The 1908 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Essendon Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 26 September 1908. It was the 11th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers for the 1908 VFL season. The match, attended by 50,261 spectators, was won by reigning premiers Carlton by a margin of 9 points, marking that club's third premiership victory and third in succession.

1908 VFL grand final

Carlton

Essendon
5.5 (35) 3.8 (26)
1 2 3 4
CAR 2.3 (15) 5.4 (34) 5.5 (35) 5.5 (35)
ESS 1.1 (7) 2.4 (16) 3.5 (23) 3.8 (26)
Date26 September 1908
StadiumMelbourne Cricket Ground
Attendance50,261
UmpiresJack Elder
← 1907 AFL Grand Final 1909 →

Right to challenge

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This season was played under the amended Argus system. Carlton was the minor premier, and Essendon had finished second. The teams both qualified for this match by winning their semi-finals matches.

If Essendon had won this match, Carlton would have had the right to challenge Essendon to a rematch for the premiership on the following weekend, because Carlton was the minor premier. The winner of that match would then have won the premiership.[1]

Teams

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Carlton
 
 
 
 
 
Essendon
Carlton
B: Norm Clark Les Beck Arthur Ford
HB: Jim Flynn Billy Payne Fred Jinks
C: George Bruce Rod McGregor Ted Kennedy
HF: Alex Lang Jim Marchbank Martin Gotz
F: Harvey Kelly Vin Gardiner George Topping
Foll: George Johnson Charlie Hammond Fred Elliott (c)
Coach: Jack Worrall
Essendon
B: Len Bowe Billy Griffith (c) Bert Daykin
HB: Mark Shea Bill Busbridge Bill Johnson
C: Bill Davies Bill Sewart Les Minto
HF: Paddy Shea Dave Smith Harry Prout
F: Bill Heaphy Harry Farnsworth Arthur Legge
Foll: Allan Belcher Jim Martin Ernie Cameron
Coach: Dave Smith

Statistics

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Goalkickers

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Carlton FC, 1908 Premier team

Carlton:

  • Elliott 1
  • Gotz 1
  • Kelly 1
  • Kennedy 1
  • Marchbank 1

Essendon:

  • Legge 1
  • Martin 1
  • P.Shea 1

Attendance

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  • MCG crowd – 50,261

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Rodgers, Stephen (1992), Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL Results, 1897–1991 (3rd ed.), Ringwood, VIC: Viking O'Neil
  • AFL Tables: 1908 Grand Final
  • The Official statistical history of the AFL 2004
  • Ross, J. (ed), 100 Years of Australian Football 1897–1996: The Complete Story of the AFL, All the Big Stories, All the Great Pictures, All the Champions, Every AFL Season Reported, Viking, (Ringwood), 1996. ISBN 0-670-86814-0