In 1920, the VFL competition was comprised of nine teams of 18 on-the-field players each, with no "reserves", although any of the 18 players who had left the playing field for any reason could later resume their place on the field at any time during the match.
Each team played each other twice in a home-and-away season of 18 rounds (i.e., 16 matches and 2 byes).
Once the 18 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1920 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the amended "Argus system".
Richmond's recruit from Kyabram, Billy James, aged 20, plays his first senior game in the Grand Final, and kicks the final goal of the match (his only goal) in the last quarter. He badly injured his foot in a rabbit shooting accident before the start of the 1921 season, and never played again.
Vic Cumberland, after four years away from football (he had been wounded three times in World War I), plays 10 senior games for St Kilda in 1920, aged 43.
In round 17, in the process of kicking 8.25 (73) in its 3-point loss to Geelong, South Melbourne hits the post nine times (five times in the last quarter).
Unable to tolerate the increasing levels of assaults, thrown projectiles, and ground invasions umpires threaten to go on strike unless they are given stronger police protection.
References
Hogan, P., The Tigers Of Old, The Richmond Football Club, (Richmond), 1996. ISBN 0-646-18748-1
Rogers, S. & Brown, A., Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL Results 1897-1997 (Sixth Edition), Viking Books, (Ringwood), 1998. ISBN 0-670-90809-6
Ross, J. (ed), 100 Years of Australian Football 1897-1996: The Complete Story of the AFL, All the Big Stories, All the Great Pictures, All the Champions, Every AFL Season Reported, Viking, (Ringwood), 1996. ISBN 0-670-86814-0