List of Australian Football League premiers - Wikipedia List of Australian Football League premiers This page is a complete chronological listing of Australian Football League premiers. The Australian Football League ( AFL ), known as the Victorian Football League ( VFL ) until 1990, is the elite national competition in Australian rules football. Each year, the premiership is awarded to the club that wins the AFL Grand Final. The grand final has been played in all VFL / AFL seasons except for 1897 and 1924 ( where the premiership was awarded without a Grand final being played ), and has been an annual tradition in its current format since 1931. Since the introduction by the League of equalisation policies of a salary cap and draft in 1987, every team currently competing in the Australian Football League ( except for Gold Coast, which has not yet qualified for a finals series ) has made a preliminary final. This has had a significant impact on the spread of premierships : since 1987, thirteen clubs have won a premiership, compared with only five clubs in the twenty - three seasons between 1967 and 1989. Essendon and Carlton have won the most VFL / AFL premierships, with a total of 16 each. Of the teams currently competing in the Australian Football League, only Fremantle, Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney are yet to win a premiership. Contents 1 List of premiers 1.1 VFL / AFL premierships 1.2 Minor grade premierships 1.2. 1 VFL / AFL Reserves premierships 1.2. 2 VFL / AFL Under - 19s premierships 1.2. 3 VFL / AFL Night premierships 2 Premierships by team 3 See also 4 References 5 Sources List of premiers The following is a list of the premiers, and the grand final results and circumstances. Most conventional grand finals are a single match at the end of a finals series where the winner of the match wins the premiership. Under the early VFL finals systems in 1898 - 1923 and 1925 - 1930, the circumstances of the grand final were often different : in twenty - nine of these thirty - two years, the minor premiers had the right to challenge the winner of the finals series for the premiership, meaning the grand finals of this era were a mixture of challenge matches, non-challenge matches ( which would have been followed by challenge matches had the minor premier been defeated ), while in 1901, 1903 and 1906 there was no right of challenge. Regardless of the circumstances at that time, all of these games are now recognised as grand finals. Premiership decided by a conventional grand final, in which neither team had any right to challenge Premiership decided by a grand final replay, after the scheduled Grand Final was drawn Premiership decided by a challenge final under the Argus finals system or similar Premiership decided without a challenge final being required under the Argus finals system or similar ; in these cases, had the other team won the match, a rematch would have been played the following weekend Premiership decided without a grand final being required VFL / AFL premierships Season Premiers Runners - up Score Venue Attendance Date 1897 Essendon Geelong N / A N / A N / A N / A 1898 Fitzroy Essendon 5.8 ( 38 ) d. 3.5 ( 23 ) Junction Oval 16,538 24 September 1898 1899 Fitzroy ( 2 ) South Melbourne 3.9 ( 27 ) d. 3.8 ( 26 ) Junction Oval 4,823 16 September 1899 1900 Melbourne Fitzroy 4.10 ( 34 ) d. 3.12 ( 30 ) East Melbourne Cricket Ground 20,181 22 September 1900 1901 Essendon ( 2 ) Collingwood 6.7 ( 43 ) d. 2.4 ( 16 ) Lake Oval 30,031 7 September 1901 1902 Collingwood Essendon ( 2 ) 9.6 ( 60 ) d. 3.9 ( 27 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 35,202 20 September 1902 1903 Collingwood ( 2 ) Fitzroy ( 2 ) 4.7 ( 31 ) d. 3.11 ( 29 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 32,263 12 September 1903 1904 Fitzroy ( 3 ) Carlton 9.7 ( 61 ) d. 5.7 ( 37 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 32,688 17 September 1904 1905 Fitzroy ( 4 ) Collingwood ( 2 ) 4.6 ( 30 ) d. 2.5 ( 17 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 30,000 30 September 1905 1906 Carlton Fitzroy ( 3 ) 15.4 ( 94 ) d. 6.9 ( 45 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 44,437 22 September 1906 1907 Carlton ( 2 ) South Melbourne ( 2 ) 6.14 ( 50 ) d. 6.9 ( 45 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 45,477 21 September 1907 1908 Carlton ( 3 ) Essendon ( 3 ) 5.5 ( 35 ) d. 3.8 ( 26 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 50,261 26 September 1908 1909 South Melbourne Carlton ( 2 ) 4.14 ( 38 ) d. 4.12 ( 36 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 37,759 2 October 1909 1910 Collingwood ( 3 ) Carlton ( 3 ) 9.7 ( 61 ) d. 6.11 ( 47 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 42,790 1 October 1910 1911 Essendon ( 3 ) Collingwood ( 3 ) 5.11 ( 41 ) d. 4.11 ( 35 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 43,905 23 September 1911 1912 Essendon ( 4 ) South Melbourne ( 3 ) 5.17 ( 47 ) d. 4.9 ( 33 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 54,434 28 September 1912 1913 Fitzroy ( 5 ) St Kilda 7.14 ( 56 ) d. 5.13 ( 43 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 59,556 27 September 1913 1914 Carlton ( 4 ) South Melbourne ( 4 ) 6.9 ( 45 ) d. 4.15 ( 39 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 30,495 26 September 1914 1915 Carlton ( 5 ) Collingwood ( 4 ) 11.12 ( 78 ) d. 6.9 ( 45 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 39,343 18 September 1915 1916 Fitzroy ( 6 ) Carlton ( 4 ) 12.13 ( 85 ) d. 8.8 ( 56 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 21,130 2 September 1916 1917 Collingwood ( 4 ) Fitzroy ( 4 ) 9.20 ( 74 ) d. 5.9 ( 39 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 25,512 22 September 1917 1918 South Melbourne ( 2 ) Collingwood ( 5 ) 9.8 ( 62 ) d. 7.15 ( 57 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 39,262 7 September 1918 1919 Collingwood ( 5 ) Richmond 11.12 ( 78 ) d. 7.11 ( 53 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 45,413 11 October 1919 1920 Richmond Collingwood ( 6 ) 7.10 ( 52 ) d. 5.5 ( 35 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 53,908 2 October 1920 1921 Richmond ( 2 ) Carlton ( 5 ) 5.6 ( 36 ) d. 4.8 ( 32 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 43,122 15 October 1921 1922 Fitzroy ( 7 ) Collingwood ( 7 ) 11.13 ( 79 ) d. 9.14 ( 68 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 50,054 14 October 1922 1923 Essendon ( 5 ) Fitzroy ( 5 ) 8.15 ( 63 ) d. 6.10 ( 46 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 46,566 20 October 1923 1924 Essendon ( 6 ) Richmond ( 2 ) N / A N / A N / A N / A 1925 Geelong Collingwood ( 8 ) 10.19 ( 79 ) d. 9.15 ( 69 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 64,288 10 October 1925 1926 Melbourne ( 2 ) Collingwood ( 9 ) 17.17 ( 119 ) d. 9.8 ( 62 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 59,632 9 October 1926 1927 Collingwood ( 6 ) Richmond ( 3 ) 2.13 ( 25 ) d. 1.7 ( 13 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 34,551 1 October 1927 1928 Collingwood ( 7 ) Richmond ( 4 ) 13.18 ( 96 ) d. 9.9 ( 63 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 50,026 29 September 1928 1929 Collingwood ( 8 ) Richmond ( 5 ) 11.13 ( 79 ) d. 7.8 ( 50 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 63,336 28 September 1929 1930 Collingwood ( 9 ) Geelong ( 2 ) 14.16 ( 100 ) d. 9.16 ( 70 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 45,022 11 October 1930 1931 Geelong ( 2 ) Richmond ( 6 ) 9.14 ( 68 ) d. 7.6 ( 48 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 60,712 10 October 1931 1932 Richmond ( 3 ) Carlton ( 6 ) 13.14 ( 92 ) d. 12.11 ( 83 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 69,724 1 October 1932 1933 South Melbourne ( 3 ) Richmond ( 7 ) 9.17 ( 71 ) d. 4.5 ( 29 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 75,754 30 September 1933 1934 Richmond ( 4 ) South Melbourne ( 5 ) 19.14 ( 128 ) d. 12.17 ( 89 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 65,335 13 October 1934 1935 Collingwood ( 10 ) South Melbourne ( 6 ) 11.12 ( 78 ) d. 7.16 ( 58 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 54,154 5 October 1935 1936 Collingwood ( 11 ) South Melbourne ( 7 ) 11.23 ( 89 ) d. 10.18 ( 78 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 74,091 3 October 1936 1937 Geelong ( 3 ) Collingwood ( 10 ) 18.14 ( 122 ) d. 12.18 ( 90 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 88,540 25 September 1937 1938 Carlton ( 6 ) Collingwood ( 11 ) 15.10 ( 100 ) d. 13.7 ( 85 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 96,486 24 September 1938 1939 Melbourne ( 3 ) Collingwood ( 12 ) 21.22 ( 148 ) d. 14.11 ( 95 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 78,110 30 September 1939 1940 Melbourne ( 4 ) Richmond ( 8 ) 15.17 ( 107 ) d. 10.8 ( 68 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 70,330 28 September 1940 1941 Melbourne ( 5 ) Essendon ( 4 ) 19.13 ( 127 ) d. 13.20 ( 98 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 79,687 27 September 1941 1942 Essendon ( 7 ) Richmond ( 9 ) 19.18 ( 132 ) d. 11.13 ( 79 ) Princes Park 49,000 19 September 1942 1943 Richmond ( 5 ) Essendon ( 5 ) 12.14 ( 86 ) d. 11.15 ( 81 ) Princes Park 42,100 25 September 1943 1944 Fitzroy ( 8 ) Richmond ( 10 ) 9.12 ( 66 ) d. 7.9 ( 51 ) Junction Oval 43,000 30 September 1944 1945 Carlton ( 7 ) South Melbourne ( 8 ) 15.13 ( 103 ) d. 10.15 ( 75 ) Princes Park 62,986 29 September 1945 1946 Essendon ( 8 ) Melbourne 22.18 ( 150 ) d. 13.9 ( 87 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 73,743 5 October 1946 1947 Carlton ( 8 ) Essendon ( 6 ) 13.8 ( 86 ) d. 11.19 ( 85 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 85,815 27 September 1947 1948 Melbourne ( 6 ) Essendon ( 7 ) 10.9 ( 69 ) drew 7.27 ( 69 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 85,658 2 October 1948 13.11 ( 89 ) d. 7.8 ( 50 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 52,226 9 October 1948 1949 Essendon ( 9 ) Carlton ( 7 ) 18.17 ( 125 ) d. 6.16 ( 52 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 90,453 24 September 1949 1950 Essendon ( 10 ) North Melbourne 13.14 ( 92 ) d. 7.12 ( 54 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 87,601 23 September 1950 1951 Geelong ( 4 ) Essendon ( 8 ) 11.15 ( 81 ) d. 10.10 ( 70 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 84,109 29 September 1951 1952 Geelong ( 5 ) Collingwood ( 13 ) 13.8 ( 86 ) d. 5.10 ( 40 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 81,304 27 September 1952 1953 Collingwood ( 12 ) Geelong ( 3 ) 11.11 ( 77 ) d. 8.17 ( 65 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 89,060 26 September 1953 1954 Footscray Melbourne ( 2 ) 15.12 ( 102 ) d. 7.9 ( 51 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 80,897 25 September 1954 1955 Melbourne ( 7 ) Collingwood ( 14 ) 8.16 ( 64 ) d. 5.6 ( 36 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 88,053 17 September 1955 1956 Melbourne ( 8 ) Collingwood ( 15 ) 17.19 ( 121 ) d. 6.12 ( 48 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 115,803 15 September 1956 1957 Melbourne ( 9 ) Essendon ( 9 ) 17.14 ( 116 ) d. 7.13 ( 55 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 100,324 21 September 1957 1958 Collingwood ( 13 ) Melbourne ( 3 ) 12.10 ( 82 ) d. 9.10 ( 64 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 97,956 20 September 1958 1959 Melbourne ( 10 ) Essendon ( 10 ) 17.13 ( 115 ) d. 11.12 ( 78 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 103,506 26 September 1959 1960 Melbourne ( 11 ) Collingwood ( 16 ) 8.14 ( 62 ) d. 2.2 ( 14 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 97,457 24 September 1960 1961 Hawthorn Footscray 13.16 ( 94 ) d. 7.9 ( 51 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 107,935 23 September 1961 1962 Essendon ( 11 ) Carlton ( 8 ) 13.12 ( 90 ) d. 8.10 ( 58 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 98,385 29 September 1962 1963 Geelong ( 6 ) Hawthorn 15.19 ( 109 ) d. 8.12 ( 60 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 101,452 5 October 1963 1964 Melbourne ( 12 ) Collingwood ( 17 ) 8.16 ( 64 ) d. 8.12 ( 60 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 102,469 19 September 1964 1965 Essendon ( 12 ) St Kilda ( 2 ) 14.21 ( 105 ) d. 9.16 ( 70 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 104,846 25 September 1965 1966 St Kilda Collingwood ( 18 ) 10.14 ( 74 ) d. 10.13 ( 73 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 101,655 24 September 1966 1967 Richmond ( 6 ) Geelong ( 4 ) 16.18 ( 114 ) d. 15.15 ( 105 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 109,396 23 September 1967 1968 Carlton ( 9 ) Essendon ( 11 ) 7.14 ( 56 ) d. 8.5 ( 53 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 116,828 28 September 1968 1969 Richmond ( 7 ) Carlton ( 9 ) 12.13 ( 85 ) d. 8.12 ( 60 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 119,165 27 September 1969 1970 Carlton ( 10 ) Collingwood ( 19 ) 17.9 ( 111 ) d. 14.17 ( 101 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 121,696 26 September 1970 1971 Hawthorn ( 2 ) St Kilda ( 3 ) 12.10 ( 82 ) d. 11.9 ( 75 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 118,192 25 September 1971 1972 Carlton ( 11 ) Richmond ( 11 ) 28.9 ( 177 ) d. 22.18 ( 150 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 112,393 7 October 1972 1973 Richmond ( 8 ) Carlton ( 10 ) 16.20 ( 116 ) d. 12.14 ( 86 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 116,956 29 September 1973 Richmond ( 9 ) North Melbourne ( 2 ) 18.20 ( 128 ) d. 13.9 ( 87 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 113,839 28 September 1974 North Melbourne Hawthorn ( 2 ) 19.8 ( 122 ) d. 9.13 ( 67 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 110,551 27 September 1975 1976 Hawthorn ( 3 ) North Melbourne ( 3 ) 13.22 ( 100 ) d. 10.10 ( 70 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 110,143 25 September 1976 1977 North Melbourne ( 2 ) Collingwood ( 20 ) 9.22 ( 76 ) drew 10.16 ( 76 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 108,224 24 September 1977 21.25 ( 151 ) d. 19.10 ( 124 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 98,366 1 October 1977 1978 Hawthorn ( 4 ) North Melbourne ( 4 ) 18.13 ( 121 ) d. 15.13 ( 103 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 101,704 30 September 1978 1979 Carlton ( 12 ) Collingwood ( 21 ) 11.16 ( 82 ) d. 11.11 ( 77 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 113,545 29 September 1979 1980 Richmond ( 10 ) Collingwood ( 22 ) 23.21 ( 159 ) d. 9.24 ( 78 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 113,461 27 September 1980 1981 Carlton ( 13 ) Collingwood ( 23 ) 12.20 ( 92 ) d. 10.12 ( 72 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 112,964 26 September 1981 1982 Carlton ( 14 ) Richmond ( 12 ) 14.19 ( 103 ) d. 12.13 ( 85 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 107,537 25 September 1982 Hawthorn ( 5 ) Essendon ( 12 ) 20.20 ( 140 ) d. 8.9 ( 57 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 110,332 24 September 1983 1984 Essendon ( 13 ) Hawthorn ( 3 ) 14.21 ( 105 ) d. 12.9 ( 81 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 92,685 29 September 1984 1985 Essendon ( 14 ) Hawthorn ( 4 ) 26.14 ( 170 ) d. 14.8 ( 92 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 100,042 28 September 1985 1986 Hawthorn ( 6 ) Carlton ( 11 ) 16.14 ( 110 ) d. 9.14 ( 68 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 101,861 27 September 1986 Carlton ( 15 ) Hawthorn ( 5 ) 15.14 ( 104 ) d. 9.17 ( 71 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 92,754 26 September 1987 1988 Hawthorn ( 7 ) Melbourne ( 4 ) 22.20 ( 152 ) d. 6.20 ( 56 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 93,754 24 September 1988 1989 Hawthorn ( 8 ) Geelong ( 5 ) 21.18 ( 144 ) d. 21.12 ( 138 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 94,796 30 September 1989 Australian Football League name adopted 1990 Collingwood ( 14 ) Essendon ( 13 ) 13.11 ( 89 ) d. 5.11 ( 41 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 98,944 6 October 1990 1991 Hawthorn ( 9 ) West Coast 20.19 ( 139 ) d. 13.8 ( 86 ) VFL Park 75,230 28 September 1991 1992 West Coast Geelong ( 6 ) 16.17 ( 113 ) d. 12.13 ( 85 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 95,007 26 September 1992 1993 Essendon ( 15 ) Carlton ( 12 ) 20.13 ( 133 ) d. 13.11 ( 89 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 96,862 25 September 1993 1994 West Coast ( 2 ) Geelong ( 7 ) 20.23 ( 143 ) d. 8.15 ( 63 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 93,860 1 October 1994 1995 Carlton ( 16 ) Geelong ( 8 ) 21.15 ( 141 ) d. 11.14 ( 80 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 93,670 30 September 1995 North Melbourne ( 3 ) Sydney ( 9 ) 19.17 ( 131 ) d. 13.10 ( 88 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 93,102 28 September 1996 1997 Adelaide St Kilda ( 4 ) 19.11 ( 125 ) d. 13.16 ( 94 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 99,645 27 September 1997 1998 Adelaide ( 2 ) North Melbourne ( 5 ) 15.15 ( 105 ) d. 8.22 ( 70 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 94,431 26 September 1998 1999 North Melbourne ( 4 ) Carlton ( 13 ) 19.10 ( 124 ) d. 12.17 ( 89 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 94,228 25 September 1999 2000 Essendon ( 16 ) Melbourne ( 5 ) 19.21 ( 135 ) d. 11.9 ( 75 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 96,249 2 September 2000 2001 Brisbane Lions Essendon ( 14 ) 15.18 ( 108 ) d. 12.10 ( 82 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 91,482 29 September 2001 2002 Brisbane Lions ( 2 ) Collingwood ( 24 ) 10.15 ( 75 ) d. 9.12 ( 66 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 91,817 28 September 2002 2003 Brisbane Lions ( 3 ) Collingwood ( 25 ) 20.14 ( 134 ) d. 12.12 ( 84 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 79,451 27 September 2003 Port Adelaide Brisbane Lions 17.11 ( 113 ) d. 10.13 ( 73 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 77,671 25 September 2004 2005 Sydney ( 4 ) West Coast ( 2 ) 8.10 ( 58 ) d. 7.12 ( 54 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 91,828 24 September 2005 2006 West Coast ( 3 ) Sydney ( 10 ) 12.13 ( 85 ) d. 12.12 ( 84 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 97,431 30 September 2006 2007 Geelong ( 7 ) Port Adelaide 24.19 ( 163 ) d. 6.8 ( 44 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 97,302 29 September 2007 2008 Hawthorn ( 10 ) Geelong ( 9 ) 18.7 ( 115 ) d. 11.23 ( 89 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 100,012 27 September 2008 2009 Geelong ( 8 ) St Kilda ( 5 ) 12.8 ( 80 ) d. 9.14 ( 68 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 99,251 26 September 2009 Collingwood ( 15 ) St Kilda ( 6 ) 9.14 ( 68 ) drew 10.8 ( 68 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 100,016 25 September 2010 16.12 ( 108 ) d. 7.10 ( 52 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 93,853 2 October 2010 2011 Geelong ( 9 ) Collingwood ( 26 ) 18.11 ( 119 ) d. 12.9 ( 81 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 99,537 1 October 2011 2012 Sydney ( 5 ) Hawthorn ( 6 ) 14.7 ( 91 ) d. 11.15 ( 81 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 99,683 29 September 2012 2013 Hawthorn ( 11 ) Fremantle 11.11 ( 77 ) d. 8.14 ( 62 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 100,007 28 September 2013 2014 Hawthorn ( 12 ) Sydney ( 11 ) 21.11 ( 137 ) d. 11.8 ( 74 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 99,454 27 September 2014 2015 Hawthorn ( 13 ) West Coast ( 3 ) 16.11 ( 107 ) d. 8.13 ( 61 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 98,633 3 October 2015 2016 Western Bulldogs ( 2 ) Sydney ( 12 ) 13.11 ( 89 ) d. 10.7 ( 67 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 99,981 1 October 2016 2017 Richmond ( 11 ) Adelaide 16.12 ( 108 ) d. 8.12 ( 60 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 100,021 30 September 2017 Minor grade premierships In addition to the seniors, VFL / AFL clubs have competed in premierships in three minor grades : VFL / AFL Reserves premierships : 1919 -- 1999 VFL / AFL Under - 19s premierships : 1946 -- 1991 VFL / AFL Night premierships : 1956 -- 1971, 1977 -- 2013 VFL / AFL reserves premierships The reserve grade premiership was held in various formats between 1919 and 1999. It was known as the Victorian Junior Football League from 1919 until 1923, the Seconds from 1924 until 1959, the VFL Reserves from 1960 until 1989, and as the AFL reserves from 1990 until 1999. Until 1991, the competition was run by the VFL / AFL, and from 1992 until 1999 it was administered by the Victorian State Football League. Season Premiers Runners - up Score Venue Attendance Date 1919 Collingwood ( 1 ) University - A ( 1 ) 6.11 ( 47 ) d. 4.8 ( 32 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 45,413 ( C-R ) 11 October 1919 1920 Collingwood ( 2 ) University ( 2 ) 7.14 ( 56 ) d. 7.2 ( 44 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 58,255 ( C-R ) 25 September 1920 1921 Essendon ( 1 ) Collingwood ( 1 ) 10.9 ( 69 ) d. 8.13 ( 61 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 43,122 ( C-R ) 15 October 1921 1922 Collingwood ( 3 ) Essendon ( 1 ) 8.10 ( 58 ) d. 1.9 ( 15 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 50,054 ( C-R ) 14 October 1922 1923 Geelong ( 1 ) Richmond ( 1 ) 9.12 ( 66 ) d. 5.10 ( 40 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 46,566 ( C-R ) 20 October 1923 1924 Geelong ( 2 ) Essendon ( 2 ) Geelong won on forfeit Kardinia Park N / A N / A 1925 Collingwood ( 4 ) Fitzroy ( 1 ) 13.16 ( 94 ) d. 11.4 ( 70 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 64,288 ( C-R ) 10 October 1925 1926 Carlton ( 1 ) Geelong ( 1 ) 14.11 ( 95 ) d. 5.13 ( 43 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 59,632 ( C-R ) 9 October 1926 1927 Carlton ( 2 ) South Melbourne ( 1 ) 12.22 ( 94 ) d. 11.9 ( 75 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 4,210 8 October 1927 1928 Carlton ( 3 ) Geelong ( 2 ) 18.18 ( 126 ) d. 14.11 ( 95 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 8,000 27 September 1928 1929 Richmond ( 1 ) Geelong ( 3 ) 12.8 ( 80 ) d. 7.15 ( 57 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 6,544 26 September 1929 1930 Geelong ( 3 ) Richmond ( 2 ) 14.12 ( 96 ) d. 11. ( 74 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 41,495 ( C-R ) 4 October 1930 1931 Melbourne ( 1 ) Geelong ( 4 ) 8.13 ( 61 ) d. 8.5 ( 53 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 60,712 ( C-R ) 10 October 1931 1932 Melbourne ( 2 ) Essendon ( 3 ) 8.12 ( 60 ) d. 4.10 ( 34 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 69,724 ( C-R ) 1 October 1932 1933 Melbourne ( 3 ) St Kilda ( 1 ) 10.15 ( 75 ) d. 10.14 ( 74 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 9,500 28 September 1933 1934 Melbourne ( 4 ) Geelong ( 5 ) 15.18 ( 108 ) d. 12.4 ( 76 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 65,335 ( C-R ) 13 October 1934 1935 Melbourne ( 5 ) Geelong ( 6 ) 12.11 ( 83 ) d. 9.6 ( 60 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 54,154 ( C-R ) 5 October 1935 1936 Footscray ( 1 ) Melbourne ( 1 ) 15.11 ( 101 ) d. 6.14 ( 50 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 74,091 ( C-R ) 3 October 1936 1937 Geelong ( 4 ) Collingwood ( 2 ) 12.12 ( 84 ) d. 9.11 ( 65 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 30 September 1937 1938 Geelong ( 5 ) Footscray ( 1 ) 12.19 ( 91 ) d. 12.8 ( 80 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 5,500 29 September 1938 1939 Melbourne ( 6 ) Richmond ( 2 ) 22.12 ( 144 ) d. 17.13 ( 115 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 4,100 28 September 1939 1940 Collingwood ( 5 ) Carlton ( 1 ) 6.16 ( 52 ) d. 3.12 ( 30 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 70,330 ( C-R ) 28 September 1940 1941 Essendon ( 2 ) Fitzroy ( 2 ) 12.16 ( 88 ) d. 9.17 ( 71 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 79,687 ( C-R ) 27 September 1941 1942 St Kilda ( 1 ) Fitzroy ( 3 ) 13.10 ( 88 ) d. 7.15 ( 57 ) Punt Road Oval 12 September 1942 1943 St Kilda ( 2 ) Fitzroy ( 4 ) 11.14 ( 80 ) d. 8.6 ( 54 ) Victoria Park 18 September 1943 1944 Fitzroy ( 1 ) Collingwood ( 3 ) 11.12 ( 78 ) d. 9.9 ( 63 ) Victoria Park 7,500 23 September 1944 1945 Footscray ( 2 ) Fitzroy ( 5 ) 9.16 ( 70 ) d. 9.3 ( 57 ) Victoria Park 6,500 22 September 1945 1946 Richmond ( 2 ) Fitzroy ( 6 ) 7.15 ( 57 ) d. 7.14 ( 56 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 59,444 ( C-R ) 28 September 1946 1947 North Melbourne ( 1 ) Richmond ( 3 ) 16.13 ( 109 ) d. 14.10 ( 94 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 85,815 ( C-R ) 27 September 1947 1948 Geelong ( 6 ) Richmond ( 4 ) 17.12 ( 114 ) d. 12.9 ( 81 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 86,198 ( C-R ) 2 October 1948 1949 Melbourne ( 7 ) Essendon ( 4 ) 17.10 ( 112 ) d. 9.14 ( 68 ) Melbourne Cricket Ground 90,453 ( C-R ) 24 September 1949 1950 Essendon ( 3 ) 1951 Carlton ( 4 ) 1952 Essendon ( 4 ) 1953 Carlton ( 5 ) 1954 Richmond ( 3 ) 1955 Richmond ( 4 ) 1956 Melbourne ( 8 ) 1957 North Melbourne ( 2 ) 1958 Hawthorn ( 1 ) 1959 Hawthorn ( 2 ) 1960 Geelong ( 7 ) 1961 St Kilda ( 3 ) 1962 Footscray ( 3 ) 1963 Geelong ( 8 ) 1964 Geelong ( 9 ) 1965 Collingwood ( 6 ) 1966 Richmond ( 5 ) 1967 North Melbourne ( 3 ) 1968 Essendon ( 5 ) 1969 Melbourne ( 9 ) 1970 Melbourne ( 10 ) 1971 Richmond ( 6 ) 1972 Hawthorn ( 3 ) 1973 Richmond ( 7 ) 1974 Fitzroy ( 2 ) 1975 Geelong ( 10 ) 1976 Collingwood ( 7 ) 1977 Richmond ( 8 ) 1978 North Melbourne ( 4 ) 1979 North Melbourne ( 5 ) 1980 Geelong ( 11 ) 1981 Geelong ( 12 ) 1982 Geelong ( 13 ) 1983 Essendon ( 6 ) 1984 Melbourne ( 11 ) 1985 Hawthorn ( 4 ) 1986 Carlton ( 6 ) 1987 Carlton ( 7 ) 1988 Footscray ( 4 ) 1989 Fitzroy ( 3 ) 1990 Carlton ( 8 ) 1991 Brisbane Bears ( 1 ) 1992 Essendon ( 7 ) 1993 Melbourne ( 12 ) 1994 Footscray ( 5 ) 1995 North Melbourne ( 6 ) 1996 North Melbourne ( 7 ) 1997 Richmond ( 9 ) 1998 Western Bulldogs ( 6 ) 1999 Essendon ( 8 ) Source where unlisted VFL / AFL Under - 19s premierships The VFL / AFL 's Under - 19s competition was held between 1946 and 1991. It was known as the VFL Thirds until 1959, and as the Under - 19s thereafter. Season Premiers Runners - up Score Venue Attendance Date 1946 North Melbourne ( 1 ) Carlton ( 1 ) 11.9 ( 75 ) d. 5.12 ( 42 ) 21 September 1946 1947 Melbourne ( 1 ) North Melbourne ( 1 ) 12.13 ( 85 ) d. 11.7 ( 73 ) 6 September 1947 1948 Carlton ( 1 ) Essendon ( 1 ) 6.10 ( 46 ) d. 5.6 ( 36 ) 1949 Carlton ( 2 ) Geelong ( 1 ) 9.8 ( 62 ) d. 7.9 ( 51 ) 1950 Essendon ( 1 ) 1951 Carlton ( 3 ) 1952 Essendon ( 2 ) 1953 Melbourne ( 2 ) 1954 Footscray ( 1 ) 1955 Fitzroy ( 1 ) 1956 South Melbourne ( 1 ) 1957 St Kilda ( 1 ) 1958 Richmond ( 1 ) 1959 Essendon ( 3 ) 1960 Collingwood ( 1 ) 1961 Essendon ( 4 ) 1962 Geelong ( 1 ) 1963 Carlton ( 4 ) 1964 Melbourne ( 3 ) 1965 Collingwood ( 2 ) 1966 Essendon ( 5 ) 1967 Richmond ( 2 ) 1968 Richmond ( 3 ) 1969 Richmond ( 4 ) 1970 Richmond ( 5 ) 1971 Melbourne ( 4 ) 1972 Hawthorn ( 1 ) 1973 Richmond ( 6 ) 1974 Collingwood ( 3 ) 1975 Richmond ( 7 ) 1976 North Melbourne ( 2 ) 1977 Richmond ( 8 ) 1978 Carlton ( 5 ) 1979 Carlton ( 6 ) 1980 Richmond ( 9 ) 1981 Melbourne ( 5 ) 1982 Fitzroy ( 2 ) 1983 Melbourne ( 6 ) 1984 North Melbourne ( 3 ) 1985 Richmond ( 10 ) 1986 Collingwood ( 4 ) 1987 North Melbourne ( 4 ) 1988 North Melbourne ( 5 ) 1989 Richmond ( 11 ) 1990 North Melbourne ( 6 ) 1991 North Melbourne ( 7 ) Source VFL / AFL Night premierships The pre-season and night premiership covers three competitions which are considered historically equivalent in status : VFL Night Series, a consolation competition played amongst non-finalists between 1956 and 1971. Australian Football Championships Night Series, a mid-season knock - out competition played concurrently with the premiership and involving teams from interstate, played between 1977 and 1987. Australian Football League pre-season competition, played before each season from 1988 until 2013. For a list of premiers in these competitions, see list of Australian Football League pre-season and night series premiers. Premierships by team Club Years in competition Premierships Runners - up Premiership years Runner - up years Essendon 1897 -- present 16 14 1897, 1901, 1911, 1912, 1923, 1924, 1942, 1946, 1949, 1950, 1962, 1965, 1984, 1985, 1993, 2000 1898, 1902, 1908, 1941, 1943, 1947, 1948, 1951, 1957, 1959, 1968, 1983, 1990, 2001 Carlton 1897 -- present 16 13 1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995 1904, 1909, 1910, 1916, 1921, 1932, 1949, 1962, 1969, 1973, 1986, 1993, 1999 Collingwood 1897 -- present 15 26 1902, 1903, 1910, 1917, 1919, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1935, 1936, 1953, 1958, 1990, 2010 1901, 1905, 1911, 1915, 1918, 1920, 1922, 1925, 1926, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1952, 1955, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 2002, 2003, 2011 Hawthorn 1925 -- present 13 6 1961, 1971, 1976, 1978, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015 1963, 1975, 1984, 1985, 1987, 2012 Melbourne 1897 -- present 12 5 1900, 1926, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1948, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1964 1946, 1954, 1958, 1988, 2000 Richmond 1908 -- present 11 12 1920, 1921, 1932, 1934, 1943, 1967, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1980, 2017 1919, 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1940, 1942, 1944, 1972, 1982 Geelong 1897 -- present 9 9 1925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952, 1963, 2007, 2009, 2011 1897, 1930, 1953, 1967, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2008 Fitzroy 1897 -- 1996 8 5 1898, 1899, 1904, 1905, 1913, 1916, 1922, 1944 1900, 1903, 1906, 1917, 1923 South Melbourne / Sydney 1897 -- present 5 12 1909, 1918, 1933, 2005, 2012 1899, 1907, 1912, 1914, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1945, 1996, 2006, 2014, 2016 North Melbourne 1925 -- present 5 1975, 1977, 1996, 1999 1950, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1998 West Coast 1987 -- present 1992, 1994, 2006 1991, 2005, 2015 Brisbane Lions 1997 -- present 2001, 2002, 2003 Adelaide 1991 -- present 1997, 1998 2017 Footscray / Western Bulldogs 1925 -- present 1954, 2016 1961 St Kilda 1897 -- present 6 1966 1913, 1965, 1971, 1997, 2009, 2010 Port Adelaide 1997 -- present 2007 Fremantle 1995 -- present 0 2013 University 1908 -- 1914 0 0 Brisbane Bears 1987 -- 1996 0 0 Gold Coast 2011 -- present 0 0 Greater Western Sydney 2012 -- present 0 0 See also Australian Football League premiership and grand final statistics List of Australian Football League premiership captains and coaches List of Australian Football League pre-season and night series premiers List of Australian Football League wooden spoons List of AFL Women 's premiers AFL Grand Final References Jump up ^ NAB AFL Draft Archived 2008 - 07 - 25 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ An object lesson in the perils of hindsight ^ Jump up to : `` New name likely for thirds ''. The Sun News - Pictorial. Melbourne, VIC. 2 April 1960. p. 66. Jump up ^ `` The Complete Book Of VFL Records '', ( 1986 ), Compileld by Stephhen Rodgers, ISBN 1 - 86252 - 802 - 0 Jump up ^ Michael Lovett ( 27 September 1992 ). `` Daniher bows out in triumph ''. The Sunday Age ( Sport Liftout ). Melbourne, VIC. p. 19. Jump up ^ Linda Pearce ( 26 September 1993 ). `` Demons finally haul in premiership flag ''. The Sunday Age ( Sport Liftout ). Melbourne, VIC. p. 17. Jump up ^ Gerard Wright ( 2 October 1994 ). `` Dogs upstage fading North ''. The Sunday Age ( Sport Liftout ). Melbourne, VIC. p. 8. Jump up ^ `` Roos ' turn to celebrate ''. The Sunday Age ( Sport Liftout ). 1 October 1995. p. 13. Jump up ^ Alistair Ogilvie ( 29 September 1996 ). `` Roos run away in reserves ''. Herald Sun. p. 58. Jump up ^ Glenn Connley ( 28 September 1997 ). `` By Gieschen, he 's good ''. Sunday Herald Sun Sports Liftout. p. 11. Jump up ^ `` Sport scoreboard ''. The Age. 28 September 1998. p. 18. Jump up ^ Howard Leigh ( 26 September 1999 ). `` Bombers blitz ''. Sunday Herald Sun Sports Liftout. p. 22. ^ Jump up to : Stephen Rodgers ( 1992 ), Every Game Ever Played -- VFL / AFL results 1897 -- 1991 ( 3rd ed. ), Viking O'Neil Jump up ^ `` The Complete Book Of VFL Records '', ( 1986 ), Compileld by Stephhen Rodgers, ISBN 1 - 86252 - 802 - 0 Sources Australian Football League Full Points Footy AFL Tables Australian rules football Leagues and competitions National Australian Football League AFL Women 's Second - tier North East Australian Football League South Australian National Football League Victorian Football League West Australian Football League Junior AFL Under 18 Championships TAC Cup Other Northern Territory Football League Queensland Australian Football League Sydney AFL Tasmanian Football League History Australian rules football during the World Wars History of the VFL / AFL Interstate football Marn Grook Origins Women 's Australian rules football Variations AFLX Auskick Comparison of Gaelic football and Australian rules football Footy 9s International rules football Lightning football Metro footy Rec footy Superules VFA rules ( 1938 -- 1949 ) International Australian Football International Australian Football International Cup Countries playing Australian rules football Tournaments Awards Men 's AFL Coaches Association awards AFL Players Association awards -- Leigh Matthews Trophy AFL Rising Star All - Australian team Australian Football Hall of Fame Brownlow Medal ( Winners ) Club best - and - fairest Coleman Medal Goal of the Year Magarey Medal Mark of the Year Norm Smith Medal Michael Tuck Medal Sandover Medal Women 's AFL Women 's All - Australian team AFL Women 's best and fairest ( Winners ) AFL Women 's leading goalkicker AFL Women 's Rising Star Club best - and - fairest Major recurring events AFL finals series AFL Grand Final AFL Women 's Grand Final Anzac Day match Anzac Day Eve clash Dreamtime at the ' G Easter Monday clash International Rules Series Opening Game QClash Queen 's Birthday match Showdown Sydney Derby Len Hall Tribute game Western Derby Culture AFL Record Australian rules football families Australian popular culture Banner Barassi Line Footy tipping Mascot Manor Television shows Terms and jargon Trading cards Video games Related articles AFL Coaches Association AFL Commission AFL Players Association AFL Women 's minor premiers AFL Women 's premiers AFL Umpires Association After the siren kicks Current AFL coaches Current AFL Women 's coaches First kick / first goal VFL / AFL minor premiers VFL / AFL premiers VFL / AFL premiership and grand final statistics VFL / AFL records 300 game players 500 goal players Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Australian_Football_League_premiers&oldid=851901414 '' Categories : Australian Football League Australian rules football records and statistics Australian rules football - related lists Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links Use Australian English from October 2017 All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English Use dmy dates from October 2017 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 25 July 2018, at 09 : 18 ( UTC ). 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Question: who won the first afl premiership in 1897
Answer: Essendon