VFA LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIPS

  • SUMMARY OF RESULTS (1895-1979)
  • WINNERS/RUNNERS-UP

SUMMARY OF RESULTS

1895
1896
1946
FORMAT
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1895

1895 VFA CHARITY DAY

Held on June 8 at the EMCG - this was not officially a lightning premiership but the matches were played under a similar format. Four of the VFA's most popular teams were selected to play shortened matches scheduled to last an hour.

VFA premiership matches were suspended so the Charity Day could be held on the Saturday between Rounds 6 and 7 of the season. The two football matches were played at 3pm and 4pm as the culmination of an event which also included a Champion Footballers sprint race (won by A. Drew of Port Melbourne) and a baseball match.

The event is also noteworthy for being the first trial of boundary umpires. The Argus (10-6-1896) notes: "From the first it was clear that the boundary umpires effected two desirable things, viz., giving the field umpire a better chance to watch the game, and preventing the followers crowding on to the ball at the boundary when it was thrown in". However, The Argus also notes that these gains were offset by the wingmen migrating to the centre of the field creating problems within that section of the field. 

Note that prior to 1897 behinds were recorded but did not count towards a team's score, so the Fitzroy-Collingwood match was drawn at 3 goals apiece.

DATE / VENUE

MATCH

WINNING TEAM

SCORE

LOSING TEAM

SCORE

CROWD

8-6-1895
East Melbourne CG

1

Fitzroy

3.10

Collingwood

3.5

7,000

2

Melbourne

5.9

Essendon

1.0

 

1896

1896 VFA CHARITY CUP

Held on June 6 at the MCG and contested by the top four teams at that stage of the season: Collingwood, Essendon, Port Melbourne, South Melbourne.

VFA premiership matches were suspended so the Charity Day could be held on the Saturday between Rounds 5 and 6 of the season. The football matches consisted of two halves of 20 minutes each and were preceded by a baseball match described by The Argus (8-6-1896) as "the finest game of baseball yet seen in Melbourne". As winners of the football tournament, Essendon received the inaugural VFA Charity Cup.

As with the previous year, the 1896 event was used to trial new rules:
- the use of boundary umpires to throw the ball back into play (relieving the field umpire of this duty, allowing him to focus on the play);
- the abolition of the "little mark", meaning the ball had to be kicked at least ten yards for a mark to be paid by the umpire.

Both of these rule trials were considered successful and were later adopted across all levels of the game.

DATE / VENUE

ROUND

WINNING TEAM

SCORE

LOSING TEAM

SCORE

CROWD

6-6-1896
East Melbourne CG

SF

Essendon (1)

3.3

Collingwood (2)

2.5

8,000

Port Melbourne (4)

2.1

South Melbourne (3)

1.4

FINAL

Essendon (1)

2.4

Port Melbourne (4)

1.1

 

1946

1946 VFA LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP

Held on June 29 at the Junction Oval and contested by all twelve VFA teams, with teams ranked 1, 2, 3 and 5 on the ladder at that stage of the season entering in the second round. The winning team received the J.J. Liston Shield, an award created specifically for the tournament (it had no connection to the J.J. Liston Trophy first awarded to the VFA's best and fairest player in 1945).

DATE / VENUE

ROUND

WINNING TEAM

SCORE

LOSING TEAM

SCORE

CROWD

29-6-1946

Junction Oval
(St Kilda)

RD.1

Brighton (4)

4.2 (26)

Brunswick (7)

2.1 (13)

7,000

Port Melbourne (6)

3.0 (18)

Yarraville (8)

1.1 (7)

Prahran (9)

2.4 (16)

Preston (12)

1.2 (8)

Oakleigh (10)

2.2 (14)

Northcote (11)

1.2 (8)

RD.2

Brighton (4)

7.4 (46)

Camberwell (1)

1.1 (7)

Oakleigh (10)

2.3 (15)

Sandringham (2)

1.2 (8)

Williamstown (3)

2.4 (16)

Port Melbourne (6)

2.2 (14)

Prahran (9)

3.1 (19)

Coburg (5)

1.1 (7)

SF

Williamstown (3)

3.8 (26)

Oakleigh (10)

1.1 (7)

Prahran (9)

4.2 (26)

Brighton (4)

3.1 (19)

GF

Williamstown (3)

4.3 (27)

Prahran (9)

1.3 (9)

 

FORMAT

VFA LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP (1972-79 FORMAT)

Between 1972 and 1979 the VFA held an annual Lightning Premiership competition involving the teams that missed the finals series. The matches were played as curtain-raisers for the senior finals and consisted of two halves.

Second Division played their competition first and the winner advanced to the semi-final stage of the First Division Lightning Premiership. Just three Second Division teams reached the Grand Final of the First Division competition - Northcote (1975), Werribee (1978), and Yarraville (1979) with Werribee the only one of these teams to win the title. 

In 1972-73 the competition was known simply as the VFA Lightning Premiership, but from the 1974 season Carlton & United Breweries and ATV-0 (forerunner of today's Channel Ten) became joint naming rights sponsors and the competition was officially known as the CUB-ATV-0 Lightning Premiership.

TOURNAMENT FORMAT - 1972

The inaugural competition featured a tournament format that proved to be fundamentally flawed:
SECOND DIVISION

RD.1 - 7 v 8 and 9 v 10
SF1 - 5 v 7/8
SF2 - 6 v 9/10
GF - SF1 winner v SF2 winner
FIRST DIVISION

RD.1 - 5 v 6
RD.2 - 7 v 8 and 9 v 10
SF1 - Rd.1 winner (5/6) v 2nd Division winner
SF2 - Rd.2 winners: 7/8 v 9/10
GF - SF1 winner v SF2 winner

In Second Division this format guaranteed one of the bottom two teams a place in the semi finals at the expense of a higher-ranked team.

The First Division format had the same flaw... plus the added bonus of eliminating one of the top two teams in the opening week!

TOURNAMENT FORMAT - 1973 to 1979

In 1973 a new structure was introduced that rewarded the top teams and ensured the bottom teams had to earn their place in the semi finals (changes are shown in bold print and underlined below).
SECOND DIVISION

RD.1 - 7 v 10 and 8 v 9
SF1 - 5 v 7/10
SF2 - 6 v 8/9
GF - SF1 winner v SF2 winner
FIRST DIVISION

RD.1 - 7 v 10 and 8 v 9
RD.2 - Rd.1 winners: 7/10 v 8/9
SF1 - 5 v 2nd Division winner
SF2 - 6 v Rd.2 winner: (7/8/9/10)
GF - SF1 winner v SF2 winner
1972

1972 VFA LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP

SECOND DIVISION

ROUND

DATE

VENUE

WINNING TEAM

SCORE

LOSING TEAM

SCORE

C/R FOR:

RD.1

Aug.27

Toorak Park, Prahran

Box Hill (7)

6.11 (47)

Mordialloc (8)

3.6 (24)

D2 2SF

Frankston (9)

11.3 (69)

Werribee (10)

3.6 (24)

SF

Sept.3

Toorak Park, Prahran

Box Hill (7)

5.6 (36)

Northcote (5)

4.6 (30)

D2 PF

Frankston (9)

8.8 (56)

Camberwell (6)

6.2 (38)

GF

Sept.10

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Box Hill (7)

3.6 (24)

Frankston (9)

2.3 (15)

D1 2SF

FIRST DIVISION

ROUND

DATE

VENUE

WINNING TEAM

SCORE

LOSING TEAM

SCORE

C/R FOR:

RD.1

Sept.3

Toorak Park, Prahran

Port Melbourne (5)

8.6 (54)

Sunshine (6)

6.4 (40)

D2 PF

RD.2

Sept.10

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Coburg (8)

7.3 (45)

Sandringham (7)

3.8 (26)*

D1 2SF

Waverley (10)

5.5 (35)

Prahran (9)

4.5 (29)

SF

Sept.17

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Port Melbourne (5)

6.10 (46)

Box Hill (D2 7th)

2.4 (16)

D1 PF

Coburg (8)

7.5 (47)

Waverley (10)

5.1 (31)

GF

Sept.24

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Coburg (8)

6.2 (38)

Port Melbourne (5)

3.8 (26)

D1 GF

 

*SCORE DISCREPANCY - VFA Football Recorder has Sandringham 3.3 (21), The Age says 3.8 (26)


1973

1973 VFA LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP

Box Hill had suffered through a winless 1973 season, posting a 0-18 record, but the shorter format of lightning football suited them and they won their way through to the Second Division final.

SECOND DIVISION

ROUND

DATE

VENUE

WINNING TEAM

SCORE

LOSING TEAM

SCORE

C/R FOR:

RD.1

Aug.20

Toorak Park, Prahran

Box Hill (10)

5.8 (38)

Werribee (7)

5.1 (31)

D2 1SF

Yarraville (8)

3.4 (22)

Mordialloc (9)

1.3 (9)

SF

Aug.27

Toorak Park, Prahran

Box Hill (10)

6.5 (41)

Frankston (5)

5.4 (34)

D2 2SF

Northcote (6)

5.7 (37)

Yarraville (8)

5.0 (30)

GF

Sept.9

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Northcote (6)

9.5 (59)

Box Hill (10)

3.5 (23)

D1 2SF

FIRST DIVISION

ROUND

DATE

VENUE

WINNING TEAM

SCORE

LOSING TEAM

SCORE

C/R FOR:

RD.1

Sept.2

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Sandringham (7)

3.9 (27)

Coburg (10)

3.1 (19)

D1 1SF

Preston (9)

3.10 (28)

Sunshine (8)

3.2 (20)

RD.2

Sept.9

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Preston (9)

8.3 (51)

Sandringham (7)

3.2 (20)

D1 2SF

SF

Sept.16

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Geelong West (5)

6.4 (40)

Northcote (D2 6th)

4.9 (33)

D1 PF

Preston (9)

8.4 (52)

Williamstown (6)

4.7 (31)

GF

Sept.23

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Geelong West (5)

8.3 (51)

Preston (9)

2.9 (21)

D1 GF

 

1974

1974 VFA LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP

SECOND DIVISION

ROUND

DATE

VENUE

WINNING TEAM

SCORE

LOSING TEAM

SCORE

C/R FOR:

RD.1

Aug.18

Toorak Park, Prahran

Yarraville (10)

3.3 (21)

Mordialloc (7)

2.7 (19)

D2 1SF

Werribee (8)

3.7 (25)

Box Hill (9)

1.5 (11)

SF

Aug.25

Toorak Park, Prahran

Northcote (5)

5.8 (38)

Yarraville (10)

3.2 (20)

D2 2SF

Frankston (6)

6.2 (38)

Werribee (8)

3.5 (23)

GF

Sept.8

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Northcote (5)

7.3 (45)

Frankston (6)

4.3 (27)

D1 2SF

FIRST DIVISION

ROUND

DATE

VENUE

WINNING TEAM

SCORE

LOSING TEAM

SCORE

C/R FOR:

RD.1

Sept.1

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Williamstown (7)

1.7 (13)

Sunshine (10)

1.2 (8)

D1 1SF

Caulfield (9)

7.2 (44)

Sandringham (8)

2.2 (14)

RD.2

Sept.8

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Williamstown (7)

6.4 (40)

Caulfield (9)

3.4 (22)

D1 2SF

SF

Sept.15

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Prahran (5)

7.5 (47)

Northcote (D2 5th)

3.2 (20)

D1 PF

Preston (6)

7.3 (45)

Williamstown (7)

1.3 (9)

GF

Sept.22

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Preston (6)

6.2 (38)

Prahran (5)

5.3 (33)

D1 GF

 

1975

1975 VFA LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP

SECOND DIVISION

ROUND

DATE

VENUE

WINNING TEAM

SCORE

LOSING TEAM

SCORE

C/R FOR:

RD.1

Aug.17

Toorak Park, Prahran

Box Hill (10)

7.1 (43)

Yarraville (7)

4.7 (31)

D2 1SF

Waverley (8)

7.3 (45)

Werribee (9)

5.6 (36)

SF

Aug.24

Toorak Park, Prahran

Northcote (5)

5.6 (36)

Box Hill (10)

3.5 (23)

D2 2SF

Mordialloc (6)

5.5 (35)

Waverley (8)

2.1 (13)

GF

Sept.7

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Northcote (5)

6.8 (44)

Mordialloc (6)

2.4 (16)

D1 2SF

FIRST DIVISION

ROUND

DATE

VENUE

WINNING TEAM

SCORE

LOSING TEAM

SCORE

C/R FOR:

RD.1

Aug.31

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Oakleigh (7)

5.4 (34)

Williamstown (10)

3.2 (20)

D1 1SF

Caulfield (8)

8.7 (55)

Sandringham (9)

2.4 (16)

RD.2

Sept.7

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Oakleigh (7)

8.6 (54)

Caulfield (8)

2.8 (20)

D1 2SF

SF

Sept.14

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Northcote (D2 5th)

5.4 (34)

Preston (5)

4.7 (31)

D1 PF

Prahran (6)

7.6 (48)

Oakleigh (7)

3.7 (25)

GF

Sept.21

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Prahran (6)

7.2 (44)

Northcote (D2 5th)

3.5 (23)

D1 GF

 

1976

1976 VFA LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP

SECOND DIVISION

ROUND

DATE

VENUE

WINNING TEAM

SCORE

LOSING TEAM

SCORE

C/R FOR:

RD.1

Aug.15

Toorak Park, Prahran

Sunshine (7)

6.5 (41)

Yarraville (10)

2.5 (17)

D2 1SF

Waverley (8)

6.6 (42)

Box Hill (9)

4.7 (31)

SF

Aug.22

Toorak Park, Prahran

Camberwell (5)

6.6 (42)

Sunshine (7)

4.4 (28)

D2 2SF

Werribee (6)

5.7 (37)

Waverley (8)

5.6 (36)

GF

Sept.5

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Camberwell (5)

4.3 (27)

Werribee (6)

1.3 (9)

D1 2SF

FIRST DIVISION

ROUND

DATE

VENUE

WINNING TEAM

SCORE

LOSING TEAM

SCORE

C/R FOR:

RD.1

Aug.29

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Prahran (7)

5.10 (40)

Oakleigh (10)

1.4 (10)

D1 1SF

Brunswick (8)

5.3 (33)

Sandringham (9)

4.3 (27)

RD.2

Sept.5

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Brunswick (8)

7.4 (46)

Prahran (7)

5.1 (31)

D1 2SF

SF

Sept.12

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Coburg (5)

6.4 (40)

Camberwell (D2 5th)

5.5 (35)

D1 PF

Brunswick (8)

7.7 (49)

Geelong West (6)

4.1 (25)

GF

Sept.19

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Coburg (5)

5.7 (37)

Brunswick (8)

1.7 (13)

D1 GF

 

1977

1977 VFA LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP

SECOND DIVISION

ROUND

DATE

VENUE

WINNING TEAM

SCORE

LOSING TEAM

SCORE

C/R FOR:

RD.1

Aug.21

Toorak Park, Prahran

Werribee (7)

6.8 (44)

Box Hill (10)

4.4 (28)

D2 1SF

Waverley (9)

5.1 (31)

Sunshine (8)

3.3 (21)

SF

Aug.28

Toorak Park, Prahran

Frankston (5)

8.4 (52)*

Werribee (7)

6.2 (38)

D2 2SF

Northcote (6)

7.8 (50)

Waverley (9)

5.4 (34)

GF

Sept.11

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Frankston (5)

6.4 (40)

Northcote (6)

5.4 (34)

D1 2SF

FIRST DIVISION

ROUND

DATE

VENUE

WINNING TEAM

SCORE

LOSING TEAM

SCORE

C/R FOR:

RD.1

Sept.4

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Prahran (7)

7.4 (46)

Williamstown (10)

4.3 (27)

D1 1SF

Caulfield (8)

6.7 (43)

Preston (9)

5.5 (35)

RD.2

Sept.11

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Caulfield (8)

9.5 (59)

Prahran (7)

3.4 (22)

D1 2SF

SF

Sept.18

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Dandenong (5)

5.3 (33)

Frankston (D2 5th)

1.6 (12)

D1 PF

Caulfield (8)

5.6 (36)

Geelong West (6)

2.12 (24)

GF

Sept.25

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Caulfield (8)

4.7 (31)

Dandenong (5)

4.3 (27)

D1 GF

 

*SCORE DISCREPANCY - VFA Football Recorder has Frankston 7.4 (46), The Age says 8.4 (52)


1978

1978 VFA LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP

SECOND DIVISION

ROUND

DATE

VENUE

WINNING TEAM

SCORE

LOSING TEAM

SCORE

C/R FOR:

RD.1

Aug.20

Toorak Park, Prahran

Box Hill (10)

7.3 (45)

Sunshine (7)

5.7 (37)

D2 1SF

Werribee (8)

7.6 (48)

Williamstown (9)

4.5 (29)

SF

Aug.27

Toorak Park, Prahran

Box Hill (10)

5.5 (35)

Northcote (5)

2.6 (18)

D2 2SF

Werribee (8)

7.2 (44)

Waverley (6)

4.5 (29)

GF

Sept.10

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Werribee (8)

5.4 (34)

Box Hill (10)

4.3 (27)

D1 2SF

FIRST DIVISION

ROUND

DATE

VENUE

WINNING TEAM

SCORE

LOSING TEAM

SCORE

C/R FOR:

RD.1

Sept.3

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Mordialloc (10)

6.7 (43)

Brunswick (7)

4.6 (30)

D1 1SF

Caulfield (9)

6.7 (43)

Geelong West (8)

5.5 (35)

RD.2

Sept.10

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Caulfield (9)

6.3 (39)

Mordialloc (10)

2.5 (17)

D1 2SF

SF

Sept.17

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Werribee (D2 8th)

7.1 (43)

Coburg (5)

6.2 (38)

D1 PF

Sandringham (6)

8.1 (49)

Caulfield (9)

4.6 (30)

GF

Sept.24

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Werribee (D2 8th)

5.2 (32)

Sandringham (6)

3.10 (28)

D1 GF

 

1979

1979 VFA LIGHTNING PREMIERSHIP

SECOND DIVISION

ROUND

DATE

VENUE

WINNING TEAM

SCORE

LOSING TEAM

SCORE

C/R FOR:

RD.1

Aug.19

Toorak Park, Prahran

Waverley (7)

3.9 (27)

Werribee (10)

2.4 (16)

D2 1SF

Box Hill (9)

6.5 (41)

Sunshine (8)

3.1 (19)

SF

Aug.26

Toorak Park, Prahran

Northcote (5)

9.2 (56)

Waverley (7)

2.2 (14)

D2 2SF

Yarraville (6)

7.6 (48)

Box Hill (9)

4.2 (26)

GF

Sept.9

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Yarraville (6)

6.8 (44)

Northcote (5)

1.5 (11)

D1 2SF

FIRST DIVISION

ROUND

DATE

VENUE

WINNING TEAM

SCORE

LOSING TEAM

SCORE

C/R FOR:

RD.1

Sept.2

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Preston (7)

5.7 (37)

Brunswick (10)

5.4 (34)

D1 1SF

Sandringham (8)

5.4 (34)

Frankston (9)

3.7 (25)

RD.2

Sept.9

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Sandringham (8)

5.6 (36)

Preston (7)

4.3 (27)

D1 2SF

SF

Sept.16

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Yarraville (D2 6th)

6.6 (42)

Caulfield (5)

4.4 (28)

D1 PF

Sandringham (8)

7.4 (46)

Dandenong (6)

4.5 (29)

GF

Sept.23

Junction Oval, St Kilda

Sandringham (8)

3.5 (23)

Yarraville (D2 6th)

2.5 (17)

D1 GF

 

WINNERS / RUNNERS-UP
LIGHTNING PREMIERS

1896 - Essendon
1946 - Williamstown
1972 - Coburg (8th)
1973 - Geelong West (5th)
1974 - Preston (6th)
1975 - Prahran (6th)
1976 - Coburg (5th)
1977 - Caulfield (8th)
1978 - Werribee (D2 8th)
1979 - Sandringham (8th)

2ND DIVISION PREMIERS

1896 - n/a
1946 - n/a
1972 - Box Hill (7th)
1973 - Northcote (6th)
1974 - Northcote (5th)
1975 - Northcote (5th)
1976 - Camberwell (5th)
1977 - Frankston (5th)
1978 - Werribee (8th)
1979 - Yarraville (6th)
RUNNER-UP

1896 - Port Melbourne
1946 - Prahran
1972 - Port Melbourne (5th)
1973 - Preston (9th)
1974 - Prahran (5th)
1975 - Northcote (D2 5th)
1976 - Brunswick (8th)
1977 - Dandenong (5th)
1978 - Sandringham (6th)
1979 - Yarraville (D2 6th)

2ND DIVISION RUNNER-UP

1896 - n/a
1946 - n/a
1972 - Frankston (9th)
1973 - Box Hill (10th)
1974 - Frankston (6th)
1975 - Mordialloc (6th)
1976 - Werribee (6th)
1977 - Northcote (6th)
1978 - Box Hill (10th)
1979 - Northcote (5th)
Written and researched by David Eastman
First published 19/9/2014
Last updated 30/6/2019