1,899 at North Hobart Oval
Hobart 12.10 (82) v New Town 10.13 (73) – Att: 2,317 at TCA Ground
Sandy Bay 16.10 (106) v Nth Hobart 10.16 (76) – Att: 1,608 at Queenborough Oval
Round 13
(Saturday, 25 August 1951)
New Town 17.13 (115) v New Norfolk 13.8 (86) – Att: 2,283 at North Hobart Oval
Hobart 16.16 (112) v Nth Hobart 11.11 (77) – Att: 2,080 at TCA Ground
Clarence 9.16 (70) v Sandy Bay 10.10 (70) – Att: 1,675 at Bellerive Oval
Note: Round postponed on 11 August due to inclement weather and poor ground conditions.
Round 14
(Saturday, 1 September 1951)
Nth Hobart 10.20 (80) v Clarence 10.16 (76) – Att: 2,777 at North Hobart Oval
New Norfolk 13.24 (102) v Hobart 14.15 (99) – Att: 1,439 at TCA Ground
New Town 21.27 (153) v Sandy Bay 13.8 (86) – Att: 1,531 at New Town Oval
Round 15
(Saturday, 8 September 1951)
New Town 19.11 (125) v Nth Hobart 16.7 (103) – Att: 4,849 at North Hobart Oval
New Norfolk 21.17 (143) v Sandy Bay 11.9 (75) – Att: 934 at Queenborough Oval
Hobart 12.21 (93) v Clarence 10.12 (72) – Att: 1,929 at Bellerive Oval
First Semi Final
(Saturday, 15 September 1951)
Nth Hobart: 5.2 (32) | 7.10 (52) | 11.14 (80) | 14.20 (104)
New Norfolk: 3.1 (19) | 7.1 (43) | 11.2 (68) | 14.4 (88)
Attendance: 7,179 at North Hobart Oval
Second Semi Final
(Saturday, 22 September 1951)
New Town: 5.4 (34) | 10.7 (67) | 11.15 (81) | 17.22 (124)
Hobart: 2.1 (13) | 6.8 (44) | 9.8 (62) | 11.8 (74)
Attendance: 7,979 at North Hobart Oval
Preliminary Final
(Saturday, 29 September 1951)
Nth Hobart: 6.2 (38) | 7.6 (48) | 11.10 (76) | 12.14 (86)
Hobart: 2.2 (14) | 7.4 (46) | 9.8 (62) | 10.13 (73)
Attendance: 7,070 at North Hobart Oval
Grand Final
(Saturday, 6 October 1951)
New Town: 7.2 (44) | 10.5 (65) | 15.12 (102) | 20.14 (134)
Nth Hobart: 2.0 (12) | 5.5 (35) | 6.6 (42) | 9.9 (63)
Attendance: 13,079 at North Hobart Oval
Source: All scores and statistics courtesy of the Hobart Mercury publication.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “1951 TANFL season” is australian rules football season. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through TANFL, season and Australian, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “australian rules football season” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Apr 27, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q4567246. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1951.
The absence of detail may reflect summary conventions rather than a lack of surviving documentation. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “1951 TANFL season”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow 1951 TANFL season primary sources, 1951 TANFL season archive and TANFL research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “1951 TANFL season”?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “1951 TANFL season” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.