It was the 78th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers for the 1975 VFL season.

The match, attended 110,551 spectators, was won by North Melbourne by a margin of 55 points, marking that club's first premiership victory.

The last time North had won a flag prior to that was back in 1918 when they were part of the Victorian Football Association.

North Melbourne had finished runners up the previous season, having been defeated by Richmond in the 1974 VFL Grand Final, and were the only team not to have won a premiership.

Ultimately the match committee decided against playing him in the game, with coach John Kennedy admitting they were fearful a knock could affect him.

North Melbourne were on top from the beginning of the game, accumulating nine goals by half time to Hawthorn's five.

After the half, North blew the game open, with its last six goals of the match extending the margin from 24 points to 61.

"[1] For North Melbourne it would be the final league game for captain Barry Davis, full-forward Wade and the versatile Gary Farrant.