1942 VFL season
The 1942 Victorian Football League season was the 46th season of the elite Australian rules football competition.
Influence of World War II
World War II had many effects on the organisation of football in Australia:
Geelong was unable to compete in the competition because of wartime travel restrictions. Temporary transfers to other clubs were available to Geelong players (limit of three per club).
Melbourne and Collingwood struggled to field a team, and at one stage considered amalgamating into a joint team, however they were both ultimately able to compete.
Hawthorn and Collingwood withdrew their teams from the reserves competition.
Available servicemen were often called upon to make up the numbers - this accounts for the drop in form of the Melbourne team, having previously won three premierships in a row.
The VFA went into recess, and any eligible players were given temporary league permits.
The Brownlow Medal was suspended until 1946.
Many ground changes were also forced upon teams, as their usual home grounds were used in the war effort. The new grounds used were Yarraville Oval (Footscray), Toorak Park (St Kilda), Punt Road Oval (Melbourne) and Princes Park (South Melbourne).
