1897 VFL season

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1897 VFL Premiership season
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)
Jack Leith (Melbourne)
1898 →

The 1897 Victorian Football League season was the inaugural season of the elite Australian rules football competition.

Premiership season

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.

Round 1

Round 1
Saturday, 8 May (3:00 pm) Fitzroy 6.13 (49) def. Carlton 2.4 (16) Brunswick Street Oval (crowd: 3,000)
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
  • Geelong's 16.18.114 was the highest score in 1897


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


Win/Loss table

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 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		 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		 4
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		 2
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		 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		 1
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		 3
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		 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		 8
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Ladder
Colour Result
Green Win
Red Loss
Blue Draw

Bold – Home game
Opponent for round listed above margin

Ladder

1897 VFL Ladder
TEAM P W L D PF PA  % PTS
1 Geelong 14 11 3 0 704 382 184.29 44
2 Essendon (P) 14 11 3 0 706 444 159.01 44
3 Melbourne 14 10 4 0 685 473 144.82 40
4 Collingwood 14 9 5 0 508 446 113.90 36
5 South Melbourne 14 8 5 1 594 430 138.14 34
6 Fitzroy 14 4 9 1 508 485 104.74 18
7 Carlton 14 2 12 0 377 737 51.15 8
8 St Kilda 14 0 14 0 281 966 29.08 0
Key: P = Played, W = Won, L = Lost, D = Drawn, PF = Points for, PA = Points against

Ladder progression

  • Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top 3.
  • Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round.
  • Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished in last place on the ladder in that round.
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
1 Geelong 0 0 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44
2 Essendon 4 4 8 12 16 20 24 24 28 32 36 40 44 44
3 Melbourne 4 8 12 16 20 24 24 24 24 28 32 36 36 40
4 Collingwood 4 8 12 12 16 16 20 24 24 24 24 28 32 36
5 South Melbourne 0 4 8 12 12 12 14 18 22 26 30 30 30 34
6 Fitzroy 4 8 8 8 8 8 10 14 18 18 18 18 18 18
7 Carlton 0 0 0 0 0 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 8 8
8 St Kilda 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Finals

Week 1

Week 1
Saturday, 21 August Geelong 3.11 (29) def. by Essendon 5.5 (35) Corio Oval (crowd: 5,000)
Saturday, 21 August Melbourne 7.5 (47) def. by Collingwood 7.9 (51) MCG (crowd: 7,000)


Week 2

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


Week 3

Week 3
Saturday, 4 September Essendon 1.8 (14) def. Melbourne 0.8 (8) Lake Oval (crowd: 3,800)
Saturday, 4 September Geelong 8.4 (52) def. Collingwood 6.12 (48) EMCG (crowd: 3,000)


Finals Ladder

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Main article: 1897 VFL finals series
1897 Finals Ladder
TEAM P W L D PF PA  % PTS
1 Essendon 3 3 0 0 119 67 177.61 12
2 Geelong 3 2 1 0 127 120 105.83 8
3 Collingwood 3 1 2 0 129 169 76.33 4
4 Melbourne 3 0 3 0 92 111 82.88 0
Key: P = Played, W = Won, L = Lost, D = Drawn, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against

Grand final

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Main article: 1897 VFL finals series

See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.

Essendon won the premiership for finishing on top of the round robin finals ladder, meaning that no Grand Final was required.

Awards

Notable events

  • 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.
  • Carlton's first six matches were all away games due to renovations at Princes Park.
  • The first round finals match between Geelong and Essendon was the only finals match to be played in Geelong until 2013.

See also

References

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  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • 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

External links

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