The Bloodbath: The 1945 VFL Grand Final

The 1945 VFL Grand Final between Carlton and South Melbourne was Melbourne's first major sporting event after the end of World War II. The game was advertised as 'the Victory Grand Final', and signalled an end to global violence and bloodshed. Ironically, those are the characteristics that will forever be associated with the game that has entered the folklore of Aussie Rules football as 'the Bloodbath'.