# 1906 VFL season

The 1906 VFL season was the tenth 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 5 May to 22 September, comprising a 17-match home-and-away season followed by a two-week finals series featuring the top four clubs.
Carlton won the premiership, defeating Fitzroy by 49 points in the 1906 VFL grand final; it was Carlton's first VFL premiership. Carlton also won the minor premiership by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with a 14–3 win–loss record. Carlton's Mick Grace won the leading goalkicker medal as the league's leading goalkicker, becoming the first player to kick 50 goals in a VFL season.

## Background

In 1906, 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 1906 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the amended "Argus system".

## Home-and-away season
### Round 1

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Fitzroy | 8.20 (68) | St Kilda | 1.8 (14) | Brunswick Street Oval | 5 May 1906 |
| Essendon | 8.12 (60) | South Melbourne | 9.13 (67) | EMCG | 5 May 1906 |
| Collingwood | 12.19 (91) | Geelong | 5.7 (37) | Victoria Park | 5 May 1906 |
| Carlton | 12.11 (83) | Melbourne | 8.8 (56) | Princes Park | 5 May 1906 |

### Round 2

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Melbourne | 8.5 (53) | Fitzroy | 10.13 (73) | MCG | 12 May 1906 |
| Geelong | 5.12 (42) | Essendon | 11.14 (80) | Corio Oval | 12 May 1906 |
| South Melbourne | 12.5 (77) | Collingwood | 8.9 (57) | Lake Oval | 12 May 1906 |
| St Kilda | 5.5 (35) | Carlton | 15.10 (100) | Junction Oval | 12 May 1906 |

### Round 3

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Essendon | 10.16 (76) | Melbourne | 6.6 (42) | EMCG | 19 May 1906 |
| Carlton | 16.10 (106) | Geelong | 6.7 (43) | Princes Park | 19 May 1906 |
| South Melbourne | 10.14 (74) | St Kilda | 9.7 (61) | Lake Oval | 19 May 1906 |
| Fitzroy | 7.7 (49) | Collingwood | 14.8 (92) | Brunswick Street Oval | 19 May 1906 |

### Round 4

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Melbourne | 5.9 (39) | South Melbourne | 5.4 (34) | MCG | 26 May 1906 |
| Geelong | 4.7 (31) | Fitzroy | 8.9 (57) | Corio Oval | 26 May 1906 |
| St Kilda | 6.8 (44) | Essendon | 1.7 (13) | Junction Oval | 26 May 1906 |
| Collingwood | 4.13 (37) | Carlton | 8.9 (57) | Victoria Park | 26 May 1906 |

### Round 5

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Essendon | 6.15 (51) | Fitzroy | 6.10 (46) | EMCG | 2 June 1906 |
| St Kilda | 4.7 (31) | Collingwood | 13.11 (89) | Junction Oval | 2 June 1906 |
| Carlton | 10.9 (69) | South Melbourne | 10.5 (65) | Princes Park | 4 June 1906 |
| Melbourne | 8.8 (56) | Geelong | 11.9 (75) | MCG | 4 June 1906 |

### Round 6

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Geelong | 8.13 (61) | South Melbourne | 3.13 (31) | Corio Oval | 9 June 1906 |
| St Kilda | 13.16 (94) | Melbourne | 6.9 (45) | Junction Oval | 9 June 1906 |
| Essendon | 9.12 (66) | Collingwood | 6.13 (49) | EMCG | 9 June 1906 |
| Fitzroy | 6.8 (44) | Carlton | 7.14 (56) | Brunswick Street Oval | 9 June 1906 |

### Round 7

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Geelong | 6.5 (41) | St Kilda | 4.13 (37) | Corio Oval | 16 June 1906 |
| Collingwood | 13.12 (90) | Melbourne | 6.10 (46) | Victoria Park | 16 June 1906 |
| Carlton | 4.15 (39) | Essendon | 10.14 (74) | Princes Park | 16 June 1906 |
| South Melbourne | 5.10 (40) | Fitzroy | 9.8 (62) | Lake Oval | 16 June 1906 |

### Round 8

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| St Kilda | 2.8 (20) | Fitzroy | 3.7 (25) | Junction Oval | 30 June 1906 |
| South Melbourne | 3.8 (26) | Essendon | 8.11 (59) | Lake Oval | 30 June 1906 |
| Geelong | 9.7 (61) | Collingwood | 11.9 (75) | Corio Oval | 30 June 1906 |
| Melbourne | 3.7 (25) | Carlton | 9.16 (70) | MCG | 30 June 1906 |

### Round 9

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Fitzroy | 11.25 (91) | Melbourne | 5.9 (39) | Brunswick Street Oval | 7 July 1906 |
| Essendon | 16.16 (112) | Geelong | 5.11 (41) | EMCG | 7 July 1906 |
| Collingwood | 14.14 (98) | South Melbourne | 5.8 (38) | Victoria Park | 7 July 1906 |
| Carlton | 6.13 (49) | St Kilda | 3.7 (25) | Princes Park | 7 July 1906 |

### Round 10

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| St Kilda | 4.11 (35) | South Melbourne | 4.4 (28) | Junction Oval | 14 July 1906 |
| Collingwood | 6.8 (44) | Fitzroy | 13.10 (88) | Victoria Park | 14 July 1906 |
| Melbourne | 4.5 (29) | Essendon | 13.17 (95) | MCG | 14 July 1906 |
| Geelong | 5.6 (36) | Carlton | 8.15 (63) | Corio Oval | 14 July 1906 |

### Round 11

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Fitzroy | 9.13 (67) | Geelong | 5.7 (37) | Brunswick Street Oval | 21 July 1906 |
| Essendon | 4.11 (35) | St Kilda | 4.9 (33) | EMCG | 21 July 1906 |
| Carlton | 11.14 (80) | Collingwood | 6.7 (43) | Princes Park | 21 July 1906 |
| South Melbourne | 12.11 (83) | Melbourne | 4.3 (27) | Lake Oval | 21 July 1906 |

### Round 12

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Geelong | 6.21 (57) | Melbourne | 6.10 (46) | Corio Oval | 28 July 1906 |
| Collingwood | 11.16 (82) | St Kilda | 2.8 (20) | Victoria Park | 28 July 1906 |
| Fitzroy | 4.6 (30) | Essendon | 5.8 (38) | Brunswick Street Oval | 28 July 1906 |
| South Melbourne | 12.12 (84) | Carlton | 7.3 (45) | Lake Oval | 28 July 1906 |

### Round 13

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Collingwood | 9.15 (69) | Essendon | 5.7 (37) | Victoria Park | 4 August 1906 |
| South Melbourne | 14.17 (101) | Geelong | 5.8 (38) | Lake Oval | 4 August 1906 |
| Melbourne | 5.10 (40) | St Kilda | 10.13 (73) | MCG | 11 August 1906 |
| Carlton | 5.3 (33) | Fitzroy | 4.14 (38) | Princes Park | 11 August 1906 |

### Round 14

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date |
| Fitzroy | 13.11 (89) | South Melbourne | 5.12 (42) | Brunswick Street Oval | 18 August 1906 |
| St Kilda | 10.21 (81) | Geelong | 3.13 (31) | Junction Oval | 18 August 1906 |
| Melbourne | 6.5 (41) | Collingwood | 15.14 (104) | MCG | 18 August 1906 |
| Essendon | 4.12 (36) | Carlton | 10.12 (72) | EMCG | 18 August 1906 |

### Pre-sectional ladder

* Section A
* Section B
| # | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts |
| 1 | Carlton | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 922 | 641 | 143.8 | 44 |
| 2 | Fitzroy | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 827 | 590 | 140.2 | 40 |
| 3 | Essendon | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 832 | 629 | 132.3 | 40 |
| 4 | Collingwood | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 1020 | 728 | 140.1 | 36 |
| 5 | South Melbourne | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 790 | 800 | 98.8 | 24 |
| 6 | St Kilda | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 603 | 720 | 83.8 | 20 |
| 7 | Geelong | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 631 | 1003 | 62.9 | 16 |
| 8 | Melbourne | 14 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 584 | 1098 | 53.2 | 4 |
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for Source: AFL Tables

### Round 15 (Sectional round 1)

| | Round 15 (Sectional round 1) | Round 15 (Sectional round 1) | Round 15 (Sectional round 1) | |
| Saturday, 25 August | Carlton 10.12 (72) | def. | Essendon 8.6 (54) | Princes Park |
| Saturday, 25 August | Collingwood 11.12 (78) | def. | St Kilda 7.19 (61) | Victoria Park |
| Saturday, 25 August | Melbourne 2.1 (13) | def. by | Fitzroy 17.18 (120) | Melbourne Cricket Ground |
| Saturday, 25 August | South Melbourne 10.10 (70) | def. | Geelong 7.7 (49) | Lake Oval |

### Round 16 (Sectional round 2)

| | Round 16 (Sectional round 2) | Round 16 (Sectional round 2) | Round 16 (Sectional round 2) | |
| Saturday, 1 September | Geelong 4.5 (29) | def. by | Carlton 13.13 (91) | Corio Oval |
| Saturday, 1 September | Fitzroy 5.8 (38) | def. | Collingwood 3.9 (27) | Brunswick Street Oval |
| Saturday, 1 September | Essendon 3.13 (31) | def. by | South Melbourne 10.6 (66) | East Melbourne Cricket Ground |
| Saturday, 1 September | St Kilda 10.12 (72) | def. | Melbourne 4.9 (33) | Junction Oval |

### Round 17 (Sectional round 3)

| | Round 17 (Sectional round 3) | Round 17 (Sectional round 3) | Round 17 (Sectional round 3) | |
| Saturday, 8 September | South Melbourne 4.15 (39) | def. by | Carlton 12.14 (86) | Lake Oval |
| Saturday, 8 September | Melbourne 7.9 (51) | def. by | Collingwood 15.17 (107) | Melbourne Cricket Ground |
| Saturday, 8 September | Geelong 9.12 (66) | def. | Essendon 5.12 (42) | Corio Oval |
| Saturday, 8 September | St Kilda 8.12 (60) | def. by | Fitzroy 11.7 (73) | Junction Oval |

## Ladder

| (P) | Premiers |
| | Qualified for finals |
| # | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts |
| 1 | Carlton (P) | 17 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 1171 | 763 | 153.5 | 56 |
| 2 | Fitzroy | 17 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 1058 | 690 | 153.3 | 52 |
| 3 | Collingwood | 17 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 1232 | 878 | 140.3 | 44 |
| 4 | Essendon | 17 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 959 | 833 | 115.1 | 40 |
| 5 | South Melbourne | 17 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 965 | 966 | 99.9 | 32 |
| 6 | St Kilda | 17 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 796 | 904 | 88.1 | 24 |
| 7 | Geelong | 17 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 775 | 1206 | 64.3 | 20 |
| 8 | Melbourne | 17 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 681 | 1397 | 48.7 | 4 |
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for Average score: 56.2 Source: AFL Tables

## Finals series
### Semi-finals

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Date | |
| Fitzroy | 10.12 (72) | Essendon | 5.6 (36) | MCG | 15 September 1906 | Attendance: 8,500 |
| Carlton | 9.10 (64) | Collingwood | 8.6 (54) | Brunswick Street Oval | 15 September 1906 | Attendance: 15,000 |

### Grand final

| Team | 1 Qtr | 2 Qtr | 3 Qtr | Final |
| Carlton | 3.2 | 7.4 | 9.4 | 15.4 (94) |
| Fitzroy | 1.6 | 1.7 | 6.8 | 6.9 (45) |

## Season notes

* In Round 4, St Kilda defeated Essendon for the first time in its history after 36 winless matches (15 in the VFA for four draws and 11 losses and 21 in the VFL for one draw and 20 losses) over 20 years of competition (1878 and 1888–1906).
* On Saturday 23 June, between Rounds 7 and 8, the VFL representative team 17.13 (115) defeated the Ballarat Football Association 10.10 (70) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Frank Caine kicked seven goals for Victoria. In the return game, held at the City Oval in Ballarat during the second week of Round 13 (11 August), the BFA 11.7 (73) defeated the VFL 6.7 (43); this VFL team was limited to players from Essendon, South Melbourne and Geelong, with the other five teams either playing or on interstate tours at the time. On 15 September, the weekend of the semi-finals, a VFL team selected from non-finalists defeated the Bendigo Football Association 15.14 (104) d. 2.2 (14) at the Upper Reserve in Bendigo.
* In Round 8, St Kilda formally protested the result of its five point loss against Fitzroy, on the grounds that the timekeeper had rung the final bell thirty seconds prematurely. The protest was dismissed three weeks later owing to a lack of evidence.
* A vacant Saturday was originally scheduled on 11 August in the fixture between Rounds 13 and 14, to accommodate the second game against Ballarat and to allow clubs to complete interstate tours. However, after South Australian club Norwood's tour was brought forward, the VFL turned Round 13 into a split round at less than two weeks notice, postponing the Carlton vs Fitzroy and St Kilda vs Melbourne games by a week.
* Mick Grace of Carlton was the first VFL player to score 50 goals in a season.

## Awards

* The 1906 VFL Premiership team was Carlton.
* The VFL's leading goalkicker was Mick Grace of Carlton with 50 goals.
* Melbourne took the "wooden spoon" in 1906.