34:
124:
for football; this schism persisted for two seasons, with unsatisfactory outcomes, including poor onfield performances resulting from the fact that
Williamstown, which was then a small fishing village, could not supply enough talented players to sustain two competitive senior teams. The football and
180:
This system meant that for the first time, the premiership was an official title conferred and endorsed by the
Association, replacing the previous approach whereby the premier club was determined by an unofficial consensus but was conventionally understood to be won by the club which suffered the
184:
The full ladder is shown below. Of the sixteen clubs, Footscray, University and the three
Ballarat-based clubs failed to play the minimum eighteen matches required to qualify for the premiership; they are still shown ranked by adjusted points, but are not given a finishing position.
181:
fewest defeats for the season – a system which was flawed because it treated wins and draws as equal in value. The
Association also instituted the awarding of a premiership cap – in the Association's navy blue and gold colours – to players of the premiership team.
125:
cricket clubs came to agreeable terms over the 1887-88 summer, and formed a single entity which fielded one senior cricket team and one senior football team, both of which played at the cricket ground. The amalgamated club went on to finish third for the season.
136:, which had both begun competing as senior clubs in 1886, amalgamated into one club; the merged entity retained the name and history of St Kilda, and adopted St Kilda's red, white and black guernsey with Prahran's blue trousers as its uniform.
165:
Teams did not play a uniform number of premiership matches during the season. Each team's premiership points were adjusted upwards proportionally to match that of the club which played the most matches during the season –
158:
For the first time, the senior clubs were formally ranked into a full premiership ladder of the type understood in the modern era. The teams were ranked under a new system designed by Theo
Marshall:
170:, in this season, South Melbourne played 19 matches and Port Melbourne played 22 matches, the most of any club; so, South Melbourne's tally of premiership points was increased by a factor of 22/19.
822:
117:
802:
The struggling
University club failed to contest its last three scheduled matches, and dropped out of the VFA and folded at the end of the season.
104:. It was the third premiership in the club's history, and the first out of a sequence of three consecutive premierships won from 1888 to 1890.
1817:
1812:
956:
162:
For all senior matches played against other
Association clubs, four premiership points were awarded for a win and two for a draw.
116:. The South Williamstown club had been established in 1886 as the result of a dispute between the Williamstown Football Club and
139:
As a result of these two amalgamations, the size of the
Association contracted from eighteen senior teams to sixteen in 1889.
756:
173:
After this adjustment, teams were ranked in order of adjusted points, and the top team was awarded the premiership.
722:
1012:
1007:
1002:
997:
992:
987:
982:
88:
949:
518:
147:
484:
416:
112:
Prior to 1888, the
Williamstown and South Williamstown clubs amalgamated, with the merged entity known as
314:
113:
965:
812:
94:
942:
688:
586:
552:
450:
382:
133:
620:
348:
280:
129:
817:
176:
Teams were required to play at least eighteen senior games to qualify for the premiership.
8:
654:
1790:
1784:
1779:
1774:
1769:
1764:
1759:
1754:
1749:
1744:
1739:
1734:
1729:
1724:
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1714:
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1699:
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1423:
1418:
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1373:
1368:
1363:
1358:
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1348:
1343:
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1328:
1323:
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1303:
1298:
1293:
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1268:
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1258:
1253:
1248:
1243:
1238:
1233:
1228:
1223:
1218:
1213:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1178:
1173:
1168:
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1153:
1148:
1143:
1123:
1118:
1113:
1108:
1103:
1098:
1093:
1088:
1078:
1073:
1068:
1063:
1058:
1053:
1048:
1043:
1038:
1033:
1028:
143:
74:
69:
857:"Football – the amalgamation of the Williamstown and South Williamstown clubs".
1806:
813:
Victorian
Football Association/Victorian Football League History (1877-2008)
243:
121:
101:
55:
33:
934:
909:. Vol. XLVI, no. 1205. Melbourne, VIC. p. 931.
823:
History of Australian rules football in Victoria (1853-1900)
923:
Goal Post (10 October 1888). "Football – the past season".
146:, and the Hotham Football Club was accordingly renamed the
874:
The Telegraph, St Kilda, Prahran and South Yarra Guardian
16:
12th season of the Australian rules football competition
1804:
861:. Melbourne, VIC. 10 February 1888. p. 5.
950:
846:. Melbourne, VIC. 30 April 1886. p. 6.
957:
943:
922:
905:Markwell (4 May 1889). "Football Notes".
894:. Melbourne, VIC. 5 May 1888. p. 14.
107:
918:
916:
904:
885:
883:
128:Additionally, the neighbouring clubs of
233:
1805:
938:
913:
880:
871:
198:
818:List of VFA/VFL Premiers (1877-2007)
232:
227:
224:
221:
216:
211:
206:
201:
193:
964:
13:
890:"Opening of the Football Season".
872:Rover (7 April 1888). "Football".
153:
142:The borough of Hotham was renamed
14:
1829:
1818:1888 in Australian rules football
1813:Victorian Football League seasons
796:
38:South Melbourne FC team, Premiers
194:
32:
21:Australian rules football season
100:The premiership was won by the
898:
865:
850:
835:
228:
202:
89:Victorian Football Association
1:
828:
217:
148:North Melbourne Football Club
102:South Melbourne Football Club
927:. Melbourne, VIC. p. 2.
212:
7:
806:
207:
122:Williamstown Cricket Ground
93:was the 12th season of the
27:1888 VFA premiership season
10:
1834:
1642:
1132:
1021:
975:
755:
721:
687:
653:
619:
585:
551:
517:
483:
449:
415:
381:
347:
313:
279:
242:
118:Williamstown Cricket Club
95:Australian rules football
65:
51:
43:
31:
26:
842:"The Football Season".
108:Association membership
120:over the use of the
190:
188:
1800:
1799:
786:
785:
723:Ballarat Imperial
83:
82:
1825:
968:
959:
952:
945:
936:
935:
929:
928:
920:
911:
910:
907:The Australasian
902:
896:
895:
887:
878:
877:
869:
863:
862:
854:
848:
847:
839:
792:
248:
235:
230:
219:
214:
209:
204:
196:
191:
189:1888 VFA ladder
187:
61:
36:
24:
23:
1833:
1832:
1828:
1827:
1826:
1824:
1823:
1822:
1803:
1802:
1801:
1796:
1638:
1136:
1134:
1128:
1017:
971:
966:
963:
933:
932:
921:
914:
903:
899:
889:
888:
881:
870:
866:
856:
855:
851:
841:
840:
836:
831:
809:
799:
794:
790:
789:
519:North Melbourne
246:
244:South Melbourne
156:
154:1888 VFA ladder
144:North Melbourne
110:
79:
78:
72:
60:3rd premiership
59:
58:
56:South Melbourne
39:
22:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1831:
1821:
1820:
1815:
1798:
1797:
1795:
1794:
1787:
1782:
1777:
1772:
1767:
1762:
1757:
1752:
1747:
1742:
1737:
1732:
1727:
1722:
1717:
1712:
1707:
1702:
1697:
1692:
1687:
1682:
1677:
1672:
1667:
1662:
1657:
1652:
1646:
1644:
1640:
1639:
1637:
1636:
1631:
1626:
1621:
1616:
1611:
1606:
1601:
1596:
1591:
1586:
1581:
1576:
1571:
1566:
1561:
1556:
1551:
1546:
1541:
1536:
1531:
1526:
1521:
1516:
1511:
1506:
1501:
1496:
1491:
1486:
1481:
1476:
1471:
1466:
1461:
1456:
1451:
1446:
1441:
1436:
1431:
1426:
1421:
1416:
1411:
1406:
1401:
1396:
1391:
1386:
1381:
1376:
1371:
1366:
1361:
1356:
1351:
1346:
1341:
1336:
1331:
1326:
1321:
1316:
1311:
1306:
1301:
1296:
1291:
1286:
1281:
1276:
1271:
1266:
1261:
1256:
1251:
1246:
1241:
1236:
1231:
1226:
1221:
1216:
1211:
1206:
1201:
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1191:
1186:
1181:
1176:
1171:
1166:
1161:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1140:
1138:
1130:
1129:
1127:
1126:
1121:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1096:
1091:
1086:
1081:
1076:
1071:
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1061:
1056:
1051:
1046:
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1036:
1031:
1025:
1023:
1019:
1018:
1016:
1015:
1010:
1005:
1000:
995:
990:
985:
979:
977:
973:
972:
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954:
947:
939:
931:
930:
912:
897:
879:
864:
849:
833:
832:
830:
827:
826:
825:
820:
815:
808:
805:
804:
803:
798:
797:Notable events
795:
787:
784:
783:
780:
777:
774:
771:
768:
765:
762:
759:
754:
750:
749:
746:
743:
740:
737:
734:
731:
728:
725:
720:
716:
715:
712:
709:
706:
703:
700:
697:
694:
691:
686:
682:
681:
678:
675:
672:
669:
666:
663:
660:
657:
652:
648:
647:
644:
641:
638:
635:
632:
629:
626:
623:
618:
614:
613:
610:
607:
604:
601:
598:
595:
592:
589:
584:
580:
579:
576:
573:
570:
567:
564:
561:
558:
555:
550:
546:
545:
542:
539:
536:
533:
530:
527:
524:
521:
516:
512:
511:
508:
505:
502:
499:
496:
493:
490:
487:
485:Port Melbourne
482:
478:
477:
474:
471:
468:
465:
462:
459:
456:
453:
448:
444:
443:
440:
437:
434:
431:
428:
425:
422:
419:
417:South Ballarat
414:
410:
409:
406:
403:
400:
397:
394:
391:
388:
385:
380:
376:
375:
372:
369:
366:
363:
360:
357:
354:
351:
346:
342:
341:
338:
335:
332:
329:
326:
323:
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317:
312:
308:
307:
304:
301:
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289:
286:
283:
278:
274:
273:
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267:
264:
261:
258:
255:
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249:
241:
237:
236:
231:
226:
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220:
215:
210:
205:
200:
197:
178:
177:
174:
171:
163:
155:
152:
109:
106:
81:
80:
73:
67:
66:
63:
62:
53:
49:
48:
45:
41:
40:
37:
29:
28:
20:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1830:
1819:
1816:
1814:
1811:
1810:
1808:
1793:
1792:
1788:
1786:
1783:
1781:
1778:
1776:
1773:
1771:
1768:
1766:
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1728:
1726:
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1718:
1716:
1713:
1711:
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1706:
1703:
1701:
1698:
1696:
1693:
1691:
1688:
1686:
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1681:
1678:
1676:
1673:
1671:
1668:
1666:
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1658:
1656:
1653:
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1645:
1641:
1635:
1632:
1630:
1627:
1625:
1622:
1620:
1617:
1615:
1612:
1610:
1607:
1605:
1602:
1600:
1597:
1595:
1592:
1590:
1587:
1585:
1582:
1580:
1577:
1575:
1572:
1570:
1567:
1565:
1562:
1560:
1557:
1555:
1552:
1550:
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1545:
1542:
1540:
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1535:
1532:
1530:
1527:
1525:
1522:
1520:
1517:
1515:
1512:
1510:
1507:
1505:
1502:
1500:
1497:
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1487:
1485:
1482:
1480:
1477:
1475:
1472:
1470:
1467:
1465:
1462:
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1457:
1455:
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1445:
1442:
1440:
1437:
1435:
1432:
1430:
1427:
1425:
1422:
1420:
1417:
1415:
1412:
1410:
1407:
1405:
1402:
1400:
1397:
1395:
1392:
1390:
1387:
1385:
1382:
1380:
1377:
1375:
1372:
1370:
1367:
1365:
1362:
1360:
1357:
1355:
1352:
1350:
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1342:
1340:
1337:
1335:
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1330:
1327:
1325:
1322:
1320:
1317:
1315:
1312:
1310:
1307:
1305:
1302:
1300:
1297:
1295:
1292:
1290:
1287:
1285:
1282:
1280:
1277:
1275:
1272:
1270:
1267:
1265:
1262:
1260:
1257:
1255:
1252:
1250:
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1245:
1242:
1240:
1237:
1235:
1232:
1230:
1227:
1225:
1222:
1220:
1217:
1215:
1212:
1210:
1207:
1205:
1202:
1200:
1197:
1195:
1192:
1190:
1187:
1185:
1182:
1180:
1177:
1175:
1172:
1170:
1167:
1165:
1162:
1160:
1157:
1155:
1152:
1150:
1147:
1145:
1142:
1141:
1139:
1131:
1125:
1122:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1085:
1082:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1050:
1047:
1045:
1042:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1026:
1024:
1020:
1014:
1011:
1009:
1006:
1004:
1001:
999:
996:
994:
991:
989:
986:
984:
981:
980:
978:
974:
969:
960:
955:
953:
948:
946:
941:
940:
937:
926:
925:The Sportsman
919:
917:
908:
901:
893:
886:
884:
875:
868:
860:
853:
845:
838:
834:
824:
821:
819:
816:
814:
811:
810:
801:
800:
781:
778:
775:
772:
769:
766:
763:
760:
758:
752:
751:
747:
744:
741:
738:
735:
732:
729:
726:
724:
718:
717:
713:
710:
707:
704:
701:
698:
695:
692:
690:
684:
683:
679:
676:
673:
670:
667:
664:
661:
658:
656:
650:
649:
645:
642:
639:
636:
633:
630:
627:
624:
622:
616:
615:
611:
608:
605:
602:
599:
596:
593:
590:
588:
582:
581:
577:
574:
571:
568:
565:
562:
559:
556:
554:
548:
547:
543:
540:
537:
534:
531:
528:
525:
522:
520:
514:
513:
509:
506:
503:
500:
497:
494:
491:
488:
486:
480:
479:
475:
472:
469:
466:
463:
460:
457:
454:
452:
446:
445:
441:
438:
435:
432:
429:
426:
423:
420:
418:
412:
411:
407:
404:
401:
398:
395:
392:
389:
386:
384:
378:
377:
373:
370:
367:
364:
361:
358:
355:
352:
350:
344:
343:
339:
336:
333:
330:
327:
324:
321:
318:
316:
310:
309:
305:
302:
299:
296:
293:
290:
287:
284:
282:
276:
275:
271:
268:
265:
262:
259:
256:
253:
250:
245:
239:
238:
192:
186:
182:
175:
172:
169:
164:
161:
160:
159:
151:
149:
145:
140:
137:
135:
131:
126:
123:
119:
115:
105:
103:
98:
97:competition.
96:
92:
90:
77: →
76:
71:
68:←
64:
57:
54:
50:
46:
42:
35:
30:
25:
19:
1789:
1083:
924:
906:
900:
891:
876:. p. 7.
873:
867:
858:
852:
843:
837:
315:Williamstown
183:
179:
167:
157:
141:
138:
127:
114:Williamstown
111:
99:
86:
84:
18:
1643:VFL seasons
1133:VFA seasons
1022:VFA seasons
1807:Categories
1137:formation)
829:References
757:University
1135:(post-VFL
892:The Argus
859:The Argus
844:The Argus
689:Melbourne
655:Footscray
807:See also
793:Premiers
788:Source:
753:–
719:–
651:–
587:Essendon
553:St Kilda
451:Richmond
413:–
383:Ballarat
379:–
134:St Kilda
52:Premiers
976:Pre-VFA
970:seasons
967:VFA/VFL
621:Fitzroy
349:Carlton
281:Geelong
234:Adj Pts
130:Prahran
748:15.71
714:20.84
680:29.33
646:29.33
612:34.73
578:39.80
544:46.20
510:50.00
476:50.28
442:50.76
408:55.00
374:57.89
340:59.40
306:64.84
272:74.10
91:season
782:2.93
199:Team
87:1888
44:Teams
1791:2024
1785:2023
1780:2022
1775:2021
1770:2020
1765:2019
1760:2018
1755:2017
1750:2016
1745:2015
1740:2014
1735:2013
1730:2012
1725:2011
1720:2010
1715:2009
1710:2008
1705:2007
1700:2006
1695:2005
1690:2004
1685:2003
1680:2002
1675:2001
1670:2000
1665:1999
1660:1998
1655:1997
1650:1996
1634:1995
1629:1994
1624:1993
1619:1992
1614:1991
1609:1990
1604:1989
1599:1988
1594:1987
1589:1986
1584:1985
1579:1984
1574:1983
1569:1982
1564:1981
1559:1980
1554:1979
1549:1978
1544:1977
1539:1976
1534:1975
1529:1974
1524:1973
1519:1972
1514:1971
1509:1970
1504:1969
1499:1968
1494:1967
1489:1966
1484:1965
1479:1964
1474:1963
1469:1962
1464:1961
1459:1960
1454:1959
1449:1958
1444:1957
1439:1956
1434:1955
1429:1954
1424:1953
1419:1952
1414:1951
1409:1950
1404:1949
1399:1948
1394:1947
1389:1946
1384:1945
1379:1944
1374:1943
1369:1942
1364:1941
1359:1940
1354:1939
1349:1938
1344:1937
1339:1936
1334:1935
1329:1934
1324:1933
1319:1932
1314:1931
1309:1930
1304:1929
1299:1928
1294:1927
1289:1926
1284:1925
1279:1924
1274:1923
1269:1922
1264:1921
1259:1920
1254:1919
1249:1918
1244:1917
1239:1916
1234:1915
1229:1914
1224:1913
1219:1912
1214:1911
1209:1910
1204:1909
1199:1908
1194:1907
1189:1906
1184:1905
1179:1904
1174:1903
1169:1902
1164:1901
1159:1900
1154:1899
1149:1898
1144:1897
1124:1896
1119:1895
1114:1894
1109:1893
1104:1892
1099:1891
1094:1890
1089:1889
1084:1888
1079:1887
1074:1886
1069:1885
1064:1884
1059:1883
1054:1882
1049:1881
1044:1880
1039:1879
1034:1878
1029:1877
1013:1876
1008:1875
1003:1874
998:1873
993:1872
988:1871
983:1870
708:117
365:103
263:138
168:e.g.
132:and
85:The
75:1889
70:1887
791:(P)
776:77
773:16
767:14
761:15
745:10
742:75
739:38
733:11
727:14
711:18
705:52
699:14
693:19
685:11
677:20
674:70
671:33
665:10
659:15
643:28
640:71
637:64
631:10
625:18
617:10
609:30
606:80
603:60
597:11
591:19
575:38
572:78
569:87
563:10
557:21
541:42
538:80
535:80
523:20
507:50
504:80
501:97
492:12
489:22
473:48
470:76
467:86
458:11
455:21
439:30
436:38
433:47
421:13
405:40
402:45
399:61
387:16
371:50
368:74
356:11
353:19
337:54
334:57
331:77
322:13
319:22
303:56
300:73
297:97
288:12
285:19
269:64
266:45
254:15
251:19
247:(P)
229:Pts
225:GA
222:GF
203:Pld
195:Pos
1809::
915:^
882:^
779:2
770:1
764:0
736:1
730:2
702:1
696:4
668:0
662:5
634:2
628:6
600:1
594:7
583:9
566:3
560:8
549:8
532:5
529:7
526:8
515:7
498:1
495:9
481:6
464:2
461:8
447:5
430:3
427:4
424:6
396:2
393:5
390:9
362:3
359:5
345:4
328:1
325:8
311:3
294:4
291:3
277:2
260:2
257:2
240:1
150:.
47:16
958:e
951:t
944:v
218:D
213:L
208:W
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