1953 VFL grand final
# 1953 VFL grand final

The 1953 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 26 September 1953. It was the 56th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers for the 1953 VFL season. The match, attended by 89,149 spectators, was won by Collingwood by 12 points, the club's 12th premiership victory.

This was the third successive Grand Final appearance for the Cats, who were attempting to win three successive flags after having defeated Essendon in the 1951 VFL Grand Final and Collingwood in the 1952 VFL Grand Final. Collingwood had not won a premiership since winning the 1936 VFL Grand Final.

In round 14 of the 1953 season, Collingwood defeated Geelong to end their record 23 game winning streak (26 games unbeaten). Collingwood won again when the sides battled in the Semi Final, and in the Grand Final defeated Geelong for the third time in the year. Geelong had the better of the final quarter, but inaccuracy cost them.

Collingwood's full-back Jack Hamilton and Geelong's dual premiership player Russell Middlemiss missed the game through injury.

## Teams

| Collingwood | Geelong |
| - | - |

Collingwood :

| B: | Lerrel Sharp | Jack Finck | Arthur Gooch |
| - | - | - | - |
| HB: | Jack Parker | Neville Waller | Ron Kingston |
| C: | Des Healey | Bill Twomey, Jr. | Ron Richards |
| HF: | Pat Twomey | Terry Waites | Thorold Merrett |
| F: | Mick Twomey | Keith Batchelor | Lou Richards (c) |
| Foll: | Neil Mann | Bill Rose | Bob Rose |
| Res: | Murray Weideman | George Hams |
| Coach: | Phonse Kyne | Phonse Kyne | Phonse Kyne |

Geelong :

| B: | Bernie Smith | Bruce Morrison | Harry Herbert |
| - | - | - | - |
| HB: | Sid Smith | John Hyde | Geoff Williams |
| C: | Les Reed | Leo Turner | Bert Worner |
| HF: | Noel Rayson | Fred Flanagan (c) | Bob Davis |
| F: | George Swarbrick | Russell Renfrey | Neil Trezise |
| Foll: | Bill McMaster | Norm Sharp | Peter Pianto |
| Res: | Doug Palmer | Ron Hovey |
| Coach: | Reg Hickey | Reg Hickey | Reg Hickey |
