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The 1917 VFL season was the 21st season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest-level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. Played during the latter stages of World War I, six of the league's nine clubs featured in 1917, with Geelong and South Melbourne returning after being in recess the previous season. The season ran from 12 May to 22 September, comprising a 15-match home-and-away season followed by a four-week finals series featuring the top four clubs.
| 1917 VFL premiership season | |
|---|---|
 Collingwood 1917 VFL premiership team | |
| Date | 12 May—22 September 1917 |
| Teams | 6 |
| Premiers | Collingwood 4th premiership |
| Minor premiers | Collingwood 5th minor premiership |
| Leading goalkicker medallist | Dick Lee (Collingwood) 50 goals |
| Matches played | 49 |
Collingwood won the premiership, defeating Fitzroy by 35 points in the 1917 VFL grand final; it was Collingwood's fourth VFL premiership. Collingwood also won the minor premiership by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with a 10–4–1 win–loss–draw record. Collingwood's Dick Lee won his sixth leading goalkicker medal as the league's leading goalkicker.
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In 1917, the VFL competition consisted of six 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 of the six teams played each other three times in a 15 match home-and-away season (Geelong, Richmond, and South Melbourne each hosting eight games, while Carlton, Collingwood, and Fitzroy each hosted seven).
Once the 15 round home-and-away season had finished, the 1917 VFL Premiers were determined by the specific format and conventions of the amended "Argus system".
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
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| (P) | Premiers |
| Qualified for finals |
| # | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Collingwood (P) | 15 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 1030 | 772 | 133.4 | 42 |
| 2 | Carlton | 15 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 843 | 724 | 116.4 | 38 |
| 3 | South Melbourne | 15 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 911 | 772 | 118.0 | 36 |
| 4 | Fitzroy | 15 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 832 | 963 | 86.4 | 26 |
| 5 | Geelong | 15 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 735 | 927 | 79.3 | 24 |
| 6 | Richmond | 15 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 761 | 954 | 79.8 | 14 |
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 56.8
Source: AFL Tables
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Semi-finals
Preliminary final
Grand final
- Geelong and South Melbourne, having refused to compete in 1916 on "patriotic grounds" returned to the VFL competition, having concluded that the drop in the number of recruits in 1916 indicated that the VFL competition had no effect on military recruitment. The Geelong players met their own expenses and played as amateurs, with the club donating all of its 1917 profits to war funds.
- On 12 May 1917, recruiting officers visiting VFL grounds were heckled by spectators.[1] On another occasion a Fitzroy crowd attacked a recruiting sergeant.[1]
- On 4 August, the entire thirteenth round was put back a week, at the request of the State War Council, so that recruiting meetings could be held at each VFL ground.
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- The 1917 VFL Premiership team was Collingwood.
- The VFL's leading goalkicker was Dick Lee of Collingwood with 50 goals (54 after finals).
- Richmond took the "wooden spoon" in 1917.
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