List of Australian Football League pre-season and night series premiers

The List of Australian Football League pre-season and night series premiers is a complete chronological listing of the winners of the Victorian Football League (VFL) and Australian Football League (AFL) pre-season and night series competitions. Although it spans three different competitions, the premierships are considered historically equivalent.

From 1956 to 1971, the first VFL Night Series was a consolation knock-out competition held in September at the Lake Oval in Albert Park amongst the eight teams who failed to reach the finals in the VFL premiership season, apart from 1957, when all twelve teams competed.[1]

There were no official VFL night series held during the 1972 to 1976 seasons, however in 1976 the National Football League (the national governing body at the time) held their own night series mid-week during the season, known as the NFL Wills Cup. In 1977, the VFL revived their own night series, also held mid-week during the season and televised on Channel 7 to rival the NFL series that was shown on Channel 10.[2] Whilst the 1977 series only featured the twelve VFL teams, between 1978 and 1986 a selection of teams from the SANFL, WAFL and representative teams from Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania also competed.[3] This became known as the Australian Football Championships Night Series and ran until 1987.

With the national expansion of the VFL to include teams from Western Australia and Queensland the 1987 series was restricted to only the 14 VFL teams and commenced during the pre-season period, but was completed mid-week between rounds 5 and 6 of the 1987 VFL season.[4]

From 1988 until 2013, the competition was played in its entirety before the premiership season began and is competed for by only the VFL or AFL teams (the VFL was renamed the AFL in 1990), and became the Australian Football League pre-season competition. The preseason competition was abandoned in 2014, and replaced with discrete practice matches.

Consolation Night series (Lake Oval) winners 1956–1971

Year Winners Grand Finalist ScoresVenueCrowdMarginSeason Result
1956 South Melbourne Carlton 13.16 (94) – 13.10 (88)Lake Oval32,450 6 9th
1957 South Melbourne Geelong 15.13 (103) – 8.4 (52) Lake Oval25,000 51 10th
1958 St Kilda Carlton 16.13 (109) – 15.11 (101) Lake Oval26,400 8 8th
1959 Fitzroy Hawthorn 10.10 (70) – 4.16 (40) Lake Oval9,200 30 5th
1960 South Melbourne Hawthorn 10.12 (72) – 8.11 (59) Lake Oval20,000 13 8th
1961 Geelong North Melbourne 9.20 (74) – 9.8 (62) Lake Oval30,465 12 6th
1962 Richmond Hawthorn 8.16 (64) – 9.6 (60) Lake Oval24,550 4 8th
1963 Footscray Richmond 10.9 (69) – 9.9 (63) Lake Oval25,270 6 9th
1964 Footscray St Kilda 11.12 (78) – 11.7 (73) Lake Oval36,300 5 10th
1965 North Melbourne Carlton 14.13 (97) – 9.3 (57) Lake Oval37,750 40 9th
1966 North Melbourne Hawthorn 20.12 (132) – 12.7 (79) Lake Oval22,800 53 7th
1967 Footscray South Melbourne 15.11 (101) – 8.8 (56) Lake Oval26,731 45 12th
1968 Hawthorn North Melbourne 16.15 (111) – 6.14 (50) Lake Oval15,650 61 6th
1969 Hawthorn Melbourne 10.17 (77) – 9.18 (72) Lake Oval21,067 5 5th
1970 Footscray Melbourne 13.17 (95) – 13.15 (93) Lake Oval23,882 2 7th
1971 Melbourne Fitzroy 12.7 (79) – 9.9 (63) Lake Oval21,169 16 7th

Most Consolation Night Series (Lake Oval) wins 1956–1971

Team Wins Seasons
Footscray41963, 1964, 1967, 1970
South Melbourne31956, 1957, 1960
Hawthorn21968, 1969
North Melbourne21965, 1966
Melbourne11971
St Kilda11958
Fitzroy11959
Geelong11961
Richmond11962

Night series winners 1977–1987

Year Winners Grand Finalist ScoresVenueCrowdMargin Season Result
1977 Hawthorn Carlton 14.11 (95) – 11.5 (71) VFL Park27,407 24 Preliminary Finalist
1978 Fitzroy North Melbourne 13.18 (96) – 2.8 (20) VFL Park26,420 76 9th
1979 Collingwood Hawthorn 12.8 (80) – 7.10 (52) VFL Park37,753 28 Grand Finalist
1980 North Melbourne Collingwood 8.9 (57) – 7.12 (54) VFL Park50,478 3 Elimination Finalist
1981 Essendon Carlton 9.11 (65) – 6.5 (41) VFL Park42,269 24 Elimination Finalist
1982 Swans North Melbourne 13.12 (90) – 8.10 (58) VFL Park20,028 32 7th
1983 Carlton Richmond 14.16 (100) – 10.6 (66) VFL Park32,927 34 Elimination Finalist
1984 Essendon Sydney Swans 13.11 (89) – 5.8 (38) VFL Park30,824 51 Premier
1985 Hawthorn Essendon 11.11 (77) – 10.8 (68) VFL Park24,812 9 Grand Finalist
1986 Hawthorn Carlton 9.12 (66) – 5.6 (36) VFL Park19,627 30 Premier
1987 Melbourne Essendon 8.10 (58) – 8.6 (54) VFL Park26,860 4 Preliminary Finalist

Most night series wins 1977–1987

Team Wins Seasons
Hawthorn31977, 1985, 1986
Essendon21981, 1984
Melbourne11987
Carlton11983
Sydney Swans11982
North Melbourne11980
Collingwood11979
Fitzroy11978

Pre-season cup winners 1988–2013

Year Premier Runner Up Scores Venue Crowd Margin Winner Season Runner Up Season
1988 Hawthorn Geelong 10.10 (70) – 9.13 (67) Waverley Park 35,803 3 Premier 9th
1989 Melbourne Geelong 10.16 (76) – 9.13 (67) Waverley Park 48,720 9 Semi Finalist Grand Finalist
1990 Essendon North Melbourne 17.10 (112) – 10.16 (76) Waverley Park 48,559 36 Grand Finalist 6th
1991 Hawthorn North Melbourne 14.19 (103) – 7.12 (54) Waverley Park 46,629 49 Premier 8th
1992 Hawthorn Fitzroy 19.14 (128) – 8.15 (63) Waverley Park 49,453 65 Elimination Finalist 10th
1993 Essendon Richmond 14.18 (102) – 11.13 (79) Waverley Park 75,533 23 Premier 14th
1994 Essendon Adelaide 15.12 (102) – 9.14 (68) Waverley Park 43,925 34 10th 11th
1995 North Melbourne Adelaide 14.9 (93) – 8.15 (63) Waverley Park 39,393 30 Preliminary Finalist 11th
1996 St Kilda Carlton 20.10 (130) – 10.12 (72)Waverley Park 66,888 58 10th Semi Finalist
1997 Carlton Geelong 14.13 (97) – 5.10 (40) MCG 63,898 57 11th Semi Finalist
1998 North Melbourne St Kilda 14.13 (97) – 12.11 (83) Waverley Park 63,760 14 Grand Finalist Semi Finalist
1999 Hawthorn Port Adelaide 12.11 (83) – 5.6 (36) Waverley Park 74,786 47 9th Elimination Finalist
2000 Essendon North Melbourne 16.21 (117) – 11.10 (76) MCG 56,720 41 Premier Preliminary Finalist
2001 Port Adelaide Brisbane Lions 17.9 (111) – 3.8 (26) Football Park 35,304 85 Semi Finalist Premier
2002 Port Adelaide Richmond 10.11 (71) – 9.8 (62) Colonial Stadium 36,481 9 Preliminary Finalist 14th
2003 Adelaide Collingwood 2.13.8 (104) – 1.9.10 (73) Telstra Dome 43,571 31 Semi Finalist Grand Finalist
2004 St Kilda Geelong 1.14.5 (98) – 1.10.7 (76) Telstra Dome 50,533 22 Preliminary Finalist Preliminary Finalist
2005 Carlton West Coast Eagles 1.14.18 (111) – 1.11.9 (84) Telstra Dome 43,391 27 16th (Wooden Spoon) Grand Finalist
2006 Geelong Adelaide 3.10.5 (92) – 1.10.15 (84) AAMI Stadium 30,707 8 9th Preliminary Finalist
2007 Carlton Brisbane Lions 2.12.7 (97) – 0.10.12 (72) Telstra Dome 46,094 25 15th 10th
2008 St Kilda Adelaide 2.7.9 (69) – 0.9.10 (64) AAMI Stadium 26,823 5 Preliminary Finalist Elimination Finalist
2009 Geelong Collingwood 0.18.19 (127) – 1.6.6 (51) Etihad Stadium 37,277 76 Premier Preliminary Finalist
2010 Western Bulldogs St Kilda 2.13.8 (104) – 0.9.10 (64) Etihad Stadium 42,381 40 Preliminary Finalist Grand Finalist
2011 Collingwood Essendon 1.15.9 (108) – 0.13.8 (86) Etihad Stadium 45,304 22 Grand Finalist Elimination Finalist
2012 Adelaide West Coast Eagles 2.10.17 (95) – 2.5.13 (61) AAMI Stadium 27,376 34 Preliminary Finalist Semi Finalist
2013 Brisbane Lions Carlton 0.16.13 (109) – 2.7.9 (69) Etihad Stadium 24,884 40 12th Semi Finalist

^The Australian Football League was called the Victorian Football League prior to 1990.
From 2003 onwards, the pre-season cup competition has had a modified scoring system (not the usual scoring system that is used in the premiership season), that includes awarding 9 points for Super Goals that are kicked from outside the 50m arc and 3 points for rushed behinds.

Most pre-season cup competition wins 1988–2013

Team WinsMost Recent Win
Essendon42000
Hawthorn41999
St Kilda32008
Carlton32007
Adelaide22012
Geelong22009
Port Adelaide22002
North Melbourne21998
Brisbane Lions12013
Collingwood12011
Western Bulldogs12010
Melbourne11989

Total pre-season and night series wins

Team Wins Seasons
Hawthorn91968, 1969, 1977, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1999
Essendon61981, 1984, 1990, 1993, 1994, 2000
Footscray /
Western Bulldogs
51963, 1964, 1967, 1970, 2010
North Melbourne /
Kangaroos
51965, 1966, 1980, 1995, 1998
South Melbourne /
Sydney Swans
41956, 1957, 1960, 1982
St Kilda41958, 1996, 2004, 2008
Carlton41983, 1997, 2005, 2007
Geelong31961, 2006, 2009
Melbourne31971, 1987, 1989
Adelaide22003, 2012
Collingwood21979, 2011
Fitzroy21959, 1978
Port Adelaide 22001, 2002
Brisbane Lions12013
Richmond11962
Ref:[5]

Back-to-back night/pre-season winners

Season Premier Runner Up Score Venue Attendance Margin
1956 South Melbourne Carlton 13.16 (94) – 13.10 (88)Lake Oval32,450 6
1957 South Melbourne Geelong 15.13 (103) – 8.4 (52) Lake Oval25,000 51
1963 Footscray Richmond 10.9 (69) – 9.9 (63) Lake Oval25,270 6
1964 Footscray St Kilda 11.12 (78) – 11.7 (73) Lake Oval36,300 5
1965 North Melbourne Carlton 14.13 (97) – 9.3 (57) Lake Oval37,750 40
1966 North Melbourne Hawthorn 20.12 (132) – 12.7 (79) Lake Oval22,800 53
1968 Hawthorn North Melbourne 16.15 (111) – 6.14 (50) Lake Oval15,650 61
1969 Hawthorn Melbourne 10.17 (77) – 9.18 (72) Lake Oval21,067 5
1985 Hawthorn Essendon 11.11 (77) – 10.8 (68) Waverley Park24,812 9
1986 Hawthorn Carlton 9.12 (66) – 5.6 (36) Waverley Park19,627 30
1991 Hawthorn North Melbourne 14.19 (103) – 7.12 (54) Waverley Park 46,629 49
1992 Hawthorn Fitzroy 19.14 (128) – 8.15 (63) Waverley Park 49,453 65
1993 Essendon Richmond 14.18 (102) – 11.13 (79) Waverley Park 75,533 23
1994 Essendon Adelaide 15.12 (102) – 9.14 (68) Waverley Park 43,925 34
2001 Port Adelaide Brisbane Lions 17.9 (111) – 3.8 (26) Football Park 35,304 85
2002 Port Adelaide Richmond 10.11 (71) – 9.8 (62) Colonial Stadium 36,481 9

Double premiership teams

The double premiership of winning both the night/pre-season and main premiership competitions has been achieved on seven occasions, by three clubs. In 2007, the AFL announced that if a club won both titles, they would win a $1 million bonus.[6] The offer was not extended past that season, so neither St Kilda, who won the 2008 NAB Cup and made the preliminary final of the 2008 AFL season[7] nor Geelong, who achieved the double in 2009 were eligible for the extra prizemoney.

Three teams have won the pre-season premiership immediately after winning the main season premiership. Carlton won the main VFL Premiership in 1982 and back up with a night premiership in 1983. Hawthorn won the AFL Premiership in 1991, then backed the following year to win the pre-season competition in 1992. Collingwood won the 2010 AFL Grand Final and then also won the 2011 NAB Cup.

Season Premier Runner Up Score Venue Attendance Premiership
1984 Essendon Sydney Swans 13.11 (89) – 5.8 (38) Waverley Park30,824 Night series
1984 Essendon Hawthorn 14.21 (105) – 12.9 (81) MCG 92,685 VFL Grand Final
1986 Hawthorn Carlton 9.12 (66) – 5.6 (36) Waverley Park19,627 Night series
1986 Hawthorn Carlton 16.14 (110) – 9.14 (68) MCG 101,861 VFL Grand Final
1988 Hawthorn Geelong 10.10 (70) – 9.13 (67) Waverley Park 35,803 Pre-Season Cup
1988 Hawthorn Melbourne 22.20 (152) – 6.20 (56) MCG 93,754 VFL Grand Final
1993 Essendon Richmond 14.18 (102) – 11.13 (79) Waverley Park 75,533 Pre-Season Cup
1993 Essendon Carlton 20.13 (133) – 13.11 (89) MCG 96,862 AFL Grand Final
2000 Essendon North Melbourne 16.21 (117) – 11.10 (76) MCG 56,720 Pre-Season Cup
2000 Essendon Melbourne 19.21 (135) – 11.9 (75) MCG 96,249 AFL Grand Final
2009 Geelong Collingwood 0.18.19 (127) – 1.6.6 (51) Etihad Stadium 37,277 Pre-Season Cup
2009 Geelong St Kilda 12.8 (80) – 9.14 (68) MCG 99,251 AFL Grand Final

See also

References

  1. Taylor, Kevin (2000). Inside Football Footystats. Oakleigh, Victoria: ACP Action. p. 76. ISBN 0-646-37926-7.
  2. Ross, John, ed. (1997). 100 years of Australian football. Ringwood, Victoria: Penguin Books. p. 277. ISBN 0-14-026969-X.
  3. Devaney, John. "VFL & AFL Night Series & Pre-season Grand Finals". Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 12 October 2008.
  4. Poat, Peter & East, Alan (1987). Football Register (25th ed.). Applecross, Western Australia: Westralian Publishers. pp. 103, 117.
  5. Lovett, Michael, ed. (2005). AFL Record Guide to Season 2005. AFL Publishing. p. 760.
  6. AFL glory equals $1m bonus
  7. $1 million finals bonus off the table for St Kilda
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