# 1987 VFL season

The 1987 VFL season was the 91st season of the Victorian Football League (VFL). The season ran from 27 March until 26 September, and comprised a 22-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top five clubs.
The season saw the beginning of a decade-long period of expansion of the Victorian league to the rest of Australia, with the admission of two newly established clubs: the West Coast Eagles, based in Perth, Western Australia, and the Brisbane Bears, based in South East Queensland. While the league remained the highest level senior Australian rules football competition and administrative body in Victoria, it also became the de facto highest level senior competition in Australia, with representation across four states. In the pre-season, the first modern VFL draft was held.
The premiership was won by the Carlton Football Club for the 15th time, after it defeated Hawthorn by 33 points in the 1987 VFL Grand Final.

## Night series

Melbourne defeated Essendon 8.10 (58) to 8.6 (54), to win the Night Series Grand Final at VFL Park.

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

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 15.14 (104) | Brisbane Bears | 19.23 (137) | MCG | 14,096 | Friday 27 March 1987 |
| Collingwood | 11.8 (74) | Sydney | 25.15 (165) | Victoria Park | 17,129 | Saturday 28 March 1987 |
| Carlton | 15.14 (104) | Hawthorn | 22.17 (149) | Princes Park | 20,192 | Saturday 28 March 1987 |
| St Kilda | 15.11 (101) | Geelong | 14.18 (102) | Moorabbin Oval | 15,867 | Saturday 28 March 1987 |
| Melbourne | 19.14 (128) | Fitzroy | 12.17 (89) | MCG | 18,012 | Saturday 28 March 1987 |
| Footscray | 9.8 (62) | Essendon | 19.7 (121) | VFL Park | 22,550 | Saturday 28 March 1987 |
| West Coast | 20.13 (133) | Richmond | 16.23 (119) | Subiaco Oval | 23,897 | Sunday 29 March 1987 |

### Round 2

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 13.14 (92) | Melbourne | 7.17 (59) | MCG | 19,035 | Friday 3 April 1987 |
| Fitzroy | 23.21 (159) | St Kilda | 17.13 (115) | Princes Park | 11,584 | Saturday 4 April 1987 |
| Essendon | 17.17 (119) | West Coast | 17.12 (114) | Windy Hill | 19,959 | Saturday 4 April 1987 |
| Richmond | 13.15 (93) | Hawthorn | 23.17 (155) | MCG | 17,824 | Saturday 4 April 1987 |
| Geelong | 19.17 (131) | Brisbane Bears | 23.12 (150) | Kardinia Park | 14,480 | Saturday 4 April 1987 |
| Collingwood | 17.5 (107) | Carlton | 16.18 (114) | VFL Park | 29,481 | Saturday 4 April 1987 |
| Sydney | 27.25 (187) | Footscray | 11.13 (79) | SCG | 15,268 | Sunday 5 April 1987 |

### Round 3

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Fitzroy | 20.9 (129) | North Melbourne | 7.13 (55) | VFL Park | 10,043 | Friday 10 April 1987 |
| Geelong | 18.20 (128) | Melbourne | 13.16 (94) | Kardinia Park | 15,391 | Saturday 11 April 1987 |
| Richmond | 19.16 (130) | Essendon | 12.12 (84) | MCG | 27,528 | Saturday 11 April 1987 |
| Hawthorn | 20.25 (145) | Collingwood | 10.8 (68) | Princes Park | 14,267 | Saturday 11 April 1987 |
| Footscray | 5.10 (40) | Carlton | 18.19 (127) | Western Oval | 14,492 | Saturday 11 April 1987 |
| St Kilda | 21.7 (133) | Brisbane Bears | 11.17 (83) | Moorabbin Oval | 12,717 | Saturday 11 April 1987 |
| West Coast | 14.13 (97) | Sydney | 18.16 (124) | Subiaco Oval | 35,719 | Sunday 12 April 1987 |

### Round 4

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 21.13 (139) | St Kilda | 14.8 (92) | MCG | 25,465 | 18 April 1987 |
| Geelong | 18.19 (127) | North Melbourne | 19.22 (136) | Kardinia Park | 18,614 | 18 April 1987 |
| Carlton | 29.17 (191) | West Coast | 15.14 (104) | Princes Park | 21,746 | 18 April 1987 |
| Brisbane Bears | 16.18 (114) | Fitzroy | 20.9 (129) | Carrara Stadium | 17,795 | 19 April 1987 |
| Footscray | 14.12 (96) | Hawthorn | 7.13 (55) | Western Oval | 10,425 | 20 April 1987 |
| Essendon | 17.11 (113) | Sydney | 9.12 (66) | Windy Hill | 24,264 | 20 April 1987 |
| Collingwood | 16.14 (110) | Richmond | 15.10 (100) | VFL Park | 36,749 | 20 April 1987 |

### Round 5

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 18.19 (127) | St Kilda | 16.14 (110) | MCG | 16,078 | 24 April 1987 |
| Richmond | 19.12 (126) | Sydney | 21.20 (146) | MCG | 22,154 | 25 April 1987 |
| Hawthorn | 13.14 (92) | West Coast | 15.14 (104) | Princes Park | 11,068 | 25 April 1987 |
| Collingwood | 14.5 (89) | Footscray | 12.13 (85) | Victoria Park | 22,039 | 25 April 1987 |
| Geelong | 29.10 (184) | Fitzroy | 17.7 (109) | Kardinia Park | 18,220 | 25 April 1987 |
| Carlton | 17.14 (116) | Essendon | 9.8 (62) | VFL Park | 56,124 | 25 April 1987 |
| Brisbane Bears | 12.14 (86) | Melbourne | 12.9 (81) | Carrara Stadium | 7,451 | 26 April 1987 |

### Round 6

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Sydney | 13.16 (94) | Carlton | 12.15 (87) | SCG | 33,659 | 1 May 1987 |
| Melbourne | 16.14 (110) | Richmond | 9.15 (69) | MCG | 18,482 | 2 May 1987 |
| Essendon | 14.12 (96) | Geelong | 13.18 (96) | Windy Hill | 15,395 | 2 May 1987 |
| Collingwood | 16.9 (105) | Brisbane Bears | 8.10 (58) | Victoria Park | 14,689 | 2 May 1987 |
| Footscray | 11.12 (78) | St Kilda | 4.10 (34) | VFL Park | 12,834 | 2 May 1987 |
| West Coast | 24.18 (162) | North Melbourne | 13.10 (88) | Subiaco Oval | 28,330 | 3 May 1987 |
| Hawthorn | 16.17 (113) | Fitzroy | 15.14 (104) | MCG | 18,694 | 3 May 1987 |

### Round 7

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| West Coast | 10.21 (81) | Brisbane Bears | 8.14 (62) | WACA Ground | 25,799 | 8 May 1987 |
| Footscray | 13.10 (88) | North Melbourne | 19.8 (122) | Western Oval | 13,395 | 9 May 1987 |
| St Kilda | 21.11 (137) | Richmond | 17.12 (114) | Moorabbin Oval | 14,909 | 9 May 1987 |
| Fitzroy | 25.9 (159) | Essendon | 21.8 (134) | Princes Park | 14,564 | 9 May 1987 |
| Melbourne | 18.18 (126) | Collingwood | 12.8 (80) | MCG | 49,215 | 9 May 1987 |
| Carlton | 22.18 (150) | Geelong | 14.10 (94) | VFL Park | 31,000 | 9 May 1987 |
| Sydney | 18.14 (122) | Hawthorn | 17.12 (114) | SCG | 22,273 | 10 May 1987 |

### Round 8

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Sydney | 13.9 (87) | Fitzroy | 16.20 (116) | SCG | 24,858 | 15 May 1987 |
| St Kilda | 14.13 (97) | West Coast | 6.13 (49) | Moorabbin Oval | 11,537 | 16 May 1987 |
| Hawthorn | 17.10 (112) | Geelong | 10.5 (65) | Princes Park | 9,532 | 16 May 1987 |
| Melbourne | 11.15 (81) | Footscray | 15.15 (105) | MCG | 16,325 | 16 May 1987 |
| Collingwood | 10.8 (68) | Essendon | 14.10 (94) | VFL Park | 28,085 | 16 May 1987 |
| Brisbane Bears | 22.12 (144) | Richmond | 15.19 (109) | Carrara Stadium | 7,944 | 17 May 1987 |
| North Melbourne | 10.11 (71) | Carlton | 15.15 (105) | MCG | 26,684 | 17 May 1987 |

### Round 9

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 13.16 (94) | North Melbourne | 17.26 (128) | MCG | 14,220 | 22 May 1987 |
| Collingwood | 15.15 (105) | St Kilda | 15.9 (99) | Victoria Park | 18,173 | 23 May 1987 |
| Carlton | 12.20 (92) | Fitzroy | 9.16 (70) | Princes Park | 28,422 | 23 May 1987 |
| Footscray | 14.19 (103) | Brisbane Bears | 10.11 (71) | Western Oval | 10,673 | 23 May 1987 |
| Hawthorn | 25.15 (165) | Essendon | 7.9 (51) | VFL Park | 32,634 | 23 May 1987 |
| Geelong | 15.14 (104) | Sydney | 11.13 (79) | Kardinia Park | 24,476 | 24 May 1987 |
| West Coast | 20.15 (135) | Melbourne | 18.11 (119) | Subiaco Oval | 23,366 | 24 May 1987 |

### Round 10

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Essendon | 11.14 (80) | Melbourne | 15.12 (102) | Windy Hill | 13,862 | 30 May 1987 |
| Richmond | 14.13 (97) | Geelong | 18.10 (118) | MCG | 16,854 | 30 May 1987 |
| Footscray | 10.19 (79) | Fitzroy | 7.4 (46) | Western Oval | 12,722 | 30 May 1987 |
| Carlton | 27.22 (184) | Brisbane Bears | 12.9 (81) | Princes Park | 13,790 | 30 May 1987 |
| Hawthorn | 23.16 (154) | St Kilda | 15.8 (98) | VFL Park | 15,535 | 30 May 1987 |
| Sydney | 20.16 (136) | North Melbourne | 23.7 (145) | SCG | 20,084 | 31 May 1987 |
| West Coast | 19.23 (137) | Collingwood | 11.14 (80) | Subiaco Oval | 38,274 | 1 June 1987 |

### Round 11

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Footscray | 18.13 (121) | West Coast | 15.9 (99) | Western Oval | 15,089 | 6 June 1987 |
| St Kilda | 16.10 (106) | Essendon | 18.13 (121) | Moorabbin Oval | 23,725 | 6 June 1987 |
| North Melbourne | 14.7 (91) | Hawthorn | 17.11 (113) | VFL Park | 23,606 | 6 June 1987 |
| Brisbane Bears | 9.10 (64) | Sydney | 19.23 (137) | Carrara Stadium | 11,840 | 7 June 1987 |
| Fitzroy | 18.15 (123) | Richmond | 22.17 (149) | Princes Park | 12,580 | 8 June 1987 |
| Melbourne | 13.12 (90) | Carlton | 21.9 (135) | MCG | 49,812 | 8 June 1987 |
| Geelong | 17.13 (115) | Collingwood | 17.8 (110) | VFL Park | 33,150 | 8 June 1987 |

### Round 12

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 15.10 (100) | Essendon | 9.10 (64) | MCG | 23,944 | 12 June 1987 |
| Melbourne | 11.10 (76) | Sydney | 17.10 (112) | MCG | 21,696 | 13 June 1987 |
| Geelong | 13.13 (91) | West Coast | 12.13 (85) | Kardinia Park | 17,483 | 13 June 1987 |
| Collingwood | 15.16 (106) | Fitzroy | 11.14 (80) | Victoria Park | 17,840 | 13 June 1987 |
| Carlton | 12.25 (97) | St Kilda | 14.12 (96) | Princes Park | 16,511 | 13 June 1987 |
| Richmond | 11.8 (74) | Footscray | 21.16 (142) | VFL Park | 16,279 | 13 June 1987 |
| Brisbane Bears | 11.4 (70) | Hawthorn | 24.21 (165) | Carrara Stadium | 7,284 | 14 June 1987 |

### Round 13

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| West Coast | 16.18 (114) | Fitzroy | 5.12 (42) | WACA Ground | 13,540 | 19 June 1987 |
| Hawthorn | 6.8 (44) | Melbourne | 8.9 (57) | Princes Park | 7,596 | 20 June 1987 |
| Footscray | 13.11 (89) | Geelong | 8.2 (50) | Western Oval | 15,749 | 20 June 1987 |
| Richmond | 4.3 (27) | Carlton | 6.7 (43) | MCG | 15,916 | 20 June 1987 |
| Essendon | 9.10 (64) | Brisbane Bears | 3.9 (27) | Windy Hill | 8,832 | 20 June 1987 |
| Collingwood | 2.6 (18) | North Melbourne | 10.12 (72) | VFL Park | 17,613 | 20 June 1987 |
| Sydney | 20.14 (134) | St Kilda | 11.9 (75) | SCG | 17,760 | 21 June 1987 |

### Round 14

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Sydney | 14.17 (101) | Collingwood | 10.14 (74) | SCG | 20,133 | 26 June 1987 |
| Richmond | 9.19 (73) | West Coast | 9.15 (69) | MCG | 8,926 | 27 June 1987 |
| Geelong | 13.20 (98) | St Kilda | 3.9 (27) | Kardinia Park | 13,661 | 27 June 1987 |
| Fitzroy | 11.16 (82) | Melbourne | 4.10 (34) | Princes Park | 7,643 | 27 June 1987 |
| Essendon | 7.10 (52) | Footscray | 9.10 (64) | Windy Hill | 17,401 | 27 June 1987 |
| Hawthorn | 12.8 (80) | Carlton | 12.7 (79) | VFL Park | 44,385 | 27 June 1987 |
| Brisbane Bears | 17.11 (113) | North Melbourne | 23.13 (151) | Carrara Stadium | 7,716 | 28 June 1987 |

### Round 15

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| West Coast | 18.10 (118) | Essendon | 21.20 (146) | WACA Ground | 15,740 | 3 July 1987 |
| Melbourne | 15.20 (110) | North Melbourne | 16.16 (112) | MCG | 17,108 | 4 July 1987 |
| Hawthorn | 19.20 (134) | Richmond | 11.11 (77) | Princes Park | 10,150 | 4 July 1987 |
| St Kilda | 20.14 (134) | Fitzroy | 15.10 (100) | Moorabbin Oval | 15,201 | 4 July 1987 |
| Footscray | 10.13 (73) | Sydney | 16.10 (106) | VFL Park | 27,075 | 4 July 1987 |
| Brisbane Bears | 18.11 (119) | Geelong | 10.18 (78) | Carrara Stadium | 9,380 | 5 July 1987 |
| Carlton | 20.16 (136) | Collingwood | 15.22 (112) | MCG | 47,813 | 5 July 1987 |

### Rounds 16 and 17

Rounds 16 and 17 were played concurrently over three weekends: five matches were played on the weekends of 11 and 18 July, and four matches were played on the weekend of 25 July. This fixturing effectively gave each team one bye during the three-week period. However, the matches are still grouped into two complete rounds rather than three partial rounds, which results in a chronological anomaly in which six teams played their Round 17 matches before their Round 16 matches.
| | Round 16 | Round 16 | Round 16 | | |
| Saturday, 11 July (2:10 pm) | Essendon 21.11 (137) | def. | Richmond 12.11 (83) | Windy Hill (crowd: 13593) | Report |
| Saturday, 11 July (2:10 pm) | North Melbourne 23.18 (156) | def. | Fitzroy 19.9 (123) | MCG (crowd: 15244) | Report |
| Sunday, 12 July (2:10 pm) | Brisbane Bears 14.9 (93) | def. by | St Kilda 18.13 (121) | Carrara (crowd: 9106) | Report |
| Saturday, 18 July (2:10 pm) | Carlton 20.13 (133) | def. | Footscray 12.6 (78) | Princes Park (crowd: 21388) | Report |
| Saturday, 18 July (2:10 pm) | Collingwood 5.13 (43) | def. by | Hawthorn 25.18 (168) | Victoria Park (crowd: 17370) | Report |
| Sunday, 19 July (2:10 pm) | Sydney 30.21 (201) | def. | West Coast 10.11 (71) | SCG (crowd: 24199) | Report |
| Saturday, 25 July (2:10 pm) | Melbourne 18.9 (117) | def. | Geelong 11.11 (77) | VFL Park (crowd: 15253) | Report |
| At the SCG, Sydney recorded the club's highest score in a match. It marked the third time they had kicked 30 goals in a game, the previous time being in Round 13 of the 1982 VFL season against St Kilda. Swans rover Stephen Wright kicked a career-best eight goals in his first game back after missing five weeks due to a hamstring strain. Hawthorn recorded their biggest-ever win against Collingwood and it was also the Magpies' heaviest-ever defeat at Victoria Park. ||||||

#### Round 17

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| West Coast | 15.17 (107) | Carlton | 15.14 (104) | WACA Ground | 21,780 | 10 July 1987 |
| Hawthorn | 25.12 (162) | Footscray | 9.11 (65) | Princes Park | 14,429 | 11 July 1987 |
| North Melbourne | 11.13 (79) | Geelong | 27.14 (176) | MCG | 20,880 | 18 July 1987 |
| St Kilda | 18.6 (114) | Melbourne | 9.14 (68) | VFL Park | 20,354 | 18 July 1987 |
| Richmond | 18.20 (128) | Collingwood | 14.5 (89) | MCG | 24,793 | 25 July 1987 |
| Fitzroy | 17.29 (131) | Brisbane Bears | 16.10 (106) | Princes Park | 5,824 | 25 July 1987 |
| Sydney | 36.20 (236) | Essendon | 11.7 (73) | SCG | 24,199 | 26 July 1987 |

### Round 18

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Sydney | 31.12 (198) | Richmond | 15.17 (107) | SCG | 17,157 | 31 July 1987 |
| Fitzroy | 20.9 (129) | Geelong | 12.15 (87) | Princes Park | 8,678 | 1 August 1987 |
| St Kilda | 15.16 (106) | North Melbourne | 11.15 (81) | Moorabbin Oval | 18,968 | 1 August 1987 |
| Footscray | 9.11 (65) | Collingwood | 8.6 (54) | Western Oval | 14,514 | 1 August 1987 |
| Melbourne | 22.21 (153) | Brisbane Bears | 14.15 (99) | MCG | 10,307 | 1 August 1987 |
| Essendon | 10.9 (69) | Carlton | 10.10 (70) | VFL Park | 29,761 | 1 August 1987 |
| West Coast | 17.13 (115) | Hawthorn | 17.12 (114) | Subiaco Oval | 24,502 | 2 August 1987 |

### Round 19

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| West Coast | 15.19 (109) | North Melbourne | 18.12 (120) | WACA Ground | 22,540 | 7 August 1987 |
| Carlton | 17.21 (123) | Sydney | 8.7 (55) | Princes Park | 32,058 | 8 August 1987 |
| Richmond | 15.10 (100) | Melbourne | 17.17 (119) | MCG | 15,899 | 8 August 1987 |
| St Kilda | 15.14 (104) | Footscray | 15.11 (101) | Moorabbin Oval | 23,080 | 8 August 1987 |
| Geelong | 12.20 (92) | Essendon | 9.11 (65) | Kardinia Park | 18,316 | 8 August 1987 |
| Hawthorn | 26.9 (165) | Fitzroy | 16.9 (105) | VFL Park | 14,692 | 8 August 1987 |
| Brisbane Bears | 11.11 (77) | Collingwood | 14.16 (100) | Carrara Stadium | 9,166 | 9 August 1987 |

### Round 20

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 20.22 (142) | Sydney | 15.7 (97) | Princes Park | 20,551 | 15 August 1987 |
| Essendon | 20.7 (127) | Fitzroy | 11.20 (86) | Windy Hill | 12,510 | 15 August 1987 |
| Collingwood | 8.11 (59) | Melbourne | 15.24 (114) | Victoria Park | 16,285 | 15 August 1987 |
| North Melbourne | 18.17 (125) | Footscray | 18.17 (125) | MCG | 18,921 | 15 August 1987 |
| Geelong | 13.10 (88) | Carlton | 24.12 (156) | Kardinia Park | 22,219 | 15 August 1987 |
| Richmond | 19.19 (133) | St Kilda | 8.9 (57) | VFL Park | 27,589 | 15 August 1987 |
| Brisbane Bears | 18.11 (119) | West Coast | 21.14 (140) | Carrara Stadium | 4,859 | 16 August 1987 |

### Round 21

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 18.21 (129) | West Coast | 10.8 (68) | MCG | 21,048 | 21 August 1987 |
| North Melbourne | 18.14 (122) | Richmond | 11.18 (84) | MCG | 15,073 | 22 August 1987 |
| St Kilda | 15.17 (107) | Collingwood | 8.10 (58) | Moorabbin Oval | 24,335 | 22 August 1987 |
| Fitzroy | 12.12 (84) | Carlton | 17.22 (124) | Princes Park | 16,126 | 22 August 1987 |
| Essendon | 9.10 (64) | Hawthorn | 17.12 (114) | VFL Park | 27,046 | 22 August 1987 |
| Brisbane Bears | 10.11 (71) | Footscray | 22.21 (153) | Carrara Stadium | 6,754 | 23 August 1987 |
| Sydney | 18.14 (122) | Geelong | 18.23 (131) | SCG | 23,953 | 23 August 1987 |

### Round 22

The final round of the 1987 VFL home-and-away season turned out to be one of the most dramatic and significant in VFL/AFL history. The composition of the final five would be determined by a number of scenarios:
* If Carlton defeated North Melbourne, they would secure the minor premiership and advance straight to the second semi-final
* Hawthorn would win the minor premiership if they beat Geelong and Carlton lost to North
* North could grab third place - and hence the "double chance" - if it beat Carlton and Sydney lost to Fitzroy
* Going into the final round, Geelong held fifth spot, ahead of Footscray on percentage, with Melbourne two premiership points behind both teams. Hence, if the Cats could beat Hawthorn, they would secure a finals berth, but if they lost, then the winner out of Melbourne and Footscray would advance to the finals.
The round began on the Friday night with Richmond and the fledgling Brisbane Bears playing for the wooden spoon; the Bears won easily to ensure they didn't come last in their first season. The significant matches to determine the final five were all played on Saturday afternoon, and they were all thrillers.
| | Round 22 | Round 22 | Round 22 | | |
| Friday, 28 August (7:40 pm) | Richmond 17.11 (113) | def. by | Brisbane Bears 26.13 (169) | MCG (crowd: 12079) | Report |
| Saturday, 29 August (2:10 pm) | Carlton 20.9 (129) | def. | North Melbourne 19.11 (125) | VFL Park (crowd: 30444) | Report |
| Saturday, 29 August (2:10 pm) | Fitzroy 20.13 (133) | def. by | Sydney 20.21 (141) | Princes Park (crowd: 11170) | Report |
| Saturday, 29 August (2:10 pm) | Footscray 10.8 (68) | def. by | Melbourne 12.11 (83) | Western Oval (crowd: 31249) | Report |
| Saturday, 29 August (2:10 pm) | Geelong 17.21 (123) | def. by | Hawthorn 19.12 (126) | Kardinia Park (crowd: 27030) | Report |
| Sunday, 30 August (12:10 pm) | West Coast 26.19 (175) | def. | St Kilda 13.9 (87) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 17617) | Report |
| Sunday, 30 August (2:10 pm) | Essendon 21.13 (139) | def. by | Collingwood 23.6 (144) | MCG (crowd: 28887) | Report |
| In an epic, see-sawing clash at VFL Park, Carlton captain Stephen Kernahan kicked a goal after the final siren to snatch a thrilling win over North Melbourne and secure the minor premiership for 1987, their 16th in VFL competition. Sydney's win over Fitzroy marked the club's first win at Princes Park in 22 years. The Swans trailed at one stage by 41 points in the third quarter, but thereafter began to play more direct football and held off the Lions to secure third spot and the double chance. ||||||

## Ladder

| (P) | Premiers |
| | Qualified for finals |
| # | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts |
| 1 | Carlton (P) | 22 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 2599 | 1883 | 138.0 | 72 |
| 2 | Hawthorn | 22 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 2781 | 1891 | 147.1 | 68 |
| 3 | Sydney | 22 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 2846 | 2197 | 129.5 | 60 |
| 4 | North Melbourne | 22 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 2402 | 2417 | 99.4 | 54 |
| 5 | Melbourne | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2189 | 2026 | 108.0 | 48 |
| 6 | Geelong | 22 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 2355 | 2348 | 100.3 | 46 |
| 7 | Footscray | 22 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 1959 | 2046 | 95.7 | 46 |
| 8 | West Coast | 22 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 2386 | 2438 | 97.9 | 44 |
| 9 | Essendon | 22 | 9 | 12 | 1 | 2075 | 2318 | 89.5 | 38 |
| 10 | St Kilda | 22 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 2150 | 2369 | 90.8 | 36 |
| 11 | Fitzroy | 22 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 2328 | 2544 | 91.5 | 32 |
| 12 | Collingwood | 22 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 1853 | 2425 | 76.4 | 28 |
| 13 | Brisbane Bears | 22 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 2113 | 2666 | 79.3 | 24 |
| 14 | Richmond | 22 | 5 | 17 | 0 | 2199 | 2667 | 82.5 | 20 |
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for Average score: 104.7 Source: AFL Tables

## Finals series
### Finals week 1

| | Qualifying Final | Qualifying Final | Qualifying Final | | |
| Saturday, 5 September (2:30 pm) | Hawthorn 23.18 (156) | def. | Sydney 8.9 (57) | VFL Park (crowd: 47752) | Report |
| Tom Hafey coached his 500th League game, becoming the third to reach the milestone after Jock McHale and his opponent Allan Jeans. Warwick Capper kicked four goals to become the second player after Tony Lockett to reach 100 goals for the season. He also took a spectacular mark over his opponent Chris Langford. ||||||
| | Elimination Final | Elimination Final | Elimination Final | | |
| Sunday, 6 September (2:30 pm) | North Melbourne 5.10 (40) | def. by | Melbourne 22.26 (158) | MCG (crowd: 72628) | Report |
| Melbourne's 118-point win is the largest winning margin in an Elimination Final. ||||||

### Finals week 2

| | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | |
| SF1: Sunday, 13 September (2:30 pm) | Sydney 10.13 (73) | def. by | Melbourne 21.23 (149) | MCG (crowd: 80292) | Report |
| SF2: Saturday, 12 September (2:30 pm) | Carlton 11.14 (80) | def. | Hawthorn 10.5 (65) | VFL Park (crowd: 64333) | Report |

### Preliminary final

| | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | | |
| Saturday, 19 September (2:30 pm) | Hawthorn 11.14 (80) | def. | Melbourne 10.18 (78) | VFL Park (crowd: 71298) | Report |
| Melbourne was leading by 4 points at the final siren, though Hawthorn's Gary Buckenara had a free kick 55 metres out. But Melbourne's Jim Stynes ran across the mark and incurred a 15-metre penalty, bringing Buckenara close enough to kick the winning goal after the siren. ||||||

### Grand final

| | Grand final | Grand final | Grand final | | |
| Saturday, 26 September (2:50 pm) | Carlton 15.14 (104) | def. | Hawthorn 9.17 (71) | MCG (crowd: 92754) | Report |

## Season notes

* This season saw the introduction of two new interstate sides: the West Coast Eagles, based in Perth, Western Australia, and the Brisbane Bears, based in Gold Coast, Queensland. They were the first new clubs to join the league since the expansion of 1925, and the first time the league changed from twelve teams since 1943. The clubs were admitted to the league in a meeting on 1 October 1986, with West Coast admitted by an 8–4 majority of the twelve clubs, and Brisbane admitted unanimously. The two new clubs each paid a $A4 million licence fee which was divided equally amongst the existing twelve clubs, many of whom were in desperate need of such a cash injection.
* When the Seven Network refused to offer a significant increase on its previous deal – which the VFL thought was warranted, given the broader audience that interstate expansion would bring – the VFL sold the television rights to on-seller Broadcom, who sold them to the ABC and satellite network Sportsplay. The deals lasted one year, and Seven purchased the exclusive rights back from Broadcom in 1988 at almost double the 1986 rate. Free-to-air broadcasts, alongside the nationally aired games on ABC (and all locally broadcast games via ABV in Victoria), were split on state lines with Seven retaining broadcasts for Western Australia via TVW-7, the games were broadcast as well on SBS Television and The Prime Network (New South Wales) and on Network 10 (Queensland and South Australia).
* The Round 10 match between West Coast and Collingwood was played on the Foundation Day public holiday, which is not observed in Victoria.
* In awful conditions in Round 13, Collingwood kicked only 2.6 (18), the lowest score by any team since 1968. Brian Taylor kicked their only goals in the first few minutes of the second quarter.
* In three home games from Round 16 to Round 18, the Sydney Swans amassed the most prolific string of high scores in VFL history, scoring a total of 97.53 (635). Their individual scores were: 30.21 (201) against West Coast, winning by 130 points; 36.20 (236) against Essendon, winning by 163 points; and 31.12 (198) against Richmond, winning by 91 points.
* The VFL made a loss on the Round 17 match between Fitzroy and Brisbane Bears, which drew a meagre crowd of only 5,824 to Princes Park, despite being one of only three matches in Melbourne that weekend. The league had considered rescheduling the match as the first half of a double-header with one of the other two senior matches that weekend to reduce overall operating expenses, but contracts already in place precluded double-headers from being staged.
* Melbourne ended the third-longest finals drought in league history (twenty-two seasons) by finishing fifth, making the finals for the first time since 1964.
* The Under-19s Grand Final, in which North Melbourne 13.16 (94) defeated Richmond 13.11 (89), ended in controversy when the final siren was alleged to have been blown early. The timekeeper, who was independent of the clubs, was alleged to have blown the siren after only two minutes of time on; but there had been five goals kicked in the final quarter, which would usually have been expected to result in four or five minutes of time on. Richmond lodged a complaint against the timekeeper, but did not protest the result or seek a replay of the match.

## Awards
### Major awards

* The Victorian Football League Players' Association Most Valuable Player Award was won by Tony Lockett of St Kilda.
* The Norm Smith Medal was awarded to David Rhys-Jones of Carlton.
* Carlton won the reserves premiership. Carlton 18.17 (125) defeated St Kilda 15.15 (105) in the grand final, held as a curtain-raiser to the seniors Grand Final on 26 September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

### Leading goalkickers

* Larger numbers indicate number of goals scored in each round. Subscript numbers indicate total cumulative goals scored through that round.
* Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the player led the Coleman Medal at the end of that round.
* Numbers underlined indicates the player did not play in that round.
| | Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | Total |
| 1 | Tony Lockett | 2$_2$ | 5$_7$ | 3$_{10}$ | 12$_{22}$ | 5$_{27}$ | 0$_{27}$ | 6$_{33}$ | 7$_{40}$ | 2$_{42}$ | 5$_{47}$ | 9$_{56}$ | 3$_{59}$ | 3$_{62}$ | 1$_{63}$ | 5$_{68}$ | 8$_{76}$ | 9$_{85}$ | 8$_{93}$ | 8$_{101}$ | 3$_{104}$ | 8$_{112}$ | 5$_{117}$ | 117 |
| 2 | Warwick Capper | 9$_9$ | 3$_{12}$ | 5$_{17}$ | 3$_{20}$ | 7$_{27}$ | 2$_{29}$ | 3$_{32}$ | 6$_{38}$ | 4$_{42}$ | 7$_{49}$ | 4$_{53}$ | 5$_{58}$ | 6$_{64}$ | 2$_{66}$ | 2$_{68}$ | 5$_{73}$ | 6$_{79}$ | 5$_{84}$ | 1$_{85}$ | 4$_{89}$ | 6$_{95}$ | 4$_{99}$ | 99 |
| 3 | Jason Dunstall | 6$_6$ | 3$_9$ | 3$_{12}$ | 2$_{14}$ | 5$_{19}$ | 3$_{22}$ | 0$_{22}$ | 7$_{29}$ | 1$_{30}$ | 6$_{36}$ | 5$_{41}$ | 11$_{52}$ | 1$_{53}$ | 2$_{55}$ | 3$_{58}$ | 3$_{61}$ | 6$_{67}$ | 5$_{72}$ | 4$_{76}$ | 3$_{79}$ | 3$_{82}$ | 5$_{87}$ | 87 |
| 4 | Simon Beasley | 2$_2$ | 2$_4$ | 3$_7$ | 3$_{10}$ | 2$_{12}$ | 0$_{12}$ | 5$_{17}$ | 5$_{22}$ | 3$_{25}$ | 1$_{26}$ | 4$_{30}$ | 8$_{38}$ | 2$_{40}$ | 3$_{43}$ | 3$_{46}$ | 3$_{49}$ | 3$_{52}$ | 1$_{53}$ | 6$_{59}$ | 3$_{62}$ | 10$_{72}$ | 1$_{73}$ | 73 |
| 5 | Stephen Kernahan | 4$_4$ | 2$_6$ | 1$_7$ | 6$_{13}$ | 6$_{19}$ | 5$_{24}$ | 3$_{27}$ | 1$_{28}$ | 0$_{28}$ | 2$_{30}$ | 2$_{32}$ | 2$_{34}$ | 1$_{35}$ | 4$_{39}$ | 3$_{42}$ | 4$_{46}$ | 2$_{48}$ | 1$_{49}$ | 2$_{51}$ | 8$_{59}$ | 2$_{61}$ | 6$_{67}$ | 67 |
| 6 | Richard Osborne | 0$_0$ | 5$_5$ | 2$_7$ | 7$_{14}$ | 0$_{14}$ | 3$_{17}$ | 4$_{21}$ | 4$_{25}$ | 6$_{31}$ | 0$_{31}$ | 5$_{36}$ | 2$_{38}$ | 0$_{38}$ | 2$_{40}$ | 3$_{43}$ | 2$_{45}$ | 2$_{47}$ | 5$_{52}$ | 3$_{55}$ | 2$_{57}$ | 3$_{60}$ | 2$_{62}$ | 62 |
| 6 | Bruce Lindner | 0$_0$ | 0$_0$ | 7$_7$ | 6$_{13}$ | 7$_{20}$ | 1$_{21}$ | 3$_{24}$ | 3$_{27}$ | 5$_{32}$ | 5$_{37}$ | 3$_{40}$ | 4$_{44}$ | 1$_{45}$ | 3$_{48}$ | 2$_{50}$ | 0$_{50}$ | 0$_{50}$ | 3$_{53}$ | 2$_{55}$ | 3$_{57}$ | 2$_{60}$ | 2$_{62}$ | 62 |
| 8 | Brian Taylor | 2$_2$ | 5$_7$ | 3$_{10}$ | 6$_{16}$ | 4$_{20}$ | 4$_{24}$ | 3$_{27}$ | 0$_{27}$ | 0$_{27}$ | 0$_{27}$ | 6$_{33}$ | 7$_{40}$ | 2$_{42}$ | 1$_{43}$ | 4$_{47}$ | 2$_{49}$ | 4$_{53}$ | 2$_{55}$ | 2$_{57}$ | 2$_{59}$ | 1$_{60}$ | 0$_{60}$ | 60 |
| 9 | Dermott Brereton | 1$_1$ | 0$_1$ | 0$_1$ | 0$_1$ | 1$_2$ | 1$_3$ | 3$_6$ | 6$_{12}$ | 6$_{18}$ | 6$_{24}$ | 3$_{27}$ | 5$_{32}$ | 1$_{33}$ | 3$_{36}$ | 2$_{38}$ | 1$_{39}$ | 4$_{43}$ | 3$_{46}$ | 3$_{49}$ | 4$_{53}$ | 2$_{55}$ | 1$_{56}$ | 56 |
| 10 | Gary Ablett | 2$_2$ | 8$_{10}$ | 3$_{13}$ | 3$_{16}$ | 1$_{17}$ | 2$_{19}$ | 1$_{20}$ | 4$_{24}$ | 2$_{26}$ | 5$_{31}$ | 4$_{35}$ | 5$_{40}$ | 3$_{43}$ | 2$_{45}$ | 2$_{47}$ | 0$_{47}$ | 6$_{53}$ | 0$_{53}$ | 0$_{53}$ | 0$_{53}$ | 0$_{53}$ | 0$_{53}$ | 53 |