1901 VFL season

Fifth season of the Victorian Football League (VFL) December 2017 December 2017 1901 Essendon fc 1901.jpg 258px 1901 VFL premiership team 4 May – 7 September 1901 8 2 2 Fred Hiskins () 34 71 white 1900 VFL season 1900 white 1902 VFL season 1902 The 1901 VFL season was the fifth season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest-level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured eight clubs and ran from 4 May to 7 September, comprising a 17-round home-and-away season followed by a two-week finals series featuring the top four clubs. won the premiership, defeating by 27 points in the 1901 VFL grand final; it was Essendon's second VFL premiership. won the minor premiership by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with a 14–3 win–loss record, but was eliminated by Collingwood in the semi-finals. Essendon's Fred Hiskins won the leading goalkicker medal as the league's leading goalkicker. Background 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 their place on the field at any time during the match. Each team played each other twice in a home-and-away season of 14 rounds. Then, based on ladder positions after those 14 rounds, three further 'sectional rounds' were played, with the teams ranked 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th playing in one section and the teams ranked 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th playing in the other. Once the 17 rounds of the home-and-away season had finished, the 1901 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the original Argus system. Home-and-away season Round 1 Round 1 Saturday, 4 May (3:00 pm) 8.13 (61) H 2.7 (19) Brunswick Street Oval Saturday, 4 May (3:00 pm) 1.15 (21) A 9.10 (64) East Melbourne Cricket Ground Saturday, 4 May (3:00 pm) 2.11 (23) H 3.3 (21) Corio Oval Saturday, 4 May (3:00 pm) 6.5 (41) A 6.13 (49) Junction Oval Round 2 Round 2 Thursday, 9 May (3:00 pm) 13.16 (94) H 0.7 (7) Victoria Park Thursday, 9 May (3:00 pm) 3.1 (19) A 9.14 (68) Junction Oval Thursday, 9 May (3:00 pm) 5.8 (38) A 6.12 (48) Brunswick Street Oval Thursday, 9 May (3:00 pm) 5.6 (36) A 5.10 (40) Melbourne Cricket Ground Round 3 Round 3 Saturday, 11 May (3:00 pm) 3.8 (26) A 7.13 (55) Princes Park Saturday, 11 May (3:00 pm) 9.4 (58) H 6.11 (47) Lake Oval Saturday, 11 May (3:00 pm) 6.8 (44) A 7.5 (47) East Melbourne Cricket Ground Saturday, 11 May (3:00 pm) 7.16 (58) H 3.3 (21) Melbourne Cricket Ground Round 4 Round 4 Saturday, 18 May (3:00 pm) 4.3 (27) H 3.7 (25) Princes Park Saturday, 18 May (3:00 pm) 6.8 (44) H 3.4 (22) Victoria Park Saturday, 18 May (3:00 pm) 4.10 (34) H 4.6 (30) Corio Oval Saturday, 18 May (3:00 pm) 15.16 (106) H 3.5 (23) Brunswick Street Oval Round 5 Round 5 Saturday, 25 May (3:00 pm) 7.8 (50) H 3.6 (24) EMCG Saturday, 25 May (3:00 pm) 5.10 (40) H 2.8 (20) Princes Park Saturday, 25 May (3:00 pm) 3.7 (25) A 6.5 (41) Lake Oval Saturday, 25 May (3:00 pm) 3.6 (24) A 4.8 (32) Corio Oval Round 6 Round 6 Saturday, 1 June (3:00 pm) 7.13 (55) H 6.9 (45) Victoria Park Saturday, 1 June (3:00 pm) 2.5 (17) A 11.12 (78) Junction Oval Saturday, 1 June (3:00 pm) 5.5 (35) A 3.23 (41) Lake Oval Saturday, 1 June (3:00 pm) 7.7 (49) H 5.4 (34) MCG Round 7 Round 7 Monday, 3 June (3:00 pm) 9.11 (65) H 3.4 (22) Corio Oval Monday, 3 June (3:00 pm) 5.6 (36) D 5.6 (36) Brunswick Street Oval Monday, 3 June (3:00 pm) 3.1 (19) A 7.11 (53) Junction Oval Monday, 3 June (3:00 pm) 15.15 (105) H 3.7 (25) EMCG Round 8 Round 8 Saturday, 8 June (3:00 pm) 7.7 (49) H 7.6 (48) Victoria Park Saturday, 8 June (3:00 pm) 5.7 (37) A 6.8 (44) Princes Park Saturday, 8 June (3:00 pm) 7.14 (56) H 1.1 (7) Lake Oval Saturday, 8 June (3:00 pm) 7.4 (46) A 9.5 (59) MCG Round 9 Round 9 Saturday, 22 June (3:00 pm) 19.22 (136) H 4.5 (29) EMCG Saturday, 22 June (3:00 pm) 6.6 (42) A 9.9 (63) Princes Park Saturday, 22 June (3:00 pm) 6.9 (45) A 9.7 (61) Lake Oval Saturday, 22 June (3:00 pm) 6.16 (52) H 8.3 (51) Corio Oval Round 10 Round 10 Saturday, 29 June (3:00 pm) 5.1 (31) A 7.9 (51) Victoria Park Saturday, 29 June (3:00 pm) 4.4 (28) A 4.14 (38) Junction Oval Saturday, 29 June (3:00 pm) 6.8 (44) A 14.8 (92) Brunswick Street Oval Saturday, 29 June (3:00 pm) 8.15 (63) H 4.7 (31) Corio Oval Round 11 Round 11 Saturday, 6 July (3:00 pm) 6.13 (49) H 2.12 (24) EMCG Saturday, 6 July (3:00 pm) 4.10 (34) A 11.7 (73) Junction Oval Saturday, 6 July (3:00 pm) 5.6 (36) H 4.11 (35) MCG Saturday, 6 July (3:00 pm) 10.10 (70) H 3.2 (20) Lake Oval Round 12 Round 12 Saturday, 13 July (3:00 pm) 9.11 (65) A 12.7 (79) Brunswick Street Oval Saturday, 13 July (3:00 pm) 6.5 (41) A 12.11 (83) Victoria Park Saturday, 13 July (3:00 pm) 6.6 (42) H 4.9 (33) MCG Saturday, 13 July (3:00 pm) 7.8 (50) H 4.8 (32) Junction Oval Round 13 Round 13 Saturday, 20 July (3:00 pm) 8.7 (55) H 4.5 (29) Corio Oval Saturday, 20 July (3:00 pm) 6.16 (52) H 8.3 (51) EMCG Saturday, 20 July (3:00 pm) 5.6 (36) A 6.6 (42) Princes Park Saturday, 20 July (3:00 pm) 2.7 (19) A 3.6 (24) Brunswick Street Oval Round 14 Round 14 Saturday, 27 July (3:00 pm) 10.20 (80) H 1.7 (13) Victoria Park Saturday, 27 July (3:00 pm) 3.2 (20) A 11.13 (79) Princes Park Saturday, 27 July (3:00 pm) 6.9 (45) A 6.13 (49) Lake Oval Saturday, 27 July (3:00 pm) 4.5 (29) H 2.11 (23) MCG Pre-sectional ladder Section A Section B |- style=background:#E6E6FA | 1 || align=left | || 14 || 12 || 2 || 0 || 712 || 478 || 149.0 || 48 |- style=background:#FEEAD3 | 2 || align=left | || 14 || 10 || 4 || 0 || 712 || 488 || 145.9 || 40 |- style=background:#E6E6FA | 3 || align=left | || 14 || 9 || 5 || 0 || 848 || 507 || 167.3 || 36 |- style=background:#FEEAD3 | 4 || align=left | || 14 || 8 || 5 || 1 || 540 || 507 || 106.5 || 34 |- style=background:#E6E6FA | 5 || align=left | || 14 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 651 || 583 || 111.7 || 28 |- style=background:#FEEAD3 | 6 || align=left | || 14 || 6 || 7 || 1 || 693 || 597 || 116.1 || 26 |- style=background:#E6E6FA | 7 || align=left | || 14 || 2 || 12 || 0 || 396 || 820 || 48.3 || 8 |- style=background:#FEEAD3 | 8 || align=left | || 14 || 1 || 13 || 0 || 350 || 922 || 38.0 || 4 |} Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points forSource: AFL Tables Round 15 (Sectional round 1) Round 15 (Sectional round 1) Saturday, 3 August (3:00 pm) 6.8 (44) H 3.10 (28) Victoria Park Saturday, 3 August (3:00 pm) 3.5 (25) A 6.18 (54) Princes Park Saturday, 3 August (3:00 pm) 1.3 (9) A 10.9 (69) Lake Oval Saturday, 3 August (3:00 pm) 4.3 (27) A 14.15 (99) Junction Oval Round 16 (Sectional round 2) Round 16 (Sectional round 2) Saturday, 10 August (3:00 pm) 7.12 (54) H 4.6 (30) Corio Oval Saturday, 10 August (3:00 pm) 14.18 (102) H 5.3 (33) EMCG Saturday, 10 August (3:00 pm) 19.10 (124) H 3.4 (22) Lake Oval Saturday, 10 August (3:00 pm) 7.6 (48) H 2.6 (18) Brunswick Street Oval Round 17 (Sectional round 3) Round 17 (Sectional round 3) Saturday, 17 August (3:00 pm) 20.23 (143) H 2.3 (15) Victoria Park Saturday, 17 August (3:00 pm) 3.6 (24) A 4.13 (37) Princes Park Saturday, 17 August (3:00 pm) 5.3 (33) A 9.12 (66) Corio Oval Saturday, 17 August (3:00 pm) 4.13 (37) H 3.6 (24) Brunswick Street Oval Ladder (P) Premiers Qualified for finals |- style=background:#FFFFBB | 1 || align=left | || 17 || 14 || 3 || 0 || 853 || 597 || 142.9 || 56 |- style=background:#FFFFBB | 2 || align=left | (P) || 17 || 12 || 5 || 0 || 1085 || 582 || 186.4 || 48 |- style=background:#FFFFBB | 3 || align=left | || 17 || 12 || 5 || 0 || 917 || 579 || 158.4 || 48 |- style=background:#FFFFBB | 4 || align=left | || 17 || 9 || 7 || 1 || 877 || 666 || 131.7 || 38 |- | 5 || align=left | || 17 || 9 || 7 || 1 || 716 || 610 || 117.4 || 38 |- | 6 || align=left | || 17 || 8 || 9 || 0 || 727 || 730 || 99.6 || 32 |- | 7 || align=left | || 17 || 2 || 15 || 0 || 476 || 1013 || 47.0 || 8 |- | 8 || align=left | || 17 || 1 || 16 || 0 || 414 || 1288 || 32.1 || 4 |} Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points forAverage score: 44.6Source: AFL Tables Finals series Semi-finals 1st Semi Final Saturday, 31 August 1901 2.3 (15) 3.5 (23) 5.8 (38) 6.9 (45) Smith 2, Bryce, Morgan, Rowell, Tulloch H 0.2 (2) 1.3 (9) 3.4 (22) 3.6 (24) Bennion, Rankin, Woods EMCG 10,000 Report Gibson 2nd Semi Final Saturday, 31 August 1901 0.1 (1) 3.2 (20) 5.7 (37) 6.10 (46) Thurgood 5, Larkin H 2.4 (16) 2.6 (18) 3.8 (26) 6.9 (45) Brosnan 2, Sharp 2, Sharpe 2 Victoria Park 15,000 Report Henry "Ivo" Crapp Grand final 1901 VFL grand final Grand final Saturday, 7 September 1901 (2:50 pm) 6.7 (43) H 2.4 (16) Lake Oval 30,031 Report Win–loss table The following table can be sorted from biggest winning margin to biggest losing margin for each round. If two or more matches in a round are decided by the same margin, these margins are sorted by percentage (i.e. the lowest-scoring winning team is ranked highest and the lowest-scoring losing team is ranked lowest). Opponents are listed above the margins and home matches are in bold. 85% yes yes Team Home-and-away season Ladder Ladder position and win–loss–draw record Finals series 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 SF GF Car 07 FIT−42 08 COL−87 07 GEE−29 04 SM+2 02 STK+20 07 MEL−15 08 ESS−80 06 FIT−7 07 COL−21 07 GEE−32 08 SM−50 07 STK−18 07 MEL−6 07 ESS−59 06 GEE−31 07 ESS−69 05 SM−13 7(2–15–0) Col 01 ESS+43 01 CAR+87 06 SM−11 02 MEL+22 04 GEE+8 03 FIT+10 03 STK+34 04 ESS+1 02 CAR+21 06 SM−20 05 MEL−1 08 GEE−42 03 FIT+5 01 STK+67 04 MEL+16 06 FIT−30 01 STK+128 3(12–5–0) 04 GEE+21 01 ESS−27 Ess 08 COL−43 02 STK+49 05 FIT−3 06 GEE−4 01 MEL+26 04 SM+6 01 CAR+80 05 COL−1 01 STK+107 01 FIT+48 03 GEE+25 05 MEL−9 04 SM+1 02 CAR+59 02 SM+60 02 CAR+69 02 GEE+33 2(12–5–0) 03 FIT+1 02 COL+27 Fit 02 CAR+42 06 GEE−10 04 ESS+3 01 STK+83 03 SM+16 06 COL−10 05 MEL0 03 CAR+7 05 GEE−1 08 ESS−48 02 STK+39 06 SM−14 06 COL−5 06 MEL−6 01 STK+72 03 COL+30 03 MEL+13 4(9–7–1) 02 ESS−1 Gee 04 MEL+2 03 FIT+10 02 CAR+29 03 ESS+4 05 COL−8 01 STK+61 02 SM+43 02 MEL+13 04 FIT+1 02 CAR+32 06 ESS−25 01 COL+42 01 STK+26 04 SM+4 03 CAR+31 04 SM+24 07 ESS−33 1(14–3–0) 01 COL−21 Mel 05 GEE−2 05 SM−4 01 STK+37 07 COL−22 08 ESS−26 02 CAR+15 04 FIT0 07 GEE−13 03 SM+16 04 STK+10 04 COL+1 04 ESS+9 02 CAR+6 03 FIT+6 05 COL−16 01 STK+102 06 FIT−13 5(9–7–1) SM 03 STK+8 04 MEL+4 03 COL+11 05 CAR−2 06 FIT−16 05 ESS−6 07 GEE−43 01 STK+49 06 MEL−16 03 COL+20 01 CAR+50 03 FIT+14 05 ESS−1 05 GEE−4 07 ESS−60 05 GEE−24 04 CAR+13 6(8–9–0) StK 06 SM−8 07 ESS−49 08 MEL−37 08 FIT−83 07 CAR−20 08 GEE−61 06 COL−34 08 SM−49 08 ESS−107 05 MEL−10 07 FIT−39 02 CAR+18 08 GEE−26 08 COL−67 08 FIT−72 08 MEL−102 08 COL−128 8(1–16–0) Source: AFL Tables Season notes Fitzroy lodged an official protest against the result of the second semi-final, which it lost against Essendon by one point, alleging that the goal umpire had erred in awarding Essendon's first goal because the ball had hit the post. Later in the week, Fitzroy withdrew its protest against the result, and the scheduling of the grand final was not affected;The Argus 12 September 1901 7 Football – The Goal Umpiring Question an inquiry later in September found that the goal umpire had made a mistake, but no change was made to the score after the finding.The Essendon-Fitzroy Football Match The Argus 24 September 1901 6 Against South Melbourne in Round 6, Essendon kicked 17 behinds between its first and second goals. Only Geelong against St Kilda in 1919 and St Kilda against Fitzroy in 1921 have beaten this unwanted record. Fred Hiskins kicked ten behinds. In the Round 13 match between Collingwood and Fitzroy, neither team scored in the final quarter. As of 2026, this remains the only quarter in VFL/AFL history in which no score was registered at all.https://afltables.com/afl/teams/allteams/qh.html#28 All teams – quarters and halves 24 November 2024 AFL Tables In the last home-and-away match between South Melbourne and Geelong, field umpire Henry "Ivo" Crapp experimented with clearly calling out his decisions. In Essendon's grand final victory against Collingwood, Albert Thurgood kicked three of Essendon's six goals. One of his goals was scored with an 86 yard m on drop-kick, and another (measured immediately after the match) was scored with a 93 yard m on place-kick into a strong head wind. VFL instituted the original Argus system to determine the season's premiers. Awards The 1901 VFL Premiership team was Essendon. The VFL's leading goalkicker was Fred Hiskins of Essendon with 34 goals. St Kilda took the "wooden spoon" in 1901. References Maplestone, M., Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996, Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996. 0-9591740-2-8 Rogers, S. & Brown, A., Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL Results 1897–1997 (Sixth Edition), Viking Books, (Ringwood), 1998. 0-670-90809-6 Ross, J. (ed), 100 Years of Australian Football 1897–1996: The Complete Story of the AFL, All the Big Stories, All the Great Pictures, All the Champions, Every AFL Season Reported, Viking, (Ringwood), 1996. 0-670-86814-0 Sources 1901 VFL season at AFL Tables 1901 VFL season at Australian Football 1901 Category:1901 in Australian men's sport Category:1901 in Australian rules football