# List of VFL debuts in 1908

The 1908 Victorian Football League (VFL) season was the twelfth season of the VFL. The season saw 137 Australian rules footballers make their senior VFL debut and a further 39 players transfer to new clubs having previously played in the VFL.

## Summary

Summary of debuts in 1908 :
| Club | VFL debuts | Change of club |
| Carlton | 6 | 0 |
| Collingwood | 12 | 0 |
| Essendon | 13 | 3 |
| Fitzroy | 10 | 0 |
| Geelong | 18 | 1 |
| Melbourne | 12 | 5 |
| Richmond | 21 | 13 |
| St Kilda | 15 | 1 |
| South Melbourne | 14 | 0 |
| University | 16 | 16 |
| Total | 137 | 39 |

## Debuts

| Name | Club | Age at debut | Round debuted | Games | Goals | Notes |
| Ernie Kelly | Carlton | 23 years, 174 days | 2 | 8 | 11 | Brother of Harvey and Otto Kelly. |
| Andy Pattison | Carlton | 22 years, 259 days | 13 | 8 | 1 | |
| Wally Koochew | Carlton | 20 years, 315 days | 3 | 4 | 2 | First Victorian Football League player of Chinese background. |
| Bill Marchbank | Carlton | 20 years, 323 days | 12 | 3 | 2 | Brother of Jim Marchbank. |
| Bill Laver | Carlton | 19 years, 269 days | 3 | 1 | 0 | |
| Bill Carmody | Carlton | 18 years, 317 days | 7 | 1 | 0 | |
| Les Hughes | Collingwood | 24 years, 14 days | 1 | 225 | 175 | |
| Jim Sadler | Collingwood | 21 years, 293 days | 5 | 135 | 64 | |
| Marshall Herbert | Collingwood | 30 years, 273 days | 1 | 51 | 8 | |
| Bill Heatley | Collingwood | 22 years, 50 days | 1 | 50 | 19 | |
| Artie Freeman | Collingwood | 20 years, 235 days | 2 | 27 | 17 | |
| Richard Daykin | Collingwood | 21 years, 207 days | 15 | 21 | 7 | |
| Alex Dunstan | Collingwood | 22 years, 293 days | 1 | 10 | 2 | |
| Harold Gyton | Collingwood | 24 years, 56 days | 3 | 9 | 1 | |
| Bill Carden | Collingwood | 21 years, 344 days | 1 | 5 | 0 | |
| Tom Holland | Collingwood | 22 years, 251 days | 4 | 5 | 0 | Brother of Jack Holland. |
| Mick Ryan | Collingwood | 25 years, 321 days | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| Harry Lees | Collingwood | 18 years, 60 days | 10 | 1 | 0 | |
| Paddy Shea | Essendon | 22 years, 46 days | 1 | 142 | 156 | Brother of Mark. Previously played for Fitzroy. Also played first-class cricket for Victoria. |
| Lou Armstrong | Essendon | 23 years, 84 days | 1 | 107 | 109 | |
| Bert Daykin | Essendon | 19 years, 359 days | 13 | 32 | 9 | Brother of Percy and Richard Daykin. |
| Harry Prout | Essendon | 21 years, 152 days | GF | 29 | 35 | |
| Les Minto | Essendon | 21 years, 296 days | 1 | 25 | 7 | Previously played for Melbourne. |
| Harry Farnsworth | Essendon | 22 years, 179 days | 5 | 24 | 16 | |
| Bert Ryan | Essendon | 27 years, 334 days | 1 | 15 | 3 | |
| Alan Irwin | Essendon | 19 years, 109 days | 7 | 8 | 2 | |
| Lon Smith | Essendon | 21 years, 348 days | 4 | 6 | 1 | |
| Bill Heaphy | Essendon | 19 years, 262 days | 18 | 5 | 3 | |
| Tommy Crow | Essendon | 20 years, 307 days | 1 | 4 | 0 | |
| Bill French | Essendon | 24 years, 68 days | 10 | 3 | 0 | |
| Tom Sevior | Essendon | 20 years, 203 days | 3 | 1 | 0 | |
| Archie Snell | Essendon | 30 years, 312 days | 6 | 1 | 0 | Previously played for Carlton. |
| Jim Campbell | Essendon | 22 years, 89 days | 9 | 1 | 0 | |
| Fred Anderson | Essendon | 22 years, 103 days | 10 | 1 | 0 | |
| George Holden | Fitzroy | 19 years, 17 days | 1 | 165 | 37 | |
| Billy Dick | Fitzroy | 18 years, 291 days | 1 | 53 | 40 | |
| Bill Dinsmore | Fitzroy | 21 years, 155 days | 13 | 19 | 13 | |
| Val Duncan | Fitzroy | 23 years, 364 days | 1 | 11 | 0 | |
| Bill Franklin | Fitzroy | 24 years, 10 days | 1 | 5 | 4 | |
| Fred Forbes | Fitzroy | 25 years, 65 days | 13 | 5 | 6 | |
| Jim Thorpe | Fitzroy | 23 years, 194 days | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| Ned Richardson | Fitzroy | 22 years, 32 days | 10 | 2 | 0 | |
| Bill Campbell | Fitzroy | 24 years, 295 days | 3 | 1 | 0 | |
| Tom Norton | Fitzroy | 22 years, 156 days | 18 | 1 | 2 | |
| Les Armstrong | Geelong | 21 years, 32 days | 13 | 175 | 2 | |
| Rupe Brownlees | Geelong | 20 years, 6 days | 1 | 100 | 4 | |
| Charlie Cameron | Geelong | 21 years, 343 days | 1 | 46 | 5 | Previously played for South Melbourne. |
| Alex Boyd | Geelong | 24 years, 243 days | 11 | 30 | 0 | |
| Bert Whittington | Geelong | 23 years, 220 days | 16 | 27 | 3 | |
| Billy Wilton | Geelong | 19 years, 144 days | 16 | 20 | 8 | |
| Percy Salmon | Geelong | 22 years, 197 days | 11 | 17 | 7 | |
| Les Gell | Geelong | 21 years, 264 days | 1 | 6 | 5 | |
| George Tansing | Geelong | 24 years, 73 days | 6 | 5 | 2 | |
| Jack Pender | Geelong | 22 years, 253 days | 12 | 4 | 0 | |
| Johnny Keon | Geelong | 22 years, 298 days | 14 | 4 | 1 | |
| Bill Davern | Geelong | 24 years, 294 days | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
| Norm McGorlick | Geelong | 20 years, 219 days | 11 | 3 | 2 | |
| Les Chisholm | Geelong | 20 years, 38 days | 16 | 3 | 0 | |
| Jack Green | Geelong | 20 years, 283 days | 6 | 2 | 0 | |
| Tom Dickson | Geelong | 20 years, 60 days | 16 | 2 | 0 | |
| Fred James | Geelong | 24 years, 98 days | 17 | 2 | 1 | |
| Robert Ritchie | Geelong | 24 years, 206 days | 17 | 2 | 0 | |
| Bert Bourchier | Geelong | 23 years, 291 days | 8 | 1 | 0 | |
| Len Norman | Melbourne | 22 years, 220 days | 3 | 30 | 15 | |
| Fred Hewitt | Melbourne | 24 years, 227 days | 10 | 27 | 2 | Previously played for Carlton. |
| Alf Jones | Melbourne | 22 years, 341 days | 1 | 24 | 18 | |
| Joe Hodgkins | Melbourne | 22 years, 133 days | 8 | 24 | 23 | |
| Henry Wright | Melbourne | 26 years, 75 days | 2 | 18 | 1 | |
| Bill Tottey | Melbourne | 19 years, 209 days | 1 | 14 | 6 | |
| Jack Donaldson | Melbourne | 28 years, 7 days | 1 | 9 | 3 | |
| Albert Bickford | Melbourne | 20 years, 289 days | 7 | 9 | 0 | Brother of Edric Bickford, brother-in-law of Rod McGregor and uncle of George Bickford. Previously played for Carlton. |
| Joe Bray | Melbourne | 21 years, 210 days | 4 | 3 | 0 | |
| Herb Friend | Melbourne | 19 years, 301 days | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| George Martin | Melbourne | 24 years, 317 days | 7 | 2 | 2 | |
| Alex Holland | Melbourne | 24 years, 13 days | 7 | 1 | 0 | Previously played for Collingwood. |
| Bill Gillespie | Melbourne | 20 years, 361 days | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| George McCart | Melbourne | 24 years, 320 days | 2 | 1 | 0 | Previously played for Carlton. |
| Andy Kennedy | Melbourne | 24 years, 186 days | 5 | 1 | 0 | Previously played for Carlton. |
| Jim Bonelli | Melbourne | 23 years, 263 days | 18 | 1 | 0 | |
| Dick Fowler | Melbourne | 18 years, 205 days | 18 | 1 | 0 | |
| Bill Mahoney | Richmond | 23 years, 122 days | 01 | 114 | 53 | Previously played for Geelong and St Kilda. |
| Ted Ohlson | Richmond | 21 years, 200 days | 1 | 105 | 36 | |
| Bob Bowden | Richmond | 21 years, 34 days | 1 | 73 | 9 | Previously played for Collingwood. |
| Billy Schmidt | Richmond | 20 years, 125 days | 1 | 75 | 71 | |
| George Gibson | Richmond | 22 years, 328 days | 3 | 70 | 6 | Previously played for Essendon. |
| Len Incigneri | Richmond | 24 years, 120 days | 1 | 62 | 4 | Previously played for South Melbourne. |
| Tom Heaney | Richmond | 20 years, 30 days | 1 | 56 | 37 | |
| Bill Burns | Richmond | 28 years, 119 days | 1 | 53 | 10 | Previously played for Geelong. |
| Bill Luff | Richmond | 22 years, 108 days | 1 | 39 | 0 | Father of Bill Luff Jr. |
| Bill Bourke | Richmond | 25 years, 284 days | 1 | 32 | 45 | |
| Dick Condon | Richmond | 32 years, 44 days | 1 | 32 | 26 | Previously played for Collingwood. |
| Ivor Lawson | Richmond | 25 years, 14 days | 3 | 32 | 3 | Previously played for Collingwood and St Kilda. |
| Harry Neil | Richmond | 25 years, 260 days | 5 | 31 | 0 | Previously played for Collingwood. |
| Herbert Hill | Richmond | 20 years, 156 days | 1 | 24 | 4 | Previously played for Melbourne. |
| Doug Chapman | Richmond | 18 years, 358 days | 3 | 23 | 5 | |
| Jack Megson | Richmond | 25 years, 12 days | 1 | 20 | 3 | Previously played for Essendon. |
| Jack Hardiman | Richmond | 30 years, 280 days | 1 | 15 | 5 | Previously played for Geelong. |
| Bill Lang | Richmond | 25 years, 301 days | 1 | 14 | 7 | Australian heavyweight boxing champion in 1908. |
| Charlie Pannam | Richmond | 33 years, 213 days | 1 | 14 | 22 | Brother of Albert Pannam, father of Alby and Charlie Pannam and grandfather of Lou and Ron Richards. Previously played for Collingwood. |
| Emmett Ryan | Richmond | 22 years, 270 days | 1 | 12 | 2 | Father of Peter Ryan. |
| Percy Stainer | Richmond | 19 years, 232 days | 4 | 7 | 0 | |
| Stan O'Connell | Richmond | 25 years, 17 days | 3 | 5 | 3 | |
| Ernie McDonald | Richmond | 25 years, 97 days | 1 | 4 | 0 | |
| Percy Speakman | Richmond | 22 years, 249 days | 12 | 4 | 4 | |
| George St John | Richmond | 30 years, 116 days | 16 | 4 | 1 | |
| Charles Williams | Richmond | 27 years, 101 days | 1 | 3 | 0 | |
| Jack Pemberton | Richmond | 25 years, 133 days | 4 | 3 | 0 | |
| Syd Barker | Richmond | 20 years, 200 days | 8 | 2 | 1 | Father of Syd Barker Jr. |
| George Rankine | Richmond | 23 years, 243 days | 11 | 2 | 0 | |
| Fred Larkin | Richmond | 20 years, 133 days | 15 | 2 | 0 | |
| Vin Hannaford | Richmond | 23 years, 14 days | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| Alex Johnston | Richmond | 26 years, 154 days | 2 | 1 | 0 | Previously played for Carlton. |
| Walter Johnston | Richmond | 24 years, 148 days | 8 | 1 | 0 | |
| Frank Sanguinetti | Richmond | 22 years, 102 days | 17 | 1 | 0 | |
| Bill Woodcock | St Kilda | 19 years, 322 days | 3 | 155 | 48 | |
| Wally Gant | St Kilda | 18 years, 60 days | 18 | 49 | 6 | |
| Bill Madden | St Kilda | 26 years, 166 days | 1 | 26 | 14 | |
| Mick Grace | St Kilda | 33 years, 283 days | 1 | 16 | 26 | Brother of Fitzroy footballers Jim and Joe Grace. Previously played for Carlton and Fitzroy. |
| Alby Landt | St Kilda | 19 years, 226 days | 1 | 4 | 0 | |
| Bismarck Kulpa | St Kilda | 21 years, 167 days | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| Leo Duff | St Kilda | 23 years, 82 days | 7 | 2 | 1 | |
| Harry Hall | St Kilda | 25 years, 228 days | 15 | 2 | 0 | |
| Bob Northey | St Kilda | 26 years, 148 days | 16 | 2 | 1 | |
| Bert O'Connell | St Kilda | 22 years, 343 days | 17 | 2 | 0 | |
| Joe Prince | St Kilda | 22 years, 341 days | 18 | 2 | 0 | |
| Bob Cromie | St Kilda | 26 years, 297 days | 06 | 1 | 0 | |
| Jack Grant | St Kilda | 25 years, 008 days | 06 | 1 | 0 | Previously played for Carlton. |
| Ernie Abbott | St Kilda | 25 years, 20 days | 15 | 1 | 1 | |
| Doug Hill | St Kilda | 24 years, 194 days | 16 | 1 | 1 | |
| Hector Mitchell | St Kilda | 20 years, 355 days | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Arthur Hiskins | South Melbourne | 21 years, 236 days | 1 | 185 | 56 | Brother of Fred, Stan and Rupert Hiskins and uncle of Jack Hiskins. |
| Tom Grimshaw | South Melbourne | 18 years, 145 days | 1 | 85 | 0 | |
| Alf Gough | South Melbourne | 20 years, 160 days | 1 | 78 | 45 | |
| Jack Jones | South Melbourne | 20 years, 287 days | 1 | 15 | 9 | |
| Jack Turnbull | South Melbourne | 22 years, 159 days | 6 | 12 | 0 | |
| Toner Hosking | South Melbourne | 17 years, 7 days | 3 | 9 | 1 | |
| Des Baird | South Melbourne | 20 years, 22 days | 13 | 6 | 0 | |
| Henry Paternoster | South Melbourne | 25 years, 306 days | 2 | 2 | 0 | |
| John Roberts | South Melbourne | 27 years, 126 days | 8 | 2 | 0 | |
| Joe Larkin | South Melbourne | 19 years, 315 days | 11 | 2 | 0 | |
| Reuben Holland | South Melbourne | 17 years, 310 days | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Dave Bowen | South Melbourne | 22 years, 63 days | 3 | 1 | 0 | |
| Charles Millsom | South Melbourne | 22 years, 315 days | 3 | 1 | 0 | |
| Tom Clancy | South Melbourne | 21 years, 58 days | 7 | 1 | 0 | |
| Herbert Hurrey | University | 20 years, 131 days | 6 | 101 | 29 | |
| John Gray | University | 19 years, 295 days | 1 | 85 | 3 | |
| George Elliott | University | 22 years, 336 days | 1 | 79 | 3 | Previously played for Fitzroy. |
| Jack West | University | 19 years, 089 days | 3 | 71 | 17 | Previously played for Melbourne. |
| Athol Tymms | University | 22 years, 071 days | 1 | 60 | 29 | Previously played for Essendon. |
| Ted Cordner | University | 20 years, 319 days | 1 | 60 | 8 | Father of Ted Jr., Donald, Denis and John Cordner, brother of Harry Cordner, great-grandfather of Harriet Cordner and cousin of Alan and Larry Cordner. Previously played for Melbourne. |
| Albert Hartkopf | University | 18 years, 163 days | 7 | 48 | 87 | Also played Test cricket for Australia. |
| Edgar Kneen | University | 25 years, 236 days | 1 | 46 | 48 | Previously played for Fitzroy. |
| Norm Richards | University | 18 years, 33 days | 2 | 46 | 5 | |
| Martin Ratz | University | 20 years, 201 days | 1 | 42 | 52 | |
| Jack Jones | University | 20 years, 93 days | 6 | 40 | 3 | |
| Denby Browning | University | 23 years, 316 days | 1 | 38 | 25 | |
| Frank Crawford | University | 20 years, 330 days | 1 | 36 | 0 | |
| Harry Cordner | University | 22 years, 320 days | 1 | 29 | 7 | Brother of Ted Cordner, cousin of Alan and "Larry" Cordner, and uncle of Don, Denis, Ted and John Cordner. Previously played for Melbourne. |
| Alick Ogilvie | University | 21 years, 116 days | 1 | 27 | 20 | Previously played for Melbourne. |
| Chris Fogarty | University | 24 years, 95 days | 1 | 26 | 12 | Brother of Tom, John, and Joe Fogarty, and uncle of Tom Fogarty. |
| Frank Boynton | University | 21 years, 122 days | 1 | 25 | 12 | Previously played for Melbourne and Geelong. |
| Mark Gardner | University | 23 years, 283 days | 9 | 21 | 2 | Previously played for Melbourne. |
| Tom Fogarty | University | 35 years, 42 days | 1 | 19 | 5 | Brother of John, Chris and Joe Fogarty, and father of Tom Fogarty. Previously played for St Kilda and South Melbourne. |
| Leo Seward | University | 22 years, 182 days | 2 | 15 | 15 | Brother of Harrie Seward. |
| Willie Marshall | University | 23 years, 298 days | 1 | 11 | 0 | Previously played for Melbourne. |
| Lance Sleeman | University | 23 years, 42 days | 1 | 8 | 1 | Previously played for Melbourne. |
| Henry Bowden | University | 20 years, 88 days | 10 | 8 | 5 | |
| Mal Williams | University | 21 years, 257 days | 4 | 7 | 0 | |
| Gilbert Barker | University | 25 years, 277 days | 1 | 6 | 2 | Previously played for Fitzroy. |
| Joe Fogarty | University | 22 years, 130 days | 1 | 5 | 1 | Brother of Tom, John and Chris, and uncle of Tom Fogarty. Previously played for South Melbourne and Essendon. |
| John Laing | University | 23 years, 339 days | 7 | 2 | 0 | |
| Arthur Gall | University | 22 years, 272 days | 10 | 2 | 0 | |
| Jim Piper | University | 24 years, 128 days | 18 | 2 | 0 | Previously played for Geelong. |
| Ken Kendall | University | 24 years, 57 days | 01 | 1 | 0 | |
| Ted Fleming | University | 22 years, 119 days | 04 | 1 | 0 | Previously played for Melbourne. |
| Frank Kirby | University | 22 years, 321 days | 16 | 1 | 0 | |