1897 VFL Premiership season | |
---|---|
Essendon won the inaugural VFL premiership | |
Teams | 8 |
Premiers | Essendon (1st premiership) |
Minor premiers | Geelong (1st minor premiership) |
Matches played | 62 |
Highest attendance | 8,000 |
Leading Goalkicker Medallist | Eddy James (Geelong) (22 goals) Jack Leith (Melbourne) (22 goals) |
The 1897 VFL season was the inaugural season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the new highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured eight clubs, ran from 8 May until 4 September, and comprised a 14-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top four clubs.
The new league was established when eight clubs from the Victorian Football Association – Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Fitzroy, Geelong, Melbourne, South Melbourne and St Kilda – seceded at the end of 1896. The inaugural premiership was won by the Essendon Football Club, after it won all three of its matches in the finals series.
In 1897, the VFL competition consisted of eight teams of 20 on-the-field players each, with no "reserves" (although any of the 20 players who had left the playing field for any reason could later resume their place on the field at any time during the match).[1]
Each team played each other twice in a home-and-away season of 14 rounds.
Once the 14 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1897 VFL Premiers were determined according to the conditions dictated by the specific format and conventions of the 1897 Finals System, which was used in this season only. A round-robin finals series has only been used once since, in 1924.
Round 1 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 8 May (3:00 pm) | Fitzroy 6.13 (49) | def. | Carlton 2.4 (16) | Brunswick Street Oval | Report |
Saturday, 8 May (3:00 pm) | Collingwood 5.11 (41) | def. | St Kilda 2.4 (16) | Victoria Park | Report |
Saturday, 8 May (3:00 pm) | Geelong 3.6 (24) | def. by | Essendon 7.5 (47) | Corio Oval | Report |
Saturday, 8 May (3:00 pm) | South Melbourne 3.9 (27) | def. by | Melbourne 6.8 (44) | Lake Oval | Report |
Round 2 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 15 May (3:00 pm) | South Melbourne 6.4 (40) | def. | Carlton 5.6 (36) | Lake Oval | Report |
Saturday, 15 May (3:00 pm) | Essendon 4.6 (30) | def. by | Collingwood 8.2 (50) | EMCG | Report |
Saturday, 15 May (3:00 pm) | St Kilda 3.8 (26) | def. by | Fitzroy 10.6 (66) | Junction Oval | Report |
Saturday, 15 May (3:00 pm) | Melbourne 9.10 (64) | def. | Geelong 3.1 (19) | MCG | Report |
Round 3 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 22 May (3:00 pm) | Collingwood 6.5 (41) | def. | Geelong 5.7 (37) | Victoria Park | Report |
Saturday, 22 May (3:00 pm) | Fitzroy 5.9 (39) | def. by | Melbourne 7.8 (50) | Brunswick Street Oval | Report |
Monday, 24 May (3:00 pm) | Essendon 12.6 (78) | def. | Carlton 6.5 (41) | EMCG | Report |
Monday, 24 May (3:00 pm) | South Melbourne 8.11 (59) | def. | St Kilda 0.2 (2) | Lake Oval | Report |
Round 4 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 29 May (3:00 pm) | Geelong 5.14 (44) | def. | Carlton 3.4 (22) | Corio Oval | Report |
Saturday, 29 May (3:00 pm) | South Melbourne 5.11 (41) | def. | Collingwood 5.3 (33) | Lake Oval | Report |
Saturday, 29 May (3:00 pm) | Fitzroy 2.8 (20) | def. by | Essendon 6.6 (42) | Brunswick Street Oval | Report |
Saturday, 29 May (3:00 pm) | Melbourne 11.10 (76) | def. | St Kilda 7.4 (46) | MCG | Report |
Round 5 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 5 June (3:00 pm) | Melbourne 15.17 (107) | def. | Carlton 3.8 (26) | MCG | Report |
Saturday, 5 June (3:00 pm) | Collingwood 5.7 (37) | def. | Fitzroy 2.9 (21) | Victoria Park | Report |
Saturday, 5 June (3:00 pm) | St Kilda 3.8 (26) | def. by | Essendon 9.9 (63) | Junction Oval | Report |
Saturday, 5 June (3:00 pm) | Geelong 10.12 (72) | def. | South Melbourne 3.6 (24) | Corio Oval | Report |
Round 6 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 19 June (3:00 pm) | St Kilda 3.6 (24) | def. by | Carlton 5.5 (35) | Junction Oval | Report |
Saturday, 19 June (3:00 pm) | Melbourne 5.3 (33) | def. | Collingwood 3.8 (26) | MCG | Report |
Saturday, 19 June (3:00 pm) | South Melbourne 2.4 (16) | def. by | Essendon 1.13 (19) | Lake Oval | Report |
Saturday, 19 June (3:00 pm) | Geelong 3.13 (31) | def. | Fitzroy 2.3 (15) | Corio Oval | Report |
Round 7 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tuesday, 22 June (3:00 pm) | Carlton 5.5 (35) | def. by | Collingwood 6.5 (41) | Princes Park | Report |
Tuesday, 22 June (3:00 pm) | Essendon 8.15 (63) | def. | Melbourne 3.9 (27) | EMCG | Report |
Tuesday, 22 June (3:00 pm) | Fitzroy 5.13 (43) | drew with | South Melbourne 5.13 (43) | Brunswick Street Oval | Report |
Tuesday, 22 June (3:00 pm) | St Kilda 4.7 (31) | def. by | Geelong 16.18 (114) | Junction Oval | Report |
|
Round 8 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 26 June (3:00 pm) | Carlton 1.3 (9) | def. by | Fitzroy 5.17 (47) | Princes Park | Report |
Saturday, 26 June (3:00 pm) | St Kilda 4.5 (29) | def. by | Collingwood 7.11 (53) | Junction Oval | Report |
Saturday, 26 June (3;00 pm) | Essendon 5.2 (32) | def. by | Geelong 8.9 (57) | EMCG | Report |
Saturday, 26 June (3:00 pm) | Melbourne 3.2 (20) | def. by | South Melbourne 11.7 (73) | MCG | Report |
Round 9 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 3 July (3:00 pm) | Carlton 4.4 (28) | def. by | South Melbourne 11.8 (74) | Princes Park | |
Saturday, 3 July (3:00 pm) | Collingwood 5.7 (37) | def. by | Essendon 6.10 (46) | Victoria Park | Report |
Saturday, 3 July (3:00 pm) | Fitzroy 9.21 (75) | def. | St Kilda 2.6 (18) | Brunswick Street Oval | |
Saturday, 3 July (3:00 pm) | Geelong 1.9 (15) | def. | Melbourne 0.10 (10) | Corio Oval | Report |
Round 10 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 10 July (3:00 pm) | Carlton 2.1 (13) | def. by | Essendon 5.12 (42) | Princes Park | Report |
Saturday, 10 July (3:00 pm) | Geelong 7.10 (52) | def. | Collingwood 1.4 (10) | Corio Oval | Report |
Saturday, 10 July (3:00 pm) | Melbourne 8.5 (53) | def. | Fitzroy 3.8 (26) | MCG | Report |
Saturday, 10 July (3:00 pm) | St Kilda 0.3 (3) | def. by | South Melbourne 8.16 (64) | Junction Oval | Report |
Round 11 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 17 July (3:00 pm) | Carlton 2.4 (16) | def. by | Geelong 9.12 (66) | Princes Park | Report |
Saturday, 17 July (3:00 pm) | Collingwood 0.8 (8) | def. by | South Melbourne 2.15 (27) | Victoria Park | Report |
Saturday, 17 July (3:00 pm) | Essendon 9.8 (62) | def. | Fitzroy 4.6 (30) | EMCG | Report |
Saturday, 17 July (3:00 pm) | St Kilda 1.7 (13) | def. by | Melbourne 10.11 (71) | Junction Oval | |
Round 12 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 24 July (3:00 pm) | Carlton 2.6 (18) | def. by | Melbourne 5.16 (46) | MCG | Report |
Saturday, 24 July (3:00 pm) | Fitzroy 4.4 (28) | def. by | Collingwood 3.17 (35) | Brunswick Street Oval | Report |
Saturday, 24 July (3:00 pm) | Essendon 13.16 (94) | def. | St Kilda 0.3 (3) | EMCG | Report |
Saturday, 24 July (3:00 pm) | South Melbourne 5.2 (32) | def. by | Geelong 6.8 (44) | Lake Oval | Report |
Round 13 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 31 July (3:00 pm) | Carlton 8.11 (59) | def. | St Kilda 3.7 (25) | Princes Park | Report |
Saturday, 31 July (3:00 pm) | Collingwood 5.13 (43) | def. | Melbourne 3.10 (28) | Victoria Park | Report |
Saturday, 31 July (3:00 pm) | Essendon 8.1 (49) | def. | South Melbourne 6.9 (45) | EMCG | Report |
Saturday, 31 July (3:00 pm) | Fitzroy 2.9 (21) | def. by | Geelong 5.3 (33) | Brunswick Street Oval | Report |
Round 14 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 7 August (3:00 pm) | Collingwood 7.12 (54) | def. | Carlton 3.4 (22) | Victoria Park | Report |
Saturday, 7 August (3:00 pm) | Melbourne 8.8 (56) | def. | Essendon 6.3 (39) | MCG | Report |
Saturday, 7 August (3:00 pm) | South Melbourne 3.12 (30) | def. | Fitzroy 4.5 (29) | Lake Oval | Report |
Saturday, 7 August (3:00 pm) | Geelong 14.12 (96) | def. | St Kilda 3.0 (18) | Corio Oval | Report |
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | F1 | F2 | F3 | Ladder |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Carlton | Fit -33 |
SM -4 |
Ess -37 |
Geel -22 |
Melb -81 |
StK +11 |
Coll -6 |
Fit -38 |
SM -46 |
Ess -29 |
Geel -50 |
Melb -28 |
StK +34 |
Coll -32 |
X |
X |
X |
7 |
Collingwood | StK +25 |
Ess +20 |
Geel +4 |
SM -8 |
Fit +16 |
Melb -7 |
Carl +6 |
StK +24 |
Ess -9 |
Geel -42 |
SM -19 |
Fit +7 |
Melb +15 |
Carl +32 |
Melb +4 |
Ess -40 |
Geel -4 |
3 |
Essendon | Geel +23 |
Coll -20 |
Carl +37 |
Fit +22 |
StK +37 |
SM +3 |
Melb +36 |
Geel -25 |
Coll +9 |
Carl +29 |
Fit +32 |
StK +91 |
SM +4 |
Melb -17 |
Geel +6 |
Coll +40 |
Melb +6 |
1 |
Fitzroy | Carl +33 |
StK +40 |
Melb -11 |
Ess -22 |
Coll -16 |
Geel -16 |
SM 0 |
Carl +38 |
StK +57 |
Melb -27 |
Ess -32 |
Coll -7 |
Geel -12 |
SM -1 |
X |
X |
X |
6 |
Geelong | Ess -23 |
Melb -45 |
Coll -4 |
Carl +22 |
SM +48 |
Fit +16 |
StK +83 |
Ess +25 |
Melb +5 |
Coll +42 |
Carl +50 |
SM +12 |
Fit +12 |
StK +78 |
Ess -6 |
Melb +9 |
Coll +4 |
2 |
Melbourne | SM +17 |
Geel +45 |
Fit +11 |
StK +30 |
Carl +81 |
Coll +7 |
Ess -36 |
SM -53 |
Geel -5 |
Fit +27 |
StK +58 |
Carl +28 |
Coll -15 |
Ess +17 |
Coll -4 |
Geel -9 |
Ess -6 |
4 |
South Melbourne | Melb -17 |
Carl +4 |
StK +57 |
Coll +8 |
Geel -48 |
Ess -3 |
Fit 0 |
Melb +53 |
Carl +46 |
StK +61 |
Coll +19 |
Geel -12 |
Ess -4 |
Fit +1 |
X |
X |
X |
5 |
St Kilda | Coll -25 |
Fit -40 |
SM -57 |
Melb -30 |
Ess -37 |
Carl -11 |
Geel -83 |
Coll -24 |
Fit -57 |
SM -61 |
Melb -58 |
Ess -91 |
Carl -34 |
Geel -78 |
X |
X |
X |
8 |
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | F1 | F2 | F3 | Ladder |
Colour | Symbol | Result |
---|---|---|
Green | + | Win |
Red | - | Loss |
Blue | N/A | Draw |
Bold – Home game
X – Bye
Opponent for round listed above margin
Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | PP | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Geelong | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 704 | 383 | 183.8 | 44 | Finals series |
2 | Essendon (P) | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 706 | 445 | 158.7 | 44 | |
3 | Melbourne | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 685 | 473 | 144.8 | 40 | |
4 | Collingwood | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 509 | 445 | 114.4 | 36 | |
5 | South Melbourne | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 595 | 430 | 138.4 | 34 | |
6 | Fitzroy | 14 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 509 | 485 | 104.9 | 18 | |
7 | Carlton | 14 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 376 | 737 | 51.0 | 8 | |
8 | St Kilda | 14 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 280 | 966 | 29.0 | 0 |
Main article: 1897 VFL finals series |
Week 1 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 21 August | Geelong 3.11 (29) | def. by | Essendon 5.5 (35) | Corio Oval (crowd: 5,000) | Report |
Saturday, 21 August | Melbourne 7.5 (47) | def. by | Collingwood 7.9 (51) | MCG (crowd: 7,000) | Report |
Week 2 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 28 August | Essendon 9.16 (70) | def. | Collingwood 4.6 (30) | MCG (crowd: 8,000) | Report |
Saturday, 28 August | Geelong 5.16 (46) | def. | Melbourne 5.7 (37) | Brunswick Street Oval (crowd: 4,000) | Report |
Week 3 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 4 September | Essendon 1.8 (14) | def. | Melbourne 0.8 (8) | Lake Oval (crowd: 3,800) | Report |
Saturday, 4 September | Geelong 8.4 (52) | def. | Collingwood 6.12 (48) | EMCG (crowd: 3,000) | Report |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | PP | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Essendon | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 119 | 67 | 177.6 | 12 |
2 | Geelong | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 127 | 120 | 105.8 | 8 |
3 | Collingwood | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 129 | 169 | 76.3 | 4 |
4 | Melbourne | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 92 | 111 | 82.9 | 0 |
As Essendon won the premiership for finishing on top of the round-robin finals ladder, no Grand Final was required.
See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.
Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Eddy James | 22 | 13 | 03 | 36 | 39 | 110 | 313 | 013 | 114 | 014 | 014 | 115 | 419 | 322 | 22 |
Jack Leith | 22 | 46 | 17 | 07 | 411 | 314 | 216 | 016 | 016 | 117 | 219 | 221 | 122 | 022 | ||
3 | Norman Waugh | 22 | 02 | 13 | 25 | 05 | 05 | 16 | 28 | 19 | 110 | 212 | 214 | 418 | 119 | 19 |
4 | Charlie Coles | 00 | 00 | 11 | 12 | 35 | 16 | 28 | 311 | 011 | 213 | 114 | 115 | 116 | 117 | 17 |
5 | Wally O'Cock | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 26 | 06 | 39 | 09 | 09 | 09 | 09 | 211 | 213 | 215 | 15 |
6 | Dinny McKay | 11 | 34 | 26 | 06 | 06 | 06 | 28 | 19 | 312 | 012 | 012 | 113 | 114 | 014 | 14 |
Archie Smith | 00 | 22 | 24 | 15 | 27 | 18 | 08 | 210 | 111 | 112 | 012 | 012 | 214 | 014 | ||
7 | Michael O'Gorman | 11 | 01 | 23 | 25 | 05 | 05 | 05 | 27 | 310 | 010 | 111 | 011 | 112 | 113 | 13 |
8 | Sam Chapman | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 | 11 | 45 | 16 | 17 | 29 | 110 | 010 | 010 | 212 | 012 | 12 |
Hugh Gavin | 00 | 00 | 00 | 11 | 23 | 03 | 25 | 05 | 27 | 07 | 310 | 010 | 010 | 212 | ||
Charlie Young | 22 | 02 | 35 | 16 | 06 | 17 | 07 | 07 | 07 | 29 | 211 | 011 | 011 | 112 |