The 1908 VFL season was the twelfth season of the

Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football competition in Australia operated by the Australian Football League (AFL) as a second-tier, regional, semi-professional competition. It includes teams from clubs based in east ...

(VFL), the highest-level senior

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 Australian rules football playing field, oval field, often a modified ...

competition in Victoria. The season featured ten clubs and ran from 2 May to 26 September, comprising an 18-match home-and-away season followed by a three-week

finals series Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...

featuring the top four clubs.

Victorian Football Association The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football competition in Australia operated by the Australian Football League (AFL) as a second-tier, regional, semi-professional competition. It includes teams from clubs based in east ...

(VFA) club and Metropolitan Junior Football Association (MJFA) club featured for the first time in 1908. won the premiership, defeating by nine points in the 1908 VFL grand final; it was Carlton's third (consecutive and overall) VFL premiership, marking the first time a club won three consecutive VFL premierships. Carlton also won its third consecutive

minor premiership A minor premiership is the title given to the team which finishes a sporting competition first in the league standings after the regular season but prior to commencement of the finals in several Australian sports leagues. Origins The etymolo ...

by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with a 17–1 win–loss record. 's

Dick Lee Richard Lee Peng Boon (born 24 August 1956) is a Singaporean singer-songwriter, playwright and film director. Lee was awarded the Cultural Medallion, Singapore's pinnacle arts award, for music in 2005. Early life Lee was born to a Peranakan fathe ...

won his second consecutive

leading goalkicker medal The Coleman Medal is an Australian rules football award given annually to the Australian Football League (AFL) player who kicks the most goals in the home-and-away season. It is named after Essendon full-forward John Coleman, one of the most ...

as the league's leading goalkicker.

Background

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".

Home-and-away season

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 an Australian rules football and cricket ground located in Edinburgh Gardens in Fitzroy North, Victoria, Australia. History Aust ...

, 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 as the Richmond Cricket Ground or known by naming rights sponsorship as the Swinburne Centre, is an Australian rules football ground and a former Cricket oval located within the Yarra Park precinct of East Melbourne, ...

, 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 w ...

, 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 , 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, Victoria, Albert Park. Comprising an athletics track and soccer stadium, it currently serves as the home ground and administrative base for association ...

, 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 a sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne, Victoria. Founded and managed by the Melbourne Cricket Club, it is the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere, the el ...

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

Ladder

, - style=background:#FFFFBB , 1 , , align=left , (P) , , 18 , , 17 , , 1 , , 0 , , 1125 , , 664 , , 169.4 , , 68 , - style=background:#FFFFBB , 2 , , align=left , , , 18 , , 14 , , 4 , , 0 , , 1160 , , 814 , , 142.5 , , 56 , - style=background:#FFFFBB , 3 , , align=left , , , 18 , , 10 , , 8 , , 0 , , 955 , , 942 , , 101.4 , , 40 , - style=background:#FFFFBB , 4 , , align=left , , , 18 , , 10 , , 8 , , 0 , , 966 , , 996 , , 97.0 , , 40 , - , 5 , , align=left , , , 18 , , 9 , , 9 , , 0 , , 975 , , 962 , , 101.4 , , 36 , - , 6 , , align=left , , , 18 , , 8 , , 10 , , 0 , , 1032 , , 1075 , , 96.0 , , 32 , - , 7 , , align=left , , , 18 , , 7 , , 11 , , 0 , , 932 , , 852 , , 109.4 , , 28 , - , 8 , , align=left , , , 18 , , 7 , , 11 , , 0 , , 927 , , 1065 , , 87.0 , , 28 , - , 9 , , align=left , , , 18 , , 6 , , 12 , , 0 , , 940 , , 1275 , , 73.7 , , 24 , - , 10 , , align=left , , , 18 , , 2 , , 16 , , 0 , , 803 , , 1170 , , 68.6 , , 8 Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 54.5
Source
AFL Tables
/onlyinclude>

Finals series

Semi-finals

, - 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" , , 12.12 (84) , , 3.8 (26) ,

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

Grand final

Season notes

Richmond Football Club The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed the Tigers or colloquially the Tiges, is a professional Australian rules football team competing in the Australian Football League (AFL). Founded in 1885 in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond, Victoria, Ric ...

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. Founded in 1859, it is one of the oldest football clubs in the world. The club fields two teams, kno ...

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

Dick Condon Richard Patrick 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) across two decades ...

as playing coach and former Collingwood champion Charlie Pannam as captain,

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...

won its first VFL match against

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

, 8.14 (62) to 7.9 (51).

University A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...

had its first VFL victory in the second round of the season, beating

14.10 (94) to 12.4 (76). * In the first round match between Fitzroy and

South Melbourne South Melbourne is an inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 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 the 2021 ...

at the

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

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

, 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 prime minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia. The prime minister is the chair of the Cabinet of Australia and thus the head of the Australian Government, federal executive government. Under the pr ...

, the Melbourne-born

Alfred Deakin Alfred Deakin (3 August 1856 – 7 October 1919) was an Australian politician who served as the second Prime Minister of Australia, prime minister of Australia from 1903 to 1904, 1905 to 1908, and 1909 to 1910. He held office as the leader of th ...

(1856–1919) spoke of his youthful experiences of playing a rudimentary form of Australian football.

Awards

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

of Collingwood with 54 goals. *

Geelong Geelong ( ) (Wathawurrung language, Wathawurrung: ''Djilang''/''Djalang'') is a port city in Victoria, Australia, located at the eastern end of Corio Bay (the smaller western portion of Port Phillip Bay) and the left bank of Barwon River (Victo ...

took the "

wooden spoon A wooden spoon is a Kitchen utensil, utensil commonly used in food preparation. In addition to its culinary uses, wooden spoons also feature in folk art and culture. History The word ''spoon'' derives from an ancient word meaning a chip of woo ...

" in 1908.

References

Article on 1908 Melbourne Carnival
at AustralianFootball.com * 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.

Sources

at AFL Tables
1908 VFL season
at Australian Football {{DEFAULTSORT:1908 VFL season Australian Football League seasons VFL season