1997 AFL season

Last updated

1997 AFL premiership season
Teams16
Premiers Adelaide
1st premiership
Minor premiers St Kilda
2nd minor premiership
Pre-season cup Carlton
1st pre-season cup win
Brownlow Medallist Robert Harvey (St Kilda)
26 votes
Leading goalkicker Tony Modra (Adelaide)
84 goals
Attendance
Matches played185
Total attendance6,403,814 (34,615 per match)
Highest (H&A)83,247 (round 5, Essendon vs. Collingwood)
Highest (finals)99,645 (Grand Final, Adelaide vs. St Kilda)
←  1996
1998  →

The 1997 AFL season was the 101st season of the Australian Football League (AFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Australia, which was known as the Victorian Football League until 1989. The season ran from 27 March until 27 September, and comprised a 22-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top eight clubs.

Contents

Before the season, the Port Adelaide Football Club (SANFL) was admitted to the league, increasing the South Australian membership to two clubs. Foundation club Fitzroy, which had gone into administration in 1996, merged with the Brisbane Bears to form a new Queensland-based team known as the Brisbane Lions. The Footscray Football Club changed its name to the Western Bulldogs. With these changes, the league's size remained at sixteen clubs.

The premiership was won by the Adelaide Football Club for the first time, after it defeated St Kilda by 31 points in the 1997 AFL Grand Final.

Home-and-away season

Round 1

Round 1
Thursday, 27 March (7:40 pm) North Melbourne 7.13 (55)def. by Melbourne 10.10 (70) MCG (crowd: 35,802) Report
Saturday, 29 March (2:10 pm) Collingwood 26.10 (166)def. Port Adelaide 13.9 (87) MCG (crowd: 51,883) Report
Saturday, 29 March (2:10 pm) Western Bulldogs 11.10 (76)def. by Fremantle 10.20 (80) Optus Oval (crowd: 8,664) Report
Saturday, 29 March (7:40 pm) St Kilda 10.11 (71)def. by Hawthorn 11.11 (77) Waverley Park (crowd: 35,732) Report
Saturday, 29 March (6:40 pm) West Coast 12.6 (78)def. Sydney 5.7 (37) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 29,965) Report
Sunday, 30 March (1:40 pm) Adelaide 20.12 (132)def. Brisbane Lions 14.12 (96) Football Park (crowd: 36,602) Report
Sunday, 30 March (2:10 pm) Richmond 15.14 (104)def. Geelong 13.17 (95) MCG (crowd: 48,358) Report
Monday, 31 March (2:10 pm) Essendon 16.10 (106)def. Carlton 15.9 (99) MCG (crowd: 82,363) Report
  • Port Adelaide endured a disappointing AFL debut at the MCG in front of over 50,000 spectators, with Collingwood jumping out to a 22-point lead at quarter time and extending the lead at each change to run out comfortable 79-point winners. Speedy midfielder Paul Williams was considered best-on-ground with 30 touches and 4 goals, while Nathan Buckley (who won a Magarey with Port in the SANFL) racked up 23 kicks and Saverio Rocca made the most of limited opportunities to kick six goals. For Port, Donald Dickie (26 touches), Fabian Francis (20 touches, 2 goals) and eventual Rising Star winner Michael Wilson were among Port's better players.
  • The Easter Monday clash between Essendon and Carlton is best remembered not for its close finish but for what happened after the game. The ongoing feud between Sean Denham and Greg Williams (which had stemmed from the 1993 Grand final) had reached a critical point, with both players engaged in a heated argument before umpire Andrew Coates tried to intervene, only to be pushed away by Williams. Despite the innocuous nature of the contact, the AFL Tribunal suspended Williams for nine matches. [1] The incident was one of football's major talking points that year, leading to a Supreme Court battle between Carlton and the AFL, and eventually the establishment of the AFL Appeals Board.

Round 2

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
Melbourne 7.14 (56) Collingwood 24.19 (163) MCG 61,138Friday 4, April
Richmond 19.14 (128) Adelaide 15.10 (100) MCG 32,880Saturday 5, April
Geelong 11.12 (78) West Coast 11.6 (72) Kardinia Park 17,988Saturday 5, April
Western Bulldogs 13.12 (90) Sydney 12.11 (83) Princes Park 12,604Saturday 5, April
Brisbane Lions 23.16 (154) St Kilda 7.15 (57) Gabba 17,123Sunday 6, April
Port Adelaide 8.12 (60) Essendon 14.9 (93) Football Park 32,747Sunday 6, April
Fremantle 13.9 (87) Hawthorn 10.13 (73) Subiaco Oval 19,057Sunday 6, April
North Melbourne 12.14 (86) Carlton 8.12 (60) MCG 38,170Monday 7, April

Round 3

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
Sydney 15.9 (99) Melbourne 14.7 (91) SCG 23,598Friday 11, April
Western Bulldogs 16.9 (105) Richmond 12.14 (86) MCG 35,438Saturday 12, April
St Kilda 19.11 (125) Collingwood 17.16 (118) Waverley Park 54,699Saturday 12, April
Port Adelaide 18.21 (129) Geelong 14.6 (90) Football Park 32,074Saturday 12, April
Essendon 18.14 (122) North Melbourne 12.8 (80) MCG 57,978Sunday 13, April
Carlton 15.18 (108) Adelaide 12.8 (80) Princes Park 25,966Sunday 13, April
Hawthorn 12.15 (87) Brisbane Lions 11.9 (75) Waverley Park 27,947Sunday 13, April
West Coast 16.15 (111) Fremantle 9.17 (71) Subiaco Oval 39,294Sunday 13, April

Round 4

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
Melbourne 13.9 (87) Western Bulldogs 13.11 (89) MCG 28,043Friday 18, April
Collingwood 12.12 (84) Carlton 15.11 (101) MCG 78,704Saturday 19, April
Richmond 10.12 (72) Fremantle 10.7 (67) Princes Park 15,461Saturday 19, April
West Coast 17.10 (112) Hawthorn 13.10 (88) Subiaco Oval 38,222Saturday 19, April
St Kilda 12.9 (81) Sydney 18.19 (127) Waverley Park 35,061Saturday 19, April
Brisbane Lions 15.19 (109) North Melbourne 12.11 (83) Gabba 18,575Sunday 20, April
Adelaide 11.6 (72) Port Adelaide 11.17 (83) Football Park 47,256Sunday 20, April
Geelong 11.19 (85) Essendon 11.12 (78) MCG 54,922Sunday 20, April

Round 5

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
Essendon 10.10 (70) Collingwood 14.15 (99) MCG 83,271Friday 25, April
Fremantle 16.11 (107) St Kilda 15.11 (101) Subiaco Oval 23,504Friday 25, April
Melbourne 12.6 (78) West Coast 19.12 (126) MCG 19,655Saturday 26, April
Western Bulldogs 9.17 (71) Adelaide 19.7 (121) Princes Park 12,694Saturday 26, April
Hawthorn 15.9 (99) Sydney 11.8 (74) Waverley Park 37,576Saturday 26, April
Port Adelaide 10.13 (73) Brisbane Lions 10.11 (71) Football Park 31,757Sunday 27, April
North Melbourne 21.15 (141) Richmond 7.4 (46) MCG 44,449Sunday 27, April
Carlton 12.14 (86) Geelong 13.16 (94) Princes Park 25,801Sunday 27, April

Round 6

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
West Coast 14.15 (99) Western Bulldogs 17.11 (113) WACA 29,838Friday 2, May
Essendon 15.12 (102) Brisbane Lions 9.17 (71) MCG 37,642Saturday 3, May
Collingwood 13.6 (84) Adelaide 11.17 (83) Victoria Park 24,663Saturday 3, May
Geelong 14.13 (97) Fremantle 6.7 (43) Kardinia Park 16,467Saturday 3, May
Hawthorn 14.9 (93) North Melbourne 16.7 (103) Waverley Park 38,953Saturday 3, May
Sydney 21.16 (142) Carlton 11.17 (83) SCG 37,933Sunday 4, May
St Kilda 17.19 (121) Melbourne 4.11 (35) Waverley Park 21,104Sunday 4, May
Port Adelaide 19.8 (122) Richmond 8.10 (58) Football Park 36,090Sunday 4, May

Round 7

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
North Melbourne 9.14 (68) Collingwood 17.9 (111) MCG 54,901Friday 9, May
Richmond 10.16 (76) Carlton 14.14 (98) MCG 48,833Saturday 10, May
Western Bulldogs 19.19 (133) Hawthorn 13.10 (88) Princes Park 18,860Saturday 10, May
Geelong 11.10 (76) Sydney 6.8 (44) Kardinia Park 22,151Saturday 10, May
Fremantle 17.22 (124) Melbourne 10.9 (69) WACA 18,198Saturday 10, May
St Kilda 20.6 (126) Port Adelaide 8.13 (61) Waverley Park 17,752Saturday 10, May
Brisbane Lions 8.12 (60) West Coast 21.13 (139) Gabba 17,524Sunday 11, May
Adelaide 18.18 (126) Essendon 11.7 (73) Football Park 39,275Sunday 11, May

Round 8

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
Collingwood 19.15 (129) Western Bulldogs 11.17 (83) MCG 61,014Friday 16, May
Melbourne 7.7 (49) Geelong 19.14 (128) MCG 28,989Saturday 17, May
North Melbourne 19.14 (128) Port Adelaide 15.10 (100) Princes Park 13,056Saturday 17, May
Adelaide 22.12 (144) Sydney 8.7 (55) Football Park 40,147Saturday 17, May
Essendon 14.16 (100) St Kilda 18.16 (124) MCG 51,928Sunday 18, May
Carlton 15.16 (106) Hawthorn 12.9 (81) Princes Park 29,783Sunday 18, May
Fremantle 14.14 (98) Brisbane Lions 15.3 (93) Subiaco Oval 14,721Sunday 18, May
Richmond 18.11 (119) West Coast 9.13 (67) MCG 26,721Monday 19, May

Round 9

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
Port Adelaide 10.18 (78) Melbourne 3.9 (27) Football Park 32,958Friday 23, May
Carlton 16.9 (105) Fremantle 14.4 (88) Princes Park 18,187Saturday 24, May
Hawthorn 13.10 (88) Adelaide 14.18 (102) Waverley Park 23,463Saturday 24, May
Sydney 16.15 (111) Collingwood 11.8 (74) SCG 39,780Saturday 24, May
Brisbane Lions 19.12 (126) Geelong 15.8 (98) Gabba 19,828Sunday 25, May
West Coast 16.14 (110) Essendon 13.7 (85) Subiaco Oval 38,984Sunday 25, May
Western Bulldogs 16.7 (103) North Melbourne 10.11 (71) MCG 29,307Sunday 25, May
St Kilda 22.9 (141) Richmond 14.10 (94) Waverley Park 52,257Sunday 25, May

Round 10

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
Port Adelaide 14.9 (93) Carlton 7.13 (55) Football Park 40,116Friday 30, May
North Melbourne 15.13 (103) West Coast 9.4 (58) Princes Park 13,614Saturday 31, May
Hawthorn 16.12 (108) Collingwood 8.7 (55) Waverley Park 51,494Saturday 31, May
Geelong 16.11 (107) St Kilda 11.13 (79) Kardinia Park 22,731Saturday 31, May
Richmond 9.13 (67) Melbourne 14.8 (92) MCG 28,879Saturday 31, May
Essendon 17.12 (114) Western Bulldogs 20.16 (136) MCG 50,138Sunday 1, June
Brisbane Lions 13.14 (92) Sydney 13.11 (89) Gabba 20,403Sunday 1, June
Fremantle 10.12 (72) Adelaide 16.9 (105) Subiaco Oval 22,464Monday 2, June

Round 11

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
Collingwood 10.11 (71) Richmond 11.11 (77) MCG 70,350Friday 6, June
Essendon 13.13 (91) Hawthorn 17.22 (124) MCG 60,594Saturday 7, June
Western Bulldogs 14.12 (96) Geelong 11.9 (75) Princes Park 24,897Saturday 7, June
Port Adelaide 4.17 (41) Sydney 10.16 (76) Football Park 35,669Saturday 7, June
Melbourne 5.15 (45) Adelaide 14.13 (97) MCG 27,463Sunday 8, June
West Coast 11.7 (73) St Kilda 13.11 (89) Subiaco Oval 29,390Sunday 8, June
North Melbourne 15.15 (105) Fremantle 12.7 (79) MCG 20,585Monday 9, June
Carlton 12.12 (84) Brisbane Lions 9.9 (63) Princes Park 27,904Monday 9, June

Round 12

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
Sydney 26.8 (164) Richmond 16.14 (110) SCG 35,033Friday 13, June
Western Bulldogs 12.10 (82) Port Adelaide 14.10 (94) Princes Park 14,025Saturday 14, June
Collingwood 7.13 (55) West Coast 11.5 (71) Victoria Park 25,323Saturday 14, June
Geelong 12.10 (82) Hawthorn 13.10 (88) Kardinia Park 22,871Saturday 14, June
St Kilda 16.20 (116) Carlton 12.13 (85) Waverley Park 44,883Sunday 15, June
Adelaide 12.11 (83) North Melbourne 16.9 (105) Football Park 43,345Sunday 15, June
Melbourne 7.8 (50) Brisbane Lions 21.9 (135) MCG 13,392Sunday 15, June
Fremantle 24.13 (157) Essendon 9.6 (60) Subiaco Oval 21,956Sunday 15, June

Round 13

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
West Coast 11.13 (79) Carlton 12.14 (86) Subiaco Oval 37,854Friday 27, June
Richmond 4.10 (34) Essendon 19.13 (127) MCG 58,812Saturday 28, June
St Kilda 11.18 (84) Western Bulldogs 15.11 (101) Waverley Park 32,370Saturday 28, June
Geelong 17.8 (110) Adelaide 7.12 (54) Kardinia Park 20,236Saturday 28, June
Brisbane Lions 11.22 (88) Collingwood 11.7 (73) Gabba 19,560Saturday 28, June
Port Adelaide 10.9 (69) Fremantle 7.12 (54) Football Park 30,827Saturday 28, June
Hawthorn 17.16 (118) Melbourne 7.13 (55) Waverley Park 31,517Sunday 29, June
Sydney 8.17 (65) North Melbourne 7.13 (55) SCG 30,160Sunday 29, June

Round 14

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
Adelaide 16.10 (106) West Coast 4.7 (31) Football Park 39,221Friday 4, July
Geelong 9.26 (80) Collingwood 10.12 (72) MCG 65,228Saturday 5, July
Carlton 11.8 (74) Western Bulldogs 16.14 (110) Princes Park 32,183Saturday 5, July
St Kilda 20.13 (133) North Melbourne 11.13 (79) Waverley Park 32,635Saturday 5, July
Fremantle 6.12 (48) Sydney 3.15 (33) WACA 19,290Saturday 5, July
Essendon 18.12 (120) Melbourne 8.9 (57) MCG 44,803Sunday 6, July
Hawthorn 18.16 (124) Port Adelaide 13.14 (92) Waverley Park 29,886Sunday 6, July
Brisbane Lions 7.26 (68) Richmond 7.8 (50) Gabba 19,155Sunday 6, July

Round 15

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
North Melbourne 14.8 (92) Geelong 15.12 (102) MCG 45,120Friday 11, July
Melbourne 18.11 (119) Carlton 15.10 (100) MCG 27,992Saturday 12, July
Western Bulldogs 11.7 (73) Brisbane Lions 21.11 (137) Princes Park 16,430Saturday 12, July
Collingwood 25.10 (160) Fremantle 9.6 (60) Victoria Park 23,433Saturday 12, July
Adelaide 10.16 (76) St Kilda 9.12 (66) Football Park 39,921Saturday 12, July
Sydney 11.13 (79) Essendon 11.12 (78) SCG 36,077Sunday 13, July
West Coast 12.13 (85) Port Adelaide 9.13 (67) Subiaco Oval 29,723Sunday 13, July
Richmond 22.13 (145) Hawthorn 10.9 (69) MCG 49,217Sunday 13, July

Round 16

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
Brisbane Lions 17.16 (118) Adelaide 13.9 (87) Gabba 21,348Friday 18, July
Carlton 25.15 (165) Essendon 13.9 (87) MCG 58,512Saturday 19, July
Hawthorn 9.8 (62) St Kilda 20.21 (141) Waverley Park 43,181Saturday 19, July
Geelong 16.14 (110) Richmond 12.6 (78) Kardinia Park 24,099Saturday 19, July
Sydney 15.22 (112) West Coast 11.9 (75) SCG 39,318Saturday 19, July
Port Adelaide 17.9 (111) Collingwood 8.10 (58) Football Park 37,790Saturday 19, July
Melbourne 7.16 (58) North Melbourne 17.12 (114) MCG 23,309Sunday 20, July
Fremantle 15.7 (97) Western Bulldogs 13.13 (91) Subiaco Oval 18,392Sunday 20, July

Round 17

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
Essendon 10.12 (72) Port Adelaide 18.14 (122) MCG 33,076Friday 25, July
Carlton 7.16 (58) North Melbourne 14.12 (96) Princes Park 27,689Saturday 26, July
Hawthorn 9.8 (62) Fremantle 10.11 (71) Waverley Park 15,939Saturday 26, July
Sydney 22.17 (149) Western Bulldogs 7.10 (52) SCG 32,534Saturday 26, July
Adelaide 29.11 (185) Richmond 7.6 (48) Football Park 36,297Saturday 26, July
St Kilda 12.20 (92) Brisbane Lions 5.14 (44) Waverley Park 34,859Sunday 27, July
Collingwood 20.14 (134) Melbourne 12.10 (82) MCG 37,779Sunday 27, July
West Coast 20.9 (129) Geelong 12.10 (82) Subiaco Oval 34,565Sunday 27, July

Round 18

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
North Melbourne 11.17 (83) Essendon 8.16 (64) MCG 38,614Friday 1, August
Melbourne 7.11 (53) Sydney 25.19 (169) MCG 26,901Saturday 2, August
Richmond 17.13 (115) Western Bulldogs 15.10 (100) Princes Park 18,373Saturday 2, August
Geelong 25.9 (159) Port Adelaide 11.8 (74) Kardinia Park 21,867Saturday 2, August
Brisbane Lions 21.15 (141) Hawthorn 11.5 (71) Gabba 19,635Saturday 2, August
Adelaide 18.19 (127) Carlton 13.8 (86) Football Park 42,548Sunday 3, August
Collingwood 12.17 (89) St Kilda 15.21 (111) MCG 68,036Sunday 3, August
Fremantle 7.7 (49) West Coast 13.4 (82) Subiaco Oval 39,711Sunday 3, August

Round 19

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
North Melbourne 17.14 (116) Brisbane Lions 9.5 (59) MCG 27,021Friday 8, August
Carlton 14.23 (107) Collingwood 13.13 (91) MCG 61,650Saturday 9, August
Western Bulldogs 14.18 (102) Melbourne 9.10 (64) Princes Park 13,058Saturday 9, August
Hawthorn 10.6 (66) West Coast 13.9 (87) Waverley Park 20,517Saturday 9, August
Fremantle 12.13 (85) Richmond 5.12 (42) WACA 15,757Saturday 9, August
Sydney 17.17 (119) St Kilda 18.20 (128) SCG 39,287Sunday 10, August
Essendon 11.7 (73) Geelong 9.14 (68) MCG 53,901Sunday 10, August
Port Adelaide 9.4 (58) Adelaide 9.11 (65) Football Park 45,498Sunday 10, August

Round 20

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
West Coast 15.7 (97) Melbourne 7.17 (59) WACA 21,164Friday 15, August
Collingwood 13.13 (91) Essendon 12.9 (81) MCG 50,944Saturday 16, August
St Kilda 12.5 (77) Fremantle 9.10 (64) Waverley Park 26,201Saturday 16, August
Geelong 13.17 (95) Carlton 9.13 (67) Kardinia Park 23,007Saturday 16, August
Brisbane Lions 13.15 (93) Port Adelaide 13.15 (93) Gabba 20,835Saturday 16, August
Sydney 20.15 (135) Hawthorn 11.11 (77) SCG 34,111Sunday 17, August
Richmond 14.13 (97) North Melbourne 14.12 (96) MCG 29,620Sunday 17, August
Adelaide 7.18 (60) Western Bulldogs 16.7 (103) Football Park 39,632Sunday 17, August

Round 21

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
Melbourne 8.14 (62) St Kilda 17.12 (114) MCG 32,935Friday 22, August
North Melbourne 10.21 (81) Hawthorn 6.7 (43) MCG 26,393Saturday 23, August
Carlton 11.10 (76) Sydney 5.11 (41) Princes Park 27,375Saturday 23, August
Western Bulldogs 12.14 (86) West Coast 10.8 (68) Whitten Oval 26,704Saturday 23, August
Brisbane Lions 15.12 (102) Essendon 16.10 (106) Gabba 21,065Saturday 23, August
Richmond 22.14 (146) Port Adelaide 8.13 (61) MCG 22,516Sunday 24, August
Fremantle 9.14 (68) Geelong 14.16 (100) Subiaco Oval 28,751Sunday 24, August
Adelaide 6.12 (48) Collingwood 5.9 (39) Football Park 37,661Monday 25, August

Round 22

Home teamHome team scoreAway teamAway team scoreGroundCrowdDate
West Coast 18.12 (120) Brisbane Lions 11.15 (81) WACA 29,402Friday 29, August
Melbourne 18.11 (119) Fremantle 11.13 (79) MCG 15,036Saturday 30, August
Carlton 13.11 (89) Richmond 13.13 (91) Princes Park 34,922Saturday 30, August
Hawthorn 13.9 (87) Western Bulldogs 15.15 (105) Waverley Park 35,706Saturday 30, August
Sydney 13.12 (90) Geelong 15.10 (100) SCG 46,168Saturday 30, August
Collingwood 18.14 (122) North Melbourne 15.21 (111) MCG 43,660Sunday 31, August
Essendon 16.6 (102) Adelaide 14.14 (98) Princes Park 25,636Sunday 31, August
Port Adelaide 12.12 (84) St Kilda 17.15 (117) Football Park 38,589Sunday 31, August

Ladder

(P)Premiers
Qualified for finals
#TeamPWLDPFPA %Pts
1 St Kilda 22157022941918119.660
2 Geelong 22157021111791117.960
3 Western Bulldogs 22148021002062101.856
4 Adelaide (P)22139021511769121.652
5 West Coast 22139019691770111.252
6 Sydney 221210020931801116.248
7 North Melbourne 221210020511835111.848
8 Brisbane Lions 221011120761973105.242
9 Port Adelaide 22101111852201791.842
10 Collingwood 221012021381919111.440
11 Carlton 22101201978204596.740
12 Fremantle 22101201748190291.940
13 Richmond 22101201883225383.640
14 Essendon 2291302004217092.436
15 Hawthorn 2281401873214487.432
16 Melbourne 2241801477242960.816

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 90.3
Source: AFL Tables

Progression by round

  Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top 8.
  Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round.
  Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished in last place on the ladder in that round.
Team ╲ Round12345678910111213141516171819202122
St Kilda 00444812162020242828323236404448525660
Geelong 0448121620242428282832364044444848525660
Western Bulldogs 04812121620202428323236404040404044485256
Adelaide 44448812162024282828323636404448485252
West Coast 44812161620202424242828283232364044484852
Sydney 004881212121616202428283236404444484848
North Melbourne 044481212161620242828282832364044444848
Brisbane Lions 044888881216162024283236364040424242
Port Adelaide 0048121616162024242832323236404040424242
Collingwood 4888121620242424242424242828323232363640
Carlton 00488812162020242428282832323236364040
Fremantle 4888121216202020202424282832363640404040
Richmond 48812121212161616202020202424242828323640
Essendon 481212121616161616161620242424242428283236
Hawthorn 4488121212121216202428323232323232323232
Melbourne 444444444888881212121212121216
Source: [ citation needed ]

Finals series

Week one

Qualifying finals
QF2: Saturday, 6 September (2:30 pm) Western Bulldogs 18.11 (119)def. Sydney 12.12 (84) MCG (crowd: 62,432) Report
QF1: Sunday, 7 September (2:30 pm) Adelaide 14.15 (99)def. West Coast 9.12 (66) Football Park (crowd: 43,761) Report
QF4: Sunday, 7 September (2:30 pm) St Kilda 20.15 (135)def. Brisbane Lions 13.11 (89) Waverley Park (crowd: 50,035) Report
QF3: Sunday, 7 September (7:00 pm) Geelong 9.7 (61)def. by North Melbourne 11.13 (79) MCG (crowd: 55,561) Report
  • The St Kilda versus Brisbane Lions finals match was the last ever finals match to be played at Waverley Park.
  • The Adelaide versus West Coast match was originally scheduled as a night match on Saturday, but to avoid a television conflict with the funeral of Princess Diana, the game was rescheduled as a Sunday afternoon fixture.

Week two

Semi-finals
SF1: Saturday, 13 September (2:30 pm) North Melbourne 15.8 (98)def. West Coast 12.13 (85) MCG (crowd: 55,781) Report
SF2: Saturday, 13 September (7:45 pm) Adelaide 11.10 (76)def. Geelong 9.14 (68) Football Park (crowd: 46,319) Report

The Adelaide versus Geelong semi final was notable due to an incident in the third quarter, when a clear forward 50 mark to Geelong's Leigh Colbert was not awarded by field umpire Grant Vernon, denying Geelong a crucial shot at goal. This incident was later confirmed as a significant error by the AFL umpiring association, and Grant Vernon was not selected to umpire in any remaining 1997 finals matches as a result. [2]

Week three

Preliminary finals
PF2: Friday, 19 September (7:45 pm) St Kilda 15.14 (104)def. North Melbourne 11.7 (73) MCG (crowd: 77,531) Report
PF1: Saturday, 20 September (2:30 pm) Western Bulldogs 13.13 (91)def. by Adelaide 12.21 (93) MCG (crowd: 70,088) Report

Week four

Grand final
Saturday, 27 September (2:45 pm) St Kilda 13.16 (94)def. by Adelaide 19.11 (125) MCG (crowd: 99,645) Report
  • This was the first appearance in a grand final for Adelaide.

Attendance

TeamHostedAverageHighestLowestTotalLast Season+/-
Essendon1152,84883,27125,636581,33049,526+ 3322
Collingwood1148,70878,70423,433535,78944,723+ 3985
Adelaide1140,17347,25636,297441,90539,428+ 745
Port Adelaide1135,82945,49831,757394,11511,017*+ 24812*
Sydney1135,81846,16823,598393,99924,574+ 11244
St Kilda1135,23254,69917,752387,55327,137+ 8095
Richmond1134,51558,81215,461379,67038,624- 4109
Carlton1133,63461,65018,187369,97235,891- 2257
West Coast1132,58239,29421,164358,40132,448+ 134
North Melbourne1132,52054,90113,056357,72534,627- 2107
Hawthorn1132,38051,49415,939356,17923,624+ 8756
Geelong1128,32465,22816,467311,56725,161+ 3163
Melbourne1127,71461,13813,392304,85330,315- 2601
Fremantle1121,98239,71114,721241,80122,473- 491
Brisbane Lions1119,55021,34817,123215,051N/AN/A
Western Bulldogs1119,33535,4388664212,68118,073+ 1262
Totals17633,19783,27186645842,59129,637+ 3560
VenueHostedAverageHighestLowestTotalLast Season+/-
MCG5343,48883,27113,3922,304,86546,114- 2626
Football Park2238,00147,25631,757836,02039,428- 1427
SCG1135,81846,16823,598393,99924,574+ 11,244
Waverley Park2233,80654,69915,939743,73225,545+ 8261
Subiaco Oval1728,37139,71114,721482,31028,289+ 82
Whitten Oval126,70426,70426,70426,70410,482+ 16,222
Victoria Park324,47325,32323,43373,41923,581+ 892
WACA523,57829,83818,198117,89225,253- 1675
Kardinia Park921,26924,09916,467191,41722,670- 1401
Optus Oval2220,78134,9228664457,18215,641+ 5140
Gabba1119,55021,34817,123215,05118,088+ 1462
Totals17633,19783,27186645842,59129,637+ 3560

Notable events

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References

  1. ↑ "Eight of the longest AFL suspensions". Zero Hanger. 7 August 2018.
  2. ↑ "Colbert non-screamer cruelled Cats in AFL".
  3. ↑ "'It was the perfect send-off': Last game at Whitten Oval". Western Bulldogss. 27 July 2022. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  4. ↑ Warner, Michael; Ralph, Jon; Wade, Nick (4 July 2015). "Cats game cancelled". Geelong Advertiser. Retrieved 30 October 2015.

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