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

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]

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 Fremantle, Gold Coast 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]
A group of young men posing for a team photograph
Essendon won the inaugural VFL premiership in 1897
A group of young men with arms folded posing for a team photograph
Fitzroy won the inaugural grand final in 1898
A group of men pose for a team photograph
Carlton has won the equal-most premierships with 16, with their first coming in the 1906 season
A group of men wearing sleeveless guernseys with black-and-white vertical stripes
Collingwood's premiership win in 1930 was the club's fourth successive premiership, a record for the league
A group of players walk holding a silver trophy
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
GFD
GFR		Premiership decided by a grand final replay, after the scheduled grand final was drawn
Year Premiers Runners-up Type Venue Crowd Date
Club Score Club Score
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)CFMCG35,20220 September 1902
1903Collingwood (2)4.7 (31)Fitzroy3.11 (29)GFMCG32,26312 September 1903
1904Fitzroy (3)9.7 (61)Carlton5.7 (37)FMCG32,68817 September 1904
1905Fitzroy (4)4.6 (30)Collingwood2.5 (17)CFMCG30,00030 September 1905
1906Carlton15.4 (94)Fitzroy6.9 (45)GFMCG44,43722 September 1906
1907Carlton (2)6.14 (50)South Melbourne6.9 (45)FMCG45,47721 September 1907
1908Carlton (3)5.5 (35)Essendon3.8 (26)FMCG50,26126 September 1908
1909South Melbourne4.14 (38)Carlton4.12 (36)CFMCG37,7592 October 1909
1910Collingwood (3)9.7 (61)Carlton6.11 (47)CFMCG42,7901 October 1910
1911Essendon (3)5.11 (41)Collingwood4.11 (35)FMCG43,90523 September 1911
1912Essendon (4)5.17 (47)South Melbourne4.9 (33)CFMCG54,43428 September 1912
1913Fitzroy (5)7.14 (56)St Kilda5.13 (43)CFMCG59,55627 September 1913
1914Carlton (4)6.9 (45)South Melbourne4.15 (39)CFMCG30,49526 September 1914
1915Carlton (5)11.12 (78)Collingwood6.9 (45)CFMCG39,34318 September 1915
1916Fitzroy (6)12.13 (85)Carlton8.8 (56)CFMCG21,1302 September 1916
1917Collingwood (4)9.20 (74)Fitzroy5.9 (39)CFMCG25,51222 September 1917
1918South Melbourne (2)9.8 (62)Collingwood7.15 (57)FMCG39,2627 September 1918
1919Collingwood (5)11.12 (78)Richmond7.11 (53)CFMCG45,41311 October 1919
1920Richmond7.10 (52)Collingwood5.5 (35)CFMCG53,9082 October 1920
1921Richmond (2)5.6 (36)Carlton4.8 (32)CFMCG43,12215 October 1921
1922Fitzroy (7)11.13 (79)Collingwood9.14 (68)CFMCG50,05414 October 1922
1923Essendon (5)8.15 (63)Fitzroy6.10 (46)CFMCG46,56620 October 1923
1924Essendon (6)RichmondNF
1925Geelong10.19 (79)Collingwood9.15 (69)CFMCG64,28810 October 1925
1926Melbourne (2)17.17 (119)Collingwood9.8 (62)CFMCG59,6329 October 1926
1927Collingwood (6)2.13 (25)Richmond1.7 (13)FMCG34,5511 October 1927
1928Collingwood (7)13.18 (96)Richmond9.9 (63)FMCG50,02629 September 1928
1929Collingwood (8)11.13 (79)Richmond7.8 (50)CFMCG63,33628 September 1929
1930Collingwood (9)14.16 (100)Geelong9.16 (70)CFMCG45,02211 October 1930
1931Geelong (2)9.14 (68)Richmond7.6 (48)GFMCG60,71210 October 1931
1932Richmond (3)13.14 (92)Carlton12.11 (83)GFMCG69,7241 October 1932
1933South Melbourne (3)9.17 (71)Richmond4.5 (29)GFMCG75,75430 September 1933
1934Richmond (4)19.14 (128)South Melbourne12.17 (89)GFMCG65,33513 October 1934
1935Collingwood (10)11.12 (78)South Melbourne7.16 (58)GFMCG54,1545 October 1935
1936Collingwood (11)11.23 (89)South Melbourne10.18 (78)GFMCG74,0913 October 1936
1937Geelong (3)18.14 (122)Collingwood12.18 (90)GFMCG88,54025 September 1937
1938Carlton (6)15.10 (100)Collingwood13.7 (85)GFMCG96,48624 September 1938
1939Melbourne (3)21.22 (148)Collingwood14.11 (95)GFMCG78,11030 September 1939
1940Melbourne (4)15.17 (107)Richmond10.8 (68)GFMCG70,33028 September 1940
1941Melbourne (5)19.13 (127)Essendon13.20 (98)GFMCG79,68727 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)GFMCG73,7435 October 1946
1947Carlton (8)13.8 (86)Essendon11.19 (85)GFMCG85,81527 September 1947
1948Melbourne (6)10.9 (69)Essendon7.27 (69)GFDMCG85,6582 October 1948
13.11 (89)7.8 (50)GFRMCG52,2269 October 1948
1949Essendon (9)18.17 (125)Carlton6.16 (52)GFMCG90,45324 September 1949
1950Essendon (10)13.14 (92)North Melbourne7.12 (54)GFMCG87,60123 September 1950
1951Geelong (4)11.15 (81)Essendon10.10 (70)GFMCG84,10929 September 1951
1952Geelong (5)13.8 (86)Collingwood5.10 (40)GFMCG81,30427 September 1952
1953Collingwood (12)11.11 (77)Geelong8.17 (65)GFMCG89,06026 September 1953
1954Footscray15.12 (102)Melbourne7.9 (51)GFMCG80,89725 September 1954
1955Melbourne (7)8.16 (64)Collingwood5.6 (36)GFMCG88,05317 September 1955
1956Melbourne (8)17.19 (121)Collingwood6.12 (48)GFMCG115,80315 September 1956
1957Melbourne (9)17.14 (116)Essendon7.13 (55)GFMCG100,32421 September 1957
1958Collingwood (13)12.10 (82)Melbourne9.10 (64)GFMCG97,95620 September 1958
1959Melbourne (10)17.13 (115)Essendon11.12 (78)GFMCG103,50626 September 1959
1960Melbourne (11)8.14 (62)Collingwood2.2 (14)GFMCG97,45724 September 1960
1961Hawthorn13.16 (94)Footscray7.9 (51)GFMCG107,93523 September 1961
1962Essendon (11)13.12 (90)Carlton8.10 (58)GFMCG98,38529 September 1962
1963Geelong (6)15.19 (109)Hawthorn8.12 (60)GFMCG101,4525 October 1963
1964Melbourne (12)8.16 (64)Collingwood8.12 (60)GFMCG102,46919 September 1964
1965Essendon (12)14.21 (105)St Kilda9.16 (70)GFMCG104,84625 September 1965
1966St Kilda10.14 (74)Collingwood10.13 (73)GFMCG101,65524 September 1966
1967Richmond (6)16.18 (114)Geelong15.15 (105)GFMCG109,39623 September 1967
1968Carlton (9)7.14 (56)Essendon8.5 (53)GFMCG116,82828 September 1968
1969Richmond (7)12.13 (85)Carlton8.12 (60)GFMCG119,16527 September 1969
1970Carlton (10)17.9 (111)Collingwood14.17 (101)GFMCG121,69626 September 1970
1971Hawthorn (2)12.10 (82)St Kilda11.9 (75)GFMCG118,19225 September 1971
1972Carlton (11)28.9 (177)Richmond22.18 (150)GFMCG112,3937 October 1972
1973Richmond (8)16.20 (116)Carlton12.14 (86)GFMCG116,95629 September 1973
1974Richmond (9)18.20 (128)North Melbourne13.9 (87)GFMCG113,83928 September 1974
1975North Melbourne19.8 (122)Hawthorn9.13 (67)GFMCG110,55127 September 1975
1976Hawthorn (3)13.22 (100)North Melbourne10.10 (70)GFMCG110,14325 September 1976
1977North Melbourne (2)9.22 (76)Collingwood10.16 (76)GFDMCG108,22424 September 1977
21.25 (151)19.10 (124)GFRMCG98,3661 October 1977
1978Hawthorn (4)18.13 (121)North Melbourne15.13 (103)GFMCG101,70430 September 1978
1979Carlton (12)11.16 (82)Collingwood11.11 (77)GFMCG113,54529 September 1979
1980Richmond (10)23.21 (159)Collingwood9.24 (78)GFMCG113,46127 September 1980
1981Carlton (13)12.20 (92)Collingwood10.12 (72)GFMCG112,96426 September 1981
1982Carlton (14)14.19 (103)Richmond12.13 (85)GFMCG107,53725 September 1982
1983Hawthorn (5)20.20 (140)Essendon8.9 (57)GFMCG110,33224 September 1983
1984Essendon (13)14.21 (105)Hawthorn12.9 (81)GFMCG92,68529 September 1984
1985Essendon (14)26.14 (170)Hawthorn14.8 (92)GFMCG100,04228 September 1985
1986Hawthorn (6)16.14 (110)Carlton9.14 (68)GFMCG101,86127 September 1986
1987Carlton (15)15.14 (104)Hawthorn9.17 (71)GFMCG92,75426 September 1987
1988Hawthorn (7)22.20 (152)Melbourne6.20 (56)GFMCG93,75424 September 1988
1989Hawthorn (8)21.18 (144)Geelong21.12 (138)GFMCG94,79630 September 1989
Australian Football League name adopted
1990Collingwood (14)13.11 (89)Essendon5.11 (41)GFMCG98,9446 October 1990
1991Hawthorn (9)20.19 (139)West Coast13.8 (86)GFVFL Park75,23028 September 1991
1992West Coast16.17 (113)Geelong12.13 (85)GFMCG95,00726 September 1992
1993Essendon (15)20.13 (133)Carlton13.11 (89)GFMCG96,86225 September 1993
1994West Coast (2)20.23 (143)Geelong8.15 (63)GFMCG93,8601 October 1994
1995Carlton (16)21.15 (141)Geelong11.14 (80)GFMCG93,67030 September 1995
1996North Melbourne (3)19.17 (131)Sydney13.10 (88)GFMCG93,10228 September 1996
1997Adelaide19.11 (125)St Kilda13.16 (94)GFMCG99,64527 September 1997
1998Adelaide (2)15.15 (105)North Melbourne8.22 (70)GFMCG94,43126 September 1998
1999Kangaroos (4)19.10 (124)Carlton12.17 (89)GFMCG94,22825 September 1999
2000Essendon (16)19.21 (135)Melbourne11.9 (75)GFMCG96,2492 September 2000
2001Brisbane Lions15.18 (108)Essendon12.10 (82)GFMCG91,48229 September 2001
2002Brisbane Lions (2)10.15 (75)Collingwood9.12 (66)GFMCG91,81728 September 2002
2003Brisbane Lions (3)20.14 (134)Collingwood12.12 (84)GFMCG79,45127 September 2003
2004Port Adelaide17.11 (113)Brisbane Lions10.13 (73)GFMCG77,67125 September 2004
2005Sydney (4)8.10 (58)West Coast7.12 (54)GFMCG91,82824 September 2005
2006West Coast (3)12.13 (85)Sydney12.12 (84)GFMCG97,43130 September 2006
2007Geelong (7)24.19 (163)Port Adelaide6.8 (44)GFMCG97,30229 September 2007
2008Hawthorn (10)18.7 (115)Geelong11.23 (89)GFMCG100,01227 September 2008
2009Geelong (8)12.8 (80)St Kilda9.14 (68)GFMCG99,25126 September 2009
2010Collingwood (15)9.14 (68)St Kilda10.8 (68)GFDMCG100,01625 September 2010
16.12 (108)7.10 (52)GFRMCG93,8532 October 2010
2011Geelong (9)18.11 (119)Collingwood12.9 (81)GFMCG99,5371 October 2011
2012Sydney (5)14.7 (91)Hawthorn11.15 (81)GFMCG99,68329 September 2012
2013Hawthorn (11)11.11 (77)Fremantle8.14 (62)GFMCG100,00728 September 2013
2014Hawthorn (12)21.11 (137)Sydney11.8 (74)GFMCG99,45427 September 2014
2015Hawthorn (13)16.11 (107)West Coast8.13 (61)GFMCG98,6333 October 2015
2016Western Bulldogs (2)13.11 (89)Sydney10.7 (67)GFMCG99,9811 October 2016
2017Richmond (11)16.12 (108)Adelaide8.12 (60)GFMCG100,02130 September 2017
2018West Coast (4)11.13 (79)Collingwood11.8 (74)GFMCG100,02229 September 2018
2019Richmond (12)17.12 (114)Greater Western Sydney3.7 (25)GFMCG100,01428 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)GFMCG100,02424 September 2022
2023Collingwood (16)12.18 (90)Brisbane Lions13.8 (86)GFMCG100,02430 September 2023
2024Brisbane Lions (4)18.12 (120)Sydney9.6 (60)GFMCG100,01328 September 2024
2025Brisbane Lions (5)18.14 (122)Geelong11.9 (75)GFMCG100,02227 September 2025
2026Brisbane Lions (6)14.12 (96)Fremantle12.17 (89)GFMCG100,02326 September 2026

Premierships by club

[edit]
Club Years Premierships Runners-up
Total Season(s) Total Season(s)
Collingwood 1897–present 161902, 1903, 1910, 1917, 1919, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1935, 1936, 1953, 1958, 1990, 2010, 2023 271901, 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
Essendon 1897–present 161897, 1901, 1911, 1912, 1923, 1924, 1942, 1946, 1949, 1950, 1962, 1965, 1984, 1985, 1993, 2000 141898, 1902, 1908, 1941, 1943, 1947, 1948, 1951, 1957, 1959, 1968, 1983, 1990, 2001
Carlton 1897–present 161906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995 131904, 1909, 1910, 1916, 1921, 1932, 1949, 1962, 1969, 1973, 1986, 1993, 1999
Richmond 1908–present 131920, 1921, 1932, 1934, 1943, 1967, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1980, 2017, 2019, 2020 121919, 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1940, 1942, 1944, 1972, 1982
Hawthorn 1925–present 131961, 1971, 1976, 1978, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015 61963, 1975, 1984, 1985, 1987, 2012
Melbourne 1897–present 131900, 1926, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1948, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1964, 2021 51946, 1954, 1958, 1988, 2000
Geelong 1897–present 101925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952, 1963, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2022 111897, 1930, 1953, 1967, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2008, 2020, 2025
Fitzroy 1897–1996 81898, 1899, 1904, 1905, 1913, 1916, 1922, 1944 51900, 1903, 1906, 1917, 1923
Brisbane Lions 1997–present 62001, 2002, 2003, 2024, 2025, 2026 22004, 2023
South Melbourne/Sydney[b] 1897–present 51909, 1918, 1933, 2005, 2012 141899, 1907, 1912, 1914, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1945, 1996, 2006, 2014, 2016, 2022, 2024
North Melbourne/Kangaroos[c] 1925–present 41975, 1977, 1996, 1999 51950, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1998
West Coast 1987–present 41992, 1994, 2006, 2018 31991, 2005, 2015
Footscray/Western Bulldogs[d] 1925–present 21954, 2016 21961, 2021
Adelaide 1991–present 21997, 1998 12017
St Kilda 1897–present 11966 61913, 1965, 1971, 1997, 2009, 2010
Port Adelaide 1997–present 12004 12007
Fremantle 1995–present 0N/a 22013, 2026
Greater Western Sydney 2012–present 0N/a 12019
Gold Coast 2011–present 0N/a 0N/a
University 1908–1914 0N/a 0N/a
Brisbane Bears 1987–1996 0N/a 0N/a

Minor grade premierships

[edit]

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

Night premierships

[edit]

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

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.

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][14]

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]
  1. ↑ McFarlane, Glenn (9 June 2016). "AFL allows clubs to include VFA flags in their own VFL-AFL premiership records". news.com.au. News Corp Australia. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  2. ↑ "1897 Premiership". essendonfc.com.au. Essendon Football Club. 26 October 2017. Archived from the original on 27 March 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  3. ↑ McGarry, Andrew (29 September 2017). "Adelaide, Richmond to make AFL grand final history, with no players having previous experience". ABC News (Australia). Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 15 May 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  4. ↑ "Essendon premiers". The Argus. Melbourne. 29 September 1924. p. 14. Archived from the original on 22 July 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2018 – via Trove.
  5. ↑ "1924 Premiership". essendonfc.com.au. Telstra Media. 12 October 2017. Archived from the original on 20 March 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  6. ↑ "Chronology of Australian Football". AFL.com.au. Australian Football League. Archived from the original on 16 September 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  7. 1 2 "NAB AFL Draft". AFL.com.au. Australian Football League & BigPond. 10 February 2002. Archived from the original on 25 July 2008. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  8. ↑ Warner, Michael; Ralph, Jon (11 July 2012). "Stars say salary cap is old hat, urge AFL to look to US". news.com.au. News Limited. Archived from the original on 15 February 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  9. ↑ Rise, Brayden (8 May 2018). "The best two clubs of the AFL era (and no, neither is Hawthorn)". The Roar. Conversant Media. Archived from the original on 16 November 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  10. ↑ "An object lesson in the perils of hindsight". The Age. Melbourne: Fairfax Media. 2 October 2003. Archived from the original on 15 February 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  11. ↑ Lerner, Ronny (22 October 2017). "The race for AFL premiership No.17 between Essendon and Carlton has resumed". The Age. Melbourne: Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 20 February 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  12. ↑ Lerner, Ronny (8 January 2019). "Record premiership droughts spurring AFL clubs in 2019". The Age. Melbourne: Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 8 January 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  13. 1 2 "New name likely for thirds". The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne, VIC. 2 April 1960. p. 66.
  14. ↑ Stephen Rodgers (1992), Every Game Ever Played – VFL/AFL results 1897–1991 (3rd ed.), Viking O'Neil

Sources

[edit]
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