Round 17 |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.18 (90) | | 4.5 (29) | Western Oval | 15,158 | 22 August 1953 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.13 (49) | | 9.10 (64) | Brunswick Street Oval | 7,500 | 22 August 1953 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.6 (78) | | 12.7 (79) | Windy Hill | 18,000 | 22 August 1953 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.15 (87) | | 6.9 (45) | Princes Park | 8,500 | 22 August 1953 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 14.14 (98) | | 8.7 (55) | Lake Oval | 21,000 | 22 August 1953 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.9 (81) | | 13.17 (95) | Punt Road Oval | 18,000 | 22 August 1953 Round 18 |- bgcolor="#CCCCFF" | Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 16.14 (110) | | 8.8 (56) | Kardinia Park | 18,124 | 29 August 1953 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.14 (74) | | 8.7 (55) | Victoria Park | 33,867 | 29 August 1953 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 13.20 (98) | | 4.12 (36) | Lake Oval | 13,000 | 29 August 1953 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.10 (64) | | 13.6 (84) | Glenferrie Oval | 5,000 | 29 August 1953 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 13.7 (85) | | 19.12 (126) | Punt Road Oval | 19,000 | 29 August 1953 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 14.10 (94) | | 15.15 (105) | Arden Street Oval | 14,000 | 29 August 1953 Ladder Finals First Semi-Final Second Semi-Final Preliminary Final Grand final Awards The 1953 VFL Premiership team was Collingwood. The VFL's leading goalkicker was John Coleman of Essendon who kicked 97 goals (including one goal in the finals). The winner of the 1953 Brownlow Medal was Bill Hutchison of Essendon with 26 votes. Hawthorn took the "wooden spoon" in 1953. Notable events Because Anzac Day fell on a Saturday, there was a fortnight between Rounds 1 and 2. On the evening of Friday 24 April a night-time exhibition match was held between Collingwood and Fitzroy, under lights, at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds for the benefit of St Vincent's Hospital. Collingwood 9.13 (67) defeated Fitzroy 4.19 (43) before a crowd of 22,000.