This page is a complete chronological listing of VFL/AFL minor premiers. The

Australian Football League The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport's governing body and is responsible for controlling the laws of the gam ...

(AFL), known as the Victorian Football League (VFL) until 1990, is the elite national competition in men's

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

. The team that finishes the home-and-away season on top of the premiership ladder is known as the " minor premier". Since 1991, the

McClelland Trophy The McClelland Trophy is an Australian rules football trophy which has been awarded each year since 1951 by the Australian Football League (known prior to 1990 as the Victorian Football League) to the best-performing club in the home-and-away sea ...

has been awarded to the minor premier.Football Record 30/31 March 1 April 1991 page 3, McClelland Trophy - A New Look - Finishing on top of the ladder provides seeding benefits during the

AFL finals series The Australian Football League finals series, more generally known as the AFL finals, and known from 1897 until 1989 as the Victorian Football League finals series or VFL finals, is a playoff tournament held at the end of each AFL season to deter ...

, and the main league award is the

AFL premiership This page is a complete chronological listing of VFL/AFL premiers. The Australian Football League (AFL), known as the Victorian Football League (VFL) until 1990, is the elite national competition in men's Australian rules football. The inaugur ...

, which is awarded to the winner of the

AFL Grand Final The AFL Grand Final is an Australian rules football match to determine the premiers for the Australian Football League (AFL) season. From its inception until 1989, it was known as the VFL Grand Final, as the league at that time was the Victori ...

. As of 2022, 66 minor premiers have won the VFL/AFL premiership, 43 have finished as runners-up, and 17 have finished third, failing to qualify for the grand final. The success rate of minor premiers winning the major premiership has reduced greatly since 1994, when the finals series was expanded to eight clubs and the benefits enjoyed by the minor premier in bye weeks and double-chances during the finals were reduced and diluted; between 1994 and 2022, only ten minor premiers have gone on to win the premiership.

List of minor premiers

The following is a list of minor premiers, ladder details and results.

Minor premiership wins

Minor premiership records

* Most consecutive minor premierships: 6 (, 1955–1960) * Longest minor premiership drought: years ( / ; never won a minor premiership)

References

External links

VFL/AFL season summaries
{{DEFAULTSORT:List of VFL/AFL minor premiers Australian Football League Australian rules football-related lists

List of minor premiers

Minor premiership wins

Minor premiership records

See also

References

External links