The 2012 AFL season was the 116th season of the Australian Football League (AFL), the highest-level senior Australian rules football competition in Australia.
The season featured eighteen clubs, with addition of the newly established Greater Western Sydney Giants, which was based in Western Sydney and split its home games between Sydney and Canberra.
The season ran from 24 March until 29 September, and comprised a 22-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top eight clubs.
The premiership was won by the Sydney Swans for the fifth time, after it defeated by ten points in the 2012 AFL Grand Final.
Pre-season
Draft
The 2011 National Draft was held on 24 November in Sydney, making it only the second time it was held out of Melbourne. This is due to the entry of .
NAB Cup
Adelaide won the 2012 pre-season competition following a 34-point win over the West Coast Eagles at AAMI Stadium. It was their second pre-season cup premiership.
Premiership season The fixture for this season was officially announced on 28 October 2011. Some of the features of the fixture included: Each team played 22 matches over 23 rounds. Each team had one bye between rounds 11 and 13. This is similar in practice to the split round concept prior to 2011, which saw one of the mid-season rounds played over two weeks, thus giving each team one week off. Due to concern over one-sided matches featuring the expansion teams ( and ), their fixtures were adjusted so that they played each of the top five teams from 2011 only once. For the first time, each Victorian team travelled interstate at least five times, and each team travelled to Perth at least once. Blundstone Arena, Blacktown ISP Oval and Škoda Stadium hosted home and away matches for the first time in 2012. As had been the case since 2010, the final round of matches was given a floating fixture. Exact dates were determined later in the season, with a view to giving likely finalists the longest possible break ahead of their first final.
The addition of a ninth match in each round, and the new television rights deal requiring most matches to be shown live, also influenced the scheduling of matches.
Some traditional match starting times were changed, and in typical rounds, where nine matches were played between Friday and Sunday, the changes were: Friday night matches began at 7:50 pm EST instead of 7:40 pm (8:40 pm EST when played in South Australia or Western Australia). Saturday afternoon matches began at 1:40 pm EST and 1:45 pm or 2:10 pm EST. A regular Saturday match was scheduled beginning at 4:40 pm EST, being a twilight match on the east coast or an afternoon match in Perth. Saturday night matches began at 7:40 pm EST instead of 7:10 pm. The second Sunday afternoon match was moved to 3:15 pm from the traditional 2:10 pm. This change was to allow the Seven Network to show the match live into Victoria and use it as a lead-in to its 6:00 pm news bulletin.
Rule changes Following two high profile goal umpiring errors in the previous three years' grand finals, in which goals were awarded to Tom Hawkins (, 2009) and Sharrod Wellingham (, 2011) for shots which hit the post, video score reviews were introduced to AFL games for the first time. A score review could be initiated by the field umpire, at his own discretion or on request by the goal umpire, and television broadcast footage would be reviewed for visual evidence to overturn an on-field goal umpiring decision.
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Round 10
Round 11
Round 12
Round 13
Round 14
Round 15
Round 16
Round 17
Round 18
Round 19
Round 20
Round 21
Round 22
Round 23
Win/loss table
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 F1 F2 F3 GF Ladder GCS +69WB +18Haw −56GWS +46PA +19Syd +5Geel +50Carl +69Coll −26Frem +29XStK +4NM −32Rich +19PA +58GWS +119WCE +49Geel −27Ess +4Frem +28BL −10Melb +69GCS +91Syd −29Frem +10Haw −5X2 Melb +41Carl −91Frem −29GCS +65Geel −39Ess −67Coll −58GWS +92NM −16WCE +2XHaw −65WB +58Melb +61Syd −47StK −13GCS +11WCE −98Rich −48Carl −36Adel +10PA +11WB +67XXXX13 Rich +44BL +91Coll +60Ess −30Frem +8GWS +67StK −24Adel −69Melb +58PA −54Geel −12WCE −10XHaw −50Coll +23NM −53WB +18Rich +4Syd −22BL +36Ess +96GCS −12StK −15XXXX10 Haw −22Rich +21Carl −60PA +24Ess +1WB +21BL +58Geel +12Adel +26GCS +97Melb +42XWCE +3Frem +29Carl −23Geel +31Haw −47GWS +120StK +6Syd +8NM −30WCE −49Ess +32Haw −38WCE +13Syd −26X4 NM +2PA +25GCS +17Carl +30Coll −1BL +67WCE +61Rich +19GWS +66Melb −6Syd −4XFrem +24WB +84StK −71PA +50Geel −67Haw −94Adel −4NM −24Carl −96Rich −45Coll −32XXXX11 Geel +4Syd −13BL +29StK +13Carl −8GCS +7PA +40Haw −56WCE −48Adel −29Rich +12XEss −24Coll −29WB +38Melb +34GWS +95PA +27WCE +65Adel −28Rich +22NM +53Melb +61Geel +16Adel −10XX7 Frem −4Haw +2NM −17Rich +10BL +38Melb +43Adel −50Coll −12WB +20GWS +65Carl +12XSyd −6PA +38GCS +14Coll −31Ess +67Adel +27Haw +2WCE −5StK +42WB +34Syd +34Frem −16XXX6 Adel −69StK −92Ess −17BL −65NM −34Frem −7GWS −27WB −38PA −48Coll −97StK −95NM −7XWCE −126Geel −14Rich +2BL −11Syd −72Melb −42GWS +30Haw −64Carl +12Adel −91XXXX17 GWS GiantsSyd −63NM −129WCE −81Adel −46WB −42Carl −67GCS +27BL −92Ess −66Geel −65XRich −12Melb −78Syd −94Haw −162Adel −119Frem −95Coll −120PA +34GCS −30Melb −25StK −128NM −28XXXX18 Coll +22Geel −2Adel +56WCE −5Syd −37StK +35Melb +66Frem +56Rich −62NM +115PA +46BL +65XCarl +50GWS +162WB +72Coll +47Ess +94Geel −2PA +72GCS +64Syd +7WCE +25Coll +38XAdel +5Syd −101 BL −41WCE −108Rich −59WB −21StK −18Geel −43Haw −66Syd −101Carl −58Ess +6Coll −42XGWS +78BL −61Rich −23Frem −34PA −28NM −54GCS +42StK −25GWS +25Adel −69Frem −61XXXX16 Ess −2GWS +129Geel +17Syd −36GCS +34WCE −25WB −18PA −2BL +16Haw −115XGCS +7Adel +32StK +33WCE −2Carl +53Rich +4Melb +54WB +54Ess +24Coll +30Frem −53GWS +28WCE −96XXX8 StK +4Ess −25Syd −22Coll −24Adel −19Rich −37Frem −40NM +2GCS +48Carl +54Haw −46WB −38XGeel −38Adel −58Ess −50Melb +28Frem −27GWS −34Haw −72WCE −48BL −11Rich 0XXXX14 Carl −44Coll −21Melb +59Geel −10WCE −10PA +37Syd +29Ess −19Haw +62StK +8Frem −12GWS +12XAdel −19 Melb +23GCS −2NM −4Carl −4BL +48WB +70Frem −22Ess +45PA 0XXXX12 PA −4GCS +92WB +63Frem −13Melb +18Haw −35Carl +24WCE −30Syd +28Rich −8GCS +95Adel −4XNM −33Ess +71BL +13Syd −29WB +76Coll −6Melb +25Geel −42GWS +128Carl +15XXXX9 GWS +63Frem +13PA +25NM +36Haw +37Adel −5Rich −29Melb +101StK −28WB +92Ess +4XGeel +6GWS +94BL +47WCE +52StK +29GCS +72Carl +22Coll −8WB +82Haw −7Geel −34Adel +29XColl +26Haw +103 WB +49Melb +108GWS +81Haw +5Rich +10NM +25Ess −61StK +30Frem +48BL −2XCarl +10Coll −3GCS +126NM +2Syd −52Adel −49BL +98Frem −65Geel +5PA +48Coll +49Haw −25NM +96Coll −13XX5 WCE −49Adel −18StK −63Melb +21GWS +42Coll −21NM +18GCS +38Geel −20Syd −92XPA +38BL −58Ess −84 Frem −38Haw −72Carl −18StK −76NM −54Rich −70Syd −82Geel −34BL −67XXXX15 Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 F1 F2 F3 GF Ladder
Bold – Home game X – Bye Opponent for round listed above margin
Ladder
Ladder progression
Finals series
Week one
Week two
Week three
Week four
Awards The Norm Smith Medal was awarded to Ryan O'Keefe of , who got 28 disposals. The Brownlow Medal was originally awarded to Jobe Watson of , who received 30 votes. On 11 November 2016, Watson relinquished the medal in the wake of the Essendon supplements saga. It was subsequently re-awarded jointly to Sam Mitchell of and Trent Cotchin of , who received 26 votes each, on 15 November 2016. The AFL Rising Star was awarded to Daniel Talia of , who received 43 votes. The Coleman Medal was awarded to Jack Riewoldt of , who kicked 65 goals during the home and away season. The McClelland Trophy was awarded to . The Wooden Spoon was "awarded" to . The AFL Players Association awards were as follows: The Leigh Matthews Trophy was awarded to Gary Ablett of , for being the Most Valuable Player throughout the premiership season. The Robert Rose Award went to Joel Selwood of and Beau Waters of , for being the Most Courageous Players throughout the premiership season. The Best Captain award went to Jobe Watson of . The Best First-Year Player award was won by Jeremy Cameron of . The AFL Coaches Association Awards were as follows: The Player of the Year Award was given to Trent Cotchin of , who received 107 votes. The Allan Jeans Senior Coach of the Year Award was given to John Longmire of . The Assistant Coach of the Year Award was given to Peter Sumich of . The Best Young Player Award was given to Dyson Heppell of . The inaugural Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award was awarded to Daniel Jackson of .
Coleman Medal
Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the player led the Coleman that round. Underlined numbers indicates the player did not play that round. Player1234567891011121314151617181920212223Total1Jack Riewoldt40112441681303153025236652Tom Hawkins4341610230101241536164462Matthew Pavlich30111140036035647282302624Lance Franklin523105311134504400000044595Drew Petrie22013135310224077450302576Stephen Milne22312141312302535132451567Taylor Walker53016530040235000044440538Travis Cloke23143222032052211613005509Eddie Betts225410205140024224032214810Jonathan Brown0003122521030421134224547
Best and fairest Club Award name Player Ref. Malcolm Blight Medal Thompson joins Crow greats Merrett–Murray Medal John Nicholls Medal Heath Scotland wins his first best-and-fairest; edges forward Eddie Betts for Carlton's top honour Copeland Trophy Crichton Medal Doig Medal Carji Greeves Medal Club Champion Kevin Sheedy Medal Peter Crimmins Medal Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal Syd Barker Medal John Cahill Medal Jack Dyer Medal Trevor Barker Award Bob Skilton Medal Club Champion Award Charles Sutton Medal
Player milestones
Name Club Milestone Round
Club leadership Club Coach Captain(s) Vice-captain(s) Leadership group Brenton Sanderson Nathan van Berlo Scott Thompson Patrick Dangerfield, Rory Sloane, Ben Rutten Michael Voss Jonathan Brown Daniel Merrett, Tom Rockliff, Jed Adcock, Josh Drummond Brett Ratten Chris Judd Andrew Carrazzo, Bryce Gibbs, Michael Jamison, Marc Murphy, Jordan Russell, Kade Simpson, Jarrad Waite Nathan Buckley Nick Maxwell Scott Pendlebury Luke Ball, Travis Cloke, Harry O'Brien, Heath Shaw, Dale Thomas James Hird Jobe Watson Mark McVeigh (vc), Heath Hocking, Michael Hurley, Brent Stanton, David Zaharakis Ross Lyon Matthew Pavlich Hayden Ballantyne, Matt de Boer, David Mundy, Luke McPharlin, Aaron Sandilands Guy McKenna Gary Ablett Nathan Bock Karmichael Hunt, Andrew McQualter, Michael Rischitelli, Zac Smith, David Swallow Kevin Sheedy Phil Davis, Luke Power, Callan Ward Dean Brogan, Chad Cornes, Setanta Ó hAilpín, Rhys Palmer, Tom Scully Chris Scott Joel Selwood Jimmy Bartel Joel Corey, Corey Enright, Steve Johnson, James Kelly, Harry Taylor Alastair Clarkson Luke Hodge Jordan Lewis, Jarryd Roughead Lance Franklin, Sam Mitchell Mark Neeld Jack Grimes, Jack Trengove Clint Bartram, Mitch Clark, James Frawley, Colin Garland, Mark Jamar, Nathan Jones Brad Scott Andrew Swallow Drew Petrie, Jack Ziebell Brent Harvey, Daniel Wells Matthew Primus (Rds 1–19); Garry Hocking (Rds 19–23) Domenic Cassisi Travis Boak, Hamish Hartlett, Jay Schulz, Jackson Trengove Damien Hardwick Chris Newman Trent Cotchin Brett Deledio, Daniel Jackson, Jack Riewoldt Scott Watters Nick Riewoldt Nick Dal Santo, Sam Fisher, Brendon Goddard, James Gwilt, Ben McEvoy, Leigh Montagna, Adam Schneider John Longmire Adam Goodes, Jarrad McVeigh Jude Bolton, Kieren Jack, Jarred Moore, Ryan O'Keefe, Ted Richards, Rhyce Shaw, Nick Smith John Worsfold Darren Glass Beau Waters Dean Cox, Andrew Embley, Shannon Hurn, Josh Kennedy, Mark LeCras, Matt Priddis, Matt Rosa, Adam Selwood, Scott Selwood Brendan McCartney Matthew Boyd Daniel Cross, Daniel Giansiracusa, Robert Murphy, Dale Morris
Club membership