The 1897 Victorian Football League season was the inaugural season of the Victorian Football League and saw eight teams play in the first season. After fourteen rounds was played in the regular seasons, the top four teams played in a three-week final series with Essendon claiming the premiership after they won all three of their games finishing ahead of minor premiers Geelong.
The 1902 Victorian Football League season was the sixth season of the elite Australian rules football competition.
Dustin Fletcher is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played his entire 23 season career for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is widely acknowledged as one of the finest defenders in VFL/AFL history.
Anthony Liberatore is a former Australian rules footballer who represented the Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Andrew Eccles is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League.
The Australian Football League (AFL) is the pre-eminent and only fully professional men's competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport's governing body and is responsible for controlling the laws of the game. Originally known as the Victorian Football League (VFL), it was founded in 1896 as a breakaway competition from the Victorian Football Association (VFA), with its inaugural season commencing the following year. The VFL, aiming to become a national competition, began expanding beyond Victoria to other Australian states in the 1980s, and changed its name to the AFL in 1990.
Matthew Knights is an Australian rules football coach and former player who is currently serving as an assistant coach with the Geelong Football Club. Knights played in the midfield for the Richmond Football Club from 1988 to 2002, before going on to forge a coaching career, most notably as head coach of the Essendon Football Club from 2008 to 2010 where he became the head coach of the Geelong VFL Football Club from 2012–14, guiding the Cats to the 2012 VFL Premiership and the 2013 VFL Grand Final.
James Podsiadly is a former professional Australian rules football player who played for the Geelong Football Club and the Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was drafted by Geelong as a mature-aged rookie at pick #50 in the 2009 rookie draft and was traded to Adelaide after the 2013 season.
The 1958 Victorian Football League season was the 62nd season of the elite Australian rules football competition.
The 1949 Victorian Football League season was the 53rd season of the elite Australian rules football competition.
The 1973 Victorian Football League season was the 77th season of the elite Australian rules football competition.
George Stuckey was an Australian rules footballer who played with and captained the Essendon Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Colin Mansfield Campbell was an Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and a first-class cricketer, representing Tasmania.
Arthur Thomas Leach was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon and Collingwood during the early years of the Victorian Football League (VFL).
George Priaux Cochrane was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
David Edgar Ferguson was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL). In the first year of competition, he became one of the club's and leagues first premiership players, during the 1897 VFL season, under the captaincy of George Stuckey. Cleghorn made his debut against Collingwood in a final of the season, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. He would play only one more game for his career, in 1898.
Edward Albert "Ned" Officer was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club in both the Victorian Football Association (VFA) and the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Norman James "Norm" Waugh was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL). In the first year of competition, he became one of the club's and leagues first premiership players, during the 1897 VFL season, under the captaincy of George Stuckey. Waugh made his debut against Geelong in Round 1 of the season, at Corio Oval. Waugh was also Essendon's first ever leading goalkicker in a VFL season. His 23 goals was the third highest in the League, behind Jack Leith of North Melbourne (26), and Eddy James of Geelong (27).
Edward Hale "Ted" Leach was an Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood and Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Bayley Fritsch is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A forward, 1.88 metres tall and weighing 81 kilograms (179 lb), Fritsch has the ability to play as both a high marking and small crumbing forward. Considered a late bloomer, he missed out on selection with the Eastern Ranges in the TAC Cup as a junior. After winning the league rising star in the Eastern Football League, he joined the Casey Scorpions in the Victorian Football League (VFL) where he spent three seasons. The 2017 VFL season saw him win the Fothergill–Round Medal, play for Victoria in the state representative match, be named in the VFL Team of the Year, and finish runner-up in the league leading goalkicker and Casey's best and fairest award. His season saw him drafted by the Melbourne Football Club in the second round of the 2017 AFL draft and he made his AFL debut in the opening round of the 2018 AFL season.
