This page is a complete chronological listing of VFL/AFL 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 inaugural premiership was awarded as a result of a round-robin finals system; this format was replaced after the first season, and a grand final has been held every season since 1898 to determine the premiers, with the exception of 1924 when a modified round-robin system was used. The formation of a national competition, beginning in 1987, has resulted in the league attempting to develop "an even and stable competition" through a range of equalisation policies, such as a salary cap and draft (introduced in 1985 and 1986, respectively). This has had a significant impact on the spread of premierships: since 1990, thirteen clubs have won a premiership, compared with only five clubs between 1967 and 1989.

Three clubs, , and , have won the most VFL/AFL premierships, with 16 each. All teams currently competing in the AFL except , and (three of the four newest clubs) have won a premiership, and all except have played in a grand final.

List of premiers

NF Premiership decided without a grand final being required CF Premiership decided by a challenge final under the Argus finals system or similar F Premiership decided without a challenge final being required under the Argus finals system or similar GF Premiership decided by a conventional grand final, in which neither team had any right to challenge GFDGFR Premiership decided by a grand final replay, after the scheduled grand final was drawn Year Premiers Runners-up Type Venue Crowd Date Club Score Club Score 1897 NF 1898 CF Junction Oval 16,538 1899 F Junction Oval 4,823 1900 CF East Melbourne Cricket Ground 20,181 1901 GF Lake Oval 30,031 1902 CF MCG 35,202 1903 GF MCG 32,263 1904 F MCG 32,688 1905 CF MCG 30,000 1906 GF MCG 44,437 1907 F MCG 45,477 1908 F MCG 50,261 1909 CF MCG 37,759 1910 CF MCG 42,790 1911 F MCG 43,905 1912 CF MCG 54,434 1913 CF MCG 59,556 1914 CF MCG 30,495 1915 CF MCG 39,343 1916 CF MCG 21,130 1917 CF MCG 25,512 1918 F MCG 39,262 1919 CF MCG 45,413 1920 CF MCG 53,908 1921 CF MCG 43,122 1922 CF MCG 50,054 1923 CF MCG 46,566 1924 NF 1925 CF MCG 64,288 1926 CF MCG 59,632 1927 F MCG 34,551 1928 F MCG 50,026 1929 CF MCG 63,336 1930 CF MCG 45,022 1931 GF MCG 60,712 1932 GF MCG 69,724 1933 GF MCG 75,754 1934 GF MCG 65,335 1935 GF MCG 54,154 1936 GF MCG 74,091 1937 GF MCG 88,540 1938 GF MCG 96,486 1939 GF MCG 78,110 1940 GF MCG 70,330 1941 GF MCG 79,687 1942 GF Princes Park 49,000 1943 GF Princes Park 42,100 1944 GF Junction Oval 43,000 1945 GF Princes Park 62,986 1946 GF MCG 73,743 1947 GF MCG 85,815 1948 GFD MCG 85,658 GFR MCG 52,226 1949 GF MCG 90,453 1950 GF MCG 87,601 1951 GF MCG 84,109 1952 GF MCG 81,304 1953 GF MCG 89,060 1954 GF MCG 80,897 1955 GF MCG 88,053 1956 GF MCG 115,803 1957 GF MCG 100,324 1958 GF MCG 97,956 1959 GF MCG 103,506 1960 GF MCG 97,457 1961 GF MCG 107,935 1962 GF MCG 98,385 1963 GF MCG 101,452 1964 GF MCG 102,469 1965 GF MCG 104,846 1966 GF MCG 101,655 1967 GF MCG 109,396 1968 GF MCG 116,828 1969 GF MCG 119,165 1970 GF MCG 121,696 1971 GF MCG 118,192 1972 GF MCG 112,393 1973 GF MCG 116,956 1974 GF MCG 113,839 1975 GF MCG 110,551 1976 GF MCG 110,143 1977 GFD MCG 108,224 GFR MCG 98,366 1978 GF MCG 101,704 1979 GF MCG 113,545 1980 GF MCG 113,461 1981 GF MCG 112,964 1982 GF MCG 107,537 1983 GF MCG 110,332 1984 GF MCG 92,685 1985 GF MCG 100,042 1986 GF MCG 101,861 1987 GF MCG 92,754 1988 GF MCG 93,754 1989 GF MCG 94,796 1990 GF MCG 98,944 1991 GF VFL Park 75,230 1992 GF MCG 95,007 1993 GF MCG 96,862 1994 GF MCG 93,860 1995 GF MCG 93,670 1996 GF MCG 93,102 1997 GF MCG 99,645 1998 GF MCG 94,431 1999 GF MCG 94,228 2000 GF MCG 96,249 2001 GF MCG 91,482 2002 GF MCG 91,817 2003 GF MCG 79,451 2004 GF MCG 77,671 2005 GF MCG 91,828 2006 GF MCG 97,431 2007 GF MCG 97,302 2008 GF MCG 100,012 2009 GF MCG 99,251 2010 GFD MCG 100,016 GFR MCG 93,853 2011 GF MCG 99,537 2012 GF MCG 99,683 2013 GF MCG 100,007 2014 GF MCG 99,454 2015 GF MCG 98,633 2016 GF MCG 99,981 2017 GF MCG 100,021 2018 GF MCG 100,022 2019 GF MCG 100,014 2020 GF The Gabba 29,707 2021 GF Optus Stadium 61,118 2022 GF MCG 100,024 2023 GF MCG 100,024 2024 GF MCG 100,013 2025 GF MCG 100,022 2026 14.12 (96) Fremantle 12.17 (89) GF MCG 100,023

Premierships by club

Club Premierships Runners-up Total Season(s) Total Season(s) 1897–present 16 1902, 1903, 1910, 1917, 1919, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1935, 1936, 1953, 1958, 1990, 2010, 2023 27 1901, 1905, 1911, 1915, 1918, 1920, 1922, 1925, 1926, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1952, 1955, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 2002, 2003, 2011, 2018 1897–present 16 1897, 1901, 1911, 1912, 1923, 1924, 1942, 1946, 1949, 1950, 1962, 1965, 1984, 1985, 1993, 2000 14 1898, 1902, 1908, 1941, 1943, 1947, 1948, 1951, 1957, 1959, 1968, 1983, 1990, 2001 1897–present 16 1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995 13 1904, 1909, 1910, 1916, 1921, 1932, 1949, 1962, 1969, 1973, 1986, 1993, 1999 1908–present 13 1920, 1921, 1932, 1934, 1943, 1967, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1980, 2017, 2019, 2020 12 1919, 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1940, 1942, 1944, 1972, 1982 1925–present 13 1961, 1971, 1976, 1978, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015 6 1963, 1975, 1984, 1985, 1987, 2012 1897–present 13 1900, 1926, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1948, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1964, 2021 5 1946, 1954, 1958, 1988, 2000 1897–present 10 1925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952, 1963, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2022 11 1897, 1930, 1953, 1967, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2008, 2020, 2025 1897–1996 8 1898, 1899, 1904, 1905, 1913, 1916, 1922, 1944 5 1900, 1903, 1906, 1917, 1923 1997–present 6 2001, 2002, 2003, 2024, 2025, 2026 2 2004, 2023 / 1897–present 5 1909, 1918, 1933, 2005, 2012 14 1899, 1907, 1912, 1914, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1945, 1996, 2006, 2014, 2016, 2022, 2024 / 1925–present 4 1975, 1977, 1996, 1999 5 1950, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1998 1987–present 4 1992, 1994, 2006, 2018 3 1991, 2005, 2015 / 1925–present 2 1954, 2016 2 1961, 2021 1991–present 2 1997, 1998 1 2017 1897–present 1 1966 6 1913, 1965, 1971, 1997, 2009, 2010 1997–present 1 2004 1 2007 1995–present 0 2 2013, 2026 2012–present 0 1 2019 2011–present 0 0 1908–1914 0 0 1987–1996 0 0

Minor grade premierships In addition to the seniors, VFL/AFL clubs have competed in premierships in three minor grades.

Night premierships

The pre-season and night premiership covers three competitions which are considered historically equivalent in status: VFL night series, a consolation competition played amongst non-finalists between 1956 and 1971, and again in 1977, 1978 and 1987. Australian Football Championships night series, a mid-season knock-out competition played concurrently with the premiership and involving teams from interstate, played between 1979 and 1986. VFL/AFL pre-season competition, played before each season from 1988 until 2013.

Seconds/reserves premierships

The reserve grade premiership was held in various formats between 1919 and 1999. It was known as the Victorian Junior Football League from 1919 until 1923, the Seconds from 1924 until 1959, the VFL Reserves from 1960 until 1989, and as the AFL reserves from 1990 until 1999. Until 1991, the competition was run by the VFL/AFL, and from 1992 until 1999 it was administered by the Victorian State Football League.

Thirds/under-19s premierships The VFL/AFL under-19s competition was held between 1946 and 1991. It was known as the VFL thirds from 1946 until 1959, and as the under-19s from 1960 until 1991.

1946: 1947: 1948: 1949: 1950: 1951: 1952: 1953: 1954: 1955: 1956: 1957:

1958: 1959: 1960: 1961: 1962: 1963: 1964: 1965: 1966: 1967: 1968: 1969:

1970: 1971: 1972: 1973: 1974: 1975: 1976: 1977: 1978: 1979: 1980: 1981:

1982: 1983: 1984: 1985: 1986: 1987: 1988: 1989: 1990: 1991:

See also AFL Grand Final List of AFL Women's premiers List of VFL/AFL pre-season and night series premiers List of VFL/AFL premiership captains and coaches List of VFL/AFL wooden spoons

Notes

In these cases, had the other team won the match, a rematch would have been played the following weekend. was known as South Melbourne prior to relocation in 1982. was known simply as the Kangaroos from 1999 to 2007. was known as Footscray prior to 1997.

References

Sources Australian Football League

AFL Tables