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1898 VFL season

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1898 VFL premiership season
Fitzroy 1898 VFL premiership team
Date14 May—24 September 1898
Teams8
PremiersFitzroy
1st premiership
Minor premiersEssendon
1st minor premiership
Leading goalkicker medallistArchie Smith (Collingwood)
31 goals
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 and ran from 14 May to 24 September, comprising a 14-round home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring all eight clubs.

Fitzroy won the premiership, defeating Essendon by 15 points in the 1898 VFL grand final; it was Fitzroy's first VFL premiership. Essendon won the minor premiership by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with an 11–3 win–loss record. Collingwood's Archie Smith won the leading goalkicker medal as the league's leading goalkicker.

Background

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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 finals system.

Home-and-away season

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Round 1

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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(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

Progression by round

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

Finals series

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The VFL introduced a new system of finals for the 1898 season. The new system, which was used from 1898–1900, allowed all clubs to compete for the major premiership, with the minor premiers having the right to challenge for the premiership.

Sectional rounds

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Sectional round 1

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Semi-finalGrand final
24 September, Junction Oval
17 September, Brunswick Street OvalMPEssendon3.5 (23)
A1Fitzroy2.10 (22)Fitzroy5.8 (38)
B1Collingwood1.5 (11)

All starting times are local time. Source: AFL Tables

Semi-final

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Semi-final
Saturday, 17 September (2:30 pm) Fitzroy 2.10 (22) def. Collingwood 1.5 (11) Brunswick Street Oval (crowd: 13,120) Report

Grand final

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Main article: 1898 VFL grand final
Grand final
Saturday, 24 September (2:50 pm) Essendon 3.5 (23) def. by Fitzroy 5.8 (38) Junction Oval (crowd: 16,538) Report

Win–loss table

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The following table can be sorted from biggest winning margin to biggest losing margin for each round. If two or more matches in a round are decided by the same margin, these margins are sorted by percentage (i.e. the lowest-scoring winning team is ranked highest and the lowest-scoring losing team is ranked lowest). Opponents are listed above the margins and home matches are in bold.

By winning the minor premiership and accruing at least eight premiership points from its three sectional matches, Essendon won the right to challenge the semi-final winner for the premiership.[1]

+ Win Qualified for finals
- Loss X Bye
Draw Eliminated
Team Home-and-away season Home-
and-away
ladder		 Finals series
Sectional rounds Sectional
ladders		 Finals
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 S1 S2 S3 SF GF
Carlton SM
+17		 MEL
-57		 ESS
-12		 GEE
-1		 COL
-42		 FIT
-4		 STK
+10		 SM
-32		 MEL
0		 ESS
-68		 GEE
-26		 COL
-19		 FIT
-32		 STK
+14		 7
(3–10–1)		 ESS
-67		 FIT
-83		 SM
-25		 A4
(0–3–0)
Collingwood GEE
+21		 FIT
-12		 MEL
-10		 SM
-11		 CAR
+42		 STK
+34		 ESS
+20		 GEE
-19		 FIT
+12		 MEL
+48		 SM
+60		 CAR
+19		 STK
+59		 ESS
+31		 2
(10–4–0)		 STK
+76		 GEE
+15		 MEL
+14		 B1
(3–0–0)		 FIT
-11
Essendon FIT
+53		 SM
+11		 CAR
+12		 STK
+75		 MEL
+25		 GEE
-7		 COL
-20		 FIT
+43		 SM
+24		 CAR
+68		 STK
+56		 MEL
+55		 GEE
+18		 COL
-31		 1
(11–3–0)		 CAR
+67		 SM
+17		 FIT
-29		 A2
(2–1–0)		 X FIT
-15
Fitzroy ESS
-53		 COL
+12		 STK
+37		 MEL
+19		 GEE
+5		 CAR
+4		 SM
-29		 ESS
-43		 COL
-12		 STK
+48		 MEL
+17		 GEE
+9		 CAR
+32		 SM
+55		 3
(10–4–0)		 SM
+14		 CAR
+83		 ESS
+29		 A1
(3–0–0)		 COL
+11		 ESS
+15
Geelong COL
-21		 STK
+68		 SM
+52		 CAR
+1		 FIT
-5		 ESS
+7		 MEL
-20		 COL
+19		 STK
+68		 SM
+20		 CAR
+26		 FIT
-9		 ESS
-18		 MEL
+32		 4
(9–5–0)		 MEL
+62		 COL
-15		 STK
+75		 B2
(2–1–0)
Melbourne STK
+76		 CAR
+57		 COL
+10		 FIT
-19		 ESS
-25		 SM
-2		 GEE
+20		 STK
+24		 CAR
0		 COL
-48		 FIT
-17		 ESS
-55		 SM
-5		 GEE
-32		 6
(5–8–1)		 GEE
-62		 STK
+21		 COL
-14		 B3
(1–2–0)
South Melbourne CAR
-17		 ESS
-11		 GEE
-52		 COL
+11		 STK
+41		 MEL
+2		 FIT
+29		 CAR
+32		 ESS
-24		 GEE
-20		 COL
-60		 STK
+63		 MEL
+5		 FIT
-55		 5
(7–7–0)		 FIT
-14		 ESS
-17		 CAR
+25		 A3
(1–2–0)
St Kilda MEL
-76		 GEE
-68		 FIT
-37		 ESS
-75		 SM
-41		 COL
-34		 CAR
-10		 MEL
-24		 GEE
-68		 FIT
-48		 ESS
-56		 SM
-63		 COL
-59		 CAR
-14		 8
(0–14–0)		 COL
-76		 MEL
-21		 GEE
-75		 B4
(0–3–0)

Source: AFL Tables

Season notes

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  • On 21 May 1898, playing against St Kilda Football Club, Geelong's Firth McCallum eluded 12 opponents to score a goal.
  • In round 3, Carlton and Essendon kicked a combined 0.4 (4) in the second half. This stands as the lowest-scoring half in VFL/AFL history.
  • 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.
  • A set of brothers played for Fitzroy in the 1898 "Grand Final Match": Jim Grace and Mick Grace.

Awards

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Notes

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  1. ^ "Victorian Football League – the premiership scheme amended". The Age. Melbourne. 30 April 1898. p. 10.

References

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  • 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
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