Victorian Football Association

Season 1887

Season Notes

The premiership was decided by the Proportional Points system only from the 1888 season onwards (VFA Meeting 7 October 1887).

For the 1887 season the premiership was awarded to the team with the least losses.

Following an appeal by Geelong, the Association decided the Ballarat Imperial vs Geelong match played on 2 July 1887 should count towards the premiership (VFA Meeting 12 August 1887).

Were this match not to count, and subsequent results remain as they occurred, a play-off for the premiership between Carlton and Geelong would have been required.

It was decided that according to the rules, no matches played on Jubilee Day should count in the reckoning for the premiership of the clubs under the Association (VFA Meeting 12 August 1887)

Length of games: June/July 50 min per half (25 minute quarters), other months 60 minutes (30 minute quarters).

Ballarat clubs

All games involving the Ballarat clubs, including those between themselves are listed here.

Results

Round 1

7 May 1887	St Kilda	-	-	-	3-5	Venue: St Kilda; Attendance: 1500
	Carlton	-	-	-	9-23	Result: Carlton won by 6 goals
7 May 1887	Essendon	0-	2-7	2-	6-12	Venue: EMCG; Attendance: Considerable
	South Williamstown	0-3	0-4	1-	1-12	Result: Essendon won by 5 goals
7 May 1887	Fitzroy	1-1	3-3	-	6-6	Venue: Fitzroy; Attendance: Fair
	Prahran	0-0	0-0	-	0-5	Result: Fitzroy won by 6 goals
7 May 1887	Hotham	2-3	2-3	-	4-4	Venue: Hotham; Attendance: 2000
	Footscray	0-1	0-2	-	0-4	Result: Hotham won by 4 goals
7 May 1887	Melbourne	3-4	3-6	7-9	9-9	Venue: Friendly Societies' Ground; Attendance: 3000
	University	0-1	3-3	4-4	6-6	Result: Melbourne won by 3 goals
7 May 1887	Port Melbourne	2-2	2-4	3-5	5-7	Venue: Port Melbourne; Attendance: 3000-4000
	Williamstown	0-1	0-2	0-3	1-5	Result: Port Melbourne won by 4 goals
7 May 1887	South Melbourne	2-	5-4	-	8-12	Venue: South Melbourne
	Ballarat	1-	1-0	-	1-0	Result: South Melbourne won by 7 goals
7 May 1887	Geelong	2-	6-8	-	9-18	Venue: Geelong; Attendance: 3000
	Richmond	0-	0-4	-	1-5	Result: Geelong won by 8 goals
7 May 1887	South Ballarat	1-	1-	2-	5-18	Venue: Eastern Oval; Attendance: Very large assemblage
	Ballarat Imperial	0-	5-	5-	5-6	Result: DRAW

Round 2

14 May 1887	Prahran	0-0	0-	-	0-3	Venue: Wesley College Ground; Attendance: 1500
	Carlton	0-	0-	-	4-15	Result: Carlton won by 4 goals
14 May 1887	Essendon	-	3-	-	6-11	Venue: EMCG; Attendance: 2000
	Richmond	-	1-	-	2-2	Result: Essendon won by 4 goals
Game finished in darkness at 5.30pm
14 May 1887	Fitzroy	1-10	4-12	-	6-16	Venue: Fitzroy
	University	0-0	0-1	-	3-5	Result: Fitzroy won by 3 goals
14 May 1887	Geelong	-	3-8	-	5-15	Venue: Corio Oval; Attendance: 1500
	Williamstown	-	0-1	-	0-3	Result: Geelong won by 5 goals
Game finished when bad light stopped play
14 May 1887	Melbourne	2-4	4-5	4-6	4-6	Venue: MCG; Attendance: 8000
	Hotham	1-1	1-6	3-7	5-8	Result: Hotham won by 1 goal
14 May 1887	Port Melbourne	-	4-9	6-11	11-14	Venue: Port Melbourne; Attendance: Good
	St Kilda	-	-3	4-	4-5	Result: Port Melbourne won by 7 goals
14 May 1887	South Melbourne	1-3	2-5	3-7	5-14	Venue: South Melbourne; Attendance: Large
	South Williamstown	0-0	0-0	1-0	1-0	Result: South Melbourne won by 4 goals
14 May 1887	South Ballarat	1-3	1-6	3-11	3-14	Venue: Saxon Paddock, Ballarat
	Ballarat	3-3	3-5	3-7	3-9	Result: DRAW

Round 3

21 May 1887	South Williamstown	1-4	1-	-	2-8	Venue: Williamstown Cricket Ground; Attendance: 300
	Fitzroy	2-1	4-3	-	8-9	Result: Fitzroy won by 6 goals
21 May 1887	Geelong	-	5-4	-	8-10	Venue: Corio Oval; Attendance: 5000
	Port Melbourne	-	2-3	-	4-7	Result: Geelong won by 4 goals
21 May 1887	Williamstown	3-5	4-5	6-6	6-6	Venue: Garden's Reserve, Williamstown; Attendance: 2500
	Melbourne	2-0	3-3	3-5	5-7	Result: Williamstown won by 1 goal
21 May 1887	South Ballarat	-	-	-	8-13	Venue: Eastern Oval
	St Kilda	-	-	-	2-5	Result: South Ballarat won by 6 goals
21 May 1887	Ballarat	-	-	-	3-4	Venue: Ballarat
	South Melbourne	-	-	-	4-9	Result: South Melbourne won by 1 goal

Round 4

24 May 1887	Richmond	0-0	0-0	1-0	1-3	Venue: Richmond; Attendance: Fairly large
	Carlton	1-4	4-5	4-5	5-11	Result: Carlton won by 4 goals
24 May 1887	South Ballarat	-	3-3	-	8-10	Venue: Eastern Oval; Attendance: 8000
	Fitzroy	-	1-3	-	1-6	Result: South Ballarat won by 7 goals
24 May 1887	Hotham	0-5	4-9	-	4-12	Venue: EMCG; Attendance: 25000
	Geelong	2-1	3-1	-	4-8	Result: DRAW
Gate 550 pounds - 153 pounds greater than previous record
24 May 1887	Ballarat	0-1	-	-	2-9	Venue: Ballarat; Attendance: 5000
	Melbourne	1-4	-	-	3-13	Result: Melbourne won by 1 goal
24 May 1887	Williamstown	-	4-	-	5-8	Venue: Garden's Reserve, Williamstown; Attendance: 3000
	Ballarat Imperial	-	4-	-	5-3	Result: DRAW

Round 5

28 May 1887	Geelong	-	6-3	-	9-7	Venue: Corio Oval; Attendance: 2500
	Fitzroy	-	2-5	-	3-16	Result: Geelong won by 6 goals
28 May 1887	South Williamstown	0-4	2-7	3-8	3-8	Venue: Williamstown
	Melbourne	2-3	5-5	8-6	13-8	Result: Melbourne won by 10 goals
28 May 1887	Williamstown	-	-	-	1-4	Venue: Garden's Reserve, Williamstown
	Port Melbourne	-	-	-	4-6	Result: Port Melbourne won by 3 goals

Round 6

4 June 1887	Port Melbourne	2-3	-	-	2-8	Venue: Port Melbourne; Attendance: Large number
	Carlton	1-1	-	-	4-12	Result: Carlton won by 2 goals
4 June 1887	Essendon	1-2	2-3	2-3	3-4	Venue: EMCG; Attendance: 5000
	Hotham	0-1	1-1	2-3	3-6	Result: DRAW
4 June 1887	South Melbourne	-	2-4	-	3-11	Venue: South Melbourne; Attendance: 7000
	Fitzroy	-	2-1	-	3-3	Result: DRAW
4 June 1887	Prahran	-	-	-	6-10	Venue: Wesley College Ground; Attendance: Large number
	Footscray	-	-	-	3-3	Result: Prahran won by 3 goals
4 June 1887	Melbourne	2-1	2-2	3-4	4-7	Venue: MCG; Attendance: 5000
	Geelong	2-3	4-5	5-7	7-8	Result: Geelong won by 3 goals
4 June 1887	Williamstown	-	-	-	5-7	Venue: Garden's Reserve, Williamstown; Attendance: Nearly 1200
	Richmond	-	-	-	4-0	Result: Williamstown won by 1 goal
4 June 1887	South Williamstown	1-2	-	-	4-6	Venue: Williamstown; Attendance: Very small
	University	1-4	-	-	2-7	Result: South Williamstown won by 2 goals

Round 7

11 June 1887	Carlton	5-2	8-6	8-8	9-12	Venue: MCG; Attendance: 20000
	Geelong	1-0	1-0	4-1	5-1	Result: Carlton won by 4 goals
11 June 1887	Essendon	1-0	2-1	4-1	4-2	Venue: EMCG; Attendance: 6000
	South Melbourne	0-1	3-2	4-3	5-3	Result: South Melbourne won by 1 goal
11 June 1887	Fitzroy	1-3	3-3	-	3-4	Venue: Fitzroy; Attendance: 5000
	Melbourne	0-1	1-2	-	3-7	Result: DRAW
11 June 1887	Richmond	-	1-6	-	2-12	Venue: Richmond; Attendance: Not large
	Footscray	-	1-1	-	2-1	Result: DRAW
11 June 1887	Port Melbourne	1-1	2-2	3-4	4-6	Venue: Port Melbourne; Attendance: Large number
	Hotham	1-1	2-4	3-5	3-5	Result: Port Melbourne won by 1 goal
11 June 1887	South Williamstown	-	-	-	3-5	Venue: Williamstown Cricket Ground; Attendance: 300
	Prahran	-	-	-	3-9	Result: DRAW
11 June 1887	St Kilda	2-0	4-1	4-3	5-10	Venue: St Kilda; Attendance: Good attendance
	University	1-1	2-1	3-3	3-3	Result: St Kilda won by 2 goals
11 June 1887	Ballarat Imperial	-	1-	-	6-14	Venue: Saxon Paddock, Ballarat
	Williamstown	-	-	-	1-0	Result: Ballarat Imperial won by 5 goals

Round 8

18 June 1887	Hotham	3-1	5-3	5-3	5-4	Venue: Hotham; Attendance: 10000
	Carlton	1-5	2-5	6-7	6-7	Result: Carlton won by 1 goal
Grey fog last quarter
18 June 1887	Essendon	1-2	2-4	5-5	6-5	Venue: EMCG; Attendance: 6000
	Melbourne	0-3	0-6	0-7	2-9	Result: Essendon won by 4 goals
18 June 1887	Port Melbourne	0-2	0-3	1-6	1-7	Venue: Port Melbourne; Attendance: Large number
	Fitzroy	1-2	2-4	2-5	2-8	Result: Fitzroy won by 1 goal
Argus: 'most unseemly outburst of hooting by the more undesirable section of the crowd'
18 June 1887	Williamstown	1-6	1-7	1-8	2-13	Venue: Garden's Reserve, Williamstown; Attendance: 1000
	Footscray	0-0	0-0	0-0	0-0	Result: Williamstown won by 2 goals
18 June 1887	Geelong	-	4-5	-	8-7	Venue: Geelong; Attendance: 8000
	South Melbourne	-	3-6	-	5-9	Result: Geelong won by 3 goals
18 June 1887	Prahran	1-4	-	-	3-8	Venue: South Melbourne; Attendance: 2000
	St Kilda	0-1	-	-	4-5	Result: St Kilda won by 1 goal
18 June 1887	Richmond	1-2	2-2	-	2-7	Venue: Richmond; Attendance: 2000
	South Williamstown	0-0	1-3	-	2-3	Result: DRAW
18 June 1887	Ballarat	-	1-	-	3-13	Venue: Saxon Paddock, Ballarat; Attendance: Large gathering
	Ballarat Imperial	-	3-	-	4-8	Result: Ballarat Imperial won by 1 goal

Round 9

25 June 1887	Carlton	2-2	2-4	2-4	2-4	Venue: MCG; Attendance: 13000
	South Melbourne	0-2	0-2	2-3	2-4	Result: DRAW
Gate: 300 pounds
25 June 1887	Fitzroy	-	2-8	-	3-18	Venue: Fitzroy; Attendance: 1000
	St Kilda	-	0-0	-	0-4	Result: Fitzroy won by 3 goals
25 June 1887	Essendon	-	-	-	1-6	Venue: EMCG
	Geelong	-	-	-	1-2	Result: DRAW
Argus: 'Ground quite unfit to be played upon'
25 June 1887	Richmond	0-4	0-7	-	2-14	Venue: Richmond
	Prahran	0-0	1-2	-	4-2	Result: Prahran won by 2 goals
25 June 1887	Footscray	0-0	-	-	2-5	Venue: Footscray
	Ballarat Imperial	2-3	-	-	4-7	Result: Ballarat Imperial won by 2 goals
25 June 1887	Williamstown	3-0	3-0	5-0	6-1	Venue: Garden's Reserve, Williamstown; Attendance: 1000
	Ballarat	0-1	0-4	1-5	1-6	Result: Williamstown won by 5 goals
25 June 1887	University	-	-	-	2-2	Venue: University
	South Williamstown	-	-	-	1-3	Result: University won by 1 goal

Round 10

2 July 1887	Carlton	2-4	3-7	4-7	4-9	Venue: MCG; Attendance: 10000
	Port Melbourne	0-0	1-3	2-4	2-7	Result: Carlton won by 2 goals
2 July 1887	University	1-2	1-3	-	2-5	Venue: University; Attendance: Fair number
	Footscray	0-0	0-1	-	1-3	Result: University won by 1 goal
2 July 1887	South Melbourne	2-2	3-7	-	7-14	Venue: South Melbourne
	Prahran	0-0	1-2	1-2	1-2	Result: South Melbourne won by 6 goals
2 July 1887	St Kilda	-	-	-	3-4	Venue: St Kilda
	South Williamstown	-	-	-	1-2	Result: St Kilda won by 2 goals
2 July 1887	Ballarat Imperial	1-	2-	2-	3-4	Venue: Eastern Oval; Attendance: 5000
	Geelong	0-0	0-0	0-2	0-2	Result: Ballarat Imperial won by 3 goals
The Association decided at its meeting on 12 August 1887 that this match should be counted in the reckoning of the premiership (Argus 13 Aug 1887)

Round 11

9 July 1887	Essendon	2-1	2-2	4-3	4-5	Venue: EMCG; Attendance: 5000
	Port Melbourne	0-2	1-5	1-5	1-6	Result: Essendon won by 3 goals
9 July 1887	Fitzroy	1-2	3-2	4-5	4-8	Venue: Fitzroy; Attendance: Very fair
	South Williamstown	0-0	0-0	0-1	0-1	Result: Fitzroy won by 4 goals
Argus: 'The ground was little better than a swamp'
9 July 1887	Williamstown	2-0	4-3	4-3	5-5	Venue: Garden's Reserve, Williamstown; Attendance: 2500
	Hotham	0-3	3-3	4-6	5-6	Result: DRAW
9 July 1887	Melbourne	0-5	0-6	-	0-6	Venue: MCG; Attendance: Large number
	South Melbourne	0-0	0-2	0-5	0-8	Result: DRAW
9 July 1887	Prahran	0-0	0-1	1-5	1-6	Venue: South Melbourne; Attendance: 500
	University	0-2	0-4	1-5	2-5	Result: University won by 1 goal
9 July 1887	Richmond	-	4-	-	4-12	Venue: Richmond
	St Kilda	-	1-	-	2-6	Result: Richmond won by 2 goals
St Kilda 'eight of the first twenty were absent, and the places had to be filled by substitutes'
9 July 1887	South Ballarat	-	-	-	5-7	Venue: Eastern Oval; Attendance: 2000
	Ballarat	-	-	-	5-4	Result: DRAW

Round 12

16 July 1887	Melbourne	1-0	1-1	2-4	2-6	Venue: MCG; Attendance: 3000
	Fitzroy	2-0	3-3	3-2	4-4	Result: Fitzroy won by 2 goals
16 July 1887	Hotham	2-	2-5	-	7-6	Venue: Hotham
	St Kilda	-	1-5	-	2-10	Result: Hotham won by 5 goals
16 July 1887	Williamstown	3-4	3-4	6-7	8-7	Venue: Garden's Reserve, Williamstown; Attendance: 600
	Prahran	0-0	0-5	0-6	0-6	Result: Williamstown won by 8 goals
16 July 1887	South Melbourne	2-1	3-2	4-5	5-5	Venue: South Melbourne; Attendance: 8000
	Port Melbourne	1-2	1-6	2-7	2-9	Result: South Melbourne won by 3 goals
16 July 1887	University	-	-	-	1-2	Venue: University
	Richmond	1-	3-	-	4-11	Result: Richmond won by 3 goals
16 July 1887	Geelong	-	4-3	-	7-12	Venue: Geelong; Attendance: Very little interest
	Ballarat Imperial	-	1-1	-	2-1	Result: Geelong won by 5 goals
Ballarat - only 17 men for first 7 minutes - The Age

Round 13

23 July 1887	Melbourne	3-1	3-2	4-5	4-5	Venue: MCG; Attendance: Large number
	Carlton	0-1	4-3	5-3	5-12	Result: Carlton won by 1 goal
23 July 1887	Fitzroy	0-0	0-0	1-3	1-4	Venue: Fitzroy; Attendance: Large number
	Port Melbourne	0-1	1-4	1-6	1-7	Result: DRAW
23 July 1887	Geelong	0-1	3-4	-	4-10	Venue: Geelong
	St Kilda	0-1	0-1	-	1-6	Result: Geelong won by 3 goals
23 July 1887	South Melbourne	2-3	2-5	2-8	4-10	Venue: South Melbourne; Attendance: 6000
	Hotham	1-1	3-1	3-2	4-3	Result: DRAW
23 July 1887	Prahran	3-	-	-	3-15	Venue: Wesley College Ground
	South Williamstown	-	0-1	-	1-6	Result: Prahran won by 2 goals
23 July 1887	Richmond	2-5	3-8	-	5-16	Venue: Richmond
	Williamstown	0-0	0-2	-	1-2	Result: Richmond won by 4 goals
23 July 1887	Ballarat Imperial	-	-	-	4-4	Venue: Saxon Paddock, Ballarat
	South Ballarat	-	-	-	5-10	Result: South Ballarat won by 1 goal
VFA Meeting 12 Aug 1887 - Disputed goal allowed as signalled by the goal umpire

Round 14

30 July 1887	Carlton	1-1	4-4	5-5	5-6	Venue: MCG
	Hotham	0-2	0-4	0-5	1-5	Result: Carlton won by 4 goals
30 July 1887	Melbourne	2-3	3-3	3-3	3-3	Venue: Friendly Societies' Ground; Attendance: 300-400 in enclosure
	Essendon	0-3	0-9	1-9	1-12	Result: Melbourne won by 2 goals
30 July 1887	Richmond	2-1	2-1	-	2-3	Venue: Richmond; Attendance: Good
	Fitzroy	0-0	2-1	2-1	2-3	Result: DRAW
30 July 1887	Footscray	-	1-7	-	2-12	Venue: Footscray; Attendance: Small
	Prahran	-	1-5	-	2-5	Result: DRAW
30 July 1887	Geelong	-	3-3	-	5-8	Venue: Geelong
	University	-	1-2	-	1-3	Result: Geelong won by 4 goals
30 July 1887	South Williamstown	-	-	-	0-8	Venue: Williamstown; Attendance: Fair number
	Port Melbourne	0-	0-	1-	2-2	Result: Port Melbourne won by 2 goals
30 July 1887	South Melbourne	0-1	0-2	1-4	3-7	Venue: South Melbourne; Attendance: 2000
	Williamstown	0-0	0-2	0-2	0-2	Result: South Melbourne won by 3 goals
30 July 1887	Ballarat	-	-	-	4-12	Venue: Saxon Paddock, Ballarat
	Ballarat Imperial	-	-	-	0-8	Result: Ballarat won by 4 goals

Round 15

6 August 1887	Essendon	1-1	1-8	1-9	1-9	Venue: EMCG; Attendance: Very large gathering
	Carlton	0-3	0-5	2-14	4-17	Result: Carlton won by 3 goals
6 August 1887	Fitzroy	2-0	3-5	5-8	5-12	Venue: Fitzroy; Attendance: Large
	Hotham	1-3	1-5	1-7	3-10	Result: Fitzroy won by 2 goals
6 August 1887	Footscray	1-0	-	-	2-1	Venue: Footscray; Attendance: 500
	Williamstown	1-4	-	-	4-5	Result: Williamstown won by 2 goals
6 August 1887	Port Melbourne	1-3	2-4	2-8	2-10	Venue: Port Melbourne; Attendance: 5000
	Geelong	0-2	1-5	2-5	2-9	Result: DRAW
6 August 1887	South Melbourne	4-3	-	-	12-12	Venue: South Melbourne; Attendance: 5000
	Melbourne	0-1	-	-	0-10	Result: South Melbourne won by 12 goals
6 August 1887	University	-	1-5	3-	4-9	Venue: University; Attendance: Fair
	Prahran	-	2-3	2-5	2-5	Result: University won by 2 goals
6 August 1887	St Kilda	-	1-	-	3-7	Venue: St Kilda; Attendance: Very good attendance
	Richmond	-	4-	-	6-8	Result: Richmond won by 3 goals
6 August 1887	South Ballarat	-	-	-	2-5	Venue: Eastern Oval
	Ballarat	-	-	-	3-12	Result: Ballarat won by 1 goal

Round 16

13 August 1887	Carlton	2-5	3-6	3-9	3-9	Venue: EMCG; Attendance: 16000
	Fitzroy	0-2	2-3	2-4	3-5	Result: DRAW
13 August 1887	Hotham	1-3	1-4	-	6-5	Venue: Hotham; Attendance: Fairly large
	Essendon	1-3	2-4	-	3-7	Result: Hotham won by 3 goals
13 August 1887	Port Melbourne	0-3	0-8	0-19	1-22	Venue: Port Melbourne; Attendance: Moderate
	Footscray	0-0	0-0	0-1	0-1	Result: Port Melbourne won by 1 goal
13 August 1887	St Kilda	1-0	1-3	1-3	1-3	Venue: St Kilda; Attendance: Excited great interest
	Prahran	0-1	0-2	3-2	3-2	Result: Prahran won by 2 goals
13 August 1887	Richmond	4-6	4-	5-	5-9	Venue: Richmond; Attendance: Fair number
	South Williamstown	1-0	1-0	3-0	4-0	Result: Richmond won by 1 goal
13 August 1887	South Melbourne	3-4	8-8	9-12	16-18	Venue: South Melbourne; Attendance: 3000
	University	0-0	1-2	2-4	2-4	Result: South Melbourne won by 14 goals
13 August 1887	Geelong	1-2	2-3	4-4	4-6	Venue: Corio Oval; Attendance: 2000
	Ballarat	1-4	1-8	1-11	2-14	Result: Geelong won by 2 goals
13 August 1887	Ballarat Imperial	-	-	-	6-9	Venue: Eastern Oval
	South Ballarat	-	-	-	3-9	Result: Ballarat Imperial won by 3 goals

Round 17

20 August 1887	South Williamstown	0-2	0-3	1-3	3-4	Venue: Williamstown
	Carlton	2-6	2-9	5-12	7-17	Result: Carlton won by 4 goals
20 August 1887	Richmond	-	1-10	-	3-14	Venue: Richmond
	Essendon	-	1-7	-	4-9	Result: Essendon won by 1 goal
20 August 1887	Fitzroy	-	2-4	2-5	3-7	Venue: Fitzroy; Attendance: 10000
	Geelong	-	0-1	1-4	4-8	Result: Geelong won by 1 goal
20 August 1887	University	-	2-7	-	3-9	Venue: University; Attendance: 1500
	Hotham	-	2-4	-	6-9	Result: Hotham won by 3 goals
20 August 1887	Prahran	0-2	1-3	-	1-5	Venue: South Melbourne; Attendance: 2000
	Port Melbourne	4-6	6-8	-	12-17	Result: Port Melbourne won by 11 goals