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This page is a complete chronological listing of VFL/AFL minor premiers. The Australian Football League (AFL), known as the Victorian Football League (VFL) until 1989, is the elite national competition in men's Australian rules football.
The team that finishes the home-and-away season on top of the premiership ladder is known as the "minor premier". Unlike many other sports and competitions, in Australian rules football culture, minor premierships have far less significance than the premiership;[1][2] finishing on top of the ladder provides seeding benefits during the AFL finals series, while the main league award is the AFL premiership, which is awarded to the winner of the AFL Grand Final.[3][4][5] Between 1991 and 2022, the McClelland Trophy was also awarded to the minor premier.[6]
As of 2023, 67 minor premiers have won the VFL/AFL premiership, 43 have finished as runners-up, and 17 have finished third, failing to qualify for the grand final. The success rate of minor premiers winning the major premiership has reduced greatly since 1994, when the finals series was expanded to eight clubs and the benefits enjoyed by the minor premier in bye weeks and double-chances during the finals were reduced and diluted.
The following is a list of minor premiers, ladder details and results.
| Season | Minor premier | Points | Percentage | Second place | Margin | Final result | Premiers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1897 | Geelong | 44 | 184.3 | Essendon | 25.3% | Runners-up | Essendon |
| 1898 | Essendon | 44 | 202.1 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Fitzroy |
| 1899 | Fitzroy | 44 | 153.3 | Geelong | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1900 | Fitzroy (2) | 44 | 168.0 | Geelong | 8 points | Runners-up | Melbourne |
| 1901 | Geelong (2) | 56 | 142.9 | Essendon | 8 points | Third | Essendon |
| 1902 | Collingwood | 60 | 199.5 | Essendon | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1903 | Collingwood (2) | 60 | 159.4 | Fitzroy | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1904 | Fitzroy (3) | 48 | 128.2 | Carlton | 6 points | Premiers | |
| 1905 | Collingwood (3) | 60 | 175.0 | Fitzroy | 10 points | Runners-up | Fitzroy |
| 1906 | Carlton | 56 | 153.5 | Fitzroy | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1907 | Carlton (2) | 52 | 155.7 | South Melbourne | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1908 | Carlton (3) | 68 | 169.4 | Essendon | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 1909 | South Melbourne | 56 | 168.9 | Carlton | 22.1% | Premiers | |
| 1910 | Carlton (4) | 60 | 160.1 | Collingwood | 8 points | Runners-up | Collingwood |
| 1911 | Essendon (2) | 62 | 178.3 | South Melbourne | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1912 | South Melbourne (2) | 56 | 157.0 | Carlton | 25.8% | Runners-up | Essendon |
| 1913 | Fitzroy (4) | 64 | 144.3 | South Melbourne | 6 points | Premiers | |
| 1914 | Carlton (5) | 56 | 129.7 | South Melbourne | 6 points | Premiers | |
| 1915 | Collingwood (4) | 56 | 166.1 | Carlton | 2 points | Runners-up | Carlton |
| 1916 | Carlton (6) | 40 | 137.2 | Collingwood | 14 points | Runners-up | Fitzroy |
| 1917 | Collingwood (5) | 42 | 133.4 | Carlton | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1918 | South Melbourne (3) | 52 | 143.1 | Collingwood | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 1919 | Collingwood (6) | 52 | 162.3 | South Melbourne | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1920 | Richmond | 56 | 146.4 | Fitzroy | 3.2% | Premiers | |
| 1921 | Carlton (7) | 56 | 142.0 | Richmond | 8 points | Runners-up | Richmond |
| 1922 | Collingwood (7) | 48 | 127.8 | Essendon | 6 points | Runners-up | Fitzroy |
| 1923 | Essendon (3) | 52 | 135.8 | Fitzroy | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1924 | Essendon (4) | 46 | 131.6 | South Melbourne | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 1925 | Geelong (3) | 60 | 152.7 | Essendon | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1926 | Collingwood (8) | 60 | 149.3 | Geelong | 4.1% | Runners-up | Melbourne |
| 1927 | Collingwood (9) | 60 | 150.6 | Richmond | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1928 | Collingwood (10) | 60 | 134.6 | Richmond | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1929 | Collingwood (11) | 72 | 171.7 | Carlton | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 1930 | Collingwood (12) | 60 | 144.3 | Carlton | 2.7% | Premiers | |
| 1931 | Geelong (4) | 60 | 151.4 | Richmond | 10.3% | Premiers | |
| 1932 | Carlton (8) | 60 | 137.8 | Richmond | 2 points | Runners-up | Richmond |
| 1933 | Richmond (2) | 60 | 141.1 | South Melbourne | 8 points | Runners-up | South Melbourne |
| 1934 | Richmond (3) | 60 | 121.3 | Geelong | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 1935 | South Melbourne (4) | 64 | 137.6 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Collingwood |
| 1936 | South Melbourne (5) | 64 | 118.5 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Collingwood |
| 1937 | Geelong (5) | 60 | 135.3 | Melbourne | 4.1% | Premiers | |
| 1938 | Carlton (9) | 56 | 116.1 | Geelong | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1939 | Melbourne | 60 | 128.4 | Collingwood | 6.4% | Premiers | |
| 1940 | Melbourne (2) | 56 | 125.8 | Richmond | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1941 | Carlton (10) | 56 | 120.3 | Melbourne | 3.1% | Third | Melbourne |
| 1942 | Essendon (5) | 52 | 127.1 | Richmond | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1943 | Richmond (4) | 44 | 123.1 | Essendon | 7.9% | Premiers | |
| 1944 | Richmond (5) | 54 | 131.1 | Fitzroy | 0.1% | Runners-up | Fitzroy |
| 1945 | South Melbourne (6) | 64 | 131.8 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Carlton |
| 1946 | Essendon (6) | 60 | 140.7 | Collingwood | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1947 | Carlton (11) | 60 | 134.0 | Essendon | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1948 | Essendon (7) | 66 | 137.2 | Melbourne | 14 points | Runners-up | Melbourne |
| 1949 | North Melbourne | 56 | 119.1 | Carlton | 4 points | Third | Essendon |
| 1950 | Essendon (8) | 68 | 162.2 | North Melbourne | 16 points | Premiers | |
| 1951 | Geelong (6) | 56 | 135.4 | Collingwood | 9.8% | Premiers | |
| 1952 | Geelong (7) | 66 | 134.7 | Collingwood | 10 points | Premiers | |
| 1953 | Geelong (8) | 60 | 143.3 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Collingwood |
| 1954 | Geelong (9) | 52 | 133.1 | Footscray | 6 points | Third | Footscray |
| 1955 | Melbourne (3) | 60 | 150.5 | Collingwood | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1956 | Melbourne (4) | 64 | 146.0 | Collingwood | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 1957 | Melbourne (5) | 50 | 138.8 | Essendon | 6 points | Premiers | |
| 1958 | Melbourne (6) | 60 | 123.7 | Collingwood | 12 points | Runners-up | Collingwood |
| 1959 | Melbourne (7) | 54 | 142.7 | Carlton | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 1960 | Melbourne (8) | 56 | 143.1 | Fitzroy | 30.6% | Premiers | |
| 1961 | Hawthorn | 56 | 125.1 | Melbourne | 6 points | Premiers | |
| 1962 | Essendon (9) | 64 | 130.4 | Geelong | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1963 | Hawthorn (2) | 54 | 130.6 | Geelong | 2.4% | Runners-up | Geelong |
| 1964 | Melbourne (9) | 56 | 138.1 | Collingwood | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 1965 | St Kilda | 56 | 136.3 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Essendon |
| 1966 | Collingwood (13) | 60 | 157.2 | St Kilda | 4 points | Runners-up | St Kilda |
| 1967 | Richmond (6) | 60 | 145.9 | Carlton | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 1968 | Essendon (10) | 66 | 130.3 | Carlton | 6 points | Runners-up | Carlton |
| 1969 | Collingwood (14) | 60 | 129.0 | Carlton | 8.5% | Third | Richmond |
| 1970 | Collingwood (15) | 72 | 136.5 | Carlton | 8 points | Runners-up | Carlton |
| 1971 | Hawthorn (3) | 76 | 153.7 | St Kilda | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 1972 | Carlton (12) | 74 | 134.3 | Richmond | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 1973 | Collingwood (16) | 76 | 125.5 | Richmond | 8 points | Third | Richmond |
| 1974 | Richmond (7) | 68 | 129.3 | North Melbourne | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1975 | Hawthorn (4) | 68 | 137.3 | Carlton | 4 points | Runners-up | North Melbourne |
| 1976 | Carlton (13) | 66 | 132.8 | Hawthorn | 2 points | Third | Hawthorn |
| 1977 | Collingwood (17) | 72 | 130.7 | Hawthorn | 4 points | Runners-up | North Melbourne |
| 1978 | North Melbourne (2) | 64 | 120.9 | Hawthorn | 3.2% | Runners-up | Hawthorn |
| 1979 | Carlton (14) | 76 | 139.6 | North Melbourne | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1980 | Geelong (10) | 68 | 125.1 | Carlton | 4.0% | Third | Richmond |
| 1981 | Carlton (15) | 68 | 130.3 | Collingwood | 7.7% | Premiers | |
| 1982 | Richmond (8) | 72 | 126.2 | Hawthorn | 4 points | Runners-up | Carlton |
| 1983 | North Melbourne (3) | 64 | 127.8 | Hawthorn | 4 points | Third | Hawthorn |
| 1984 | Essendon (11) | 72 | 128.2 | Hawthorn | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1985 | Essendon (12) | 76 | 138.4 | Footscray | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 1986 | Hawthorn (5) | 72 | 141.6 | Sydney | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1987 | Carlton (16) | 72 | 138.0 | Hawthorn | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1988 | Hawthorn (6) | 76 | 142.3 | Collingwood | 14 points | Premiers | |
| 1989 | Hawthorn (7) | 76 | 153.2 | Essendon | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 1990 | Essendon (13) | 68 | 139.2 | Collingwood | 4 points | Runners-up | Collingwood |
| 1991 | West Coast | 76 | 162.2 | Hawthorn | 12 points | Runners-up | Hawthorn |
| 1992 | Geelong (11) | 64 | 145.6 | Footscray | 15.8% | Runners-up | West Coast |
| 1993 | Essendon (14) | 54 | 119.1 | Carlton | 1.5% | Premiers | |
| 1994 | West Coast (2) | 64 | 132.2 | Carlton | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 1995 | Carlton (17) | 80 | 137.8 | Geelong | 16 points | Premiers | |
| 1996 | Sydney (7) | 66 | 123.9 | North Melbourne | 2 points | Runners-up | North Melbourne |
| 1997 | St Kilda (2) | 60 | 119.6 | Geelong | 1.7% | Runners-up | Adelaide |
| 1998 | North Melbourne (4) | 64 | 117.4 | Western Bulldogs | 4 points | Runners-up | Adelaide |
| 1999 | Essendon (15) | 72 | 126.0 | Kangaroos | 4 points | Third | Kangaroos |
| 2000 | Essendon (16) | 84 | 159.1 | Carlton | 20 points | Premiers | |
| 2001 | Essendon (17) | 68 | 134.5 | Brisbane Lions | 6.9% | Runners-up | Brisbane Lions |
| 2002 | Port Adelaide | 72 | 132.4 | Brisbane Lions | 4 points | Third | Brisbane Lions |
| 2003 | Port Adelaide (2) | 72 | 127.2 | Collingwood | 12 points | Third | Brisbane Lions |
| 2004 | Port Adelaide (3) | 68 | 132.4 | Brisbane Lions | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 2005 | Adelaide | 68 | 136.5 | West Coast | 12.5% | Third | Sydney |
| 2006 | West Coast (3) | 68 | 120.4 | Adelaide | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 2007 | Geelong (12) | 72 | 152.8 | Port Adelaide | 12 points | Premiers | |
| 2008 | Geelong (13) | 84 | 161.8 | Hawthorn | 16 points | Runners-up | Hawthorn |
| 2009 | St Kilda (3) | 80 | 155.7 | Geelong | 8 points | Runners-up | Geelong |
| 2010 | Collingwood (18) | 70 | 141.7 | Geelong | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 2011 | Collingwood (19) | 80 | 167.7 | Geelong | 4 points | Runners-up | Geelong |
| 2012 | Hawthorn (8) | 68 | 154.6 | Adelaide | 22.1% | Runners-up | Sydney |
| 2013 | Hawthorn (9) | 76 | 135.7 | Geelong | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 2014 | Sydney (8) | 68 | 142.9 | Hawthorn | 2.1% | Runners-up | Hawthorn |
| 2015 | Fremantle | 68 | 118.7 | West Coast | 2 points | Third | Hawthorn |
| 2016 | Sydney (9) | 68 | 158.8 | Geelong | 7.4% | Runners-up | Western Bulldogs |
| 2017 | Adelaide (2) | 62 | 136.0 | Geelong | 18.6% | Runners-up | Richmond |
| 2018 | Richmond (9) | 72 | 136.1 | West Coast | 8 points | Third | West Coast |
| 2019 | Geelong (14) | 64 | 135.7 | Brisbane Lions | 17.4% | Third | Richmond |
| 2020 | Port Adelaide (4) | 56 | 136.4 | Brisbane Lions | 11.5% | Third | Richmond |
| 2021 | Melbourne (10) | 70 | 130.8 | Port Adelaide | 2 points | Premiers | |
| 2022 | Geelong (15) | 72 | 144.3 | Melbourne | 8 points | Premiers | |
| 2023 | Collingwood (20) | 72 | 127.0 | Brisbane Lions | 4 points | Premiers | |
| 2024 | Sydney (10) | 68 | 126.7 | Port Adelaide | 4 points | Runners-up | Brisbane Lions |
| Club | Years in competition |
Minor premierships |
Most recent | Premiers in same year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collingwood | 1897–present | 20 | 2023 | 10 |
| Carlton | 1897–present | 17 | 1995 | 11 |
| Essendon | 1897–present | 17 | 2001 | 11 |
| Geelong | 1897–present | 15 | 2022 | 7 |
| Melbourne | 1897–present | 10 | 2021 | 9 |
| South Melbourne/Sydney | 1897–present | 10 | 2024 | 2 |
| Hawthorn | 1925–present | 9 | 2013 | 6 |
| Richmond | 1908–present | 9 | 2018 | 5 |
| Fitzroy | 1897–1996 | 4 | 1913 | 3 |
| Port Adelaide | 1997–present | 4 | 2020 | 1 |
| North Melbourne/Kangaroos | 1925–present | 4 | 1998 | 0 |
| West Coast | 1987–present | 3 | 2006 | 2 |
| St Kilda | 1897–present | 3 | 2009 | 0 |
| Adelaide | 1991–present | 2 | 2017 | 0 |
| Fremantle | 1995–present | 1 | 2015 | 0 |
| Footscray/Western Bulldogs | 1925–present | 0 | — | — |
| Brisbane Lions | 1997–present | 0 | — | — |
| Gold Coast | 2011–present | 0 | — | — |
| Greater Western Sydney | 2012–present | 0 | — | — |
| University | 1908–1914 | 0 | — | — |
| Brisbane Bears | 1987–1996 | 0 | — | — |
- Most consecutive minor premierships: 6 (Melbourne, 1955–1960)
- Longest minor premiership drought: 100 years (Footscray/Western Bulldogs; never won a minor premiership)
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