1898 VFL season

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1898 VFL premiership season
The Fitzroy team
Teams8
PremiersFitzroy
1st premiership
Minor premiersEssendon
1st minor premiership
Leading Goalkicker MedallistArchie Smith (Collingwood)
Matches played70
← 1897
1899 →

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.

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[edit]

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[edit]

Round 1[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

(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[edit]

Points by round
Team ╲ Round1234567891011121314
Essendon48121620202024283236404444
Collingwood44448121616202428323640
Fitzroy0481216202020202428323640
Geelong0481212161620242832323236
South Melbourne00048121620202020242828
Melbourne48121212121620222222222222
Carlton44444488101010101014
St Kilda00000000000000
Source:[citation needed]

Finals series[edit]

Main article: 1898 VFL finals series

Sectional rounds[edit]

Sectional round 1[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

SemifinalFinal
17 Sep, Brunswick Street Oval24 Sep, Junction Oval
A1Fitzroy2.10 (22)Fitzroy5.8 (38)
B1Collingwood1.5 (11)Essendon3.5 (23)

Semi-final[edit]

Semi-final
17 September (2:30 pm) Fitzroy 2.10 (22) def. Collingwood 1.5 (11) Brunswick Street Oval (crowd: 13,120) Report
  • Having won the Semi Final, Fitzroy were given the right to 'challenge' Minor Premiers Essendon in the Grand Final.

Grand Final[edit]

Main article: 1898 VFL 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[edit]

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[edit]

  • 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[edit]

References[edit]

  • 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[edit]

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