1997 AFL season
Encyclopedia
Results and statistics for the Australian Football League
season of 1997.
The Port Adelaide Power joined the competition.
The Brisbane Lions
also joined the competition after the merger of the and .
Before the start of the 1997 season, changed its name to the Western Bulldogs Football Club.
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
season of 1997.
The Port Adelaide Power joined the competition.
The Brisbane Lions
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
also joined the competition after the merger of the and .
Before the start of the 1997 season, changed its name to the Western Bulldogs Football Club.
Attendance
| Team | Hosted | Average | Highest | Lowest | Total | Last Season | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essendon | 11 | 52,848 | 83,271 | 25,636 | 581,330 | 49,526 | + 3322 |
| Collingwood | 11 | 48,708 | 78,704 | 23,433 | 535,789 | 44,723 | + 3985 |
| Adelaide | 11 | 40,173 | 47,256 | 36,297 | 441,905 | 39,428 | + 745 |
| Port Adelaide | 11 | 35,829 | 45,498 | 31,757 | 394,115 | N/A | N/A |
| Sydney | 11 | 35,818 | 46,168 | 23,598 | 393,999 | 24,574 | + 11,244 |
| St Kilda | 11 | 35,232 | 54,699 | 17,752 | 387,553 | 27,137 | + 8095 |
| Richmond | 11 | 34,515 | 58,812 | 15,461 | 379,670 | 38,624 | - 4109 |
| Carlton | 11 | 33,634 | 61,650 | 18,187 | 369,972 | 35,891 | - 2257 |
| West Coast | 11 | 32,582 | 39,294 | 21,164 | 358,401 | 32,448 | + 134 |
| North Melbourne | 11 | 32,520 | 54,901 | 13,056 | 357,725 | 34,627 | - 2107 |
| Hawthorn | 11 | 32,380 | 51,494 | 15,939 | 356,179 | 23,624 | + 8756 |
| Geelong | 11 | 28,324 | 65,228 | 16,467 | 311,567 | 25,161 | + 3163 |
| Melbourne | 11 | 27,714 | 61,138 | 13,392 | 304,853 | 30,315 | - 2601 |
| Fremantle | 11 | 21,982 | 39,711 | 14,721 | 241,801 | 22,473 | - 491 |
| Brisbane Lions | 11 | 19,550 | 21,348 | 17,123 | 215,051 | N/A | N/A |
| Western Bulldogs | 11 | 19,335 | 35,438 | 8664 | 212,681 | 18,073 | + 1262 |
| Totals | 176 | 33,197 | 83,271 | 8664 | 5842,591 | 29,637 | + 3560 |
| Venue | Hosted | Average | Highest | Lowest | Total | Last Season | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCG | 53 | 43,488 | 83,271 | 13,392 | 2304,865 | 46,114 | - 2626 |
| Football Park | 22 | 38,001 | 47,256 | 31,757 | 836,020 | 39,428 | - 1427 |
| SCG | 11 | 35,818 | 46,168 | 23,598 | 393,999 | 24,574 | + 11,244 |
| Waverley Park | 22 | 33,806 | 54,699 | 15,939 | 743,732 | 25,545 | + 8261 |
| Subiaco Oval | 17 | 28,371 | 39,711 | 14,721 | 482,310 | 28,289 | + 82 |
| Whitten Oval | 1 | 26,704 | 26,704 | 26,704 | 26,704 | 10,482 | + 16,222 |
| Victoria Park | 3 | 24,473 | 25,323 | 23,433 | 73,419 | 23,581 | + 892 |
| WACA | 5 | 23,578 | 29,838 | 18,198 | 117,892 | 25,253 | - 1675 |
| Kardinia Park | 9 | 21,269 | 24,099 | 16,467 | 191,417 | 22,670 | - 1401 |
| Optus Oval | 22 | 20,781 | 34,922 | 8664 | 457,182 | 15,641 | + 5140 |
| Gabba | 11 | 19,550 | 21,348 | 17,123 | 215,051 | 18,088 | + 1462 |
| Totals | 176 | 33,197 | 83,271 | 8664 | 5842,591 | 29,637 | + 3560 |
Notable events
- Defending premiers were the lowest ranked team in the top eight to reach a preliminary final, when it went down to minor premiers . It currently stands as the only time in VFL/AFL history a team has made the preliminary finals outside the top six.
- In its first season as a merged entity the finished in the top eight, but it went down to minor premiers in the first week of the finals. became the first wooden-spooner to win their first and last games of the season.