AFL Grand Final
Encyclopedia
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football
match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
in Melbourne
, Australia to determine the Australian Football League
(AFL) premiership champions for that year. The game has become significant to Australian culture, spawning a number of traditions and surrounding activities which have grown in popularity since the interstate expansion of the VFL in the 1980s and the subsequent creation of the national AFL competition in the 1990s. The 2006 Sweeney Sports Report concluded that the AFL Grand Final has become Australia's most important sporting event, with the largest attendance, metropolitan television audience and overall interest of any annual Australian sporting event.
The winner of the Grand Final is presented with the AFL Premiership Cup and the Premiership Flag.
in England – that is, the team on top of the table (or "ladder" in the Australian vernacular) was declared the premiers. However, the fledgling VFL decided that a finals series played between the top four teams at the end of the season would generate more interest and gate money. For 1897
, the VFL scheduled a round robin tournament whereby the top four played each other once and the team that won the most matches was declared the winner.
However, this method had flaws, so the VFL continued to experiment, playing "section" matches after the regular season and then a finals series where first on the ladder played the third team and second met fourth. The winners of these "semi" finals then met in a final to decide the premiership. The first such final was contested in 1898
between the Essendon Football Club
and Fitzroy Football Club
at the St Kilda Cricket Ground
, which Fitzroy won scoring 5.8 (38) to Essendon's 3.5 (23).
The new finals system caused problems in 1901
when Geelong finished on top of the ladder but was immediately eliminated when defeated in the semi final. A "right of challenge" was introduced, giving the team that finished on top at the end of the regular season (the minor premier) the right to challenge if they lost the semi final or the final. This challenge match came to be called the "grand final". The early finals were scattered around various Melbourne venues: Albert Park
, St Kilda's Junction Oval and the now defunct East Melbourne Cricket Ground
. The selection of the venue could depend on the portion of the gate demanded by the ground's landlords.
(MCC) to rent the ground for the finals series and the first grand final at what is today considered the home of the game attracted more than 35,000 people to watch Collingwood
down Essendon
. The success of the finals at the MCG was proven with big attendances every year, and soon all the major competitions around Australia were employing what was known as the "amended Argus system" of finals. The "original Argus system" had been instituted by the VFL in 1901, the amended system was instituted by the VFL in 1902. The 1907 Grand Final
attracted an Australian record sporting attendance of 45,477.
By 1908
, a new record attendance of 50,261 was set, on a day when the crowd was so huge that it broke through the fence and filed onto the ground, sitting around the boundary line to watch the action. This figure was beaten in the 1912 Grand Final
when 54,463 saw Essendon defeat South Melbourne
. The big finals crowds (and increasing cricket attendances) prompted the MCC to cut down the eleven fifty-year old elm trees inside the ground and turn the stadium into a concrete bowl, complete with extra stands and standing room. The record fell again in the last grand final before World War I
, when the excitement of St Kilda's first premiership attempt drew 59,479 spectators.
after they defeated Collingwood in the thrilling 1915 Grand Final
, ironically dubbed a "glorious contest" by famous coach Jack Worrall. But many diggers supported the continuance of the game, and both the 1918
and 1919
Grand Finals were notable for the large number of Australian servicemen in attendance, many of whom wore uniform. During the 1920s, the VFL grappled with the problems associated with the "amended Argus system", specifically that a true "grand" final was not played if the minor premier won both the semi final and the final. Although new attendance records were set in 1920
and 1922
, these were for the semi finals, which often drew bigger crowds than the Grand Final. The VFL reverted to the round robin system in 1924
, which was a disaster, then went back to the "amended Argus system" for 1925
, when the Grand Final attracted a new record crowd of 64,288. This bumper attendance was the result of Geelong's
first VFL premiership win, when a huge contingent from Victoria's second city descended on the MCG to watch their team make history.
Collingwood's famous four premierships in a row between 1927
and 1930
became the catalyst for change to the system. The other clubs felt that the Magpies had an unfair advantage from finishing all four seasons on top of the ladder when the right of challenge saved them on a number of occasions. In 1927, 1928 and 1930, the biggest crowd of the year was drawn to the semi final and not the Grand Final.
(or 'final four") was introduced for 1931, whereby the semi finals (1 v 2 and 3 v 4) were followed by the preliminary final and then the grand final, with the right of challenge abolished. This proved satisfactory to all, and the new system ushered in a golden age for the Grand Final.
New records were constantly set and when 75,754 attended the 1933 Grand Final
between South Melbourne and Richmond
, it started the MCC thinking of expansion again. Just months earlier, cricket attendance records were shattered during the "bodyline
" series between Australia and England. The MCC decided to build the southern stand, which enclosed almost half the ground and was completed in 1937. That year, the Geelong-Collingwood Grand Final
attracted 88,540 and the spectators were sitting five deep along the boundary line. Somehow, the following year, 96,834 people turned up and squashed in to watch the Magpies take on Carlton
. At the time, Melbourne's population was about one million, which meant that on Grand Final day, almost one tenth of the city was at the game.
Football served as a distraction for people on the home front during the war, particularly during the darkest days between 1941 and 1943. The Australian government requisitioned a number of VFL grounds, including the MCG. Therefore, the Grand Final was staged at Princes Park (Carlton) in 1942
, 1943
and 1943
, and at St Kilda's Junction Oval in 1944
when Fitzroy won its last premiership on the hottest Grand Final day on record. The 1943 clash was a thrilling contest, Richmond defeating Essendon by five points. The 1942 and 1945 matches were marred by violence, and the latter game has gone down in history as "the "Bloodbath"
. An amazing crowd of 62,986 crammed into the Carlton ground for this game, which was played just weeks after the armistice with Japan was declared. Clearly, the people of Melbourne were keen to normalise their lives again and football was central to this desire.
So when the MCG was finally relinquished by the government in August 1946, there was great expectation in the build up to the Grand Final, where Essendon booted a record score to defeat Melbourne. Attendances were back to 1930s levels by 1947 and 85,815 turned up to see Carlton beat Essendon
by a solitary point; a similar crowd a year later watched the Bombers play the first draw in Grand Final history
. However, they lost a replay with Melbourne the following week. The sight of thousands sitting between the fence and the boundary line, first seen in the late 1930s, was now usual at the Grand Final. Spectators were admitted on a first-come basis, and thousands took to lining up outside the stadium in the days before the match to gain the best vantage point when the gates opened on the morning of the match. Some reservations were raised about spectator safety as the MCG was clearly being filled above its capacity.
, the ground was upgraded again with a new stand and extra capacity. Construction work restricted the crowd at the 1954 Grand Final
when 80,897 people saw Footscray win their historic first (and so far only) flag. Eight thousand more witnessed the 1955 Grand Final
, before the stand was fully completed. The 1956 Grand Final
was seen as a dry run for the opening ceremony of the games two months later, but no one was prepared for the outcome. Officially, 115,802 fans turned out to see Melbourne take on Collingwood for the second year in a row, but contemporary reports state that anywhere between twenty and thirty thousand people were turned away. Some gained admittance by storming the gates, while others perched precariously on the roof of the southern stand. The old record had been shattered by almost 19,000 but the chaos outside the ground prompted the VFL to introduce a ticketing system for the first time.
Attendances now hovered around the 100,000 mark during the coming years. Melbourne dominated the era with seven straight Grand Final appearances (for five flags), playing Collingwood three times and Essendon twice. The 1958 Grand Final
, when Collingwood upset a Melbourne team attempting to equal the Magpies' proud record of four consecutive premierships, was arguably the greatest upset recorded in the biggest game of all. The Demons made amends by winning the next year, when the premiership cup was presented for the first time. Previously, the crowd descended on the arena at the end of the game, and the players were variously chaired off the ground or walked to the dressing room. The presentation of the cup gave the after-match a ceremonial focus and allowed the attention to settle on the premier team.
Following the 1956 introduction of television to Australia, there were repeated calls for the Grand Final to be telecast live, but the VFL refused on the basis that the crowd numbers might be affected. A delayed telecast was allowed for the 1961 Grand Final
, when Hawthorn won for the first time, but thereafter only a videotaped replay was shown.
, a thrilling finish enabled Melbourne to win their last premiership by four points. Two years later, in arguably one of the most famous Grand Final of them all, St Kilda won their only premiership
by one point, and their players went for an impromptu lap of honour with the cup, a tradition that endures. In the 1967 Grand Final
, Geelong and Richmond played a match of the highest standard, with the Tigers winning in the last minutes to end a long premiership drought. The next season, Carlton also ended a long run without success and set a record as the only winning team to score fewer goals than the opposition as they defeated Essendon by three points
.
By now, the MCG had been expanded again so that record crowds were set in 1968, 1969 and 1970. In what's commonly referred to as the all time greatest grand final the Grand Final of 1970
, when Carlton came back from a 44-point half time deficit to beat Collingwood, was watched by an all-time record crowd of 121,696 people. Most of the matches during this period had something to remember: Hawthorn's comeback to win in 1971
, Carlton's record score in the highest scoring Grand Final ever played in 1972
, Richmond's two wins over Carlton in 1969
and 1973
in very physical encounters, and North Melbourne's first Grand Final victory in 1975
. In 1977, North Melbourne came from 27 points down at three quarter time to play the second drawn Grand Final in history [the first in 1948]. The momentum continued on the first Saturday in October 1977, when they defeated Collingwood in the replay.
After the 1981 grand final, the old scoreboard was removed to Manuka Oval
. The MCG installed a new electronic colour scoreboard in 1982.
By the start of the early 80's, Collingwood had lost eight grand finals in a row since winning its 1958 premiership. They were given the nickname "Colliwobbles" to signify a choking phenomenon.
, interstate clubs have won the ultimate prize on 10 occasions, with Fremantle
and now Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney the only clubs not to have achieved this feat.
Throughout the 1990s, the standards of the Grand Finals never reached sensational heights, or concluded with nail biting finishes. In this decade, West Coast
and North Melbourne
vied for the unofficial title of 'team of the decade', winning two flags apiece, as well as being runners-up in 1991 and 1998 respectively. Collingwood walked over the Bombers in the 1990 decider (which was played in October, due to the Magpies draw with the Eagles in the Qualifying Final, extending the finals series by a week), an aging Hawthorn unit was too classy for the Eagles in the 1991 Grand Final
, who got their revenge the following season with a come-from-behind victory over Geelong
, before going on to record their second flag
under coach Mick Malthouse
and captain John Worsfold
two years later over the same opponent. Thus, West Coast became the first interstate team to take the premiership outside of Victoria. Wedged in between was Essendon's 'Baby Bombers', Kevin Sheedy moulding a group of talented youngsters into a premiership winning combination, overrunning their older Carlton counterparts in the 1993 Grand Final
. The Blues, though, were not yet a spent force, trouncing the hapless Cats by 61 points in the 1995 Grand Final
.
The 1996 Grand Final
saw North Melbourne make up for their many years of near misses, downing Sydney
with ease, to take home the only golden premiership cup yet to be used. Adelaide
, under new coach Malcolm Blight
, stunned the football world with two premierships in succession, defeating St Kilda in the 1997 Grand Final
, and the Kangaroos in the 1998 Grand Final
. Adelaide was the first team since Hawthorn in 1988–89 to win back-to-back premierships, and the first interstate team to win back-to-back premierships.
Wayne Carey
's Kangaroos fought back, however, to be premiers for the fourth time in the 1999 Grand Final
. The Roos defeated the sixth-placed Carlton
on the day, who had qualified for the Grand Final after a one point victory over minor premiers and bitter rivals Essendon
in the preliminary final.
by 10 goals in the 2000 Grand Final
.
The following season, 2001, saw the Brisbane Lions
win the first of their three premierships in succession. The Lions outplayed a tiring Bomber outfit in the second half of the 2001 decider
. The following season saw Collingwood
, vast underdogs, push the Lions to the limit in the 2002 Grand Final
, the Lions pipping the Magpies at the post by nine points. Brisbane's third and final premiership in their historic run of success came in 2003, again accounting for Collingwood
, though on this occasion by a convincing 50 points, crushing the spirit of the Magpies, who had been favourites going into the match. The Lions' castle finally came tumbling down in 2004
, when Port Adelaide
outclassed them in the second half with a 40 point victory.
Seasons 2005 and 2006 are best remembered for the classic rivalry forged between Sydney
and the West Coast Eagles
. The Swans clung on grimly to win the 2005 decider
by four points, remembered for Leo Barry
's epic defensive mark in the dying seconds. The following year, the same two clubs met again, though this time West Coast emerged victorious by one point
– the first time a point had separated two clubs in a Grand Final since St Kilda's victory over Collingwood
in 1966.
The years 2007 to 2009 saw a dominant Geelong
appear in all three Grand Finals. 2007 belonged to the Cats, who, 44 years after their last premiership, stamped their authority on the competition, losing only one match after round five, and trouncing Port Adelaide in the decider
by a record 119 points. The following year also appeared to be Geelong's after they blitzed the home and away season winning 21 out of 22 games, equalling Essendons's 2000 record of most matches won in a home and away season. However, Hawthorn stunned the favourites with a 26 point victory in the 2008 Grand Final
. In the 2009 AFL Grand Final
, Geelong defeated St Kilda by 12 points in an intense encounter.
. The result was the third draw in grand final history, with a final score of 68 points for both teams. Lenny Hayes
won the Norm Smith Medal
. The grand final replay was held on 2 October; Collingwood won the replay by 56 points and Scott Pendlebury
won the second Norm Smith Medal
.
play-offs at the end of the season. In the current system, the eight teams finishing highest on the ladder after all the home and away rounds qualify for the four-week long finals series culminating in the Grand Final. The team that finishes the regular season at the top of the ladder is said to have won the minor premiership and, since 1991, has been awarded the McClelland Trophy
.
, while for the club it symbolises both reward and the significance of taking part in a historic event. The term is often used play down the significance of the other prizes which have themselves become symbolic of these things to club supporters as well.
Premiership glory and what it means to clubs is expressed in different ways in the team songs of many of the VFL/AFL clubs. The Essendon song, for example, mentions the "premiership flag", "glory" and "fame" and the history of the "grand old game". Port Adelaide's song mentions "tradition", "history" and the "flag is ours for the taking". Collingwood's song refers to the "premiership". Some versions of the North Melbourne song declare that the club "will be premiers". Adelaide's song mentions "pride" and the "flag" as the goal. The West Coast Eagles song's "kings of the big game" refers to the Grand Final and premiership. The songs of Melbourne, Geelong and the Swans (Sydney) refer to the "banners" and "flag", which are meant to mean their supporters flag but can have the dual meaning of the premiership flag.
The current premiership cup is silver (with the exception of 1996 – when a gold cup was awarded instead of the usual silver one in the AFL/VFL's 100th season) and manufactured by Cash's International at their metalworks in Frankston, Victoria
. The cup was first introduced in 1958 by the VFL and, before this, the reward was a pennant known by supporters simply as "The Flag". The AFL has since retrospectively awarded the premiers trophies based on the current design. Before the 1960s, premiership players received a personal premiership trophy instead of a medallion.
In recent years, the premiership cup has also been termed the "Holy Grail
" and the Hunters and Collectors song by the same name
is often used as an anthem for the AFL finals series and grand final.
The premiers are also awarded the premiership flag, a large pennant
which is unfurled at the premiers' first home game of the following season. The current flag is blue, with the AFL logo, the word "premiers" and the year of the premiership. Although the cup features much more prominently in celebrations immediately following the grand final, the flag has far greater symbolic significance. This is particularly reflected in football parlance, in which one always speaks of a team winning the flag, rather than the cup. This is possibly the result of history, as the presentation of the flag first occurred in 1895 when the VFA recognised Fitzroy's first premiership win.
is awarded to the victorious club.
However the amount is probably not reflective of the magnitude of participating in the event. It is often assumed simply that the winner of the premiership typically experiences an increase in revenue through increases in membership and merchandise sales.
The current cash prize for the winning club is A$1 million. Before 2006, a cash prize to the winning club of A$200,000 was awarded (In contrast, the winner of the NAB Cup, the far less important pre-season competition, is currently awarded a similar amount, A$210,000). Following the Sydney Swans
premiership in 2005, many clubs publicly questioned the prize money, which has not increased for many years and barely covers the cost of participation in the finals series.
awarded to the "best and fairest
" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season (i.e. not including finals matches) as decided upon by umpires. It was named after a Geelong
player and long-serving administrator who was the main advocate in establishing the Victorian Football League
, Charles Brownlow
. It is awarded at a special dinner on the Monday night before the Grand Final, recently at the Crown Casino in Melbourne.
The event began in 1979 with the VFL adopting a tradition which had begun decades earlier in the amateur VAFA. The Grand Final parade became increasingly popular during the 1980s.
The parade usually proceeds along the city's main thoroughfares Swanston Street, turning into Collins Street
, and ending at the steps outside the Old Treasury Building
. The parade, held at lunch time on the Friday before the Grand Final, features the players from the competing sides.
The players themselves have in the past appeared on parade floats
, however in recent times it has become a motorcade
of vehicles without roofs, however in 2009 due to poor weather, players were completely enclosed inside vehicles which drew criticism from fans.
Recent estimated parade crowds:
Entertainers have been:
Between 1979-87 the two clubs participating in the Grand Final had the option of providing one of their players who missed selection in the match, but generally chose not to do so, meaning the sprint was usually contested by a field of 10 players during this era.
The race was not held between 1988-2001 but was re-introduced in 2002 (along with a goalkicking contest - the TXU Sharpshooter - which only lasted one year). With the number of league clubs having grown to sixteen during the break in competition, a new format was adopted with the players now split into two groups of 8 for the heats (held before the Grand Final), with the top 4 from each heat advancing to the final (held at half-time of the Grand Final). In recent years a handicapping
system has also been introduced.
at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
. It has been played elsewhere only on a few occasions, being held at Lake Oval
and the Junction Oval
early in the league's history and Princes Park during World War II when the MCG was being used as barracks to house US Troops. When the MCG was being redeveloped in 1991, the Grand Final was contested at the AFL-owned Waverley Park
.
The Grand Final has traditionally been played on the final Saturday in September each year and is referred to in popular Australian culture as the One day in September. The match has, on occasion, been played in early October; and, in 2000, to avoid a clash with the Sydney Olympics
, it was played on the first Saturday in September; but the traditional scheduling is by far the most common.
, who died in 1973. It was first awarded in 1979 when the winner was Wayne Harmes
, a great nephew of Smith. In time the award has come to carry great prestige as an individual prize. There has been some minor criticism that the judging panel (appointed by the AFL and comprising ex-players and media people) must make its decision during the last quarter, before the game has ended, to fit into the post-game ceremonies. Therefore, the last minutes of the game are not taken into consideration when voting takes place.
; being favoured by increased seating of approximately 110,000. AFL members and nominated members of the participating clubs are given first rights to tickets, as are Melbourne Cricket Club
members.
The 2005 AFL Grand Final was watched by a television audience of more than 3.3 million people across five of Australia's most highly populated cities, including 1.2 million in Melbourne
and 991,000 in Sydney. The worldwide audience has grown substantially to a potential 170 million viewers from 72 countries, although the actual audience is likely to be around 30 million.
The AFL Grand Final has been in the top five TV programmes across the five Australian mainland state capitals in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005, and was the top-rating sports programme in both 2004 and 2005 and in 2005, AFL Grand Final related shows (Final, wrap up and pre-match) were the top 3 rating television programmes for the year. The program was second in the 2006 ratings after the coverage of the 2006 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony
.
In the past (2007-2011) AFL domestic broadcast arrangement, Network Ten
and the Seven Network
had exclusive hosting rights for the decider with the 2007, 2009 and 2011 AFL Grand Final on Network Ten
and the 2008 and 2010 deciders on the Seven Network
. In the event of a Grand Final replay, the network that televised the first match will also broadcast the second match.
With the new television broadcasting deal announced in April 2011, the Seven Network
have exclusive rights to televising the AFL Grand Final for the next five years (i.e. 2012 - 2016).
1 Figures include both drawn Grand Final and Replay.
.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia to determine the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL) premiership champions for that year. The game has become significant to Australian culture, spawning a number of traditions and surrounding activities which have grown in popularity since the interstate expansion of the VFL in the 1980s and the subsequent creation of the national AFL competition in the 1990s. The 2006 Sweeney Sports Report concluded that the AFL Grand Final has become Australia's most important sporting event, with the largest attendance, metropolitan television audience and overall interest of any annual Australian sporting event.
The winner of the Grand Final is presented with the AFL Premiership Cup and the Premiership Flag.
1897–1901: Origin
The concept of a "grand" final gradually evolved from experimentation by the Victorian Football League (VFL) in the initial years of competition following its inception in 1897. During the nineteenth century, Australian football competition adopted the approach used by the Football AssociationThe Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
in England – that is, the team on top of the table (or "ladder" in the Australian vernacular) was declared the premiers. However, the fledgling VFL decided that a finals series played between the top four teams at the end of the season would generate more interest and gate money. For 1897
1897 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1897, the inaugural season of the VFL.-Premiership season:In 1897, the VFL competition consisted of eight teams of 20 on-the-field players each, with no "reserves" Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of...
, the VFL scheduled a round robin tournament whereby the top four played each other once and the team that won the most matches was declared the winner.
However, this method had flaws, so the VFL continued to experiment, playing "section" matches after the regular season and then a finals series where first on the ladder played the third team and second met fourth. The winners of these "semi" finals then met in a final to decide the premiership. The first such final was contested in 1898
1898 VFL Grand Final
The 1898 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and Fitzroy Football Club, held in Melbourne on 24 September 1898...
between the Essendon Football Club
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
and Fitzroy Football Club
Fitzroy Football Club
The Fitzroy Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Lions, is an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League on its inception in 1897...
at the St Kilda Cricket Ground
Junction Oval
The Junction Oval is an historic sports ground in the suburb of St Kilda in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its location near the St Kilda Junction gave rise to its nickname...
, which Fitzroy won scoring 5.8 (38) to Essendon's 3.5 (23).
The new finals system caused problems in 1901
1901 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1901.-Premiership season:In 1901, the VFL competition consisted of eight 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...
when Geelong finished on top of the ladder but was immediately eliminated when defeated in the semi final. A "right of challenge" was introduced, giving the team that finished on top at the end of the regular season (the minor premier) the right to challenge if they lost the semi final or the final. This challenge match came to be called the "grand final". The early finals were scattered around various Melbourne venues: Albert Park
Albert Park and Lake
Albert Park and Albert Park Lake are situated in the City of Port Phillip, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south of the Melbourne CBD....
, St Kilda's Junction Oval and the now defunct East Melbourne Cricket Ground
East Melbourne Cricket Ground
The East Melbourne Cricket Ground was a sports venue located at the corner of Wellington Parade and Jolimont Parade, in East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...
. The selection of the venue could depend on the portion of the gate demanded by the ground's landlords.
1902–1914: MCG move
The public remained ambivalent to the concept of finals football until the VFL pulled off a coup in 1902. Previously, the MCG was unavailable to football in the early spring months as it was being prepared for the coming cricket season. The VFL convinced the Melbourne Cricket ClubMelbourne Cricket Club
The Melbourne Cricket Club is a sporting club based in Melbourne, Australia. It was founded in 1838 and is regarded as the oldest sporting club in Australia....
(MCC) to rent the ground for the finals series and the first grand final at what is today considered the home of the game attracted more than 35,000 people to watch Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
down Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
. The success of the finals at the MCG was proven with big attendances every year, and soon all the major competitions around Australia were employing what was known as the "amended Argus system" of finals. The "original Argus system" had been instituted by the VFL in 1901, the amended system was instituted by the VFL in 1902. The 1907 Grand Final
1907 VFL Grand Final
The 1907 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and South Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 21 September 1907. It was the 10th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
attracted an Australian record sporting attendance of 45,477.
By 1908
1908 VFL Grand Final
The 1908 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Essendon Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 26 September 1908. It was the 11th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the...
, a new record attendance of 50,261 was set, on a day when the crowd was so huge that it broke through the fence and filed onto the ground, sitting around the boundary line to watch the action. This figure was beaten in the 1912 Grand Final
1912 VFL Grand Final
The 1912 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the South Melbourne Football Club and Essendon Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 4 October 1912. It was the 15th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
when 54,463 saw Essendon defeat South Melbourne
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
. The big finals crowds (and increasing cricket attendances) prompted the MCC to cut down the eleven fifty-year old elm trees inside the ground and turn the stadium into a concrete bowl, complete with extra stands and standing room. The record fell again in the last grand final before World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, when the excitement of St Kilda's first premiership attempt drew 59,479 spectators.
1915–1930: World War I and the end of the challenge final system
The war had a considerable effect on the impact of the grand final and attendances plummeted. One critic called for the Carlton team to receive the Iron CrossIron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
after they defeated Collingwood in the thrilling 1915 Grand Final
1915 VFL Grand Final
The 1915 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and Carlton Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 18 September 1915. It was the 18th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
, ironically dubbed a "glorious contest" by famous coach Jack Worrall. But many diggers supported the continuance of the game, and both the 1918
1918 VFL Grand Final
The 1918 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the South Melbourne Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 7 September 1918. It was the 21st annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
and 1919
1919 VFL Grand Final
The 1919 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and Richmond Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 11 October 1919. It was the 22nd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
Grand Finals were notable for the large number of Australian servicemen in attendance, many of whom wore uniform. During the 1920s, the VFL grappled with the problems associated with the "amended Argus system", specifically that a true "grand" final was not played if the minor premier won both the semi final and the final. Although new attendance records were set in 1920
1920 VFL Grand Final
The 1920 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Richmond Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 2 October 1920. It was the 23rd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
and 1922
1922 VFL Grand Final
The 1922 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Fitzroy Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 21 October 1922. It was the 25th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
, these were for the semi finals, which often drew bigger crowds than the Grand Final. The VFL reverted to the round robin system in 1924
1924 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1924.-Premiership season:In 1924, the VFL competition consisted of nine 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...
, which was a disaster, then went back to the "amended Argus system" for 1925
1925 VFL Grand Final
The 1925 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 10 October 1925. It was the 29th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
, when the Grand Final attracted a new record crowd of 64,288. This bumper attendance was the result of Geelong's
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
first VFL premiership win, when a huge contingent from Victoria's second city descended on the MCG to watch their team make history.
Collingwood's famous four premierships in a row between 1927
1927 VFL Grand Final
The 1927 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and Richmond Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 1 October 1927...
and 1930
1930 VFL Grand Final
The 1930 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and Geelong Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 11 October 1930. It was the 34th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
became the catalyst for change to the system. The other clubs felt that the Magpies had an unfair advantage from finishing all four seasons on top of the ladder when the right of challenge saved them on a number of occasions. In 1927, 1928 and 1930, the biggest crowd of the year was drawn to the semi final and not the Grand Final.
1931–1939: New finals system and start of a golden age
The Page-McIntyre systemPage playoff system
The Page playoff system is a playoff format used primarily in softball and curling at the championship level. Teams are seeded using a round-robin tournament and the top four play a mix of a single-elimination and double-elimination tournament to determine the winner...
(or 'final four") was introduced for 1931, whereby the semi finals (1 v 2 and 3 v 4) were followed by the preliminary final and then the grand final, with the right of challenge abolished. This proved satisfactory to all, and the new system ushered in a golden age for the Grand Final.
New records were constantly set and when 75,754 attended the 1933 Grand Final
1933 VFL Grand Final
The 1933 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Richmond Football Club and South Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 30 September 1933. It was the 37th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
between South Melbourne and Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
, it started the MCC thinking of expansion again. Just months earlier, cricket attendance records were shattered during the "bodyline
Bodyline
Bodyline, also known as fast leg theory bowling, was a cricketing tactic devised by the English cricket team for their 1932–33 Ashes tour of Australia, specifically to combat the extraordinary batting skill of Australia's Don Bradman...
" series between Australia and England. The MCC decided to build the southern stand, which enclosed almost half the ground and was completed in 1937. That year, the Geelong-Collingwood Grand Final
1937 VFL Grand Final
The 1937 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 25 September 1937. It was the 41st annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
attracted 88,540 and the spectators were sitting five deep along the boundary line. Somehow, the following year, 96,834 people turned up and squashed in to watch the Magpies take on Carlton
1938 VFL Grand Final
The 1938 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 24 September 1938. It was the 42nd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
. At the time, Melbourne's population was about one million, which meant that on Grand Final day, almost one tenth of the city was at the game.
1940–1953: World War II and after
1942 VFL Grand Final
The 1942 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and Richmond Football Club, held at the Princes Park in Melbourne on 19 September 1942. It was the 46th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers...
, 1943
1943 VFL Grand Final
The 1943 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Richmond Football Club and Essendon Football Club, held at the Princes Park in Melbourne on 25 September 1943. It was the 47th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers...
and 1943
1943 VFL Grand Final
The 1943 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Richmond Football Club and Essendon Football Club, held at the Princes Park in Melbourne on 25 September 1943. It was the 47th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers...
, and at St Kilda's Junction Oval in 1944
1944 VFL Grand Final
The 1944 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Fitzroy Football Club and Richmond Football Club, held at the Junction Oval in Melbourne on 30 September 1944. It was the 48th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers...
when Fitzroy won its last premiership on the hottest Grand Final day on record. The 1943 clash was a thrilling contest, Richmond defeating Essendon by five points. The 1942 and 1945 matches were marred by violence, and the latter game has gone down in history as "the "Bloodbath"
1945 VFL Grand Final
The 1945 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the South Melbourne Football Club and Carlton Football Club, held at Princes Park in Melbourne on 29 September 1945. It was the 49th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers...
. An amazing crowd of 62,986 crammed into the Carlton ground for this game, which was played just weeks after the armistice with Japan was declared. Clearly, the people of Melbourne were keen to normalise their lives again and football was central to this desire.
So when the MCG was finally relinquished by the government in August 1946, there was great expectation in the build up to the Grand Final, where Essendon booted a record score to defeat Melbourne. Attendances were back to 1930s levels by 1947 and 85,815 turned up to see Carlton beat Essendon
1947 VFL Grand Final
The 1947 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Essendon Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 27 September 1947. It was the 51st annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers for...
by a solitary point; a similar crowd a year later watched the Bombers play the first draw in Grand Final history
1948 VFL Grand Final
The 1948 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Melbourne Football Club and Essendon Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 2 October 1948. It was the 52nd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers for...
. However, they lost a replay with Melbourne the following week. The sight of thousands sitting between the fence and the boundary line, first seen in the late 1930s, was now usual at the Grand Final. Spectators were admitted on a first-come basis, and thousands took to lining up outside the stadium in the days before the match to gain the best vantage point when the gates opened on the morning of the match. Some reservations were raised about spectator safety as the MCG was clearly being filled above its capacity.
1954–1961: Melbourne Olympic Games and ticketing
As the MCG would be used as the main stadium for the 1956 Olympic Games1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
, the ground was upgraded again with a new stand and extra capacity. Construction work restricted the crowd at the 1954 Grand Final
1954 VFL Grand Final
The 1954 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Footscray Football Club and Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 25 September 1954. It was the 58th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers...
when 80,897 people saw Footscray win their historic first (and so far only) flag. Eight thousand more witnessed the 1955 Grand Final
1955 VFL Grand Final
The 1955 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Melbourne Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 17 September 1955. It was the 59th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the...
, before the stand was fully completed. The 1956 Grand Final
1956 VFL Grand Final
The 1956 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Melbourne Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 15 September 1956. It was the 60th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the...
was seen as a dry run for the opening ceremony of the games two months later, but no one was prepared for the outcome. Officially, 115,802 fans turned out to see Melbourne take on Collingwood for the second year in a row, but contemporary reports state that anywhere between twenty and thirty thousand people were turned away. Some gained admittance by storming the gates, while others perched precariously on the roof of the southern stand. The old record had been shattered by almost 19,000 but the chaos outside the ground prompted the VFL to introduce a ticketing system for the first time.
Attendances now hovered around the 100,000 mark during the coming years. Melbourne dominated the era with seven straight Grand Final appearances (for five flags), playing Collingwood three times and Essendon twice. The 1958 Grand Final
1958 VFL Grand Final
The 1958 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Melbourne Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 20 September 1958. It was the 62nd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the...
, when Collingwood upset a Melbourne team attempting to equal the Magpies' proud record of four consecutive premierships, was arguably the greatest upset recorded in the biggest game of all. The Demons made amends by winning the next year, when the premiership cup was presented for the first time. Previously, the crowd descended on the arena at the end of the game, and the players were variously chaired off the ground or walked to the dressing room. The presentation of the cup gave the after-match a ceremonial focus and allowed the attention to settle on the premier team.
Following the 1956 introduction of television to Australia, there were repeated calls for the Grand Final to be telecast live, but the VFL refused on the basis that the crowd numbers might be affected. A delayed telecast was allowed for the 1961 Grand Final
1961 VFL Grand Final
The 1961 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Footscray Football Club and Hawthorn Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 23 September 1961. It was the 65th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
, when Hawthorn won for the first time, but thereafter only a videotaped replay was shown.
1962–1982: Second golden age
In contrast to the 1950s when a few teams were monopolising Grand Final places, the 1960s was a decade of variety. Between 1961 and 1968, seven teams won the flag and a number of classic encounters were played. In the 1964 Grand Final1964 VFL Grand Final
The 1964 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 19 September 1964. It was the 68th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
, a thrilling finish enabled Melbourne to win their last premiership by four points. Two years later, in arguably one of the most famous Grand Final of them all, St Kilda won their only premiership
1966 VFL Grand Final
The 1966 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and St Kilda Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 24 September 1966. It was the 70th annual grand final of the Victorian Football League , staged to...
by one point, and their players went for an impromptu lap of honour with the cup, a tradition that endures. In the 1967 Grand Final
1967 VFL Grand Final
The 1967 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and Richmond Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 23 September 1967. It was the 71st annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
, Geelong and Richmond played a match of the highest standard, with the Tigers winning in the last minutes to end a long premiership drought. The next season, Carlton also ended a long run without success and set a record as the only winning team to score fewer goals than the opposition as they defeated Essendon by three points
1968 VFL Grand Final
The 1968 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Essendon Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 28 September 1968. It was the 72nd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
.
By now, the MCG had been expanded again so that record crowds were set in 1968, 1969 and 1970. In what's commonly referred to as the all time greatest grand final the Grand Final of 1970
1970 VFL Grand Final
The 1970 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 26 September 1970. It was the 74th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
, when Carlton came back from a 44-point half time deficit to beat Collingwood, was watched by an all-time record crowd of 121,696 people. Most of the matches during this period had something to remember: Hawthorn's comeback to win in 1971
1971 VFL Grand Final
The 1971 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Hawthorn Football Club and St Kilda Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 25 September 1971. It was the 75th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
, Carlton's record score in the highest scoring Grand Final ever played in 1972
1972 VFL Grand Final
The 1972 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Richmond Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 7 October 1972. It was the 76th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the...
, Richmond's two wins over Carlton in 1969
1969 VFL Grand Final
The 1969 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Richmond Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 27 September 1969. It was the 73rd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
and 1973
1973 VFL Grand Final
The 1973 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Richmond Football Club and Carlton Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 1973. It was the 77th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
in very physical encounters, and North Melbourne's first Grand Final victory in 1975
1975 VFL Grand Final
The 1975 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the North Melbourne Football Club and Hawthorn Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 27 September 1975. It was the 79th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
. In 1977, North Melbourne came from 27 points down at three quarter time to play the second drawn Grand Final in history [the first in 1948]. The momentum continued on the first Saturday in October 1977, when they defeated Collingwood in the replay.
After the 1981 grand final, the old scoreboard was removed to Manuka Oval
Manuka Oval
Manuka Oval is a 13,550 capacity ground located in the suburb of Griffith, adjacent to Manuka, a business district of Canberra, Australia's capital....
. The MCG installed a new electronic colour scoreboard in 1982.
By the start of the early 80's, Collingwood had lost eight grand finals in a row since winning its 1958 premiership. They were given the nickname "Colliwobbles" to signify a choking phenomenon.
1982–1989: National team competition
The 1980s saw the Sydney Swans enter the VFL after South Melbourne's move to Sydney. In 1987, The Brisbane Bears and The West Coast Eagles entered the VFL. This era saw a sustained period of dominance by Hawthorn. The Hawks appeared in every Grand Final from 1983 to 1989, winning four of them.1990–1999: AFL introduction
With the transformation of the VFL into the Australian Football League in 1990, and the move to a truly national competition, there emerged a new era in which non-Victorian based clubs now competed for the Premiership. Since Collingwood's drought breaking 48-point triumph over Essendon in the 1990 Grand Final1990 AFL Grand Final
The 1990 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and the Essendon Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 6 October 1990. It was the 94th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
, interstate clubs have won the ultimate prize on 10 occasions, with Fremantle
Fremantle Football Club
The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers, is an Australian rules football team which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in the port city of Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River in Western Australia...
and now Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney the only clubs not to have achieved this feat.
Throughout the 1990s, the standards of the Grand Finals never reached sensational heights, or concluded with nail biting finishes. In this decade, West Coast
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
and North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
vied for the unofficial title of 'team of the decade', winning two flags apiece, as well as being runners-up in 1991 and 1998 respectively. Collingwood walked over the Bombers in the 1990 decider (which was played in October, due to the Magpies draw with the Eagles in the Qualifying Final, extending the finals series by a week), an aging Hawthorn unit was too classy for the Eagles in the 1991 Grand Final
1991 AFL Grand Final
The 1991 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Hawthorn Football Club and West Coast Eagles, held at Waverley Park in Melbourne on 28 September 1991. It was the 95th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, staged to...
, who got their revenge the following season with a come-from-behind victory over Geelong
1992 AFL Grand Final
The 1992 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and West Coast Eagles, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 26 September 1992. It was the 96th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League,...
, before going on to record their second flag
1994 AFL Grand Final
The 1994 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and West Coast Eagles, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 1 October 1994. It was the 98th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League,...
under coach Mick Malthouse
Mick Malthouse
Michael "Mick" Malthouse is a former Australian rules footballer and the former coach of the Collingwood Football Club.While his playing career included a premiership for Richmond in the VFL, he is best known for his Australian Football League coaching career.Malthouse is the most successful coach...
and captain John Worsfold
John Worsfold
John Worsfold is a former Australian rules footballer who represented in the West Australian Football League and the West Coast Eagles in the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League . He also represented Western Australia in State of Origin matches...
two years later over the same opponent. Thus, West Coast became the first interstate team to take the premiership outside of Victoria. Wedged in between was Essendon's 'Baby Bombers', Kevin Sheedy moulding a group of talented youngsters into a premiership winning combination, overrunning their older Carlton counterparts in the 1993 Grand Final
1993 AFL Grand Final
The 1993 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and Carlton Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 25 September 1993. It was the 97th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
. The Blues, though, were not yet a spent force, trouncing the hapless Cats by 61 points in the 1995 Grand Final
1995 AFL Grand Final
The 1995 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and Carlton Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 30 September 1995. It was the 99th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
.
The 1996 Grand Final
1996 AFL Grand Final
The 1996 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the North Melbourne Football Club and Sydney Swans, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 28 September 1996. It was the 100th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
saw North Melbourne make up for their many years of near misses, downing Sydney
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
with ease, to take home the only golden premiership cup yet to be used. Adelaide
Adelaide Crows
The Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Crows, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, playing in the Australian Football League ....
, under new coach Malcolm Blight
Malcolm Blight
Malcolm Jack Blight AM is a former champion Australian rules football player and coach, and current television commentator. During the 1970s and 1980s Blight played for the Woodville Football Club in the South Australian National Football League and the North Melbourne Football Club in the...
, stunned the football world with two premierships in succession, defeating St Kilda in the 1997 Grand Final
1997 AFL Grand Final
-Match details:-References:...
, and the Kangaroos in the 1998 Grand Final
1998 AFL Grand Final
-Match details:-References:...
. Adelaide was the first team since Hawthorn in 1988–89 to win back-to-back premierships, and the first interstate team to win back-to-back premierships.
Wayne Carey
Wayne Carey
Wayne Carey is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the North Melbourne and Adelaide Football Clubs in the Australian Football League ....
's Kangaroos fought back, however, to be premiers for the fourth time in the 1999 Grand Final
1999 AFL Grand Final
The 1999 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between and , held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 25 September 1999. It was the 103rd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, staged to determine the premiers for the...
. The Roos defeated the sixth-placed Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
on the day, who had qualified for the Grand Final after a one point victory over minor premiers and bitter rivals Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
in the preliminary final.
2000–2009: New millennium
2000 saw one of the most dominant seasons of all time by Essendon, with the Bombers winning all bar one of their home and away matches, before pummelling the Kangaroos by a record 125 points in the Qualifying Final, demoralising Carlton, their enemy of the previous season, by 45 points, and then outclassing MelbourneMelbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
by 10 goals in the 2000 Grand Final
2000 AFL Grand Final
The 2000 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and the Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 2 September 2000. It was the 104th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian...
.
The following season, 2001, saw 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...
win the first of their three premierships in succession. The Lions outplayed a tiring Bomber outfit in the second half of the 2001 decider
2001 AFL Grand Final
The 2001 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and the Brisbane Lions, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 2001. It was the 105th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
. The following season saw Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
, vast underdogs, push the Lions to the limit in the 2002 Grand Final
2002 AFL Grand Final
The 2002 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Brisbane Lions and the Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 28 September 2002. It was the 106th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
, the Lions pipping the Magpies at the post by nine points. Brisbane's third and final premiership in their historic run of success came in 2003, again accounting for Collingwood
2003 AFL Grand Final
The 2003 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Brisbane Lions and the Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 27 September 2003...
, though on this occasion by a convincing 50 points, crushing the spirit of the Magpies, who had been favourites going into the match. The Lions' castle finally came tumbling down in 2004
2004 AFL Grand Final
The 2004 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Port Adelaide Football Club and the Brisbane Lions, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 25 September 2004. It was the 108th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
, when Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide Football Club
The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...
outclassed them in the second half with a 40 point victory.
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
and the West Coast Eagles
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
. The Swans clung on grimly to win the 2005 decider
2005 AFL Grand Final
The 2005 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 24 September 2005. It was the 109th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, staged to...
by four points, remembered for Leo Barry
Leo Barry
Leo Barry is a retired Australian rules footballer in the AFL with the Sydney Swans.Originally from Deniliquin, New South Wales, he attended St Ignatius' College, Riverview before being drafted as a zone selection in the 1994 National Draft and making his debut in the final round of the 1995...
's epic defensive mark in the dying seconds. The following year, the same two clubs met again, though this time West Coast emerged victorious by one point
2006 AFL Grand Final
The 2006 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 30 September 2006. It was the 110th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, staged to...
– the first time a point had separated two clubs in a Grand Final since St Kilda's victory over Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
in 1966.
The years 2007 to 2009 saw a dominant Geelong
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
appear in all three Grand Finals. 2007 belonged to the Cats, who, 44 years after their last premiership, stamped their authority on the competition, losing only one match after round five, and trouncing Port Adelaide in the decider
2007 AFL Grand Final
The 2007 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and the Port Adelaide Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 2007. It was the 111th annual Grand Final of the VFL/AFL, staged to determine the...
by a record 119 points. The following year also appeared to be Geelong's after they blitzed the home and away season winning 21 out of 22 games, equalling Essendons's 2000 record of most matches won in a home and away season. However, Hawthorn stunned the favourites with a 26 point victory in the 2008 Grand Final
2008 AFL Grand Final
The 2008 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football match contested between the Geelong Football Club and the Hawthorn Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on the 27th of September 2008...
. In the 2009 AFL Grand Final
2009 AFL Grand Final
The 2009 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the St Kilda Football Club and the Geelong Football Club at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 26 September 2009...
, Geelong defeated St Kilda by 12 points in an intense encounter.
2010 – present
In 2010 Collingwood and St Kilda met each other for the first time in a grand final since 19661966 VFL Grand Final
The 1966 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and St Kilda Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 24 September 1966. It was the 70th annual grand final of the Victorian Football League , staged to...
. The result was the third draw in grand final history, with a final score of 68 points for both teams. Lenny Hayes
Lenny Hayes
Lenny Hayes is a professional Australian rules footballer playing with St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League.Hayes is a former captain of St Kilda and continues to be an onfield leader in the Saints' midfield....
won the Norm Smith Medal
Norm Smith Medal
The Norm Smith Medal is the award given in the AFL Grand Final to the player adjudged by an independent panel of experts to have been the best player in the match.-History:The Norm Smith Medal is named after former Melbourne player and coach, Norm Smith...
. The grand final replay was held on 2 October; Collingwood won the replay by 56 points and Scott Pendlebury
Scott Pendlebury
Scott Pendlebury is a professional Australian rules football player who plays for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League .- Early life :...
won the second Norm Smith Medal
Norm Smith Medal
The Norm Smith Medal is the award given in the AFL Grand Final to the player adjudged by an independent panel of experts to have been the best player in the match.-History:The Norm Smith Medal is named after former Melbourne player and coach, Norm Smith...
.
Notable grand finals
- 18971897 VFL finals seriesThe Victorian Football League's 1897 finals series determined the top four final positions of the 1897 VFL season. It began on the weekend of August 21, 1897 and ended on the weekend of September 3, 1897...
—The VFL's first season did not include a Grand Final. Instead, a round robin series was played, with Essendon becoming the first VFL premiers and Geelong the runner-up. - 19031903 VFL Grand FinalThe 1903 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and Fitzroy Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 12 September 1903. It was the 6th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
—Late in the last quarter, Fitzroy skipper Gerald BrosnanGerald BrosnanGerald Brosnan was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the VFL. He played as a key position forward and had an accurate left foot kick....
marked a pass from teammate Percy TrotterPercy TrotterPercy Trotter is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the early days of the VFL.Trotter played as a rover and was versatile in that he could kick well with both feet. He debuted in 1901 at the age of 18...
about thirty metres from goal with his team three points behind Collingwood. As he went back to line up his kick, the final bell rang. Brosnan's shot missed, but was so close that a Collingwood defender later claimed that he could hear the ball's lace brush the goal post. - 19101910 VFL Grand FinalThe 1910 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and Carlton Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 1 October 1910. It was the 13th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the...
—A massive brawl broke out between Collingwood and Carlton players during the last quarter. A number of players were felled and four players were reported (the first in Grand Final history), yet the fight kept going. Umpire Jack ElderJack Elder (umpire)Jack Elder was a former Australian rules football umpire who in 1996 was named as the VFL/AFL's Umpire of the Century....
settled matters by blowing his whistle and bouncing the ball. Most of the combatants looked on, stunned, as the game recommenced without them, so they had no option but to forget about the fight. - 19131913 VFL Grand FinalThe 1913 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Fitzroy Football Club and St Kilda Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 27 September 1913. It was the 16th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the...
—Playing in their first Grand Final, St Kilda struggled to boot just one goal in the first three quarters against Fitzroy. But they came charging home in the last by closing a 25-point gap to one point with a few minutes remaining. A St Kilda player marked very close to goal on an angle and made a bad mistake by following a pre-game tactic of handballing. His intended target was covered, the Saints lost the ball and Fitzroy booted two goals to seal the match. - 19141914 VFL Grand FinalThe 1914 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and South Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 26 September 1914. It was the 17th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
—With South Melbourne making a late charge at Carlton, the Blues led by six points when a long kick into South's goal square was contested by a pack of players. Just metres from the goal mouth, Ern Jamieson, Carlton's full back leaped straight into Tom Bollard's back, but Umpire Harry Rawle called play on and the ball was cleared. Moments later, the final bell rang. Had Bollard received a free and kicked it from point-blank range, the game would have ended in the first finals' tie. - 19181918 VFL Grand FinalThe 1918 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the South Melbourne Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 7 September 1918. It was the 21st annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
—Collingwood had hit the front by a single point. In the final minute of play, South Melbourne went forward and a long kick into the teeth of goal by Gerald Ryan of South spilled from a pack of players. South Melbourne rover Chris LairdChris LairdChris Laird was an Australian rules footballer who played for South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League .Laird spent five seasons with South Melbourne and is best known for his performance in the 1918 VFL Grand Final...
came rushing through and rather than attempt to pick the ball up, soccered it off the ground for a goal that won the game. - 19211921 VFL Grand FinalThe 1921 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Richmond Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 15 October 1921. It was the 24th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the...
—Richmond led Carlton by four points in a low scoring game played on a very wet day. Both teams were covered in mud as Carlton mounted a series of attacks in an attempt to get a winning goal. In the dying minute, a Carlton player passed toward teammate Alec Duncan, who was close to goal. Somehow, Richmond's Max Hislop hurtled across to Duncan and punched the ball from his grasp to save the premiership for the Tigers. - 1924—Like in 1897, there was a round robin series played instead of a Grand Final. Once again, Essendon became the premiership team for this season with Richmond this time being the runner-up.
- 19271927 VFL Grand FinalThe 1927 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and Richmond Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 1 October 1927...
—Collingwood defeated Richmond in atrocious conditions, by the score 2.13 (25) d. 1.7 (13). It was the lowest scoring game, Grand Final or otherwise, played during the 20th century. - 19301930 VFL Grand FinalThe 1930 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and Geelong Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 11 October 1930. It was the 34th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
—Collingwood won its record fourth consecutive VFL Grand Final in succession, the 'Machine Team', under the tutelage of the legendary Jock McHaleJock McHaleJames Francis "Jock" McHale, was an Australian rules football player and coach for the Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football League in a marathon career that extended from 1903 to 1949....
, creating a record which has not been matched in ensuing seasons. - 19351935 VFL Grand FinalThe 1935 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and South Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 5 October 1935. It was the 39th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
—Star full forward Bob PrattBob PrattHarold Robert "Bob" Pratt was a former Australian rules footballer from Mitcham, Victoria.Pratt played with South Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League from 1930–1939 and again in 1946, and with the Coburg Football Club in the Victorian Football Association from 1940 to 1941...
was forced to withdraw from the Grand Final after he was hit by a truck in trying to cross the road the day before the game. Pratt had booted 362 in three seasons. Without him the Swans lost to Collingwood by 20 points, despite having as many scoring shots as the Magpies. - 19481948 VFL Grand FinalThe 1948 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Melbourne Football Club and Essendon Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 2 October 1948. It was the 52nd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers for...
—In the first drawn grand final, Essendon's inaccurate kicking led them to draw 7.27 (69) to Melbourne's 10.9 (69). Melbourne easily won the replay 13.11 (89) to Essendon's 7.8 (50). - 19581958 VFL Grand FinalThe 1958 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Melbourne Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 20 September 1958. It was the 62nd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the...
—A Collingwood outfit, which had lost to Melbourne only two weeks earlier, hold sway in an 18-point victory over Melbourne, denying the Demons a fourth consecutive premiership, thus successfully defending their club's record of 4 consecutive premierships. - 19601960 VFL Grand FinalThe 1960 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Melbourne Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 25 September of 1960 in extremely wet conditions due to persistent rain during the previous week...
—After an historic 6 years at the top of home-and-away season, VFL football, Melbourne won their 5th premiership in 6 years, with a convincing win over Collingwood in wet conditions, in which the Demons more than quadrupled the Magpies' score 8.14 (62) to Collingwood's 2.2 (14). - 19641964 VFL Grand FinalThe 1964 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 19 September 1964. It was the 68th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
—Collingwood, playing Melbourne, looked set for a victory in the last quarter after Ray GabelichRay GabelichRay Gabelich was an Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the Victorian Football League .He came to Collingwood from Western Australia as a centre half-forward in 1954 too late to be listed...
's goal put them up by two points. Back pocket Neil CromptonNeil Crompton (footballer)Colin Neil Crompton was an Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne in the Victorian Football League ....
kicked his first goal in 5 years to snatch back the lead and the match for Melbourne by 4 points, just moments from the final siren. - 19661966 VFL Grand FinalThe 1966 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and St Kilda Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 24 September 1966. It was the 70th annual grand final of the Victorian Football League , staged to...
—St Kilda won their first premiership in 69 years of competition, defeating Collingwood by a solitary point. With only moments left, the two sides were locked level. Finally, Barry Breen snappedSnap kickThe snap kick is a kicking technique used in many martial arts including karate as well as in Australian rules football.-Australian rules football:...
the point that gave the club its only premiership in its history thus far. - 19701970 VFL Grand FinalThe 1970 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 26 September 1970. It was the 74th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
— Carlton makes history by overcoming a 44-point deficit at half-time to defeat Collingwood by 10 points by the final siren. Alex JesaulenkoAlex JesaulenkoAlex 'Jezza' Jesaulenko MBE is a former Australian rules footballer and coach. He is regarded as one of the game's greatest-ever players and is an official Legend of the Australian Football Hall of Fame...
takes the Mark of the YearMark of the YearThe annual Mark of the Year competition is a sporting award that celebrates each season's best mark...
late in the second quarter, and the attendance of 121,696 remains the largest crowd of all time. - 19721972 VFL Grand FinalThe 1972 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Richmond Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 7 October 1972. It was the 76th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the...
—Carlton and Richmond scored a combined 50.27 (327) under the changing brand of football, then the highest scoring game of all time, and still the highest-scoring Grand Final of all-time. - 19751975 VFL Grand FinalThe 1975 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the North Melbourne Football Club and Hawthorn Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 27 September 1975. It was the 79th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
— North MelbourneNorth Melbourne Football ClubThe North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
win their first Grand Final – the last of the 12 VFL teams to do so. - 19771977 VFL Grand FinalThe 1977 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the North Melbourne Football Club and the Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 24 September 1977...
— The Grand final resulted in a tie between North Melbourne and Collingwood. In a Grand Final replay the following week, North Melbourne were victorious. - 19791979 VFL Grand FinalThe 1979 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 1979. It was the 83rd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
—Wayne HarmesWayne HarmesWayne Harmes is a retired Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.-Football career:Recruited from Oak Park, as a youngster Harmes was perceived to have a lot of talent, winning The Sun newspapers' "Sunkick" competition. Added to this was the fact he was a grandson of Len Smith...
(Carlton) is awarded the inaugural Norm Smith Medal as best on field. - 19821982 VFL Grand FinalThe 1982 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Richmond Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 25 September 1982. It was the 86th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
—Maurice RioliMaurice RioliMaurice Rioli was an Australian rules football player best known for his time spent with the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League...
(Richmond) becomes the first player to win the Norm Smith MedalNorm Smith MedalThe Norm Smith Medal is the award given in the AFL Grand Final to the player adjudged by an independent panel of experts to have been the best player in the match.-History:The Norm Smith Medal is named after former Melbourne player and coach, Norm Smith...
despite being on the losing team. - 19871987 VFL Grand FinalThe 1987 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Hawthorn Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 26 September 1987. It was the 91st annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
—Carlton reversed the previous year's result in overcoming Hawthorn on the hottest Grand Final day (31 degrees) in the game's history. - 19881988 VFL Grand FinalThe 1988 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Hawthorn Football Club and the Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 24 September 1988. It was the 92nd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
—Champion Hawthorn defender Gary AyresGary AyresGary Ayres is a former Australian rules footballer for the Hawthorn Football Club and currently the senior coach for the Port Melbourne Football Club in the Victoria Football League.-Playing career:...
becomes the first footballer to win dual Norm Smith Medals in Hawthorn's then-record 96-point demolition of Melbourne. - 19891989 VFL Grand FinalThe 1989 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Hawthorn Football Club and the Geelong Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 30 September 1989. It was the 93rd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
—The Grand final between Hawthorn and Geelong was one of the closest and hardest fought in years, and nicknamed the "Battle of '89". The game was notable as one of the toughest in the history of the game, with injuries and incidents involving Dermott BreretonDermott BreretonDermott Hugh Brereton is a former Australian rules football player in the Australian Football League, regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation. Of Irish descent , he is known for his aggressive style of play. Brereton kicked 464 goals and played in five Premierships for during...
(famously knocked out by a solid Mark YeatesMark Yeates (Australian rules footballer)Mark Yeates is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Geelong in the Victorian Football League during the 1980s....
shirtfront but courageously returned to play) and Robert DiPierdomenicoRobert DiPierdomenicoRobert "Dipper" DiPierdomenico is a former Australian rules footballer in the VFL/AFL of Italian descent and a member of the VFL/AFL Italian Team of the Century...
(played three quarters with a punctured lung) many players were hospitalised after the game. Gary Ablett of Geelong was Norm Smith Medallist in a losing side. - 19901990 AFL Grand FinalThe 1990 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and the Essendon Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 6 October 1990. It was the 94th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
—CollingwoodCollingwood Football ClubThe Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
broke a 32 year drought and ended the famous "Colliwobbles", winning the first Grand Final of the new AFL era. - 19911991 AFL Grand FinalThe 1991 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Hawthorn Football Club and West Coast Eagles, held at Waverley Park in Melbourne on 28 September 1991. It was the 95th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, staged to...
—Due to the major construction of the Southern Stand at the MCGMcGJoseph McGinty Nichol , better known as McG, is an American director and producer of film and television, as well as a former record producer....
, the Grand Final was played at Waverley ParkWaverley ParkWaverley Park was an Australian rules football stadium in Mulgrave, Victoria, Australia. For most of its history, its purpose was as a neutral venue and used by all Victorian based Victorian Football League/Australian Football League clubs. However, during the 1990s it became the home ground of...
between HawthornHawthorn Football ClubThe Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
and the West Coast EaglesWest Coast EaglesThe West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
. Hawthorn defeated West Coast by 53 points. - 19921992 AFL Grand FinalThe 1992 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and West Coast Eagles, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 26 September 1992. It was the 96th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League,...
—West Coast becomes the first non-Victorian team to win a premiership, downing Geelong by a margin of 28 points. - 19961996 AFL Grand FinalThe 1996 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the North Melbourne Football Club and Sydney Swans, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 28 September 1996. It was the 100th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
—North Melbourne defeated Sydney in the Grand Final of the Centenary season. - 19971997 AFL Grand Final-Match details:-References:...
—In defeating St Kilda, Adelaide win their first flag by winning 4 finals in 3 states. - 19981998 AFL Grand Final-Match details:-References:...
—In defeating North Melbourne, Adelaide wins back-to-back premierships in their second year under Malcolm BlightMalcolm BlightMalcolm Jack Blight AM is a former champion Australian rules football player and coach, and current television commentator. During the 1970s and 1980s Blight played for the Woodville Football Club in the South Australian National Football League and the North Melbourne Football Club in the...
, becoming first club in modern times to win the premiership after finishing lower than fourth on the premiership ladder after the home-and-away season. Andrew McLeodAndrew McLeodAndrew Luke McLeod is a former Australian rules footballer for the Adelaide Football Club. He is the games record holder for Adelaide, having played 340 games....
wins back-to-back Norm Smith medals. - 20042004 AFL Grand FinalThe 2004 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Port Adelaide Football Club and the Brisbane Lions, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 25 September 2004. It was the 108th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
—Port Adelaide defeats the Brisbane Lions by 40 points to win their first Grand Final despite being minor premiers three years in a row. It is the first Grand Final not to include a Victorian team. Grand Finals for the next two years were also contested only by interstate teams. - 20052005 AFL Grand FinalThe 2005 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 24 September 2005. It was the 109th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, staged to...
—Sydney Swans defeats the West Coast Eagles in a tight, low scoring game to win their first premiership in the record drought of 72 years. - 20062006 AFL Grand FinalThe 2006 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 30 September 2006. It was the 110th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, staged to...
—West Coast Eagles defeat the Sydney Swans in the first Grand Final decided by a point since St. Kilda edged out Collingwood in the 1966 VFL Grand Final. - 20072007 AFL Grand FinalThe 2007 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and the Port Adelaide Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 2007. It was the 111th annual Grand Final of the VFL/AFL, staged to determine the...
—Geelong defeats Port Adelaide by a Grand Final record of 119 points and wins its first premiership in 44 years. - 20102010 AFL Grand FinalThe 2010 AFL Grand Final is either of two Australian rules football contests between the Collingwood Football Club and the St Kilda Football Club. Together they are considered the 114th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, and were staged to determine the...
—The Grand Final between St Kilda and Collingwood is drawn, the third drawn Grand Final in VFL/AFL history. Collingwood wins the Grand Final replay the following week by 56 points.
Recent grand finals
- 20002000 AFL Grand FinalThe 2000 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and the Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 2 September 2000. It was the 104th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian...
—The Essendon Bombers finished off one of the best seasons of all time, only losing one game to the Western BulldogsWestern BulldogsThe Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
, defeating the Melbourne DemonsMelbourne Football ClubThe Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
by 60 points. - 20012001 AFL Grand FinalThe 2001 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and the Brisbane Lions, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 2001. It was the 105th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
—A victory to the Brisbane LionsBrisbane LionsThe 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...
over Essendon results in the premiership cup going to Queensland for the first time. - 20022002 AFL Grand FinalThe 2002 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Brisbane Lions and the Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 28 September 2002. It was the 106th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
—Nathan BuckleyNathan BuckleyNathan Charles Buckley is a former professional Australian rules football player, commentator and coach, best known for his time as captain of the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
became only the third player to win the Norm Smith MedalNorm Smith MedalThe Norm Smith Medal is the award given in the AFL Grand Final to the player adjudged by an independent panel of experts to have been the best player in the match.-History:The Norm Smith Medal is named after former Melbourne player and coach, Norm Smith...
despite being on the losing team. - 20032003 AFL Grand FinalThe 2003 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Brisbane Lions and the Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 27 September 2003...
—Brisbane LionsBrisbane LionsThe 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...
complete their hat-trick of premierships, the first since 1955–1957. - 20042004 AFL Grand FinalThe 2004 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Port Adelaide Football Club and the Brisbane Lions, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 25 September 2004. It was the 108th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
—The first Grand Final played between two non-Victorian teams; Port Adelaide won its first premiership, ending Brisbane's attempt at equalling Collingwood's record of four premierships in succession (1927–1930). - 20052005 AFL Grand FinalThe 2005 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 24 September 2005. It was the 109th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, staged to...
—In the closest result since the 1977 drawn Grand Final, the Sydney Swans (the former South Melbourne) win their first premiership in 72 years (and first for a New South WalesNew South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
based club) by defeating the West Coast Eagles, a late pack mark by Leo Barry in the dying seconds deep in the West Coast forward 50 securing the 4-point victory. Chris JuddChris JuddChristopher Dylan "Chris" Judd is a professional Australian rules footballer and current captain of the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
winning the Norm Smith medalNorm Smith MedalThe Norm Smith Medal is the award given in the AFL Grand Final to the player adjudged by an independent panel of experts to have been the best player in the match.-History:The Norm Smith Medal is named after former Melbourne player and coach, Norm Smith...
in a losing team. - 20062006 AFL Grand FinalThe 2006 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 30 September 2006. It was the 110th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, staged to...
—In a rematch of the previous year, the West Coast EaglesWest Coast EaglesThe West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
avenge the previous year's narrow defeat with an even narrower win over the Sydney SwansSydney SwansThe Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
becoming just the fourth Grand Final in history to be decided by a point. - 20072007 AFL Grand FinalThe 2007 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and the Port Adelaide Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 2007. It was the 111th annual Grand Final of the VFL/AFL, staged to determine the...
—Geelong Cats end a 44 year premiership drought, winning the match by the highest ever Grand Final winning margin of 119 points, against Port Adelaide PowerPort Adelaide Football ClubThe Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...
. - 20082008 AFL Grand FinalThe 2008 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football match contested between the Geelong Football Club and the Hawthorn Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on the 27th of September 2008...
—Hawthorn HawksHawthorn Football ClubThe Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
, in their first Grand Final since 1991, defeat favourites Geelong Cats, in front of a crowd of 100,012 – the first crowd of over 100 000 since the 1986 Grand Final - 20092009 AFL Grand FinalThe 2009 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the St Kilda Football Club and the Geelong Football Club at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 26 September 2009...
—Geelong Cats became the first team to ever win a Grand Final after losing the first three quarters, and also become the first team in 25 years to win a Grand Final after being behind at three-quarter-time, defeating the St. Kilda Saints. - 20102010 AFL Grand FinalThe 2010 AFL Grand Final is either of two Australian rules football contests between the Collingwood Football Club and the St Kilda Football Club. Together they are considered the 114th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, and were staged to determine the...
—Collingwood MagpiesCollingwood Football ClubThe Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
tied with St. Kilda Saints (68–68). It is the third draw in VFL/AFL history. The crowd is 100,016. The replay was won by Collingwood by 56 points, with a total attendance of 93,853. - 20112011 AFL Grand FinalThe 2011 Australian Football League Grand Final was an Australian rules football match, played to determine the premiers of the 2011 season. It was contested between the Collingwood Football Club and the Geelong Football Club....
—Geelong Cats Geelong are victorious, charging away from Collingwood's early lead to win with 119 points to 81 points, in front of 99,537 people at the MCG. Mick Malthouse's coaching career ends in defeat.
Qualification and prize
The two Grand Finalists qualify via finals seriesAFL finals system
The current AFL finals system was devised by the Australian Football League in 2000 as its end-of-season championship playoff tournament. It is a revision of the McIntyre Final Eight System, used by the AFL from 1994 to 1999, designed to address several perceived issues with that system...
play-offs at the end of the season. In the current system, the eight teams finishing highest on the ladder after all the home and away rounds qualify for the four-week long finals series culminating in the Grand Final. The team that finishes the regular season at the top of the ladder is said to have won the minor premiership and, since 1991, has been awarded the McClelland Trophy
McClelland Trophy
The McClelland Trophy is an Australian rules football trophy, currently awarded to the minor premiers in the Australian Football League each year...
.
Premiership glory
With the significance of the Grand Final taking on almost religious significance the biggest prize promoted by the media and supporters in the premiership is intangible. The vague sporting term "glory" is often used in association with the Grand Final. For the players, "Premiership Glory" symbolises fameCelebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
, while for the club it symbolises both reward and the significance of taking part in a historic event. The term is often used play down the significance of the other prizes which have themselves become symbolic of these things to club supporters as well.
Premiership glory and what it means to clubs is expressed in different ways in the team songs of many of the VFL/AFL clubs. The Essendon song, for example, mentions the "premiership flag", "glory" and "fame" and the history of the "grand old game". Port Adelaide's song mentions "tradition", "history" and the "flag is ours for the taking". Collingwood's song refers to the "premiership". Some versions of the North Melbourne song declare that the club "will be premiers". Adelaide's song mentions "pride" and the "flag" as the goal. The West Coast Eagles song's "kings of the big game" refers to the Grand Final and premiership. The songs of Melbourne, Geelong and the Swans (Sydney) refer to the "banners" and "flag", which are meant to mean their supporters flag but can have the dual meaning of the premiership flag.
Premiership cup
The winner of the Grand Final is presented with the AFL premiership cup.The current premiership cup is silver (with the exception of 1996 – when a gold cup was awarded instead of the usual silver one in the AFL/VFL's 100th season) and manufactured by Cash's International at their metalworks in Frankston, Victoria
Frankston, Victoria
Frankston is a suburb within the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area in Victoria, Australia. It is located 40 km southeast of the state capital Melbourne at the southernmost edge of Greater Melbourne, near the beginnings of the Mornington Peninsula...
. The cup was first introduced in 1958 by the VFL and, before this, the reward was a pennant known by supporters simply as "The Flag". The AFL has since retrospectively awarded the premiers trophies based on the current design. Before the 1960s, premiership players received a personal premiership trophy instead of a medallion.
In recent years, the premiership cup has also been termed the "Holy Grail
Holy Grail
The Holy Grail is a sacred object figuring in literature and certain Christian traditions, most often identified with the dish, plate, or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper and said to possess miraculous powers...
" and the Hunters and Collectors song by the same name
Holy Grail (song)
Holy Grail is a song performed by the Australian band Hunters & Collectors on their 1992 album Cut. With lyrics referring to popular Holy Grail mythology, the song is an anthemic single inspired by Napoleon's march to Russia in 1812, but also referencing the Hunters and Collectors' flagging...
is often used as an anthem for the AFL finals series and grand final.
"The Flag"
Pennant (sports)
A pennant is a commemorative flag typically used to show support for a particular athletic team. Pennants have been historically used in all types of athletic levels: high school, collegiate, professional etc. Traditionally, pennants were made of felt and fashioned in the official colors of a...
which is unfurled at the premiers' first home game of the following season. The current flag is blue, with the AFL logo, the word "premiers" and the year of the premiership. Although the cup features much more prominently in celebrations immediately following the grand final, the flag has far greater symbolic significance. This is particularly reflected in football parlance, in which one always speaks of a team winning the flag, rather than the cup. This is possibly the result of history, as the presentation of the flag first occurred in 1895 when the VFA recognised Fitzroy's first premiership win.
Prize money
Prize moneyPrize money
Prize money has a distinct meaning in warfare, especially naval warfare, where it was a monetary reward paid out to the crew of a ship for capturing an enemy vessel...
is awarded to the victorious club.
However the amount is probably not reflective of the magnitude of participating in the event. It is often assumed simply that the winner of the premiership typically experiences an increase in revenue through increases in membership and merchandise sales.
The current cash prize for the winning club is A$1 million. Before 2006, a cash prize to the winning club of A$200,000 was awarded (In contrast, the winner of the NAB Cup, the far less important pre-season competition, is currently awarded a similar amount, A$210,000). Following the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
premiership in 2005, many clubs publicly questioned the prize money, which has not increased for many years and barely covers the cost of participation in the finals series.
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal, is the medalMedal
A medal, or medallion, is generally a circular object that has been sculpted, molded, cast, struck, stamped, or some way rendered with an insignia, portrait, or other artistic rendering. A medal may be awarded to a person or organization as a form of recognition for athletic, military, scientific,...
awarded to the "best and fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season (i.e. not including finals matches) as decided upon by umpires. It was named after a Geelong
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
player and long-serving administrator who was the main advocate in establishing the Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
, Charles Brownlow
Chas Brownlow
Charles "Chas" Brownlow was an Australian rules football administrator in the Victorian Football League.He went to the Geelong College for his schooling....
. It is awarded at a special dinner on the Monday night before the Grand Final, recently at the Crown Casino in Melbourne.
Grand Final Parade
A traditional parade which regularly attracts up to 100,000 people is held in Melbourne city.The event began in 1979 with the VFL adopting a tradition which had begun decades earlier in the amateur VAFA. The Grand Final parade became increasingly popular during the 1980s.
The parade usually proceeds along the city's main thoroughfares Swanston Street, turning into Collins Street
Collins Street, Melbourne
Collins Street is a major street in the Melbourne central business district and runs approximately east to west.It is notable as Melbourne's traditional main street and best known street, is often regarded as Australia's premier street, with some of the country's finest Victorian era buildings.The...
, and ending at the steps outside the Old Treasury Building
Old Treasury Building, Melbourne
The Old Treasury Building on Spring Street in Melbourne, was once home to the Treasury Department of the Government of Victoria, but is now a museum of Melbourne history, known as the Old Treasury Building.-History:...
. The parade, held at lunch time on the Friday before the Grand Final, features the players from the competing sides.
The players themselves have in the past appeared on parade floats
Float (parade)
A float is a decorated platform, either built on a vehicle or towed behind one, which is a component of many festive parades, such as those of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the Carnival of Viareggio, the Maltese Carnival, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Key West Fantasy Fest parade, the...
, however in recent times it has become a motorcade
Motorcade
A motorcade is a procession of vehicles. The term motorcade was coined by Lyle Abbot , and is formed after cavalcade on the false notion that "-cade" was a suffix meaning "procession"...
of vehicles without roofs, however in 2009 due to poor weather, players were completely enclosed inside vehicles which drew criticism from fans.
Recent estimated parade crowds:
- 2004 – ~40,000
- 2005 – ~50,000
- 2006 – ~75,000
- 2007 – ~100,000
- 2008 – ~100,000+
- 2009 – ~80,000 (in rainy conditions)
- 2010 – Over 100,000 (some reports up to 200,000 as per Channel 10 News)
Entertainment
Over the years many big Australian and international stars have performed or appeared at the Grand Final, although it has been consistently criticized for poor pre-game entertainment.Entertainers have been:
| Year | Entertainment |
|---|---|
| 1977 | Barry Crocker Barry Crocker Barry Hugh Crocker OAM is a popular Australian singer, with a crooning vocal style.-Biography:... |
| 1978 | Keith Michell |
| 1979 | Mike Brady Mike Brady (musician) Mike Brady is an Australian musician most commonly associated with the Australian rules football anthems "Up There Cazaly", referring to 1920s and 30s St Kilda player Roy Cazaly and "One Day in September". "Up There Cazaly" topped the Australian singles charts in September 1979 and briefly held... and John Farnham John Farnham John Peter Farnham, AO, formerly billed as Johnny Farnham , is an English-born Australian pop singer. He was a teen pop idol from 1964 to 1979, and has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer. His career has mostly been as a solo artist although he briefly replaced Glenn Shorrock as... |
| 1980 | Peter Allen Peter Allen Peter Allen was an Australian songwriter and entertainer. His songs were made popular by many recording artists, including Elkie Brooks, Melissa Manchester and Olivia Newton-John, with one, Arthur's Theme, winning an Academy Award in 1981... |
| 1981 | Jon English Jon English Jonathan James "Jon" English is an Australian rock singer, musician, actor and writer. English emigrated to Australia with his parents in 1961... |
| 1982 | Rolf Harris Rolf Harris Rolf Harris, CBE, AM is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter, composer, painter and television personality.Born in Perth, Western Australia, Harris was a champion swimmer before studying art. He moved to England in 1952, where he started to appear on television programmes on which he drew the... |
| 1983 | Glenn Shorrock Glenn Shorrock Glenn Barrie Shorrock is an English-born Australian singer-songwriter. He was a founding member of pop groups The Twilights, Axiom and Little River Band as well as being a solo performer.... |
| 1984 | Slim Dusty Slim Dusty David Gordon "Slim Dusty " Kirkpatrick AO, MBE was an Australian country music singer-songwriter and producer, with a career spanning nearly eight decades. He was known to record songs in the legacy of Australian poets Henry Lawson and Banjo Patterson that represented the Australian Bush... |
| 1985 | Diana Trask Diana Trask Diana Trask is an Australian and American country and pop singer born in Melbourne, Australia. She was a popular country singer during the 1970s in the United States and also was a popular star in her native Australia... |
| 1986 | Olivia Newton-John Olivia Newton-John Olivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA... |
| 1987 | Daryl Somers Daryl Somers Daryl Paul Somers OAM , is an Australian television personality. The son of a dairy farmer and a cabaret singer, Somers rose to national fame as the host of the long-running comedy-variety program Hey Hey It's Saturday.-Early life:Somers, who has an Irish Catholic heritage, was educated at... |
| 1988 | Noel Watson |
| 1989 | John Farnham John Farnham John Peter Farnham, AO, formerly billed as Johnny Farnham , is an English-born Australian pop singer. He was a teen pop idol from 1964 to 1979, and has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer. His career has mostly been as a solo artist although he briefly replaced Glenn Shorrock as... |
| 1990 | Normie Rowe Normie Rowe Norman John "Normie" Rowe AM was a major male solo performer of Australian pop music in the 1960s. Known for his bright and edgy tenor voice and dynamic stage presence, many of Rowe's most successful recordings were produced by Pat Aulton, house producer for the Sunshine Records, Spin Records and... |
| 1991 | Daryl Braithwaite Daryl Braithwaite Daryl Braithwaite is an Australian pop singer. Best known as the lead vocalist of Sherbet, Braithwaite has also sustained a successful solo career, placing 15 singles in the Australian top 40, including the No... and Angry Anderson Angry Anderson Gary Stephen "Angry" Anderson AM is an Australian rock singer, television presenter/reporter, actor and conservative political activist. He is best known as the vocalist with the hard rock band Rose Tattoo since 1976 but he is also recognised for his acting roles and his charity work... |
| 1992 | Joan Carden Joan Carden Joan Carden AO OBE is an Australian operatic soprano. She has been described as "a worthy successor to Dame Nellie Melba and Dame Joan Sutherland" and was sometimes known as "the other Joan" or "The People's Diva"... |
| 1993 | Maroochy Barambah Maroochy Barambah Maroochy Barambah is an Australian Aboriginal mezzo-soprano singer.She was born Yvette Isaacs in the 1950s in Cherbourg, Queensland. She is of the Turrbal-Gubbi Gubbi people and is a member of the Stolen Generations. She considers herself a beneficiary of her removal... , Archie Roach Archie Roach Archie Roach is an Australian musician. A singer, songwriter and guitarist, he survived a turbulent upbringing to develop into a powerful voice for Indigenous Australians, a storyteller in the tradition of his ancestors, and a nationally popular and respected artist.- Biography :In his own words,... and Yothu Yindi Yothu Yindi Yothu Yindi are an Australian band with Aboriginal and balanda members formed in 1986. Aboriginal members come from Yolngu homelands near Yirrkala on the Gove Peninsula in Northern Territory's Arnhem Land... |
| 1994 | The Seekers The Seekers The Seekers are an Australian folk-influenced pop music group which were originally formed in 1962. They were the first Australian popular music group to achieve major chart and sales success in the United Kingdom and the United States... and Debra Byrne Debra Byrne -Career:Byrne made her television debut on Brian and the Juniors, an early predecessor of Young Talent Time, which was hosted by a young Brian Naylor. She stayed with the show for 12 months. In 1971 she was cast as one of the original six Young Talent Time cast members... |
| 1995 | Tina Arena Tina Arena Filippina Lydia "Tina" Arena is an Australian singer, songwriter and musical theatre actress. She has won several awards, most notably 6 ARIA Awards and in both 1996 and 2000 she received the World Music Award for the world's best selling Australian artist... |
| 1996 | A collection of past singers |
| 1997 | Marina Prior Marina Prior Marina Prior is an Australian singer and actress.- Early life :When she was a young child her parents returned to Australia and she grew up in Melbourne, attending Syndal South Primary School and Korowa Anglican Girls' School... |
| 1998 | Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist... made an appearance. Mark Seymour Mark Seymour Mark Seymour is an Australian musician and vocalist best known for his work as the frontman and songwriter of rock band Hunters & Collectors... sang Holy Grail Holy Grail (song) Holy Grail is a song performed by the Australian band Hunters & Collectors on their 1992 album Cut. With lyrics referring to popular Holy Grail mythology, the song is an anthemic single inspired by Napoleon's march to Russia in 1812, but also referencing the Hunters and Collectors' flagging... . Rob Guest Rob Guest Robert John Guest, OBE was a British born New Zealand-Australian actor and singer, best known for his work in Australian musical theatre, particularly in various productions of The Phantom of the Opera... sang This Is The Moment This Is the Moment This is the Moment is a song by Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse, and is the centerpiece of Frank Wildhorn and Steve Cuden's musical Jekyll & Hyde... and Advance Australia Fair Advance Australia Fair "Advance Australia Fair" is the official national anthem of Australia. Created by the Scottish-born composer, Peter Dodds McCormick, the song was first performed in 1878, but did not gain its status as the official anthem until 1984. Until then, the song was sung in Australia as a patriotic song... . Jane Scali and Michael Cormick sang Waltzing Matilda Waltzing Matilda "Waltzing Matilda" is Australia's most widely known bush ballad. A country folk song, the song has been referred to as "the unofficial national anthem of Australia".... . |
| 1999 | Human Nature Human Nature (band) Human Nature are an Australian pop vocal group. The group was originally formed as a doo-wop band in 1989 while the current members were at school together in Sydney. So far, the band has had 17 Top 40 hits and five Top 10 hits in Australia since 1996 when their first album Telling Everybody was... |
| 2000 | The Idea of North The Idea of North The Idea of North are an Australian a cappella vocal ensemble, founded in Canberra in 1993. The group's name is taken from radio broadcasts of pianist Glenn Gould.... , Trish Delaney-Brown Trish Delaney-Brown Patrician "Trish" Louise Delaney-Brown is an Australian singer and songwriter. She sang soprano with The Idea of North, an a cappella quartet which she co-founded, until 2007. In 2003 she was won the 'Songwriter of the Year Award' by the Australian Songwriters Association.-References:... , Megan Corson, Andrew Piper and Nick Begie, Mike Brady Mike Brady (musician) Mike Brady is an Australian musician most commonly associated with the Australian rules football anthems "Up There Cazaly", referring to 1920s and 30s St Kilda player Roy Cazaly and "One Day in September". "Up There Cazaly" topped the Australian singles charts in September 1979 and briefly held... , Russell Morris Russell Morris Russell Norman Morris is an Australian singer-songwriter who had five Australian Top 10 singles during the late 1960s and early 1970s... and Rick Price Rick Price Rick Price is an Australian singer and songwriter.-Early life:Price was born in Beaudesert, a small country town near Brisbane, Queensland. He began playing music at the age of nine appearing with his family band "Union Beau". "It was kinda weird I guess... |
| 2001 | Vanessa Amorosi Vanessa Amorosi Vanessa Amorosi is an Australian singer-songwriter and recording artist. Her combined album and single sales have reached over 2 million worldwide.-Early life:... |
| 2002 | Killing Heidi Killing Heidi Killing Heidi were an Australian rock band from Violet Town, Victoria. The band, which has been on hiatus since 2006, are best known for their multi-platinum album Reflector, released in 2000.-Early years :... , The Whitlams The Whitlams The discography of The Whitlams consists of six studio albums, two live albums, one compilation album, and eighteen singles.-Studio albums:-Live albums:-Compilation albums:-Singles:-Videos:-Music videos:-Awards:... , Kate Ceberano Kate Ceberano Kate Ceberano is an Australian singer. She achieved success in the soul, jazz and pop genres as well as in her brief forays into musicals with Jesus Christ Superstar and film... , The Human Tide. Mark Seymour Mark Seymour Mark Seymour is an Australian musician and vocalist best known for his work as the frontman and songwriter of rock band Hunters & Collectors... sang Holy Grail Holy Grail (song) Holy Grail is a song performed by the Australian band Hunters & Collectors on their 1992 album Cut. With lyrics referring to popular Holy Grail mythology, the song is an anthemic single inspired by Napoleon's march to Russia in 1812, but also referencing the Hunters and Collectors' flagging... . |
| 2003 | Christine Anu Christine Anu -Early life:Anu was born in Cairns, Queensland to a Torres Strait Islander mother from Saibai and Mabuiag Islands.-Career:Anu began performing as a dancer and later went on to sing back-up vocals for The Rainmakers, which included Neil Murray of the Warumpi Band. Her first recording was in 1993... , Gorgi Quill, the Australian idols |
| 2004 2004 AFL Grand Final The 2004 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Port Adelaide Football Club and the Brisbane Lions, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 25 September 2004. It was the 108th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football... |
Guy Sebastian Guy Sebastian Guy Theodore Sebastian is an Australian pop, R&B, and soul singer-songwriter who was the first winner of Australian Idol in 2003. He is currently a judge on the Australian version of The X Factor. Sebastian has released six top ten platinum/multi platinum albums, including a number-one and... sang both Waltzing Matilda Waltzing Matilda "Waltzing Matilda" is Australia's most widely known bush ballad. A country folk song, the song has been referred to as "the unofficial national anthem of Australia".... and Advance Australia Fair Advance Australia Fair "Advance Australia Fair" is the official national anthem of Australia. Created by the Scottish-born composer, Peter Dodds McCormick, the song was first performed in 1878, but did not gain its status as the official anthem until 1984. Until then, the song was sung in Australia as a patriotic song... , The Ten Tenors The Ten Tenors The TEN Tenors are an Australian musical ensemble who have toured world-wide. In a typical set, the group performs Queen standards, including "Bohemian Rhapsody", and "The Show Must Go On"; tracks from Meat Loaf medley; AC/DC and much more... , David Hobson |
| 2005 2005 AFL Grand Final The 2005 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 24 September 2005. It was the 109th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, staged to... |
Silvie Paladino Silvie Paladino Silvie Paladino is an Australian singer. She began singing at the age of 9, learning at an inner-Melbourne music school. From an early age won several major singing competitions, including the Italian Song Festival and the grand final of Channel Ten's Young Talent Time.-Career:During 1989, Silvie... sang Advance Australia Fair Advance Australia Fair "Advance Australia Fair" is the official national anthem of Australia. Created by the Scottish-born composer, Peter Dodds McCormick, the song was first performed in 1878, but did not gain its status as the official anthem until 1984. Until then, the song was sung in Australia as a patriotic song... . Delta Goodrem Delta Goodrem Delta Lea Goodrem is an Australian singer-songwriter, pianist, and actress. Signed to Sony at the age of 15, Goodrem rose to prominence in 2002, starring in the Australian soap opera Neighbours as Nina Tucker. Goodrem has achieved eight number-one singles and three number-one albums in her home... sang I Am Australian I Am Australian I am Australian is a popular Australian poem written in 1987 by Bruce Woodley of The Seekers and Dobe Newton of The Bushwackers. Its lyrics are filled with many historic and cultural references, such as to the 'digger', Albert Namatjira and Ned Kelly, among others... . Michael Bublé Michael Bublé Michael Steven Bublé is a Canadian singer. He has won several awards, including three Grammy Awards and multiple Juno Awards. His first album reached the top ten in Canada and the UK. He found worldwide commercial success with his 2005 album It's Time, and his 2007 album Call Me Irresponsible was... and Dame Edna Everage Dame Edna Everage Dame Edna is a character created and played by Australian dadaist performer and comedian, Barry Humphries, famous for her lilac-coloured or "wisteria hue" hair and cat eye glasses or "face furniture," her favorite flower, the gladiola and her boisterous greeting: "Hello Possums!" As Dame Edna,... performed I Still Call Australia Home I Still Call Australia Home "I Still Call Australia Home" is a song written and performed by Peter Allen in 1980. In it, Allen sings of Australian expatriates' longing for home.It has been used to suggest Australian patriotism and nostalgia for home... . The Whitlams The Whitlams The discography of The Whitlams consists of six studio albums, two live albums, one compilation album, and eighteen singles.-Studio albums:-Live albums:-Compilation albums:-Singles:-Videos:-Music videos:-Awards:... performed No Aphrodisiac No Aphrodisiac "No Aphrodisiac" is the third single on The Whitlams third album Eternal Nightcap. It was written by Tim Freedman, with Pinky Beecroft and Chit Chat Von Loopin Stab helping with the lyrics. The single is the band's most successful and well known, voted the #1 song in the Triple J Hottest 100, 1997... . Kath and Kim The Australian Girls Choir Australian Girls Choir The Australian Girls Choir is a choir which is part of the Australian School of Performing Arts. It was founded in 1984 by Judith Curphey, OAM, and has since achieved recognition world wide, with many considering it to be the most accomplished girls' choir in Australia.-History:Founder and... |
| 2006 2006 AFL Grand Final The 2006 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 30 September 2006. It was the 110th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, staged to... |
Brian Mannix Brian Mannix Brian Mannix is an Australian rock music singer and actor.He guest-starred in several episodes of Australian soap Neighbours in 1993 as Conor Cleary, a love interest for Lauren Carpenter.... , John Paul Young John Paul Young John Paul Young is an Australian pop singer who had a 1978 worldwide hit with "Love Is in the Air"... , Sean Kelly Sean Kelly (Australian musician) Sean Patrick Kelly Born 9 November 1958, is an Australian singer, guitarist and song writer best known as a founding member of the bands Models, Absent Friends and The Dukes.-Biography:... , Daryl Braithwaite Daryl Braithwaite Daryl Braithwaite is an Australian pop singer. Best known as the lead vocalist of Sherbet, Braithwaite has also sustained a successful solo career, placing 15 singles in the Australian top 40, including the No... and Shane Howard Goanna (band) Goanna is an Australian folk rock group which formed in 1977 in Geelong as The Goanna Band with mainstay Shane Howard as singer-songwriter and guitarist... sang Advance Australia Fair Advance Australia Fair "Advance Australia Fair" is the official national anthem of Australia. Created by the Scottish-born composer, Peter Dodds McCormick, the song was first performed in 1878, but did not gain its status as the official anthem until 1984. Until then, the song was sung in Australia as a patriotic song... . Irene Cara Irene Cara Irene Cara is an American singer and actress. Cara won an Academy Award in 1984 in the category of Best Original Song for co-writing "Flashdance... What a Feeling." She is also known for her recording of the song "Fame", and she also starred in the 1980 film Fame.She married Hollywood stuntman... sang Flashdance (What A Feeling) plus appearances from Brian Mannix Brian Mannix Brian Mannix is an Australian rock music singer and actor.He guest-starred in several episodes of Australian soap Neighbours in 1993 as Conor Cleary, a love interest for Lauren Carpenter.... , John Paul Young John Paul Young John Paul Young is an Australian pop singer who had a 1978 worldwide hit with "Love Is in the Air"... , Sean Kelly Sean Kelly (Australian musician) Sean Patrick Kelly Born 9 November 1958, is an Australian singer, guitarist and song writer best known as a founding member of the bands Models, Absent Friends and The Dukes.-Biography:... , Daryl Braithwaite Daryl Braithwaite Daryl Braithwaite is an Australian pop singer. Best known as the lead vocalist of Sherbet, Braithwaite has also sustained a successful solo career, placing 15 singles in the Australian top 40, including the No... and Shane Howard Shane Howard Shane Michael Howard is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist, he was the mainstay of folk rock group Goanna which had hits with "Solid Rock" and "Let the Franklin Flow". After their disbandment in 1985 he pursued a solo career.... performing a medley Medley (music) In music, a medley is a piece composed from parts of existing pieces, usually three, played one after another, sometimes overlapping. They are common in popular music, and most medleys are songs rather than instrumental. A medley which is a remixed series is called a megamix, often done with tracks... including Up There Cazaly Up There Cazaly "Up There Cazaly" is an Australian sporting catchphrase inspired by former St Kilda and South Melbourne great Roy Cazaly... , One Day in September One Day in September One Day in September is a 1999 documentary film directed by Kevin Macdonald examining the 5 September 1972 murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany... , Solid Rock Goanna (band) Goanna is an Australian folk rock group which formed in 1977 in Geelong as The Goanna Band with mainstay Shane Howard as singer-songwriter and guitarist... , Yesterday's Hero, The Horses The Horses "The Horses" is a song written by Rickie Lee Jones and Walter Becker. It originally appeared on Jones' 1989 album Flying Cowboys. Whilst not released as a single, the original version did appear in the 1996 film Jerry Maguire, also featuring on the film's soundtrack.The song was covered by Daryl... , Everybody Wants to Work and I Hear Motion. Young Divas Young Divas Young Divas was an Australian girl group that had consisted of previous Australian Idol contestants. The original line up consisted of season one finalist Paulini Curuenavuli, season two finalist Ricki-Lee Coulter, season three winner Kate DeAraugo and runner-up Emily Williams... sang You're the Inspiration You're the Inspiration -Charts:-Cover versions:*"You're the Inspiration" was covered by UK singer Elkie Brooks on her 1989 album, Inspiration, and by David Foster as an instrumental-piano version on his 1991 album, Rechordings... |
| 2007 2007 AFL Grand Final The 2007 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and the Port Adelaide Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 2007. It was the 111th annual Grand Final of the VFL/AFL, staged to determine the... |
Natalie Bassingthwaighte Natalie Bassingthwaighte Natalie Bassingthwaighte is an Australian actress, singer-songwriter and television personality. She began her career as an actress on the television series All Saints. She then starred in the American television movie Counterstrike... sang Advance Australia Fair Advance Australia Fair "Advance Australia Fair" is the official national anthem of Australia. Created by the Scottish-born composer, Peter Dodds McCormick, the song was first performed in 1878, but did not gain its status as the official anthem until 1984. Until then, the song was sung in Australia as a patriotic song... . Jet Jet (band) Jet are an Australian rock band formed in 2001 while attending St Bede's College Mentone in Melbourne, . The band consists of lead guitarist Cameron Muncey, bassist Mark Wilson, and brothers Nic and Chris Cester on vocals/rhythm guitar and drums respectively... performed Are You Gonna Be My Girl Are You Gonna Be My Girl "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" is a song by the Australian rock band Jet, featured on their 2003 album Get Born. It was the first single from the album, released in 2003 in Australia and the UK, and in 2004 in the United States. Written by Nic Cester & Cameron Muncey, the song is often cited for ... & Rollover DJ Rollover DJ "Rollover DJ" is the second single by the Australian rock band Jet, from their 2003 album Get Born... |
| 2008 2008 AFL Grand Final The 2008 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football match contested between the Geelong Football Club and the Hawthorn Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on the 27th of September 2008... |
Powderfinger Powderfinger Powderfinger was an Australian rock band that formed in Brisbane in 1989. From 1992 until their breakup the band lineup consisted of vocalist Bernard Fanning, guitarists Darren Middleton and Ian Haug, bassist John Collins, and drummer Jon Coghill.... performed (Baby I've Got You) On My Mind (Baby I've Got You) On My Mind " On My Mind" is a song on Powderfinger's fifth studio album Vulture Street. It was released as a single in 2003 and reached #9 on the Australian music chart, the band's third highest charting single to date.-Background:After two albums of Powderfinger releasing singles that were either acoustic... and AC/DC AC/DC AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"... 's It's a Long Way to the Top It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll) "It's a Long Way to the Top " is a song by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It is the first track of the group's album T.N.T., released in December 1975, and was written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott... accompanied by the City of Melbourne Highland Pipe Band, Ian Moss Ian Moss Ian Moss is an Australian rock musician, best known as the guitarist and occasional singer of Cold Chisel. In that group's initial ten year career, Moss recorded eight albums, three of which were No. 1 national hits. His solo career began with a No. 1 album and single and five ARIA Awards... performed electric guitar versions of Up There Cazaly Up There Cazaly "Up There Cazaly" is an Australian sporting catchphrase inspired by former St Kilda and South Melbourne great Roy Cazaly... and the competing club theme songs and Lucy Durack Lucy Durack Lucy Durack is an Australian musical theatre performer most recognised for playing Glinda in the Australian production of Wicked.-Biography:... and Amanda Harrison Amanda Harrison Amanda Harrison is an Australian musical theatre performer who will be originating the role of Paula in the World Premiere of An Officer and a Gentleman in Sydney 2012.-Early years:... sang the national anthem. |
| 2009 2009 AFL Grand Final The 2009 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the St Kilda Football Club and the Geelong Football Club at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 26 September 2009... |
Mark Seymour Mark Seymour Mark Seymour is an Australian musician and vocalist best known for his work as the frontman and songwriter of rock band Hunters & Collectors... performed "Holy Grail Holy Grail (song) Holy Grail is a song performed by the Australian band Hunters & Collectors on their 1992 album Cut. With lyrics referring to popular Holy Grail mythology, the song is an anthemic single inspired by Napoleon's march to Russia in 1812, but also referencing the Hunters and Collectors' flagging... " on stage, followed by Jimmy Barnes Jimmy Barnes James Dixon Swan , better known as Jimmy Barnes, is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer-songwriter. His father Jim Swan was a prizefighter and his older brother John Swan is also a rock singer. It was actually John who had encouraged and taught Jim how to sing as he wasn't really interested at... singing "No Second Prize". John Farnham John Farnham John Peter Farnham, AO, formerly billed as Johnny Farnham , is an English-born Australian pop singer. He was a teen pop idol from 1964 to 1979, and has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer. His career has mostly been as a solo artist although he briefly replaced Glenn Shorrock as... then sang "You're the Voice You're the Voice As a lead promotion for their first live album Rock the House Live! in 1991, US rock band Heart released their live version of "You're the Voice" as a single. It was captured during the US leg of their Brigade world tour in November 1990... ", joined later by Seymour and Barnes. The Qantas choir performed "I Still Call Australia Home I Still Call Australia Home "I Still Call Australia Home" is a song written and performed by Peter Allen in 1980. In it, Allen sings of Australian expatriates' longing for home.It has been used to suggest Australian patriotism and nostalgia for home... ", and the national anthem was performed a cappella A cappella A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato... by the cast of Jersey Boys Jersey Boys Jersey Boys is a jukebox musical with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. It is a documentary-style musical, based on one of the most successful 1960s rock 'n roll groups, the Four Seasons... . |
| 2010 2010 AFL Grand Final The 2010 AFL Grand Final is either of two Australian rules football contests between the Collingwood Football Club and the St Kilda Football Club. Together they are considered the 114th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, and were staged to determine the... |
INXS INXS INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax... for the drawn match, Lionel Richie Lionel Richie Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records... performed at the Grand Final replay. |
| 2011 | Meat Loaf Meat Loaf Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor... |
Traditional songs
Tradition dictates that at every, or almost every, Grand Final, most of the following songs are performed, either by celebrity singers or choirs:- Waltzing MatildaWaltzing Matilda"Waltzing Matilda" is Australia's most widely known bush ballad. A country folk song, the song has been referred to as "the unofficial national anthem of Australia"....
- One or more of the following football songs, often in a medley:
- Up There CazalyUp There Cazaly"Up There Cazaly" is an Australian sporting catchphrase inspired by former St Kilda and South Melbourne great Roy Cazaly...
- One Day in SeptemberOne Day in September (song)One Day in September is a song written and performed by Australian musician Mike Brady.It is a large part of the tradition of Australian rules football, and refers to the AFL Grand Final - a game which is played on the last Saturday in September....
- That's the Thing About FootballThat's the Thing About Football"That's the Thing about Football" is a song written and performed by Australian artist Greg Champion, featured for almost a decade on Seven Network's coverage of the Australian Football League....
- Holy GrailHoly Grail (song)Holy Grail is a song performed by the Australian band Hunters & Collectors on their 1992 album Cut. With lyrics referring to popular Holy Grail mythology, the song is an anthemic single inspired by Napoleon's march to Russia in 1812, but also referencing the Hunters and Collectors' flagging...
- Up There Cazaly
- Each team's club song (which is performed live, with the recorded version then played as the team enters the field, in the traditional fashion)
- Advance Australia FairAdvance Australia Fair"Advance Australia Fair" is the official national anthem of Australia. Created by the Scottish-born composer, Peter Dodds McCormick, the song was first performed in 1878, but did not gain its status as the official anthem until 1984. Until then, the song was sung in Australia as a patriotic song...
is sung once the two teams and the umpires are on the field, and lined up on the wing.
AFL Grand Final Sprint
Since 1977 a running race has taken place on Grand Final day between various players who are not taking part in the game. In 1977-78 it was a long-distance race run over a mile with each league club able to nominate up to two entrants. In 1979 the race was changed to a 100m sprint with one player per club taking part.Between 1979-87 the two clubs participating in the Grand Final had the option of providing one of their players who missed selection in the match, but generally chose not to do so, meaning the sprint was usually contested by a field of 10 players during this era.
The race was not held between 1988-2001 but was re-introduced in 2002 (along with a goalkicking contest - the TXU Sharpshooter - which only lasted one year). With the number of league clubs having grown to sixteen during the break in competition, a new format was adopted with the players now split into two groups of 8 for the heats (held before the Grand Final), with the top 4 from each heat advancing to the final (held at half-time of the Grand Final). In recent years a handicapping
Handicapping
Handicapping, in sport and games, is the practice of assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning. The word also applies to the various methods by which the advantage is calculated...
system has also been introduced.
| 2002 | Jared Crouch Jared Crouch Jared Crouch is a South Australian former Australian football player with the Sydney Swans of the AFL, who is colloquially known as “Crouchie” to Swans fans and media.... |
Sydney Swans Football Club |
| 2003 | James Walker James Walker (Australian rules footballer) James Walker is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League who played for the Fremantle Football Club. He mainly played as a midfielder or a small defender.... |
Fremantle Football Club Fremantle Football Club The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers, is an Australian rules football team which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in the port city of Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River in Western Australia... |
| 2004 | James Walker James Walker (Australian rules footballer) James Walker is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League who played for the Fremantle Football Club. He mainly played as a midfielder or a small defender.... |
Fremantle Football Club |
| 2005 | Brett Deledio Brett Deledio Brett Deledio is an Australian rules football player currently playing for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League.-Early life/career:... |
Richmond Football Club Richmond Football Club The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,... |
| 2006 | Brendan Fevola Brendan Fevola Brendan Fevola is a professional Australian rules footballer. He played with the Carlton and Brisbane Lions football clubs in the Australian Football League.... |
Carlton Football Club Carlton Football Club The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897... |
| 2007 | Jake King Jake King Jacob 'Jake' King is an Australian rules football player for the Richmond Football Club.-Career:King previously played for North Heidelberg in the Diamond Valley Football League before moving to the Coburg Tigers in the VFL... |
Richmond Football Club |
| 2008 | Matt White Matthew White (footballer) Matthew White is an Australian rules football player for the Richmond Football Club.-2007:After showing plenty of promise in the backline in 2006, the youngster had a disappointing season in 2007, playing just seven games to take his career tally to 18.Draft history: 2006 NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft... |
| Richmond Football Club |
| 2009 | Rhys Stanley Rhys Stanley Rhys Stanley is an Australian rules footballer for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League . Stanley was recruited from West Adelaide with pick 47 in the 2008 AFL Draft... |
| St Kilda Football Club |
| 2010 | Luke Miles Luke Miles Luke Miles is an Australian rules footballer who previously played for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League .-AFL career:... |
St Kilda Football Club |
| 2011 | Patrick Dangerfield Patrick Dangerfield Patrick Dangerfield is an Australian rules football player for the Adelaide Football Club. Dangerfield was Adelaide’s first selection in the 2007 National Draft after the club drafted him at pick 10 overall... |
Adelaide Football Club |
Venue and schedule
The Grand Final is traditionally played in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
. It has been played elsewhere only on a few occasions, being held at Lake Oval
Lake Oval
The Lake Oval was an Australian rules football and cricket stadium located in Albert Park, Victoria. It was the home of the South Melbourne Football Club from 1878 until their relocation to Sydney in 1982 , and also of the South Melbourne Cricket Club...
and the Junction Oval
Junction Oval
The Junction Oval is an historic sports ground in the suburb of St Kilda in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its location near the St Kilda Junction gave rise to its nickname...
early in the league's history and Princes Park during World War II when the MCG was being used as barracks to house US Troops. When the MCG was being redeveloped in 1991, the Grand Final was contested at the AFL-owned Waverley Park
Waverley Park
Waverley Park was an Australian rules football stadium in Mulgrave, Victoria, Australia. For most of its history, its purpose was as a neutral venue and used by all Victorian based Victorian Football League/Australian Football League clubs. However, during the 1990s it became the home ground of...
.
The Grand Final has traditionally been played on the final Saturday in September each year and is referred to in popular Australian culture as the One day in September. The match has, on occasion, been played in early October; and, in 2000, to avoid a clash with the Sydney Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, it was played on the first Saturday in September; but the traditional scheduling is by far the most common.
Numbering of Grand Finals
The AFL officially gives its Grand Finals the same ordinal number as the season: e.g. the 1996 Grand Final was regarded as the 100th Grand Final, due to it being the 100th season. This is anachronistic to some extent:- There was no Grand Final match in two seasons, 18971897 VFL seasonResults and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1897, the inaugural season of the VFL.-Premiership season:In 1897, the VFL competition consisted of eight teams of 20 on-the-field players each, with no "reserves" Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of...
and 19241924 VFL seasonResults and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1924.-Premiership season:In 1924, the VFL competition consisted of nine 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...
; the finals systemsEarly VFL Final systemsThroughout its history, the Victorian Football League has used a system of finals after playing a regular season to determine the winner of the premiership....
in use in those seasons allowed the premiership to be awarded after a round-robinRound-robinThe term round-robin was originally used to describe a document signed by multiple parties in a circle to make it more difficult to determine the order in which it was signed, thus preventing a ringleader from being identified...
finals tournament, without the need for a deciding match. - Under the Argus finals systems in use from 1902 to 1930, the "Grand Final" was a term given to a challenge match between the minor premiers and whichever team won the knock-out section of the finals. In seasons where the minor premiers also won the knock-out phase, that club was awarded the premiership without need for a true Grand Final; in these cases, the last knock-out match is retrospectively considered to be the Grand Final.
- There have been three Grand Final ReplayGrand Final ReplayA Grand Final Replay is a method of deciding the winner of a competition when a Grand Final is drawn. It is commonly used in football codes, particularly in Australian rules football, and most notably in the Australian Football League, where it has been used three times, most recently in...
s played after drawn Grand Finals, in 1948, 1977 and 2010.
Norm Smith Medallist
The medal, given to the player judged as best on the ground during the match, is named in honour of famed Melbourne premiership player and coach Norm SmithNorm Smith
Norman Walter "Norm" Smith was an Australian rules football player and coach in the Victorian Football League. After 200 games as a player with Melbourne and Fitzroy, Smith began a twenty year coaching career, including a fifteen year stint at Melbourne...
, who died in 1973. It was first awarded in 1979 when the winner was Wayne Harmes
Wayne Harmes
Wayne Harmes is a retired Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.-Football career:Recruited from Oak Park, as a youngster Harmes was perceived to have a lot of talent, winning The Sun newspapers' "Sunkick" competition. Added to this was the fact he was a grandson of Len Smith...
, a great nephew of Smith. In time the award has come to carry great prestige as an individual prize. There has been some minor criticism that the judging panel (appointed by the AFL and comprising ex-players and media people) must make its decision during the last quarter, before the game has ended, to fit into the post-game ceremonies. Therefore, the last minutes of the game are not taken into consideration when voting takes place.
| Year | Winner | Club | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Wayne Harmes Wayne Harmes Wayne Harmes is a retired Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.-Football career:Recruited from Oak Park, as a youngster Harmes was perceived to have a lot of talent, winning The Sun newspapers' "Sunkick" competition. Added to this was the fact he was a grandson of Len Smith... |
Carlton Carlton Football Club The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897... |
Inaugural winner; great-nephew of Norm Smith Norm Smith Norman Walter "Norm" Smith was an Australian rules football player and coach in the Victorian Football League. After 200 games as a player with Melbourne and Fitzroy, Smith began a twenty year coaching career, including a fifteen year stint at Melbourne... |
| 1980 | Kevin Bartlett | Richmond Richmond Football Club The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,... |
|
| 1981 | Bruce Doull Bruce Doull Bruce Doull is a former Australian rules football player who played for the Carlton Football Club.... |
Carlton Carlton Football Club The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897... |
|
| 1982 | Maurice Rioli Maurice Rioli Maurice Rioli was an Australian rules football player best known for his time spent with the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League... |
Richmond Richmond Football Club The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,... |
First winner from losing team; first aboriginal winner |
| 1983 | Colin Robertson Colin Robertson (Australian rules footballer) Colin Robertson is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League from 1980 until 1986.... |
Hawthorn Hawthorn Football Club The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys... |
|
| 1984 | Billy Duckworth Billy Duckworth Bill Duckworth is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the VFL. He is best known for winning the 1984 Norm Smith Medal. His brother John also played league football.... |
Essendon Essendon Football Club The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League... |
|
| 1985 | Simon Madden Simon Madden Simon Madden was an Australian rules footballer for the Essendon Football Club from 1974 until 1992. He was also president of the AFL Players Association from 1985 until 1989.... |
Essendon Essendon Football Club The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League... |
|
| 1986 | Gary Ayres Gary Ayres Gary Ayres is a former Australian rules footballer for the Hawthorn Football Club and currently the senior coach for the Port Melbourne Football Club in the Victoria Football League.-Playing career:... |
Hawthorn Hawthorn Football Club The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys... |
|
| 1987 | David Rhys-Jones David Rhys-Jones David Rhys-Jones is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Carlton Football Club and the Sydney Swans in the VFL/AFL. The highlight of his 182 game career was winning the Norm Smith Medal as best on ground in Carlton's 1987 Grand Final victory... |
Carlton Carlton Football Club The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897... |
|
| 1988 | Gary Ayres Gary Ayres Gary Ayres is a former Australian rules footballer for the Hawthorn Football Club and currently the senior coach for the Port Melbourne Football Club in the Victoria Football League.-Playing career:... |
Hawthorn Hawthorn Football Club The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys... |
First multiple winner |
| 1989 | Gary Ablett, Sr. | Geelong Geelong Football Club The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also... |
Won in a losing team; equalled record for most goals (9) |
| 1990 | Tony Shaw Tony Shaw Anthony 'Tony' Shaw is a former Australian rules footballer, coach and media personality.-Playing career:Shaw was recruited to Collingwood from Reservoir-Lakeside to make his debut in 1977 alongside brother Ray... |
Collingwood Collingwood Football Club The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League... |
First captain to win |
| 1991 | Paul Dear Paul Dear Paul Dear is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Hawthorn.A half forward flanker, Dear made his debut in the 1987 season and played in that year's Grand Final... |
Hawthorn Hawthorn Football Club The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys... |
|
| 1992 | Peter Matera | West Coast West Coast Eagles The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval... |
First winner from a non-Victorian club |
| 1993 | Michael Long | Essendon Essendon Football Club The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League... |
|
| 1994 | Dean Kemp Dean Kemp Dean Kemp is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League.... |
West Coast West Coast Eagles The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval... |
|
| 1995 | Greg Williams | Carlton Carlton Football Club The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897... |
First Brownlow Medallist to win |
| 1996 | Glenn Archer Glenn Archer Glenn Archer is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played his entire career with the North Melbourne Football Club.Archer had a reputation as one of the most courageous players ever to play the game... |
North Melbourne North Melbourne Football Club The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world... |
|
| 1997 | Andrew McLeod Andrew McLeod Andrew Luke McLeod is a former Australian rules footballer for the Adelaide Football Club. He is the games record holder for Adelaide, having played 340 games.... |
Adelaide | |
| 1998 | Andrew McLeod Andrew McLeod Andrew Luke McLeod is a former Australian rules footballer for the Adelaide Football Club. He is the games record holder for Adelaide, having played 340 games.... |
Adelaide | First consecutive winner |
| 1999 | Shannon Grant Shannon Grant Shannon Grant is a retired Australian rules footballer who was known as one of the premier midfielders in the AFL. He began his career at the Sydney Swans in 1995 before moving to the Kangaroos in 1998 and being a part of their 1999 premiership side, in which he also won the Norm Smith Medal for... |
North Melbourne North Melbourne Football Club The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world... |
|
| 2000 | James Hird James Hird James Hird is a former professional Australian rules footballer and the current coach of the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League.... |
Essendon Essendon Football Club The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League... |
Captain |
| 2001 | Shaun Hart Shaun Hart Shaun Hart is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played his entire Australian Football League at the Brisbane Lions where he was a premiership winning utility player known for his courage... |
Brisbane 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... |
|
| 2002 | Nathan Buckley Nathan Buckley Nathan Charles Buckley is a former professional Australian rules football player, commentator and coach, best known for his time as captain of the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League .... |
Collingwood Collingwood Football Club The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League... |
Team lost; captain |
| 2003 | Simon Black Simon Black Simon Black is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League.Black is a midfielder with a reputation for hard work and skill... |
Brisbane 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... |
Most possessions ever recorded in Grand Final |
| 2004 | Byron Pickett Byron Pickett Byron Pickett is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played with three clubs in the AFL. He was known as a big game player as well as for his strength, hard bumps and tough approach to the game. Pickett is one of 12 players with two premiership medallions, a Norm Smith Medal... |
Port Adelaide Port Adelaide Football Club The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League... |
|
| 2005 | Chris Judd Chris Judd Christopher Dylan "Chris" Judd is a professional Australian rules footballer and current captain of the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League .... |
West Coast West Coast Eagles The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval... |
Team lost |
| 2006 | Andrew Embley Andrew Embley Andrew Embley is an Australian rules footballer currently playing for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League.-Early life:Andrew Embley was born to Maurice and Anne Embley on 27 June, 1981, in Perth, Western Australia... |
West Coast West Coast Eagles The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval... |
|
| 2007 | Steve Johnson | Geelong Geelong Football Club The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also... |
|
| 2008 | Luke Hodge Luke Hodge Luke Hodge is a professional Australian rules footballer with the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League... |
Hawthorn Hawthorn Football Club The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys... |
|
| 2009 | Paul Chapman | Geelong Geelong Football Club The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also... |
Tied on votes with Jason Gram Jason Gram Jason Gram is an Australian rules footballer for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League .-AFL career:... , but won with more maximum (3) votes. |
| 2010 | Lenny Hayes Lenny Hayes Lenny Hayes is a professional Australian rules footballer playing with St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League.Hayes is a former captain of St Kilda and continues to be an onfield leader in the Saints' midfield.... |
St Kilda | Grand Final resulted in a draw. |
| 2010 Replay | Scott Pendlebury Scott Pendlebury Scott Pendlebury is a professional Australian rules football player who plays for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League .- Early life :... |
Collingwood Collingwood Football Club The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League... |
Second Norm Smith Medal awarded for the year |
| 2011 | Jimmy Bartel Jimmy Bartel James 'Jimmy' Bartel is an Australian rules footballer for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League . A midfielder at and , Bartel is a Brownlow Medallist, two-time All-Australian, and was part of the Cats' AFL premiership-winning teams in 2007, 2009 and 2011, being named the... |
Geelong Geelong Football Club The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also... |
VFL/AFL Grand Final records
| Most matches (player) | 11: Michael Tuck Michael Tuck Michael Tuck is a seven time premiership winning player, Australian rules footballer with the Hawthorn Football Club in the Victorian Football League / Australian Football League , where he is the games record holder.... (Hawthorn) 10: Gordon Coventry Gordon Coventry Gordon "Nuts" Coventry was an Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football League . With 1,299 goals over 18 seasons, Coventry remains one of the greatest full forwards the game has ever seen... (Collingwood), Albert Collier Albert Collier Albert "Leeter" Collier was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.-Playing career:... (Collingwood), Dick Reynolds Dick Reynolds Richard Sylvannus 'Dick' Reynolds was an Australian rules footballer and coach who represented Essendon and Victoria with great distinction.... (Essendon), Bill Hutchison (Essendon) |
| Most matches (captain) | 9: Dick Reynolds (Essendon) 5: John Nicholls (Carlton), Michael Tuck (Hawthorn) |
| Most matches (coach) | 17: Jock McHale Jock McHale James Francis "Jock" McHale, was an Australian rules football player and coach for the Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football League in a marathon career that extended from 1903 to 1949.... (Collingwood) 12: Dick Reynolds (Essendon) 11: Frank 'Checker' Hughes Frank 'Checker' Hughes Frank 'Checker' Hughes was a famous player and coach of Australian rules football in the Victorian Football League in the period 1914 to 1948.... (Richmond/Melbourne) 10: Tom Hafey Tom Hafey Thomas Stanley Raymond Hafey is a former Australian rules football Victorian Football League player and coach. Hafey played for Richmond between 1953 and 1958, and coached four clubs—Richmond, Collingwood, Geelong and Sydney—between 1966 and 1988, leading teams to a total of four premierships... (Richmond/Collingwood) |
| Most matches (umpire) | 10: Jack Elder Jack Elder (umpire) Jack Elder was a former Australian rules football umpire who in 1996 was named as the VFL/AFL's Umpire of the Century.... (1908–22) 9: Ian Robinson(1973–87) 7: Bob Scott Bob Scott (umpire) Robert H. "Bob" Scott was a leading Australian rules football field umpire in the Victorian Football League in the 1920s and 1930s.... (1929–35), Henry 'Ivo' Crapp Henry 'Ivo' Crapp Henry 'Ivor' Crapp , was a leading Australian rules football field umpire in the Victorian Football League at its formation in the 1890s, and with the West Australian Football League in the early 1900s... (1898–1905) |
| Most matches (player/coach) | 20: Jock McHale (Collingwood) 17: Ron Barassi Ron Barassi Ronald Dale Barassi, Jr AM is a former Australian rules football player and coach. During a long and decorated career, Barassi has been one of the most important figures in the history of Australian football. His father, Ron Barassi, Sr., was the first Australian footballer killed at Tobruk during... (Melbourne/Carlton/N Melbourne) 14: F 'Checker' Hughes (Richmond/Melbourne), Norm Smith Norm Smith Norman Walter "Norm" Smith was an Australian rules football player and coach in the Victorian Football League. After 200 games as a player with Melbourne and Fitzroy, Smith began a twenty year coaching career, including a fifteen year stint at Melbourne... (Melbourne) 14 |
| Most wins (player) | 7: Michael Tuck (Hawthorn) 6: Albert Collier (Collingwood), Harry Collier Harry Collier Harry Collier was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.-Playing career:Originally from Ivanhoe, Victoria, Collier played for the Collingwood Football Club, debuting in 1926... (Collingwood), Frank 'Bluey' Adams Frank 'Bluey' Adams Frank 'Bluey' Adams is a former Australian rules football player, who played in the Victorian Football League for the Melbourne Football Club.... (Melbourne), Ron Barassi (Melbourne) |
| Most wins (captain) | 4: Dick Reynolds (Essendon), Syd Coventry Syd Coventry -St Kilda:Originally from Diamond Creek, Victoria, Coventry journeyed across the Bass Strait after the First World War to work in the mines at Queenstown, Tasmania, taking with him a reputation as a fine footballer... (Collingwood), Michael Tuck (Hawthorn) |
| Most wins (coach) | 8: Jock McHale (Collingwood) 6: Norm Smith (Melbourne) 5: Jack Worrall Jack Worrall John "Jack" Worrall was an Australian rules footballer for Fitzroy in the VFA and a test cricketer, a coach of both sports and a sporting journalist.... (Carlton/Essendon), F 'Checker' Hughes (Richmond/Melbourne) |
| Most losses (player) | 6: Jack Titus (Richmond) 5: Dick Reynolds (Essendon), Bill Hutchison (Essendon), Rene Kink Rene Kink Rene Kink is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood, St Kilda and Essendon in the VFL.Kink played in a variety of positions during his career but was mainly used as a half forward flanker or full forward... (Collingwood/Essendon), Thomas O'Halloran Thomas O'Halloran Thomas O'Halloran was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1925 and 1934 for the Richmond Football Club. He served as Richmond's Vice President in 1936 and 1940.- References :... (Richmond), Jack Dyer Jack Dyer John Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for... (Richmond), Jack Bissett (Richmond/South Melbourne) |
| Most losses (captain) | 4: Dick Reynolds (Essendon) 3: Jack Bissett (South Melbourne), Jack Dyer (Richmond) |
| Most losses (coach) | 9: Jock McHale (Collingwood) 7: Dick Reynolds (Essendon) 5: Allan Jeans Allan Jeans Allan Jeans was an Australian rules footballer and coach. He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame at its inception in 1996... (St Kilda/Hawthorn), Tom Hafey (Richmond/Collingwood) |
| First game in GF | Jack Prout (Essendon) 1908, Bill James (Richmond) 1920, George Rawle George Rawle George Rawle was an Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon in the VFL during the 1920s.Ruckman George Rawle was 33 when he made his league debut with Essendon in 1923, the second oldest to debut in history behind his teammate Charlie Hardy... (Essendon) 1923, F 'Pop' Vine (Melbourne) 1926, Ken Batchelor (Collingwood) 1952 |
| Most games before first GF | 313: Paul Roos Paul Roos (Australian rules footballer) Paul Roos is a former Australian rules football player and coach in the VFL and Australian Football League.Playing the majority of his career with Fitzroy, Roos was one of the teams greats, captaining the side for a long time and was acknowledged as its best player for several seasons, being named... (Fitzroy/Sydney) 1996 304: Shane Crawford Shane Crawford Shane Barry Crawford is a former Australian rules footballer, having played for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League... (Hawthorn) 2009 267: Marcus Ashcroft Marcus Ashcroft Marcus Ashcroft is a former professional Australian rules footballer, who holds the records for the most games for the Brisbane Bears/Brisbane Lions. He is currently on the coaching panel of the Gold Coast Football Club.-Early life:Ashcroft was born on the Gold Coast to a family from Melbourne... (Brisbane) 2001 255: Greg Wells Greg Wells (footballer) Greg Wells is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne and Carlton in the VFL during the 1970s and early 1980s.... (Melbourne/Carlton) 1981 248: Alastair Lynch Alastair Lynch Alastair Graeme Lynch is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League . He is best known as a three time premiership full-forward for the Brisbane Lions.... (Fitzroy/Brisbane) 2001 |
| Most goals | 9: Gordon Coventry (Collingwood) 1928, Gary Ablett, Sr. (Geelong) 1989 8: Dermott Brereton Dermott Brereton Dermott Hugh Brereton is a former Australian rules football player in the Australian Football League, regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation. Of Irish descent , he is known for his aggressive style of play. Brereton kicked 464 goals and played in five Premierships for during... (Hawthorn) 1985 |
| Most behinds | 10: Ron Todd Ron Todd (footballer) Ronald Walford Todd was an Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the Victorian Football League in the 1930s, and with Williamstown in the Victorian Football Association in the 1940s. Todd was an acrobatic and pacy forward, possessing a strong overhead mark... (Collingwood) 1936 8: Bob Pratt Bob Pratt Harold Robert "Bob" Pratt was a former Australian rules footballer from Mitcham, Victoria.Pratt played with South Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League from 1930–1939 and again in 1946, and with the Coburg Football Club in the Victorian Football Association from 1940 to 1941... (South Melbourne) 1933, John Hendrie John Hendrie (footballer) John Hendrie is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Hawthorn in the VFL during the 1970s.A forward, Hendrie kicked a career best 52 goals in 1977. He finished equal third in the 1975 Brownlow Medal count and was a premiership player with Hawthorn in 1976 and 1978.-External links:... (Hawthorn) 1976 |
| Highest score | 28.9 (177) | by Carlton vs Richmond 1972 |
| Lowest score | 1.7 (13) | by Richmond vs Collingwood 1927 |
| Highest aggregate | 327 points | Carlton vs Richmond 1972 |
| Lowest aggregate | 39 points | Collingwood vs Richmond 1937 |
| Highest winning margin | 119 points | by Geelong vs Port Adelaide 2007 |
| Lowest winning margin | 1 point | by Fitzroy vs South Melbourne 1899, by Carlton vs Essendon 1947, by St Kilda vs Collingwood 1966, by West Coast vs Sydney 2006 |
| Drawn games | 1948 1977 2010 |
Essendon vs Melbourne (Melbourne won replay) Collingwood vs North Melbourne (North Melbourne won replay) Collingwood vs St Kilda (Collingwood won replay) |
| Postponed games | 1923 | Essendon vs Fitzroy postponed one week due to bad weather |
| Highest attendance | 121,696 | Collingwood vs Carlton 1970 |
| Lowest attendance | 4,823 | Fitzroy vs South Melbourne 1899 |
| Highest score – 1st Qtr | 8.4 (52) | by Hawthorn vs Geelong 1989, by Carlton vs Richmond 1972 |
| Highest score – 2nd Qtr | 10.2 (62) | by Carlton vs Richmond 1972 |
| Highest score – 3rd Qtr | 11.8 (74) | by Essendon vs Melbourne 1946 |
| Highest score – 4th Qtr | 11.3 (69) | by Essendon vs Hawthorn 1985 |
Attendance
The event has been sold out every year for decades and once drew a crowd of 121,696 spectators for Collingwood vs Carlton in 1970, primarily due to the presence of standing room (areas of the stadium without seats). However attendances have wavered due to redevelopment and reduced capacity of the main venue, the Melbourne Cricket GroundMelbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
; being favoured by increased seating of approximately 110,000. AFL members and nominated members of the participating clubs are given first rights to tickets, as are Melbourne Cricket Club
Melbourne Cricket Club
The Melbourne Cricket Club is a sporting club based in Melbourne, Australia. It was founded in 1838 and is regarded as the oldest sporting club in Australia....
members.
The 2005 AFL Grand Final was watched by a television audience of more than 3.3 million people across five of Australia's most highly populated cities, including 1.2 million in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and 991,000 in Sydney. The worldwide audience has grown substantially to a potential 170 million viewers from 72 countries, although the actual audience is likely to be around 30 million.
The AFL Grand Final has been in the top five TV programmes across the five Australian mainland state capitals in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005, and was the top-rating sports programme in both 2004 and 2005 and in 2005, AFL Grand Final related shows (Final, wrap up and pre-match) were the top 3 rating television programmes for the year. The program was second in the 2006 ratings after the coverage of the 2006 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony
2006 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony
The Opening Ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games was held on 15 March 2006 at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The ceremony was conceived and produced by Jack Morton Worldwide, which also produced the ceremonies for the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth...
.
Australian metropolitan television viewers
NOTE: figures do not include regional viewers| Season | Date | Team 1 | Team 2 | Network | Viewers (metropolitan Australia) |
| 2003 2003 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2003.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:... |
27 September | Brisbane 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... |
Collingwood Collingwood Football Club The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League... |
Network Ten Network Ten Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country... |
2,965,600 |
| 2004 2004 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2004.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-Wizard Home Loans Cup:The Wizard Home Loans Cup Final saw St... |
25 September | Port Adelaide Port Adelaide Football Club The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League... |
Brisbane 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... |
Network Ten Network Ten Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country... |
2,796,000 |
| 2005 2005 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2005.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:... |
24 September | Sydney Sydney Swans The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney... |
West Coast West Coast Eagles The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval... |
Network Ten Network Ten Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country... |
3,386,000 |
| 2006 2006 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2006.-National Cup: 3.10.5 defeated 1.10.15 in the 2006 NAB Cup Final... |
30 September | Sydney Sydney Swans The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney... |
West Coast West Coast Eagles The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval... |
Network Ten Network Ten Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country... |
3,145,000 |
| 2007 2007 AFL season The 2007 AFL Season was the 111th season of the Australian Football League, the highest-level professional Australian rules football league in Australia... |
29 September | Geelong Geelong Football Club The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also... |
Port Adelaide Port Adelaide Football Club The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League... |
Network Ten Network Ten Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country... |
2,563,000 |
| 2008 2008 AFL season -Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6 :-Round 7:-AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match:-Round 8:... |
27 September | Geelong Geelong Football Club The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also... |
Hawthorn Hawthorn Football Club The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys... |
Seven Network Seven Network The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach... |
2,491,000 |
| 2009 2009 AFL season -Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5 :-Round 6:-Round 7:-Round 8:-Round 9 :-Round 10:... |
26 September | St Kilda | Geelong Geelong Football Club The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also... |
Network Ten Network Ten Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country... |
2,878,000 |
| 2010 2010 AFL season -Premiership season:The draw for the 2010 AFL Premiership Season is not a random selection of matches, but rather is planned by the AFL. It is intended to produce a balanced draw while also providing the fans and television networks with blockbuster games. In a competition with 16 teams and 22... 1 |
25 September | Collingwood Collingwood Football Club The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League... |
St Kilda | Seven Network Seven Network The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach... |
2,768,000 |
| 2 October | 2,687,000 | ||||
| 2011 2011 AFL season The 2011 Australian Football League season was the 115th season of the Australian rules football competition. It was the debut year for , and was scheduled to be the only season to be played with 17 teams... |
1 October | Collingwood Collingwood Football Club The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League... |
Geelong Geelong Football Club The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also... |
Network Ten Network Ten Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country... |
2,630,000 |
In the past (2007-2011) AFL domestic broadcast arrangement, Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
and the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
had exclusive hosting rights for the decider with the 2007, 2009 and 2011 AFL Grand Final on Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
and the 2008 and 2010 deciders on the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
. In the event of a Grand Final replay, the network that televised the first match will also broadcast the second match.
With the new television broadcasting deal announced in April 2011, the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
have exclusive rights to televising the AFL Grand Final for the next five years (i.e. 2012 - 2016).
1 Figures include both drawn Grand Final and Replay.
International telecasts
The AFL Grand Final is televised into many countries and grand final parties are held around the world. The following are television details for the 2009 AFL Grand Final2009 AFL Grand Final
The 2009 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the St Kilda Football Club and the Geelong Football Club at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 26 September 2009...
.
- Papua New GuineaPapua New GuineaPapua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
– EM TVEM TVEM TV is a commercial television station in Papua New Guinea. Until the launch of the National Television Service in September 2008, it was the country's only free to air television service....
, Australia NetworkAustralia NetworkAustralia Network, originally Australia Television International and later ABC Asia Pacific, is a free-to-air international satellite television service operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation since 2006. The television and online service broadcasts 24 hours a day on 7 days a week, to...
(live) - New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
– Sky SportSKY Sport (New Zealand)Sky Sport is a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by New Zealand's satellite pay-TV company, Sky Network Television. Sky Sport 1 was launched in 1990...
(live) - Asia-PacificAsia-PacificAsia-Pacific or Asia Pacific is the part of the world in or near the Western Pacific Ocean...
– Australia NetworkAustralia NetworkAustralia Network, originally Australia Television International and later ABC Asia Pacific, is a free-to-air international satellite television service operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation since 2006. The television and online service broadcasts 24 hours a day on 7 days a week, to...
(live) (includes China, Hong Kong/Macau, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Palau, Malaysia, Cambodia, Burma/Myanmar, Laos, Brunei, Fiji, Western Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Timor-Leste(East Timor), Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Micronesia, Kiribati)
- Indian subcontinentIndian subcontinentThe Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
(India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan) – Australia NetworkAustralia NetworkAustralia Network, originally Australia Television International and later ABC Asia Pacific, is a free-to-air international satellite television service operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation since 2006. The television and online service broadcasts 24 hours a day on 7 days a week, to...
(live) - Middle EastMiddle EastThe Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
– Australia NetworkAustralia NetworkAustralia Network, originally Australia Television International and later ABC Asia Pacific, is a free-to-air international satellite television service operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation since 2006. The television and online service broadcasts 24 hours a day on 7 days a week, to...
and Showtime ArabiaShowtime ArabiaShowtime Arabia, as it was called to distinguish itself from its U.S. counterpart , was a subscription television service in the Middle East and North Africa. It was a joint venture between KIPCO and CBS Corporation , CBS Corp being a minor partner...
(ShowSports) (live) - IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
– Fox Sports Israel (live)
- North America
- United States – ESPN3.com and ESPN2ESPN2ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
(live), MHz WorldviewMHz WorldviewMHz WorldView is an independent, non-commercial Public television network that broadcasts newscasts and other programs from around the world. It is owned and operated by Commonwealth Public Broadcasting Corporation who also run MHz Networks....
(delayed). - Canada – TSNThe Sports NetworkThe Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
(live).
- United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland – ESPN UK (live)
- Spain – Canal+ SpainCanal+ SpainCanal+ 1, formerly known simply as Canal+ is a Spanish commercial television channel, launched in September 1990 on terrestrial television frequencies. The channel is operated by Sogecable. The main staples of Canal+ 1 are Spanish football, bullfighting and recent movies.In 1997 new channels using...
(live/delayed coverage to be confirmed) - ALL of Europe – Eurosport 2Eurosport 2Eurosport 2 is a European sports television network. It is a sister channel to Eurosport and Eurosport News. Several different versions of the channel exist across Europe, where television rights for sport differ.-Launch:...
(live/delayed coverage to be confirmed) - Africa – ESPN InternationalESPN InternationalESPN International is a family of networks around the world. It was begun in 1989 and is operated by ESPN. It consists of:Asia: *ESPN SEA*ESPN SEA 2*ESPN China*ESPN Hong Kong*ESPN India*ESPN Malaysia...
(Pan-Africa channel) (live) - Latin America and Caribbean – ESPN InternationalESPN InternationalESPN International is a family of networks around the world. It was begun in 1989 and is operated by ESPN. It consists of:Asia: *ESPN SEA*ESPN SEA 2*ESPN China*ESPN Hong Kong*ESPN India*ESPN Malaysia...
(to be confirmed)
See also
- Grand FinalGrand FinalGrand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
- Australian Football LeagueAustralian Football LeagueThe Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
- Early VFL Final systemsEarly VFL Final systemsThroughout its history, the Victorian Football League has used a system of finals after playing a regular season to determine the winner of the premiership....
- McIntyre SystemMcIntyre SystemThe McIntyre System, or systems because there have been five of them, is a playoff system that gives an advantage to teams or competitors qualifying higher...
- AFL finals systemAFL finals systemThe current AFL finals system was devised by the Australian Football League in 2000 as its end-of-season championship playoff tournament. It is a revision of the McIntyre Final Eight System, used by the AFL from 1994 to 1999, designed to address several perceived issues with that system...
- List of Australian Football League premiers
- One Day in September (song)One Day in September (song)One Day in September is a song written and performed by Australian musician Mike Brady.It is a large part of the tradition of Australian rules football, and refers to the AFL Grand Final - a game which is played on the last Saturday in September....