Victorian Football Association
Season 1878
Season Notes
Senior clubs
Senior metropolitan clubs providing delegates to the Association in 1878 were:
== Albert Park
== Carlton
== Essendon (first season as a Senior club)
== Hotham
== Melbourne
== St Kilda
== West Melbourne (first season as a Senior club)
Provincial clubs
Senior provincial clubs providing delegates to the Association in 1878 were:
== Ballarat
== Barwon (this was to be their last season)
== Geelong
Games included
Only games not played at odds between the affiliated senior Metropolitan clubs and Provincial clubs are listed here.
These are the games that effectively decided the Premiership and are the ones used in calculations of the Final Ladder.
It should be noted the VFA did not officially endorse a system of ranking the clubs until the 1888 season.
Rules governing the game in 1878
Games were played in two halves. Four quarters were introduced commencing with the 1886 season.
Behinds were infrequently reported in match reports during 1878, so often only goal totals are listed in results below.
Behinds did not count towards the final score or in determining the result of matches until 1897.
Results
Round 1
|
24 May 1878 |
Geelong |
- |
2 |
Venue: Corio Oval |
|
|
West Melbourne |
- |
0 |
Result: Geelong won by 2 goals |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24 May 1878 |
Ballarat |
2 |
5 |
Venue: Ballarat Cricket Ground |
|
|
Melbourne |
1 |
1 |
Result: Ballarat won by 4 goals |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Round 2
|
25 May 1878 |
Carlton |
- |
3 |
Venue: EMCG |
|
|
Essendon |
- |
0 |
Result: Carlton won by 3 goals |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Round 3
|
1 June 1878 |
Albert Park |
- |
1 |
Venue: South Melbourne; Attendance: 1000 |
|
|
Carlton |
- |
3 |
Result: Carlton won by 2 goals |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 June 1878 |
Melbourne |
0 |
0 |
Venue: MCG; Attendance: Considerable |
|
|
Hotham |
0 |
3 |
Result: Hotham won by 3 goals |
Round 4
|
8 June 1878 |
Melbourne |
0 |
2 |
Venue: MCG; Attendance: 5000 |
|
|
Carlton |
0 |
1 |
Result: Melbourne won by 1 goal |
|
The Argus noted the ground was heavy from recent rains. Also: 'The game was not commenced until a quarter part 3 o'clock owing to the inexcusable unpunctuality of seven or eight of the Melbourne team.' |
||||
|
8 June 1878 |
St Kilda |
- |
0 |
Venue: St Kilda |
|
|
Essendon |
- |
0 |
Result: DRAW |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8 June 1878 |
Albert Park |
0 |
0 |
Venue: South Melbourne; Attendance: 1000 |
|
|
Hotham |
1 |
1 |
Result: Hotham won by 1 goal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Round 5
|
15 June 1878 |
West Melbourne |
0 |
1 |
Venue: Royal Park |
|
|
Essendon |
2 |
2 |
Result: Essendon won by 1 goal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
15 June 1878 |
Albert Park |
1 |
1 |
Venue: South Melbourne; Attendance: 1500 |
|
|
Melbourne |
1 |
1 |
Result: DRAW |
|
The Age: 'The ground, on account of recent rains, was quite unfit for play...' |
||||
|
15 June 1878 |
Carlton |
4 |
5 |
Venue: Richmond Paddock (lower end) |
|
|
St Kilda |
0 |
0 |
Result: Carlton won by 5 goals |
|
Original venue EMCG too wet, so play adjourned to lower end of Richmond paddock. The ground was very wet, and the numerous trees prevented good play being shown. |
||||
Round 6
|
22 June 1878 |
Carlton |
1-6 |
2-9 |
Venue: MCG; Attendance: 5000 |
|
|
Hotham |
0-1 |
1-4 |
Result: Carlton won by 1 goal |
|
Hotham's O'Brien kicked a goal from 60 yards out on an angle |
||||
|
22 June 1878 |
Albert Park |
- |
1 |
Venue: South Melbourne |
|
|
St Kilda |
- |
1 |
Result: DRAW |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
22 June 1878 |
Melbourne |
0 |
1 |
Venue: EMCG |
|
|
West Melbourne |
1 |
1 |
Result: DRAW |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Round 7
|
29 June 1878 |
Geelong |
0 |
2 |
Venue: Corio Oval; Attendance: 2500 |
|
|
Barwon |
1 |
1 |
Result: Geelong won by 1 goal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
29 June 1878 |
Hotham |
- |
1 |
Venue: Royal Park |
|
|
West Melbourne |
- |
0 |
Result: Hotham won by 1 goal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Round 8
|
6 July 1878 |
Essendon |
1-6 |
1-8 |
Venue: Essendon |
|
|
Albert Park |
0-0 |
1-14 |
Result: DRAW |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6 July 1878 |
St Kilda |
0 |
1 |
Venue: St Kilda |
|
|
Melbourne |
0 |
0 |
Result: St Kilda won by 1 goal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6 July 1878 |
Carlton |
2 |
3 |
Venue: EMCG; Attendance: 1000 |
|
|
West Melbourne |
0 |
0 |
Result: Carlton won by 3 goals |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Round 9
|
13 July 1878 |
Carlton |
1- |
1-12 |
Venue: EMCG; Attendance: 7000 |
|
|
Melbourne |
2- |
3-5 |
Result: Melbourne won by 2 goals |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
13 July 1878 |
Albert Park |
0 |
0 |
Venue: Albert Park |
|
|
West Melbourne |
0 |
0 |
Result: DRAW |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
13 July 1878 |
Ballarat |
2 |
3 |
Venue: Saxon Paddock |
|
|
Geelong |
2 |
7 |
Result: Geelong won by 4 goals |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Round 10
|
20 July 1878 |
Hotham |
0 |
0 |
Venue: Madeline Street Reserve; Attendance: Large |
|
|
Albert Park |
0 |
0 |
Result: DRAW |
|
Inclement weather. Game commenced 3:45pm but called off after 15 minutes due to a severe storm and declared a draw. |
||||
|
20 July 1878 |
Essendon |
0 |
0 |
Venue: Essendon |
|
|
West Melbourne |
0 |
0 |
Result: DRAW |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
20 July 1878 |
Carlton |
1-5 |
2-16 |
Venue: EMCG; Attendance: 1000 |
|
|
Barwon |
0-6 |
0-7 |
Result: Carlton won by 2 goals |
|
Heavy rain fell throughout |
||||
Round 11
|
27 July 1878 |
Carlton |
1-18 |
2-25 |
Venue: EMCG; Attendance: Fairly large |
|
|
Albert Park |
0-1 |
1-5 |
Result: Carlton won by 1 goal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27 July 1878 |
Melbourne |
0 |
0 |
Venue: Melbourne Football Ground; Attendance: 2500 |
|
|
Essendon |
1 |
1 |
Result: Essendon won by 1 goal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27 July 1878 |
Geelong |
- |
2 |
Venue: Argyle Ground |
|
|
Hotham |
- |
1 |
Result: Geelong won by 1 goal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Round 12
|
3 August 1878 |
Melbourne |
2- |
5- |
Venue: Melbourne Football Ground; Attendance: Large |
|
|
Albert Park |
0-0 |
0-2 |
Result: Melbourne won by 5 goals |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 August 1878 |
Geelong |
- |
0 |
Venue: Corio Oval; Attendance: 2000 |
|
|
Barwon |
- |
0 |
Result: DRAW |
|
Geelong had a goal disallowed. |
|
|
|
|
|
3 August 1878 |
Essendon |
- |
3 |
Venue: Essendon |
|
|
St Kilda |
- |
0 |
Result: Essendon won by 3 goals |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 August 1878 |
Carlton |
5 |
6 |
Venue: EMCG |
|
|
Ballarat |
0 |
1 |
Result: Carlton won by 5 goals |
|
This fixture instead of Carlton vs Hotham, as Carlton still refused to play Hotham. Mr T.W.Wills acted as central umpire. |
||||
Round 13
|
10 August 1878 |
Essendon |
1 |
1 |
Venue: Essendon; Attendance: Large |
|
|
Carlton |
2 |
3 |
Result: Carlton won by 2 goals |
|
The law relating to the ball hitting the goal post was changed (at the VFA Meeting of 23 August 1878) as a result of a decision by the goal umpire in this game. The ball hit the goal post, and came back into play from where it was kicked cleanly between the posts by the Carlton player Henry and awarded as a goal. The rule was changed so that a ball hitting the goal post is counted as a behind. |
||||
|
10 August 1878 |
Melbourne |
0-4 |
0- |
Venue: EMCG; Attendance: 3000 |
|
|
Hotham |
0-7 |
0- |
Result: DRAW |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Round 14
|
17 August 1878 |
Hotham |
0- |
1-2 |
Venue: Madeline Street Reserve |
|
|
West Melbourne |
0- |
0-8 |
Result: Hotham won by 1 goal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
17 August 1878 |
Ballarat |
1 |
2 |
Venue: Saxon Paddock |
|
|
Albert Park |
0 |
1 |
Result: Ballarat won by 1 goal |
|
Albert Park walked off 15 minutes from the end after a dispute with the central umpire's decision. Ballarat was awarded the match. |
||||
Round 15
|
24 August 1878 |
West Melbourne |
- |
2-6 |
Venue: Royal Park |
|
|
Albert Park |
- |
0-4 |
Result: West Melbourne won by 2 goals |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24 August 1878 |
Melbourne |
1-2 |
2-3 |
Venue: Melbourne Football Ground; Attendance: 8000 |
|
|
Carlton |
0-3 |
0-14 |
Result: Melbourne won by 2 goals |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Round 16
|
31 August 1878 |
Hotham |
- |
0- |
Venue: Madeline Street Reserve |
|
|
Albert Park |
- |
1-2 |
Result: Albert Park won by 1 goal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31 August 1878 |
St Kilda |
0-0 |
0-0 |
Venue: St Kilda |
|
|
Carlton |
4- |
6- |
Result: Carlton won by 6 goals |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31 August 1878 |
Essendon |
- |
1 |
Venue: Essendon |
|
|
Melbourne |
- |
1 |
Result: DRAW |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Round 17
|
7 September 1878 |
Melbourne |
0-1 |
0-1 |
Venue: Melbourne Football Ground |
|
|
Albert Park |
0-1 |
0-5 |
Result: DRAW |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7 September 1878 |
Hotham |
- |
1 |
Venue: Madeline Street Reserve |
|
|
Barwon |
- |
1 |
Result: DRAW |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7 September 1878 |
Geelong |
5 |
9 |
Venue: Corio Oval |
|
|
Ballarat |
0 |
0 |
Result: Geelong won by 9 goals |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Round 18
|
14 September 1878 |
Geelong |
3- |
3-7 |
Venue: Corio Oval; Attendance: 2000 |
|
|
Carlton |
0-0 |
1-3 |
Result: Geelong won by 2 goals |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
14 September 1878 |
Melbourne |
0-1 |
0-3 |
Venue: Melbourne Football Ground |
|
|
West Melbourne |
3-5 |
3-5 |
Result: West Melbourne won by 3 goals |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Round 19
|
21 September 1878 |
Albert Park |
1-8 |
1-8 |
Venue: Albert Park; Attendance: 1000 |
|
|
Essendon |
0-0 |
0-3 |
Result: Albert Park won by 1 goal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21 September 1878 |
Melbourne |
0-3 |
2-13 |
Venue: Melbourne Football Ground; Attendance: 6000 |
|
|
Hotham |
1-3 |
1-5 |
Result: Melbourne won by 1 goal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Round 20
|
28 September 1878 |
Geelong |
3-10 |
4-19 |
Venue: Corio Oval |
|
|
Barwon |
0-0 |
0-1 |
Result: Geelong won by 4 goals |
|
The match ended in a 'very unseemly manner'. The Footballer Annual 1878 noted: 'At ten minutes before the proper time the ground was rushed by Barwon supporters, and the game was discontinued'. |
||||
|
28 September 1878 |
Melbourne |
1-3 |
3- |
Venue: Melbourne; Attendance: 10000 |
|
|
Carlton |
1-17 |
1- |
Result: Melbourne won by 2 goals |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Round 21
|
5 October 1878 |
Melbourne |
1 |
1 |
Venue: Melbourne Football Ground; Attendance: Nearly 10000 |
|
|
Geelong |
1 |
5 |
Result: Geelong won by 4 goals |
|
This match was arranged as an extra fixture and was effectively a play-off for the premiership between what were regarded as the two leading teams of the season. (For Melbourne's claim to a top two position see the notes below the ladder). The crowd included 500 travelling spectators from Geelong. |
||||
Ladder
|
|
Team |
P |
W |
L |
D |
F |
A |
Points |
Proportional Points |
% |
|
1 |
Geelong |
9 |
8 |
0 |
1 |
34 |
7 |
34 |
64.22 |
485.71 |
|
2 |
Melbourne |
17 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
22 |
25 |
34 |
34.00 |
88.00 |
|
3 |
Carlton |
15 |
10 |
5 |
0 |
39 |
18 |
40 |
45.33 |
216.67 |
|
4 |
Hotham |
11 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
10 |
8 |
22 |
34.00 |
125.00 |
|
5 |
Essendon |
10 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
9 |
10 |
20 |
34.00 |
90.00 |
|
6 |
West Melbourne |
10 |
2 |
5 |
3 |
7 |
10 |
14 |
23.80 |
70.00 |
|
7 |
Albert Park |
14 |
2 |
6 |
6 |
8 |
18 |
20 |
24.29 |
44.44 |
|
8 |
St Kilda |
6 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
15 |
8 |
22.67 |
13.33 |
|
9 |
Ballarat |
5 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
11 |
24 |
8 |
27.20 |
45.83 |
|
10 |
Barwon |
5 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
9 |
4 |
13.60 |
22.22 |
|
|
Total |
102 |
38 |
38 |
26 |
144 |
144 |
204 |
|
|
Proportional Points system (officially used only from the 1888 VFA season onwards) has been used to rank teams, except Melbourne for reasons explained below.
- Melbourne has been placed ahead of Carlton based on a head-to-head record of four wins to nil.
------ Games between Melbourne and Carlton were still considered paramount based on the dominance of the two clubs over the past 10 seasons.
------ Consequently, despite losing five games to other clubs prior to their final game, Melbourne was still considered the leading metropolitan team and therefore entitled to a premiership play-off match with Geelong.
- Where two teams are virtually level (less than 4.00 points separate) on Proportional Points then rankings are decided by head-to-head results between teams:
------ Hotham and Essendon did not play. Therefore, Hotham are ranked above Essendon on percentage.
------ West Melbourne played Albert Park 2 times (W1 D1), therefore West Melbourne rank above Albert Park
------ West Melbourne did not play St Kilda
------ Albert Park played St Kilda once and drew. Albert Park should be ranked higher than St Kilda based on number of games played.
- Barwon, and Ballarat played too few games to attain a ranking.
- Rule requiring a minimum of 18 games to qualify for the Premiership not in force until 1888
- Behinds were only occasionally recorded during this season. Behinds did not count towards the final score or in determining the result of matches.
- The percentage column of goals for divided by goals against is included as an indication only.
1878 premiers: Geelong
Prepared and maintained by Andrew Robinson
Author: Andrew Robinson (contact:
andrew at elitetograssroots dot net)
First created: 15
July 2012
Last updated: 5 November 2014
(C) Copyright Andrew Robinson
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper
acknowledgement is given to the author. All rights reserved.
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