1980 VFL premiership season
Teams	12
Premiers	Richmond 10th premiership
Minor premiers	Geelong 10th minor premiership
Night series	North Melbourne 1st Night series win
Brownlow Medallist	Kelvin Templeton (Footscray)
Coleman Medallist	Michael Roach (Richmond)
Attendance
Matches played	138
Total attendance	3,770,917 (27,325 per match)
Highest	113,461
← 1979 1981 →

Premiership season

Round 1

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Hawthorn 15.16 (106) Richmond 16.15 (111) Princes Park 21,028 29 March 1980 Geelong 12.13 (85) South Melbourne 13.10 (88) Kardinia Park 22,685 29 March 1980 Essendon 12.15 (87) North Melbourne 15.10 (100) Windy Hill 28,811 29 March 1980 Footscray 17.11 (113) Fitzroy 18.17 (125) Western Oval 20,060 29 March 1980 Collingwood 13.16 (94) Carlton 19.18 (132) Victoria Park 29,587 29 March 1980 St Kilda 14.16 (100) Melbourne 18.14 (122) VFL Park 31,859 29 March 1980

Round 2

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Richmond 17.15 (117) Essendon 17.22 (124) MCG 51,548 5 April 1980 North Melbourne 7.14 (56) Collingwood 7.19 (61) Arden Street Oval 24,363 5 April 1980 St Kilda 11.17 (83) Hawthorn 15.26 (116) Moorabbin Oval 22,265 5 April 1980 Fitzroy 17.14 (116) Melbourne 22.8 (140) VFL Park 28,802 7 April 1980 Carlton 14.25 (109) Geelong 15.14 (104) Princes Park 32,614 7 April 1980 South Melbourne 14.17 (101) Footscray 10.13 (73) Lake Oval 19,191 7 April 1980

Round 3

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Richmond 18.20 (128) St Kilda 19.14 (128) MCG 37,076 12 April 1980 Geelong 17.17 (119) Melbourne 14.9 (93) Kardinia Park 21,504 12 April 1980 Fitzroy 14.18 (102) North Melbourne 21.22 (148) Junction Oval 14,548 12 April 1980 Hawthorn 19.16 (130) Collingwood 16.23 (119) Princes Park 27,034 12 April 1980 Footscray 14.10 (94) Carlton 17.17 (119) Western Oval 21,434 12 April 1980 South Melbourne 14.17 (101) Essendon 24.12 (156) VFL Park 33,909 12 April 1980

Round 4

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Collingwood 8.9 (57) Richmond 16.13 (109) Victoria Park 29,888 19 April 1980 Carlton 22.18 (150) South Melbourne 13.15 (93) Princes Park 20,794 19 April 1980 North Melbourne 10.9 (69) Geelong 16.10 (106) Arden Street Oval 15,437 19 April 1980 Melbourne 18.21 (129) Footscray 18.12 (120) MCG 20,905 19 April 1980 St Kilda 11.17 (83) Essendon 12.8 (80) Moorabbin Oval 30,947 19 April 1980 Fitzroy 12.10 (82) Hawthorn 11.19 (85) VFL Park 26,104 19 April 1980

Round 5

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Geelong 14.10 (94) Hawthorn 13.11 (89) Kardinia Park 34,256 25 April 1980 Richmond 29.25 (199) Fitzroy 11.15 (81) MCG 44,401 25 April 1980 Carlton 14.19 (103) Melbourne 9.20 (74) VFL Park 60,784 25 April 1980 South Melbourne 17.20 (122) St Kilda 7.15 (57) Lake Oval 23,003 26 April 1980 Essendon 9.15 (69) Collingwood 10.13 (73) Windy Hill 32,140 26 April 1980 Footscray 8.7 (55) North Melbourne 26.21 (177) SCG 13,476 27 April 1980

Round 6

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Melbourne 15.14 (104) South Melbourne 19.16 (130) MCG 22,487 3 May 1980 Collingwood 26.12 (168) St Kilda 16.12 (108) Victoria Park 29,094 3 May 1980 Hawthorn 19.16 (130) Footscray 18.5 (113) Princes Park 11,958 3 May 1980 Fitzroy 16.12 (108) Essendon 15.23 (113) Junction Oval 17,562 3 May 1980 North Melbourne 18.11 (119) Carlton 12.15 (87) Arden Street Oval 24,644 3 May 1980 Geelong 10.17 (77) Richmond 12.16 (88) VFL Park 47,265 3 May 1980

Round 7

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Footscray 10.10 (70) Richmond 27.18 (180) Western Oval 16,471 10 May 1980 Essendon 13.15 (93) Geelong 16.11 (107) Windy Hill 23,993 10 May 1980 Carlton 14.27 (111) Hawthorn 16.17 (113) Princes Park 26,414 10 May 1980 St Kilda 12.20 (92) Fitzroy 18.23 (131) Moorabbin Oval 17,557 10 May 1980 South Melbourne 17.13 (115) Collingwood 13.12 (90) Lake Oval 22,375 10 May 1980 Melbourne 10.12 (72) North Melbourne 24.15 (159) VFL Park 18,939 10 May 1980

Round 8

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date North Melbourne 15.19 (109) South Melbourne 16.10 (106) Arden Street Oval 17,190 17 May 1980 Hawthorn 17.16 (118) Melbourne 15.18 (108) Princes Park 10,504 17 May 1980 Geelong 20.15 (135) St Kilda 10.12 (72) Kardinia Park 22,449 17 May 1980 Fitzroy 17.16 (118) Collingwood 17.16 (118) Junction Oval 20,596 17 May 1980 Richmond 19.24 (138) Carlton 12.13 (85) MCG 85,659 17 May 1980 Footscray 10.11 (71) Essendon 22.16 (148) VFL Park 21,851 17 May 1980

Round 9

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Melbourne 15.12 (102) Richmond 29.21 (195) MCG 27,217 24 May 1980 Fitzroy 14.16 (100) South Melbourne 16.25 (121) Junction Oval 14,665 24 May 1980 Collingwood 18.28 (136) Geelong 15.15 (105) Victoria Park 30,157 24 May 1980 St Kilda 19.15 (129) Footscray 15.13 (103) Moorabbin Oval 15,207 24 May 1980 North Melbourne 14.9 (93) Hawthorn 13.10 (88) VFL Park 34,384 24 May 1980 Essendon 13.16 (94) Carlton 20.11 (131) SCG 24,545 25 May 1980

Round 10

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Essendon 17.18 (120) Melbourne 11.10 (76) Windy Hill 16,504 31 May 1980 Richmond 15.15 (105) North Melbourne 13.20 (98) MCG 61,769 31 May 1980 South Melbourne 28.15 (183) Hawthorn 14.15 (99) Lake Oval 17,420 31 May 1980 Geelong 18.15 (123) Fitzroy 17.6 (108) Kardinia Park 19,581 31 May 1980 Footscray 18.11 (119) Collingwood 24.17 (161) Western Oval 21,482 31 May 1980 Carlton 14.20 (104) St Kilda 9.8 (62) VFL Park 37,594 31 May 1980

Round 11

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Footscray 15.13 (103) Geelong 22.12 (144) Western Oval 15,519 7 June 1980 Collingwood 19.15 (129) Melbourne 18.11 (119) Victoria Park 23,040 7 June 1980 St Kilda 12.8 (80) North Melbourne 25.13 (163) Moorabbin Oval 16,506 7 June 1980 Hawthorn 9.17 (71) Essendon 13.11 (89) Princes Park 21,223 7 June 1980 Fitzroy 19.12 (126) Carlton 22.24 (156) Junction Oval 15,286 7 June 1980 Richmond 18.13 (121) South Melbourne 10.8 (68) VFL Park 50,017 7 June 1980

Round 12

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Melbourne 19.20 (134) St Kilda 14.8 (92) MCG 26,324 14 June 1980 Fitzroy 18.15 (123) Footscray 25.17 (167) Junction Oval 10,681 14 June 1980 North Melbourne 15.11 (101) Essendon 10.12 (72) Arden Street Oval 28,068 14 June 1980 South Melbourne 12.12 (84) Geelong 21.21 (147) SCG 13,209 15 June 1980 Carlton 13.12 (90) Collingwood 11.19 (85) Princes Park 43,599 16 June 1980 Richmond 16.12 (108) Hawthorn 11.22 (88) MCG 57,572 16 June 1980

Round 13

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Hawthorn 21.17 (143) St Kilda 16.13 (109) Princes Park 11,686 21 June 1980 Footscray 15.14 (104) South Melbourne 12.15 (87) Western Oval 15,837 21 June 1980 Essendon 15.17 (107) Richmond 16.21 (117) Windy Hill 24,045 21 June 1980 Melbourne 18.21 (129) Fitzroy 18.9 (117) MCG 15,075 21 June 1980 Geelong 12.11 (83) Carlton 12.6 (78) Kardinia Park 26,526 21 June 1980 Collingwood 20.19 (139) North Melbourne 13.15 (93) VFL Park 54,675 21 June 1980

Round 14

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Geelong 13.6 (84) North Melbourne 4.3 (27) Kardinia Park 21,555 28 June 1980 Footscray 10.13 (73) Melbourne 6.7 (43) Western Oval 11,785 28 June 1980 Hawthorn 21.17 (143) Fitzroy 8.7 (55) Princes Park 8,209 28 June 1980 Richmond 9.19 (73) Collingwood 7.22 (64) MCG 64,054 28 June 1980 South Melbourne 5.9 (39) Carlton 10.18 (78) Lake Oval 12,362 28 June 1980 Essendon 6.12 (48) St Kilda 7.11 (53) VFL Park 20,485 28 June 1980

Round 15

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date St Kilda 5.6 (36) South Melbourne 6.14 (50) Moorabbin Oval 16,840 12 July 1980 Fitzroy 15.19 (109) Richmond 12.16 (88) Junction Oval 11,362 12 July 1980 Collingwood 11.22 (88) Essendon 13.6 (84) Victoria Park 30,659 12 July 1980 North Melbourne 15.19 (109) Footscray 7.8 (50) Arden Street Oval 15,277 12 July 1980 Melbourne 15.13 (103) Carlton 18.24 (132) MCG 26,216 12 July 1980 Hawthorn 4.13 (37) Geelong 17.15 (117) VFL Park 34,204 12 July 1980

Round 16

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Essendon 20.9 (129) South Melbourne 19.19 (133) Windy Hill 17,471 19 July 1980 Collingwood 22.17 (149) Hawthorn 19.8 (122) Victoria Park 25,090 19 July 1980 Carlton 24.16 (160) Footscray 15.13 (103) Princes Park 18,792 19 July 1980 Melbourne 15.15 (105) Geelong 17.12 (114) MCG 23,327 19 July 1980 North Melbourne 17.13 (115) Fitzroy 13.8 (86) VFL Park 16,002 19 July 1980 St Kilda 11.4 (70) Richmond 34.18 (222) SCG 14,077 20 July 1980

Round 17

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Footscray 25.10 (160) Hawthorn 15.17 (107) Western Oval 12,362 26 July 1980 Essendon 18.14 (122) Fitzroy 17.14 (116) Windy Hill 14,372 26 July 1980 Carlton 14.17 (101) North Melbourne 20.13 (133) Princes Park 26,347 26 July 1980 South Melbourne 17.22 (124) Melbourne 13.12 (90) Lake Oval 11,643 26 July 1980 Richmond 13.15 (93) Geelong 16.14 (110) MCG 70,068 26 July 1980 St Kilda 16.11 (107) Collingwood 32.19 (211) VFL Park 33,933 26 July 1980

Round 18

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Fitzroy 15.14 (104) St Kilda 12.8 (80) Junction Oval 6,836 2 August 1980 Collingwood 11.24 (90) South Melbourne 8.9 (57) Victoria Park 24,739 2 August 1980 North Melbourne 12.15 (87) Melbourne 7.15 (57) Arden Street Oval 7,544 2 August 1980 Geelong 15.14 (104) Essendon 13.12 (90) Kardinia Park 24,738 2 August 1980 Hawthorn 9.15 (69) Carlton 16.17 (113) Princes Park 15,046 2 August 1980 Richmond 23.18 (156) Footscray 6.5 (41) VFL Park 18,282 2 August 1980

Round 19

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Essendon 18.8 (116) Footscray 11.8 (74) Windy Hill 16,952 9 August 1980 Carlton 12.19 (91) Richmond 10.10 (70) Princes Park 30,051 9 August 1980 South Melbourne 12.13 (85) North Melbourne 11.7 (73) Lake Oval 13,681 9 August 1980 Melbourne 9.10 (64) Hawthorn 19.27 (141) MCG 15,447 9 August 1980 St Kilda 13.10 (88) Geelong 11.17 (83) Moorabbin Oval 13,236 9 August 1980 Collingwood 19.10 (124) Fitzroy 16.19 (115) VFL Park 31,013 9 August 1980

Round 20

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date Footscray 16.22 (118) St Kilda 11.7 (73) Western Oval 13,966 16 August 1980 Carlton 25.14 (164) Essendon 16.7 (103) Princes Park 27,955 16 August 1980 Richmond 26.18 (174) Melbourne 16.13 (109) MCG 19,048 16 August 1980 South Melbourne 20.14 (134) Fitzroy 17.15 (117) Lake Oval 12,015 16 August 1980 Geelong 14.15 (99) Collingwood 12.9 (81) Kardinia Park 42,198 16 August 1980 Hawthorn 11.13 (79) North Melbourne 20.15 (135) VFL Park 21,739 16 August 1980

Round 21

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date North Melbourne 14.14 (98) Richmond 15.19 (109) Arden Street Oval 23,682 23 August 1980 Fitzroy 16.21 (117) Geelong 20.12 (132) Junction Oval 12,004 23 August 1980 Collingwood 19.16 (130) Footscray 13.14 (92) Victoria Park 23,472 23 August 1980 Melbourne 14.17 (101) Essendon 18.14 (122) MCG 23,530 23 August 1980 St Kilda 13.9 (87) Carlton 20.16 (136) Moorabbin Oval 21,258 23 August 1980 Hawthorn 16.17 (113) South Melbourne 12.11 (83) VFL Park 19,882 23 August 1980

Round 22

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Crowd Date North Melbourne 11.17 (83) St Kilda 12.11 (83) Arden Street Oval 10,302 30 August 1980 Essendon 15.12 (102) Hawthorn 8.14 (62) Windy Hill 17,772 30 August 1980 Carlton 21.20 (146) Fitzroy 20.22 (142) Princes Park 22,495 30 August 1980 South Melbourne 16.11 (107) Richmond 7.11 (53) Lake Oval 21,964 30 August 1980 Melbourne 9.12 (66) Collingwood 19.10 (124) MCG 52,791 30 August 1980 Geelong 12.18 (90) Footscray 5.10 (40) VFL Park 21,186 30 August 1980

1980 VFL ladder
Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	D	PF	PA	PP	Pts
1	Geelong	22	17	5	0	2362	1888	125.1	68	Finals
2	Carlton	22	17	5	0	2576	2128	121.1	68
3	Richmond (P)	22	16	5	1	2754	1990	138.4	66
4	North Melbourne	22	14	7	1	2345	1894	123.8	58
5	Collingwood	22	14	7	1	2491	2178	114.4	58
6	South Melbourne	22	13	9	0	2211	2174	101.7	52
7	Essendon	22	10	12	0	2268	2151	105.4	40
8	Hawthorn	22	10	12	0	2249	2381	94.5	40
9	Melbourne	22	5	17	0	2140	2709	79.0	20
10	Footscray	22	5	17	0	2056	2737	75.1	20
11	St Kilda	22	4	16	2	1872	2704	69.2	20
12	Fitzroy	22	4	17	1	2398	2788	86.0	18

Notable events

Following persistent wrestling between ruckmen Peter Moore and Gary Dempsey at centre bounces during the 1979 Preliminary Final between Collingwood and North Melbourne, the VFL introduced for the 1980 season a dividing line drawn across the centre circle in the wing-to-wing direction; under the new rules, each ruckman was forced to begin and run from his side of the line at a centre bounce, to eliminate wrestling.^[2] The rule was officially adopted at the national level in November 1982.^[3]
In Round 4, Essendon's Phil Carman was reported for striking St. Kilda's Garry Sidebottom and headbutting boundary umpire Graham Carberry at Moorabbin. He was suspended for a total of 20 matches—4 for striking Sidebottom and 16 for headbutting Carberry.
North Melbourne's Kerry Good scored the winning goal after the final siren had sounded in the 1980 Escort Championships Night Grand Final at VFL Park—a goal that was highly controversial as the umpires had not heard the siren seconds before Kerry Good had marked the ball from a kick by Malcolm Blight. Collingwood lost the match by only three points.
The league threatened to kick Footscray off the Western Oval and force it to play its games away from home, after the Footscray Council granted the Footscray J.U.S.T. (a soccer team playing in the NSL) a lease to play games at the ground on Sundays – in defiance of a League stipulation that League grounds could not be shared with other codes during winter. In the end, Footscray-J.U.S.T. played most of its games elsewhere, and the League was not forced to follow through on its ultimatum.^[4]
On 5 July, the VFL put together three separate Victorian representative teams to compete in different interstate games. The No. 1 team recorded a 21-point victory against Western Australia at VFL Park, and the No. 2 team recorded an 80-point win against Queensland at the Gabba; but, the No. 3 team suffered an upset 13-point loss against the A.C.T. at Manuka Oval, prompting league president Dr Allan Aylett to describe it as the worst team ever to represent Victoria.^[5]
1980 was the first season in which neither of the top two teams of the home-and-away season reached the Grand Final. It would be the only such instance for nearly four decades, until the 2019 AFL season.
To date, this is the only season in which the bottom placed side scored more points during the home & away season than the top finishing side.

Night series