Victorian Football Association

Season 1881

 

Season Notes

 

Senior clubs contesting the premiership

Seven clubs contested the premiership in 1882.

 

Rules governing the game

Several rules were altered at the VFA Meeting held on 22 July 1881:

 

 

Results

 

 

Round 1

 

21 May 1881

South Melbourne

-

3-16

Venue: EMCG; Attendance: 5500

 

Hotham

-

2-2

Result: South Melbourne won by 1 goal

 

 

 

 

 

21 May 1881

Carlton

4-13

8-23

Venue: Prince's Oval

 

East Melbourne

0-0

0-1

Result: Carlton won by 8 goals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 2

 

24 May 1881

Hotham

0-2

0-4

Venue: EMCG; Attendance: 7000

 

Geelong

3-7

4-14

Result: Geelong won by 4 goals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 3

 

28 May 1881

Melbourne

3-

4-

Venue: MCG; Attendance: Fair

 

Hotham

2-

2-

Result: Melbourne won by 2 goals

 

 

 

 

 

28 May 1881

Carlton

0-6

1-11

Venue: EMCG; Attendance: 12000

 

South Melbourne

1-6

1-13

Result: DRAW

 

 

 

 

 

28 May 1881

Essendon

-

3-9

Venue: Essendon

 

East Melbourne

-

0-5

Result: Essendon won by 3 goals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 4

 

4 June 1881

Melbourne

2-3

4-4

Venue: MCG; Attendance: 12000

 

Carlton

2-6

2-8

Result: Melbourne won by 2 goals

 

 

 

 

 

4 June 1881

South Melbourne

0-2

-

Venue: South Melbourne

 

Essendon

0-6

-

Result: DRAW

The Argus: “The result up to half time, when the rain put a stop to play was – South Melbourne two behinds, Essendon six behinds.” Match abandoned and counted as a draw.

4 June 1881

East Melbourne

0-4

-

Venue: EMCG

 

Hotham

2-7

-

Result: DRAW

The Argus: “At half time the game was concluded owing to rain”. Match abandoned and counted as a draw.

 

 

Round 5

 

11 June 1881

Melbourne

2-11

3-17

Venue: MCG; Attendance: 16000

 

Geelong

3-1

3-7

Result: DRAW

The Age: "The latter part of the game.. was difficult to see, owing to a dense mist, and the fact that it was now nearly dark at five o'clock would seem to warrant a departure from the present time of starting."

11 June 1881

South Melbourne

0-7

1-

Venue: South Melbourne; Attendance: 800

 

East Melbourne

0-0

0-

Result: South Melbourne won by 1 goal

South Melbourne's goal was kicked five minutes from time and disputed by East Melbourne who "then refused to play on unless the umpire was changed, and as the South captain refused to do so they left the ground."

11 June 1881

Essendon

0-

0-

Venue: EMCG

 

Hotham

1-

3-

Result: Hotham won by 3 goals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 6

 

18 June 1881

Melbourne

-

-

Venue: MCG

 

South Melbourne

-

-

Result: Cancelled

Match postponed owing to the rain.

 

 

 

18 June 1881

Geelong

-

-

Venue: Corio Oval

 

East Melbourne

-

-

Result: Cancelled

Cancelled due to the wet weather.

 

 

 

 

 

Round 7

 

25 June 1881

Melbourne

2-7

4-

Venue: MCG; Attendance: 2000

 

East Melbourne

0-5

2-

Result: Melbourne won by 2 goals

 

 

 

 

 

25 June 1881

Carlton

1-4

2-9

Venue: Prince's Oval; Attendance: 2000

 

Essendon

0-4

0-13

Result: Carlton won by 2 goals

 

 

 

 

 

25 June 1881

South Melbourne

-

-

Venue: EMCG; Attendance: 4000

 

Hotham

-

-

Result: Cancelled

The Argus: "The crowd waited patiently for about 20 minutes, and then rushed the ground, and went clamouring for explanations to the pavilion fence. It then transpired that the reason why the South Melbourne men refused to play was that the Hotham team included Barnes the ex-assistant librarian of Parliament, who was some time ago convicted of indecent conduct. The Hotham captain insisted on Barnes playing, whilst the South held persistently to their objection, and after a good deal of warm argument left the ground".

 

 

Round 8

 

2 July 1881

Melbourne

-

2-

Venue: MCG

 

Essendon

-

3-

Result: Essendon won by 1 goal

 

 

 

 

 

2 July 1881

Geelong

0-3

2-9

Venue: Corio Oval; Attendance: 3000

 

South Melbourne

2-2

2-3

Result: DRAW

The Age questioned the impartiality of Umpire Mr R. Gardiner who appeared to favour Geelong with his decisions, including the awarding of their second goal.

 

 

Round 9

 

9 July 1881

Essendon

0-1

1-2

Venue: MCG; Attendance: 3500

 

Geelong

6-14

8-24

Result: Geelong won by 7 goals

 

 

 

 

 

9 July 1881

Carlton

2-7

3-13

Venue: EMCG; Attendance: 4000

 

Hotham

0-6

0-9

Result: Carlton won by 3 goals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 10

 

16 July 1881

Carlton

1-4

3-6

Venue: MCG; Attendance: 6000

 

South Melbourne

1-3

2-7

Result: Carlton won by 1 goal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 11

 

23 July 1881

Carlton

2-3

4-7

Venue: EMCG; Attendance: 12000

 

Melbourne

1-5

1-9

Result: Carlton won by 3 goals

 

 

 

 

 

23 July 1881

Geelong

2-

8-26

Venue: Corio Oval; Attendance: 1200

 

Hotham

0-0

0-0

Result: Geelong won by 8 goals

 

 

 

 

 

23 July 1881

East Melbourne

-

1-

Venue: Melbourne Football Ground

 

Essendon

-

1-

Result: DRAW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 12

 

30 July 1881

Carlton

2-6

2-7

Venue: EMCG; Attendance: 15000

 

Geelong

2-7

5-14

Result: Geelong won by 3 goals

 

 

 

 

 

30 July 1881

Essendon

0-

0-3

Venue: Essendon

 

Melbourne

0-

2-15

Result: Melbourne won by 2 goals

Venue: Flemington Hill Ground, Essendon

30 July 1881

East Melbourne

0-

1-11

Venue: Richmond

 

Hotham

3-

4-11

Result: Hotham won by 3 goals

Venue: Richmond Cricket Ground

 

 

Round 13

 

6 August 1881

South Melbourne

1-7

2-13

Venue: South Melbourne; Attendance: 14000

 

Melbourne

0-3

1-9

Result: South Melbourne won by 1 goal

 

 

 

 

 

6 August 1881

Essendon

-

0-14

Venue: Essendon

 

Hotham

-

0-5

Result: DRAW

The Age: "The central umpire caused great dissatisfaction, his decisions, besides being partial, leading to the belief that he was unacquainted with the primary rules of the game."

 

 

Round 14

 

13 August 1881

Melbourne

2-

2-13

Venue: EMCG; Attendance: 5000

 

Hotham

1-

1-11

Result: Melbourne won by 1 goal

 

 

 

 

 

13 August 1881

Essendon

0-1

1-1

Venue: Essendon; Attendance: Large

 

South Melbourne

2-2

3-7

Result: South Melbourne won by 2 goals

The Age: "This match was played at Essendon in the presence of the largest assemblage ever seen on that ground."

13 August 1881

Carlton

1-

6-7

Venue: Prince's Oval; Attendance: Fair number

 

East Melbourne

1-

1-8

Result: Carlton won by 5 goals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 15

 

20 August 1881

Geelong

2-0

4-12

Venue: Corio Oval; Attendance: 4000

 

Melbourne

3-12

3-14

Result: Geelong won by 1 goal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 16

 

27 August 1881

Melbourne

2-3

3-6

Venue: Melbourne Football Ground; Attendance: 10000

 

Carlton

0-8

3-19

Result: DRAW

The Argus: “The game, which was one of the best played this season, ended in a draw”

27 August 1881

South Melbourne

1-5

3-9

Venue: South Melbourne; Attendance: 3000

 

Hotham

1-1

1-1

Result: South Melbourne won by 2 goals

Game started 3:25pm due to unpunctual appearance of players from both teams.

 

 

Round 17

 

3 September 1881

South Melbourne

2-8

4-11

Venue: South Melbourne; Attendance: 12000

 

Geelong

0-1

1-9

Result: South Melbourne won by 3 goals

This match decided the premiership. The Age: “After the interval the rain ceased and the wind dropped considerably”.

3 September 1881

Melbourne

-

2-

Venue: Melbourne Football Ground

 

East Melbourne

-

0-

Result: Melbourne won by 2 goals

 

3 September 1881

Carlton

1-

3-

Venue: Prince's Oval; Attendance: 2000

 

Hotham

1-

1-

Result: Carlton won by 2 goals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 18

 

10 September 1881

Melbourne

1-9

3-15

Venue: Melbourne Football Ground; Attendance: 4000

 

Hotham

0-0

3-2

Result: DRAW

The Age: “The visitors were poorly represented, and Melbourne cannot be congratulated on their play, which would have been considered poor for even a moderate second twenty.”

10 September 1881

Geelong

7-

10-34

Venue: Corio Oval; Attendance: Large number

 

Essendon

0-2

1-3

Result: Geelong won by 9 goals

The Argus: “Essendon had a weak team, played with three substitutes, and competed against a strong southerly wind.”

10 September 1881

South Melbourne

3-2

6-12

Venue: South Melbourne; Attendance: Large

 

East Melbourne

0-4

0-4

Result: South Melbourne won by 6 goals

The Argus: “The ground was heavy, and this tried the stamina of both teams.”

 

 

Round 19

 

17 September 1881

South Melbourne

3-11

4-13

Venue: South Melbourne; Attendance: 2000

 

Hotham

0-0

1-3

Result: South Melbourne won by 3 goals

 

 

 

 

 

17 September 1881

Melbourne

3-

4-12

Venue: Melbourne Football Ground

 

Essendon

1-

5-6

Result: Essendon won by 1 goal

The Argus: “..as each had defeated the other during the season, considerable interest was manifested as to the result.”

17 September 1881

Geelong

-

8-25

Venue: Corio Oval

 

East Melbourne

0-0

0-0

Result: Geelong won by 8 goals

The Argus: “Owing to the absence of some of the East Melbourne players, six of the second twenty players of the Melbourne club assisted the visitors.”

 

 

Round 20

 

24 September 1881

Geelong

4-20

4-29

Venue: Corio Oval; Attendance: 5500

 

Carlton

0-0

3-2

Result: Geelong won by 1 goal

 

 

 

 

 

24 September 1881

South Melbourne

-

5-15

Venue: South Melbourne; Attendance: Large

 

Melbourne

-

0-5

Result: South Melbourne won by 5 goals

 

 

 

 

 

24 September 1881

Essendon

-

1-6

Venue: Essendon

 

East Melbourne

-

1-5

Result: DRAW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 21

 

1 October 1881

Melbourne

0-1

1-3

Venue: Melbourne Football Ground; Attendance: 8000

 

Carlton

1-5

1-9

Result: DRAW

The Argus: “The day was altogether unsuitable for football, the temperature being very high, and the wind extremely strong and hot from the north.”

 

 

Ladder

 

 

Team

P

W

L

D

F

A

Points

Proportional Points

%

1

South Melbourne

13

9

1

3

36

13

42

51.69

276.92

2

Geelong

11

8

1

2

57

19

36

52.36

300.00

3

Carlton

13

7

3

3

41

23

34

41.85

178.26

4

Melbourne

16

6

6

4

39

40

32

32.00

97.50

5

Essendon

13

3

6

4

16

36

20

24.62

44.44

6

Hotham

14

2

9

3

20

38

14

16.00

52.63

7

East Melbourne

12

0

9

3

6

46

6

8.00

13.04

 

Total

92

35

35

22

215

215

184

 

 

 

Notes:

 

- Premiership awarded to the team with the ‘best record’.

- Proportional Points system (officially used only from the 1888 season onwards) correlates with most contemporary rankings.

- Where two teams are close on Proportional Points (less than 4.00 points separate) then head-to-head results are used to rank clubs:

      - South Melbourne played Geelong twice, and drew the first game and won the second. On this basis South Melbourne won the 1881 premiership ahead of Geelong.

- Rule requiring a minimum of 18 games to qualify for the Premiership not in force until 1888

- Games involving Ballarat clubs are not included.

- Behinds were recorded but did not count towards the final score or in determining the result of matches.

- The percentage column of goals for divided by goals against is included as an indication only.

- Cancelled matches are not included in the above ladder. This includes matches scheduled for 18 June 1881, and the South Melbourne vs Hotham match of 25 June 1881.

- Abandoned matches were deemed to be draws and are included in the above ladder. Therefore the two abandoned matches played on 4 June 1881 are included as draws.

 

1881 premiers: South Melbourne

 

 

About this document

Prepared and maintained by Andrew Robinson

Author: Andrew Robinson (contact: andrewxx166 at hotmail dot com)
First created: 25 August 2012
Last updated: 5 November 2014

(C) Copyright Andrew Robinson
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the author. All rights reserved.

 

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