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95th season of the Australian Football League (AFL)
The 1991 AFL season was the 95th season of the Australian Football League (AFL), which was known previously as the Victorian Football League until 1989. The season ran from 22 March until 28 September, and comprised a 22-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top six clubs, an increase from the top five clubs which had contested the finals since 1972.
The season saw expansion of the league to fifteen clubs, with the admission of the newly established
Adelaide, South Australia. With at least one team representing each of the three major Australian rules football states, the league was now the highest level senior
Australian rules football competition across Australia, as well as the top administrative body for football in Victoria.
The premiership was won by the Hawthorn Football Club for the ninth time, after defeating West Coast by 53 points in the 1991 AFL Grand Final .
Foster's Cup
Hawthorn defeated North Melbourne 14.19 (103) to 7.12 (54) in the final.
Home-and-away season
The league expanded to 15 teams with the admission of the Adelaide Crows , meaning byes were required for the first time since 1943 .
Each team played 22 games for the season with two byes: seven teams had a bye in round 1, and one team had a bye in each subsequent round.
Round 1
Round 1
Friday, 22 March (7:40 pm)
Adelaide 24.11 (155)
def.
Hawthorn 9.15 (69)
Football Park (crowd: 44,902)
Report
Saturday, 23 March (2:10 pm)
St Kilda 16.11 (107)
def.
Richmond 12.10 (82)
Waverley Park (crowd: 33,192)
Report
Sunday, 24 March (2:10 pm)
Footscray 11.10 (76)
def. by
Collingwood 21.20 (146)
Waverley Park (crowd: 38,861)
Report
Sunday, 24 March (2:10 pm)
West Coast 14.15 (99)
def.
Melbourne 2.8 (20)
Subiaco Oval (crowd: 26,105)
Report
Bye Brisbane Bears , Carlton , Essendon , Fitzroy , Geelong , North Melbourne , Sydney
The Jarman brothers Andrew (for Adelaide) and Darren (for Hawthorn) made their AFL debuts against each other in the season opener.
Round 2
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Collingwood
8.10 (58)
West Coast
13.7 (85)
Waverley Park
39,266
Saturday 30, March
Fitzroy
6.13 (49)
Melbourne
27.18 (180)
Princes Park
11,278
Saturday 30, March
Brisbane Bears
8.10 (58)
North Melbourne
15.14 (104)
Carrara Stadium
5,724
Saturday 30, March
Adelaide
12.9 (81)
Carlton
15.14 (104)
Football Park
43,850
Sunday 31, March
Richmond
17.7 (109)
Essendon
16.17 (113)
MCG
31,793
Monday 1, April
Geelong
18.22 (130)
St Kilda
16.8 (104)
Kardinia Park
26,303
Monday 1, April
Hawthorn
25.16 (166)
Sydney
10.15 (75)
Princes Park
13,815
Monday 1, April
Round 3
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Carlton
18.19 (127)
Brisbane Bears
9.16 (70)
Princes Park
16,651
Saturday 6, April
Collingwood
16.21 (117)
Fitzroy
8.10 (58)
Victoria Park
24,691
Saturday 6, April
North Melbourne
13.16 (94)
Essendon
25.17 (167)
MCG
24,961
Saturday 6, April
Hawthorn
20.16 (136)
Richmond
11.13 (79)
Waverley Park
25,960
Saturday 6, April
Footscray
10.8 (68)
Geelong
15.27 (117)
Whitten Oval
20,875
Sunday 7, April
Melbourne
21.19 (145)
St Kilda
24.10 (154)
MCG
27,266
Sunday 7, April
Sydney
15.18 (108)
Adelaide
19.18 (132)
SCG
10,649
Sunday 7, April
Round 4
Round 4
Friday, 12 April (7:40 pm)
West Coast 18.19 (127)
def.
North Melbourne 8.7 (55)
WACA Ground (crowd: 28,362)
Report
Saturday, 13 April (2:10 pm)
Essendon 12.20 (92)
def.
Adelaide 6.11 (47)
Windy Hill (crowd: 20,197)
Report
Saturday, 13 April (2:10 pm)
Melbourne 23.17 (155)
def.
Carlton 17.8 (110)
AFL Park (crowd: 32,573)
Report
Saturday, 13 April (2:10 pm)
St Kilda 13.16 (94)
drew with
Collingwood 13.16 (94)
Moorabbin Oval (crowd: 31,213)
Report
Saturday, 13 April (2:10 pm)
Fitzroy 12.18 (90)
def. by
Footscray 15.16 (106)
Princes Park (crowd: 10,351)
Report
Saturday, 13 April (2:10 pm)
Richmond 19.13 (127)
def. by
Sydney 24.20 (164)
MCG (crowd: 17,294)
Report
Sunday, 14 April (2:10 pm)
Brisbane Bears 12.16 (88)
def. by
Geelong 27.28 (190)
The Gabba (crowd: 12,654)
Report
Bye Hawthorn
This was the first time since Brisbane Cricket Ground.
Under the insistence of their new coach
Robert Walls , the
Bears would eventually relocate there permanently in
1993 .
Round 5
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Sydney
19.16 (130)
Essendon
24.17 (161)
SCG
13,140
Friday 19, April
Collingwood
16.19 (115)
Brisbane Bears
14.9 (93)
Victoria Park
20,403
Saturday 20, April
Fitzroy
12.17 (89)
Richmond
16.17 (113)
Princes Park
12,124
Saturday 20, April
Footscray
17.16 (118)
Hawthorn
16.11 (107)
Waverley Park
21,448
Saturday 20, April
Melbourne
28.14 (182)
North Melbourne
17.10 (112)
MCG
22,928
Saturday 20, April
Geelong
13.17 (95)
Carlton
8.10 (58)
Kardinia Park
27,365
Sunday 21, April
West Coast
19.16 (130)
Adelaide
9.11 (65)
Subiaco Oval
34,704
Sunday 21, April
Round 6
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Collingwood
10.17 (77)
Melbourne
17.11 (113)
Waverley Park
55,735
Thursday 25, April
North Melbourne
27.26 (188)
Sydney
21.8 (134)
MCG
15,664
Thursday 25, April
Carlton
13.16 (94)
St Kilda
7.18 (60)
Princes Park
29,005
Saturday 27, April
Geelong
13.11 (89)
West Coast
19.20 (134)
Waverley Park
33,905
Saturday 27, April
Brisbane Bears
12.11 (83)
Essendon
16.18 (114)
Carrara Stadium
9,253
Saturday 27, April
Fitzroy
11.8 (74)
Hawthorn
36.15 (231)
North Hobart Oval
13,335
Sunday 28, April
Adelaide
19.14 (128)
Footscray
14.13 (97)
Football Park
36,695
Sunday 28, April
Round 7
Round 7
Friday, 3 May (7:40 pm)
North Melbourne 21.15 (141)
def.
Fitzroy 14.13 (97)
MCG (crowd: 13,111)
Report
Saturday, 4 May (2:10 pm)
St Kilda 24.18 (162)
def.
Adelaide 4.7 (31)
Moorabbin Oval (crowd: 25,057)
Report
Saturday, 4 May (2:10 pm)
Melbourne 18.18 (126)
def.
Brisbane Bears 17.11 (113)
MCG (crowd: 14,722)
Report
Saturday, 4 May (2:10 pm)
Essendon 17.13 (115)
def.
Carlton 13.16 (94)
Waverley Park (crowd: 47,651)
Report
Saturday, 4 May (2:10 pm)
Hawthorn 8.14 (62)
def. by
West Coast 21.18 (144)
Princes Park (crowd: 18,585)
Report
Sunday, 5 May (2:10 pm)
Footscray 20.13 (133)
def.
Richmond 14.17 (101)
Western Oval
(crowd: 18,644)
Report
Sunday, 5 May (2:10 pm)
Sydney 20.24 (144)
def.
Geelong 14.14 (98)
SCG (crowd: 11,244)
Report
Bye Collingwood
St Kilda stars Nicky Winmar and Tony Lockett marked their long-awaited return to action with outstanding performances as the Saints set a new club record for biggest win, eclipsing their 110-point win against Fitzroy in 1970 . The signs were ominous when Lockett goaled in the opening minute after marking a pass from Robert Harvey , eventually finishing with 12 goals. The Crows weren't helped by the loss of Andrew Jarman to a shoulder injury in the first quarter.[1]
In their match at the MCG, Brisbane Bears led Melbourne for much of the afternoon, and appeared to have won when former Geelong player Shane Hamilton put the Bears 19 points ahead at the 19-minute mark of the final quarter. The Demons mounted a comeback when Darren Cuthbertson goaled from a controversial free kick after Bears defender John Gastev was penalized for holding the ball, and hit the front with goals to Jim Stynes and Ricky Jackson to eventually run out 13-point winners. Cuthbertson and Darren Bennett kicked five goals each for the winners.[2]
Round 8
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Hawthorn
18.14 (122)
Carlton
11.12 (78)
Waverley Park
29,727
Saturday 11, May
Essendon
13.9 (87)
West Coast
14.10 (94)
Windy Hill
21,438
Saturday 11, May
Fitzroy
10.10 (70)
Sydney
21.21 (147)
Princes Park
7,416
Saturday 11, May
Melbourne
17.19 (121)
Footscray
12.10 (82)
MCG
23,617
Saturday 11, May
Geelong
17.17 (119)
North Melbourne
22.18 (150)
Kardinia Park
17,746
Saturday 11, May
Richmond
24.15 (159)
Collingwood
15.12 (102)
MCG
28,322
Sunday 12, May
Brisbane Bears
12.7 (79)
St Kilda
21.22 (148)
Gabba
9,828
Sunday 12, May
Round 9
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
North Melbourne
18.12 (120)
Adelaide
18.10 (118)
MCG
16,175
Friday 17, May
Carlton
13.15 (93)
Richmond
12.9 (81)
Princes Park
23,087
Saturday 18, May
Collingwood
13.12 (90)
Geelong
18.24 (132)
Victoria Park
26,262
Saturday 18, May
Hawthorn
15.13 (103)
Essendon
13.9 (87)
Waverley Park
40,537
Saturday 18, May
Footscray
15.11 (101)
Brisbane Bears
14.12 (96)
Whitten Oval
10,585
Saturday 18, May
West Coast
17.23 (125)
Fitzroy
3.8 (26)
Subiaco Oval
23,586
Sunday 19, May
Sydney
16.17 (113)
St Kilda
18.11 (119)
SCG
13,284
Sunday 19, May
Round 10
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Adelaide
15.16 (106)
Melbourne
10.12 (72)
Football Park
43,722
Friday 24, May
Collingwood
16.12 (108)
Hawthorn
23.13 (151)
Waverley Park
45,595
Saturday 25, May
St Kilda
11.15 (81)
Essendon
16.13 (109)
Moorabbin Oval
33,832
Saturday 25, May
Fitzroy
19.13 (127)
Geelong
14.22 (106)
Princes Park
10,214
Saturday 25, May
North Melbourne
21.15 (141)
Footscray
18.19 (127)
MCG
17,254
Saturday 25, May
Brisbane Bears
10.15 (75)
Richmond
12.10 (82)
Carrara Stadium
7,330
Sunday 26, May
West Coast
15.16 (106)
Sydney
10.12 (72)
Subiaco Oval
33,498
Sunday 26, May
Round 11
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
North Melbourne
18.22 (130)
Collingwood
17.12 (114)
MCG
28,299
Saturday 1, June
Essendon
12.14 (86)
Melbourne
12.8 (80)
Windy Hill
21,635
Saturday 1, June
Geelong
27.15 (177)
Adelaide
14.9 (93)
Kardinia Park
17,644
Saturday 1, June
Hawthorn
10.17 (77)
St Kilda
15.13 (103)
Princes Park
20,832
Saturday 1, June
Richmond
12.8 (80)
West Coast
17.15 (117)
Waverley Park
15,476
Saturday 1, June
Footscray
8.9 (57)
Carlton
1.10 (16)
Whitten Oval
16,036
Sunday 2, June
Sydney
18.13 (121)
Brisbane Bears
26.12 (168)
SCG
7,657
Sunday 2, June
Round 12
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Carlton
12.10 (82)
Collingwood
10.2 (62)
Waverley Park
39,832
Saturday 8, June
Footscray
4.11 (35)
Sydney
5.5 (35)
Whitten Oval
11,236
Saturday 8, June
Brisbane Bears
14.9 (93)
West Coast
21.19 (145)
Carrara Stadium
5,728
Sunday 9, June
Adelaide
7.8 (50)
Fitzroy
7.5 (47)
Football Park
31,273
Sunday 9, June
Hawthorn
13.18 (96)
Geelong
20.16 (136)
Princes Park
23,123
Monday 10, June
Melbourne
13.12 (90)
Richmond
14.12 (96)
MCG
29,415
Monday 10, June
St Kilda
15.11 (101)
North Melbourne
8.18 (66)
Moorabbin Oval
31,242
Monday 10, June
Round 13
Round 13
Friday, 14 June (7:40 pm)
West Coast 25.15 (165)
def.
Footscray 7.5 (47)
WACA Ground (crowd: 25,117)
Report
Saturday, 15 June (2:10 pm)
Richmond 6.11 (47)
def. by
Adelaide 12.13 (85)
MCG (crowd: 16,235)
Report
Saturday, 15 June (2:10 pm)
Hawthorn 22.17 (149)
def.
Brisbane Bears 9.8 (62)
Princes Park (crowd: 5,741)
Report
Saturday, 15 June (2:10 pm)
Essendon 10.14 (74)
def. by
Collingwood 11.10 (76)
Waverley Park (crowd: 41,948)
Report
Sunday, 16 June (1:10 pm)
Fitzroy 15.8 (98)
def. by
St Kilda 17.9 (111)
North Hobart Oval (crowd: 13,746)
Report
Sunday, 16 June (2:10 pm)
Melbourne 16.8 (104)
def. by
Geelong 20.14 (134)
MCG (crowd: 40,930)
Report
Sunday, 16 June (3:10 pm)
Sydney 18.16 (124)
def.
Carlton 17.8 (110)
SCG (crowd: 12,769)
Report
Bye North Melbourne
In the Friday evening game in Perth, West Coast continued their unbeaten start to the season and extended their winning streak to 12 games when they pounded Footscray by 118 points, equalling their biggest winning margin which was set against Brisbane Bears in 1988 . Full-forward Peter Sumich became the first Eagles player to kick ten or more goals in a game and finished with a career-best 13 goals.
Going into three-quarter time with a one-point lead, Adelaide kicked six goals to none in the final quarter to defeat Richmond and win their first game in Melbourne. After the match, Crows coach Graham Cornes acknowledged the significance of the win and took the opportunity to accuse the Victorian football media of a "xenophobic" attitude towards non-Victorian teams, also claiming that South Australian football crowds were "angels" compared to the crowds at Melbourne's suburban football grounds.[3]
The game between Bill Brownless took several spectacular marks and kicked seven goals as the Cats ran out winners by 30 points and consigned the Demons to a fourth straight loss.
[4]
Round 14
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Richmond
19.14 (128)
North Melbourne
26.16 (172)
MCG
23,353
Friday 21, June
Carlton
12.11 (83)
West Coast
11.14 (80)
Princes Park
19,588
Saturday 22, June
Collingwood
20.23 (143)
Sydney
6.8 (44)
Victoria Park
22,332
Saturday 22, June
Essendon
17.20 (122)
Fitzroy
12.11 (83)
Windy Hill
16,519
Saturday 22, June
St Kilda
16.6 (102)
Footscray
8.21 (69)
Moorabbin Oval
23,963
Saturday 22, June
Melbourne
11.11 (77)
Hawthorn
19.13 (127)
Waverley Park
30,664
Saturday 22, June
Adelaide
23.18 (156)
Brisbane Bears
13.12 (90)
Football Park
35,355
Sunday 23, June
Round 15
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
North Melbourne
18.7 (115)
Hawthorn
27.17 (179)
MCG
25,819
Friday 28, June
Collingwood
23.22 (160)
Adelaide
5.7 (37)
Victoria Park
25,164
Saturday 29, June
Fitzroy
6.5 (41)
Carlton
8.12 (60)
Princes Park
15,147
Saturday 29, June
Footscray
11.23 (89)
Essendon
6.7 (43)
Whitten Oval
17,536
Saturday 29, June
Geelong
19.17 (131)
Richmond
14.14 (98)
Waverley Park
22,688
Saturday 29, June
Sydney
14.10 (94)
Melbourne
26.21 (177)
SCG
10,569
Sunday 30, June
West Coast
21.11 (137)
St Kilda
14.9 (93)
Subiaco
42,255
Sunday 30, June
Round 16
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Carlton
14.5 (89)
North Melbourne
13.17 (95)
Princes Park
23,191
Saturday 6, July
Collingwood
20.13 (133)
Footscray
13.2 (80)
Victoria Park
27,757
Saturday 6, July
Hawthorn
23.20 (158)
Adelaide
14.11 (95)
Waverley Park
21,715
Saturday 6, July
Melbourne
11.10 (76)
West Coast
14.16 (100)
MCG
25,799
Saturday 6, July
Geelong
13.21 (99)
Essendon
10.15 (75)
Kardinia Park
31,096
Sunday 7, July
Brisbane Bears
26.14 (170)
Fitzroy
15.15 (105)
Gabba
7,373
Sunday 7, July
Richmond
13.18 (96)
St Kilda
18.16 (124)
MCG
32,782
Sunday 7, July
Round 17
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
West Coast
20.15 (135)
Collingwood
8.6 (54)
WACA
30,715
Friday 12, July
Carlton
6.12 (48)
Adelaide
7.13 (55)
Princes Park
13,509
Saturday 13, July
Essendon
6.7 (43)
Richmond
7.18 (60)
Windy Hill
13,501
Saturday 13, July
Melbourne
12.20 (92)
Fitzroy
7.13 (55)
MCG
12,710
Saturday 13, July
St Kilda
9.13 (67)
Geelong
18.8 (116)
Moorabbin Oval
28,789
Saturday 13, July
North Melbourne
15.13 (103)
Brisbane Bears
14.6 (90)
Waverley Park
7,239
Saturday 13, July
Sydney
14.19 (103)
Hawthorn
15.24 (114)
SCG
12,143
Sunday 14, July
Round 18
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Fitzroy
15.21 (111)
Collingwood
18.16 (124)
Princes Park
14,129
Saturday 20, July
Essendon
19.9 (123)
North Melbourne
5.19 (49)
Windy Hill
19,322
Saturday 20, July
Richmond
13.10 (88)
Hawthorn
13.16 (94)
Waverley Park
24,731
Saturday 20, July
St Kilda
16.14 (110)
Melbourne
17.9 (111)
Moorabbin Oval
24,950
Saturday 20, July
Brisbane Bears
14.16 (100)
Carlton
12.21 (93)
Carrara Stadium
9,735
Sunday 21, July
Geelong
20.16 (136)
Footscray
10.8 (68)
Kardinia Park
22,145
Sunday 21, July
Adelaide
16.22 (118)
Sydney
19.8 (122)
Football Park
40,794
Sunday 21, July
Round 19
Round 19
Friday, 26 July (7:40 pm)
North Melbourne 12.13 (85)
def.
West Coast 11.16 (82)
MCG (crowd: 19,399)
Report
Saturday, 27 July (2:10 pm)
Geelong 24.15 (159)
def.
Brisbane Bears 8.10 (58)
Kardinia Park (crowd: 13,639)
Report
Saturday, 27 July (2:10 pm)
Carlton 10.8 (68)
def. by
Melbourne 11.14 (80)
Princes Park (crowd: 16,110)
Report
Saturday, 27 July (2:10 pm)
Collingwood 13.7 (85)
def.
St Kilda 7.11 (53)
Waverley Park (crowd: 53,315)
Report
Saturday, 27 July (2:10 pm)
Footscray 16.12 (108)
def.
Fitzroy 7.9 (51)
Western Oval (crowd: 8,977)
Report
Sunday, 28 July (2:10 pm)
Sydney 14.15 (99)
def.
Richmond 12.20 (92)
SCG (crowd: 9,276)
Report
Sunday, 28 July (7:40 pm)
Adelaide 16.12 (108)
def.
Essendon 12.9 (81)
Football Park (crowd: 41,716)
Report
Bye Hawthorn
Round 20
Round 20
Saturday, 3 August (2:10 pm)
Carlton 16.9 (105)
def.
Geelong 14.19 (103)
Princes Park (crowd: 20,277)
Report
Saturday, 3 August (2:10 pm)
Essendon 22.19 (151)
def.
Sydney 12.12 (84)
Windy Hill (crowd: 14,341)
Report
Saturday, 3 August (2:10 pm)
Hawthorn 12.11 (83)
def.
Footscray 10.9 (69)
Waverley Park (crowd: 20,670)
Report
Saturday, 3 August (2:10 pm)
North Melbourne 13.10 (88)
def. by
Melbourne 20.20 (140)
MCG (crowd: 28,323)
Report
Saturday, 3 August (7:40 pm)
Brisbane Bears 10.11 (71)
def. by
Collingwood 26.16 (172)
Carrara Stadium (crowd: 9,302)
Report
Sunday, 4 August (2:10 pm)
Richmond 13.19 (97)
def. by
Fitzroy 23.18 (156)
MCG (crowd: 16,434)
Report
Sunday, 4 August (2:10 pm)
Adelaide 11.14 (80)
def. by
West Coast 14.11 (95)
Football Park (crowd: 45,864)
Report
Bye St Kilda
Carlton produced its second major upset of the season, shaking off four consecutive narrow losses and surviving a last-quarter fightback from second-placed Geelong to win by two points. The Blues players kept a promise to coach David Parkin that they would produce a four-quarter effort, while Cats coach Malcolm Blight lamented his side's inconsistency.[5]
Round 21
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
West Coast
11.16 (82)
Geelong
12.9 (81)
WACA
30,987
Friday 9, August
St Kilda
23.17 (155)
Carlton
15.11 (101)
Waverley Park
32,615
Saturday 10, August
Melbourne
8.7 (55)
Collingwood
19.13 (127)
MCG
50,085
Saturday 10, August
Essendon
23.19 (157)
Brisbane Bears
17.10 (112)
Windy Hill
12,970
Saturday 10, August
Hawthorn
28.27 (195)
Fitzroy
10.9 (69)
Princes Park
11,500
Saturday 10, August
Footscray
8.16 (64)
Adelaide
6.4 (40)
Whitten Oval
11,452
Saturday 10, August
Sydney
13.22 (100)
North Melbourne
20.16 (136)
SCG
13,252
Sunday 11, August
Round 22
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Adelaide
12.9 (81)
St Kilda
20.12 (132)
Football Park
45,440
Friday 16, August
Carlton
12.12 (84)
Essendon
13.10 (88)
Waverley Park
34,588
Saturday 17, August
Fitzroy
22.16 (148)
North Melbourne
21.21 (147)
Princes Park
8,588
Saturday 17, August
Richmond
14.11 (95)
Footscray
11.12 (78)
MCG
15,466
Saturday 17, August
Geelong
17.13 (115)
Sydney
13.10 (88)
Kardinia Park
17,755
Saturday 17, August
Brisbane Bears
13.13 (91)
Melbourne
15.13 (103)
Gabba
6,480
Sunday 18, August
West Coast
15.9 (99)
Hawthorn
11.9 (75)
Subiaco Oval
35,001
Sunday 18, August
Round 23
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Sydney
21.14 (140)
Fitzroy
13.16 (94)
SCG
8,553
Friday 23, August
Carlton
8.10 (58)
Hawthorn
23.18 (156)
Princes Park
18,521
Saturday 24, August
Collingwood
18.18 (126)
Richmond
14.9 (93)
Victoria Park
29,541
Saturday 24, August
North Melbourne
8.10 (58)
Geelong
13.12 (90)
Waverley Park
26,445
Saturday 24, August
St Kilda
27.12 (174)
Brisbane Bears
7.12 (54)
Moorabbin Oval
16,364
Saturday 24, August
West Coast
16.19 (115)
Essendon
7.10 (52)
Subiaco Oval
38,990
Sunday 25, August
Footscray
6.9 (45)
Melbourne
8.8 (56)
Whitten Oval
16,380
Sunday 25, August
Round 24
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Richmond
20.18 (138)
Carlton
18.15 (123)
MCG
21,854
Saturday 31, August
Geelong
16.11 (107)
Collingwood
8.18 (66)
Kardinia Park
28,491
Saturday 31, August
Essendon
9.9 (63)
Hawthorn
21.17 (143)
Waverley Park
48,311
Saturday 31, August
Fitzroy
14.15 (99)
West Coast
12.17 (89)
Princes Park
7,308
Saturday 31, August
St Kilda
24.14 (158)
Sydney
17.17 (119)
Moorabbin Oval
24,106
Saturday 31, August
Brisbane Bears
8.14 (62)
Footscray
14.14 (98)
Carrara Stadium
4,721
Saturday 31, August
Adelaide
28.12 (180)
North Melbourne
16.11 (107)
Football Park
36,220
Sunday 1, September
Ladder
(P)
Premiers
Qualified for finals
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for Average score: 102.6 Source: AFL Tables
Finals series
Finals week 1
Finals week 2
Preliminary final
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Geelong
8.16 (64)
West Coast
11.13 (79)
Waverley Park
47,638
Saturday 21, September
Grand final
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Hawthorn
20.19 (139)
West Coast
13.8 (86)
Waverley Park
75,230
Saturday 28, September
Season notes
The Adelaide Football Club , nicknamed the Crows , entered the AFL competition.
The McIntyre "final five" system , which had operated from 1972 until 1990, was replaced by the first McIntyre "final six" system . This system lasted only this season, and it was replaced by the second McIntyre "final six" system in 1992.
St Kilda broke an eighteen year finals drought, making the finals for the first time since 1973.
In round 6, North Melbourne and Sydney kicked a combined 32.18 (210) in the first half. It is the only aggregate of 200 points for a half in VFL/AFL history.
In round 11, Footscray.
[6] It was the Blues' lowest score since
1904 , and the closest a team has come to a goalless match since
1961 .
In round 21, Essendon hosted its last senior VFL/AFL match at Windy Hill, its home venue since 1922. Essendon played its home matches at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the remainder of the 1990s.
Jim Stynes became the first, and as of 2023 only, foreign-born winner of the highest individual award, the Brownlow Medal .
West Coast did not concede more than 100 points in any game during the home-and-away season, being the first team to do this since 1967 .
The qualifying final at Subiaco Oval between West Coast and Hawthorn was the first finals match played outside Melbourne since 1897 , when one finals match was played in Geelong, and was the first final played outside Victoria.
The capacity of the Melbourne Cricket Ground was reduced by half during 1991 as the new Great Southern Stand was constructed in preparation for the 1992 Cricket World Cup , to be played there from February 1992. One consequence of this was that Waverley Park hosted all finals that were played in Melbourne, including the grand final for the first and only time in its history. The other was that Hawthorn's plans move its home games from Princes Park to Waverley Park were delayed by one year: Hawthorn had played five home games at Waverley Park and six at Princes Park in 1990 as part of transitional arrangements for a permanent move in 1991, but the AFL reneged on the deal when it became clear that the ground was needed for blockbuster games throughout the year: as a compromise, Hawthorn again played five home games at Waverley Park and six at Princes Park during 1991, and then moved permanently to Waverley Park in 1992.[7]
The reserves premiership was won by Brisbane , who became the first non-Victorian team to win a VFL/AFL premiership at any grade.
The final under-19s premiership was won by North Melbourne . The AFL under-19s competition was shut down at the end of the season, being replaced by an under-18s competition featuring six district-based clubs in Victoria that were unaffiliated to the VFL/AFL clubs.
At the end of the season, Hawthorn captain Michael Tuck retired, having played a then-record 426 VFL/AFL matches (including seven premierships from 11 grand finals). The record stood until passed by Brent Harvey (North Melbourne ) in Round 16 of 2016.
Awards
References
^ "Saints go on record rampage" . The Canberra Times . Vol. 65, no. 20, 476. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 5 May 1991. p. 11. Retrieved 10 June 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Demons pull a rabbit out of the hat at MCG" . The Canberra Times . Vol. 65, no. 20, 476. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 5 May 1991. p. 11. Retrieved 10 June 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Crow pecks at media after win" . The Canberra Times . Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 16 June 1991. p. 11. Retrieved 11 June 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Demons sink out of top six" . The Canberra Times . Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 17 June 1991. p. 26. Retrieved 10 June 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^ " 'One of those days' for Blues and Cats" . The Canberra Times . Vol. 65, no. 20, 567. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 4 August 1991. p. 11. Retrieved 12 June 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^ Lerner, Ronny. "Footy flashback: Blues had one goal against the Bulldogs" . www.theage.com.au . Retrieved 16 September 2020 .
^ Daryl Timms (2 July 1990). "Feathers fly". The Sun News-Pictorial . Melbourne, VIC. p. 88.
Rodgers, Stephen (1992). Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL Results 1897-1991 (3rd ed.). Australia: Penguin Books. .
Sources
Clubs
Seasons Grand finals Venues Awards Major recurring events Second-tier and junior competitions
Related articles Known as the Victorian Football League from 1897–1989; no grand finals were held in 1897 and 1924