The 1908 VFL season was the twelfth season of the

Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia serving as one of the second-tier regional semi-professional competitions which sit underneath the fully professional Australian Football League (AFL). It ...

(VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured ten clubs, with ( MJFA) and ( VFA) newly admitted to increase the league's size for the first time since its inception. The season ran from 2 May until 26 September, and comprised an 18-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top four clubs. The premiership was won by the

Carlton Football Club The Carlton Football Club, nicknamed the Blues, is a professional Australian rules football club that competes in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's top professional competition. Founded in 1864 in Carlton, an inner suburb of Me ...

for the third time and third time consecutively, after it defeated by nine points in the

1908 VFL Grand Final The 1908 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Essendon Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 26 September 1908. It was the 11th annual Grand Final of ...

Premiership season

In 1908, the VFL competition consisted of ten teams of 18 on-the-field players each, with no "reserves", although any of the 18 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 18 rounds. Once the 18 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1908 VFL ''Premiers'' were determined by the specific format and conventions of the amended "''Argus'' system".

Round 1

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.8 (44) , , 7.11 (53) ,

Brunswick Street Oval The WT Peterson Community Oval, best known as the Brunswick Street Oval and also as the Fitzroy Cricket Ground, is a cricket and Australian rules football ground located in Edinburgh Gardens in Fitzroy North, Victoria. History Australian Rules ...

, 2 May 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.11 (95) , , 3.11 (29) , EMCG , 2 May 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.12 (48) , , 3.4 (22) , Princes Park , 2 May 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.14 (62) , , 7.9 (51) ,

Punt Road Oval Punt Road Oval, also known by naming rights sponsorship as the Swinburne Centre, is an Australian rules football ground and former cricket oval located within the Yarra Park precinct of East Melbourne, Victoria, situated a few hundred metres to ...

, 2 May 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.13 (85) , , 5.8 (38) ,

Corio Oval Corio Oval was an Australian rules football ground, located in Geelong, Victoria, and used by the Geelong Football Club in the VFA and the VFL from 1878 to 1915, and 1917 to 1940. Sited in Eastern Park, the oval was served by trams from 1930 wh ...

, 2 May 1908

Round 2

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 3.14 (32) , , 9.9 (63) ,

Victoria Park Victoria Park may refer to: Places Australia * Victoria Park Nature Reserve, a protected area in Northern Rivers region, New South Wales * Victoria Park, Adelaide, a park and racecourse * Victoria Park, Brisbane, a public park and former golf ...

, 9 May 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 14.10 (94) , , 12.4 (76) , EMCG , 9 May 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.9 (51) , , 4.8 (32) ,

Lake Oval Lakeside Stadium is an Australian sports arena in the South Melbourne suburb of Albert Park. Comprising an athletics track and soccer stadium, it currently serves as the home ground and administrative base for association football club Sout ...

, 9 May 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.6 (48) , , 12.14 (86) ,

Junction Oval Junction Oval (also known as the St Kilda Cricket Ground, or the CitiPower Centre due to sponsorship reasons) is a historic sports ground in the suburb of St Kilda in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The oval's location near the St Kilda Jun ...

, 9 May 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.8 (44) , , 9.8 (62) ,

MCG The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), also known locally as "The 'G", is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne, Victoria. Founded and managed by the Melbourne Cricket Club, it is the largest stadium in the Southern Hem ...

, 9 May 1908

Round 3

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.8 (50) , , 10.12 (72) ,

, 16 May 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.13 (43) , , 4.8 (32) , Princes Park , 16 May 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 4.2 (26) , , 7.13 (55) ,

, 16 May 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.13 (55) , , 11.14 (80) ,

, 16 May 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.12 (54) , , 8.14 (62) , EMCG , 16 May 1908

Round 4

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.10 (40) , , 8.6 (54) ,

, 23 May 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.3 (75) , , 10.13 (73) ,

, 23 May 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.18 (60) , , 6.8 (44) ,

, 23 May 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.16 (82) , , 6.9 (45) , EMCG , 23 May 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.9 (39) , , 10.7 (67) ,

, 23 May 1908

Round 5

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.4 (76) , , 9.11 (65) ,

, 30 May 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.12 (72) , , 5.10 (40) , Princes Park , 30 May 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.12 (66) , , 2.13 (25) ,

, 30 May 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.17 (65) , , 8.11 (59) ,

, 30 May 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.9 (69) , , 9.10 (64) , EMCG , 30 May 1908

Round 6

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.9 (39) , , 6.6 (42) ,

, 6 June 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.7 (79) , , 9.10 (64) ,

, 6 June 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.7 (79) , , 1.13 (19) , EMCG , 6 June 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.8 (38) , , 5.12 (42) ,

, 6 June 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.9 (51) , , 8.5 (53) ,

, 6 June 1908

Round 7

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.9 (63) , , 11.11 (77) ,

, 8 June 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.14 (92) , , 2.13 (25) , Princes Park , 8 June 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.7 (61) , , 12.12 (84) , EMCG , 8 June 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.6 (66) , , 10.12 (72) ,

, 8 June 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.11 (83) , , 5.12 (42) ,

, 8 June 1908

Round 8

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 4.11 (35) , , 5.9 (39) ,

, 13 June 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.6 (48) , , 12.9 (81) ,

, 13 June 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.11 (59) , , 6.9 (45) , EMCG , 13 June 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.8 (56) , , 4.8 (32) ,

, 13 June 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 17.13 (115) , , 2.15 (27) , Princes Park , 13 June 1908

Round 9

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.5 (59) , , 3.15 (33) ,

, 20 June 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 4.4 (28) , , 3.7 (25) ,

, 20 June 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 3.7 (25) , , 7.9 (51) ,

, 20 June 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.11 (65) , , 6.8 (44) ,

, 20 June 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.15 (51) , , 7.15 (57) , EMCG , 20 June 1908

Round 10

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.16 (82) , , 1.6 (12) ,

, 27 June 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.12 (66) , , 7.4 (46) ,

, 27 June 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 2.19 (31) , , 2.6 (18) ,

, 27 June 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.10 (46) , , 7.14 (56) , EMCG , 27 June 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.5 (41) , , 10.12 (72) ,

, 27 June 1908

Round 11

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.5 (71) , , 8.14 (62) ,

, 4 July 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.4 (58) , , 9.12 (66) ,

, 4 July 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.10 (40) , , 8.9 (57) , EMCG , 4 July 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.15 (63) , , 4.7 (31) , Princes Park , 4 July 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.6 (42) , , 7.2 (44) ,

, 4 July 1908

Round 12

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.4 (34) , , 4.5 (29) ,

, 11 July 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 4.9 (33) , , 5.4 (34) ,

, 11 July 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 3.13 (31) , , 2.2 (14) ,

, 11 July 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.12 (66) , , 7.6 (48) ,

, 11 July 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.6 (42) , , 4.5 (29) , EMCG , 11 July 1908

Round 13

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.17 (77) , , 5.7 (37) , Princes Park , 18 July 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.14 (56) , , 5.13 (43) , EMCG , 18 July 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.10 (40) , , 11.8 (74) ,

, 18 July 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.14 (56) , , 11.8 (74) ,

, 18 July 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.3 (45) , , 9.14 (68) ,

, 18 July 1908

Round 14

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 16.11 (107) , , 8.3 (51) ,

, 25 July 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 6.17 (53) , , 5.8 (38) ,

, 25 July 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.12 (60) , , 8.8 (56) ,

, 25 July 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.7 (73) , , 10.11 (71) , EMCG , 25 July 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 4.9 (33) , , 6.8 (44) ,

, 25 July 1908

Round 15

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 7.12 (54) , , 8.10 (58) ,

, 1 August 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.13 (61) , , 7.8 (50) , EMCG , 1 August 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 8.19 (67) , , 6.5 (41) , Princes Park , 1 August 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 17.5 (107) , , 5.8 (38) ,

, 1 August 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.8 (74) , , 10.9 (69) ,

, 1 August 1908

Round 16

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.16 (94) , , 11.7 (73) ,

, 8 August 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 17.17 (119) , , 8.11 (59) , EMCG , 8 August 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.10 (70) , , 7.9 (51) ,

, 8 August 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 18.12 (120) , , 4.4 (28) ,

, 8 August 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.9 (39) , , 6.13 (49) ,

, 8 August 1908

Round 17

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.18 (96) , , 6.8 (44) , EMCG , 15 August 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 4.7 (31) , , 3.4 (22) ,

, 15 August 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 5.8 (38) , , 3.14 (32) ,

, 15 August 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 4.8 (32) , , 6.9 (45) ,

, 15 August 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 4.17 (41) , , 6.12 (48) ,

, 15 August 1908

Round 18

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 16.11 (107) , , 6.8 (44) ,

, 5 September 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 11.18 (84) , , 1.4 (10) ,

, 5 September 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 13.20 (98) , , 3.9 (27) , EMCG , 5 September 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.16 (88) , , 3.4 (22) ,

, 5 September 1908 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 10.7 (67) , , 4.4 (28) , Princes Park , 5 September 1908

Ladder

Semi finals

First Semi Final

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 9.14 (68) , , 5.3 (33) ,

, 12 September 1908 , Attendance: 24,700 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

Second Semi Final

, - bgcolor="#CCCCFF" , Home team , Home team score , Away team , Away team score , Venue , Date , , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF" , , 12.12 (84) , , 3.8 (26) ,

, 19 September 1908 , Attendance: 26,100 , - bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

Grand final

Carlton defeated

Essendon Essendon may refer to: Australia *Electoral district of Essendon *Electoral district of Essendon and Flemington * Essendon, Victoria **Essendon railway station **Essendon Airport * Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League United Ki ...

5.5 (35) to 3.8 (26). (For an explanation of scoring see Australian rules football).

Awards

* The 1908 VFL Premiership team was Carlton. * The VFL's leading goalkicker was

Dick Lee Richard Lee Peng Boon (born 24 August 1956) is a Singaporean singer-songwriter, playwright and film director. Early life Lee was born to a Peranakan father, Lee Kip Lee, (who wrote for ''The Straits Times'') and his wife , Elizabeth Tan. He was th ...

of Collingwood with 54 goals. * Geelong took the "

wooden spoon Wooden Spoon may refer to: * Wooden spoon, implement * Wooden spoon (award) A wooden spoon is an award that is given to an individual or team that has come last in a competition. Examples range from the academic to sporting and more frivolous e ...

" in 1908.

Notable events

* Richmond Football Club and

University Football Club Melbourne University Football Club, often known simply as University, is an Australian rules football club based at the University of Melbourne. The club fields two teams, known as the "Blacks" and "Blues", who both compete in the Victorian Ama ...

were admitted to the VFL competition. * With fiery former Collingwood coach

Dick Condon Richard Condon (19 March 1876 – 27 December 1946) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood and Richmond in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) and the Victorian Football League (VFL) from 1894-1900, 1902-1906 a ...

as playing coach and former Collingwood champion Charlie Pannam as captain, Richmond won its first VFL match against

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

, 8.14 (62) to 7.9 (51).

University A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...

had its first VFL victory in the second round of the season, beating Richmond 14.10 (94) to 12.4 (76). * In the first round match between

Fitzroy Fitzroy or FitzRoy may refer to: People As a given name *Several members of the Somerset family (Dukes of Beaufort) have this as a middle-name: **FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan (1788–1855) ** Henry Charles FitzRoy Somerset, 8th Duke of Beau ...

and

South Melbourne South Melbourne is an inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Port Phillip local government area. South Melbourne recorded a population of 11,548 at ...

at the

, an umpire was hit by a stone thrown by a spectator. * The sixth round match between

and

, also at the

, was a fiery affair that resulted in a number of suspensions. A horde of Fitzroy supporters invaded the ground immediately the final bell had rung, kicking, punching and otherwise assaulting Essendon players as they tried to leave the playing field. Essendon fans also jumped the fence, in order to protect their players. A riot ensued. * A ten-day Carnival, the " Jubilee of Australasian Football (1858–1908)" was held in Melbourne in August 1908, involving teams from New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia. * At an official Carnival function, when proposing a toast to "The Australasian Game" the Prime Minister of Australia, the Melbourne-born Alfred Deakin (1856–1919) spoke of his youthful experiences of playing a rudimentary form of Australian football.

References

* Hogan, P., ''The Tigers Of Old'', The Richmond Football Club, (Richmond), 1996. * Maplestone, M., ''Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996'', Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996. * Rogers, S. & Brown, A., ''Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL Results 1897–1997 (Sixth Edition)'', Viking Books, (Ringwood), 1998. * 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.

External links

1908 Season - AFL Tables

Article on 1908 Melbourne Carnival
at AustralianFootball.com {{DEFAULTSORT:1908 Vfl Season Australian Football League seasons

VFL season The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia serving as one of the second-tier regional semi-professional competitions which sit underneath the fully professional Australian Football League (AFL). It ...