VFA-VFL LEADING GOALKICKERS
VFA LEADING GOALKICKERS (1877-1888)
It was not until 1888 that the VFA finally introduced an official ladder, with only matches against other VFA clubs counting towards the premiership. The Association also introduced a rule that season that clubs needed to play at least eighteen senior matches to be eligible for the premiership. This rule left the Ballarat clubs short of the required number of games and by season's end they departed the VFA.
1877-84 - goals against all opponents are included
1885-88 - only goals in matches between the senior VFA clubs (including those from Ballarat) are included
Figures shown in red indicate potential discrepancies that are still being researched.
YEAR |
LEADING
GOALKICKER (ALL matches) |
SENIOR |
OTHER |
ALL |
MOST GOALS IN SENIOR MATCHES |
|
1877 |
Charles Baker |
Melbourne |
8 |
6 |
14 |
(8) Baker |
1878 |
George Coulthard |
Carlton |
10 |
8 |
18 |
(10) Coulthard |
1879 |
George Coulthard |
Carlton |
13 |
8 |
21 |
(13) Coulthard |
1880 |
George Coulthard* |
Carlton |
6 |
15 |
21 |
(9) *Eddy Brookes (Carlton) - 18 in all games |
1881 |
Eddy Brookes* |
Carlton |
4 |
16 |
20 |
(11) *R.Morrison
(Geel) & W. Stiffe (Melb)
- 15 & 14 in all |
1882 |
Hugh McLean* |
Geelong |
15 |
10 |
25 |
(17) *Don Curdie
(Geelong) - 21 in all games |
1883 |
Phil 'Paddy' McShane |
Geelong |
14 |
10 |
24 |
(14) McShane |
1884 |
Phil 'Paddy' McShane |
Geelong |
14 |
19 |
33 |
(14) McShane |
1885 |
R. 'Dick' Houston |
Hotham (NM) |
22 |
13 |
35 |
(22) Houston |
1886 |
Phil 'Paddy' McShane |
Geelong |
36 |
15 |
51 |
(36) McShane |
1887 |
Tom McShane* |
Geelong |
22 |
2 |
24 |
(22) *McShane & Will
Morton (Port Melb) - 24 & 23 in all |
1888 |
Dennis 'Dinny'
McKay* |
South Melbourne |
25 |
25 |
50 |
(31) *William 'Billy' Brown
(Richmond) - 39 in all |
There are a large number of errors for this era in the various tables that have appeared online at Wikipedia, FullPointsFooty, etc.
These errors can be traced back to two or three published sources:
1877
Some sources have G. Baker rather than C. Baker as leading goalkicker. This stems from a typo on the FullPointsFooty website.
1878
Many sources have Coulthard and Geelong's Arthur Christey ("Christie") leading on 15-goals apiece. This error first appeared in The Australasian (12-10-1878) and was later reprinted in the 3AW 1989 Book of Footy Records [referred to from here-on as 3AW-89] which led to it becoming widely adopted across online sources. The table in the 1878 edition of The Footballer annual has their correct totals of Coulthard 18 and Christey 15.
(NOTE - Christey actually scored no goals against senior opponents with all his goals scored against regional and junior teams).
1879
Many sources have Coulthard's total as 19. This error has spread across most sources online and has been traced back to the 1982 footy statistics book Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Australian Football (But Couldn't Be Bothered Asking) [referred to from here-on as EYEWTN].
The Australasian (11-10-1879), The Footballer 1879 annual and Pennings all have Coulthard's correct total of 21.
1880
All sources correctly list Coulthard on 21 goals but EYEWTN and 3AW-89 have him second behind Geelong's Percy Douglass with "33 including interstate and tour matches" (Douglass actually only kicked 11 for the season - 7 against senior opponents and 4 against junior/country opponents).
1881
EYEWTN and 3AW-89 have Brookes on 25 goals which has spread to online. The Australasian (15-10-1881) and Pennings have his correct total (20).
1882
EYEWTN and 3AW-89 have McLean on 29 goals which has spread to online. The Australasian (7-10-1882) and Pennings have his correct total (25).
1883
EYEWTN and 3AW-89 have Paddy McShane on 29 goals which has spread to online. Marc Fiddian's VFA History Book: The VFA also has 29 goals but lists Tom McShane (Paddy's brother) as the leading goalkicker (p.198). The Australasian and The Leader (6-10-1883) have 25 goals. Pennings has the correct total of 24.
1884
All sources other than The Australasian (4-10-1884) and The VFA have the correct info: Paddy McShane with 33 goals. The Australasian credits the 33 goals to his Geelong teammate, Dave Hickinbotham. The VFA again confuses Paddy with his brother Tom and also has him kicking 34 goals.
1885
EYEWTN and 3AW-89 have G. Houston instead of D. Houston kicking 38 goals which has spread to online. The Australasian (3-10-1885) and Pennings have Richard 'Dick' Houston and the correct total of 35 goals.
1886
All sources finally reach consensus, correctly listing Paddy McShane with 51 goals. Note that a footy history article published many years later in The Argus (23-6-1934, p.23) incorrectly credits McShane with 59 goals.
1887
Pennings has Tom McShane on 36 total (26 in senior matches). EYEWTN & 3AW-89 etc all have 36 total. The VFA (p.198) incorrectly has 37 total. The Australasian (1-10-1887) has him on 26 in senior matches. The Leader (1-10-1887) has McShane on 22 senior goals with Port Melbourne's Morton on 24. By my reckoning McShane's 26 senior goals could only be correct if 2 goals in the April 30th South Ballarat match were included, but matches before May 1st were not official so this cannot be correct. Research on this season is continuing....
1888
All sources except The VFA (51 goals) have McKay on 50 total goals for the season.
VFA LEADING GOALKICKERS (1889-1896)
YEAR |
LEADING
GOALKICKER (SENIOR matches) |
SENIOR |
OTHER |
ALL |
|
1889 |
Edgar Barrett |
South Melbourne |
29 |
11 |
40 |
1890 |
Jim Grace |
Fitzroy |
37 |
7 |
44 |
1891 |
Jim Grace |
Fitzroy |
49 |
14 |
63 |
1892 |
Albert Thurgood |
Essendon |
56 |
3 |
59 |
1893 |
Albert Thurgood |
Essendon |
63 |
11 |
74 |
1894 |
Albert Thurgood |
Essendon |
63 |
9 |
72 |
1895 |
Dave De Coit |
Geelong |
42 |
1 |
43 |
1896 |
Norman Waugh |
Essendon |
29 |
1 |
30 |
According to Wikipedia it was Australian test cricketer John Edward "Jack" Barrett" who had a stunning debut season for South Melbourne in 1889. This can be attributed directly to EYEWTN and 3AW-89 listing the leading goalkicker as "J.E. Barrett". This has also spread to other online sources as well. The VFA correctly names him as Edgar and notes that he was actually Jack's younger brother, but incorrectly lists his total senior goals for that year as 27 instead of 29).
Note that during his debut season, Barrett kicked the then-unimaginable total of 11 goals in a single game (against Richmond).
1890-96 - notes to follow...
VFA LEADING GOALKICKERS (1897-1915)
YEAR |
LEADING
GOALKICKER (SEASON) |
H&A |
FINALS |
SEASON |
|
1897 |
Lou Daly |
Port Melbourne |
41 |
n/a |
41 |
1898 |
Joe Sullivan* |
Port Melbourne |
22 |
4* |
26 |
1899 |
Lou Daly |
Footscray |
39 |
n/a |
39 |
1900 |
Lou Daly |
Footscray |
32 |
n/a |
32 |
1901 |
Jack Hutchison* |
Port Melbourne |
26 |
n/a |
26 |
1902 |
Jack Hutchison |
Port Melbourne |
46 |
n/a |
46 |
1903 |
Albert 'Bert' Ryan* |
West Melbourne |
43 |
1 |
44 |
Charles 'Bones' Clements |
Brunswick |
43 |
- |
43 |
|
1904 |
Albert 'Bert' Ryan |
West Melbourne |
43 |
- |
43 |
1905 |
Len Mortimer |
Williamstown |
46 |
0 |
46 |
1906 |
Jack Hutchison |
Richmond |
53 |
3 |
56 |
1907 |
Jack Hutchison |
Richmond |
66 |
1 |
67 |
1908 |
Jack Hutchison |
Footscray |
64 |
4 |
68 |
1909 |
Henry Chase* |
Brunswick |
33 |
6 |
39 |
Syd Sykes |
Prahran |
33 |
2 |
35 |
|
1910 |
Frank Caine |
North Melbourne |
70 |
5 |
75 |
1911 |
Dave McNamara |
Essendon 'A' |
71 |
10 |
81 |
1912 |
Dave McNamara |
Essendon 'A' |
93 |
14 |
107 |
1913 |
Tom Clarke |
Essendon 'A' |
53 |
5 |
58 |
1914 |
Tom Clarke |
Essendon 'A' |
42 |
4 |
46 |
1915 |
Bob Merrick |
Port Melbourne |
43 |
- |
43 |
1916-17 |
The
VFA competition went into recess due to World War I |
1901
After four dominant seasons (VFA leading goalkicker three times, and second in the other year), Daly played for West Perth in 1901 and won the WAFL goalkicking with 36 goals.
1903
EYEWTN has Jack Hutchinson (Richmond) as the sole leading goalkicker with 44 for the season. 3AW-89 then lists him as the joint-leading goalkicker with West Melbourne's Bert Ryan and it is the latter version which was embraced by various online sources.
In reality, Hutchinson only played the 1903 pre-season. There is no record of him taking the field during the premiership season. He was either injured or, more likely, forced to endure the early-1900s version of free-agency... sitting out of football for a year when the club he was contracted to (Port Melbourne) refused to clear him to his desired club (Richmond).
Ryan finished the home and away rounds tied on 43 goals with Brunswick's Charles "Bones" Clements, before taking the season lead with a single goal in the finals.
1904
EYEWTN and 3AW-89 have Hutchinson and Ryan tying again, this time on 51 goals. Again, this has spread to a number of online sources.
In reality Ryan finished on 43 goals, three ahead of Hutchinson on 40 (after finals).
VFA LEADING GOALKICKERS (1918-1937)
YEAR |
LEADING
GOALKICKER (SEASON) |
H&A |
FINALS |
SEASON |
|
1918 |
Tom Stevens |
North Melbourne |
43 |
11 |
54 |
1919 |
Harry Morgan |
Footscray |
64 |
8 |
72 |
1920 |
George Taylor |
Port Melbourne |
71 |
2 |
73 |
1921 |
George Taylor |
Port Melbourne |
74 |
3 |
77 |
1922 |
George Taylor |
Port Melbourne |
79 |
14 |
93 |
1923 |
George Taylor* |
Port Melbourne |
58 |
7 |
65 |
Fred Carpenter |
Williamstown |
61 |
2 |
63 |
|
1924 |
George Gough |
Northcote |
80 |
1 |
81 |
1925 |
Leo McInerney |
Brunswick |
75 |
4 |
79 |
1926 |
Jim Walsh |
Brighton |
81 |
10 |
91 |
1927 |
Paddy Gardiner |
Coburg |
82 |
13 |
95 |
1928 |
Frank Plant |
Coburg |
71 |
7 |
78 |
1929 |
Leo McInerney |
Brunswick |
80 |
4 |
84 |
1930 |
Frank Seymour |
Northcote |
102 |
8 |
110 |
1931 |
Don Fraser snr |
Oakleigh |
77 |
6 |
83 |
1932 |
Frank Seymour |
Northcote |
109 |
13 |
122 |
1933 |
William 'Billy' Luff |
Camberwell |
106 |
- |
106 |
1934 |
Frank Seymour |
Northcote |
122 |
8 |
130 |
1935 |
William 'Billy' Luff |
Camberwell |
64 |
11 |
75 |
1936 |
Lance Collins |
Coburg |
116 |
- |
116 |
1937 |
Geoff McInnes |
Brunswick |
77 |
8 |
85 |
VFA LEADING GOALKICKERS (1938-1960)
YEAR |
LEADING
GOALKICKER (SEASON) |
H&A |
FINALS |
SEASON |
|
1938 |
Edward 'Ted' Freyer |
Port Melbourne |
86 |
- |
86 |
1939 |
George Hawkins |
Prahran |
150 |
14 |
164 |
1940 |
Edward 'Ted' Freyer |
Port Melbourne |
133 |
24 |
157 |
1941 |
Bob Pratt |
Coburg |
165 |
18 |
183 |
1942-44 |
The
VFA competition went into recess due to World War II |
||||
1945 |
Ron Todd |
Williamstown |
179 |
9 |
188 |
1946 |
Ron Todd |
Williamstown |
114 |
0 |
114 |
1947 |
Bill Findlay* |
Port Melbourne |
100 |
7 |
107 |
Jack Douglas |
Brighton |
100 |
- |
100 |
|
1948 |
Ray Potter |
Preston |
84 |
- |
84 |
1949 |
Keith Warburton |
Brighton |
90 |
11 |
101 |
1950 |
Bruce Harper |
Sandringham |
71 |
- |
71 |
Johnny Walker |
Williamstown |
66 |
5 |
||
1951 |
Bruce Harper |
Sandringham |
101 |
3 |
104 |
1952 |
Johnny Walker |
Williamstown |
103 |
- |
103 |
1953 |
Johnny Walker |
Williamstown |
98 |
1 |
99 |
1954 |
Peter Schofield |
Moorabbin |
95 |
1 |
96 |
1955 |
Alby Linton* |
Williamstown |
73 |
11 |
84 |
Jim Hewes |
Coburg |
83 |
- |
83 |
|
Peter Schofield |
Moorabbin |
80 |
3 |
83 |
|
1956 |
Bob Bonnett |
Port Melbourne |
88 |
7 |
95 |
1957 |
Bob Bonnett |
Port Melbourne |
88 |
9 |
97 |
1958 |
Bob Bonnett |
Port Melbourne |
76 |
8 |
84 |
1959 |
Denis Oakley |
Sandringham |
113 |
6 |
119 |
1960 |
Denis Oakley |
Sandringham |
89 |
1 |
90 |
VFA LEADING GOALKICKERS (1961-1988)
YEAR |
VFA
LEADING GOALKICKER (Div.1) |
H&A |
FINALS |
SEASON |
|
1961 |
Bob Bonnett |
Port Melbourne |
111 |
- |
111 |
1962 |
Bill Bryan |
Sandringham |
73 |
6 |
79 |
1963 |
Bob Bonnett |
Port Melbourne |
44 |
- |
44 |
1964 |
Alan Cook |
Brunswick |
65 |
- |
65 |
1965 |
Denis Oakley |
Sandringham |
77 |
1 |
78 |
1966 |
Johnny Walker |
Preston |
78 |
6 |
84 |
1967 |
Johnny Walker |
Preston |
80 |
3 |
83 |
1968 |
Jim 'Frosty' Miller* |
Dandenong |
72 |
4 |
76 |
1969 |
Jim 'Frosty' Miller |
Dandenong |
91 |
15 |
106 |
1970 |
Jim 'Frosty' Miller |
Dandenong |
80 |
- |
80 |
1971 |
Jim 'Frosty' Miller* |
Dandenong |
84 |
15 |
99 |
Bob Johnson |
Oakleigh |
87 |
4 |
91 |
|
1972 |
Len Clark |
Preston |
100 |
7 |
107 |
1973 |
Jim 'Frosty' Miller* |
Dandenong |
94 |
14 |
108 |
Ian Cooper |
Sandringham |
104 |
- |
104 |
|
Graeme McLean |
Geelong West |
99 |
- |
99 |
|
1974 |
Jim 'Frosty' Miller |
Dandenong |
74 |
5 |
79 |
1975 |
Joe Radojevic |
Geelong West |
110 |
9 |
119 |
1976 |
Fred Cook |
Port Melbourne |
115 |
9 |
124 |
1977 |
Fred Cook |
Port Melbourne |
107 |
18 |
125 |
1978 |
Fred Cook |
Port Melbourne |
103 |
12 |
115 |
1979 |
Kim Smith* |
Prahran |
94 |
3 |
97 |
Joe Radojevic* |
Geelong West |
81 |
16 |
||
Renato Serafini |
Prahran |
95 |
- |
95 |
|
1980 |
Fred Cook |
Port Melbourne |
101 |
11 |
112 |
1981 |
Rex Hunt |
Sandringham |
95 |
15 |
110 |
1982 |
Fred Cook |
Port Melbourne |
127 |
13 |
140 |
1983 |
Mark Fotheringham |
Williamstown |
108 |
- |
108 |
1984 |
Mark Fotheringham |
Williamstown |
114 |
- |
114 |
1985 |
Ian Morrison |
Sandringham |
105 |
3 |
108 |
1986 |
Jamie Shaw |
Preston |
135 |
10 |
145 |
1987 |
Brett Weatherald |
Coburg |
73 |
- |
73 |
1988 |
Jamie Shaw |
Preston |
99 |
6 |
105 |
YEAR |
VFA
LEADING GOALKICKER |
H&A |
FINALS |
SEASON |
|
1989 |
Ian Rickman* |
Williamstown |
104 |
21 |
125 |
1990 |
Jamie Shaw* |
Preston |
93 |
10 |
103 |
Rino Pretto |
Oakleigh |
98 |
- |
98 |
|
1991 |
Rohan Welsh* |
Dandenong |
69 |
15 |
84 |
Frank Rugolo |
Sandringham |
78 |
- |
78 |
|
1992 |
Ian Rickman* |
Williamstown |
73 |
9 |
82 |
Frank Rugolo |
Sandringham |
73 |
6 |
79 |
|
Jamie Shaw |
Preston |
73 |
- |
73 |
|
1993 |
Joskun 'Jack' Aziz* |
Werribee |
83 |
14 |
97 |
Rino Pretto |
Dandenong |
86 |
- |
86 |
|
1994 |
Rino Pretto |
Dandenong |
86 |
1 |
87 |
1995 |
Danny Sexton* |
Port Melbourne |
48 |
16 |
64 |
Steve Amiet |
Sandringham |
50 |
11 |
61 |
|
Dominic Berry |
Port Melbourne |
54 |
1 |
55 |
|
YEAR |
VFL
LEADING GOALKICKER |
H&A |
FINALS |
SEASON |
|
1996 |
Joskun 'Jack' Aziz |
Werribee |
67 |
7 |
74 |
1997 |
Shayne Smith |
Springvale |
89 |
17 |
106 |
1998 |
Shayne Smith |
Springvale |
70 |
8 |
78 |
1962 - B. Ryan is listed as leading goalkicker in some sources. Match reports in the Football Recorder and The Age confirm his name was actually Bill Bryan (B. Bryan). This appears to be an example where the use of initials rather than full names has resulted in an error that became official.
1977 - Fred Cook's total is usually listed as "155 (includes Centenary Cup matches)" - prior to the Centenary Cup Grand Final, the VFA made the ruling that these were official matches and would count towards a player's career statistics. For the rest of the season the Melbourne newspapers listed two totals in their VFA goalkicking tables - the number of goals kicked in premiership matches and a second column showing a combined premiership/Centenary Cup total for the season.
[AUTHOR'S NOTE - just as the AFL separates a player's Night Series/Pre-Season Cup statistics from their premiership statistics the same principle should be applied in this situation. The Centenary Cup was a separate competition, its statistical records should not be combined with those of the 1977 premiership season. Therefore, Cook's total in the above table is shown as 125, which is the number of goals he kicked in premiership matches. The 30 goals he kicked in Centenary Cup matches are not included].
VFA-VFL LEADING GOALKICKERS (1989-1998)
YEAR |
LEADING GOALKICKER (SEASON) |
H&A |
FINALS |
SEASON |
|
1989 |
Ian
Rickman* |
Williamstown |
104 |
21 |
125 |
1990 |
Jamie
Shaw* |
Preston |
93 |
10 |
103 |
Rino Pretto |
Oakleigh |
98 |
- |
98 |
|
1991 |
Rohan Welsh* |
Dandenong |
69 |
15 |
84 |
Frank
Rugolo |
Sandringham |
78 |
- |
78 |
|
1992 |
Ian
Rickman* |
Williamstown |
73 |
9 |
82 |
Frank
Rugolo |
Sandringham |
73 |
6 |
79 |
|
Jamie
Shaw |
Preston |
73 |
- |
73 |
|
1993 |
Joskun 'Jack' Aziz* |
Werribee |
83 |
14 |
97 |
Rino Pretto |
Dandenong |
86 |
- |
86 |
|
1994 |
Rino Pretto |
Dandenong |
86 |
1 |
87 |
1995 |
Danny
Sexton* |
Port
Melbourne |
48 |
16 |
64 |
Steve
Amiet |
Sandringham |
50 |
11 |
61 |
|
Dominic
Perry |
Port
Melbourne |
54 |
1 |
55 |
|
1996 |
Joskun 'Jack' Aziz |
Werribee |
67 |
7 |
74 |
1997 |
Shayne
Smith |
Springvale |
89 |
17 |
106 |
1998 |
Shayne
Smith |
Springvale |
70 |
8 |
78 |
JIM 'FROSTY' MILLER MEDAL WINNERS (1999-)
YEAR |
'FROSTY' MILLER MEDALLIST (H&A) |
H&A |
FINALS |
SEASON |
|
1999 |
Nick
Sautner |
Sandringham |
82 |
7 |
89 |
2000 |
Nick
Sautner |
Sandringham |
60 |
10 |
70 |
2001 |
Nick
Sautner |
Frankston |
73 |
4 |
77 |
2002 |
Nick
Sautner |
Frankston |
93 |
- |
93 |
2003 |
Nick
Sautner |
Northern
Bullants |
82 |
- |
82 |
2004 |
Nick
Sautner |
Sandringham |
60 |
7 |
67 |
2005 |
James
Podsiadly |
Werribee |
66 |
6 |
72 |
2006 |
Aaron
Edwards |
Frankston |
88 |
12 |
100 |
2007 |
Nick
Sautner |
Sandringham |
59 |
10 |
69 |
2008 |
Nick
Sautner |
Sandringham |
74 |
- |
74 |
2009 |
Nick
Sautner* |
Sandringham |
71 |
- |
71 |
James
Podsiadly |
Werribee |
68 |
4 |
72 |
|
2010 |
Matthew
Little |
Williamstown |
80 |
4 |
84 |
2011 |
Patrick
Rose |
Port
Melbourne |
67 |
12 |
79 |
2012 |
Dean
Galea |
Port
Melbourne |
65 |
11 |
76 |
2013 |
Dean
Galea |
Port
Melbourne |
55 |
3 |
58 |
Michael
Lourey |
Frankston |
54* |
- |
54 |
|
2014 |
Sam
Grimley |
Box
Hill |
38 |
7 |
45 |
Dan
Connors |
Port
Melbourne |
2 |
40 |
||
2015 |
Sam
Grimley |
Box
Hill |
42 |
4 |
46 |
Jordan
Lisle |
Port
Melbourne |
- |
42 |
||
Liam
McBean |
Richmond |
- |
42 |
||
2016 |
Ahmed
Saad |
Coburg |
49 |
- |
49 |
2017 |
Jordan
Lisle |
Port
Melbourne |
46 |
5 |
51 |
2018 |
Nick
Larkey |
North
Melb. Res. |
41 |
- |
41 |
2019 |
Jordan
Lisle |
Port
Melbourne |
40 |
6 |
46 |
[A] Frankston's Michael Lourey also kicked 55 goals but a headcount in the Round 14 match against North Ballarat revealed his side had an extra player on the field. Under VFL rules Frankston's score to that stage in the match was erased, in the process removing a goal kicked by Lourey from his season tally. This reduced his official total for the season to 54 goals and cost him the medal.
Written and researched by David Eastman
|
First published 1/11/2017
Last updated 9/10/2019 |