Grand Final History

The game is getting too fast for one umpire, it is time to bring in boundary umpires, who will signal out of bounds by waving white handkerchiefs. 

Carlton had some challenges when the committee tried to sack the coach but the players backed their man and it was the committee members who were pushed out. Many more committee room coups to come.

The VFL learns that it can increase the price of finals tickets and the crowds continue to come to the games. The money was to promote the game in Sydney, although not everyone agreed. 

The first push to promote the game in Sydney. A game for premiership points payed in the harbour town, with no radio or TV to follow the game, some supporters were not too happy about losing a chance to watch their team play. And in an preview of 2020 one club has to cancel games and change their travel schedule because of a deadly contagious virus. 

The Grand Final is played at the MCG, the Home of Football for the first time. And see which club employed the first coach. The Argus Finals system was updated and the specter of gambling and its influence over the game was raised again, possibly leading to the end of a champions career. 

Australia became a united country. So we would have interstate games instead of inter colonial games. 

The final system updated again and the first use of the term Grand Final as the first version of the "Argus System" made its debut. And see why Geelong were unhappy about the lack of a challenge option for the team finishing on top of the ladder, the only time this happened in normal finals until the system was revised in the 1930's

The process for deciding the premiership continued to be criticized, St Kilda would win a game with the decision being made at league headquarters in the week after the game, just like 2008 Sirengate affair in York Park Tasmania and one team makes a late run for the premiership which results in more changes to the finals in years to come. 

The third season of the VFL and the number of players on the ground was reduced from 20 to 18 to reduce congestion and open the game up. There were fears about the influence of gambling and the role of bookmakers and allegations that the VFL was more focused on money than spectators when it came to selecting a ground for the Grand Final

The second year of the VFL saw the first Grand Final. But only after one of the competing teams decided not to follow through with their threat to boycott the match.

The very first year of the VFL and there wasn't even a Grand Final.  Start the journey here at the beginning of the VFL as they established a new competition for Australian Rules Football in Victoria that would eventually grow into the AFL we know today.

Welcome to Grand Final History, a Podcast that explores every VFL and AFL premiership since 1897. Each episode takes you through a summary of the season, the changing rules, emerging trends, controversies and highlights. Then into the finals culminating in two teams challenging each other in a Grand Final to become the premiers for the year (Apart from the seasons where a round robin system replaced the Grand Final). From the early years of the VFL when 8 suburban clubs built a competition to a national league playing games in every state and territory across the country.