Victorian Football Association

Season 1897

 

Link to Full Season Results (includes quarter scores, best players, goalkickers and more)

 

 

Season Notes

Changes to the membership of the Association

Eight teams left the Association at the end of the 1896 and formed the Victorian Football League.

Brunswick were admitted to the Association in March 1897.

 

Decisions made at the Association’s AGM held on Friday 9 April 1897

1. Behinds would now count towards the score. A goal would count for six points, a behind for one point.

2. Team size was reduced from 20 to 18 men.

3. Points for the premiership would be counted as four points for a win, two points for a draw.

 

North Melbourne home matches

The North Melbourne Cricket Ground was under an upgrade during the winter of 1897

The overcome this, the North Melbourne Football Club arranged to ground share with Essendon FC and played most of their home matches at the EMCG

 

Results

 

 

Round 1

 

1 May 1897

Port Melbourne

0-2

4-10

4-10

8-19

67

Venue: Port Melbourne

 

North Melbourne

1-2

1-2

2-6

2-6

18

Result: Port Melbourne won by 49 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 May 1897

Richmond

0-1

1-4

2-6

5-8

38

Venue: MCG

 

Brunswick

0-2

1-2

2-3

2-3

15

Result: Richmond won by 23 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 May 1897

Footscray

1-0

4-2

4-5

4-5

29

Venue: Williamstown

 

Williamstown

2-3

3-3

3-4

3-4

22

Result: Footscray won by 7 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 2

 

8 May 1897

Port Melbourne

2-3

6-5

8-12

10-12

72

Venue: Port Melbourne

 

Richmond

0-1

0-3

0-3

3-5

23

Result: Port Melbourne won by 49 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8 May 1897

Williamstown

1-4

3-4

3-5

4-6

30

Venue: Williamstown

 

North Melbourne

1-1

3-4

4-7

4-9

33

Result: North Melbourne won by 3 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8 May 1897

Footscray

2-2

5-4

6-9

6-12

48

Venue: Footscray

 

Brunswick

0-0

0-4

3-4

3-4

22

Result: Footscray won by 26 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 3

 

15 May 1897

Williamstown

0-0

2-0

2-0

2-3

15

Venue: Williamstown

 

Port Melbourne

0-2

0-2

3-8

4-8

32

Result: Port Melbourne won by 17 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15 May 1897

Footscray

5-5

6-5

8-11

10-15

75

Venue: Richmond City Reserve

 

Richmond

0-1

3-6

3-8

5-10

40

Result: Footscray won by 35 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15 May 1897

North Melbourne

0-5

0-7

0-10

1-10

16

Venue: Brunswick

 

Brunswick

0-0

0-1

0-1

3-3

21

Result: Brunswick won by 5 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 4

 

22 May 1897

Port Melbourne

3-5

6-8

12-13

17-18

120

Venue: Port Melbourne

 

Brunswick

0-0

1-0

2-0

2-1

13

Result: Port Melbourne won by 107 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

22 May 1897

Footscray

2-3

6-6

8-6

9-8

62

Venue: EMCG

 

North Melbourne

4-4

5-5

7-5

8-7

55

Result: Footscray won by 7 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

22 May 1897

Richmond

1-2

4-5

6-8

7-10

52

Venue: Richmond City Reserve

 

Williamstown

2-0

4-2

6-4

8-4

52

Result: DRAW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 5

 

24 May 1897

Footscray

1-3

1-3

2-5

2-5

17

Venue: Footscray

 

Port Melbourne

0-1

3-5

3-5

7-9

51

Result: Port Melbourne won by 34 points

Morning game, start 10:30am

 

 

 

 

 

 

24 May 1897

North Melbourne

1-2

4-6

4-9

5-13

43

Venue: EMCG

 

Richmond

2-2

2-4

5-6

6-6

42

Result: North Melbourne won by 1 point

Played in 'forenoon'. In Saturday fixtures scheduled for Port Melbourne, but played at EMCG. Season Fixtures: NMRR.

24 May 1897

Williamstown

1-3

3-9

5-13

9-16

70

Venue: Williamstown

 

Brunswick

0-2

1-2

4-2

4-2

26

Result: Williamstown won by 44 points

Played in 'forenoon'; Season fixtures Brunswick

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 6

 

29 May 1897

North Melbourne

0-2

2-2

2-4

6-5

41

Venue: EMCG

 

Port Melbourne

1-0

2-2

2-5

2-8

20

Result: North Melbourne won by 21 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

29 May 1897

Footscray

2-1

2-4

2-8

2-10

22

Venue: Footscray

 

Williamstown

0-2

0-2

0-3

0-4

4

Result: Footscray won by 18 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

29 May 1897

Brunswick

4-1

5-1

6-3

8-6

54

Venue: Brunswick

 

Richmond

0-2

2-8

3-12

4-15

39

Result: Brunswick won by 15 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 7

 

5 June 1897

Richmond

0-1

3-1

6-1

8-1

49

Venue: Richmond Cricket Ground

 

Port Melbourne

4-5

6-8

7-11

8-12

60

Result: Port Melbourne won by 11 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 June 1897

Brunswick

2-1

2-1

2-1

4-4

28

Venue: Brunswick

 

Footscray

2-5

4-5

8-6

8-8

56

Result: Footscray won by 28 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 June 1897

North Melbourne

2-3

4-4

5-8

5-8

38

Venue: EMCG

 

Williamstown

0-3

0-4

2-4

3-5

23

Result: North Melbourne won by 15 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 8

 

12 June 1897

Port Melbourne

1-1

3-2

4-6

4-10

34

Venue: Port Melbourne

 

Williamstown

0-2

0-4

3-6

4-5

29

Result: Port Melbourne won by 5 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12 June 1897

Brunswick

0-2

0-3

2-5

2-9

21

Venue: Brunswick

 

North Melbourne

1-1

4-3

4-6

8-9

57

Result: North Melbourne won by 36 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12 June 1897

Footscray

1-5

6-10

7-13

8-13

61

Venue: Footscray

 

Richmond

1-3

1-6

2-6

6-8

44

Result: Footscray won by 17 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 9

 

19 June 1897

Brunswick

1-1

1-1

1-1

1-1

7

Venue: Brunswick

 

Port Melbourne

1-4

3-3

4-8

6-9

45

Result: Port Melbourne won by 38 points

Charity Match Round

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19 June 1897

North Melbourne

1-2

2-5

2-10

3-12

30

Venue: EMCG

 

Footscray

0-1

1-3

1-3

2-4

16

Result: North Melbourne won by 14 points

Charity Match Round. The Argus observed: “The association clubs had set apart Saturday for their charity matches and as this step was determined upon some time back it is no fault of their that financially it will be a failure. Indeed, with the disabilities under which they labour, it is unreasonable to expect them to do much in alms-giving.”

19 June 1897

Williamstown

3-4

3-5

5-7

8-15

63

Venue: Williamstown

 

Richmond

1-1

2-3

3-3

3-3

21

Result: Williamstown won by 42 points

Charity Match Round

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 10

 

26 June 1897

Port Melbourne

2-2

2-7

3-9

3-11

29

Venue: Port Melbourne

 

Footscray

0-1

0-3

2-4

3-6

24

Result: Port Melbourne won by 5 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

26 June 1897

Richmond

0-1

2-1

2-1

2-2

14

Venue: Richmond Cricket Ground

 

North Melbourne

2-1

4-5

4-6

7-8

50

Result: North Melbourne won by 36 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

26 June 1897

Brunswick

0-1

0-1

0-1

0-1

1

Venue: Brunswick

 

Williamstown

1-2

4-4

4-5

6-7

43

Result: Williamstown won by 42 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 11

 

3 July 1897

North Melbourne

0-0

2-6

3-8

3-10

28

Venue: EMCG

 

Port Melbourne

4-1

5-2

6-3

7-4

46

Result: Port Melbourne won by 18 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 July 1897

Williamstown

1-1

2-1

2-4

3-5

23

Venue: Williamstown

 

Footscray

0-2

0-6

0-6

2-9

21

Result: Williamstown won by 2 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 July 1897

Brunswick

0-2

2-4

5-5

6-8

44

Venue: Brunswick

 

Richmond

1-2

2-2

3-5

4-8

32

Result: Brunswick won by 12 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 12

 

10 July 1897

Richmond

0-2

2-4

2-6

3-6

24

Venue: Richmond Cricket Ground

 

Port Melbourne

2-4

4-4

4-5

5-6

36

Result: Port Melbourne won by 12 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10 July 1897

North Melbourne

2-1

4-1

5-1

5-2

32

Venue: EMCG

 

Williamstown

0-2

3-4

3-5

4-7

31

Result: North Melbourne won by 1 point

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10 July 1897

Brunswick

0-1

2-1

2-1

3-8

26

Venue: Brunswick

 

Footscray

4-4

7-8

9-10

10-13

73

Result: Footscray won by 47 points

The Argus reported: “When Footscray went to Brunswick on Saturday, they discovered that nearly half their regular team had inadvertently wandered across the Saltwater River to Flemington and stayed there All the reserves were called out, a few useful substitutes found, and both the regular men and the reserves played such good football that, to use a contradiction in terms, the missing were not missed although amongst them were included such men as Evans, Grundon, Williams, Brockwell, Armstrong, and Hinch; while amongst the subs were such matured veterans as Arthur Lee. Footscray, opening the game with many misgivings, closed it easy winners by 73 points to 26, and never allowed the other side a hope of getting to the front.”

 

 

Round 13

 

17 July 1897

Port Melbourne

2-1

5-3

8-7

9-14

68

Venue: Port Melbourne

 

Williamstown

0-2

0-2

2-4

2-4

16

Result: Port Melbourne won by 52 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17 July 1897

Brunswick

1-4

1-5

3-6

3-7

25

Venue: Brunswick

 

North Melbourne

1-1

3-6

5-6

5-7

37

Result: North Melbourne won by 12 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17 July 1897

Footscray

1-6

3-12

6-15

7-17

59

Venue: Footscray

 

Richmond

0-0

0-1

0-3

0-5

5

Result: Footscray won by 54 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 14

 

24 July 1897

Brunswick

1-2

2-2

4-2

6-2

38

Venue: Brunswick

 

Port Melbourne

5-7

8-11

10-12

14-15

99

Result: Port Melbourne won by 61 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

24 July 1897

Footscray

1-0

1-1

3-3

4-4

28

Venue: Footscray

 

North Melbourne

0-3

0-3

1-3

1-4

10

Result: Footscray won by 18 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

24 July 1897

Williamstown

2-0

4-5

6-8

9-15

69

Venue: Williamstown

 

Richmond

2-1

2-1

4-1

5-3

33

Result: Williamstown won by 36 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Representative Match

 

31 July 1897

Ballarat Association

0-4

3-7

5-8

6-11

47

Venue: Eastern Oval, Ballarat

 

Victorian Football Association

2-1

6-4

6-6

7-8

50

Result: Victorian Football Association won by 3 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 15

 

7 August 1897

Port Melbourne

0-2

0-6

0-7

1-10

16

Venue: Port Melbourne

 

Footscray

0-2

0-3

1-7

1-8

14

Result: Port Melbourne won by 2 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 August 1897

Williamstown

3-6

6-8

8-8

9-12

66

Venue: Williamstown

 

Brunswick

0-1

1-3

2-8

2-8

20

Result: Williamstown won by 46 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 August 1897

North Melbourne

4-3

4-5

7-9

9-14

68

Venue: EMCG

 

Richmond

0-0

1-8

2-9

5-14

44

Result: North Melbourne won by 24 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 16

 

14 August 1897

Port Melbourne

0-2

2-5

2-8

2-11

23

Venue: Port Melbourne

 

North Melbourne

2-3

2-4

2-5

4-5

29

Result: North Melbourne won by 6 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14 August 1897

Footscray

0-0

0-4

1-5

3-6

24

Venue: Footscray

 

Williamstown

2-2

2-2

3-7

3-7

25

Result: Williamstown won by 1 point

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14 August 1897

Richmond

1-3

1-12

4-15

5-21

51

Venue: Richmond Cricket Ground

 

Brunswick

3-3

3-3

4-4

5-4

34

Result: Richmond won by 17 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 17

 

21 August 1897

Port Melbourne

2-4

5-4

8-7

13-9

87

Venue: Port Melbourne

 

Richmond

2-1

3-2

3-2

3-3

21

Result: Port Melbourne won by 66 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

21 August 1897

Williamstown

4-3

5-4

9-6

9-7

61

Venue: Williamstown

 

North Melbourne

0-0

0-2

1-2

2-5

17

Result: Williamstown won by 44 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

21 August 1897

Footscray

0-1

0-4

1-6

3-10

28

Venue: Footscray

 

Brunswick

0-4

1-5

1-7

2-8

20

Result: Footscray won by 8 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 18

 

28 August 1897

Williamstown

0-0

2-6

2-6

3-9

27

Venue: Williamstown

 

Port Melbourne

3-4

3-4

3-5

4-6

30

Result: Port Melbourne won by 3 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

28 August 1897

North Melbourne

0-0

5-2

5-3

10-9

69

Venue: Footscray

 

Brunswick

1-5

1-5

3-15

3-15

33

Result: North Melbourne won by 36 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

28 August 1897

Richmond

1-2

2-3

4-8

5-10

40

Venue: Richmond Cricket Ground

 

Footscray

0-2

6-6

6-7

9-12

66

Result: Footscray won by 26 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 19

 

4 September 1897

Port Melbourne

2-5

3-12

7-15

9-17

71

Venue: Port Melbourne

 

Brunswick

0-0

0-3

0-3

2-6

18

Result: Port Melbourne won by 53 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4 September 1897

Footscray

0-0

2-3

2-3

4-6

30

Venue: Footscray

 

North Melbourne

3-2

3-2

7-5

7-5

47

Result: North Melbourne won by 17 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4 September 1897

Richmond

0-1

2-4

2-6

3-11

29

Venue: Richmond Cricket Ground

 

Williamstown

2-3

2-3

4-8

4-9

33

Result: Williamstown won by 4 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round 20

 

11 September 1897

Footscray

1-2

2-7

6-8

7-12

54

Venue: Footscray

 

Port Melbourne

0-3

2-3

3-4

3-6

24

Result: Footscray won by 30 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11 September 1897

Richmond

2-2

3-3

5-3

6-8

44

Venue: Richmond Cricket Ground

 

North Melbourne

0-2

2-9

5-13

6-16

52

Result: North Melbourne won by 8 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11 September 1897

Williamstown

4-3

7-9

9-14

13-15

93

Venue: Williamstown

 

Brunswick

1-3

1-3

2-4

6-7

43

Result: Williamstown won by 50 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final ladder

 

1897

Club

Won

Lost

Drawn

For

Against

%

Points

1

Port Melbourne

17

3

0

1030

505

204.0

68

2

North Melbourne

14

6

0

770

681

113.1

56

3

Footscray

13

7

0

807

561

143.9

52

4

Williamstown

10

9

1

795

605

131.4

42

5

Brunswick

3

17

0

509

1151

44.2

12

6

Richmond

2

17

1

685

1093

62.7

10

 

Total

59

59

2

4596

4596

 

240

 

Note: The premiership was determined by the final ladder standings. No finals were played.

 

 

1897 premiers: Port Melbourne

 

 

About this document

Prepared and maintained by Andrew Robinson

Author: Andrew Robinson (contact: andrewxx166 at hotmail dot com)
First created:
4 June 2011
Last updated:
2 August 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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