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VFA CHALLENGE FINALS (1903-1932)

The finals system used during this era ensured the leading team after the home-and-away rounds - often referred to as the Minor Premiers - would always play in the match that decided the premiership. The system worked as follows:

SEMI FINALS - 1st vs 3rd / 2nd vs 4th
If 1st won they advanced to the Final.
If 1st lost they advanced to the Challenge Final and played the winner of the Final.

FINAL - winner of First Semi Final vs winner of Second Semi Final
If 1st won they were declared premiers (in such cases the Final has become known retrospectively as the Grand Final).
If 1st lost they advanced to the Challenge Final for a re-match against the winner (in such cases the Final has become known retrospectively as the Preliminary Final).

CHALLENGE FINAL
Only played if the minor premiers lost at the semi-final or final stage. The winner of this match was declared the premier (this match has become known retrospectively as the Grand Final).

The system operated for 28 seasons and Challenge Finals were required in half of those. The minor premiers won 6 of the 14 Challenge Finals played - a success rate of only 43%.  

YEAR

MINOR PREMIER

MATCH

OPPONENT

W/L

MARGIN

1903

RICHMOND

16-2

Semi-Final

Footscray (3rd)

14-4

L

31

Challenge

North Melbourne (2nd)

15-2-1

L

21

1904

RICHMOND

15-2-1

Semi-Final

North Melbourne (3rd)

13-5

L

2

Challenge

North Melbourne (3rd)

13-5

L

forfeit

1905

NORTH MELBOURNE

15-3

Semi-Final

Williamstown (3rd)

14-4

W

9

Final

Richmond (2nd)

14-4

L

20

Challenge

Richmond (2nd)

14-4

L

25

1909

PRAHRAN

16-2

Semi-Final

Brunswick (3rd)

11-7

L

18

Challenge

Brunswick (3rd)

11-7

L

17

1910

NORTH MELBOURNE

15-2-1

Semi-Final

Brunswick (3rd)

14-4

L

6

Challenge

Brunswick (3rd)

14-4

W

29

1911

ESSENDON ASSOC.

16-2

Semi-Final

Prahran (3rd)

13-5

W

7

Final

Brunswick (4th)

12-6

L

2

Challenge

Brunswick (4th)

12-6

W

8

1912

FOOTSCRAY

15-3

Semi-Final

Essendon A (3rd)

13-5

L

23

Challenge

Essendon A (3rd)

13-5

L

21

1919

NORTH MELBOURNE

18-0

Semi-Final

Brunswick (3rd)

12-6

L

9

Challenge

Footscray (2nd)

14-4

L

22

1921

FOOTSCRAY

15-1-1

Semi-Final

Brunswick (3rd)

13-3-1

W

25

Final

Williamstown (4th)

9-7

L

3

Challenge

Williamstown (4th)

9-7

L

18

1922

FOOTSCRAY

16-2

Semi-Final

Port Melbourne (3rd)

14-4

L

20

Challenge

Port Melbourne (3rd)

14-4

L

2

1923

FOOTSCRAY

16-2

Semi-Final

Williamstown (3rd)

12-6

W

32

Final

Port Melbourne (2nd)

15-2-1

L

16

Challenge

Port Melbourne (2nd)

15-2-1

W

14

1927

COBURG

18-0

Semi-Final

Port Melbourne (3rd)

13-5

DRAW

-

Semi-Final

Port Melbourne (3rd)

13-5

L

49

Challenge

Brighton (2nd)

14-4

W

34

1929

NORTHCOTE

17-5

Semi-Final

Preston (3rd)

16-6

W

14

Final

Port Melbourne (2nd)

17-5

DRAW

-

Final

Port Melbourne (2nd)

17-5

L

4

Challenge

Port Melbourne (2nd)

17-5

W

42

1931

OAKLEIGH

14-4

Semi-Final

Preston (3rd)

12-5-1

L

23

Challenge

Northcote (4th)

12-6

W

3

 

NO CHALLENGE:

1906 / 07 / 08 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 18 / 20 / 24 / 25 / 26 / 28 / 30 / 32

 

 

 


Written and researched by David Eastman
First published 4/5/2014
Page last updated 4/10/2019

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The author is a proud member of the Australian Football Heritage Group (AFHG), which is dedicated to preserving Australian football's history.

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© David Eastman, 2013-20. All rights reserved.
  • HOME
  • AFL
    • Gardiner Medal
    • Grand Final Sprint
    • Inter-Club Medals & Trophies
    • Night Series & Pre-Season Cup
  • VFA / VFL
    • AWARDS / MEDAL WINNERS >
      • J.J. Liston Trophy (Best & Fairest)
      • Frosty Miller Medal (Leading Goalkicker)
      • Norm Goss Medal (Grand Final B.O.G.)
      • Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal
      • Frank Johnson Medal (Rep. B.O.G.)
      • Seconds/Thirds
    • FINALS >
      • Grand Finals
      • Grand Finals - A History
      • Premiership Captains/Coaches
      • Premiership Tables
      • Finals Records
      • Minor Premiers... no GF
      • Grand Finals - Second Division
      • Challenge Finals
      • Drawn & Postponed Finals
      • Finals Systems
    • NON-PREMIERSHIP MATCHES >
      • Practice/Exhibition Matches
      • Centenary Cup
      • Foxtel Cup
      • Lightning Premierships
      • NFL Night Series
      • Pre-Season Cup
      • Premiers Cup (VSFL)
      • Promotion Playoffs
      • VFL-TFL Challenge
    • PROMOTION-RELEGATION
    • RECORDS
  • NON-PREM
    • NFL - 1976 WILLS CUP
    • NFL - 1977 ARDATH CUP
    • NFL - 1978 ESCORT CUP
    • NFL - 1979 ESCORT CUP
  • REPRESENTATIVE
    • REP MATCHES >
      • 1870s
      • 1880s
      • 1890s
      • 1900s
      • 1910s
      • 1920s
      • 1930s
      • 1940s
      • 1950s
    • REP UNIFORMS >
      • SOUTH AUSTRALIA
      • WESTERN AUSTRALIA
      • QUEENSLAND
    • VICTORIA >
      • VIC Matches
      • VIC Uniforms
    • VFA-VFL COMBINE >
      • VFA Rep. Awards
      • VFA Rep. Captains-Coaches
      • VFA Rep Matches
      • VFA Rep. Records
      • VFA Rep. Uniforms
  • DISCOVERIES
    • UNEARTHING
    • MYTHBUSTING
    • IN THE NEWS
    • FURTHER READING
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT