1897 VFA season

Australian football season December 2017 December 2017 VFA Premiership season 1897 Port melbourne fc 1897.jpg 250px Port Melbourne, premier team 6 Port Melbourne 1 1896 1898 The 1897 Victorian Football Association season was the 21st season of the Australian rules football competition. The premiership was won by the Port Melbourne Football Club, the first premiership in its history. The 1897 season the VFA's first season as the second-tier senior football competition in Victoria. From 1877 until 1896, the VFA had been the top senior competition in the colony, but at the end of 1896, eight of the association's strongest clubs broke away, establishing the rival Victorian Football League, which immediately assumed the position as the highest level of competition. Association membership During the 1890s, there was an off-field power struggle within the VFA between the stronger and weaker clubs, as the stronger clubs sought greater administrative control commensurate with their relative financial contribution to the game. This came to a head during 1896 when it was proposed that gate profits, which were always lower in matches against the weaker clubs, be shared equally amongst the Association clubs; in response to the threat that this could be endorsed on the votes of the weaker clubs, six of the strongest clubs – , , , , and – seceded from the VFA, inviting and StK to join them, to form a rival senior competition, the Victorian Football League.North Melbourne Courier and West Melbourne Advertiser 19 March 1897 3 The Victorian Football Association North Melbourne 72 The League became recognised as the highest level of senior competition in the colony of Victoria, and the Association became the second-tier senior competition, a position it has maintained since. The establishment of the League left only five of the Association's existing senior competing clubs: , , Port Melbourne, and Williamstown. The VFL gave those five clubs the opportunity to compete as a junior competition under and without representation on the VFL's administration, but they rejected the offer and continued as an independent body. One junior club, Brunswick, was elevated to senior status to bring the numbers to six. The Argus reported in March that two other junior clubs would be elevated to bring numbers to eight, with Essendon District, Brighton, Hawksburn, Hawthorn or Geelong all cited as potential candidates,The Argus Melbourne 12 March 1897 6 Next Winter's football Observer but this did not eventuate and the association size remained at six teams until 1899. The three Ballarat-based clubs – Ballarat, Ballarat Imperial and South Ballarat – had been members of the Association with representation on the Board of Management, but had not actively competed for the Association premiership. As there was no longer a strong administrative benefit to belonging to the weakened Association, those clubs also ended their affiliations prior to 1897.The Ballarat Star 4 10 April 1897 Ballarat Football Club Ballarat, VIC A committee set up in 1896 prior to the secession, featuring delegates both from teams which did secede and teams which did not, developed a series of rule changes which were implemented in 1897: however, since the rules were not adopted until after the secession, the two bodies elected to adopt some slightly different rule changes.The Argus Melbourne Next winter's football – rival organisations – the new rules Observer 12 March 1897 6 Key changes were: The modern system of scoring was introduced, with six points awarded for a goal and one point for a behind, replacing the system where games were decided solely on the number of goals scored. (Adopted by both bodies) The "little mark" was abolished, with the minimum length required for a kick to be claimed as a mark increased from two yards to ten yards (Adopted by both bodies) The number of players in a team was reduced from twenty to eighteen, with two follower positions eliminated. (Later adopted by the League in 1899) Season results Round 1 Round 1 Saturday, 1 May Port Melbourne 8.19 (67) H 2.6 (18) Port Melbourne Cricket Ground The Australasian Melbourne 8 May 1897 Football Notes 916 Markwell Saturday, 1 May Williamstown 3.4 (22) A 4.5 (29) Williamstown Cricket Ground Saturday, 1 May 5.8 (38) H Brunswick 2.3 (15) Melbourne Cricket Ground Round 2 Round 2 Saturday, 8 May Port Melbourne 10.12 (72) H 3.5 (23) Port Melbourne Cricket Ground The Australasian Melbourne 15 May 1897 Football Notes 966–7 Markwell Saturday, 8 May 6.12 (48) H Brunswick 3.4 (22) Western Reserve Saturday, 8 May Williamstown 4.6 (30) A 4.9 (33) Williamstown Cricket Ground Round 3 Round 3 Saturday, 15 May Williamstown 2.3 (15) A Port Melbourne 4.8 (32) Williamstown Cricket Ground The Australasian Melbourne 22 May 1897 Football Notes 1019–20 Markwell Saturday, 15 May 5.10 (40) A 10.13 (73) Richmond City Reserve Saturday, 15 May Brunswick 3.3 (21) H 1.10 (16) Park Street Oval Round 4 Round 4 Saturday, 22 May Port Melbourne 17.18 (120) H Brunswick 2.0 (12) Port Melbourne Cricket Ground The Australasian Melbourne 29 May 1897 Football Notes 1071–2 Markwell Saturday, 22 May 8.7 (55) A 9.8 (62) East Melbourne Cricket Ground Saturday, 22 May 7.10 (52) D Williamstown 8.4 (52) Richmond City Reserve Round 5 Round 5 Monday, 24 May (morning) 2.5 (17) A Port Melbourne 7.9 (51) Western Reserve The Argus Melbourne To-day's matches 24 May 1897 6 Monday, 24 May (morning) 5.13 (43) H 6.6 (42) East Melbourne Cricket Ground Monday, 24 May (morning) Williamstown 9.16 (70) H Brunswick 4.2 (26) Williamstown Cricket Ground Round 6 Round 6 Saturday, 29 May 6.5 (41) H Port Melbourne 2.5 (17) East Melbourne Cricket Ground The Australasian Melbourne 5 June 1897 Football Notes 1123–4 Markwell Saturday, 29 May 2.10 (22) H Williamstown 0.4 (4) Western Reserve Saturday, 29 May Brunswick 8.6 (54) H 4.15 (39) Park Street Oval Round 7 Round 7 Saturday, 5 June 8.1 (49) A Port Melbourne 8.12 (60) Richmond Cricket Ground The Australasian Melbourne 12 June 1897 Football Notes 1176 Markwell Saturday, 5 June 5.8 (38) H Williamstown 3.5 (23) East Melbourne Cricket Ground Saturday, 5 June Brunswick 4.2 (26) A 8.8 (56) Park Street Oval Round 8 Round 8 Saturday, 12 June Port Melbourne 4.10 (34) H Williamstown 4.5 (29) Port Melbourne Cricket Ground The Australasian Melbourne 19 June 1897 Football Notes 1229 Markwell Saturday, 12 June 8.13 (61) H 6.8 (44) Western Reserve Saturday, 12 June Brunswick 2.9 (21) A 8.9 (57) Park Street Oval Round 9 Round 9 (Charity Round) Saturday, 19 June 3.12 (30) H 2.4 (16) East Melbourne Cricket Ground The Australasian Melbourne 26 June 1897 Football Notes 1277–8 Markwell Saturday, 19 June Brunswick 1.1 (7) A Port Melbourne 6.9 (45) Park Street Oval Saturday, 19 June Williamstown 8.15 (63) H 3.3 (21) Williamstown Cricket Ground Round 10 Round 10 Saturday, 26 June Port Melbourne 3.11 (29) H 3.6 (24) Port Melbourne Cricket Ground The Australasian Melbourne 3 July 1897 Football Notes 22 Markwell Saturday, 26 June Brunswick 0.1 (1) A Williamstown 6.9 (45) Park Street Oval Saturday, 26 June 2.2 (14) A 7.8 (50) Richmond Cricket Ground Round 11 Round 11 Saturday, 3 July 3.10 (28) A Port Melbourne 7.4 (46) East Melbourne Cricket Ground The Australasian Melbourne 10 July 1897 Football Notes 77 Markwell Saturday, 3 July Williamstown 3.5 (23) H 2.9 (21) Williamstown Cricket Ground Saturday, 3 July Brunswick 6.8 (44) H 4.8 (32) Park Street Oval Round 12 Round 12 Saturday, 10 July 3.6 (24) A Port Melbourne 5.6 (36) Richmond Cricket Ground The Australasian Melbourne 17 July 1897 Football Notes 127 Markwell Saturday, 10 July 5.2 (32) H Williamstown 4.7 (31) East Melbourne Cricket Ground Saturday, 10 July Brunswick 3.8 (26) A 10.13 (73) Park Street Oval Round 13 Round 13 Saturday, 17 July Port Melbourne 9.14 (68) H Williamstown 2.4 (16) Port Melbourne Cricket Ground The Australasian Melbourne 24 July 1897 Football Notes 180 Markwell Saturday, 17 July 7.17 (59) H 0.5 (5) Western Reserve Saturday, 17 July Brunswick 3.7 (25) A 5.7 (37) Park Street Oval Round 14 Round 14 Saturday, 24 July Brunswick 6.8 (44) A Port Melbourne 14.15 (99) Park Street Oval The Australasian Melbourne 31 July 1897 Football Notes 231–2 Markwell Saturday, 24 July 4.4 (28) H 1.4 (10) Western Reserve Saturday, 24 July Williamstown 9.15 (69) H 5.3 (33) Williamstown Cricket Ground Round 15 Round 15 Saturday, 7 August Port Melbourne 1.11 (17) H 1.8 (14) Port Melbourne Cricket Ground The Australasian Melbourne 14 August 1897 Football Notes 358 Markwell Saturday, 7 August 9.14 (68) H 5.14 (44) East Melbourne Cricket Ground Saturday, 7 August Williamstown 9.12 (66) H Brunswick 2.8 (20) Williamstown Cricket Ground Round 16 Round 16 Saturday, 14 August Port Melbourne 2.11 (23) A 4.5 (29) Port Melbourne Cricket Ground The Australasian Melbourne 21 August 1897 Football Notes 391 Markwell Saturday, 14 August 3.6 (24) A Williamstown 3.7 (25) Western Reserve Saturday, 14 August 5.21 (51) H Brunswick 5.4 (34) Richmond Cricket Ground Round 17 Round 17 Saturday, 21 August Port Melbourne 13.8 (86) H 3.3 (21) Port Melbourne Cricket Ground The Australasian Melbourne 28 August 1897 Football Notes 443–4 Markwell Saturday, 21 August Williamstown 9.7 (61) H 2.5 (17) Williamstown Cricket Ground Saturday, 21 August 3.10 (28) H Brunswick 2.8 (20) Western Reserve Round 18 Round 18 Saturday, 28 August Williamstown 3.9 (27) A Port Melbourne 4.6 (30) Williamstown Cricket Ground The Australasian Melbourne 4 September 1897 Football Notes 497 Markwell Saturday, 28 August 5.10 (40) A 9.12 (66) Richmond Cricket Ground Saturday, 28 August 10.9 (69) H Brunswick 3.15 (33) Western Reserve Round 19 Round 19 Saturday, 4 September Port Melbourne 9.17 (71) H Brunswick 2.6 (18) Port Melbourne Cricket Ground The Australasian Melbourne 11 September 1897 Football Notes 549 Markwell Saturday, 4 September 4.6 (30) A 7.5 (47) Western Reserve Saturday, 4 September 3.11 (29) A Williamstown 4.9 (33) Richmond Cricket Ground Round 20 Round 20 Saturday, 11 September 7.12 (54) H Port Melbourne 3.6 (24) Western Reserve The Australasian Melbourne 18 September 1897 Football Notes 605 Markwell Saturday, 11 September 6.8 (44) A 6.16 (52) Richmond Cricket Ground Saturday, 11 September Williamstown 13.15 (93) H Brunswick 6.7 (43) Williamstown Cricket Ground Ladder main WDL Q 1897 VFA ladder true points no 4 2 PMB Port Melbourne NOR FOO WIL Williamstown BRU Brunswick RIC 17 3 0 1080 504 P Premiers 14 6 0 770 681 13 7 0 805 559 10 9 1 795 606 3 17 0 505 1111 2 17 1 685 1091 green1 P complete The Argus 13 September 1897 Close of the Football Season 3 Melbourne Observer Notable events Representative games The Association played one representative match during 1897, against the Ballarat Football Association at the Eastern Oval on 31 July. Representative Games in 1897 Saturday, 31 July B.F.A. 6.11 (47) A V.F.A. 7.8 (50) Eastern Oval The Australasian Melbourne 7 August 1897 Football Notes 284 Markwell Other notable events Theodore Fink, MLA replaced Sir Frank Grey Smith as president of the Association. Smith had been president since 1887.Marc Fiddian 2004 The VFA: a history of the Victorian Football Association, 1877–1995 21 Owing to work to upgrade the venue, the North Melbourne Recreation Reserve was not available during the season. played most of its home games for the season at the East Melbourne Cricket Ground, sharing it with the League's Essendon Football Club;6 The Argus Football – the Victorian Football League Melbourne 13 April 1897 it also played one home game at Footscray when East Melbourne was unavailable. In Round 12, only nine of the Footscray team arrived for their match against Brunswick; Footscray was forced to call on trainers, reserves and about half a dozen willing spectators to take the field in order to field a full team. Despite this unusual handicap, Footscray still comfortably won the game. The Association introduced premiership medals to be award to players of the premier club for the first time, replacing the existing practice of awarding a premiership cap to each player."Free Kick" 20 March 1897 2 Football – Unsportsmanlike action of the League clubs The Standard Port Melbourne XIII 11 See also Victorian Football League (1897–1989) List of VFA premiers History of Australian rules football in Victoria (1853–1900) References Category:Victorian Football League seasons VFL