1898 VFL season
The 1898 VFL season was the second season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured eight clubs, ran from 14 May until 24 September, and comprised a 14-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring all eight clubs.
| 1898 VFL premiership season | |
|---|---|
 The Fitzroy team | |
| Teams | 8 |
| Premiers | Fitzroy 1st premiership |
| Minor premiers | Essendon 1st minor premiership |
| Leading Goalkicker Medallist | Archie Smith (Collingwood) |
| Matches played | 70 |
The premiership was won by the Fitzroy Football Club for the first time, after it defeated Essendon by 15 points in the inaugural 1898 VFL Grand Final.
Background
In 1898, 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).
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 1898 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the 1898 VFL Premiership System.
Home-and-away season
Round 1
| Round 1 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 14 May (3:00 pm) | Carlton 6.11 (47) | def. | South Melbourne 3.12 (30) | Princes Park | Report |
| Saturday, 14 May (3:00 pm) | Collingwood 7.6 (48) | def. | Geelong 3.9 (27) | Victoria Park | Report |
| Saturday, 14 May (3:00 pm) | Essendon 10.10 (70) | def. | Fitzroy 2.5 (17) | EMCG | Report |
| Saturday, 14 May (3:00 pm) | St Kilda 2.4 (16) | def. by | Melbourne 13.14 (92) | Junction Oval | Report |
Round 2
| Round 2 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 21 May (3:00 pm) | Melbourne 12.11 (83) | def. | Carlton 4.2 (26) | MCG | Report |
| Saturday, 21 May (3:00 pm) | Fitzroy 7.6 (48) | def. | Collingwood 5.6 (36) | Brunswick Street Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 21 May (3:00 pm) | South Melbourne 3.9 (27) | def. by | Essendon 5.8 (38) | Lake Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 21 May (3:00 pm) | Geelong 11.19 (85) | def. | St Kilda 2.5 (17) | Corio Oval | Report |
Round 3
| Round 3 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, 24 May (3:00 pm) | Carlton 2.4 (16) | def. by | Essendon 4.4 (28) | Princes Park | Report |
| Tuesday, 24 May (3:00 pm) | Melbourne 6.10 (46) | def. | Collingwood 5.6 (36) | MCG | Report |
| Tuesday, 24 May (3:00 pm) | St Kilda 2.4 (16) | def. by | Fitzroy 7.11 (53) | Junction Oval | Report |
| Tuesday, 24 May (3:00 pm) | Geelong 7.18 (60) | def. | South Melbourne 1.2 (8) | Corio Oval | Report |
Round 4
| Round 4 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 28 May (3:00 pm) | Carlton 4.5 (29) | def. by | Geelong 3.12 (30) | Princes Park | Report |
| Saturday, 28 May (3:00 pm) | South Melbourne 7.11 (53) | def. | Collingwood 6.6 (42) | Lake Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 28 May (3:00 pm) | Essendon 16.16 (112) | def. | St Kilda 5.7 (37) | EMCG | Report |
| Saturday, 28 May (3:00 pm) | Fitzroy 4.14 (38) | def. | Melbourne 2.7 (19) | Brunswick Street Oval | Report |
Round 5
| Round 5 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 4 June (3:00 pm) | Collingwood 6.12 (48) | def. | Carlton 0.6 (6) | Victoria Park | Report |
| Saturday, 4 June (3:00 pm) | Essendon 6.12 (48) | def. | Melbourne 3.5 (23) | EMCG | Report |
| Saturday, 4 June (3:00 pm) | Geelong 4.10 (34) | def. by | Fitzroy 6.3 (39) | Corio Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 4 June (3:00 pm) | St Kilda 3.3 (21) | def. by | South Melbourne 7.20 (62) | Junction Oval | Report |
Round 6
| Round 6 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 11 June (3:00 pm) | Fitzroy 5.7 (37) | def. | Carlton 4.9 (33) | Brunswick Street Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 11 June (3:00 pm) | St Kilda 5.4 (34) | def. by | Collingwood 10.8 (68) | Junction Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 11 June (3:00 pm) | Geelong 4.7 (31) | def. | Essendon 3.6 (24) | Corio Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 11 June (3:00 pm) | Melbourne 1.7 (13) | def. by | South Melbourne 2.3 (15) | MCG | Report |
Round 7
| Round 7 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 18 June (3:00 pm) | Carlton 5.13 (43) | def. | St Kilda 5.3 (33) | Princes Park | Report |
| Saturday, 18 June (3:00 pm) | Collingwood 5.10 (40) | def. | Essendon 3.2 (20) | Victoria Park | Report |
| Saturday, 18 June (3:00 pm) | South Melbourne 7.9 (51) | def. | Fitzroy 2.10 (22) | Lake Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 18 June (3:00 pm) | Melbourne 9.5 (59) | def. | Geelong 5.9 (39) | MCG | Report |
Round 8
| Round 8 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 25 June (3:00 pm) | South Melbourne 6.8 (44) | def. | Carlton 1.6 (12) | Lake Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 25 June (3:00 pm) | Geelong 6.5 (41) | def. | Collingwood 2.10 (22) | Corio Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 25 June (3:00 pm) | Fitzroy 2.4 (16) | def. by | Essendon 8.11 (59) | Brunswick Street Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 25 June (3:00 pm) | Melbourne 5.15 (45) | def. | St Kilda 3.3 (21) | MCG | Report |
Round 9
| Round 9 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 9 July (3:00 pm) | Carlton 4.4 (28) | drew with | Melbourne 3.10 (28) | Princes Park | Report |
| Saturday, 9 July (3:00 pm) | Collingwood 4.11 (35) | def. | Fitzroy 3.5 (23) | Victoria Park | Report |
| Saturday, 9 July (3:00 pm) | Essendon 7.12 (54) | def. | South Melbourne 4.6 (30) | EMCG | Report |
| Saturday, 9 July (3:00 pm) | St Kilda 3.7 (25) | def. by | Geelong 13.15 (93) | Junction Oval | Report |
Round 10
| Round 10 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 16 July (3:00 pm) | Essendon 10.17 (77) | def. | Carlton 1.3 (9) | EMCG | Report |
| Saturday, 16 July (3:00 pm) | Collingwood 8.11 (59) | def. | Melbourne 1.5 (11) | Victoria Park | Report |
| Saturday, 16 July (3:00 pm) | Fitzroy 9.13 (67) | def. | St Kilda 3.1 (19) | Brunswick Street Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 16 July (3:00 pm) | South Melbourne 1.3 (9) | def. by | Geelong 3.11 (29) | Lake Oval | Report |
Round 11
| Round 11 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 23 July (3:00 pm) | Geelong 8.10 (58) | def. | Carlton 5.2 (32) | Corio Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 23 July (3:00 pm) | Collingwood 10.13 (73) | def. | South Melbourne 1.7 (13) | Victoria Park | Report |
| Saturday, 23 July (3:00 pm) | St Kilda 1.9 (15) | def. by | Essendon 10.11 (71) | Junction Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 23 July (3:00 pm) | Melbourne 5.3 (33) | def. by | Fitzroy 7.8 (50) | MCG | Report |
Round 12
| Round 12 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 30 July (3:00 pm) | Carlton 1.4 (10) | def. by | Collingwood 3.11 (29) | Princes Park | Report |
| Saturday, 30 July (3:00 pm) | Melbourne 2.8 (20) | def. by | Essendon 11.9 (75) | MCG | Report |
| Saturday, 30 July (3:00 pm) | Fitzroy 5.9 (39) | def. | Geelong 4.6 (30) | Brunswick Street Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 30 July (3:00 pm) | South Melbourne 12.15 (87) | def. | St Kilda 3.6 (24) | Lake Oval | Report |
Round 13
| Round 13 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 13 August (3:00 pm) | Carlton 3.4 (22) | def. by | Fitzroy 8.6 (54) | Princes Park | Report |
| Saturday, 13 August (3:00 pm) | Collingwood 8.17 (65) | def. | St Kilda 1.0 (6) | Victoria Park | Report |
| Saturday, 13 August (3:00 pm) | Essendon 7.13 (55) | def. | Geelong 5.7 (37) | EMCG | Report |
| Saturday, 13 August(3:00 pm) | South Melbourne 6.7 (51) | def. | Melbourne 5.8 (38) | Lake Oval | Report |
Round 14
| Round 14 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 20 August (3:00 pm) | St Kilda 8.7 (55) | def. by | Carlton 10.9 (69) | Junction Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 20 August (3:00 pm) | Essendon 2.13 (25) | def. by | Collingwood 7.14 (56) | EMCG | Report |
| Saturday, 20 August (3:00 pm) | Fitzroy 9.11 (65) | def. | South Melbourne 1.4 (10) | Brunswick Street Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 20 August (3:00 pm) | Geelong 7.9 (51) | def. | Melbourne 2.7 (19) | Corio Oval | Report |
Ladder
| (P) | Premiers |
| Section A | |
| Section B |
| # | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Essendon | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 756 | 374 | 202.1 | 44 |
| 2 | Collingwood | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 657 | 363 | 181.0 | 40 |
| 3 | Fitzroy (P) | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 568 | 467 | 121.6 | 40 |
| 4 | Geelong | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 645 | 425 | 151.8 | 36 |
| 5 | South Melbourne | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 482 | 538 | 89.6 | 28 |
| 6 | Melbourne | 14 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 529 | 545 | 97.1 | 22 |
| 7 | Carlton | 14 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 382 | 634 | 60.3 | 14 |
| 8 | St Kilda | 14 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 339 | 1012 | 33.5 | 0 |
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 38.9
Source: AFL Tables
Ladder progression
Source:
Finals series
Sectional round 1
| Sectional Round 1 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 27 August (2:30 pm) | Essendon 9.21 (75) | def. | Carlton 1.2 (8) | EMCG | Report |
| Saturday, 27 August (2:30 pm) | St Kilda 4.3 (27) | def. by | Collingwood 14.19 (103) | Junction Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 27 August (2:30 pm) | South Melbourne 5.3 (33) | def. by | Fitzroy 6.11 (47) | Lake Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 27 August (2:30 pm) | Geelong 11.12 (78) | def. | Melbourne 2.4 (16) | Corio Oval | Report |
Sectional round 2
| Sectional Round 2 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 3 September (2:30 pm) | Fitzroy 12.18 (90) | def. | Carlton 1.1 (7) | Brunswick Street Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 3 September (2:30 pm) | Collingwood 6.9 (45) | def. | Geelong 4.6 (30) | Victoria Park | Report |
| Saturday, 3 September (2:30 pm) | South Melbourne 3.6 (24) | def. by | Essendon 5.11 (41) | Lake Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 3 September (2:30 pm) | St Kilda 2.5 (17) | def. by | Melbourne 5.8 (38) | Junction Oval | Report |
Sectional round 3
| Sectional Round 3 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 10 September (2:30 pm) | South Melbourne 6.11 (47) | def. | Carlton 3.4 (22) | Lake Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 10 September (2:30 pm) | Collingwood 7.13 (55) | def. | Melbourne 6.5 (41) | Victoria Park | Report |
| Saturday, 10 September (2:30 pm) | Fitzroy 5.15 (45) | def. | Essendon 2.4 (16) | Brunswick Street Oval | Report |
| Saturday, 10 September (2:30 pm) | Geelong 14.18 (102) | def. | St Kilda 4.3 (27) | Corio Oval | Report |
Section A ladder
| Qualified for finals |
| # | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fitzroy | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 182 | 56 | 325.0 | 12 |
| 2 | Essendon | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 132 | 77 | 171.4 | 8 |
| 3 | South Melbourne | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 104 | 110 | 94.5 | 4 |
| 4 | Carlton | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 37 | 212 | 17.5 | 0 |
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Source: AFL Tables
Section B ladder
| Qualified for finals |
| # | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Collingwood | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 203 | 98 | 207.1 | 12 |
| 2 | Geelong | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 210 | 88 | 238.6 | 8 |
| 3 | Melbourne | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 95 | 150 | 63.3 | 4 |
| 4 | St Kilda | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 71 | 243 | 29.2 | 0 |
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Source: AFL Tables
Finals
| Semifinal | Final | |||||||
| 17 Sep, Brunswick Street Oval | 24 Sep, Junction Oval | |||||||
| A1 | Fitzroy | 2.10 (22) | Fitzroy | 5.8 (38) | ||||
| B1 | Collingwood | 1.5 (11) | Essendon | 3.5 (23) | ||||
Semi-final
| Semi-final | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 September (2:30 pm) | Fitzroy 2.10 (22) | def. | Collingwood 1.5 (11) | Brunswick Street Oval (crowd: 13,120) | Report |
| |||||
Grand Final
| Grand Final | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 24 September (2:50 pm) | Fitzroy 5.8 (38) | def. | Essendon 3.5 (23) | Junction Oval (crowd: 16,538) | Report |
Win/loss table
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | SR1 | SR2 | SR3 | SF | GF | Ladder |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlton | SM +17 |
Mel -57 |
Ess -12 |
Geel -1 |
Coll -42 |
Fit -4 |
StK +10 |
SM -32 |
Melb 0 |
Ess -68 |
Geel -26 |
Coll -19 |
Fit -32 |
StK +14 |
Ess -67 |
Fit -83 |
SM -25 |
X |
X |
7 |
| Collingwood | Geel +21 |
Fit -12 |
Melb -10 |
SM -11 |
Carl +42 |
StK +34 |
Ess +20 |
Geel -19 |
Fit +12 |
Melb +48 |
SM +60 |
Carl +19 |
StK +59 |
Ess +31 |
StK +76 |
Geel +15 |
Melb +14 |
Fit -11 |
X |
3 |
| Essendon | Fit +53 |
SM +11 |
Carl +12 |
StK +75 |
Melb +25 |
Geel -7 |
Coll -20 |
Fit +43 |
SM +24 |
Carl +68 |
StK +56 |
Melb +55 |
Geel +18 |
Coll -31 |
Carl +67 |
SM +17 |
Fit -29 |
X |
Fit -15 |
2 |
| Fitzroy | Ess -53 |
Coll +12 |
StK +37 |
Melb +19 |
Geel +5 |
Carl +4 |
SM -29 |
Ess -43 |
Coll -12 |
StK +48 |
Melb +17 |
Geel +9 |
Carl +32 |
SM +55 |
SM +14 |
Carl +83 |
Ess +29 |
Coll +11 |
Ess +15 |
1 |
| Geelong | Coll -21 |
StK +68 |
SM +52 |
Carl +1 |
Fit -5 |
Ess +7 |
Melb -20 |
Coll +19 |
StK +68 |
SM +20 |
Carl +26 |
Fit -9 |
Ess -18 |
Melb +32 |
Melb +62 |
Coll -15 |
StK +75 |
X |
X |
4 |
| Melbourne | StK +76 |
Carl +57 |
Coll +10 |
Fit -19 |
Ess -25 |
SM -2 |
Geel +20 |
StK +24 |
Carl 0 |
Coll -48 |
Fit -17 |
Ess -55 |
SM -5 |
Geel -32 |
Geel -62 |
StK +21 |
Coll -14 |
X |
X |
6 |
| South Melbourne | Carl -17 |
Ess -11 |
Geel -52 |
Coll +11 |
StK +41 |
Melb +2 |
Fit +29 |
Carl +32 |
Ess -24 |
Geel -20 |
Coll -60 |
StK +63 |
Melb +5 |
Fit -55 |
Fit -14 |
Ess -17 |
Carl +25 |
X |
X |
5 |
| St Kilda | Melb -76 |
Geel -68 |
Fit -37 |
Ess -75 |
SM -41 |
Coll -34 |
Carl -10 |
Melb -24 |
Geel -68 |
Fit -48 |
Ess -56 |
SM -63 |
Coll -59 |
Carl -14 |
Coll -76 |
Melb -21 |
Gee -75 |
X |
X |
8 |
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | SR1 | SR2 | SR3 | SF | GF | Ladder |
| + | Win | Qualified for finals | |
| - | Loss | X | Bye |
| Draw | Eliminated |
Bold – Home game
X – Bye
Opponent for round listed above margin
Season notes
- On 21 May 1898, playing against St Kilda Football Club, Geelong's Firth McCallum eluded 12 opponents to score a goal.
- On 12 August 1898, the League issues a directive that all field umpires are banned from playing, after umpire Samuel Hood plays for Footscray against North Melbourne in a VFA match on the 6th of August.
- A VFL representative team played two matches against a combined Ballarat Football League team. The VFL won their home match, and lost their away match.
- Essendon player Corrie Gardner, who also played for Melbourne Football Club from 1900 to 1903 and in 1905, and who represented Australia in the hurdles and the long jump at the 1904 Summer Olympics at St. Louis, Missouri in the USA, won the Australian Amateur Athletics hurdle championship in 1898.
- At the end of the home-and away season, Essendon had a VFL record percentage of 202.2%.
- 1898 was the first VFL season that the premiership had been decided in a "challenge" match.
- Two sets of brothers played for Fitzroy in the 1898 "Grand Final Match": Bill Dalton and Jack Dalton; and Jim Grace and Mick Grace.
Awards
- The 1898 VFL Premiership team was Fitzroy.
- The VFL's leading goalkicker was Archie Smith of Collingwood with 31 goals.
- The wooden spoon went to St Kilda.
References
- 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
- Atkinson, G., The Complete Book of AFL Finals (2002 Edition), The Five Mile Press, (Scoresby), 2002. ISBN 978-1-86503-892-6
Sources
- 1898 VFL season at AFL Tables
- 1898 VFL season at Australian Football
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