NIGHT SERIES / PRE-SEASON CUP:

RECORDS & STATISTICS

The series has been played over three distinct eras:
1956-1971 - Consolation series played annually in September/October by the 8 teams that missed the VFL finals
1977-1987 - Night Series (VFL 1977-78 / AFC  1979-86 / VFL 1987)
1988-2013 - Pre-Season Cup
Statistical records from all three eras are officially combined (including the AFC series from 1979-86 which, although dominated on-field and in the board room by the VFL, was actually run independently of the VFL). 

The following information can be found in this article:

GAMES / GOALS
  • Most games
  • Most goals
  • Most goals (match)
  • Most goals (series)
  • Series leading goalkickers
WINS / LOSSES
  • Overall W/L records
  • Biggest wins
  • Smallest wins
  • Extra-time and drawn games
  • Biggest comebacks
SCORES
  • Highest/lowest scores
  • Lowest scores (1/2 & 3/4 time)
  • Highest scoring quarters
  • Scoreless quarters
  • Most inaccurate scores/quarters

MOST NIGHT SERIES / PRE-SEASON CUP GAMES (1956-2013)

GAMES

PLAYER

CLUB

45

John Blakey

Fitzroy / North Melbourne

44

Brent Harvey

North Melbourne

36

Glenn Archer

North Melbourne

Corey Enright

Geelong

35

Darren Milburn

Geelong

34

Dustin Fletcher

Essendon

Mick Martyn

North Melbourne

Robert Scott

Geelong / North Melbourne

Anthony Stevens

North Melbourne

33

Shannon Grant

Sydney / North Melbourne

James Kelly

Geelong

Stephen Milne

St Kilda

Adam Simpson

North Melbourne

Nick Stevens

Port Adelaide / Carlton

32

Tyson Edwards

Adelaide

Chris Langford

Hawthorn

Nigel Smart

Adelaide

 

MOST GAMES (1956-1971)

GAMES

PLAYER

CLUB

23

Graham Arthur

Hawthorn

John Dugdale

North Melbourne

20

John Peck

Hawthorn

19

George Bissett

Footscray

18

Laurie Dwyer

North Melbourne

Bob Skilton

South Melbourne

17

John Nicholls

Carlton

Kevin Murray

Fitzroy

Noel Teasdale

North Melbourne

Bernie McCarthy

North Melbourne

MOST FOR OTHER CLUBS NOT NAMED ABOVE

16

Roger Dean

Richmond

14

Frank Davis

Melbourne

11

Bill Goggin

Geelong

Doug Long

Colin Rice

9

Alan Morrow

St Kilda

7

Don McKenzie

Essendon

6

John Henderson

Collingwood

David Norman

Kevin Rose

Source: League Football in Victoria (1972 edition)

 

MOST NIGHT SERIES / PRE-SEASON CUP GOALS

MOST NIGHT SERIES / PRE-SEASON CUP GOALS (1956-2013)

GOALS

PLAYER

CLUB

GAMES

AVG.

120*

Jason Dunstall

Queensland/Hawthorn

30*

4.00

99

Brendan Fevola

Carlton/Brisbane

27

3.66

96

Wayne Carey

North Melb./Adelaide

36

2.66

70

Peter Hudson

Hawthorn/Tasmania

15

4.66

Stewart Loewe

St Kilda

29

2.41

65

Tony Modra

Adelaide/Fremantle

20

3.25

60

Matthew Lloyd

Essendon

24

2.50

59*

Tony Lockett

St Kilda/Sydney

19*

3.10

54

Dermott Brereton

Hawthorn

23

2.34

Stephen Milne

St Kilda

33

1.63

53

Jeff Farmer

Melbourne/Fremantle

25

2.12

49

John Dugdale

North Melbourne

23

2.13

Leigh Matthews

Hawthorn

17

2.88

MOST DURING THE 1956-71 ERA

GOALS

PLAYER

CLUB

GAMES

AVG.

49

John Dugdale

North Melbourne

23

2.13

45

Peter Hudson

Hawthorn

9

5.00

44

John Peck

Hawthorn

20

2.20

34

George Bissett

Footscray

19

1.78

 

*AFL records have Dunstall on 116 from 29 games (missing 4 for Queensland vs St Kilda in 1985)
*AFL records have Lockett on 55 from 17 games - missing goals vs Queensland in 1984 (1) and 1985 (3)

MOST GOALS IN A MATCH (7+)

MOST NIGHT SERIES / PRE-SEASON CUP GOALS IN A MATCH

GOALS

PLAYER

CLUB

YEAR

OPPONENT

12

Brendan Fevola

Carlton

2000 (R2)

Collingwood

10

Peter Schofield

North Melbourne

1959 (R1)

South Melb. (Sydney)

Peter McKenna

Collingwood

1968 (R1)

Fitzroy

Michael Roach*

Richmond

1982 (QF)

Swan Districts

Matthew Lloyd

Essendon

1998 (R1)

Hawthorn

9

Michael Roach

Richmond

1980 (R2)

New South Wales

Jason Dunstall

Hawthorn

1992 (R1)

Richmond

Stewart Loewe

St Kilda

1995 (R1)

Fremantle

Tony Lockett

Sydney

1995 (QF)

Footscray (WB)

Wayne Carey

North Melbourne

2000 (SF)

Carlton

Kent Kingsley

Geelong

2006 (R1)

Carlton

8

Peter Hudson**

Hawthorn

1968 (GF)

North Melbourne

Peter Hudson

Hawthorn

1969 (SF)

Fitzroy

Ian Morrison

Footscray (WB)

1979 (R1)

Tasmania

Roger Luders

West Adelaide

1981 (R1)

Norwood

Greg Burns

St Kilda

1985 (Q)

Queensland

Shane Halas

Fitzroy

1985 (R1)

Swan Districts

Jason Dunstall

Hawthorn

1986 (SF)

North Adelaide

Nick Walsh

Essendon

1987 (SF)

West Coast

Bill Brownless

Geelong

1992 (QF)

West Coast

Paul Salmon

Essendon

1993 (QF)

Adelaide

Matthew Richardson

Richmond

1994 (R1)

St Kilda

Jason Dunstall

Hawthorn

1994 (QF)

Sydney

Tony Lockett

Sydney

1995 (SF)

Adelaide

Tony Modra

Adelaide

1995 (SF)

Sydney

Stewart Loewe

St Kilda

1996 (R1)

Hawthorn

Tony Lockett

Sydney

1996 (R1)

North Melbourne

 

Wayne Carey

North Melbourne

2000 (R2)

Sydney

 

Brendan Fevola

Carlton

2004 (R1)

Sydney

 

Brendan Fevola**

Carlton

2005 (GF)

West Coast

 

Brendan Fevola

Carlton

2007 (SF)

North Melbourne

7

Jack Collins

Footscray (WB)

1957 (R2)

Hawthorn

John Peck

Hawthorn

1962 (SF)

Collingwood

Peter Hudson

Hawthorn

1968 (SF)

Collingwood

Peter Hudson

Hawthorn

1970 (SF)

Melbourne

Tony Morwood

South Melb. (Sydney)

1980 (R1)

West Adelaide

Ross Brewer

Collingwood

1980 (SF)

Essendon

Roger Luders

West Adelaide

1981 (R2)

Central District

Kevin Neale

A.C.T.

1981 (R2)

Tasmania

Michael Oaten

Sydney

1982 (R1)

South Fremantle

Peter Daicos

Collingwood

1983 (R1)

Claremont

Dermott Brereton

Hawthorn

1985 (R1)

Port Adelaide

Dwayne Russell

Port Adelaide

1985 (R1)

Hawthorn

Richard Osborne

Fitzroy

1985 (QF)

Footscray (WB)

Gary Ablett snr

Geelong

1987 (QF)

Carlton

David Hynes

West Coast

1992 (R1)

Collingwood

Jason Dunstall

Hawthorn

1992 (SF)

Geelong

Stevan Jackson

Richmond

1993 (R1)

Sydney

Tony Modra

Adelaide

1994 (R1)

West Coast

Jason Dunstall

Hawthorn

1994 (SF)

Essendon

Scott Cummings

Essendon

1995 (R1)

Fitzroy

Jason Dunstall

Hawthorn

1995 (R1)

Sydney

Peter Sumich

West Coast

1995 (R1)

Melbourne

Wayne Carey

North Melbourne

1995 (QF)

Essendon

Brad Pearce

Carlton

1996 (R1)

Essendon

Stewart Loewe

St Kilda

1996 (QF)

Adelaide

Matthew Lloyd

Essendon

2000 (SF)

Melbourne

Bryan Beinke

Adelaide

2002 (R3)

Melbourne

John Anthony

Collingwood

2009 (SF)

Essendon

Barry Hall

Western Bulldogs

2010 (GF)

St Kilda

 

*Roach first took the field fourteen minutes into the 3rd quarter!
**most goals kicked in a NS/PSC Grand Final

MOST GOALS IN A MATCH (by club)

CLUB

GOALS

PLAYER

YEAR

OPPONENT

Adelaide

8

Tony Modra

1995 (SF)

Sydney

Brisbane Bears

5

John Fidge

1988 (R1)

Hawthorn

Brisbane Lions

6

Alistair Lynch

2003 (R1)

Sydney

Carlton

12

Brendan Fevola

2000 (R2)

Collingwood

Collingwood

10

Peter McKenna

1968 (R1)

Fitzroy

Essendon

10

Matthew Lloyd

1998 (R1)

Hawthorn

Fitzroy

8

Shane Halas

1985 (R1)

Swan Districts

Footscray / W.Bulldogs

8

Ian Morrison

1979 (R1)

Tasmania

Fremantle

6

Luke McPharlin

2006 (R1)

West Coast

Geelong

9

Kent Kingsley

2006 (R1)

Carlton

Gold Coast

4

Nathan Bock

2012 (R2)

Geelong

GWS

2

(11 different players)

2012-2013

(various)

Hawthorn

9

Jason Dunstall

1992 (R1)

Richmond

Melbourne

6

Graham Osborne

1971 (R1)

Geelong

Brent Crosswell

1980 (R1)

Swan Districts

David Cordner

1984 (R1)

Sturt

James Cook

2000 (R1)

Adelaide

Russell Robertson

2005 (QF)

Carlton

North Melbourne

10

Peter Schofield

1959 (R1)

South Melbourne

Port Adelaide

5

Brendon Lade

2002 (SF)

Sydney

Richmond

10

Michael Roach

1982 (QF)

Swan Districts

St Kilda

9

Stewart Loewe

1995 (R1)

Fremantle

South Melb. / Sydney

9

Tony Lockett

1995 (QF)

Footscray / WB

West Coast

7

David Hynes

1992 (R1)

Collingwood

Peter Sumich

1995 (R1)

Melbourne

 

MOST GOALS IN A SERIES

GOALS

YEAR

PLAYER

CLUB

GAMES

24

2000

Wayne Carey

North Melbourne

4

21

1994

Jason Dunstall

Hawthorn

3

1995

Tony Lockett

Sydney

3

1996

Stewart Loewe

St Kilda

3

19

1981

Roger Luders

West Adelaide

3

2007

Brendan Fevola

Carlton

4

18

1958

Bill Young

St Kilda

3

1968

Peter Hudson

Hawthorn

3

1994

Tony Modra*

Adelaide

4

1995

Wayne Carey*

North Melbourne

4

2005

Brendan Fevola

Carlton

3

17

1969

Peter Hudson

Hawthorn

3

1981

Kevin Neale*

A.C.T.

3

1992

Jason Dunstall

Hawthorn

3

2010

Barry Hall

Western Bulldogs

3

16

1957

Fred Goldsmith

South Melbourne

4

1986

Jason Dunstall

Hawthorn

3

1993

Jeff Hogg

Richmond

4

15

1957

Jack Collins*

Footscray (WB)

3

1968

Peter McKenna*

Collingwood

2

1977

Peter Hudson

Hawthorn

4

1988

Jason Dunstall

Hawthorn

4

 

*indicates the player finished second in the goalkicking for that series

SERIES LEADING GOALKICKER

YEAR

GOALS

PLAYER

CLUB

GAMES

1956

11

Fred Goldsmith

South Melbourne

3

1957

16

Fred Goldsmith

South Melbourne

4

1958

18

Bill Young

St Kilda

3

1959

10

Peter Schofield

North Melbourne

1

Kevin Wright

Fitzroy

3

1960

10

Graham Arthur

Hawthorn

3

1961

11

Tom Carroll

Carlton

2

John Dugdale

North Melbourne

3

1962

12

John Peck

Hawthorn

3

1963

7

Peter Hogan

Richmond

3

1964

9

Sergio Silvagni

Carlton

2

John Peck

Hawthorn

2

1965

9

Kevin Hall

Carlton

3

Frank Goode

North Melbourne

3

1966

14

John Dugdale

North Melbourne

3

1967

13

Garry Merrington

Footscray (WB)

3

1968

18

Peter Hudson

Hawthorn

3

1969

17

Peter Hudson

Hawthorn

3

1970

13

Bernie Quinlan

Footscray (WB)

3

1971

9

Paul Shanahan

Fitzroy

3

1976*

13

Michael Moncrieff

Hawthorn

4

1977

15

Peter Hudson

Hawthorn

4

1978

13

Bob Beecroft

Fitzroy

4

1979

11

Craig Davis

Collingwood

4

1980

13

Leigh Matthews

Hawthorn

4

Michael Roach

Richmond

4

Phil Krakouer

Claremont

5

1981

19

Roger Luders

West Adelaide

3

1982

11

Michael Roach

Richmond

3

1983

12

Jim Jess

Richmond

4

1984

10

Tony Lockett

St Kilda

3

1985

14

Richard Osborne

Fitzroy

3

1986

16

Jason Dunstall

Hawthorn

3

1987

13

Gary Ablett senior

Geelong

3

1988

15

Jason Dunstall

Hawthorn

4

1989

9

Darren Bennett

Melbourne

2

1990

10

John McCarthy

North Melbourne

4

1991

14

Jason Dunstall

Hawthorn

4

1992

17

Jason Dunstall

Hawthorn

3

1993

16

Jeff Hogg

Richmond

4

1994

21

Jason Dunstall

Hawthorn

3

1995

21

Tony Lockett

Sydney

3

1996

21

Stewart Loewe

St Kilda

3

1997

10

Justin Murphy

Carlton

4

1998

13

Wayne Carey

North Melbourne

4

1999

10

Ben Dixon

Hawthorn

4

2000

24

Wayne Carey

North Melbourne

4

2001

12

Stuart Dew

Port Adelaide

5

2002

13

Barry Hall

Sydney

4

2003

14

Ian Perrie

Adelaide

4

2004

13

Fraser Gehrig

St Kilda

4

2005

18

Brendan Fevola

Carlton

3

2006

10

Brett Burton

Adelaide

4

Trent Hentschel

Adelaide

4

2007

19

Brendan Fevola

Carlton

4

2008

9

Stephen Milne

St Kilda

4

2009

11

Jarryd Roughead

Hawthorn

2

2010

17

Barry Hall

Western Bulldogs

3

2011

8

Chris Dawes

Collingwood

3

Paddy Ryder

Essendon

4

Michael Hurley

Essendon

4

2012

9

David Hale

Hawthorn

3

Lance Franklin

Hawthorn

3

2013

9

Aaron Cornelius

Brisbane

4

 

*1976 = the NFL Wills Cup night series

OVERALL WIN / LOSS RECORDS

VFL-AFL CLUBS

ALL MATCHES (1956-2013)

CONSOLATION SERIES (1956-1971)

P

W

L

D

P

W

L

D

Adelaide

61

37

24

-

-

-

-

-

Brisbane (Bears & Lions)

56

27

29

-

-

-

-

-

Carlton

114

65

49

-

20

10

10

-

Collingwood

86

41

45

-

9

4

5

-

Essendon

101

54

46

1

11

2

9

-

Fitzroy

63

29

34

-

20

7

13

-

Footscray / Western Bulldogs

102

50

52

-

27

17

10

-

Fremantle

39

15

24

-

-

-

-

-

Geelong

96

50

46

-

14

8

6

-

Gold Coast

11

4

7

-

-

-

-

-

GWS

10

2

8

-

-

-

-

-

Hawthorn

122

76

46

-

29

18

11

-

Melbourne

90

40

50

-

15

8

7

-

North Melbourne / Kangaroos

122

72

50

-

27

14

13

-

Port Adelaide

42

24

18

-

-

-

-

-

Richmond

99

45

54

-

21

9

12

-

South Melbourne / Sydney

101

47

54

-

26

14

12

-

St Kilda

97

50

46

1

13

5

8

-

West Coast

62

29

33

-

-

-

-

-

WAFL CLUBS

ALL MATCHES (1979-1985)

AGAINST VFL-AFL CLUBS

P

W

L

D

P

W

L

D

Claremont

11

5

6

-

8

3

5

-

East Fremantle

7

2

5

-

4

1

3

-

East Perth

7

4

3

-

3

1

2

-

Perth

4

1

3

-

-

-

-

-

South Fremantle

7

2

5

-

5

1

4

-

Subiaco

5

2

3

-

1

-

1

-

Swan Districts

7

2

5

-

5

1

4

-

West Perth

6

2

4

-

4

-

4

-

SANFL CLUBS

ALL MATCHES (1980-1986)

AGAINST VFL-AFL CLUBS

P

W

L

D

P

W

L

D

Central District

3

1

2

-

-

-

-

-

Glenelg

7

2

5

-

3

-

3

-

North Adelaide

7

4

3

-

3

2

1

-

Norwood

7

3

4

-

4

2

2

-

Port Adelaide

6

2

4

-

4

-

4

-

South Adelaide

3

1

2

-

2

-

2

-

Sturt

3

-

3

-

2

-

2

-

West Adelaide

5

2

3

-

3

-

3

-

West Torrens

2

-

2

-

1

-

1

-

Woodville

2

-

2

-

1

-

1

-

STATE TEAMS

ALL MATCHES (1978-1985)

AGAINST VFL-AFL CLUBS

P

W

L

D

P

W

L

D

A.C.T.

5

2

3

-

2

-

2

-

New South Wales

4

1

3

-

2

-

2

-

Queensland

5

1

4

-

3

-

3

-

Tasmania

6

1

5

-

3

-

3

-

 

BIGGEST WINS

MARGIN

WINNING TEAM

OPPONENT

YEAR

186

Richmond

Swan Districts

1982 (QF)

147

Adelaide

North Melbourne

1993 (R1)