AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
INTRODUCTION
The 1977 season was one of unprecedented change for the VFL. Under the leadership of Allen Aylett, the league adopted a number of innovations in order to market itself to a wider audience. These included the return of the Night Series, the relaunch of the Reserves competition (renamed the Commodore Cup with a game shown each Sunday on Channel Seven) and the first-ever live television broadcast of a VFL–AFL Grand Final.
Despite these changes, half-time entertainment at the biggest game of the year remained the same, with spectators at the 1977 Grand Final treated to a traditional marching and music display by the Combined Services Band. Everything changed when the match between Collingwood and North Melbourne was drawn, requiring a replay to be held the following weekend. |
Forced to create a second Grand Final day entertainment package at short notice, the VFL were willing to explore new options, choosing to abandon the traditional half-time entertainment in favour of a one-mile foot race between league footballers. The mile race proved a success, generating enough public and media interest for the event to be held again at half-time of the 1978 Grand Final.
In 1979 the format was altered to a 100-metre sprint and this quickly developed into a key part of Grand Final day. Many fans still fondly remember Geoff Ablett, a.k.a. "The Fastest Man in Football", not for his efforts in the big match but for his near-annual domination of the half-time sprint. The race was replaced in 1986 by the Foster's Grand Final Entertainment Spectacular, which featured flag-waving and dancing. The response to this was lukewarm at best and the sprint was resurrected in 1987, only to make way the following season for a half-time dance spectacular.
The league continued to trial other forms of entertainment at half-time of the Grand Final and it wasn't until 2002 that the sprint made a popular return. During the 1977–1987 era, participation was optional for clubs playing in the Grand Final, with most choosing not to take part. However, since 2002 all clubs are required to participate, with the Grand Finalists usually represented by a fringe player not selected for the match. 2015 saw the introduction of non-league representatives for the first time, either as a sponsor competition winner or local club footballer.
A sprint race was also held at the 1996 AFL Lightning Premiership, run under the same format as the Grand Final Sprint with the fastest players in each heat advancing to the final, which was run prior to the Lightning Premiership Grand Final. Further details can be found in the 1996 LIGHTNING SPRINT tab above.
WINNERS / TOP THREE PLACINGS
YEAR |
WINNER |
2ND |
3RD |
VFL GRAND FINAL MILE |
|||
1977 |
Andy Wilson (Ess) |
Rodney Hughes (StK) |
David Clarke (Geel) |
1978 |
Doug Booth (StK) |
Garry Cooke (Melb) |
Shane Heard (Ess) |
VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT (1979-87) |
|||
1979 |
Geoff Ablett (Haw) |
Mick Conlan (Fitz) |
Shane Heard (Ess) |
1980 |
Geoff Ablett (Haw) |
Frank Marchesani (Fitz) |
unknown |
1981 |
Geoff Ablett (Haw) |
Doug Cox (StK) |
Tony Elshaug (Melb) |
1982 |
Mick Conlan (Fitz) |
Frank Marchesani (Carl) |
Doug Cox (StK) |
1983 |
Frank Marchesani (Carl) |
David Palm (Rich) |
Daryl Cunningham (StK) |
1984 |
Doug Cox (Ess) |
Geoff Ablett (Rich) |
Russell Richards (Melb) |
1985 |
Geoff Ablett (StK)* |
Michael Kol (Geel)* |
Russell Richards (Melb) |
1986 |
event not held |
||
1987 |
Russell Richards (Melb) |
unknown |
unknown |
AFL LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP SPRINT
(1996) |
|||
1996 |
Marcus Seecamp (Melb) |
Austinn Jones (StK) |
Anthony McGregor
(Fitz) |
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT (2002-) |
|||
2002 |
Jared Crouch (Syd) |
Adam Chatfield
(Geel) |
Jordan McMahon (WB) |
2003 |
James Walker (Frem) |
Jared Crouch (Syd) |
Damian Cupido (Ess) |
2004 |
James Walker (Frem) |
Michael Stevens (NM) |
Luke Jericho (Adel) |
2005 |
Brett Deledio (Rich) |
Daniel Bell (Melb) |
Shannon Byrnes
(Geel) |
2006 |
Brendan Fevola (Carl) |
Jason Winderlich (Ess) |
Nathan Foley (Rich) |
2007 |
Jake King (Rich) |
Nathan Krakouer (Port) |
Will Schofield (WCE) |
2008 |
Matthew White (Rich) |
Stefan Martin (Melb) |
Nathan Djerkurra (Geel) |
2009 |
Rhys Stanley (StK) |
Trent McKenzie (GC) |
Wade Thompson
(Port) |
2010 |
Luke Miles (StK) |
Tim Golds (GWS) |
Lewis Jetta (Syd) |
2011 |
Patrick Dangerfield (Adel) |
Tim Golds (GWS) |
Lewis Jetta (Syd) |
2012 |
Patrick Dangerfield (Adel) |
Harry Cunningham (Syd) |
Angus Litherland (Haw) |
2013 |
Patrick Dangerfield (Adel) |
Angus Litherland (Haw) |
Jordan Murdoch (Geel) |
2014 |
Jordan Murdoch (Geel) |
Billy Hartung (Haw) |
Jarrad Ellis (GC) |
2015 |
Majak Daw (NM) |
Charlie Cameron
(Adel) |
Dean Towers (Syd) |
2016 |
James Shirley |
Jed Bews (Geel)** |
Majak Daw (NM)** |
(Murrumbeena
FNC) |
|||
2017 |
Connor Menadue (Rich) |
Jarrod Pickett
(Carl) |
Josh Williams (NM) |
2018 |
Godfrey Okereneyang |
Melvin Monleh |
Jordan Murdoch
(Geel) |
(Coolamon
Hoppers FC) |
(Melton South Panthers) |
||
2019 |
Ben King (GC) |
Sam Frost (Melb) |
Jack Tarca (Geel) |
2020 |
Jordan Clark (Geel) |
Bradley Hill (StK) |
Xavier Duursma (Port) |
2021 |
Josh Rotham (WCE) |
Jack Petruccelle (WCE) |
Liam Ryan (WCE) |
2022 |
Hugo Ralphsmith (Rich) |
Latham Vandermeer (WB) |
Bradley Hill (StK) |
*1985
**2016
RUNNERS – CLUB BY CLUB
ADELAIDE CROWS |
||||
LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1996 |
|
unknown |
Heats |
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
2002 |
|
Andrew Crowell |
Final (7th) |
|
2003 |
|
Kris Massie |
Heats |
|
2004 |
|
Luke Jericho |
Final (3rd) |
|
2005 |
|
James Begley |
Heats |
|
2006 |
|
Richard Douglas |
Heats |
|
2007 |
|
Simon Goodwin |
Heats |
|
2008 |
|
Bernie Vince |
Heats |
|
2009 |
|
Andy Otten |
Heats |
|
2010 |
|
Richard Douglas |
Final (7th) |
|
2011 |
|
Patrick Dangerfield |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
2012 |
|
Patrick Dangerfield |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
2013 |
|
Patrick Dangerfield |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
2014 |
|
Brodie Smith |
Heats |
|
2015 |
|
Charlie Cameron |
Final (2nd) |
|
2016 |
|
Brodie Smith |
Heats |
|
2017 |
|
Jordan Gallucci |
Final (6th) |
|
2018 |
|
Lachie Murphy |
Final (6th) |
|
2019 |
|
Jake Kelly |
Heats |
|
2020 |
|
Ben Keays |
Final (7th) |
|
2021 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2022 |
|
Sam Berry |
Heats |
BRISBANE LIONS |
||||
VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1987 |
|
Tony Beckett |
- |
LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1996 |
|
unknown |
Heats |
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
2002 |
|
Nathan Clarke |
Final (4th) |
|
2003 |
|
Anthony Corrie |
Final (8th) |
|
2004 |
|
Daniel Merrett |
Heats |
|
2005 |
|
Leigh Ryswyk |
Final (6th) |
|
2006 |
|
Tim Notting |
Final (8th) |
|
2007 |
|
Robert Copeland |
Final (7th) |
|
2008 |
|
Justin Sherman |
Heats |
|
2009 |
|
Tom Rockcliff |
Heats |
|
2010 |
|
Jack Redden |
Final (8th) |
|
2011 |
|
Daniel Rich |
Heats |
|
2012 |
|
Ben Hudson |
Heats |
|
2013 |
|
Richard Newell |
Final (4th) |
|
2014 |
|
Daniel McStay |
Final (6th) |
|
2015 |
|
Lewis Taylor |
Final (8th) |
|
2016 |
|
Mitch Robinson |
Heats |
|
2017 |
|
Dayne Zorko |
Heats |
|
2018 |
|
Eric Hipwood |
Heats |
|
2019 |
|
Noah Answerth |
Final (7th) |
|
2020 |
|
Charlie Cameron |
Final (4th) |
|
2021 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2022 |
|
Darcy Wilmot |
Heats |
CARLTON |
||||
VFL GRAND FINAL MILE |
PLACING |
|||
|
1977 |
|
Ken Sheldon |
- |
|
Michael Young |
- |
||
|
1978 |
|
Vin Cattogio |
- |
|
Peter Halsall |
- |
||
VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1979 |
|
(did not participate: the race was optional
for GF teams) |
|
|
1980 |
|
Peter Francis |
- |
|
1981 |
|
(did not participate: the race was optional
for GF teams) |
|
|
1982 |
|
Frank Marchesani |
Second |
|
1983 |
|
Frank Marchesani |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
1984 |
|
Alex Marcou |
- |
|
1985 |
|
Fraser Murphy |
- |
|
1986 |
|
(the Grand Final Sprint was not held) |
|
|
1987 |
|
(did not participate: the race was optional
for GF teams) |
|
LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1996 |
|
Glenn Manton |
Final (5th) |
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
2002 |
|
Brendan Fevola |
Final (8th) |
|
2003 |
|
Anthony Franchina |
Heats |
|
2004 |
|
Jordan Bannister |
Heats |
|
2005 |
|
Jordan Bannister |
Final (7th) |
|
2006 |
|
Brendan Fevola |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
2007 |
|
Simon Wiggins |
Final (8th) |
|
2008 |
|
Simon Wiggins |
Final (7th) |
|
2009 |
|
Andrew Walker |
Heats |
|
2010 |
|
Marc Murphy |
Heats |
|
2011 |
|
unknown |
Heats |
|
2012 |
|
Kane Lucas |
Final (6th) |
|
2013 |
|
Chris Yarran |
Final (5th) |
|
2014 |
|
Kane Lucas |
Heats |
|
2015 |
|
Andrejs Everitt |
Final (10th) |
|
2016 |
|
Liam Sumner |
Final (7th) |
|
2017 |
|
Jarrod Pickett |
Final (2nd) |
|
2018 |
|
Cameron Polson |
Final (9th) |
|
2019 |
|
Paddy Dow |
Final (8th) |
|
2020 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2021 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2022 |
|
Matthew Cottrell |
Final (7th) |
COLLINGWOOD |
||||
VFL GRAND FINAL MILE |
PLACING |
|||
|
1977 |
|
(did not participate: the race was optional
for GF teams) |
|
|
||||
|
1978 |
|
Ted Carroll |
- |
|
Wayne Gordon |
- |
||
VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1979 |
|
(did not participate: the race was optional
for GF teams) |
|
|
1980 |
|
(did not participate: the race was optional
for GF teams) |
|
|
1981 |
|
(did not participate: the race was optional
for GF teams) |
|
|
1982 |
|
Geoff Miles |
- |
|
1983 |
|
Geoff Miles |
- |
|
1984 |
|
Darren Millane |
- |
|
1985 |
|
Alan Eade |
- |
|
1986 |
|
(the Grand Final Sprint was not held) |
|
|
1987 |
|
Terry Keays |
- |
LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1996 |
|
unknown |
Heats |
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
2002 |
|
Damien Adkins |
Heats |
|
2003 |
|
Glenn Freeborn |
Final (7th) |
|
2004 |
|
Matthew Lokan |
Heats |
|
2005 |
|
Chris Egan |
Heats |
|
2006 |
|
Heath Shaw |
Heats |
|
2007 |
|
Tyson Goldsack |
Final (6th) |
|
2008 |
|
John Anthony |
Heats |
|
2009 |
|
Brad Dick |
Final (7th) |
|
2010 |
|
Ryan Cook |
Heats |
|
2011 |
|
Luke Rounds |
Final (5th) |
|
2012 |
|
Paul Seedsman |
Heats |
|
2013 |
|
Paul Seedsman |
Heats |
|
2014 |
|
Ben Kennedy |
Heats |
|
2015 |
|
Darcy Moore |
Heats |
|
2016 |
|
Jordan De Goey |
Heats |
|
2017 |
|
Will Hoskin-Elliott |
Heats |
|
2018 |
|
Ben Crocker |
Heats |
|
2019 |
|
Will Hoskin-Elliott |
Heats |
|
2020 |
|
Josh Thomas |
Final (8th) |
|
2021 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2022 |
|
Isaac Quaynor |
Final (5th) |
ESSENDON |
||||
VFL GRAND FINAL MILE |
PLACING |
|||
|
1977 |
|
Wayne Primmer |
- |
|
Andy Wilson |
GF MILE WINNER |
||
|
1978 |
|
Shane Heard |
Third |
|
Wayne Primmer |
- |
||
VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1979 |
|
Shane Heard |
Third |
|
1980 |
|
Stephen Carey |
- |
|
1981 |
|
Neil Clarke |
- |
|
1982 |
|
Mark Eustice |
- |
|
1983 |
|
(did not participate: the race was optional
for GF teams) |
|
|
1984 |
|
Doug Cox |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
1985 |
|
Steven Clark |
- |
|
1986 |
|
(the Grand Final Sprint was not held) |
|
|
1987 |
|
Brian Winton |
- |
LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1996 |
|
unknown |
Heats |
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
2002 |
|
Rob Forster-Knight |
Heats |
|
2003 |
|
Damian Cupido |
Final (3rd) |
|
2004 |
|
Damian Cupido |
Final (5th) |
|
2005 |
|
Ricky Dyson |
Heats |
|
2006 |
|
Jason Winderlich |
Final (2nd) |
|
2007 |
|
Paddy Ryder |
Final (4th) |
|
2008 |
|
Ricky Dyson |
Heats |
|
2009 |
|
Paddy Ryder |
Final (5th) |
|
2010 |
|
Jake Melksham |
Heats |
|
2011 |
|
Jake Melksham |
Final (7th) |
|
2012 |
|
Stewart Crameri |
Final (7th) |
|
2013 |
|
Paddy Ryder |
Heats |
|
2014 |
|
Patrick Ambrose |
Final (8th) |
|
2015 |
|
Elliott Kavanagh |
Heats |
|
2016 |
|
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti |
Final (6th) |
|
2017 |
|
Kyle Langford |
Heats |
|
2018 |
|
Kyle Langford |
Heats |
|
2019 |
|
Dylan Clarke |
Heats |
|
2020 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2021 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2022 |
|
Jake Kelly |
Heats |
FITZROY LIONS |
||||
VFL GRAND FINAL MILE |
PLACING |
|||
|
1977 |
|
Chris Hansen |
- |
|
Peter Johnson |
- |
||
|
1978 |
|
Mick Conlan |
- |
|
Garry Wilson |
- |
||
VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1979 |
|
Mick Conlan |
Second |
|
1980 |
|
Frank Marchesani |
Second |
|
1981 |
|
Peter Francis |
- |
|
1982 |
|
Mick Conlan |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
1983 |
|
Richard Osborne |
- |
|
1984 |
|
Bill Lokan |
- |
|
1985 |
|
Richard Osborne |
- |
|
1986 |
|
(the Grand Final Sprint was not held) |
|
|
1987 |
|
Darren Kappler |
- |
LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1996 |
|
Anthony McGregor |
Final (3rd) |
FREMANTLE |
||||
LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1996 |
|
unknown |
Heats |
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
2002 |
|
Troy Simmonds |
Heats |
|
2003 |
|
James Walker |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
2004 |
|
James Walker |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
2005 |
|
Byron Schammer |
Heats |
|
2006 |
|
Brett Peake |
Final (5th) |
|
2007 |
|
Paul Haselby |
Heats |
|
2008 |
|
Garrick Ibbotson |
Final (4th) |
|
2009 |
|
Stephen Hill |
Final (4th) |
|
2010 |
|
Garrick Ibbotson |
Final (6th) |
|
2011 |
|
Josh Mellington |
Heats |
|
2012 |
|
Tendai Mzungu |
Heats |
|
2013 |
|
Alex Forster |
Heats |
|
2014 |
|
Zac Dawson |
Heats |
|
2015 |
|
Hayden Krozier |
Final (5th) |
|
2016 |
|
Darcy Tucker |
Final (5th) |
|
2017 |
|
Tommy Sheridan |
Heats |
|
2018 |
|
Matt Taberner |
Final (8th) |
|
2019 |
|
Andrew Brayshaw |
Final (6th) |
|
2020 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2021 |
|
Liam Henry |
Final (4th) |
|
Ethan Hughes |
Final (5th) |
||
|
Andrew Brayshaw |
Final (6th) |
||
|
Luke Ryan |
Final (7th) |
||
|
2022 |
|
Karl Worner |
Heats |
GEELONG |
||||
VFL GRAND FINAL MILE |
PLACING |
|||
|
1977 |
|
David Clarke |
Third |
|
Murray Witcombe |
- |
||
|
1978 |
|
Jeff Fehring |
- |
|
Tom Floyd |
- |
||
VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1979 |
|
Michael Turner |
- |
|
1980 |
|
Stephen Lunn |
- |
|
1981 |
|
Robert Neal |
- |
|
1982 |
|
Bernard Toohey |
- |
|
1983 |
|
Michael Kol |
- |
|
1984 |
|
Michael Kol |
- |
|
1985 |
|
Michael Kol |
Second |
|
1986 |
|
(the Grand Final Sprint was not held) |
|
|
1987 |
|
Michael Kol |
- |
LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1996 |
|
unknown |
Heats |
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
2002 |
|
Adam Chatfield |
Final (2nd) |
|
2003 |
|
David Wojcinski |
Final (4th) |
|
2004 |
|
Mark Blake |
Heats |
|
2005 |
|
Shannon Byrnes |
Final (3rd) |
|
2006 |
|
Shannon Byrnes |
Heats |
|
2007 |
|
Joel Reynolds |
Heats |
|
2008 |
|
Nathan Djerkurra |
Final (3rd) |
|
2009 |
|
Taylor Hunt |
Heats |
|
2010 |
|
Daniel Menzel |
Final (4th) |
|
2011 |
|
Dawson Simpson |
Final (9th) |
|
2012 |
|
Billie Smedts |
Heats |
|
2013 |
|
Jordan Murdoch |
Final (3rd) |
|
2014 |
|
Jordan Murdoch |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
2015 |
|
Darcy Lang |
Heats |
|
2016 |
|
Jed Bews |
Final (2nd) |
|
2017 |
|
Mark O'Connor |
Heats |
|
2018 |
|
Jordan Murdoch |
Final (3rd) |
|
2019 |
|
Jack Tarca |
Final (3rd) |
|
2020 |
|
Jordan Clark |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
2021 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2022 |
|
Shannon Neale |
Final (6th) |
GOLD COAST |
||||
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
2009 |
|
Trent McKenzie |
Final (2nd) |
|
2010 |
|
Trent McKenzie |
Final (4th) |
|
2011 |
|
Joel Wilkinson |
Final (4th) |
|
2012 |
|
Campbell Brown |
Final (8th) |
|
2013 |
|
Campbell Brown |
Final (9th) |
|
2014 |
|
Jarrad Ellis |
Final (3rd) |
|
2015 |
|
Henry Schade |
Final (6th) |
|
2016 |
|
Brandon Matera |
Heats |
|
2017 |
|
Steven May |
Final (5th) |
|
2018 |
|
Touk Miller |
Final (7th) |
|
2019 |
|
Ben King |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
2020 |
|
Ben Ainsworth |
Final (6th) |
|
2021 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2022 |
|
Mabior Chol |
Heats |
GWS GIANTS |
||||
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
2010 |
|
Tim Golds |
Final (2nd) |
|
2011 |
|
Tim Golds |
Final (2nd) |
|
2012 |
|
Thomas Bugg |
Heats |
|
2013 |
|
Dom Tyson |
Heats |
|
2014 |
|
Adam Tomlinson |
Heats |
|
2015 |
|
Rory Lobb |
Heats |
|
2016 |
|
Stephen Coniglio |
Heats |
|
2017 |
|
Tim Taranto |
Heats |
|
2018 |
|
Stephen Coniglio |
Heats |
|
2019 |
|
Dylan Buckley |
Heats |
|
2020 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2021 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2022 |
|
Leek Aleer |
Final (8th) |
HAWTHORN |
||||
VFL GRAND FINAL MILE |
PLACING |
|||
|
1977 |
|
Don Fletcher |
- |
|
||||
|
1978 |
|
(did not participate: the race was optional
for GF teams) |
|
|
||||
VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1979 |
|
Geoff Ablett |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
1980 |
|
Geoff Ablett |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
1981 |
|
Geoff Ablett |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
1982 |
|
Geoff Ablett* |
*Did Not Run (injured) |
|
1983 |
|
(did not participate: the race was optional
for GF teams) |
|
|
1984 |
|
(did not participate: the race was optional
for GF teams) |
|
|
1985 |
|
(did not participate: the race was optional
for GF teams) |
|
|
1986 |
|
(the Grand Final Sprint was not held) |
|
|
1987 |
|
(did not participate: the race was optional
for GF teams) |
|
LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1996 |
|
unknown |
Heats |
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
2002 |
|
Campbell Brown |
Final (5th) |
|
2003 |
|
Campbell Brown |
Heats |
|
2004 |
|
unknown |
Heats |
|
2005 |
|
Campbell Brown |
Final (4th) |
|
2006 |
|
Brent Guerra |
Heats |
|
2007 |
|
Clinton Young* |
Heats |
|
2008 |
|
Zac Dawson |
Final (6th) |
|
2009 |
|
Liam Shiels |
Heats |
|
2010 |
|
Ben Stratton |
Heats |
|
2011 |
|
Jordan Williams |
Final (8th) |
|
2012 |
|
Angus Litherland |
Final (3rd) |
|
2013 |
|
Angus Litherland |
Final (2nd) |
|
2014 |
|
Billy Hartung |
Final (2nd) |
|
2015 |
|
Daniel Howe* |
Heats |
|
2016 |
|
Billy Hartung |
Heats |
|
2017 |
|
Harry Morrison |
Heats |
|
2018 |
|
Jarman Impey |
Heats |
|
2019 |
|
Changkuong Jiath |
Heats |
|
2020 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2021 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2022 |
|
James Blanck |
Heats |
*2007 - Brent Guerra was originally named as Hawthorn's representative but was replaced by Clinton Young.
*2015 - Angus Litherland was originally Hawthorn's representative but withdrew after being named as an emergency for their Grand Final team.
MELBOURNE |
||||
VFL GRAND FINAL MILE |
PLACING |
|||
|
1977 |
|
Brian Cooke |
- |
|
Peter Keays |
- |
||
|
1978 |
|
Garry Cooke |
Second |
|
Kelvin Richards |
- |
||
VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1979 |
|
Cameron Clayton |
- |
|
1980 |
|
Tony Elshaug |
- |
|
1981 |
|
Tony Elshaug |
Third |
|
1982 |
|
Paul O'Brien |
- |
|
1983 |
|
Les Bamblett |
- |
|
1984 |
|
Russell Richards |
Third |
|
1985 |
|
Russell Richards |
Third |
|
1986 |
|
(the Grand Final Sprint was not held) |
|
|
1987 |
|
Russell Richards |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1996 |
|
Marcus Seecamp |
LP SPRINT WINNER |
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
2002 |
|
Ross Funcke |
Final (6th) |
|
2003 |
|
Luke Williams |
Final (tbd) |
|
2004 |
|
Luke Williams |
Heats |
|
2005 |
|
Daniel Bell |
Final (2nd) |
|
2006 |
|
Russell Robertson |
Final (6th) |
|
2007 |
|
Russell Robertson |
Heats |
|
2008 |
|
Stefan Martin |
Final (2nd) |
|
2009 |
|
Colin Sylvia |
Heats |
|
2010 |
|
Jack Watts |
Heats |
|
2011 |
|
Sam Blease* |
Did not run (due to a BBQ!) |
|
2012 |
|
Lynden Dunn |
Heats |
|
2013 |
|
Neville Jetta |
Heats |
|
2014 |
|
Jayden Hunt |
Final (4th) |
|
2015 |
|
Jay Kennedy-Harris |
Heats |
|
2016 |
|
Clayton Oliver |
Heats |
|
2017 |
|
Jayden Hunt |
Final (4th) |
|
2018 |
|
Bayley Fritsch |
Final (10th) |
|
2019 |
|
Sam Frost |
Final (2nd) |
|
2020 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2021 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2022 |
|
James Harmes* |
Heats |
[our thanks to Adam from DemonBlog and DemonWiki for digging this info out of the Twitter archives and sending it through]
*2022- Kade Chandler was originally announced as Melbourne's runner but was a late scratching (for reasons unknown); he was replaced by James Harmes.
NORTH MELBOURNE |
||||
VFL GRAND FINAL MILE |
PLACING |
|||
|
1977 |
|
Kerry Good |
- |
|
Alan Jarrott |
- |
||
|
1978 |
|
Peter Keenan* |
- |
|
*(took part after being suspended from the GF) |
|||
VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1979 |
|
Wayne Schimmelbusch |
- |
|
1980 |
|
Rodney Wright |
- |
|
1981 |
|
Rodney Wright |
- |
|
1982 |
|
Doug Smith |
- |
|
1983 |
|
John Holt |
- |
|
1984 |
|
Angelo Petraglia |
- |
|
1985 |
|
Jon Collins |
- |
|
1986 |
|
(the Grand Final Sprint was not held) |
|
|
1987 |
|
unknown |
- |
LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1996 |
|
Glenn Archer |
Heats |
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
2002 |
|
Brent Harvey |
Heats |
|
2003 |
|
Shannon Watt |
Heats |
|
2004 |
|
Michael Stevens |
Final (2nd) |
|
2005 |
|
Shannon Watt |
Final (5th) |
|
2006 |
|
Brent Harvey |
Heats |
|
2007 |
|
Eddie Sansbury |
Heats |
|
2008 |
|
Shannon Watt |
Heats |
|
2009 |
|
Warren Benjamin |
Heats |
|
2010 |
|
Liam Anthony |
Heats |
|
2011 |
|
Scott McMahon |
Heats |
|
2012 |
|
Shaun Atley |
Final (4th) |
|
2013 |
|
Kieran Harper |
Heats |
|
2014 |
|
Luke McDonald |
Final (9th) |
|
2015 |
|
Majak Daw |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
2016 |
|
Majak Daw |
Final (3rd) |
|
2017 |
|
Josh Williams |
Final (3rd) |
|
2018 |
|
Luke McDonald |
Heats |
|
2019 |
|
Taylor Garner |
Heats |
|
2020 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2021 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2022 |
|
Luke McDonald |
Heats |
PORT ADELAIDE |
||||
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
2002 |
|
Matthew Bishop |
Heats |
|
2003 |
|
Jared Poulton |
Heats |
|
2004 |
|
Michael Pettigrew |
Heats |
|
2005 |
|
Danyle Pearce |
Heats |
|
2006 |
|
Danyle Pearce |
Final (4th) |
|
2007 |
|
Nathan Krakouer |
Final (2nd) |
|
2008 |
|
Tom Logan |
Final (8th) |
|
2009 |
|
Wade Thompson |
Final (3rd) |
|
2010 |
|
Danyle Pearce |
Heats |
|
2011 |
|
Danyle Pearce |
Heats |
|
2012 |
|
Aaron Young |
Final (5th) |
|
2013 |
|
Angus Monfries |
Heats |
|
2014 |
|
Andrew Moore |
Final (5th) |
|
2015 |
|
Brad Ebert |
Heats |
|
2016 |
|
Karl Amon |
Heats |
|
2017 |
|
Jarman Impey |
Final (DNR - injured) |
|
2018 |
|
Dan Houston |
Heats |
|
2019 |
|
Connor Rozee |
Heats |
|
2020 |
|
Xavier Duursma |
Final (3rd) |
|
2021 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2022 |
|
Miles Bergman |
Final (4th) |
RICHMOND |
||||
VFL GRAND FINAL MILE |
PLACING |
|||
|
1977 |
|
(did not participate: the race was optional
for the |
|
|
||||
|
1978 |
|
Gary Parkes |
- |
|
Bruce Tempany |
- |
||
VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1979 |
|
Bruce Tempany |
- |
|
1980 |
|
(did not participate: the race was optional
for GF teams) |
|
|
1981 |
|
Matthew Wall |
- |
|
1982 |
|
(did not participate: the race was optional
for GF teams) |
|
|
1983 |
|
David Palm |
Second |
|
1984 |
|
Geoff Ablett |
Second |
|
1985 |
|
Peter Czerkaski |
- |
|
1986 |
|
(the Grand Final Sprint was not held) |
|
|
1987 |
|
David Palm |
- |
LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1996 |
|
Nathan Bower |
Final (4th) |
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
2002 |
|
Greg Tivendale |
Heats |
|
2003 |
|
Greg Tivendale |
Heats |
|
2004 |
|
Daniel Jackson |
Final (4th) |
|
2005 |
|
Brett Deledio |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
2006 |
|
Nathan Foley |
Final (3rd) |
|
2007 |
|
Jake King |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
2008 |
|
Matthew White |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
2009 |
|
Alex Rance |
Final (6th) |
|
2010 |
|
Ben Nason |
Final (9th) |
|
2011 |
|
Ben Nason |
Heats |
|
2012 |
|
Chris Newman |
Heats |
|
2013 |
|
Todd Elton |
Final (7th) |
|
2014 |
|
Bachar Houli |
Heats |
|
2015 |
|
Anthony Miles |
Heats |
|
2016 |
|
Alex Rance |
Heats |
|
2017 |
|
Connor Menadue |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
2018 |
|
Jack Higgins |
Heats |
|
2019 |
|
Noah Balta |
Heats |
|
2020 |
|
Bigoa Nyuon |
Final (5th) |
|
2021 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2022 |
|
Hugo Ralphsmith |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
ST KILDA |
||||
VFL GRAND FINAL MILE |
PLACING |
|||
|
1977 |
|
Neil Besanko |
- |
|
Rodney Hughes |
Second |
||
|
1978 |
|
Doug Booth |
GF MILE WINNER |
|
Michael Roberts |
- |
||
VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1979 |
|
Graham Bond |
- |
|
1980 |
|
Simon Meehan |
- |
|
1981 |
|
Doug Cox |
Second |
|
1982 |
|
Doug Cox |
Third |
|
1983 |
|
Daryl Cunningham |
Third |
|
1984 |
|
Silvio Foschini |
- |
|
1985 |
|
Geoff Ablett |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
1986 |
|
(the Grand Final Sprint was not held) |
|
|
1987 |
|
Tony Evans |
- |
LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1996 |
|
Austinn Jones |
Final (2nd) |
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
2002 |
|
Xavier Clarke |
Heats |
|
2003 |
|
Leigh Montagna |
Heats |
|
2004 |
|
Troy Schwarze |
Heats |
|
2005 |
|
Troy Schwarze |
Heats |
|
2006 |
|
Leigh Montagna |
Heats |
|
2007 |
|
Aaron Fiora |
Final (5th) |
|
2008 |
|
Leigh Montagna |
Heats |
|
2009 |
|
Rhys Stanley |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
2010 |
|
Luke Miles* |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
2011 |
|
Jason Blake |
Heats |
|
2012 |
|
David Armitage |
Heats |
|
2013 |
|
Leigh Montagna |
Heats |
|
2014 |
|
Clint Jones |
Final (7th) |
|
2015 |
|
Leigh Montagna |
Heats |
|
2016 |
|
Bailey Rice* |
Final (9th) |
|
2017 |
|
Sam Gilbert |
Heats |
|
2018 |
|
Bailey Rice |
Heats |
|
2019 |
|
Nick Hind |
Final (9th) |
|
2020 |
|
Bradley Hill |
Final (2nd) |
|
2021 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2022 |
|
Bradley Hill |
Final (3rd) |
*2016 - Dylan Roberton was St Kilda's entrant in the race but was a late scratching due to injury; he was replaced by Bailey Rice.
SOUTH MELBOURNE / SYDNEY |
||||
VFL GRAND FINAL MILE |
PLACING |
|||
|
1977 |
|
Peter Carter |
- |
|
Peter Morrison |
- |
||
|
1978 |
|
Paul Morwood |
- |
|
Philip Plumb |
- |
||
VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1979 |
|
Shane Zantuck |
- |
|
1980 |
|
David Ackerly |
- |
|
1981 |
|
Silvio Foschini |
- |
|
1982 |
|
Silvio Foschini |
- |
|
1983 |
|
John Lucas* |
- |
|
1984 |
|
David Murphy |
- |
|
1985 |
|
Mark Bayes |
- |
|
1986 |
|
(the Grand Final Sprint was not held) |
|
|
1987 |
|
unknown |
- |
LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1996 |
|
unknown |
Heats |
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
2002 |
|
Jared Crouch |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
2003 |
|
Jared Crouch |
Final (2nd) |
|
2004 |
|
Jared Crouch |
Heats |
|
2005 |
|
Guy Campbell |
Final (8th) |
|
2006 |
|
Simon Phillips |
Final (7th) |
|
2007 |
|
Sean Dempster |
Heats |
|
2008 |
|
Jarryd McVeigh |
Heats |
|
2009 |
|
Mike Pyke |
Final (8th) |
|
2010 |
|
Lewis Jetta |
Final (3rd) |
|
2011 |
|
Lewis Jetta |
Final (3rd) |
|
2012 |
|
Harry Cunningham |
Final (2nd) |
|
2013 |
|
Gary Rohan* |
Final (6th) |
|
2014 |
|
Daniel Robinson |
Heats |
|
2015 |
|
Dean Towers |
Final (3rd) |
|
2016 |
|
James Rose |
Final (4th) |
|
2017 |
|
James Rose |
Final (7th) |
|
2018 |
|
Ryley Stoddart |
Final (5th) |
|
2019 |
|
James Rowbottom |
Heats |
|
2020 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2021 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2022 |
|
Corey Warner |
Heats |
*2013 - Harry Cunningham was originally announced as Sydney's runner but was a late scratching, replaced by Gary Rohan.
WEST COAST |
||||
VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1987 |
|
Adrian Barich |
- |
LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1996 |
|
unknown |
Heats |
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
2002 |
|
Daniel Kerr |
Heats |
|
2003 |
|
Damien Adkins |
Heats |
|
2004 |
|
Brett Jones |
Heats |
|
2005 |
|
Ben Sharp |
Heats |
|
2006 |
|
unknown |
Heats |
|
2007 |
|
Will Schofield |
Final (3rd) |
|
2008 |
|
Mark Seaby |
Heats |
|
2009 |
|
Nick Natanui |
Heats |
|
2010 |
|
Dean Cox |
Heats |
|
2011 |
|
Jacob Brennan |
Final (6th) |
|
2012 |
|
Ashley Smith |
Final (5th) |
|
2013 |
|
Jamie Bennell |
Final (8th) |
|
2014 |
|
Will Schofield |
Heats |
|
2015 |
|
Paddy Brophy |
Final (4th) |
|
2016 |
|
Lewis Jetta |
Heats |
|
2017 |
|
Lewis Jetta |
Final (8th) |
|
2018 |
|
Jarrod Brander |
Final (4th) |
|
2019 |
|
Jackson Nelson |
Heats |
|
2020 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2021 |
|
Josh Rotham |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
Jack Petruccelle |
Final (2nd) |
||
|
Liam Ryan |
Final (3rd) |
||
|
Tom Cole |
Final (8th) |
||
|
2022 |
|
Patrick Naish |
Heats |
FOOTSCRAY / WESTERN BULLDOGS |
||||
VFL GRAND FINAL MILE |
PLACING |
|||
|
1977 |
|
Richard Murrie |
- |
|
Alan Stoneham |
- |
||
|
1978 |
|
Doug Hawkins |
- |
|
Richard Murrie |
- |
||
VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1979 |
|
Michael Kelly |
- |
|
1980 |
|
Neil Cordy |
- |
|
1981 |
|
Brian Perrin |
- |
|
1982 |
|
Neil Cordy |
- |
|
1983 |
|
Stephen Lunn |
- |
|
1984 |
|
Darren Baxter |
- |
|
1985 |
|
Michael Ford |
- |
|
1986 |
|
(the Grand Final Sprint was not held) |
|
|
1987 |
|
Angelo Petraglia |
- |
LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
1996 |
|
Tony Liberatore |
Final (6th) |
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
2002 |
|
Jordan McMahon |
Final (3rd) |
|
2003 |
|
Kieran McGuinness |
Heats |
|
2004 |
|
Steven Koops |
Final (8th) |
|
2005 |
|
Cameron Faulkner |
Heats |
|
2006 |
|
Ryan Griffen |
Heats |
|
2007 |
|
Farren Ray |
Heats |
|
2008 |
|
Jason Akermanis |
Final (5th) |
|
2009 |
|
Liam Picken |
Heats |
|
2010 |
|
Liam Picken |
Final (DNR - injured) |
|
2011 |
|
Jarrad Grant |
Heats |
|
2012 |
|
Liam Picken |
Heats |
|
2013 |
|
Jackson Macrae |
Heats |
|
2014 |
|
Jason Tutt |
Heats |
|
2015 |
|
Caleb Daniel |
Heats |
|
2016 |
|
Brad Lynch |
Final (8th) |
|
2017 |
|
Matt Suckling |
Final (9th) |
|
2018 |
|
Patrick Lipinski |
Heats |
|
2019 |
|
Ed Richards |
Final (5th) |
|
2020 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2021 |
|
(did not participate due to the COVID-19
pandemic) |
|
|
2022 |
|
Latham Vandermeer |
Final (2nd) |
OTHER RUNNERS (NON-AFL) |
||||
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT |
PLACING |
|||
|
2015 |
|
Gurdev Singh |
Final (7th) |
|
Parminder Singh |
Final (9th) |
||
|
2016 |
|
James Shirley |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
Harvinder Singh |
Final (10th) |
||
|
2018 |
|
Godfrey Okerenyang |
GF SPRINT WINNER |
|
Melvin Monleh |
Final (2nd) |
Heats were held in Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and Newcastle with the two fastest runners in each race advancing to the Australia's Fastest Cabbie final which was held in Melbourne.
The top two in the Fastest Cabbie final (Parminder Singh and Gurdev Singh) earned the right to participate in the heats of the Grand Final Sprint. Both finished in the top five of their heats, advancing to the main race held at half-time of the AFL Grand Final.
2016 - The Grand Final Sprint again featured two runners from outside the AFL. One spot went to the fastest 13CABS taxi driver (Harvinder Singh).
The other spot went to the fastest suburban club footballer (James Shirley from the Murrumbeena Football Netball Club) who qualified for the heats by winning a sprint race at the E.J. Whitten Legends match (see the base of this page for the names of all suburban runners in that race).
As with the 2015 race both non-AFL runners qualified for the final but this time Shirley became the first non-AFL participant to win the sprint.
VFL GRAND FINAL MILE
Everything changed when the decider between Collingwood and North Melbourne was drawn, requiring a replay to be held the following weekend.
Forced to create a second Grand Final day entertainment package at short notice the VFL were willing to explore new options, choosing to abandon the traditional half-time entertainment in favour of a one mile foot race between league footballers. The race proved a success, generating enough public and media interest for the event to be held again at half-time of the 1978 Grand Final.
1977 VFL GRAND FINAL MILE
Essendon's Andy Wilson claimed the title with a time of 4:41 (nearly a minute outside the then world record time of 3:49.04) and received a cheque for $1000. Second place received $300, third $200.
Medallions were presented to the placegetters by Australia's newly-crowned WBC Light Middleweight boxing champion, Rocky Mattioli.
Participation was optional for the four clubs involved in the Grand Final and the curtain-raiser.
1977 FIELD |
||||
GRAND FINAL TEAMS |
||||
|
COLLINGWOOD |
(did not participate: race was optional for
GF teams) |
|
|
|
NORTH MELBOURNE |
Kerry Good |
Alan Jarrott |
|
GRAND FINAL CURTAIN-RAISER TEAMS |
||||
|
HAWTHORN |
Don Fletcher |
- |
|
|
RICHMOND |
(did not participate: race was optional for
GF C/R teams) |
|
|
ALL OTHER TEAMS |
||||
|
CARLTON |
Ken Sheldon |
Michael Young |
|
|
ESSENDON |
Andy Wilson (1st) |
Wayne Primmer |
|
|
FITZROY |
Chris Hansen |
Peter Johnson |
|
|
FOOTSCRAY |
Alan Stoneham |
Richard Murrie |
|
|
GEELONG |
David Clarke (3rd) |
Murray Witcombe |
|
|
MELBOURNE |
Brian Cooke |
Peter Keays |
|
|
SOUTH MELBOURNE |
Peter Carter |
Peter Morrison |
|
|
ST KILDA |
Rodney Hughes (2nd) |
Neil Besanko |
|
1978 AVIS VFL GRAND FINAL MILE
St Kilda's Doug Booth won the second annual VFL Grand Final Mile with a time of 4:31.
As with the previous season, prizemoney was set at $1000, $300, and $200 and all entrants received appearance money of $25 each. The medallions were presented by teenage Olympic swimmer, Tracey Wickham.
1978 FIELD |
||||
GRAND FINAL TEAMS |
||||
|
HAWTHORN |
(did not participate: race was optional for
GF teams) |
|
|
|
NORTH MELBOURNE |
Peter Keenan |
- |
|
ALL OTHER TEAMS |
||||
|
CARLTON |
Vin Cattogio |
Peter Halsall |
|
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Ted Carroll |
Wayne Gordon |
|
|
ESSENDON |
Shane Heard (3rd) |
Wayne Primmer |
|
|
FITZROY |
Mick Conlan |
Garry Wilson |
|
|
FOOTSCRAY |
Doug Hawkins |
Richard Murrie |
|
|
GEELONG |
Jeff Fehring |
Tom Floyd |
|
|
MELBOURNE |
Garry Cooke (2nd) |
Kelvin Richards |
|
|
RICHMOND |
Gary Parkes |
Bruce Tempany |
|
|
SOUTH MELBOURNE |
Paul Morwood |
Philip Plumb |
|
|
ST KILDA |
Doug Booth (1st) |
Michael Roberts |
|
VFL/AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT - EVERY RACE
1979 AVIS - VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
In 1979 the format was altered from a one mile distance race to a 100 metre sprint and this quickly developed into a key part of Grand Final day.
Many fans still fondly remember Geoff Ablett, a.k.a. "The Fastest Man in Football", not for his efforts in the big match but for his near-annual domination of the half-time sprint. Ablett won the race in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1985 and was 2nd in 1984, losing in a photo finish.
Ablett, along with his fellow speedsters Frank Marchesani (Fitzroy/Carlton), Doug Cox (St Kilda/Essendon) and Russell Richards (Melbourne) dominated this era.
Prizemoney for the inaugural sprint was set at $1000 for first, $300 for second, $200 for third.
|
1980 MOULINEX - VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
Medals were presented to the the top three runners by 1980 Brownlow Medallist, Kelvin Templeton (Footscray).
Geoff Ablett won his second VFL sprint title along with $1000 cash and Moulinex kitchen appliances.
1980 FIELD |
|||
GRAND FINAL TEAMS |
|||
|
COLLINGWOOD |
(did not participate) |
|
|
RICHMOND |
(did not participate) |
|
ALL OTHER TEAMS |
|||
|
CARLTON |
Peter Francis |
|
|
ESSENDON |
Stephen Carey |
|
|
FITZROY |
Frank Marchesani (2nd) |
|
|
FOOTSCRAY |
Neil Cordy |
|
|
GEELONG |
Stephen Lunn |
|
|
HAWTHORN |
Geoff Ablett (1st) |
|
|
MELBOURNE |
Tony Elshaug |
|
|
NORTH MELBOURNE |
Rodney Wright |
|
|
SOUTH MELBOURNE |
David Ackerly |
|
|
ST KILDA |
Simon Meehan |
|
1981 WORLD OF SPORT - VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
Geoff Ablett won his third consecutive VFL sprint title and $1000 cash.
Doug Cox (2nd ) received $300 and Tony Elshaug (3rd) received $200.
1981 FIELD |
|||
GRAND FINAL TEAMS |
|||
|
CARLTON |
(did not participate) |
|
|
COLLINGWOOD |
(did not participate) |
|
ALL OTHER TEAMS |
|||
|
ESSENDON |
Neil Clarke |
|
|
FITZROY |
Peter Francis |
|
|
FOOTSCRAY |
Brian Perrin |
|
|
GEELONG |
Robert Neal |
|
|
HAWTHORN |
Geoff Ablett (1st) |
|
|
MELBOURNE |
Tony Elshaug (3rd) |
|
|
NORTH MELBOURNE |
Rodney Wright |
|
|
RICHMOND |
Matthew Wall |
|
|
SOUTH MELBOURNE |
Silvio Foschini |
|
|
ST KILDA |
Doug Cox (2nd) |
|
1982 WORLD OF SPORT - VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
Reigning champion Geoff Ablett was a late scratching due to a groin injury [Sunday Press 26-9-1982].
It is not known if he was replaced by another Hawthorn player or if the sprint was held minus one runner.
The medallions were presented to the top three by Essendon legend, Dick Reynolds.
|
1983 HSV7 - VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
Medals were presented to the top three runners by Cliff Young, who had won the inaugural Melbourne to Sydney ultra-marathon race at 61 years of age .
Geoff Ablett transferred from Hawthorn to Richmond in 1983 but did not take part in the event, presumably due to injury.
1983 FIELD |
|||
GRAND FINAL TEAMS |
|||
|
ESSENDON |
(did not participate) |
|
|
HAWTHORN |
(did not participate) |
|
ALL OTHER TEAMS |
|||
|
CARLTON |
Frank Marchesani (1st) |
|
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Geoff Miles |
|
|
FITZROY |
Richard Osborne |
|
|
FOOTSCRAY |
Stephen Lunn |
|
|
GEELONG |
Michael Kol |
|
|
MELBOURNE |
Les Bamblett |
|
|
NORTH MELBOURNE |
John Holt |
|
|
RICHMOND |
David Palm (2nd) |
|
|
ST KILDA |
Daryl Cunningham (3rd) |
|
|
SYDNEY |
John Lucas* |
|
*Lucas replaced Darryl Vernon |
1984 HSV7 - VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
A new rule required players to have played five premiership or Night Series games that season to participate in the sprint.
This ruled out Frank Marchesani, the reigning champion.
1984 FIELD |
|||
GRAND FINAL TEAMS |
|||
|
ESSENDON |
Doug Cox (1st) |
|
|
HAWTHORN |
(did not participate) |
|
ALL OTHER TEAMS |
|||
|
CARLTON |
Alex Marcou |
|
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Darren Millane |
|
|
FITZROY |
Bill Lokan |
|
|
FOOTSCRAY |
Darren Baxter |
|
|
GEELONG |
Michael Kol |
|
|
MELBOURNE |
Russell Richards (3rd) |
|
|
NORTH MELBOURNE |
Angelo Petraglia |
|
|
RICHMOND |
Geoff Ablett (2nd) |
|
|
ST KILDA |
Silvio Foschini |
|
|
SYDNEY |
David Murphy |
|
1985 HSV7 - VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
In the video of the 1985 race (see below), Geoff Ablett is initially declared the winner by the commentary team but in replays it appears Geelong's Michael Kol may have stolen the race with a lunge at the line. The footage ends before the official result is announced.
In an interview with the Sunday Press newspaper [29-9-1985], Ablett confirms that he held on to win by the barest of margins, reversing his 1984 loss when he had been pipped at the post by Essendon's Doug Cox.
1985 FIELD |
|||
GRAND FINAL TEAMS |
|||
|
ESSENDON |
Steven Clark |
|
|
HAWTHORN |
(did not participate) |
|
ALL OTHER TEAMS |
|||
|
CARLTON |
Fraser Murphy |
|
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Alan Eade |
|
|
FITZROY |
Richard Osborne |
|
|
FOOTSCRAY |
Michael Ford |
|
|
GEELONG |
Michael Kol (2nd) |
|
|
MELBOURNE |
Russell Richards (3rd) |
|
|
NORTH MELBOURNE |
Jon Collins |
|
|
RICHMOND |
Peter Czerkaski |
|
|
ST KILDA |
Geoff Ablett (1st) |
|
|
SYDNEY |
Mark Bayes |
|
1986 FOSTER'S VFL GRAND FINAL SPECTACULAR
The sprint was not held, replaced by the Foster's VFL Grand Final entertainment spectacular which featured children waving flags, dancing and unfurling a large Foster's flag (which led to an outcry afterwards). [Football Record 1986 GF edition/Footystats Diary]
1987 VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
From 1979 to 1985 prizemoney had been $1000 for first, $300 for second, $200 for third.
For the relaunched 1987 race this increased to $2000 for first, $800 for second, and $200 for third.
|
1988-2001
After a brief comeback in 1987 the Grand Final Sprint again went into hiatus; replaced in 1988 by another half-time dance spectacular (unlike 1986 there were no Foster's flags this time!).
A one-off sprint race was held at the 1996 AFL Lightning Premiership, run under the same format as the Grand Final Sprint with the fastest players in each heat advancing to the final (run prior to the Lightning Premiership Grand Final). Further details can be found in the 1996 LIGHTNING SPRINT tab at the top of this article.
The league continued to trial other forms of entertainment at subsequent Grand Finals until 2002 when the sprint returned.
2002 NINTENDO GAMECUBE - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
To counter this, players were now divided into two heats, which were held pre-match and consisted of 8 runners per race. The top four from each heat advanced to the final, which was also run prior to the AFL Grand Final.
Three $5000 cheques were presented after the final: one to the winner, one to the winner's club, and one to a charity of the winner's choice.
HEAT 1 |
||||||||
|
BRISBANE |
Nathan Clarke |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Damien Adkins |
6th |
|
||||
|
FREMANTLE |
Troy Simmonds |
8th |
|
||||
|
GEELONG |
Adam Chatfield |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
KANGAROOS (NM) |
Brent Harvey |
5th |
|
FINAL |
|||
|
SYDNEY |
Jared Crouch |
1st |
|
1st |
Jared Crouch |
(Syd) |
|
|
WEST COAST |
Daniel Kerr |
7th |
|
2nd |
Adam Chatfield |
(Geel) |
|
|
W. BULLDOGS |
Jordan McMahon |
(Q) |
|
3rd |
Jordan McMahon |
(WB) |
|
4th |
Nathan Clarke |
(Bris) |
||||||
HEAT 2 |
5th |
Campbell Brown |
(Haw) |
|||||
|
ADELAIDE |
Andrew Crowell |
(Q) |
|
6th |
Ross Funcke |
(Melb) |
|
|
CARLTON |
Brendan Fevola |
(Q) |
|
7th |
Andrew Crowell |
(Adel) |
|
|
ESSENDON |
Rob Forster-Knight |
DNQ |
|
8th |
Brendan Fevola |
(Carl) |
|
|
HAWTHORN |
Campbell Brown |
1st |
|
||||
|
MELBOURNE |
Ross Funcke |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
PORT ADELAIDE |
Matthew Bishop |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
RICHMOND |
Greg Tivendale |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
ST KILDA |
Xavier Clarke |
DNQ |
|
|
|
2003 POWERADE - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
HEATS |
||||
(LINE-UP FOR EACH HEAT UNKNOWN) |
||||
|
ADELAIDE |
Kris Massie |
To be determined |
|
|
BRISBANE |
Anthony Corrie |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
CARLTON |
Anthony Franchina |
To be determined |
|
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Glenn Freeborn |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
ESSENDON |
Damian Cupido |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
FREMANTLE |
James Walker |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
GEELONG |
David Wojcinski |
3rd in his heat |
|
|
HAWTHORN |
Campbell Brown |
To be determined |
|
|
KANGAROOS (NM) |
Shannon Watt |
To be determined |
|
|
MELBOURNE |
Luke Williams |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
PORT ADELAIDE |
Jared Poulton |
To be determined |
|
|
RICHMOND |
Greg Tivendale |
To be determined |
|
|
ST KILDA |
Leigh Montagna |
To be determined |
|
|
SYDNEY |
Jared Crouch |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
WEST COAST |
Damien Adkins |
Last in his heat |
|
|
W. BULLDOGS |
Kieran McGuinness |
DNQ |
|
|
2004 GILLETTE MACH 3 - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
The heats were held at Punt Road Oval, with the final held at the MCG during half-time of the Grand Final.
Reigning champion James Walker (Fremantle) won his second consecutive GF sprint and joined Geoff Ablett (1979-80-81/85) as the only multiple winners of the race.
HEATS |
||||
(LINE-UP FOR EACH HEAT UNKNOWN) |
||||
|
ADELAIDE |
Luke Jericho |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
BRISBANE |
Daniel Merrett |
To be determined |
|
|
CARLTON |
Jordan Bannister |
To be determined |
|
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Matthew Lokan |
To be determined |
|
|
ESSENDON |
Damian Cupido |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
FREMANTLE |
James Walker |
HEAT WINNER |
|
|
GEELONG |
Mark Blake |
Last in Heat 1 |
|
|
HAWTHORN |
unknown |
DNQ |
|
|
KANGAROOS (NM) |
Michael Stevens |
HEAT WINNER |
|
|
MELBOURNE |
Luke Williams |
7th in Heat 2 |
|
|
PORT ADELAIDE |
Michael Pettigrew |
To be determined |
|
|
RICHMOND |
Daniel Jackson |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
ST KILDA |
Troy Schwarze |
Last in Heat 2 |
|
|
SYDNEY |
Jared Crouch |
To be determined |
|
|
WEST COAST |
Brett Jones |
To be determined |
|
|
W. BULLDOGS |
Steven Koops |
Qualified for the final |
|
FINAL |
||
1st |
James Walker |
(Frem) |
2nd |
Michael Stevens |
(Kang) |
3rd |
Luke Jericho |
(Adel) |
4th |
Daniel Jackson |
(Rich) |
5th |
Damian Cupido |
(Ess) |
6th |
tbd |
- |
7th |
tbd |
- |
8th |
Steven Koops |
(WB) |
OTHER FINALLISTS |
||
unknown |
2005 GILLETTE M3 POWER - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
Danyle Pearce fell over at the start of Heat 2 but still managed to overtake Collingwood's Chris Egan!
HEAT 1 |
||||||||
|
ADELAIDE |
James Begley |
8th |
|
||||
|
CARLTON |
Jordan Bannister |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
ESSENDON |
Ricky Dyson |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
GEELONG |
Shannon Byrnes |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
KANGAROOS (NM) |
Shannon Watt |
(Q) |
|
FINAL |
|||
|
RICHMOND |
Brett Deledio |
1st |
|
1st |
Brett Deledio |
(Rich) |
|
|
ST KILDA |
Troy Schwarze |
DNQ |
|
2nd |
Daniel Bell |
(Melb) |
|
|
WEST COAST |
Ben Sharp |
DNQ |
|
3rd |
Shannon Byrnes |
(Geel) |
|
4th |
Campbell Brown |
(Haw) |
||||||
HEAT 2 |
5th |
Shannon Watt |
(Kang) |
|||||
|
BRISBANE |
Leigh Ryswyk |
(Q) |
|
6th |
Leigh Ryswyck |
(Bris) |
|
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Chris Egan |
8th |
|
7th |
Jordan Bannister |
(Carl) |
|
|
FREMANTLE |
Byron Schammer |
6th |
|
8th |
Guy Campbell |
(Syd) |
|
|
HAWTHORN |
Campbell Brown |
1st |
|
||||
|
MELBOURNE |
Daniel Bell |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
PORT ADELAIDE |
Danyle Pearce |
7th |
|
||||
|
SYDNEY |
Guy Campbell |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
W. BULLDOGS |
Cameron Faulkner |
5th |
|
2006 GILLETTE M3 POWER NITRO - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
Run under a handicapping format for the first time.
Carlton's Brendan Fevola, capitalising on a generous 8 metre handicap, won the race from Jason Winderlich and Nathan Foley, who both started off 2 metres.
HEATS |
||||
(LINE-UP FOR EACH HEAT UNKNOWN) |
||||
|
ADELAIDE |
Richard Douglas |
Last in his heat |
|
|
BRISBANE |
Tim Notting |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
CARLTON |
Brendan Fevola |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Heath Shaw |
DNQ |
|
|
ESSENDON |
Jason Winderlich |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
FREMANTLE |
Brett Peake |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
GEELONG |
Shannon Byrnes |
5th in his heat |
|
|
HAWTHORN |
Brent Guerra |
7th in his heat |
|
|
KANGAROOS (NM) |
Brent Harvey |
DNQ |
|
|
MELBOURNE |
Russell Robertson |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
PORT ADELAIDE |
Danyle Pearce |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
RICHMOND |
Nathan Foley |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
ST KILDA |
Leigh Montagna |
DNQ |
|
|
SYDNEY |
Simon Phillips |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
WEST COAST |
unknown |
DNQ |
|
|
W. BULLDOGS |
Ryan Griffen |
DNQ |
|
|
2007 GILLETTE CHAMPIONS - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
Run under a handicapping format for the second time.
*Brent Guerra was originally named as Hawthorn's runner but was replaced by Clinton Young.
HEAT 1 |
|
|||||||
SCRATCH: |
||||||||
|
BRISBANE |
Robert Copeland |
4th |
|
||||
|
CARLTON |
Simon Wiggins |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Tyson Goldsack |
(Q) |
|
||||
2 METRES: |
||||||||
|
RICHMOND |
Jake King |
1st |
|
|
|||
|
ST KILDA |
Aaron Fiora |
(Q) |
|
FINAL |
|||
4 METRES: |
1st |
Jake King |
(Rich) |
|||||
|
ADELAIDE |
Simon Goodwin |
DNQ |
|
2nd |
Nathan Krakouer |
(Port) |
|
|
HAWTHORN |
Clinton Young* |
8th |
|
3rd |
Will Schofield |
(WCE) |
|
|
KANGAROOS (NM) |
Eddie Sansbury |
DNQ |
|
4th |
Paddy Ryder |
(Ess) |
|
5th |
Aaron Fiora |
(StK) |
||||||
HEAT 2 |
|
6th |
Tyson Goldsack |
(Coll) |
||||
SCRATCH: |
7th |
Robert Copeland |
(Bris) |
|||||
|
PORT ADELAIDE |
Nathan Krakouer |
(Q) |
|
8th |
Simon Wiggins |
(Carl) |
|
|
W. BULLDOGS |
Farren Ray |
DNQ |
|
Copeland and Krakouer |
|||
2 METRES: |
||||||||
|
ESSENDON |
Paddy Ryder |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
GEELONG |
Joel Reynolds |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
SYDNEY |
Sean Dempster |
DNQ |
|
||||
4 METRES: |
||||||||
|
MELBOURNE |
Russell Robertson |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
WEST COAST |
Will Schofield |
1st |
|
||||
6 METRES: |
||||||||
|
FREMANTLE |
Paul Haselby |
8th |
|
2008 GILLETTE FUSION - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
Run for the third and final time under a handicapping format.
HEATS |
||||
(LINE-UP FOR EACH HEAT UNKNOWN) |
||||
|
ADELAIDE |
Bernie Vince |
DNQ |
|
|
BRISBANE |
Justin Sherman |
DNQ |
|
|
CARLTON |
Simon Wiggins |
3rd in his heat |
|
|
COLLINGWOOD |
John Anthony |
DNQ |
|
|
ESSENDON |
Ricky Dyson |
DNQ |
|
|
FREMANTLE |
Garrick Ibbotson |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
GEELONG |
Nathan Djerkurra |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
HAWTHORN |
Zac Dawson |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
MELBOURNE |
Stefan Martin |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
NORTH MELBOURNE |
Shannon Watt |
DNQ |
|
|
PORT ADELAIDE |
Tom Logan |
4th in Heat 1 |
|
|
RICHMOND |
Matthew White |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
ST KILDA |
Leigh Montagna |
DNQ |
|
|
SYDNEY |
Jarryd McVeigh |
Last in his heat |
|
|
WEST COAST |
Mark Seaby |
DNQ |
|
|
W. BULLDOGS |
Jason Akermanis |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
|
2009 GILLETTE FUSION - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
AFL expansion team, the Gold Coast Suns, participated for the first time. This meant the first heat had 9 runners and the second heat had 8 runners. The top four from each heat advanced to the final.
HEAT 1 |
||||||||
|
ADELAIDE |
Andy Otten |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
BRISBANE |
Tom Rockliff |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
CARLTON |
Andrew Walker |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Brad Dick |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
ESSENDON |
Paddy Ryder |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
FREMANTLE |
Stephen Hill |
(Q) |
|
FINAL |
|||
|
GEELONG |
Taylor Hunt |
DNQ |
|
1st |
Rhys Stanley |
(StK) |
|
|
GOLD COAST |
Tom McKenzie |
(Q) |
|
2nd |
Trent McKenzie |
(GC) |
|
|
HAWTHORN |
Liam Shiels |
DNQ |
|
3rd |
Wade Thompson |
(Port) |
|
4th |
Stephen Hill |
(Frem) |
||||||
HEAT 2 |
5th |
Paddy Ryder |
(Ess) |
|||||
|
MELBOURNE |
Colin Sylvia |
DNQ |
|
6th |
Alex Rance |
(Rich) |
|
|
NORTH MELB. |
Warren Benjamin |
DNQ |
|
7th |
Brad Dick |
(Coll) |
|
|
PORT ADELAIDE |
Wade Thompson |
(Q) |
|
8th |
Mike Pyke |
(Syd) |
|
|
RICHMOND |
Alex Rance |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
ST KILDA |
Rhys Stanley |
1st |
|
||||
|
SYDNEY |
Mike Pyke |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
WEST COAST |
Nic Naitanui |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
W. BULLDOGS |
Liam Picken |
DNQ |
|
2010 GILLETTE FUSION - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
Greater Western Sydney participated for the first time, expanding the field to 18 runners (nine per heat).
The first four in each heat automatically qualified, along with the fastest runner outside the top four.
HEAT 1 |
||||||||
|
ADELAIDE |
Richard Douglas |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Ryan Cook |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
ESSENDON |
Jake Melksham |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
GEELONG |
Daniel Menzel |
1st |
|
||||
|
GOLD COAST |
Trent McKenzie |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
HAWTHORN |
Ben Stratton |
DNQ |
|
FINAL |
|||
|
MELBOURNE |
Jack Watts |
DNQ |
|
1st |
Luke Miles |
(StK) |
|
|
SYDNEY |
Lewis Jetta |
2nd |
|
2nd |
Tim Golds |
(GWS) |
|
|
WEST COAST |
Dean Cox |
last |
|
3rd |
Lewis Jetta |
(Syd) |
|
4th |
Trent McKenzie |
(GC) |
||||||
HEAT 2 |
5th |
Daniel Menzel |
(Geel) |
|||||
|
BRISBANE |
Jack Redden |
(Q) |
|
6th |
Garrick Ibbotson |
(Frem) |
|
|
CARLTON |
Marc Murphy |
last |
|
7th |
Richard Douglas |
(Adel) |
|
|
FREMANTLE |
Garrick Ibbotson** |
(Q) |
|
8th |
Jack Redden |
(Bris) |
|
|
GWS |
Tim Golds |
(Q) |
|
9th |
Ben Nason |
(Rich) |
|
|
NORTH MELB. |
Liam Anthony |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
PORT ADELAIDE |
Danyle Pearce |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
RICHMOND |
Ben Nason |
4th |
|
||||
|
ST KILDA |
Luke Miles* |
1st |
|
||||
|
W. BULLDOGS |
Liam Picken** |
3rd |
|
(Stanley was withdrawn after being named as an emergency for the Saints' Grand Final team).
**Liam Picken (Western Bulldogs) qualified for the final but injured his hamstring and was unable to run in the final. He was replaced by Fremantle's Garrick Ibbotson (who had finished 6th in Heat 2).
|
|
2011 GILLETTE FUSION PROGLIDE - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
HEATS |
||||
(LINE-UP FOR EACH HEAT UNKNOWN) |
||||
|
ADELAIDE |
Patrick Dangerfield |
HEAT 1 WINNER |
|
|
BRISBANE |
Daniel Rich |
5th in Heat 2 |
|
|
CARLTON |
unknown |
DNQ |
|
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Luke Rounds |
2nd in his heat |
|
|
ESSENDON |
Jake Melksham |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
FREMANTLE |
Josh Mellington |
DNQ |
|
|
GEELONG |
Dawson Simpson |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
GOLD COAST |
Joel Wilkinson |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
GWS |
Tim Golds |
HEAT 2 WINNER |
|
|
HAWTHORN |
Jordan Williams |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
MELBOURNE |
Sam Blease* |
Did not run (BBQ!) |
|
|
NORTH MELBOURNE |
Scott McMahon |
DNQ |
|
|
PORT ADELAIDE |
Danyle Pearce |
DNQ |
|
|
RICHMOND |
Ben Nason |
DNQ |
|
|
ST KILDA |
Jason Blake |
DNQ |
|
|
SYDNEY |
Lewis Jetta |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
WEST COAST |
Jacob Brennan |
Qualified for the final |
|
|
W. BULLDOGS |
Jarrad Grant |
DNQ |
|
|
|
2012 GILLETTE FUSION PROGLIDE - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
Patrick Dangerfield won his second Grand Final Sprint, joining Geoff Ablett (1979-80-81, 85) and James Walker (2003-04) as the only multiple winners of the race.
Due to a musical performance, the sprint final was held before the Grand Final instead of at half-time.
HEAT 1 |
||||||||
|
CARLTON |
Kane Lucas |
4th |
|
||||
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Paul Seedsman |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
FREMANTLE |
Tendai Mzungu |
5th |
|
||||
|
GWS |
Thomas Bugg |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
MELBOURNE |
Lynden Dunn |
6th |
|
||||
|
NORTH MELB. |
Shaun Atley |
2nd |
|
||||
|
ST KILDA |
David Armitage |
last |
|
FINAL |
|||
|
SYDNEY |
Harry Cunningham |
1st |
|
1st |
Patrick Dangerfield |
(Adel) |
|
|
WEST COAST |
Ashley Smith |
3rd |
|
2nd |
Harry Cunningham |
(Syd) |
|
3rd |
Angus Litherland |
(Haw) |
||||||
HEAT 2 |
4th |
Shaun Atley |
(NM) |
|||||
|
ADELAIDE |
Patrick Dangerfield |
1st |
|
5th |
Ashley Smith |
(WCE) |
|
|
BRISBANE |
Ben Hudson |
last |
|
6th |
Kane Lucas |
(Carl) |
|
|
ESSENDON |
Stewart Crameri |
3rd |
|
7th |
Stewart Crameri |
(Ess) |
|
|
GEELONG |
Billie Smedts |
7th |
|
8th |
Campbell Brown |
(GC) |
|
|
GOLD COAST |
Campbell Brown |
4th |
|
||||
|
HAWTHORN |
Angus Litherland |
2nd |
|
||||
|
PORT ADELAIDE |
Aaron Young |
8th |
|
||||
|
RICHMOND |
Chris Newman |
6th |
|
||||
|
W. BULLDOGS |
Liam Picken |
5th |
|
|
|
2013 GILLETTE FUSION PROGLIDE - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
Patrick Dangerfield won his third consecutive Grand Final Sprint, joining Geoff Ablett (1979-80-81, 85) as the only player to win three or more sprint titles.
The sprint final was again held before the Grand Final instead of at half-time.
HEAT 1 |
||||||||
|
ADELAIDE |
Patrick Dangerfield |
1st |
|
||||
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Paul Seedsman |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
GEELONG |
Jordan Murdoch |
2nd |
|
||||
|
GOLD COAST |
Campbell Brown |
4th |
|
||||
|
HAWTHORN |
Angus Litherland |
3rd |
|
||||
|
MELBOURNE |
Neville Jetta |
last |
|
FINAL |
|||
|
NORTH MELB. |
Kieran Harper |
DNQ |
|
1st |
Patrick Dangerfield |
(Adel) |
|
|
WEST COAST |
Jamie Bennell |
5th |
|
2nd |
Angus Litherland |
(Haw) |
|
|
W. BULLDOGS |
Jackson Macrae |
DNQ |
|
3rd |
Jordan Murdoch |
(Geel) |
|
4th |
Richard Newell |
(Bris) |
||||||
HEAT 2 |
5th |
Chris Yarran |
(Carl) |
|||||
|
BRISBANE |
Richard Newell |
2nd |
|
6th |
Gary Rohan* |
(Syd) |
|
|
CARLTON |
Chris Yarran |
4th |
|
7th |
Todd Elton |
(Rich) |
|
|
ESSENDON |
Paddy Ryder |
DNQ |
|
8th |
Jamie Bennell |
(WCE) |
|
|
FREMANTLE |
Alex Forster |
DNQ |
|
9th |
Campbell Brown |
(GC) |
|
|
GWS |
Dom Tyson |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
PORT ADELAIDE |
Angus Monfries |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
RICHMOND |
Todd Elton |
3rd |
|
||||
|
ST KILDA |
Leigh Montagna |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
SYDNEY |
Gary Rohan* |
1st |
|
After winning his heat Rohan was expected to challenge Dangerfield in the final. However, he was injured during the opening stages and dropped back through the field, finishing in 6th place.
2014 13CABS - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
After being held pre-match the previous two years, the sprint final returned to its traditional timeslot of half-time in the AFL Grand Final.
HEAT 1 |
||||||||
|
ADELAIDE |
Brodie Smith |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Ben Kennedy |
6th |
|
||||
|
GEELONG |
Jordan Murdoch |
1st |
|
||||
|
GOLD COAST |
Jarrad Ellis |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
GWS |
Adam Tomlinson |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
HAWTHORN |
Billy Hartung |
(Q) |
|
FINAL |
|||
|
NORTH MELB. |
Luke McDonald |
(Q) |
|
1st |
Jordan Murdoch |
(Geel) |
|
|
WEST COAST |
Will Schofield |
DNQ |
|
2nd |
Billy Hartung |
(Haw) |
|
|
W. BULLDOGS |
Jason Tutt |
last |
|
3rd |
Jarrad Ellis |
(GC) |
|
4th |
Jayden Hunt |
(Melb) |
||||||
HEAT 2 |
5th |
Andrew Moore |
(Port) |
|||||
|
BRISBANE |
Daniel McStay |
(Q) |
|
6th |
Daniel McStay |
(Bris) |
|
|
CARLTON |
Kane Lucas |
DNQ |
|
7th |
Clint Jones |
(StK) |
|
|
ESSENDON |
Patrick Ambrose |
(Q) |
|
8th |
Patrick Ambrose |
(Ess) |
|
|
FREMANTLE |
Zac Dawson |
last |
|
9th |
Luke McDonald |
(NM) |
|
|
MELBOURNE |
Jayden Hunt |
1st |
|
||||
|
PORT ADELAIDE |
Andrew Moore |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
RICHMOND |
Bachar Houli |
8th |
|
||||
|
ST KILDA |
Clint Jones |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
SYDNEY |
Daniel Robinson |
DNQ |
|
2015 13CABS - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
The 2015 race was the first to include runners who were not VFL/AFL footballers. Naming rights sponsor 13CABS invited any of their drivers who could run 100 metres in under 15 seconds to participate in a series of sprint races held during the month prior to the AFL Grand Final.
Heats were held in Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and Newcastle with the two fastest runners in each race advancing to the Australia's Fastest Cabbie final which was held in Melbourne.
The top two in the Fastest Cabbie final (Parminder Singh and Gurdev Singh) earned the right to participate in the heats of the Grand Final Sprint. Both finished in the top five of their heats, advancing to the main race held at half-time of the AFL Grand Final.
HEAT 1 |
||||||||
|
ADELAIDE |
Charlie Cameron |
3rd |
|
||||
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Darcy Moore |
8th |
|
||||
|
GEELONG |
Darcy Lang |
9th |
|
||||
|
GOLD COAST |
Henry Schade |
4th |
|
||||
|
GWS |
Rory Lobb |
7th |
|
||||
|
HAWTHORN |
Daniel Howe* |
last |
|
||||
|
NORTH MELB. |
Majak Daw |
1st |
|
FINAL |
|||
|
WEST COAST |
Paddy Brophy |
2nd |
|
1st |
Majak Daw |
(NM) |
|
|
W. BULLDOGS |
Caleb Daniel |
6th |
|
2nd |
Charlie Cameron |
(Adel) |
|
|
13CABS |
Parminder Singh |
5th |
|
3rd |
Dean Towers |
(Syd) |
|
4th |
Paddy Brophy |
(WCE) |
||||||
HEAT 2 |
5th |
Hayden Crozier |
(Frem) |
|||||
|
BRISBANE |
Lewis Taylor |
4th |
|
6th |
Henry Schade |
(GC) |
|
|
CARLTON |
Andrejs Everitt |
5th |
|
7th |
Gurdev Singh |
(13CABS) |
|
|
ESSENDON |
Elliott Kavanagh |
8th |
|
8th |
Lewis Taylor |
(Bris) |
|
|
FREMANTLE |
Hayden Krozier |
3rd |
|
9th |
Parminder Singh |
(13CABS) |
|
|
MELBOURNE |
Jay Kennedy-Harris |
7th |
|
10th |
Andrejs Everitt |
(Carl) |
|
|
PORT ADELAIDE |
Brad Ebert |
9th |
|
||||
|
RICHMOND |
Anthony Miles |
6th |
|
||||
|
ST KILDA |
Leigh Montagna |
last |
|
||||
|
SYDNEY |
Dean Towers |
1st |
|
||||
|
13CABS |
Gurdev Singh |
2nd |
|
|
|
2016 13CABS - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
The Grand Final Sprint again featured two runners from outside the AFL. However, only one cab driver from 13CABS participated (Harvinder Singh).
The other spot went to the fastest suburban club footballer (James Shirley from the Murrumbeena Football Netball Club) who qualified for the heats by winning a sprint race at the E.J. Whitten Legends match (see the base of this page for the names of all suburban runners in that race).
As with the 2015 race both non-AFL runners qualified for the final but this time Shirley became the first non-AFL participant to win the sprint.
HEAT 1 |
||||||||
|
ADELAIDE |
Brodie Smith |
9th |
|
||||
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Jordan De Goey |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
ESSENDON |
A. McDonald-Tipingwuti |
3rd |
|
||||
|
GEELONG |
Jed Bews |
1st |
|
||||
|
GOLD COAST |
Brandon Matera |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
GWS |
Stephen Coniglio |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
HAWTHORN |
Billy Hartung |
DNQ |
|
FINAL |
|||
|
NORTH MELB. |
Majak Daw |
2nd |
|
1st |
James Shirley |
(MFNC) |
|
|
W. BULLDOGS |
Brad Lynch |
(Q) |
|
2nd |
Jed Bews** |
(Geel) |
|
|
13CABS |
Harvinder Singh |
(Q) |
|
3rd |
Majak Daw |
(NM) |
|
4th |
James Rose |
(Syd) |
||||||
HEAT 2 |
5th |
Darcy Tucker |
(Frem) |
|||||
|
BRISBANE |
Mitch Robinson |
DNQ |
|
6th |
A.
McDonald-Tipingwuti |
(Ess) |
|
|
CARLTON |
Liam Sumner |
(Q) |
|
7th |
Liam Sumner |
(Carl) |
|
|
FREMANTLE |
Darcy Tucker |
(Q) |
|
8th |
Brad Lynch |
(WB) |
|
|
MELBOURNE |
Clayton Oliver |
last |
|
9th |
Bailey Rice |
(StK) |
|
|
PORT ADELAIDE |
Karl Amon |
DNQ |
|
10th |
Harvinder Singh |
(13CABS) |
|
|
RICHMOND |
Alex Rance |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
ST KILDA |
Bailey Rice* |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
SYDNEY |
James Rose |
2nd |
|
||||
|
WEST COAST |
Lewis Jetta |
9th |
|
||||
|
CLUB PLAYER |
James Shirley |
1st |
|
**some websites list Daw as finishing 2nd and Bews 3rd. However, video of the race (see above right) shows Daw easing up about three metres short of the finish after Shirley breaks away for an unassailable lead. As Daw slows down, Bews makes a final burst, just pipping him on the line for 2nd place.
CLUB FOOTBALLER FINAL |
|||||
|
NSW |
Brandon Lovric |
Camden Cats |
|
|
|
SA |
Michael Brushnahan |
Seaton |
|
|
|
SA |
Lane Whittaker |
Robe |
|
|
|
VIC |
James Shirley |
Murrumbeena |
1st |
|
|
VIC |
Aidan Debernardi |
Mornington |
|
|
13CABS FASTEST CABBIE FINAL |
|||||
|
NSW |
Sandeep Dutta |
13CABS |
|
|
|
NSW |
Parminder Singh |
13CABS |
|
|
|
SA |
Bhola Singh |
13CABS |
|
|
|
SA |
Harvinder Singh |
13CABS |
1st |
|
|
VIC |
Jasvir Aulakh |
13CABS |
|
|
|
VIC |
Kuldeep Singh |
13CABS |
|
|
2017 GATORADE - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
After the altered format of 2016-2017, a welcome return to tradition with the sprint contested only by AFL players.
HEAT 1 |
||||||||
|
ADELAIDE |
Jordan Gallucci |
2nd |
|
||||
|
BRISBANE |
Dayne Zorko |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
ESSENDON |
Kyle Langford |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
GEELONG |
Mark O'Connor |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
HAWTHORN |
Harry Morrison |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
MELBOURNE |
Jayden Hunt |
1st |
|
FINAL |
|||
|
ST KILDA |
Sam Gilbert |
DNQ |
|
1st |
Connor Menadue |
(Rich) |
|
|
WEST COAST |
Lewis Jetta |
3rd |
|
2nd |
Jarrod Pickett |
(Carl) |
|
|
W. BULLDOGS |
Matt Suckling |
4th |
|
3rd |
Josh Williams |
(NM) |
|
4th |
Jayden Hunt |
(Melb) |
||||||
HEAT 2 |
5th |
Steven May |
(GC) |
|||||
|
CARLTON |
Jarrod Pickett |
3rd |
|
6th |
Jordan Gallucci |
(Adel) |
|
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Will Hoskin-Elliott |
8th |
|
7th |
James Rose |
(Syd) |
|
|
FREMANTLE |
Tommy Sheridan |
9th |
|
8th |
Lewis Jetta |
(WCE) |
|
|
GOLD COAST |
Steven May |
5th |
|
9th |
Matt Suckling |
(WB) |
|
|
GWS |
Tim Taranto |
7th |
|
||||
|
NORTH MELB. |
Josh Williams |
1st |
|
||||
|
PORT ADELAIDE |
Jarman Impey* |
4th |
|
||||
|
RICHMOND |
Connor Menadue |
2nd |
|
||||
|
SYDNEY |
James Rose* |
6th |
|
Sydney's James Rose replaced him in the final.
|
|
2018 GATORADE - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
From June to August 2018 a series of sprint trials, known as the G100, were held in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. These heats were open to any junior footballers aged fourteen to eighteen. The fastest qualifiers progressed to the State Finals with the top two from each final advancing to the National G100 Final, run on Grand Final Day in conjunction with the heats of the AFL Grand Final Sprint.
The top two from the G100 Final (Godfrey Okerenyang and Melvin Monleh) not only ran in the final of the AFL Grand Final Sprint alongside the eight AFL players who had qualified, but also took out the top two spots in the race.
HEAT 1 |
||||||||
|
ADELAIDE |
Lachie Murphy |
3rd |
|
||||
|
GEELONG |
Jordan Murdoch |
1st |
|
||||
|
HAWTHORN |
Jarman Impey |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
MELBOURNE |
Bayley Fritsch |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
WEST COAST |
Jarrod Brander |
2nd |
|
FINAL |
|||
|
W. BULLDOGS |
Patrick Lipinski |
DNQ |
|
1st |
Godfrey Okerenyang |
(Other) |
|
HEAT 2 |
2nd |
Melvin Monleh |
(Other) |
|||||
|
CARLTON |
Cameron Polson |
(Q) |
|
3rd |
Jordan Murdoch |
(Geel) |
|
|
FREMANTLE |
Matt Taberner |
(Q) |
|
4th |
Jarrod Brander |
(WCE) |
|
|
GOLD COAST |
Touk Miller |
(Q) |
|
5th |
Ryley Stoddart |
(Syd) |
|
|
GWS |
Stephen Coniglio |
DNQ |
|
6th |
Lachie Murphy |
(Adel) |
|
|
PORT ADELAIDE |
Dan Houston |
DNQ |
|
7th |
Touk Miller |
(GC) |
|
|
RICHMOND |
Jack Higgins |
5th |
|
8th |
Matt Taberner |
(Frem) |
|
|
SYDNEY |
Ryley Stoddart |
1st |
|
9th |
Cameron Polson |
(Carl) |
|
OTHER RUNNERS (HEAT UNKNOWN) |
10th |
Bayley Fritsch |
(Melb) |
|||||
|
BRISBANE |
Eric Hipwood |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Ben Crocker |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
ESSENDON |
Kyle Langford |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
NORTH MELBOURNE |
Luke McDonald |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
ST KILDA |
Bailey Rice |
DNQ |
|
G100 FINAL |
|||||
|
ACT |
Jahrod Foley |
(Queanbeyan Tigers) |
|
|
|
NSW |
Godfrey Okerenyang |
(Coolamon Hoppers) |
1st |
|
|
QLD |
Corey Bakes |
(Maroochydoore) |
|
|
|
QLD |
Isaiah Ryder |
(Mayne Tigers) |
|
|
|
SA |
Cooper Sleightholme |
(Lockleys) |
|
|
|
SA |
Kyle Waters |
(Trinity College Old Scolars) |
|
|
|
VIC |
Jack Boulton |
(Wangaratta Kangaroos JFC) |
|
|
|
VIC |
Melvin Monleh |
(Melton South) |
2nd |
|
|
WA |
Max Bradley |
(Swan Districts) |
|
|
|
WA |
Joseph Hinder |
(Swan Districts) |
|
|
2019 ANYTIME FITNESS - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
HEAT 1 |
||||||||
|
CARLTON |
Paddy Dow |
4th |
|
||||
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Will Hoskin-Elliott |
8th |
|
||||
|
ESSENDON |
Dylan Clarke |
9th |
|
||||
|
FREMANTLE |
Andrew Brayshaw |
3rd |
|
||||
|
GOLD COAST |
Ben King |
1st |
|
FINAL |
|||
|
GWS |
Dylan Buckley |
DNQ |
|
1st |
Ben King |
(GC) |
|
|
MELBOURNE |
Sam Frost |
2nd |
|
2nd |
Sam Frost |
(Melb) |
|
|
PORT ADELAIDE |
Connor Rozee |
DNQ |
|
3rd |
Jack Tarca |
(Geel) |
|
|
SYDNEY |
James Rowbottom |
DNQ |
|
4th |
Noah Balta |
(Rich) |
|
5th |
Ed Richards |
(WB) |
||||||
HEAT 2 |
6th |
Andrew Brayshaw |
(Frem) |
|||||
|
ADELAIDE |
Jake Kelly |
8th |
|
7th |
Noah Answerth |
(Bris) |
|
|
BRISBANE |
Noah Answerth |
(Q) |
|
8th |
Paddy Dow |
(Carl) |
|
|
GEELONG |
Jack Tarca |
(Q) |
|
9th |
Nick Hind |
(StK) |
|
|
HAWTHORN |
Changkuong Jiath |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
NORTH MELB. |
Taylor Garner |
9th |
|
||||
|
RICHMOND |
Noah Balta |
1st |
|
||||
|
ST KILDA |
Nick Hind |
(Q) |
|
||||
|
WEST COAST |
Jackson Nelson |
DNQ |
|
||||
|
W. BULLDOGS |
Ed Richards |
(Q) |
|
2020 COLGATE - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on the 2020 AFL season. Interstate travel restrictions resulted in the introduction of quarantine hubs and the Grand Final was played outside of Victoria for the first time.
The Grand Final sprint field was restricted to eight clubs, with the runners residing in the Queensland quarantine hub in the lead-up to the race.
No heats were held and, for the first time, the race was run at the quarter-time break. This allowed more time for the musical performances that were scheduled for pre-match and half-time.
2020 FIELD |
||
1st |
Jordan Clark |
Geelong |
2nd |
Bradley Hill |
St Kilda |
3rd |
Xavier Duursma |
Port Adelaide |
4th |
Charlie Cameron |
Brisbane |
5th |
Bigoa Nyuon |
Richmond |
6th |
Ben Ainsworth |
Gold Coast |
7th |
Ben Keays |
Adelaide |
8th |
Josh Thomas |
Collingwood |
2021 COLGATE - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic again impacted the GF sprint. In 2020 the Grand Final was held in Queensland and only eight clubs had competed in the race due to border restrictions and quarantine hubs.
In 2021 Western Australia's strict border restrictions limited the sprint field to players from the two local clubs, West Coast and Fremantle. Each club provided four of their fastest players for the race.
As with 2020, no heats were held and the race was run at the quarter-time break. In a first, the Grand Final Sprint was run along the 50 metre arc at one end of the ground instead of in a straight line. This was a nod to Colgate's sponsorship of the event (the 50 metre arc resembling the smile in Colgate's logo).
2021 FIELD |
||
1st |
Josh Rotham |
West Coast |
2nd |
Jack Petruccelle |
West Coast |
3rd |
Liam Ryan |
West Coast |
4th |
Liam Henry |
Fremantle |
5th |
Ethan Hughes |
Fremantle |
6th |
Andrew Brayshaw |
Fremantle |
7th |
Luke Ryan |
Fremantle |
8th |
Tom Cole |
West Coast |
2022 COLGATE - AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT
The first Grand Final at the MCG in three seasons featured an expanded halftime music performance, so the sprint was moved entirely to pre-match (again!).
Colgate continued as sponsor so the race was again run along the 50 metre arc, resulting in Port Adelaide's Miles Bergman leaving his lane and stepping on a marker cone during the final, costing him a place in the top three.
Shannon Neale was the clear winner of the first heat. However, he, and the rest of the top four from the first heat, were all placed in the tighter, inside lanes for the final and subsequently finished in the bottom four placings in the final.
Richmond's Hugo Ralphsmith gave the Tigers their fifth win in the event, breaking a tie with St Kilda for the most GF Sprint wins by any club (see the GF SPRINT STATS tab above for full details).
HEAT 1 |
||||||||
|
ADELAIDE |
Sam Berry |
9th |
|
||||
|
BRISBANE |
Darcy Wilmot |
5th |
|
||||
|
CARLTON |
Matthew Cottrell |
2nd |
|
||||
|
COLLINGWOOD |
Isaac Quaynor |
3rd |
|
||||
|
ESSENDON |
Jake Kelly |
8th |
|
||||
|
FREMANTLE |
Karl Worner |
6th |
|
FINAL |
|||
|
GEELONG |
Shannon Neale |
1st |
|
1st |
Hugo Ralphsmith |
(Rich) |
|
|
GOLD COAST |
Mabior Chol |
7th |
|
2nd |
Latham Vandermeer |
(WB) |
|
|
GWS |
Leek Aleer |
4th |
|
3rd |
Bradley Hill |
(StK) |
|
4th |
Miles Bergman |
(Port) |
||||||
HEAT 2 |
5th |
Isaac Quaynor |
(Coll) |
|||||
|
HAWTHORN |
James Blanck |
8th |
|
6th |
Shannon Neale |
(Geel) |
|
|
MELBOURNE |
James Harmes* |
9th |
|
7th |
Matthew Cottrell |
(Carl) |
|
|
NORTH MELB. |
Luke McDonald |
7th |
|
8th |
Leek Aleer |
(GWS) |
|
|
PORT ADELAIDE |
Miles Bergman |
3rd |
|
||||
|
RICHMOND |
Hugo Ralphsmith |
2nd |
|
||||
|
ST KILDA |
Bradley Hill |
1st |
|
||||
|
SYDNEY |
Corey Warner |
5th |
|
||||
|
WEST COAST |
Patrick Naish |
6th |
|
||||
|
W.BULLDOGS |
Latham Vandermeer |
4th |
|
GRAND FINAL SPRINT / MILE - STATISTICS
MOST WINS (INDIVIDUAL)
WINS |
PLAYER |
YEAR |
NOTES |
4 |
Geoff Ablett (Haw/Rich/StK) |
1979 |
Played for Hawthorn |
1980 |
Played for Hawthorn |
||
1981 |
Played for Hawthorn |
||
1985 |
Played for St Kilda |
||
3 |
Patrick Dangerfield (Adel) |
2011 |
- |
2012 |
- |
||
2013 |
- |
||
2 |
James Walker (Frem) |
2003 |
- |
2004 |
- |
||
1 |
Andy Wilson (Ess) |
1977 |
Grand Final Mile |
Doug Booth (StK) |
1978 |
Grand Final Mile |
|
Mick Conlan (Fitz) |
1982 |
- |
|
Frank Marchesani (Carl) |
1983 |
- |
|
Doug Cox (Ess) |
1984 |
- |
|
Russell Richards (Melb) |
1987 |
- |
|
Marcus Seecamp (Melb) |
1996 |
Lightning Premiership Sprint |
|
Jared Crouch (Syd) |
2002 |
- |
|
Brett Deledio (Rich) |
2005 |
- |
|
Brendan Fevola (Carl) |
2006 |
- |
|
Jake King (Rich) |
2007 |
- |
|
Matthew White (Rich) |
2008 |
- |
|
Rhys Stanley (StK) |
2009 |
- |
|
Luke Miles (StK) |
2010 |
- |
|
Jordan Murdoch (Geel) |
2014 |
- |
|
Majak Daw (NM) |
2015 |
- |
|
James Shirley (Murrumbeena) |
2016 |
- |
|
Connor Menadue (Rich) |
2017 |
- |
|
Godfrey Okerenyang (Coolamon) |
2018 |
- |
|
Ben King (GC) |
2019 |
- |
|
Jordan Clark (Geel) |
2020 |
- |
|
Josh Rotham (WCE) |
2021 |
- |
|
Hugo Ralphsmith (Rich) |
2022 |
- |
MOST WINS (BY CLUB)
WINS |
YEAR |
PLAYER |
NOTES |
5 |
RICHMOND |
||
2005 |
Brett Deledio |
- |
|
2007 |
Jake King |
- |
|
2008 |
Matthew White |
- |
|
2017 |
Connor Menadue |
- |
|
2022 |
Hugo Ralphsmith |
- |
|
4 |
ST KILDA |
||
1978 |
Doug Booth |
Grand Final Mile |
|
1985 |
Geoff Ablett |
- |
|
2009 |
Rhys Stanley |
- |
|
2010 |
Luke Miles |
- |
|
3 |
HAWTHORN |
||
1979 |
Geoff Ablett |
- |
|
1980 |
Geoff Ablett |
- |
|
1981 |
Geoff Ablett |
- |
|
ADELAIDE CROWS |
|||
2011 |
Patrick Dangerfield |
- |
|
2012 |
Patrick Dangerfield |
- |
|
2013 |
Patrick Dangerfield |
- |
|
2 |
ESSENDON |
||
1977 |
Andy Wilson |
Grand Final Mile |
|
1984 |
Doug Cox |
- |
|
CARLTON |
|||
1983 |
Frank Marchesani |
- |
|
2006 |
Brendan Fevola |
- |
|
FREMANTLE |
|||
2003 |
James Walker |
- |
|
2004 |
James Walker |
- |
|
GEELONG |
|||
2014 |
Jordan Murdoch |
- |
|
2020 |
Jordan Clark |
- |
|
NON-AFL |
|||
2016 |
James Shirley |
Murrumbeena FNC |
|
2018 |
Godfrey Okerenyang |
Coolamon Hoppers FC |
|
1 |
FITZROY LIONS |
||
1982 |
Mick Conlan |
- |
|
MELBOURNE |
|||
1987 |
Russell Richards |
- |
|
1996 |
Marcus Seecamp |
Lightning Premiership Sprint |
|
SYDNEY (SOUTH MELBOURNE) |
|||
2002 |
Jared Crouch |
- |
|
NORTH MELBOURNE |
|||
2015 |
Majak Daw |
- |
|
GOLD COAST |
|||
2019 |
Ben King |
- |
|
WEST COAST |
|||
2021 |
Josh Rotham |
- |
|
YET TO WIN |
BRISBANE LIONS |
||
COLLINGWOOD |
|||
GWS GIANTS |
|||
PORT ADELAIDE |
|||
WESTERN BULLDOGS (FOOTSCRAY) |
MOST TOP 3 FINISHES
TOP 3 FINISHES |
PLAYER |
YEAR |
PLACE |
NOTES |
5 |
Geoff Ablett (Haw/Rich/StK) |
1979 |
Winner |
Played for Hawthorn |
1980 |
Winner |
Hawthorn |
||
1981 |
Winner |
Hawthorn |
||
1984 |
2nd |
Richmond |
||
1985 |
Winner |
St Kilda |
||
3 |
Frank Marchesani (Fitz/Carl) |
1980 |
2nd |
Fitzroy |
1982 |
2nd |
Carlton |
||
1983 |
Winner |
Carlton |
||
Doug Cox (StK/Ess) |
1981 |
2nd |
St Kilda |
|
1982 |
3rd |
St Kilda |
||
1984 |
Winner |
Essendon |
||
Russell Richards (Melb) |
1984 |
3rd |
|
|
1985 |
3rd |
|
||
1987 |
Winner |
|
||
Patrick Dangerfield (Adel) |
2011 |
Winner |
|
|
2012 |
Winner |
|
||
2013 |
Winner |
|
||
Jordan Murdoch (Geel) |
2013 |
3rd |
|
|
2014 |
Winner |
|
||
2018 |
3rd |
|
||
2 |
Shane Heard (Ess) |
1978 |
3rd |
Grand Final Mile |
1979 |
3rd |
|
||
Mick Conlan (Fitz) |
1979 |
2nd |
|
|
1982 |
Winner |
|
||
Jared Crouch (Syd) |
2002 |
Winner |
|
|
2003 |
2nd |
|
||
James Walker (Frem) |
2003 |
Winner |
|
|
2004 |
Winner |
|
||
Tim Golds (GWS) |
2010 |
2nd |
|
|
2011 |
2nd |
|
||
Lewis Jetta (Syd) |
2010 |
3rd |
|
|
2011 |
3rd |
|
||
Angus Litherland (Haw) |
2012 |
3rd |
|
|
2013 |
2nd |
|
||
Majak Daw (NM) |
2015 |
Winner |
|
|
2016 |
3rd |
|
||
Bradley Hill (StK) |
2020 |
2nd |
|
|
2022 |
3rd |
|
||
1 |
Andy Wilson (Ess) |
1977 |
Winner |
Grand Final Mile |
Rodney Hughes (StK) |
1977 |
2nd |
Grand Final Mile |
|
David Clarke (Geel) |
1977 |
3rd |
Grand Final Mile |
|
Doug Booth (StK) |
1978 |
Winner |
Grand Final Mile |
|
Garry Cooke (Melb) |
1978 |
2nd |
Grand Final Mile |
|
Tony Elshaug (Melb) |
1981 |
3rd |
|
|
David Palm (Rich) |
1983 |
2nd |
|
|
Daryl Cunningham (StK) |
1983 |
3rd |
|
|
Michael Kol (Geel) |
1985 |
2nd |
|
|
Marcus Seecamp (Melb) |
1996 |
Winner |
Lightning Prem. Sprint |
|
Austinn Jones (StK) |
1996 |
2nd |
Lightning Prem. Sprint |
|
Anthony McGregor (Fitz) |
1996 |
3rd |
Lightning Prem. Sprint |
|
Adam Chatfield
(Geel) |
2002 |
2nd |
|
|
Jordan McMahon (WB) |
2002 |
3rd |
|
|
Damian Cupido (Ess) |
2003 |
3rd |
|
|
Michael Stevens (NM) |
2004 |
2nd |
|
|
Luke Jericho (Adel) |
2004 |
3rd |
|
|
Brett Deledio (Rich) |
2005 |
Winner |
|
|
Daniel Bell (Melb) |
2005 |
2nd |
|
|
Shannon Byrnes
(Geel) |
2005 |
3rd |
|
|
Brendan Fevola (Carl) |
2006 |
Winner |
|
|
Jason Winderlich (Ess) |
2006 |
2nd |
|
|
Nathan Foley (Rich) |
2006 |
3rd |
|
|
Jake King (Rich) |
2007 |
Winner |
|
|
Nathan Krakouer (Port) |
2007 |
2nd |
|
|
Will Schofield (WCE) |
2007 |
3rd |
|
|
Matthew White (Rich) |
2008 |
Winner |
|
|
Stefan Martin (Melb) |
2008 |
2nd |
|
|
Nathan Djerkurra (Geel) |
2008 |
3rd |
|
|
Rhys Stanley (StK) |
2009 |
Winner |
|
|
Trent McKenzie (GC) |
2009 |
2nd |
|
|
Wade Thompson
(Port) |
2009 |
3rd |
|
|
Luke Miles (StK) |
2010 |
Winner |
|
|
Harry Cunningham (Syd) |
2012 |
2nd |
|
|
Billy Hartung (Haw) |
2014 |
2nd |
|
|
Jarrad Ellis (GC) |
2014 |
3rd |
|
|
Majak Daw (NM) |
2015 |
Winner |
|
|
Charlie Cameron
(Adel) |
2015 |
2nd |
|
|
Dean Towers (Syd) |
2015 |
3rd |
|
|
James Shirley (Murrumbeena) |
2016 |
Winner |
|
|
Jed Bews (Geel) |
2016 |
2nd |
|
|
Connor Menadue (Rich) |
2017 |
Winner |
|
|
Jarrod Pickett
(Carl) |
2017 |
2nd |
|
|
Josh Williams (NM) |
2017 |
3rd |
|
|
Godfrey Okerenyang (Coolamon) |
2018 |
Winner |
|
|
Melvin Monleh (Melton South)
|
2018 |
2nd |
|
|
Ben King (GC) |
2019 |
Winner |
|
|
Sam Frost (Melb) |
2019 |
2nd |
|
|
Jack Tarca (Geel) |
2019 |
3rd |
|
|
Jordan Clark (Geel) |
2020 |
Winner |
|
|
Xavier Duursma (Port) |
2020 |
3rd |
|
|
Josh Rotham (WCE) |
2021 |
Winner |
|
|
Jack Petruccelle (WCE) |
2021 |
2nd |
|
|
Liam Ryan (WCE) |
2021 |
3rd |
|
|
Hugo Ralphsmith (Rich) |
2022 |
Winner |
|
|
Latham Vandermeer (WB) |
2022 |
2nd |
|
WINNING TIMES
YEAR |
WINNER |
TIME |
VFL GRAND FINAL MILE |
||
1977 |
Andy Wilson (Ess) |
4:41 |
1978 |
Doug Booth (StK) |
4:31 |
VFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT (1979-87) |
||
1979 |
Geoff Ablett (Haw) |
|
1980 |
Geoff Ablett (Haw) |
|
1981 |
Geoff Ablett (Haw) |
|
1982 |
Mick Conlan (Fitz) |
|
1983 |
Frank Marchesani (Carl) |
|
1984 |
Doug Cox (Ess) |
|
1985 |
Geoff Ablett (StK) |
11.33 |
1987 |
Russell Richards (Melb) |
|
AFL LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP SPRINT
(1996) |
||
1996 |
Marcus Seecamp (Melb) |
11.18 |
AFL GRAND FINAL SPRINT (2002-) |
||
2002 |
Jared Crouch (Syd) |
|
2003 |
James Walker (Frem) |
11.18 |
2004 |
James Walker (Frem) |
|
2005 |
Brett Deledio (Rich) |
11.3 |
2006 |
Brendan Fevola (Carl) |
|
2007 |
Jake King (Rich) |
11.5 |
2008 |
Matthew White (Rich) |
11:08 |
2009 |
Rhys Stanley (StK) |
|
2010 |
Luke Miles (StK) |
|
2011 |
Patrick Dangerfield (Adel) |
|
2012 |
Patrick Dangerfield (Adel) |
10.84 |
2013 |
Patrick Dangerfield (Adel) |
|
2014 |
Jordan Murdoch (Geel) |
11:67 |
2015 |
Majak Daw (NM) |
11:16 |
2016 |
James Shirley (Murrumbeena) |
11:47 |
2017 |
Connor Menadue (Rich) |
11.39 |
2018 |
Godfrey Okerenyang (Coolamon) |
|
2019 |
Ben King (GC) |
11:62 |
2020 |
Jordan Clark (Geel) |
10.84 |
2021 |
Josh Rotham (WCE) |
10.90* |
2022 |
Hugo Ralphsmith (Rich) |
10.56* |
Rotham's time was quicker than usual because he cut across two inside lanes on his way to the finish line.
Likewise, Ralphsmith's time was quicker than usual due to the layout of the course.
GRAND FINAL SPRINT / MILE - NAMING RIGHTS SPONSORS
|
YEAR |
|
NAMING RIGHTS SPONSOR |
|
1977 |
|
(no sponsor - prizemoney provided by the VFL) |
|
1978-79 |
|
Avis |
|
1980 |
|
Moulinex "Fastest Man in Football" |
|
1981-82 |
|
World of Sport |
|
1983-85 |
|
HSV7 |
|
1987 |
|
unknown |
|
1996 (LP) |
|
(no sponsor) |
|
2002 |
|
Nintendo GameCube |
|
2003 |
|
Powerade |
|
2004 |
|
Gillette Mach 3 Turbo Champion |
|
2005 |
|
Gillette M3 Power |
|
2006 |
|
Gillette M3 Power Nitro |
|
2007 |
|
Gillette Champions |
|
2008-10 |
|
Gillette Fusion |
|
2011-13 |
|
Gillette Fusion ProGlide |
|
2014-16 |
|
13CABS |
|
2017-18 |
|
Gatorade |
|
2019 |
|
Anytime Fitness |
|
2020- |
|
Colgate |
1996 (LP) = 1996 Lightning
Premiership Sprint |
1996 LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP SPRINT
As part of the festivities a players' sprint race was held; the first since the 1987 VFL Grand Final. Heats were run before the semi-final matches (on Sunday afternoon) and the sprint final took place prior to the Lightning Premiership Grand Final (on Sunday night).
In true "Arctic Park" style, the entire event was plagued by gale force winds and icy rain. Such weather may well have been a factor in Melbourne's Marcus Seecamp - never known as a speedster during his AFL career - claiming the sprint title.
No mention of the participating players appeared in the official matchday programme or Melbourne's daily papers in the lead up to the event, and the only report in the days after briefly mentions Seecamp's surprising victory.
The photo below reveals Glenn Archer (North Melbourne) and Nathan Bower (Richmond) also took part but all other details remain a mystery.
AFLW GRAND FINAL SPRINT
2021 AFLW SPRINT FIELD |
||
1st |
Ruby Svarc |
Brisbane |
2nd |
Tyanna Smith |
St Kilda |
3rd |
Katelyn Pope |
West Coast |
4th |
Eden Zanker |
Melbourne |
5th |
Aliesha Newman |
Collingwood |
6th |
Haneen Zreika |
GWS |
7th |
Kaitlyn Ashmore |
North Melbourne |
Heats |
Hannah Munyard |
Adelaide |
Heats |
Jess Hosking |
Carlton |
Heats |
Ebony Antonio |
Fremantle |
Heats |
Becky Webster |
Geelong |
Heats |
Kalinda Howarth |
Gold Coast |
Heats |
Maddy Brancatisano |
Richmond |
Heats |
Brooke Lochland |
W. Bulldogs |
SOURCES
Information on this page has been sourced from official lists, previews, reports, and articles located in/on the:
- newspaper archives at the State Library of Victoria
- newspaper websites and digital archives
- Football Record/AFL Record
- AFL website
- club websites
- calls/emails to club media departments (2005-present) in years when no official list of players was released.
- YouTube/Facebook/Twitter posts and videos
Be wary of information found in online forums, most of which is pure speculation about who was competing for any given club.
Note also that there is a lot of misinformation online about the 2010/2011 Grand Final Sprint line-ups.
This was due to a website re-publishing the 2010 field and labelling it as the 2011 field. The site has since fixed the error but that incorrect information continues to be quoted in various forums.
MISSING INFORMATION
After exhaustive research some gaps still remain, can you help?
PLACINGS:
- 1980 - 3rd
- 1987 - 2nd & 3rd
RUNNERS - players from the following teams are yet to be determined:
- 1987 - North Melbourne / Sydney
- 1996 - Adelaide / Brisbane / Collingwood / Essendon / Fremantle / Geelong / Hawthorn / Sydney / West Coast (LP Sprint)
- 2004 - Hawthorn
- 2006 - West Coast
- 2011 - Carlton
HEATS - the line-ups for each of the heats in:
- 1996 (Lightning Premiership Sprint held Feb.11)
- 2003
- 2004
- 2006
- 2008
- 2011
- 2018
RACE FOOTAGE:
- 1977-78 (VFL Grand Final Mile)
- 1979
- 1980
- 1982
- 1987
- 2003
- 2004
- 2006
- 2007
- 2010
- 2013
NAMING RIGHTS SPONSOR:
- 1987
Please contact us if you can help source any of the above information.
Written and researched by David Eastman and Matt Gibbs
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First published: 26/9/2014
Last updated: 11/10/2022 |