List of VFL/AFL minor premiers
This page is a complete chronological listing of VFL/AFL minor premiers. The Australian Football League (AFL), known as the Victorian Football League (VFL) until 1990, is the elite national competition in men's Australian rules football.
The team that finishes the home-and-away season on top of the premiership ladder is known as the "minor premier". Since 1991, the McClelland Trophy has been awarded to the minor premier.[1] Finishing on top of the ladder provides only minor benefits during the AFL finals series, and the main league award is the AFL premiership, which is awarded to the winner of the AFL Grand Final.[2][3][4]
As of 2020, 64 minor premiers have won the VFL/AFL premiership, 43 have finished as runners-up, and 17 have finished third, failing to qualify for the grand final. Since 1995, only six minor premiers have gone on to win the premiership, and 1980, 2019 and 2020 are the only seasons where neither of the top two teams during the home-and-away season qualified for the grand final.
List of minor premiers
The following is a list of minor premiers, ladder details and results.
| Season | Minor premier | Premiership points | Percentage | Second place | Margin | Finish | Premiers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1897 | Geelong | 44 | 184.3 | Essendon | 25.3% | Runners-up | Essendon |
| 1898 | Essendon | 44 | 202.1 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Fitzroy |
| 1899 | Fitzroy | 44 | 153.3 | Geelong | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1900 | Fitzroy (2) | 44 | 168.0 | Geelong | 8 points | Runners-up | Melbourne |
| 1901 | Geelong (2) | 56 | 142.9 | Essendon | 8 points | Third | Essendon |
| 1902 | Collingwood | 60 | 199.5 | Essendon | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1903 | Collingwood (2) | 60 | 159.4 | Fitzroy | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1904 | Fitzroy (3) | 48 | 128.2 | Carlton | 6 points | Premiers | |
| 1905 | Collingwood (3) | 60 | 175.0 | Fitzroy | 10 points | Runners-up | Fitzroy |
| 1906 | Carlton | 56 | 153.5 | Fitzroy | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1907 | Carlton (2) | 52 | 155.7 | South Melbourne | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1908 | Carlton (3) | 68 | 169.4 | Essendon | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 1909 | South Melbourne | 56 | 168.9 | Carlton | 22.1% | Premiers | |
| 1910 | Carlton (4) | 60 | 160.1 | Collingwood | 8 points | Runners-up | Collingwood |
| 1911 | Essendon (2) | 62 | 178.3 | South Melbourne | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1912 | South Melbourne (2) | 56 | 157.0 | Carlton | 25.8% | Runners-up | Essendon |
| 1913 | Fitzroy (4) | 64 | 144.3 | South Melbourne | 6 points | Premiers | |
| 1914 | Carlton (5) | 56 | 129.7 | South Melbourne | 6 points | Premiers | |
| 1915 | Collingwood (4) | 56 | 166.1 | Carlton | 2 points | Runners-up | Carlton |
| 1916 | Carlton (6) | 40 | 137.2 | Collingwood | 14 points | Runners-up | Fitzroy |
| 1917 | Collingwood (5) | 42 | 133.4 | Carlton | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1918 | South Melbourne (3) | 52 | 143.1 | Collingwood | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 1919 | Collingwood (6) | 52 | 162.3 | South Melbourne | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1920 | Richmond | 56 | 146.4 | Fitzroy | 3.2% | Premiers | |
| 1921 | Carlton (7) | 56 | 142.0 | Richmond | 8 points | Runners-up | Richmond |
| 1922 | Collingwood (7) | 48 | 127.8 | Essendon | 6 points | Runners-up | Fitzroy |
| 1923 | Essendon (3) | 52 | 135.8 | Fitzroy | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1924 | Essendon (4) | 46 | 131.6 | South Melbourne | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 1925 | Geelong (3) | 60 | 152.7 | Essendon | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1926 | Collingwood (8) | 60 | 149.3 | Geelong | 4.1% | Runners-up | Melbourne |
| 1927 | Collingwood (9) | 60 | 150.6 | Richmond | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1928 | Collingwood (10) | 60 | 134.6 | Richmond | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1929 | Collingwood (11) | 72 | 171.7 | Carlton | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 1930 | Collingwood (12) | 60 | 144.3 | Carlton | 2.7% | Premiers | |
| 1931 | Geelong (4) | 60 | 151.4 | Richmond | 10.3% | Premiers | |
| 1932 | Carlton (8) | 60 | 137.8 | Richmond | 2 points | Runners-up | Richmond |
| 1933 | Richmond (2) | 60 | 141.1 | South Melbourne | 8 points | Runners-up | South Melbourne |
| 1934 | Richmond (3) | 60 | 121.3 | Geelong | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 1935 | South Melbourne (4) | 64 | 137.6 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Collingwood |
| 1936 | South Melbourne (5) | 64 | 118.5 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Collingwood |
| 1937 | Geelong (5) | 60 | 135.3 | Melbourne | 4.1% | Premiers | |
| 1938 | Carlton (9) | 56 | 116.1 | Geelong | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1939 | Melbourne | 60 | 128.4 | Collingwood | 6.4% | Premiers | |
| 1940 | Melbourne (2) | 56 | 125.8 | Richmond | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1941 | Carlton (10) | 56 | 120.3 | Melbourne | 3.1% | Third | Melbourne |
| 1942 | Essendon (5) | 52 | 127.1 | Richmond | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1943 | Richmond (4) | 44 | 123.1 | Essendon | 7.9% | Premiers | |
| 1944 | Richmond (5) | 54 | 131.1 | Fitzroy | 0.1% | Runners-up | Fitzroy |
| 1945 | South Melbourne (6) | 64 | 131.8 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Carlton |
| 1946 | Essendon (6) | 60 | 140.7 | Collingwood | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1947 | Carlton (11) | 60 | 134.0 | Essendon | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1948 | Essendon (7) | 66 | 137.2 | Melbourne | 14 points | Runners-up | Melbourne |
| 1949 | North Melbourne | 56 | 119.1 | Carlton | 4 points | Third | Essendon |
| 1950 | Essendon (8) | 68 | 162.2 | North Melbourne | 16 points | Premiers | |
| 1951 | Geelong (6) | 56 | 135.4 | Collingwood | 9.8% | Premiers | |
| 1952 | Geelong (7) | 66 | 134.7 | Collingwood | 10 points | Premiers | |
| 1953 | Geelong (8) | 60 | 143.3 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Collingwood |
| 1954 | Geelong (9) | 52 | 133.1 | Footscray | 6 points | Third | Footscray |
| 1955 | Melbourne (3) | 60 | 150.5 | Collingwood | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1956 | Melbourne (4) | 64 | 146.0 | Collingwood | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 1957 | Melbourne (5) | 50 | 138.8 | Essendon | 6 points | Premiers | |
| 1958 | Melbourne (6) | 60 | 123.7 | Collingwood | 12 points | Runners-up | Collingwood |
| 1959 | Melbourne (7) | 54 | 142.7 | Carlton | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 1960 | Melbourne (8) | 56 | 143.1 | Fitzroy | 30.6% | Premiers | |
| 1961 | Hawthorn | 56 | 125.1 | Melbourne | 6 points | Premiers | |
| 1962 | Essendon (9) | 64 | 130.4 | Geelong | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1963 | Hawthorn (2) | 54 | 130.6 | Geelong | 2.4% | Runners-up | Geelong |
| 1964 | Melbourne (9) | 56 | 138.1 | Collingwood | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 1965 | St Kilda | 56 | 136.3 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Essendon |
| 1966 | Collingwood (13) | 60 | 157.2 | St Kilda | 4 points | Runners-up | St Kilda |
| 1967 | Richmond (6) | 60 | 145.9 | Carlton | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 1968 | Essendon (10) | 66 | 130.3 | Carlton | 6 points | Runners-up | Carlton |
| 1969 | Collingwood (14) | 60 | 129.0 | Carlton | 8.5% | Third | Richmond |
| 1970 | Collingwood (15) | 72 | 136.5 | Carlton | 8 points | Runners-up | Carlton |
| 1971 | Hawthorn (3) | 76 | 153.7 | St Kilda | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 1972 | Carlton (12) | 74 | 134.3 | Richmond | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 1973 | Collingwood (16) | 76 | 125.5 | Richmond | 8 points | Third | Richmond |
| 1974 | Richmond (7) | 68 | 129.3 | North Melbourne | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1975 | Hawthorn (4) | 68 | 137.3 | Carlton | 4 points | Runners-up | North Melbourne |
| 1976 | Carlton (13) | 66 | 132.8 | Hawthorn | 2 points | Third | Hawthorn |
| 1977 | Collingwood (17) | 72 | 130.7 | Hawthorn | 4 points | Runners-up | North Melbourne |
| 1978 | North Melbourne (2) | 64 | 120.9 | Hawthorn | 3.2% | Runners-up | Hawthorn |
| 1979 | Carlton (14) | 76 | 139.6 | North Melbourne | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1980 | Geelong (10) | 68 | 125.1 | Carlton | 4.0% | Third | Richmond |
| 1981 | Carlton (15) | 68 | 130.3 | Collingwood | 7.7% | Premiers | |
| 1982 | Richmond (8) | 72 | 126.2 | Hawthorn | 4 points | Runners-up | Carlton |
| 1983 | North Melbourne (3) | 64 | 127.8 | Hawthorn | 4 points | Third | Hawthorn |
| 1984 | Essendon (11) | 72 | 128.2 | Hawthorn | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1985 | Essendon (12) | 76 | 138.4 | Footscray | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 1986 | Hawthorn (5) | 72 | 141.6 | Sydney | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1987 | Carlton (16) | 72 | 138.0 | Hawthorn | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1988 | Hawthorn (6) | 76 | 142.3 | Collingwood | 14 points | Premiers | |
| 1989 | Hawthorn (7) | 76 | 153.2 | Essendon | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1990 | Essendon (13) | 68 | 139.2 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Collingwood |
| 1991 | West Coast | 76 | 162.2 | Hawthorn | 12 points | Runners-up | Hawthorn |
| 1992 | Geelong (11) | 64 | 145.6 | Footscray | 15.8% | Runners-up | West Coast |
| 1993 | Essendon (14) | 54 | 119.1 | Carlton | 1.5% | Premiers | |
| 1994 | West Coast (2) | 64 | 132.2 | Carlton | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1995 | Carlton (17) | 80 | 137.8 | Geelong | 16 points | Premiers | |
| 1996 | Sydney (7) | 66 | 123.9 | North Melbourne | 2 points | Runners-up | North Melbourne |
| 1997 | St Kilda (2) | 60 | 119.6 | Geelong | 1.7% | Runners-up | Adelaide |
| 1998 | North Melbourne (4) | 64 | 117.4 | Western Bulldogs | 4 points | Runners-up | Adelaide |
| 1999 | Essendon (15) | 72 | 126.0 | Kangaroos | 4 points | Third | Kangaroos |
| 2000 | Essendon (16) | 84 | 159.1 | Carlton | 20 points | Premiers | |
| 2001 | Essendon (17) | 68 | 134.5 | Brisbane Lions | 6.9% | Runners-up | Brisbane Lions |
| 2002 | Port Adelaide | 72 | 132.4 | Brisbane Lions | 4 points | Third | Brisbane Lions |
| 2003 | Port Adelaide (2) | 72 | 127.2 | Collingwood | 12 points | Third | Brisbane Lions |
| 2004 | Port Adelaide (3) | 68 | 132.4 | Brisbane Lions | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 2005 | Adelaide | 68 | 136.5 | West Coast | 12.5% | Third | Sydney |
| 2006 | West Coast (3) | 68 | 120.4 | Adelaide | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 2007 | Geelong (12) | 72 | 152.8 | Port Adelaide | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 2008 | Geelong (13) | 84 | 161.8 | Hawthorn | 16 points | Runners-up | Hawthorn |
| 2009 | St Kilda (3) | 80 | 155.7 | Geelong | 8 points | Runners-up | Geelong |
| 2010 | Collingwood (18) | 70 | 141.7 | Geelong | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 2011 | Collingwood (19) | 80 | 167.7 | Geelong | 4 points | Runners-up | Geelong |
| 2012 | Hawthorn (8) | 68 | 154.6 | Adelaide | 22.1% | Runners-up | Sydney |
| 2013 | Hawthorn (9) | 76 | 135.7 | Geelong | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 2014 | Sydney (8) | 68 | 142.9 | Hawthorn | 2.1% | Runners-up | Hawthorn |
| 2015 | Fremantle | 68 | 118.7 | West Coast | 2 points | Third | Hawthorn |
| 2016 | Sydney (9) | 68 | 158.8 | Geelong | 7.4% | Runners-up | Western Bulldogs |
| 2017 | Adelaide (2) | 62 | 136.0 | Geelong | 18.6% | Runners-up | Richmond |
| 2018 | Richmond (9) | 72 | 136.1 | West Coast | 8 points | Third | West Coast |
| 2019 | Geelong (14) | 64 | 135.7 | Brisbane Lions | 17.4% | Third | Richmond |
| 2020 | Port Adelaide (4) | 56 | 136.4 | Brisbane Lions | 11.5% | Third | Richmond |
Minor premiership wins
| Club | Years in competition |
Minor premierships |
Minor premiers and premiers in same year |
Most recent minor premiership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collingwood | 1897–present | 19 | 9 | 2011 |
| Carlton | 1897–present | 17 | 11 | 1995 |
| Essendon | 1897–present | 17 | 11 | 2001 |
| Geelong | 1897–present | 14 | 6 | 2019 |
| Melbourne | 1897–present | 9 | 8 | 1964 |
| Hawthorn | 1925–present | 9 | 6 | 2013 |
| Richmond | 1908–present | 9 | 5 | 2018 |
| South Melbourne / Sydney | 1897–present | 9 | 2 | 2016 |
| Fitzroy | 1897–1996 | 4 | 3 | 1913 |
| Port Adelaide | 1997–present | 4 | 1 | 2020 |
| North Melbourne | 1925–present | 4 | 0 | 1998 |
| West Coast | 1987–present | 3 | 2 | 2006 |
| St Kilda | 1897–present | 3 | 0 | 2009 |
| Adelaide | 1991–present | 2 | 0 | 2017 |
| Fremantle | 1995–present | 1 | 0 | 2015 |
| Footscray / Western Bulldogs | 1925–present | 0 | — | — |
| Brisbane Lions | 1997–present | 0 | — | — |
| Gold Coast | 2011–present | 0 | — | — |
| Greater Western Sydney | 2012–present | 0 | — | — |
| University | 1908–1914 | 0 | — | — |
| Brisbane Bears | 1987–1996 | 0 | — | — |
References
- Football Record 30/31 March 1 April 1991 page 3, McClelland Trophy - A New Look -
- Stevens, Mark (18 July 2007). "Cats should be rewarded". Herald Sun. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
- Wilson, Caroline (13 November 2009). "Saints struggle for profit despite successful season". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
- Wilson, Caroline (24 August 2003). "Only one trophy good enough for Port". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
External links
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