# 1985 VFL season

The 1985 VFL season was the 89th season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria.
The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 23 March until 28 September, and comprised a 22-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top five clubs. The season was the first to feature premiership matches on Friday nights.
The premiership was won by the Essendon Football Club for the 14th time and second time consecutively, after it defeated Hawthorn by 78 points in the 1985 VFL Grand Final.

## Night series

Hawthorn defeated Essendon 11.11 (77) to 10.8 (68) in the final.

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

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 15.13 (103) | Collingwood | 21.15 (141) | MCG | 65,628 | 29 March 1985 |
| St Kilda | 8.18 (66) | Sydney | 26.20 (176) | Moorabbin Oval | 20,910 | 30 March 1985 |
| Essendon | 21.11 (137) | Richmond | 18.12 (120) | Windy Hill | 22,802 | 30 March 1985 |
| Carlton | 17.10 (112) | Footscray | 22.10 (142) | Princes Park | 26,873 | 30 March 1985 |
| Melbourne | 20.8 (128) | Fitzroy | 14.18 (102) | MCG | 20,910 | 30 March 1985 |
| Geelong | 20.8 (128) | Hawthorn | 14.16 (100) | VFL Park | 20,776 | 30 March 1985 |

### Round 2

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Richmond | 12.16 (88) | Sydney | 13.14 (92) | MCG | 24,113 | 6 April 1985 |
| Geelong | 14.12 (96) | Collingwood | 18.11 (119) | Kardinia Park | 32,966 | 6 April 1985 |
| St Kilda | 2.17 (29) | Carlton | 25.19 (169) | Moorabbin Oval | 18,655 | 6 April 1985 |
| Hawthorn | 25.20 (170) | Melbourne | 14.18 (102) | Princes Park | 17,278 | 8 April 1985 |
| Fitzroy | 8.15 (63) | Essendon | 24.22 (166) | Victoria Park | 17,093 | 8 April 1985 |
| Footscray | 20.14 (134) | North Melbourne | 16.12 (108) | VFL Park | 24,056 | 8 April 1985 |

### Round 3

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Essendon | 17.12 (114) | Hawthorn | 15.10 (100) | VFL Park | 41,694 | 23 March 1985 |
| Richmond | 31.25 (211) | St Kilda | 14.14 (98) | MCG | 17,753 | 13 April 1985 |
| Footscray | 26.14 (170) | Geelong | 16.9 (105) | Western Oval | 23,259 | 13 April 1985 |
| Collingwood | 19.9 (123) | Melbourne | 16.17 (113) | Victoria Park | 22,896 | 13 April 1985 |
| Carlton | 22.13 (145) | North Melbourne | 22.15 (147) | Princes Park | 20,404 | 13 April 1985 |
| Sydney | 18.12 (120) | Fitzroy | 26.15 (171) | SCG | 10,204 | 14 April 1985 |
* The average score by each team this round was 134.8, which stands as the VFL/AFL record.

### Round 4

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 16.15 (111) | St Kilda | 11.6 (72) | MCG | 12,895 | 20 April 1985 |
| Fitzroy | 12.14 (86) | Richmond | 15.13 (103) | Victoria Park | 11,056 | 20 April 1985 |
| Carlton | 24.17 (161) | Geelong | 13.11 (89) | Princes Park | 19,894 | 20 April 1985 |
| Essendon | 13.8 (86) | Collingwood | 12.10 (82) | Windy Hill | 26,550 | 20 April 1985 |
| Melbourne | 14.18 (102) | Footscray | 12.11 (83) | VFL Park | 20,797 | 20 April 1985 |
| Sydney | 5.14 (44) | Hawthorn | 8.15 (63) | SCG | 7,860 | 21 April 1985 |

### Round 5

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 18.13 (121) | Carlton | 13.14 (92) | MCG | 53,067 | 25 April 1985 |
| St Kilda | 19.12 (126) | Fitzroy | 18.14 (122) | VFL Park | 20,480 | 25 April 1985 |
| Hawthorn | 21.23 (149) | Richmond | 29.14 (188) | Princes Park | 17,268 | 27 April 1985 |
| Geelong | 16.23 (119) | North Melbourne | 14.9 (93) | Kardinia Park | 16,492 | 27 April 1985 |
| Collingwood | 15.15 (105) | Sydney | 13.12 (90) | Victoria Park | 23,306 | 27 April 1985 |
| Footscray | 18.17 (125) | Essendon | 11.18 (84) | Western Oval | 33,677 | 27 April 1985 |

### Round 6

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 20.11 (131) | North Melbourne | 20.12 (132) | MCG | 23,815 | 4 May 1985 |
| Fitzroy | 15.12 (102) | Hawthorn | 19.16 (130) | Victoria Park | 9,231 | 4 May 1985 |
| St Kilda | 16.12 (108) | Geelong | 15.21 (111) | Moorabbin Oval | 16,000 | 4 May 1985 |
| Essendon | 27.14 (176) | Carlton | 8.19 (67) | Windy Hill | 22,644 | 4 May 1985 |
| Richmond | 16.10 (106) | Collingwood | 13.10 (88) | VFL Park | 58,733 | 4 May 1985 |
| Sydney | 25.11 (161) | Footscray | 11.17 (83) | SCG | 9,537 | 5 May 1985 |

### Round 7

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 28.15 (183) | St Kilda | 8.9 (57) | Princes Park | 8,762 | 11 May 1985 |
| Geelong | 12.13 (85) | Melbourne | 5.10 (40) | Kardinia Park | 15,000 | 11 May 1985 |
| Collingwood | 11.15 (81) | Fitzroy | 25.10 (160) | Victoria Park | 22,964 | 11 May 1985 |
| Richmond | 15.11 (101) | Footscray | 23.13 (151) | MCG | 36,250 | 11 May 1985 |
| North Melbourne | 22.20 (152) | Essendon | 14.9 (93) | VFL Park | 37,125 | 11 May 1985 |
| Sydney | 11.17 (83) | Carlton | 12.16 (88) | SCG | 12,507 | 12 May 1985 |

### Round 8

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 11.8 (74) | Sydney | 6.10 (46) | MCG | 14,572 | 18 May 1985 |
| Collingwood | 8.9 (57) | Hawthorn | 6.10 (46) | Victoria Park | 20,731 | 18 May 1985 |
| Carlton | 11.18 (84) | Richmond | 9.13 (67) | Princes Park | 21,777 | 18 May 1985 |
| Footscray | 11.7 (73) | Fitzroy | 12.15 (87) | Western Oval | 16,952 | 18 May 1985 |
| Geelong | 8.11 (59) | Essendon | 10.15 (75) | Kardinia Park | 23,102 | 18 May 1985 |
| Melbourne | 16.10 (106) | St Kilda | 7.12 (54) | VFL Park | 16,282 | 18 May 1985 |

### Round 9

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Essendon | 23.15 (153) | Melbourne | 9.17 (71) | Windy Hill | 19,985 | 25 May 1985 |
| Richmond | 16.15 (111) | North Melbourne | 18.19 (127) | MCG | 31,347 | 25 May 1985 |
| Hawthorn | 17.24 (126) | Footscray | 16.11 (107) | Princes Park | 16,686 | 25 May 1985 |
| St Kilda | 20.17 (137) | Collingwood | 24.18 (162) | Moorabbin Oval | 22,348 | 25 May 1985 |
| Fitzroy | 19.9 (123) | Carlton | 18.16 (124) | VFL Park | 29,455 | 25 May 1985 |
| Sydney | 13.11 (89) | Geelong | 16.21 (117) | SCG | 12,577 | 26 May 1985 |

### Round 10

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 15.19 (109) | Sydney | 14.8 (92) | MCG | 16,749 | 1 June 1985 |
| Fitzroy | 17.15 (117) | North Melbourne | 19.14 (128) | Victoria Park | 11,333 | 1 June 1985 |
| Carlton | 9.14 (68) | Hawthorn | 22.15 (147) | Princes Park | 25,424 | 1 June 1985 |
| St Kilda | 18.12 (120) | Essendon | 21.20 (146) | Moorabbin Oval | 16,536 | 1 June 1985 |
| Richmond | 10.10 (70) | Geelong | 18.12 (120) | VFL Park | 24,849 | 1 June 1985 |
| Footscray | 16.10 (106) | Collingwood | 12.8 (80) | MCG | 45,408 | 2 June 1985 |

### Round 11

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Melbourne | 15.11 (101) | Richmond | 17.19 (121) | MCG | 31,606 | 8 June 1985 |
| Footscray | 15.21 (111) | St Kilda | 13.12 (90) | Western Oval | 17,538 | 8 June 1985 |
| Essendon | 17.11 (113) | Sydney | 11.5 (71) | Windy Hill | 17,652 | 8 June 1985 |
| North Melbourne | 17.11 (113) | Hawthorn | 17.11 (113) | MCG | 39,084 | 10 June 1985 |
| Geelong | 17.8 (110) | Fitzroy | 20.21 (141) | Kardinia Park | 20,000 | 10 June 1985 |
| Collingwood | 13.9 (87) | Carlton | 16.14 (110) | VFL Park | 56,604 | 10 June 1985 |

### Round 12

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Collingwood | 9.10 (64) | North Melbourne | 14.17 (101) | Victoria Park | 19,573 | 15 June 1985 |
| Hawthorn | 17.15 (117) | Geelong | 13.10 (88) | Princes Park | 11,377 | 15 June 1985 |
| Richmond | 10.9 (69) | Essendon | 23.12 (150) | MCG | 36,851 | 15 June 1985 |
| Footscray | 13.8 (86) | Carlton | 5.9 (39) | Western Oval | 20,707 | 15 June 1985 |
| Fitzroy | 11.15 (81) | Melbourne | 6.11 (47) | VFL Park | 14,668 | 15 June 1985 |
| Sydney | 23.21 (159) | St Kilda | 13.14 (92) | SCG | 7,811 | 16 June 1985 |

### Round 13

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Essendon | 21.14 (140) | Fitzroy | 16.17 (113) | Windy Hill | 18,398 | 22 June 1985 |
| Collingwood | 12.13 (85) | Geelong | 13.13 (91) | Victoria Park | 16,852 | 22 June 1985 |
| Carlton | 20.19 (139) | St Kilda | 16.11 (107) | Princes Park | 13,534 | 22 June 1985 |
| Melbourne | 12.9 (81) | Hawthorn | 11.31 (97) | MCG | 16,406 | 22 June 1985 |
| North Melbourne | 9.21 (75) | Footscray | 11.11 (77) | VFL Park | 22,319 | 22 June 1985 |
| Sydney | 19.23 (137) | Richmond | 8.12 (60) | SCG | 9,504 | 23 June 1985 |

### Round 14

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 10.15 (75) | Carlton | 22.19 (151) | MCG | 32,861 | 28 June 1985 |
| Fitzroy | 13.17 (95) | Sydney | 11.14 (80) | Victoria Park | 9,953 | 29 June 1985 |
| St Kilda | 12.9 (81) | Richmond | 17.15 (117) | Moorabbin Oval | 14,243 | 29 June 1985 |
| Geelong | 17.22 (124) | Footscray | 23.8 (146) | Kardinia Park | 17,000 | 29 June 1985 |
| Melbourne | 12.13 (85) | Collingwood | 23.19 (157) | MCG | 29,154 | 29 June 1985 |
| Hawthorn | 15.11 (101) | Essendon | 21.11 (137) | VFL Park | 48,880 | 29 June 1985 |

### Round 15

| | Round 15 | Round 15 | Round 15 | | |
| Saturday, 6 July (2:10 pm) | Geelong 16.8 (104) | def. by | Carlton 19.16 (130) | Kardinia Park (crowd: 19,813) | Report |
| Saturday, 6 July (2:10 pm) | Collingwood 11.12 (78) | def. by | Essendon 13.11 (89) | Victoria Park (crowd: 26,014) | Report |
| Saturday, 6 July (2:10 pm) | Richmond 21.16 (142) | def. | Fitzroy 17.16 (118) | MCG (crowd: 19,794) | Report |
| Saturday, 6 July (2:10 pm) | Footscray 26.13 (169) | def. | Melbourne 6.13 (49) | Western Oval (crowd: 15,328) | Report |
| Saturday, 6 July (2:10 pm) | Hawthorn 23.18 (156) | def. | Sydney 12.11 (83) | Princes Park (crowd: 8,694) | Report |
| Saturday, 6 July (2:10 pm) | St Kilda 11.9 (75) | def. by | North Melbourne 21.13 (139) | VFL Park (crowd: 11,829) | Report |
| Footscray won their sixth consecutive game and recorded the biggest win in the club's history to date, in the 120-point thrashing of Melbourne. Full-forward Simon Beasley registered 10 or more goals for the third time in his career, ending up with 12 goals 3 behinds. The Bulldogs' record winning margin would stand until the 2021 AFL season. ||||||

### Round 16

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Fitzroy | 16.13 (109) | St Kilda | 18.10 (118) | Victoria Park | 8,735 | 13 July 1985 |
| Richmond | 17.11 (113) | Hawthorn | 27.18 (180) | MCG | 23,522 | 13 July 1985 |
| Essendon | 17.10 (112) | Footscray | 13.10 (88) | Windy Hill | 28,144 | 20 July 1985 |
| North Melbourne | 12.19 (91) | Geelong | 20.11 (131) | MCG | 17,686 | 20 July 1985 |
| Carlton | 14.15 (99) | Melbourne | 5.9 (39) | VFL Park | 17,920 | 20 July 1985 |
| Sydney | 17.21 (123) | Collingwood | 29.11 (185) | SCG | 12,172 | 21 July 1985 |

### Round 17

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Geelong | 14.18 (102) | St Kilda | 12.9 (81) | Kardinia Park | 11,989 | 27 July 1985 |
| Footscray | 15.15 (105) | Sydney | 11.13 (79) | Western Oval | 13,026 | 27 July 1985 |
| Collingwood | 13.8 (86) | Richmond | 11.12 (78) | Victoria Park | 20,336 | 27 July 1985 |
| Carlton | 18.12 (120) | Essendon | 10.8 (68) | Princes Park | 28,786 | 27 July 1985 |
| North Melbourne | 17.12 (114) | Melbourne | 16.14 (110) | MCG | 10,787 | 27 July 1985 |
| Hawthorn | 19.20 (134) | Fitzroy | 8.14 (62) | VFL Park | 13,197 | 27 July 1985 |

### Round 18

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Essendon | 25.16 (166) | North Melbourne | 8.14 (62) | Windy Hill | 18,894 | 3 August 1985 |
| Carlton | 19.13 (127) | Sydney | 14.9 (93) | Princes Park | 15,717 | 3 August 1985 |
| St Kilda | 13.16 (94) | Hawthorn | 20.15 (135) | Moorabbin Oval | 10,911 | 3 August 1985 |
| Melbourne | 12.14 (86) | Geelong | 21.18 (144) | MCG | 16,421 | 3 August 1985 |
| Fitzroy | 14.21 (105) | Collingwood | 14.10 (94) | Victoria Park | 15,958 | 3 August 1985 |
| Footscray | 25.16 (166) | Richmond | 17.6 (108) | VFL Park | 16,205 | 3 August 1985 |

### Round 19

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Fitzroy | 10.12 (72) | Footscray | 12.5 (77) | Victoria Park | 11,022 | 10 August 1985 |
| St Kilda | 7.8 (50) | Melbourne | 8.11 (59) | Moorabbin Oval | 11,779 | 10 August 1985 |
| Hawthorn | 15.6 (96) | Collingwood | 8.16 (64) | Princes Park | 15,799 | 10 August 1985 |
| Richmond | 11.14 (80) | Carlton | 23.15 (153) | MCG | 24,125 | 10 August 1985 |
| Essendon | 13.11 (89) | Geelong | 8.16 (64) | VFL Park | 34,614 | 10 August 1985 |
| Sydney | 12.22 (94) | North Melbourne | 14.15 (99) | SCG | 9,215 | 11 August 1985 |

### Round 20

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| North Melbourne | 16.20 (116) | Richmond | 9.12 (66) | Arden St Oval | 7,341 | 17 August 1985 |
| Geelong | 13.13 (91) | Sydney | 9.10 (64) | Kardinia Park | 12,422 | 17 August 1985 |
| Footscray | 5.13 (43) | Hawthorn | 5.8 (38) | Western Oval | 21,828 | 17 August 1985 |
| Carlton | 12.15 (87) | Fitzroy | 8.11 (59) | Princes Park | 16,902 | 17 August 1985 |
| Melbourne | 15.7 (97) | Essendon | 17.10 (112) | MCG | 22,193 | 17 August 1985 |
| Collingwood | 17.18 (120) | St Kilda | 9.15 (69) | VFL Park | 15,709 | 17 August 1985 |

### Round 21

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Essendon | 27.22 (184) | St Kilda | 14.7 (91) | Windy Hill | 14,133 | 24 August 1985 |
| Collingwood | 9.10 (64) | Footscray | 15.19 (109) | Victoria Park | 21,724 | 24 August 1985 |
| North Melbourne | 17.22 (124) | Fitzroy | 17.14 (116) | MCG | 14,581 | 24 August 1985 |
| Hawthorn | 15.17 (107) | Carlton | 12.12 (84) | Princes Park | 31,484 | 24 August 1985 |
| Geelong | 12.7 (79) | Richmond | 16.15 (111) | VFL Park | 16,174 | 24 August 1985 |
| Sydney | 24.21 (165) | Melbourne | 14.13 (97) | SCG | 7,942 | 25 August 1985 |

### Round 22

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| Hawthorn | 23.21 (159) | North Melbourne | 14.11 (95) | Princes Park | 16,449 | 31 August 1985 |
| Fitzroy | 14.13 (97) | Geelong | 17.18 (120) | Victoria Park | 9,120 | 31 August 1985 |
| Richmond | 20.12 (132) | Melbourne | 13.13 (91) | MCG | 17,158 | 31 August 1985 |
| St Kilda | 12.12 (84) | Footscray | 8.18 (66) | Moorabbin Oval | 14,236 | 31 August 1985 |
| Carlton | 12.9 (81) | Collingwood | 11.9 (75) | VFL Park | 37,027 | 31 August 1985 |
| Sydney | 11.12 (78) | Essendon | 24.21 (165) | SCG | 12,180 | 1 September 1985 |

## Ladder

| (P) | Premiers |
| | Qualified for finals |
| # | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts |
| 1 | Essendon (P) | 22 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 2755 | 1991 | 138.4 | 76 |
| 2 | Footscray | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 2417 | 2000 | 120.9 | 64 |
| 3 | Hawthorn | 22 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 2647 | 2024 | 130.8 | 62 |
| 4 | Carlton | 22 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 2430 | 2104 | 115.5 | 60 |
| 5 | North Melbourne | 22 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 2379 | 2431 | 97.9 | 54 |
| 6 | Geelong | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2277 | 2263 | 100.6 | 48 |
| 7 | Collingwood | 22 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 2197 | 2180 | 100.8 | 40 |
| 8 | Richmond | 22 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 2362 | 2590 | 91.2 | 36 |
| 9 | Fitzroy | 22 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 2301 | 2452 | 93.8 | 28 |
| 10 | Sydney | 22 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 2219 | 2349 | 94.5 | 24 |
| 11 | Melbourne | 22 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 1965 | 2527 | 77.8 | 24 |
| 12 | St Kilda | 22 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 1899 | 2937 | 64.7 | 12 |
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for Average score: 105.5 Source: AFL Tables

## Finals series
### Finals week 1

| | Elimination final | Elimination final | Elimination final | | |
| Saturday, 7 September (2:30 pm) | Carlton 16.11 (107) | def. by | North Melbourne 20.6 (126) | VFL Park (crowd: 49,126) | Report |
| | Qualifying final | Qualifying final | Qualifying final | | |
| Sunday, 8 September (2:30 pm) | Footscray 8.14 (62) | def. by | Hawthorn 22.23 (155) | MCG (crowd: 58,367) | Report |

### Finals week 2

| | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | |
| SF1: Sunday, 15 September (2:30 pm) | Footscray 19.23 (137) | def. | North Melbourne 16.11 (107) | MCG (crowd: 56,112) | Report |
| SF2: Saturday, 14 September (2:30 pm) | Essendon 14.18 (102) | def. | Hawthorn 9.8 (62) | VFL Park (crowd: 67,063) | Report |

### Preliminary final

| | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | | |
| Saturday, 21 September (2:30 pm) | Hawthorn 16.13 (109) | def. | Footscray 15.9 (99) | VFL Park (crowd: 55,246) | Report |

### Grand final

| | Grand final | Grand final | Grand final | | |
| Saturday, 28 September (2:50 pm) | Essendon 26.14 (170) | def. | Hawthorn 14.8 (92) | MCG (crowd: 100,042) | Report |
| Essendon won its 14th VFL/AFL Premiership This marked the third consecutive Grand final contested by Essendon and Hawthorn. Essendon's last quarter score of 11 goals 3 behinds (69 points) beat the previous year's record last quarter score. Kevin Sheedy won his second Jock McHale Medal. ||||||

## Season notes

* In the first three rounds, St Kilda set an unwanted record of three consecutive losses by 100 points (110, 140 and 113 points). Their percentage at the end of the round was only 34.7.
* In a televised reserves match between Collingwood and the Sydney Swans at the Lake Oval in South Melbourne on Sunday, 28 April, Collingwood reserves full-back John Bourke kicked Swans ruckman Patrick Foy in the groin in response to Foy tagging him throughout the game. As field umpire Phil Waight went to report Bourke for the incident, Bourke kicked and pushed Waight, then made contact with the Collingwood runner and jumped into the stands to attack a Swans fan before being escorted off the field. Bourke was found guilty at the Tribunal of kicking an umpire, kicking and assault, and was given the longest suspension in VFL/AFL history - 10 years plus 16 matches (239 matches), which was commuted in 1992 to six years plus 16 matches (151 matches). He was later charged with two counts of assault by Victoria Police, convicted on both counts in the Prahran Magistrates Court, and fined $2000 plus costs.
* In round 10, Geelong trailed at each change by 1, 10 and 13 points, but then kicked 11.7 (73) to 1.2 (8) in the last quarter to beat Richmond by 50 points. Their 50-point margin is the largest by a team outscored for each of the first three quarters.
* A violent brawl in the round 12 match between Hawthorn and Geelong led to veteran Hawthorn champion Leigh Matthews being charged with assaulting Geelong's Neville Bruns by Victoria Police.
* On the week of round 18, the Sydney Swans club was bought by Geoffrey Edelsten and became the first privately owned VFL club. Earlier in the season, Perth businessmen Alan Delany and John Watts had attempted to buy lowly St. Kilda and relocate them to Perth.
* In round 18, Essendon led North Melbourne 18.8 (116) to 2.4 (16) at half-time. This was the largest half-time lead since round 2 of 1931, when led by Richmond 17.9 (111) to North Melbourne's 0.5 (5).
* Collingwood player Andrew Witts wore jumper No. 65 during his seven games with the Magpies – the highest regular jumper number in VFL/AFL history. It was the highest number of all time until 2017 when a number of Indigenous players wore once-off jumper number No. 67 during Indigenous Round to recognise 50 years since the passage of the 1967 referendum on Aboriginals.
* In round 20, the Arden Street Oval hosted its last senior VFL match. The venue had been used by North Melbourne throughout its time in the VFL, except for 1965 when the club was based in Coburg. A total of 529 VFL senior matches were played at the ground that was formerly overshadowed by a massive gasometer on Macaulay Road.

## Awards

* The Leigh Matthews Trophy was awarded to Greg Williams of Geelong.
* The Norm Smith Medal was awarded to Simon Madden of Essendon.
* Hawthorn won the reserves premiership. Hawthorn 18.16 (114) defeated Carlton 16.12 (108) in the grand final, held as a curtain-raiser to the seniors Grand Final on 28 September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.