List of VFL/AFL premiers

This page is a complete chronological listing of VFL/AFL premiers. The Australian Football League (AFL), known as the Victorian Football League (VFL) until 1989, is the elite national competition in men's Australian rules football.[1]

A medal inscribed with "Carlton Football Club, V.F.L. Premiers 1907"
A premiership medal awarded to Norm Clark in 1907

The inaugural premiership was awarded as a result of a round-robin finals system;[2] this format was replaced after the first season, and a grand final has been held every season since 1898 to determine the premiers,[3] with the exception of 1924 when a modified round-robin system was used.[4][5] The formation of a national competition, beginning in 1987,[6] has resulted in the league attempting to develop "an even and stable competition"[7] through a range of equalisation policies, such as a salary cap and draft (introduced in 1985 and 1986, respectively).[7][8] This has had a significant impact on the spread of premierships: since 1990, thirteen clubs have won a premiership,[9] compared with only five clubs between 1967 and 1989.[10]

Three clubs, Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon, have won the most VFL/AFL premierships, with 16 each.[11] All teams currently competing in the AFL except Gold Coast, Fremantle and Greater Western Sydney (three of the four newest clubs) have won a premiership, and all except Gold Coast have played in a grand final.[12]

List of premiers

edit
Essendon won the inaugural VFL premiership in 1897
Fitzroy won the inaugural grand final in 1898
Carlton has won the equal-most premierships with 16, with their first coming in the 1906 season
Collingwood's premiership win in 1930 was the club's fourth successive premiership, a record for the league
Geelong players doing a lap of honour with the premiership cup after their grand final win in 2009
NFPremiership decided without a grand final being required
CFPremiership decided by a challenge final under the Argus finals system or similar
FPremiership decided without a challenge final being required under the Argus finals system or similar[a]
GFPremiership decided by a conventional grand final, in which neither team had any right to challenge
GFPremiership decided by a grand final replay, after the scheduled grand final was drawn
R
SeasonPremiersRunners-upTypeVenueCrowdDate
ClubScoreClubScore
1897EssendonGeelongNF
1898Fitzroy5.8 (38)Essendon3.5 (23)CFJunction Oval16,53824 September 1898
1899Fitzroy (2)3.9 (27)South Melbourne3.8 (26)FJunction Oval4,82316 September 1899
1900Melbourne4.10 (34)Fitzroy3.12 (30)CFEast Melbourne Cricket Ground20,18122 September 1900
1901Essendon (2)6.7 (43)Collingwood2.4 (16)GFLake Oval30,0317 September 1901
1902Collingwood9.6 (60)Essendon3.9 (27)CFMelbourne Cricket Ground35,20220 September 1902
1903Collingwood (2)4.7 (31)Fitzroy3.11 (29)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground32,26312 September 1903
1904Fitzroy (3)9.7 (61)Carlton5.7 (37)FMelbourne Cricket Ground32,68817 September 1904
1905Fitzroy (4)4.6 (30)Collingwood2.5 (17)CFMelbourne Cricket Ground30,00030 September 1905
1906Carlton15.4 (94)Fitzroy6.9 (45)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground44,43722 September 1906
1907Carlton (2)6.14 (50)South Melbourne6.9 (45)FMelbourne Cricket Ground45,47721 September 1907
1908Carlton (3)5.5 (35)Essendon3.8 (26)FMelbourne Cricket Ground50,26126 September 1908
1909South Melbourne4.14 (38)Carlton4.12 (36)CFMelbourne Cricket Ground37,7592 October 1909
1910Collingwood (3)9.7 (61)Carlton6.11 (47)CFMelbourne Cricket Ground42,7901 October 1910
1911Essendon (3)5.11 (41)Collingwood4.11 (35)FMelbourne Cricket Ground43,90523 September 1911
1912Essendon (4)5.17 (47)South Melbourne4.9 (33)CFMelbourne Cricket Ground54,43428 September 1912
1913Fitzroy (5)7.14 (56)St Kilda5.13 (43)CFMelbourne Cricket Ground59,55627 September 1913
1914Carlton (4)6.9 (45)South Melbourne4.15 (39)CFMelbourne Cricket Ground30,49526 September 1914
1915Carlton (5)11.12 (78)Collingwood6.9 (45)CFMelbourne Cricket Ground39,34318 September 1915
1916Fitzroy (6)12.13 (85)Carlton8.8 (56)CFMelbourne Cricket Ground21,1302 September 1916
1917Collingwood (4)9.20 (74)Fitzroy5.9 (39)CFMelbourne Cricket Ground25,51222 September 1917
1918South Melbourne (2)9.8 (62)Collingwood7.15 (57)FMelbourne Cricket Ground39,2627 September 1918
1919Collingwood (5)11.12 (78)Richmond7.11 (53)CFMelbourne Cricket Ground45,41311 October 1919
1920Richmond7.10 (52)Collingwood5.5 (35)CFMelbourne Cricket Ground53,9082 October 1920
1921Richmond (2)5.6 (36)Carlton4.8 (32)CFMelbourne Cricket Ground43,12215 October 1921
1922Fitzroy (7)11.13 (79)Collingwood9.14 (68)CFMelbourne Cricket Ground50,05414 October 1922
1923Essendon (5)8.15 (63)Fitzroy6.10 (46)CFMelbourne Cricket Ground46,56620 October 1923
1924Essendon (6)RichmondNF
1925Geelong10.19 (79)Collingwood9.15 (69)CFMelbourne Cricket Ground64,28810 October 1925
1926Melbourne (2)17.17 (119)Collingwood9.8 (62)CFMelbourne Cricket Ground59,6329 October 1926
1927Collingwood (6)2.13 (25)Richmond1.7 (13)FMelbourne Cricket Ground34,5511 October 1927
1928Collingwood (7)13.18 (96)Richmond9.9 (63)FMelbourne Cricket Ground50,02629 September 1928
1929Collingwood (8)11.13 (79)Richmond7.8 (50)CFMelbourne Cricket Ground63,33628 September 1929
1930Collingwood (9)14.16 (100)Geelong9.16 (70)CFMelbourne Cricket Ground45,02211 October 1930
1931Geelong (2)9.14 (68)Richmond7.6 (48)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground60,71210 October 1931
1932Richmond (3)13.14 (92)Carlton12.11 (83)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground69,7241 October 1932
1933South Melbourne (3)9.17 (71)Richmond4.5 (29)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground75,75430 September 1933
1934Richmond (4)19.14 (128)South Melbourne12.17 (89)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground65,33513 October 1934
1935Collingwood (10)11.12 (78)South Melbourne7.16 (58)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground54,1545 October 1935
1936Collingwood (11)11.23 (89)South Melbourne10.18 (78)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground74,0913 October 1936
1937Geelong (3)18.14 (122)Collingwood12.18 (90)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground88,54025 September 1937
1938Carlton (6)15.10 (100)Collingwood13.7 (85)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground96,48624 September 1938
1939Melbourne (3)21.22 (148)Collingwood14.11 (95)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground78,11030 September 1939
1940Melbourne (4)15.17 (107)Richmond10.8 (68)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground70,33028 September 1940
1941Melbourne (5)19.13 (127)Essendon13.20 (98)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground79,68727 September 1941
1942Essendon (7)19.18 (132)Richmond11.13 (79)GFPrinces Park49,00019 September 1942
1943Richmond (5)12.14 (86)Essendon11.15 (81)GFPrinces Park42,10025 September 1943
1944Fitzroy (8)9.12 (66)Richmond7.9 (51)GFJunction Oval43,00030 September 1944
1945Carlton (7)15.13 (103)South Melbourne10.15 (75)GFPrinces Park62,98629 September 1945
1946Essendon (8)22.18 (150)Melbourne13.9 (87)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground73,7435 October 1946
1947Carlton (8)13.8 (86)Essendon11.19 (85)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground85,81527 September 1947
1948Melbourne (6)10.9 (69)Essendon7.27 (69)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground85,6582 October 1948
13.11 (89)7.8 (50)RMelbourne Cricket Ground52,2269 October 1948
1949Essendon (9)18.17 (125)Carlton6.16 (52)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground90,45324 September 1949
1950Essendon (10)13.14 (92)North Melbourne7.12 (54)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground87,60123 September 1950
1951Geelong (4)11.15 (81)Essendon10.10 (70)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground84,10929 September 1951
1952Geelong (5)13.8 (86)Collingwood5.10 (40)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground81,30427 September 1952
1953Collingwood (12)11.11 (77)Geelong8.17 (65)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground89,06026 September 1953
1954Footscray15.12 (102)Melbourne7.9 (51)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground80,89725 September 1954
1955Melbourne (7)8.16 (64)Collingwood5.6 (36)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground88,05317 September 1955
1956Melbourne (8)17.19 (121)Collingwood6.12 (48)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground115,80315 September 1956
1957Melbourne (9)17.14 (116)Essendon7.13 (55)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground100,32421 September 1957
1958Collingwood (13)12.10 (82)Melbourne9.10 (64)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground97,95620 September 1958
1959Melbourne (10)17.13 (115)Essendon11.12 (78)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground103,50626 September 1959
1960Melbourne (11)8.14 (62)Collingwood2.2 (14)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground97,45724 September 1960
1961Hawthorn13.16 (94)Footscray7.9 (51)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground107,93523 September 1961
1962Essendon (11)13.12 (90)Carlton8.10 (58)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground98,38529 September 1962
1963Geelong (6)15.19 (109)Hawthorn8.12 (60)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground101,4525 October 1963
1964Melbourne (12)8.16 (64)Collingwood8.12 (60)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground102,46919 September 1964
1965Essendon (12)14.21 (105)St Kilda9.16 (70)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground104,84625 September 1965
1966St Kilda10.14 (74)Collingwood10.13 (73)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground101,65524 September 1966
1967Richmond (6)16.18 (114)Geelong15.15 (105)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground109,39623 September 1967
1968Carlton (9)7.14 (56)Essendon8.5 (53)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground116,82828 September 1968
1969Richmond (7)12.13 (85)Carlton8.12 (60)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground119,16527 September 1969
1970Carlton (10)17.9 (111)Collingwood14.17 (101)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground121,69626 September 1970
1971Hawthorn (2)12.10 (82)St Kilda11.9 (75)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground118,19225 September 1971
1972Carlton (11)28.9 (177)Richmond22.18 (150)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground112,3937 October 1972
1973Richmond (8)16.20 (116)Carlton12.14 (86)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground116,95629 September 1973
1974Richmond (9)18.20 (128)North Melbourne13.9 (87)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground113,83928 September 1974
1975North Melbourne19.8 (122)Hawthorn9.13 (67)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground110,55127 September 1975
1976Hawthorn (3)13.22 (100)North Melbourne10.10 (70)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground110,14325 September 1976
1977North Melbourne (2)9.22 (76)Collingwood10.16 (76)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground108,22424 September 1977
21.25 (151)19.10 (124)RMelbourne Cricket Ground98,3661 October 1977
1978Hawthorn (4)18.13 (121)North Melbourne15.13 (103)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground101,70430 September 1978
1979Carlton (12)11.16 (82)Collingwood11.11 (77)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground113,54529 September 1979
1980Richmond (10)23.21 (159)Collingwood9.24 (78)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground113,46127 September 1980
1981Carlton (13)12.20 (92)Collingwood10.12 (72)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground112,96426 September 1981
1982Carlton (14)14.19 (103)Richmond12.13 (85)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground107,53725 September 1982
1983Hawthorn (5)20.20 (140)Essendon8.9 (57)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground110,33224 September 1983
1984Essendon (13)14.21 (105)Hawthorn12.9 (81)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground92,68529 September 1984
1985Essendon (14)26.14 (170)Hawthorn14.8 (92)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground100,04228 September 1985
1986Hawthorn (6)16.14 (110)Carlton9.14 (68)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground101,86127 September 1986
1987Carlton (15)15.14 (104)Hawthorn9.17 (71)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground92,75426 September 1987
1988Hawthorn (7)22.20 (152)Melbourne6.20 (56)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground93,75424 September 1988
1989Hawthorn (8)21.18 (144)Geelong21.12 (138)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground94,79630 September 1989
Australian Football League name adopted
1990Collingwood (14)13.11 (89)Essendon5.11 (41)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground98,9446 October 1990
1991Hawthorn (9)20.19 (139)West Coast13.8 (86)GFVFL Park75,23028 September 1991
1992West Coast16.17 (113)Geelong12.13 (85)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground95,00726 September 1992
1993Essendon (15)20.13 (133)Carlton13.11 (89)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground96,86225 September 1993
1994West Coast (2)20.23 (143)Geelong8.15 (63)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground93,8601 October 1994
1995Carlton (16)21.15 (141)Geelong11.14 (80)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground93,67030 September 1995
1996North Melbourne (3)19.17 (131)Sydney13.10 (88)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground93,10228 September 1996
1997Adelaide19.11 (125)St Kilda13.16 (94)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground99,64527 September 1997
1998Adelaide (2)15.15 (105)North Melbourne8.22 (70)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground94,43126 September 1998
1999Kangaroos (4)19.10 (124)Carlton12.17 (89)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground94,22825 September 1999
2000Essendon (16)19.21 (135)Melbourne11.9 (75)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground96,2492 September 2000
2001Brisbane Lions15.18 (108)Essendon12.10 (82)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground91,48229 September 2001
2002Brisbane Lions (2)10.15 (75)Collingwood9.12 (66)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground91,81728 September 2002
2003Brisbane Lions (3)20.14 (134)Collingwood12.12 (84)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground79,45127 September 2003
2004Port Adelaide17.11 (113)Brisbane Lions10.13 (73)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground77,67125 September 2004
2005Sydney (4)8.10 (58)West Coast7.12 (54)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground91,82824 September 2005
2006West Coast (3)12.13 (85)Sydney12.12 (84)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground97,43130 September 2006
2007Geelong (7)24.19 (163)Port Adelaide6.8 (44)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground97,30229 September 2007
2008Hawthorn (10)18.7 (115)Geelong11.23 (89)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground100,01227 September 2008
2009Geelong (8)12.8 (80)St Kilda9.14 (68)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground99,25126 September 2009
2010Collingwood (15)9.14 (68)St Kilda10.8 (68)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground100,01625 September 2010
16.12 (108)7.10 (52)RMelbourne Cricket Ground93,8532 October 2010
2011Geelong (9)18.11 (119)Collingwood12.9 (81)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground99,5371 October 2011
2012Sydney (5)14.7 (91)Hawthorn11.15 (81)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground99,68329 September 2012
2013Hawthorn (11)11.11 (77)Fremantle8.14 (62)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground100,00728 September 2013
2014Hawthorn (12)21.11 (137)Sydney11.8 (74)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground99,45427 September 2014
2015Hawthorn (13)16.11 (107)West Coast8.13 (61)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground98,6333 October 2015
2016Western Bulldogs (2)13.11 (89)Sydney10.7 (67)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground99,9811 October 2016
2017Richmond (11)16.12 (108)Adelaide8.12 (60)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground100,02130 September 2017
2018West Coast (4)11.13 (79)Collingwood11.8 (74)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground100,02229 September 2018
2019Richmond (12)17.12 (114)Greater Western Sydney3.7 (25)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground100,01428 September 2019
2020Richmond (13)12.9 (81)Geelong7.8 (50)GFThe Gabba29,70724 October 2020
2021Melbourne (13)21.14 (140)Western Bulldogs10.6 (66)GFOptus Stadium61,11825 September 2021
2022Geelong (10)20.13 (133)Sydney8.4 (52)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground100,02424 September 2022
2023Collingwood (16)12.18 (90)Brisbane Lions13.8 (86)GFMelbourne Cricket Ground100,02430 September 2023

Premierships by club

edit
ClubYearsPremiershipsRunners-up
TotalSeason(s)TotalSeason(s)
Collingwood1897–present161902, 1903, 1910, 1917, 1919, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1935, 1936, 1953, 1958, 1990, 2010, 2023271901, 1905, 1911, 1915, 1918, 1920, 1922, 1925, 1926, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1952, 1955, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 2002, 2003, 2011, 2018
Essendon1897–present161897, 1901, 1911, 1912, 1923, 1924, 1942, 1946, 1949, 1950, 1962, 1965, 1984, 1985, 1993, 2000141898, 1902, 1908, 1941, 1943, 1947, 1948, 1951, 1957, 1959, 1968, 1983, 1990, 2001
Carlton1897–present161906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995131904, 1909, 1910, 1916, 1921, 1932, 1949, 1962, 1969, 1973, 1986, 1993, 1999
Richmond1908–present131920, 1921, 1932, 1934, 1943, 1967, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1980, 2017, 2019, 2020121919, 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1940, 1942, 1944, 1972, 1982
Hawthorn1925–present131961, 1971, 1976, 1978, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 2008, 2013, 2014, 201561963, 1975, 1984, 1985, 1987, 2012
Melbourne1897–present131900, 1926, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1948, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1964, 202151946, 1954, 1958, 1988, 2000
Geelong1897–present101925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952, 1963, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2022101897, 1930, 1953, 1967, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2008, 2020
Fitzroy1897–199681898, 1899, 1904, 1905, 1913, 1916, 1922, 194451900, 1903, 1906, 1917, 1923
South Melbourne/Sydney[b]1897–present51909, 1918, 1933, 2005, 2012131899, 1907, 1912, 1914, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1945, 1996, 2006, 2014, 2016, 2022
North Melbourne/Kangaroos[c]1925–present41975, 1977, 1996, 199951950, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1998
West Coast1987–present41992, 1994, 2006, 201831991, 2005, 2015
Brisbane Lions1997–present32001, 2002, 200322004, 2023
Footscray/Western Bulldogs[d]1925–present21954, 201621961, 2021
Adelaide1991–present21997, 199812017
St Kilda1897–present1196661913, 1965, 1971, 1997, 2009, 2010
Port Adelaide1997–present1200412007
Fremantle1995–present012013
Greater Western Sydney2012–present012019
Gold Coast2011–present00
University1908–191400
Brisbane Bears1987–199600

Minor grade premierships

edit

In addition to the seniors, VFL/AFL clubs have competed in premierships in three minor grades:

  • VFL/AFL Seconds/Reserves premierships: 1919–1999
  • VFL/AFL Thirds/Under-19s premierships: 1946–1991
  • VFL/AFL Night premierships: 1956–1971, 1977–2013

VFL/AFL Seconds/Reserves premierships

edit

The reserve grade premiership was held in various formats between 1919 and 1999. It was known as the Victorian Junior Football League from 1919 until 1923, the Seconds from 1924 until 1959, the VFL Reserves from 1960 until 1989, and as the AFL reserves from 1990 until 1999.[13] Until 1991, the competition was run by the VFL/AFL, and from 1992 until 1999 it was administered by the Victorian State Football League.

VFL/AFL Thirds/Under-19s premierships

edit

The VFL/AFL under-19s competition was held between 1946 and 1991. It was known as the VFL thirds from 1946 until 1959, and as the under-19s from 1960 until 1991.[13]

Source[14]

VFL/AFL Night premierships

edit

The pre-season and night premiership covers three competitions which are considered historically equivalent in status:

For a list of premiers in these competitions, see list of VFL/AFL pre-season and night series premiers.

See also

edit

Notes

edit
  • a In these cases, had the other team won the match, a rematch would have been played the following weekend.
  • b Sydney was known as South Melbourne prior to relocation in 1982.
  • c North Melbourne was known simply as the Kangaroos from 1999 to 2007.
  • d Western Bulldogs was known as Footscray prior to 1997.

References

edit

Sources

edit