1907 VFL season

The 1907 VFL season was the eleventh season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest-level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured eight clubs and ran from 27 April to 21 September, comprising a 17-match home-and-away season followed by a three-week finals series featuring the top four clubs.

won the premiership, defeating by five points in the 1907 VFL grand final; it was Carlton's second (consecutive and overall) VFL premiership. Carlton also won its second consecutive minor premiership by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with a 13–4 win–loss record. 's Dick Lee won the leading goalkicker medal as the league's leading goalkicker.

Background In 1907, the VFL competition consisted of eight teams of 18 on-the-field players each, with no "reserves", although any of the 18 players who had left the playing field for any reason could later resume their place on the field at any time during the match.

Each team played each other twice in a home-and-away season of 14 rounds. Then, based on ladder positions after those 14 rounds, three further 'sectional rounds' were played, with the teams ranked 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th playing in one section and the teams ranked 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th playing in the other.

Once the 17 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1907 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the amended "Argus system".

Home-and-away season

Round 1

Round 2

! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.15 (57) | | 7.5 (47) | Brunswick Street Oval | 4 May 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.11 (41) | | 6.12 (48) | MCG | 4 May 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.14 (62) | | 8.6 (54) | Junction Oval | 4 May 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 3.9 (27) | | 8.14 (62) | Corio Oval | 4 May 1907

Round 3

! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.10 (64) | | 12.5 (77) | Brunswick Street Oval | 11 May 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.13 (67) | | 5.7 (37) | Junction Oval | 11 May 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.12 (66) | | 5.8 (38) | Lake Oval | 11 May 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.5 (47) | | 12.14 (86) | MCG | 11 May 1907

Round 4

! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.4 (46) | | 11.16 (82) | Corio Oval | 18 May 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.8 (44) | | 6.11 (47) | EMCG | 18 May 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 4.10 (34) | | 6.10 (46) | Victoria Park | 18 May 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.17 (77) | | 3.7 (25) | Princes Park | 18 May 1907

Round 5

! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 9.5 (59) | | 7.9 (51) | Corio Oval | 25 May 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.16 (46) | | 9.7 (61) | Princes Park | 25 May 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 13.9 (87) | | 9.10 (64) | Junction Oval | 25 May 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 5.8 (38) | | 6.11 (47) | EMCG | 25 May 1907

Round 6

! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.9 (51) | | 15.18 (108) | MCG | 1 June 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 4.6 (30) | | 4.17 (41) | Victoria Park | 1 June 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.9 (45) | | 4.9 (33) | Lake Oval | 3 June 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.7 (67) | | 4.12 (36) | Brunswick Street Oval | 3 June 1907

Round 7

! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 4.8 (32) | | 7.2 (44) | Junction Oval | 15 June 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 15.14 (104) | | 7.8 (50) | Princes Park | 15 June 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.7 (55) | | 6.11 (47) | MCG | 15 June 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 3.14 (32) | | 5.8 (38) | Corio Oval | 15 June 1907

Round 8

! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.10 (52) | | 5.10 (40) | MCG | 22 June 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 7.11 (53) | | 3.10 (28) | Corio Oval | 22 June 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 11.3 (69) | | 11.12 (78) | Brunswick Street Oval | 22 June 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 3.15 (33) | | 8.14 (62) | Junction Oval | 22 June 1907

Round 9

Round 10

Round 11

! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.18 (54) | | 9.5 (59) | Junction Oval | 13 July 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 8.11 (59) | | 6.11 (47) | Lake Oval | 13 July 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 2.10 (22) | | 15.11 (101) | MCG | 13 July 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 3.8 (26) | | 15.14 (104) | Brunswick Street Oval | 13 July 1907

Round 12

! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Date |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 3.7 (25) | | 3.5 (23) | Brunswick Street Oval | 20 July 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 10.10 (70) | | 3.5 (23) | Victoria Park | 20 July 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 6.13 (49) | | 4.10 (34) | MCG | 20 July 1907 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 3.9 (27) | | 4.12 (36) | Lake Oval | 20 July 1907

Round 13

Round 14

Pre-sectional ladder Section A Section B

|- style=background:#E6E6FA | 1 || align=left | || 14 || 11 || 3 || 0 || 880 || 541 || 162.7 || 44 |- style=background:#FEEAD3 | 2 || align=left | || 14 || 9 || 5 || 0 || 791 || 642 || 123.2 || 36 |- style=background:#E6E6FA | 3 || align=left | || 14 || 8 || 6 || 0 || 685 || 640 || 107.0 || 32 |- style=background:#FEEAD3 | 4 || align=left | || 14 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 795 || 687 || 115.7 || 28 |- style=background:#E6E6FA | 5 || align=left | || 14 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 658 || 780 || 84.4 || 28 |- style=background:#FEEAD3 | 6 || align=left | || 14 || 6 || 8 || 0 || 692 || 789 || 87.7 || 24 |- style=background:#E6E6FA | 7 || align=left | || 14 || 4 || 10 || 0 || 613 || 813 || 75.4 || 16 |- style=background:#FEEAD3 | 8 || align=left | || 14 || 4 || 10 || 0 || 637 || 859 || 74.2 || 16

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points forSource: AFL Tables

Round 15 (Sectional round 1)

Round 16 (Sectional round 2)

Round 17 (Sectional round 3)

Ladder (P) Premiers Qualified for finals

|- style=background:#FFFFBB | 1 || align=left | (P) || 17 || 13 || 4 || 0 || 1060 || 681 || 155.7 || 52 |- style=background:#FFFFBB | 2 || align=left | || 17 || 11 || 6 || 0 || 915 || 773 || 118.4 || 44 |- style=background:#FFFFBB | 3 || align=left | || 17 || 9 || 8 || 0 || 935 || 796 || 117.5 || 36 |- style=background:#FFFFBB | 4 || align=left | || 17 || 9 || 8 || 0 || 970 || 879 || 110.4 || 36 |- | 5 || align=left | || 17 || 7 || 10 || 0 || 864 || 1011 || 85.5 || 28 |- | 6 || align=left | || 17 || 7 || 10 || 0 || 844 || 989 || 85.3 || 28 |- | 7 || align=left | || 17 || 7 || 10 || 0 || 800 || 987 || 81.1 || 28 |- | 8 || align=left | || 17 || 5 || 12 || 0 || 774 || 1046 || 74.0 || 20

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points forAverage score: 52.7Source: AFL Tables

Finals series

Semi-finals

! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Venue ! Date ! |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 12.10 (82) | | 6.12 (48) | MCG | 07 September 1907 | Attendance: 28,856 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | | 13.13 (91) | | 4.11 (35) | MCG | 14 September 1907 | Attendance: 25,531 |- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

Grand final

Team1 Qtr2 Qtr3 QtrFinalCarlton1.44.66.106.14 (50)South Melbourne1.33.54.76.9 (45)

Season notes In November 1906, the VFL was a founding member of the Australasian Football Council, which served as the new national administrative body governing the sport. The rules concerning kick-ins were amended, such that if the full back crossed outside the goal square before kicking the ball, a ball-up would be called on the top of the goal square. Previously, the full-back was given a second opportunity to kick legally, before a free kick would be awarded. Due to the special football train arriving late, the start of the round 3 match between Fitzroy and Geelong at Brunswick Street Oval was delayed by twenty minutes. In round 6, St Kilda defeated Melbourne 15.18 (108) to 7.9 (51); it was the first time in the club's 173 VFL matches to that point that St Kilda had scored 100 points or more. The VFL played two representative matches on Saturday 8 June, in the week between rounds 6 and 7: on the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the VFL 25.20 (170) defeated the Ballarat Football Association 3.7 (25); and at Bendigo, the VFL 14.10 (94) defeated the Bendigo Football League 7.11 (53). The VFL also played a return match against the Ballarat Association on the Ballarat City Oval on Saturday 27 July, the week between Rounds 12 and 13; in a rain-affected game, the VFL 8.4 (52) defeated Ballarat 3.7 (25). In round 8, Fitzroy kicked eleven goals without a behind against Collingwood, before three misses in the last quarter. They did not score in the second and third quarters after kicking 7.0 (42) in the first quarter. In round 11, Geelong defeated St Kilda despite having ten fewer scoring shots; before this, no VFL team had won with a deficit in scoring shots greater than eight. They repeated the feat of winning with ten fewer shots against Collingwood in the last round. During that last match, Collingwood lost to Geelong despite being 38 points ahead at three quarter time; this record was not beaten until 1936.

1907 VFL season

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