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1902 VFL season

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1902 VFL premiership season
Collingwood 1902 VFL premiership team
Date3 May—20 September 1902
Teams8
PremiersCollingwood
1st premiership
Minor premiersCollingwood
1st minor premiership
Leading goalkicker medallistCharlie Baker (St Kilda)
30 goals
Matches played72
← 1901
1903 →

The 1902 VFL season was the sixth 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 3 May to 20 September, comprising a 17-round home-and-away season followed by a three-week finals series featuring the top four clubs.

Collingwood won the premiership, defeating Essendon by 33 points in the 1902 VFL grand final; it was Collingwood's first VFL premiership. Collingwood also won the minor premiership by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with a 15–2 win–loss record. St Kilda's Charlie Baker won the leading goalkicker medal as the league's leading goalkicker.

Background

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In 1902, 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 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1902 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the amended Argus system.

Home-and-away season

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Round 1

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Round 1
Saturday, 3 May (3:00 pm) Carlton 6.4 (40) def. by Geelong 11.12 (78) Princes Park
Saturday, 3 May (3:00 pm) South Melbourne 3.7 (25) def. by Collingwood 5.13 (43) Lake Oval
Saturday, 3 May (3:00 pm) Essendon 5.9 (39) def. by Fitzroy 7.10 (52) East Melbourne Cricket Ground
Saturday, 3 May (3:00 pm) Melbourne 15.15 (105) def. St Kilda 7.9 (51) Melbourne Cricket Ground

Round 2

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
St Kilda 5.6 (36) Fitzroy 14.20 (104) Junction Oval 10 May 1902
Geelong 3.6 (24) Essendon 10.17 (77) Corio Oval 10 May 1902
Melbourne 4.10 (34) Collingwood 8.3 (51) MCG 10 May 1902
South Melbourne 8.13 (61) Carlton 0.8 (8) Lake Oval 10 May 1902

Round 3

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Fitzroy 8.10 (58) South Melbourne 8.4 (52) Brunswick Street Oval 17 May 1902
Essendon 7.6 (48) Melbourne 3.7 (25) EMCG 17 May 1902
Collingwood 11.15 (81) Geelong 3.2 (20) Victoria Park 17 May 1902
St Kilda 2.13 (25) Carlton 4.9 (33) Junction Oval 17 May 1902

Round 4

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Geelong 11.11 (77) St Kilda 5.3 (33) Corio Oval 24 May 1902
Essendon 5.8 (38) South Melbourne 4.11 (35) EMCG 24 May 1902
Collingwood 3.4 (22) Fitzroy 7.13 (55) Victoria Park 24 May 1902
Carlton 6.13 (49) Melbourne 8.12 (60) Princes Park 24 May 1902

Round 5

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Geelong 5.14 (44) South Melbourne 3.9 (27) Corio Oval 31 May 1902
Fitzroy 7.17 (59) Melbourne 6.10 (46) Brunswick Street Oval 31 May 1902
St Kilda 5.5 (35) Collingwood 5.12 (42) Junction Oval 31 May 1902
Essendon 7.16 (58) Carlton 5.8 (38) EMCG 31 May 1902

Round 6

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Collingwood 6.15 (51) Essendon 11.10 (76) Victoria Park 7 June 1902
Carlton 4.6 (30) Fitzroy 9.14 (68) Princes Park 7 June 1902
South Melbourne 5.13 (43) St Kilda 1.3 (9) Lake Oval 7 June 1902
Melbourne 2.13 (25) Geelong 3.8 (26) MCG 7 June 1902

Round 7

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Melbourne 7.5 (47) South Melbourne 6.10 (46) MCG 9 June 1902
Fitzroy 8.14 (62) Geelong 3.8 (26) Brunswick Street Oval 9 June 1902
St Kilda 6.4 (40) Essendon 10.4 (64) Junction Oval 9 June 1902
Collingwood 8.11 (59) Carlton 3.3 (21) Victoria Park 9 June 1902

Round 8

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Collingwood 4.26 (50) South Melbourne 1.8 (14) Victoria Park 14 June 1902
St Kilda 3.6 (24) Melbourne 8.7 (55) Junction Oval 14 June 1902
Fitzroy 5.12 (42) Essendon 7.6 (48) Brunswick Street Oval 14 June 1902
Geelong 6.7 (43) Carlton 7.5 (47) Corio Oval 14 June 1902

Round 9

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Fitzroy 12.8 (80) St Kilda 2.7 (19) Brunswick Street Oval 21 June 1902
Essendon 2.3 (15) Geelong 4.10 (34) EMCG 21 June 1902
Collingwood 7.19 (61) Melbourne 4.7 (31) Victoria Park 21 June 1902
Carlton 4.7 (31) South Melbourne 2.6 (18) Princes Park 21 June 1902

Round 10

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Carlton 10.12 (72) St Kilda 7.7 (49) Princes Park 5 July 1902
South Melbourne 6.10 (46) Fitzroy 4.10 (34) Lake Oval 5 July 1902
Melbourne 3.9 (27) Essendon 6.12 (48) MCG 5 July 1902
Geelong 6.8 (44) Collingwood 12.12 (84) Corio Oval 5 July 1902

Round 11

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
St Kilda 4.9 (33) Geelong 7.7 (49) Junction Oval 12 July 1902
South Melbourne 5.6 (36) Essendon 6.7 (43) Lake Oval 12 July 1902
Fitzroy 6.9 (45) Collingwood 9.14 (68) Brunswick Street Oval 12 July 1902
Melbourne 4.12 (36) Carlton 4.9 (33) MCG 12 July 1902

Round 12

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Collingwood 19.13 (127) St Kilda 1.4 (10) Victoria Park 19 July 1902
Carlton 4.9 (33) Essendon 1.10 (16) Princes Park 19 July 1902
South Melbourne 7.13 (55) Geelong 6.9 (45) Lake Oval 19 July 1902
Melbourne 5.7 (37) Fitzroy 4.9 (33) MCG 19 July 1902

Round 13

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
St Kilda 2.10 (22) South Melbourne 5.7 (37) Junction Oval 26 July 1902
Geelong 8.6 (54) Melbourne 3.9 (27) Corio Oval 26 July 1902
Essendon 5.6 (36) Collingwood 7.5 (47) EMCG 26 July 1902
Fitzroy 4.6 (30) Carlton 6.8 (44) Brunswick Street Oval 26 July 1902

Round 14

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Essendon 12.12 (84) St Kilda 3.4 (22) EMCG 2 August 1902
Carlton 2.3 (15) Collingwood 7.10 (52) Princes Park 2 August 1902
South Melbourne 3.9 (27) Melbourne 9.9 (63) Lake Oval 2 August 1902
Geelong 5.10 (40) Fitzroy 9.7 (61) Corio Oval 2 August 1902

Round 15 (Sectional round 1)

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Melbourne 7.5 (47) Carlton 1.7 (13) MCG 16 August 1902
Collingwood 12.12 (84) South Melbourne 5.14 (44) Victoria Park 16 August 1902
St Kilda 3.5 (23) Essendon 10.12 (72) Junction Oval 16 August 1902
Geelong 5.6 (36) Fitzroy 6.15 (51) Corio Oval 16 August 1902

Round 16 (Sectional round 2)

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Carlton 6.11 (47) St Kilda 3.6 (24) Princes Park 23 August 1902
Fitzroy 5.4 (34) Collingwood 13.9 (87) Brunswick Street Oval 23 August 1902
Essendon 11.11 (77) Melbourne 8.8 (56) MCG 23 August 1902
South Melbourne 12.12 (84) Geelong 5.9 (39) Lake Oval 23 August 1902

Round 17 (Sectional round 3)

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date
Carlton 5.10 (40) Essendon 7.4 (46) Princes Park 30 August 1902
Collingwood 16.16 (112) Geelong 2.11 (23) Victoria Park 30 August 1902
Fitzroy 6.10 (46) South Melbourne 7.8 (50) Brunswick Street Oval 30 August 1902
Melbourne 10.9 (69) St Kilda 5.5 (35) MCG 30 August 1902

Ladder

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(P) Premiers
Qualified for finals
# Team P W L D PF PA % Pts
1 Collingwood (P) 17 15 2 0 1121 562 199.5 60
2 Essendon 17 13 4 0 885 625 141.6 52
3 Fitzroy 17 10 7 0 914 726 125.9 40
4 Melbourne 17 9 8 0 800 735 108.8 36
5 South Melbourne 17 7 10 0 700 704 99.4 28
6 Carlton 17 7 10 0 594 770 77.1 28
7 Geelong 17 7 10 0 702 914 76.8 28
8 St Kilda 17 0 17 0 490 1170 41.9 0

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 45.6
Source: AFL Tables

Finals series

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Semi-finals

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date Attendance
Essendon 9.7 (61) Melbourne 7.9 (51) Princes Park 6 September 1902 8,000
Collingwood 6.12 (48) Fitzroy 9.10 (64) MCG 6 September 1902 13,000

Preliminary final

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Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Venue Date Attendance
Fitzroy 4.10 (34) Essendon 6.9 (45) MCG 13 September 1902 26,000

Grand final

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Main article: 1902 VFL grand final
Grand final
Saturday, 20 September (2:50 pm) Collingwood 9.6 (60) def. Essendon 3.9 (27) Melbourne Cricket Ground (crowd: 35,202)

Win–loss table

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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.

By having the best overall record for the season following the second week of finals, Collingwood won the right to challenge the preliminary final winner for the premiership.[1]

+ Win Qualified for finals
- Loss X Bye
Draw Eliminated
Team Home-and-away season Ladder Finals series
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 SF PF GF
Carlton GEE
-38		 SM
-53		 STK
+8		 MEL
-11		 ESS
-20		 FIT
-38		 COL
-38		 GEE
+4		 SM
+13		 STK
+23		 MEL
-3		 ESS
+17		 FIT
+14		 COL
-37		 MEL
-34		 STK
+23		 ESS
-6		 6
(7–10–0)
Collingwood SM
+18		 MEL
+17		 GEE
+61		 FIT
-33		 STK
+7		 ESS
-25		 CAR
+38		 SM
+36		 MEL
+30		 GEE
+40		 FIT
+23		 STK
+117		 ESS
+11		 CAR
+37		 SM
+40		 FIT
+53		 GEE
+89		 1
(15–2–0)		 FIT
-16		 X ESS
+33
Essendon FIT
-13		 GEE
+53		 MEL
+23		 SM
+3		 CAR
+20		 COL
+25		 STK
+24		 FIT
+6		 GEE
-19		 MEL
+21		 SM
+7		 CAR
-17		 COL
-11		 STK
+62		 STK
+49		 MEL
+21		 CAR
+6		 2
(13–4–0)		 MEL
+10		 FIT
+11		 COL
-33
Fitzroy ESS
+13		 STK
+68		 SM
+6		 COL
+33		 MEL
+13		 CAR
+38		 GEE
+36		 ESS
-6		 STK
+61		 SM
-12		 COL
-23		 MEL
-4		 CAR
-14		 GEE
+21		 GEE
+15		 COL
-53		 SM
-4		 3
(10–7–0)		 COL
+16		 ESS
-11
Geelong CAR
+38		 ESS
-53		 COL
-61		 STK
+44		 SM
+17		 MEL
+1		 FIT
-36		 CAR
-4		 ESS
+19		 COL
-40		 STK
+16		 SM
-10		 MEL
+27		 FIT
-21		 FIT
-15		 SM
-45		 COL
-89		 7
(7–10–0)
Melbourne STK
+54		 COL
-17		 ESS
-23		 CAR
+11		 FIT
-13		 GEE
-1		 SM
+1		 STK
+31		 COL
-30		 ESS
-21		 CAR
+3		 FIT
+4		 GEE
-27		 SM
+36		 CAR
+34		 ESS
-21		 STK
+44		 4
(9–8–0)		 ESS
-10
South Melbourne COL
-18		 CAR
+53		 FIT
-6		 ESS
-3		 GEE
-17		 STK
+34		 MEL
-1		 COL
-36		 CAR
-13		 FIT
+12		 ESS
-7		 GEE
+10		 STK
+15		 MEL
-36		 COL
-40		 GEE
+45		 FIT
+4		 5
(7–10–0)
St Kilda MEL
-54		 FIT
-68		 CAR
-8		 GEE
-44		 COL
-7		 SM
-34		 ESS
-24		 MEL
-31		 FIT
-61		 CAR
-23		 GEE
-16		 COL
-117		 SM
-15		 ESS
-62		 ESS
-49		 CAR
-23		 MEL
-44		 8
(0–17–0)

Source: AFL Tables

Season notes

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  • The VFL instituted the amended Argus system to determine the season's premiers.
  • St Kilda finished last without a win, their sixth consecutive wooden spoon, and seven games behind second-last Geelong, both VFL/AFL records.
  • In each of Rounds 8 and 10, while Essendon champion Albert Thurgood was serving a three-match suspension for striking, one of his team-mates took the field each week under the nom de guerre "Goodthur"; the name was used (in quote marks) in all news reports of the matches. Football historians Michael Maplestone and Stephen Rogers, through a process of elimination, determined that Goodthur was most likely Fred Mann, and official statistics reflect this. [2]
  • Collingwood's Charlie Pannam becomes the first VFL player to play 100 VFL games (at the end of the 1902 season, he had played in 104 of the 106 VFL games that Collingwood had played since the VFL's first round of games in 1897).

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ Rodgers, Stephen (1992). Every Game Ever Played, VFL/AFL Results 1897–1991 (3rd ed.). Ringwood, Victoria: Viking O'Neal.
  2. ^ (Maplestone (1996) p.61).
  • Hogan, P., The Tigers Of Old, The Richmond Football Club, (Richmond), 1996. ISBN 0-646-18748-1
  • Rogers, S. & Brown, A., Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL Results 1897–1997 (Sixth Edition), Viking Books, (Ringwood), 1998. ISBN 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. ISBN 0-670-86814-0

Sources

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