1897 VFL premiership season
Essendon 1897 VFL premiership team
Date8 May—4 September 1897
Teams8
PremiersEssendon
1st premiership
Minor premiersGeelong
1st minor premiership
Leading Goalkicker MedallistEddy James (Geelong)
Jack Leith (Melbourne)
22 goals
Matches played62

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 from the Victorian Football Association 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.

Background

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.

Home-and-away season

Round 1

Round 1
Saturday, 8 May (3:00 pm) Fitzroy 6.13 (49) def. Carlton 2.4 (16) Brunswick Street Oval
Saturday, 8 May (3:00 pm) Collingwood 5.11 (41) def. St Kilda 2.4 (16) Victoria Park
Saturday, 8 May (3:00 pm) Geelong 3.6 (24) def. by Essendon 7.5 (47) Corio Oval
Saturday, 8 May (3:00 pm) South Melbourne 3.9 (27) def. by Melbourne 6.8 (44) Lake Oval

Round 2

Round 2
Saturday, 15 May (3:00 pm) South Melbourne 6.4 (40) def. Carlton 5.6 (36) Lake Oval
Saturday, 15 May (3:00 pm) Essendon 4.6 (30) def. by Collingwood 8.2 (50) East Melbourne Cricket Ground
Saturday, 15 May (3:00 pm) St Kilda 3.8 (26) def. by Fitzroy 10.6 (66) Junction Oval
Saturday, 15 May (3:00 pm) Melbourne 9.10 (64) def. Geelong 3.1 (19) Melbourne Cricket Ground

Round 3

Round 3
Saturday, 22 May (3:00 pm) Collingwood 6.5 (41) def. Geelong 5.7 (37) Victoria Park
Saturday, 22 May (3:00 pm) Fitzroy 5.9 (39) def. by Melbourne 7.8 (50) Brunswick Street Oval
Monday, 24 May (3:00 pm) Essendon 12.6 (78) def. Carlton 6.5 (41) East Melbourne Cricket Ground
Monday, 24 May (3:00 pm) South Melbourne 8.11 (59) def. St Kilda 0.2 (2) Lake Oval

Round 4

Round 4
Saturday, 29 May (3:00 pm) Geelong 5.14 (44) def. Carlton 3.4 (22) Corio Oval
Saturday, 29 May (3:00 pm) South Melbourne 5.11 (41) def. Collingwood 5.3 (33) Lake Oval
Saturday, 29 May (3:00 pm) Fitzroy 2.8 (20) def. by Essendon 6.6 (42) Brunswick Street Oval
Saturday, 29 May (3:00 pm) Melbourne 11.10 (76) def. St Kilda 7.4 (46) Melbourne Cricket Ground

Round 5

Round 5
Saturday, 5 June (3:00 pm) Melbourne 15.17 (107) def. Carlton 3.8 (26) Melbourne Cricket Ground
Saturday, 5 June (3:00 pm) Collingwood 5.7 (37) def. Fitzroy 2.9 (21) Victoria Park
Saturday, 5 June (3:00 pm) St Kilda 3.8 (26) def. by Essendon 9.9 (63) Junction Oval
Saturday, 5 June (3:00 pm) Geelong 10.12 (72) def. South Melbourne 3.6 (24) Corio Oval

Round 6

Round 6
Saturday, 19 June (3:00 pm) St Kilda 3.6 (24) def. by Carlton 5.5 (35) Junction Oval
Saturday, 19 June (3:00 pm) Melbourne 5.3 (33) def. Collingwood 3.8 (26) Melbourne Cricket Ground
Saturday, 19 June (3:00 pm) South Melbourne 2.4 (16) def. by Essendon 1.13 (19) Lake Oval
Saturday, 19 June (3:00 pm) Geelong 3.13 (31) def. Fitzroy 2.3 (15) Corio Oval

Round 7

Round 7
Tuesday, 22 June (3:00 pm) Carlton 5.5 (35) def. by Collingwood 6.5 (41) Princes Park
Tuesday, 22 June (3:00 pm) Essendon 8.15 (63) def. Melbourne 3.9 (27) East Melbourne Cricket Ground
Tuesday, 22 June (3:00 pm) Fitzroy 5.13 (43) drew with South Melbourne 5.13 (43) Brunswick Street Oval
Tuesday, 22 June (3:00 pm) St Kilda 4.7 (31) def. by Geelong 16.18 (114) Junction Oval

Round 8

Round 8
Saturday, 26 June (3:00 pm) Carlton 1.3 (9) def. by Fitzroy 5.17 (47) Princes Park
Saturday, 26 June (3:00 pm) St Kilda 4.5 (29) def. by Collingwood 7.11 (53) Junction Oval
Saturday, 26 June (3;00 pm) Essendon 5.2 (32) def. by Geelong 8.9 (57) East Melbourne Cricket Ground
Saturday, 26 June (3:00 pm) Melbourne 3.2 (20) def. by South Melbourne 11.7 (73) Melbourne Cricket Ground

Round 9

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
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

Round 10

Round 10
Saturday, 10 July (3:00 pm) Carlton 2.1 (13) def. by Essendon 5.12 (42) Princes Park
Saturday, 10 July (3:00 pm) Geelong 7.10 (52) def. Collingwood 1.4 (10) Corio Oval
Saturday, 10 July (3:00 pm) Melbourne 8.5 (53) def. Fitzroy 3.8 (26) Melbourne Cricket Ground
Saturday, 10 July (3:00 pm) St Kilda 0.3 (3) def. by South Melbourne 8.16 (64) Junction Oval

Round 11

Round 11
Saturday, 17 July (3:00 pm) Carlton 2.4 (16) def. by Geelong 9.12 (66) Princes Park
Saturday, 17 July (3:00 pm) Collingwood 0.8 (8) def. by South Melbourne 2.15 (27) Victoria Park
Saturday, 17 July (3:00 pm) Essendon 9.8 (62) def. Fitzroy 4.6 (30) East Melbourne Cricket Ground
Saturday, 17 July (3:00 pm) St Kilda 1.7 (13) def. by Melbourne 10.11 (71) Junction Oval

Round 12

Round 12
Saturday, 24 July (3:00 pm) Carlton 2.6 (18) def. by Melbourne 5.16 (46) Melbourne Cricket Ground
Saturday, 24 July (3:00 pm) Fitzroy 4.4 (28) def. by Collingwood 3.17 (35) Brunswick Street Oval
Saturday, 24 July (3:00 pm) Essendon 13.16 (94) def. St Kilda 0.3 (3) East Melbourne Cricket Ground
Saturday, 24 July (3:00 pm) South Melbourne 5.2 (32) def. by Geelong 6.8 (44) Lake Oval

Round 13

Round 13
Saturday, 31 July (3:00 pm) Carlton 8.11 (59) def. St Kilda 3.7 (25) Princes Park
Saturday, 31 July (3:00 pm) Collingwood 5.13 (43) def. Melbourne 3.10 (28) Victoria Park
Saturday, 31 July (3:00 pm) Essendon 8.1 (49) def. South Melbourne 6.9 (45) East Melbourne Cricket Ground
Saturday, 31 July (3:00 pm) Fitzroy 2.9 (21) def. by Geelong 5.3 (33) Brunswick Street Oval

Round 14

Round 14
Saturday, 7 August (3:00 pm) Collingwood 7.12 (54) def. Carlton 3.4 (22) Victoria Park
Saturday, 7 August (3:00 pm) Melbourne 8.8 (56) def. Essendon 6.3 (39) Melbourne Cricket Ground
Saturday, 7 August (3:00 pm) South Melbourne 3.12 (30) def. Fitzroy 4.5 (29) Lake Oval
Saturday, 7 August (3:00 pm) Geelong 14.12 (96) def. St Kilda 3.0 (18) Corio Oval

Ladder

(P)Premiers
Qualified for finals
# Team P W L D PF PA  % Pts
1Geelong141130704383183.844
2Essendon (P)141130706445158.744
3Melbourne141040685473144.840
4Collingwood14950509445114.436
5South Melbourne14851595430138.434
6Fitzroy14491509485104.918
7Carlton14212037673751.08
8St Kilda14014028096629.00

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 39.0
Source: AFL Tables

Progression by round

4Finished the round in first place0Finished the round in last place
4Won the minor premiership0Won the wooden spoon
4Finished the round inside the top four
41Subscript indicates the ladder position at the end of the round
Team1234567891011121314
Geelong0608074686124164204242282322362402441
Essendon434485122162202241241281321361401441442
Melbourne4482121161201241242243243283323363363403
Collingwood4283122124163163203242244245245285324364
South Melbourne054584123124125145185225264304304305345
Fitzroy418183858586106146186186186186186186
Carlton0806060707474747474747478787
St Kilda0707080808080808080808080808

Source: AFL Tables

Finals series

Finals week 1

Finals week 1
Saturday, 21 August (2:30 pm) Geelong 3.11 (29) def. by Essendon 5.5 (35) Corio Oval (crowd: 5,000)
Saturday, 21 August (2:30 pm) Melbourne 7.5 (47) def. by Collingwood 7.9 (51) Melbourne Cricket Ground (crowd: 7,000)

Finals week 2

Finals week 2
Saturday, 28 August (2:30 pm) Essendon 9.16 (70) def. Collingwood 4.6 (30) Melbourne Cricket Ground (crowd: 8,000)
Saturday, 28 August (2:30 pm) Geelong 5.16 (46) def. Melbourne 5.7 (37) Brunswick Street Oval (crowd: 4,000)

Finals week 3

Finals week 3
Saturday, 4 September (2:30 pm) Essendon 1.8 (14) def. Melbourne 0.8 (8) Lake Oval (crowd: 3,800)
Saturday, 4 September (2:30 pm) Geelong 8.4 (52) def. Collingwood 6.12 (48) East Melbourne Cricket Ground (crowd: 3,000)

Finals ladder

Won the premiership
# Team P W L D PF PA  % Pts
1Essendon330011967177.612
2Geelong3210127120105.88
3Collingwood312012916976.34
4Melbourne30309211182.90

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Source: AFL Tables

Win/loss table

The following table can be sorted from biggest winning margin to biggest losing margin for each round. If two or more matches in a round are decided by the same margin, these margins are sorted by percentage (i.e. the lowest-scoring winning team is ranked highest and the lowest-scoring losing team is ranked lowest). Opponents are listed above the margins and home matches are in bold.

+WinQualified for finals
-LossXBye
DrawEliminated
TeamHome-and-away seasonLadderFinals seriesFinals
ladder
1234567891011121314F1F2F3
CarltonFIT
-33		SM
-4		ESS
-37		GEE
-22		MEL
-81		STK
+11		COL
-6		FIT
-38		SM
-46		ESS
-29		GEE
-50		MEL
-28		STK
+34		COL
-32		7
(2–12–0)
CollingwoodSTK
+25		ESS
+20		GEE
+4		SM
-8		FIT
+16		MEL
-7		CAR
+6		STK
+24		ESS
-9		GEE
-42		SM
-19		FIT
+7		MEL
+15		CAR
+32		4
(9–5–0)		MEL
+4		ESS
-40		GEE
-4		3
(1–2–0)
EssendonGEE
+23		COL
-20		CAR
+37		FIT
+22		STK
+37		SM
+3		MEL
+36		GEE
-25		COL
+9		CAR
+29		FIT
+32		STK
+91		SM
+4		MEL
-17		2
(11–3–0)		GEE
+6		COL
+40		MEL
+6		1
(3–0–0)
FitzroyCAR
+33		STK
+40		MEL
-11		ESS
-22		COL
-16		GEE
-16		SM
0		CAR
+38		STK
+57		MEL
-27		ESS
-32		COL
-7		GEE
-12		SM
-1		6
(4–9–1)
GeelongESS
-23		MEL
-45		COL
-4		CAR
+22		SM
+48		FIT
+16		STK
+83		ESS
+25		MEL
+5		COL
+42		CAR
+50		SM
+12		FIT
+12		STK
+78		1
(11–3–0)		ESS
-6		MEL
+9		COL
+4		2
(2–1–0)
MelbourneSM
+17		GEE
+45		FIT
+11		STK
+30		CAR
+81		COL
+7		ESS
-36		SM
-53		GEE
-5		FIT
+27		STK
+58		CAR
+28		COL
-15		ESS
+17		3
(10–4–0)		COL
-4		GEE
-9		ESS
-6		4
(0–3–0)
South MelbourneMEL
-17		CAR
+4		STK
+57		COL
+8		GEE
-48		ESS
-3		FIT
0		MEL
+53		CAR
+46		STK
+61		COL
+19		GEE
-12		ESS
-4		FIT
+1		5
(8–5–1)
St KildaCOL
-25		FIT
-40		SM
-57		MEL
-30		ESS
-37		CAR
-11		GEE
-83		COL
-24		FIT
-57		SM
-61		MEL
-58		ESS
-91		CAR
-34		GEE
-78		8
(0–8–0)

Source: AFL Tables

Season notes

  • The game between Essendon and Melbourne in the third round of the finals holds the record for the lowest combined score in a match in VFL/AFL history: 1.16 (22).
  • George Stuckey, the captain of the Essendon Football Club team that won the VFL's inaugural premiership, also won the 130-yard Stawell Gift in 1897 in 12.2 seconds off a handicap of 12 yards.
  • In the first round of 1897, the VFL revoked the VFA's (then prevailing) push-in-the-back rule. The rule was reinstated before the second round's matches on the following Saturday due to complaints from fans, players and officials.
  • On 12 June, a League representative team played against a Ballarat Football League representative team at the Brunswick Street Oval. Ballarat 13.11 (89) defeated the League 8.6 (54).[2]
  • On 3 July 1897, Fitzroy rover Bill McSpeerin weaved his way and bounced the ball the length of the Brunswick Street Oval to score a goal against St Kilda.[3]
  • Fred Waugh was unable to play in South Melbourne's team for the Round 11 game with St Kilda after attempting suicide. He had been spurned by his lover, and had become disconsolate. His mother found him in his room covered in blood, having cut his throat with a blunt knife. Luckily, he missed severing his windpipe and blood vessels, and a doctor was able to repair the wounds.[4]
  • Carlton's first six matches were all away games due to renovations at Princes Park, with the first game at Princes Park being a 5.6 (36) loss to Collingwood 6.4 (40) on 22 June, the Diamond Jubilee Holiday.[5]
  • The first-round finals match between Geelong and Essendon at the Corio Oval was the only finals match to be played in Geelong until 2013.[5]

Leading goalkickers

1Led the goalkicking at the end of the round
1Led the goalkicking at the end of the home-and-away season
11Subscript indicates the player's goal tally to that point of the season
–Did not play during that round
# Player Club Home-and-away season (Leading Goalkicker Medal) Finals series Total Games Average
1234567891011121314F1F2F3
1 Eddy JamesGeelong2213033639110313013114–14–1411541932212322522727151.80
2 Jack LeithMelbourne2246170741131421601601611721922112202242602602626171.53
3 Norman WaughEssendon22021325–5–516281911021221441811901942302323151.53
4 Charlie ColesGeelong–0–01112351628311011213114115116117017–17–1717131.31
5 Wally O'CockCarlton11121314260639–9–9–9–921121321515101.50
Archie SmithCollingwood0022241527180821011111201201221401401401411515170.88
7 Hugh GavinEssendon–0000011230325052707310–1001021201221401414150.93
Dinny McKaySouth Melbourne113426060606281931201201211311401414141.00
Jack QuinnGeelong00001101121336–606281911001011111201221414160.88
Fred WhiteGeelong–0–0–0–0–0000022–20235270731011111221414111.27
Charlie YoungMelbourne22023516–6170707072921101101111211311401414160.88

Source: AFL Tables

References

  1. ↑ "THE FOOTBALL SEASON". The Argus. Melbourne. 8 May 1897. p. 11.
  2. ↑ 'Markwell', "Football Notes: Ballarat Defeat the League, The Australasian, (Saturday, 19 June 1897), p.1229.
  3. ↑ 'Markwell', "Football Notes: Hollow Defeat", The Australasian, (Saturday, 10 July 1897), p. 77.
  4. ↑ A Footballer's Romance: Rejected by his Sweetheart: He Attempts Suicide, The Argus, (Monday, 12 July 1897), p. 5.
  5. 1 2 Ross, John (1996). 100 Years of Australian Football. Ringwood, Victoria: Penguin Books. p. 39. ISBN 978-0670868148.
  • Maplestone, M., Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996, Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996. ISBN 0-9591740-2-8
  • 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

Sources

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