1908 VFL grand final

The 1908 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Essendon Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 26 September 1908. It was the 11th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers for the 1908 VFL season. The match, attended by 50,261 spectators, was won by reigning premiers Carlton by a margin of 9 points, marking that club's third premiership victory and third in succession.

1908 VFL grand final

Carlton

Essendon
5.5 (35)3.8 (26)
1234
CAR2.3 (15)5.4 (34)5.5 (35)5.5 (35)
ESS1.1 (7)2.4 (16)3.5 (23)3.8 (26)
Date26 September 1908
StadiumMelbourne Cricket Ground
Attendance50,261
UmpiresJack Elder
← 1907AFL Grand Final1909 →

Right to challenge

This season was played under the amended Argus system. Carlton was the minor premier, and Essendon had finished second. The teams both qualified for this match by winning their semi-finals matches.

If Essendon had won this match, Carlton would have had the right to challenge Essendon to a rematch for the premiership on the following weekend, because Carlton was the minor premier. The winner of that match would then have won the premiership.[1]

Teams

Carlton
Essendon
Carlton
B:Norm ClarkLes BeckArthur Ford
HB:Jim FlynnBilly PayneFred Jinks
C:George BruceRod McGregorTed Kennedy
HF:Alex LangJim MarchbankMartin Gotz
F:Harvey KellyVin GardinerGeorge Topping
Foll:George JohnsonCharlie HammondFred Elliott (c)
Res:
Coach:Jack Worrall
Essendon
B:Len BoweBilly Griffith (c)Bert Daykin
HB:Mark SheaBill BusbridgeBill Johnson
C:Bill DaviesBill SewartLes Minto
HF:Paddy SheaDave SmithHarry Prout
F:Bill HeaphyHarry FarnsworthArthur Legge
Foll:Allan BelcherJim MartinErnie Cameron
Res:
Coach:Dave Smith

Statistics

Goalkickers

Carlton FC, 1908 Premier team

Carlton:

  • Elliott 1
  • Gotz 1
  • Kelly 1
  • Kennedy 1
  • Marchbank 1

Essendon:

  • Legge 1
  • Martin 1
  • P.Shea 1

Attendance

  • MCG crowd – 50,261

See also

References

  • AFL Tables: 1908 Grand Final
  • The Official statistical history of the AFL 2004
  • Ross, J. (ed), 100 Years of Australian Football 1897–1996: The Complete Story of the AFL, All the Big Stories, All the Great Pictures, All the Champions, Every AFL Season Reported, Viking, (Ringwood), 1996. ISBN 0-670-86814-0