1997 AFL season

For the 1997 season of the Arena Football League, see 1997 Arena Football League season.
1997 AFL premiership season
Teams16
PremiersAdelaide
1st premiership
Minor premiersSt Kilda
2nd minor premiership
Pre-season cupCarlton
1st pre-season cup win
Brownlow MedallistRobert Harvey (St Kilda)
26 votes
Leading goalkickerTony Modra (Adelaide)
84 goals
Attendance
Matches played185
Total attendance6,403,814 (34,615 per match)
Highest (H&A)83,247 (round 5, Essendon vs. Collingwood)
Highest (finals)99,645 (Grand Final, Adelaide vs. St Kilda)
← 1996
1998 →

The 1997 AFL season was the 101st season of the Australian Football League (AFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Australia, which was known as the Victorian Football League until 1989. The season ran from 27 March until 27 September, and comprised a 22-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top eight clubs.

Before the season, the Port Adelaide Football Club (SANFL) was admitted to the league, increasing the South Australian membership to two clubs. Foundation club Fitzroy, which had gone into administration in 1996, merged with the Brisbane Bears to form a new Queensland-based team known as the Brisbane Lions. The Footscray Football Club changed its name to the Western Bulldogs. With these changes, the league's size remained at sixteen clubs.

The premiership was won by the Adelaide Football Club for the first time, after it defeated St Kilda by 31 points in the 1997 AFL Grand Final.

Home-and-away season

Round 1

Round 1
Thursday, 27 March (7:40 pm) North Melbourne 7.13 (55) def. by Melbourne 10.10 (70) MCG (crowd: 35,802) Report
Saturday, 29 March (2:10 pm) Collingwood 26.10 (166) def. Port Adelaide 13.9 (87) MCG (crowd: 51,883) Report
Saturday, 29 March (2:10 pm) Western Bulldogs 11.10 (76) def. by Fremantle 10.20 (80) Optus Oval (crowd: 8,664) Report
Saturday, 29 March (7:40 pm) St Kilda 10.11 (71) def. by Hawthorn 11.11 (77) Waverley Park (crowd: 35,732) Report
Saturday, 29 March (6:40 pm) West Coast 12.6 (78) def. Sydney 5.7 (37) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 29,965) Report
Sunday, 30 March (1:40 pm) Adelaide 20.12 (132) def. Brisbane Lions 14.12 (96) Football Park (crowd: 36,602) Report
Sunday, 30 March (2:10 pm) Richmond 15.14 (104) def. Geelong 13.17 (95) MCG (crowd: 48,358) Report
Monday, 31 March (2:10 pm) Essendon 16.10 (106) def. Carlton 15.9 (99) MCG (crowd: 82,363) Report
  • Port Adelaide endured a disappointing AFL debut at the MCG in front of over 50,000 spectators, with Collingwood jumping out to a 22-point lead at quarter time and extending the lead at each change to run out comfortable 79-point winners. Speedy midfielder Paul Williams was considered best-on-ground with 30 touches and 4 goals, while Nathan Buckley (who won a Magarey with Port in the SANFL) racked up 23 kicks and Saverio Rocca made the most of limited opportunities to kick six goals. For Port, Donald Dickie (26 touches), Fabian Francis (20 touches, 2 goals) and eventual Rising Star winner Michael Wilson were among Port's better players.
  • The Easter Monday clash between Essendon and Carlton is best remembered not for its close finish but for what happened after the game. The ongoing feud between Sean Denham and Greg Williams (which had stemmed from the 1993 Grand final) had reached a critical point, with both players engaged in a heated argument before umpire Andrew Coates tried to intervene, only to be pushed away by Williams. Despite the innocuous nature of the contact, the AFL Tribunal suspended Williams for nine matches.[1] The incident was one of football's major talking points that year, leading to a Supreme Court battle between Carlton and the AFL, and eventually the establishment of the AFL Appeals Board.

Round 2

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
Melbourne 7.14 (56) Collingwood 24.19 (163) MCG 61,138 Friday 4, April
Richmond 19.14 (128) Adelaide 15.10 (100) MCG 32,880 Saturday 5, April
Geelong 11.12 (78) West Coast 11.6 (72) Kardinia Park 17,988 Saturday 5, April
Western Bulldogs 13.12 (90) Sydney 12.11 (83) Princes Park 12,604 Saturday 5, April
Brisbane Lions 23.16 (154) St Kilda 7.15 (57) Gabba 17,123 Sunday 6, April
Port Adelaide 8.12 (60) Essendon 14.9 (93) Football Park 32,747 Sunday 6, April
Fremantle 13.9 (87) Hawthorn 10.13 (73) Subiaco Oval 19,057 Sunday 6, April
North Melbourne 12.14 (86) Carlton 8.12 (60) MCG 38,170 Monday 7, April

Round 3

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
Sydney 15.9 (99) Melbourne 14.7 (91) SCG 23,598 Friday 11, April
Western Bulldogs 16.9 (105) Richmond 12.14 (86) MCG 35,438 Saturday 12, April
St Kilda 19.11 (125) Collingwood 17.16 (118) Waverley Park 54,699 Saturday 12, April
Port Adelaide 18.21 (129) Geelong 14.6 (90) Football Park 32,074 Saturday 12, April
Essendon 18.14 (122) North Melbourne 12.8 (80) MCG 57,978 Sunday 13, April
Carlton 15.18 (108) Adelaide 12.8 (80) Princes Park 25,966 Sunday 13, April
Hawthorn 12.15 (87) Brisbane Lions 11.9 (75) Waverley Park 27,947 Sunday 13, April
West Coast 16.15 (111) Fremantle 9.17 (71) Subiaco Oval 39,294 Sunday 13, April

Round 4

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
Melbourne 13.9 (87) Western Bulldogs 13.11 (89) MCG 28,043 Friday 18, April
Collingwood 12.12 (84) Carlton 15.11 (101) MCG 78,704 Saturday 19, April
Richmond 10.12 (72) Fremantle 10.7 (67) Princes Park 15,461 Saturday 19, April
West Coast 17.10 (112) Hawthorn 13.10 (88) Subiaco Oval 38,222 Saturday 19, April
St Kilda 12.9 (81) Sydney 18.19 (127) Waverley Park 35,061 Saturday 19, April
Brisbane Lions 15.19 (109) North Melbourne 12.11 (83) Gabba 18,575 Sunday 20, April
Adelaide 11.6 (72) Port Adelaide 11.17 (83) Football Park 47,256 Sunday 20, April
Geelong 11.19 (85) Essendon 11.12 (78) MCG 54,922 Sunday 20, April

Round 5

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
Essendon 10.10 (70) Collingwood 14.15 (99) MCG 83,271 Friday 25, April
Fremantle 16.11 (107) St Kilda 15.11 (101) Subiaco Oval 23,504 Friday 25, April
Melbourne 12.6 (78) West Coast 19.12 (126) MCG 19,655 Saturday 26, April
Western Bulldogs 9.17 (71) Adelaide 19.7 (121) Princes Park 12,694 Saturday 26, April
Hawthorn 15.9 (99) Sydney 11.8 (74) Waverley Park 37,576 Saturday 26, April
Port Adelaide 10.13 (73) Brisbane Lions 10.11 (71) Football Park 31,757 Sunday 27, April
North Melbourne 21.15 (141) Richmond 7.4 (46) MCG 44,449 Sunday 27, April
Carlton 12.14 (86) Geelong 13.16 (94) Princes Park 25,801 Sunday 27, April

Round 6

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
West Coast 14.15 (99) Western Bulldogs 17.11 (113) WACA 29,838 Friday 2, May
Essendon 15.12 (102) Brisbane Lions 9.17 (71) MCG 37,642 Saturday 3, May
Collingwood 13.6 (84) Adelaide 11.17 (83) Victoria Park 24,663 Saturday 3, May
Geelong 14.13 (97) Fremantle 6.7 (43) Kardinia Park 16,467 Saturday 3, May
Hawthorn 14.9 (93) North Melbourne 16.7 (103) Waverley Park 38,953 Saturday 3, May
Sydney 21.16 (142) Carlton 11.17 (83) SCG 37,933 Sunday 4, May
St Kilda 17.19 (121) Melbourne 4.11 (35) Waverley Park 21,104 Sunday 4, May
Port Adelaide 19.8 (122) Richmond 8.10 (58) Football Park 36,090 Sunday 4, May

Round 7

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
North Melbourne 9.14 (68) Collingwood 17.9 (111) MCG 54,901 Friday 9, May
Richmond 10.16 (76) Carlton 14.14 (98) MCG 48,833 Saturday 10, May
Western Bulldogs 19.19 (133) Hawthorn 13.10 (88) Princes Park 18,860 Saturday 10, May
Geelong 11.10 (76) Sydney 6.8 (44) Kardinia Park 22,151 Saturday 10, May
Fremantle 17.22 (124) Melbourne 10.9 (69) WACA 18,198 Saturday 10, May
St Kilda 20.6 (126) Port Adelaide 8.13 (61) Waverley Park 17,752 Saturday 10, May
Brisbane Lions 8.12 (60) West Coast 21.13 (139) Gabba 17,524 Sunday 11, May
Adelaide 18.18 (126) Essendon 11.7 (73) Football Park 39,275 Sunday 11, May

Round 8

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
Collingwood 19.15 (129) Western Bulldogs 11.17 (83) MCG 61,014 Friday 16, May
Melbourne 7.7 (49) Geelong 19.14 (128) MCG 28,989 Saturday 17, May
North Melbourne 19.14 (128) Port Adelaide 15.10 (100) Princes Park 13,056 Saturday 17, May
Adelaide 22.12 (144) Sydney 8.7 (55) Football Park 40,147 Saturday 17, May
Essendon 14.16 (100) St Kilda 18.16 (124) MCG 51,928 Sunday 18, May
Carlton 15.16 (106) Hawthorn 12.9 (81) Princes Park 29,783 Sunday 18, May
Fremantle 14.14 (98) Brisbane Lions 15.3 (93) Subiaco Oval 14,721 Sunday 18, May
Richmond 18.11 (119) West Coast 9.13 (67) MCG 26,721 Monday 19, May

Round 9

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
Port Adelaide 10.18 (78) Melbourne 3.9 (27) Football Park 32,958 Friday 23, May
Carlton 16.9 (105) Fremantle 14.4 (88) Princes Park 18,187 Saturday 24, May
Hawthorn 13.10 (88) Adelaide 14.18 (102) Waverley Park 23,463 Saturday 24, May
Sydney 16.15 (111) Collingwood 11.8 (74) SCG 39,780 Saturday 24, May
Brisbane Lions 19.12 (126) Geelong 15.8 (98) Gabba 19,828 Sunday 25, May
West Coast 16.14 (110) Essendon 13.7 (85) Subiaco Oval 38,984 Sunday 25, May
Western Bulldogs 16.7 (103) North Melbourne 10.11 (71) MCG 29,307 Sunday 25, May
St Kilda 22.9 (141) Richmond 14.10 (94) Waverley Park 52,257 Sunday 25, May

Round 10

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
Port Adelaide 14.9 (93) Carlton 7.13 (55) Football Park 40,116 Friday 30, May
North Melbourne 15.13 (103) West Coast 9.4 (58) Princes Park 13,614 Saturday 31, May
Hawthorn 16.12 (108) Collingwood 8.7 (55) Waverley Park 51,494 Saturday 31, May
Geelong 16.11 (107) St Kilda 11.13 (79) Kardinia Park 22,731 Saturday 31, May
Richmond 9.13 (67) Melbourne 14.8 (92) MCG 28,879 Saturday 31, May
Essendon 17.12 (114) Western Bulldogs 20.16 (136) MCG 50,138 Sunday 1, June
Brisbane Lions 13.14 (92) Sydney 13.11 (89) Gabba 20,403 Sunday 1, June
Fremantle 10.12 (72) Adelaide 16.9 (105) Subiaco Oval 22,464 Monday 2, June

Round 11

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
Collingwood 10.11 (71) Richmond 11.11 (77) MCG 70,350 Friday 6, June
Essendon 13.13 (91) Hawthorn 17.22 (124) MCG 60,594 Saturday 7, June
Western Bulldogs 14.12 (96) Geelong 11.9 (75) Princes Park 24,897 Saturday 7, June
Port Adelaide 4.17 (41) Sydney 10.16 (76) Football Park 35,669 Saturday 7, June
Melbourne 5.15 (45) Adelaide 14.13 (97) MCG 27,463 Sunday 8, June
West Coast 11.7 (73) St Kilda 13.11 (89) Subiaco Oval 29,390 Sunday 8, June
North Melbourne 15.15 (105) Fremantle 12.7 (79) MCG 20,585 Monday 9, June
Carlton 12.12 (84) Brisbane Lions 9.9 (63) Princes Park 27,904 Monday 9, June

Round 12

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
Sydney 26.8 (164) Richmond 16.14 (110) SCG 35,033 Friday 13, June
Western Bulldogs 12.10 (82) Port Adelaide 14.10 (94) Princes Park 14,025 Saturday 14, June
Collingwood 7.13 (55) West Coast 11.5 (71) Victoria Park 25,323 Saturday 14, June
Geelong 12.10 (82) Hawthorn 13.10 (88) Kardinia Park 22,871 Saturday 14, June
St Kilda 16.20 (116) Carlton 12.13 (85) Waverley Park 44,883 Sunday 15, June
Adelaide 12.11 (83) North Melbourne 16.9 (105) Football Park 43,345 Sunday 15, June
Melbourne 7.8 (50) Brisbane Lions 21.9 (135) MCG 13,392 Sunday 15, June
Fremantle 24.13 (157) Essendon 9.6 (60) Subiaco Oval 21,956 Sunday 15, June

Round 13

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
West Coast 11.13 (79) Carlton 12.14 (86) Subiaco Oval 37,854 Friday 27, June
Richmond 4.10 (34) Essendon 19.13 (127) MCG 58,812 Saturday 28, June
St Kilda 11.18 (84) Western Bulldogs 15.11 (101) Waverley Park 32,370 Saturday 28, June
Geelong 17.8 (110) Adelaide 7.12 (54) Kardinia Park 20,236 Saturday 28, June
Brisbane Lions 11.22 (88) Collingwood 11.7 (73) Gabba 19,560 Saturday 28, June
Port Adelaide 10.9 (69) Fremantle 7.12 (54) Football Park 30,827 Saturday 28, June
Hawthorn 17.16 (118) Melbourne 7.13 (55) Waverley Park 31,517 Sunday 29, June
Sydney 8.17 (65) North Melbourne 7.13 (55) SCG 30,160 Sunday 29, June

Round 14

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
Adelaide 16.10 (106) West Coast 4.7 (31) Football Park 39,221 Friday 4, July
Geelong 9.26 (80) Collingwood 10.12 (72) MCG 65,228 Saturday 5, July
Carlton 11.8 (74) Western Bulldogs 16.14 (110) Princes Park 32,183 Saturday 5, July
St Kilda 20.13 (133) North Melbourne 11.13 (79) Waverley Park 32,635 Saturday 5, July
Fremantle 6.12 (48) Sydney 3.15 (33) WACA 19,290 Saturday 5, July
Essendon 18.12 (120) Melbourne 8.9 (57) MCG 44,803 Sunday 6, July
Hawthorn 18.16 (124) Port Adelaide 13.14 (92) Waverley Park 29,886 Sunday 6, July
Brisbane Lions 7.26 (68) Richmond 7.8 (50) Gabba 19,155 Sunday 6, July

Round 15

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
North Melbourne 14.8 (92) Geelong 15.12 (102) MCG 45,120 Friday 11, July
Melbourne 18.11 (119) Carlton 15.10 (100) MCG 27,992 Saturday 12, July
Western Bulldogs 11.7 (73) Brisbane Lions 21.11 (137) Princes Park 16,430 Saturday 12, July
Collingwood 25.10 (160) Fremantle 9.6 (60) Victoria Park 23,433 Saturday 12, July
Adelaide 10.16 (76) St Kilda 9.12 (66) Football Park 39,921 Saturday 12, July
Sydney 11.13 (79) Essendon 11.12 (78) SCG 36,077 Sunday 13, July
West Coast 12.13 (85) Port Adelaide 9.13 (67) Subiaco Oval 29,723 Sunday 13, July
Richmond 22.13 (145) Hawthorn 10.9 (69) MCG 49,217 Sunday 13, July

Round 16

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
Brisbane Lions 17.16 (118) Adelaide 13.9 (87) Gabba 21,348 Friday 18, July
Carlton 25.15 (165) Essendon 13.9 (87) MCG 58,512 Saturday 19, July
Hawthorn 9.8 (62) St Kilda 20.21 (141) Waverley Park 43,181 Saturday 19, July
Geelong 16.14 (110) Richmond 12.6 (78) Kardinia Park 24,099 Saturday 19, July
Sydney 15.22 (112) West Coast 11.9 (75) SCG 39,318 Saturday 19, July
Port Adelaide 17.9 (111) Collingwood 8.10 (58) Football Park 37,790 Saturday 19, July
Melbourne 7.16 (58) North Melbourne 17.12 (114) MCG 23,309 Sunday 20, July
Fremantle 15.7 (97) Western Bulldogs 13.13 (91) Subiaco Oval 18,392 Sunday 20, July

Round 17

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
Essendon 10.12 (72) Port Adelaide 18.14 (122) MCG 33,076 Friday 25, July
Carlton 7.16 (58) North Melbourne 14.12 (96) Princes Park 27,689 Saturday 26, July
Hawthorn 9.8 (62) Fremantle 10.11 (71) Waverley Park 15,939 Saturday 26, July
Sydney 22.17 (149) Western Bulldogs 7.10 (52) SCG 32,534 Saturday 26, July
Adelaide 29.11 (185) Richmond 7.6 (48) Football Park 36,297 Saturday 26, July
St Kilda 12.20 (92) Brisbane Lions 5.14 (44) Waverley Park 34,859 Sunday 27, July
Collingwood 20.14 (134) Melbourne 12.10 (82) MCG 37,779 Sunday 27, July
West Coast 20.9 (129) Geelong 12.10 (82) Subiaco Oval 34,565 Sunday 27, July

Round 18

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
North Melbourne 11.17 (83) Essendon 8.16 (64) MCG 38,614 Friday 1, August
Melbourne 7.11 (53) Sydney 25.19 (169) MCG 26,901 Saturday 2, August
Richmond 17.13 (115) Western Bulldogs 15.10 (100) Princes Park 18,373 Saturday 2, August
Geelong 25.9 (159) Port Adelaide 11.8 (74) Kardinia Park 21,867 Saturday 2, August
Brisbane Lions 21.15 (141) Hawthorn 11.5 (71) Gabba 19,635 Saturday 2, August
Adelaide 18.19 (127) Carlton 13.8 (86) Football Park 42,548 Sunday 3, August
Collingwood 12.17 (89) St Kilda 15.21 (111) MCG 68,036 Sunday 3, August
Fremantle 7.7 (49) West Coast 13.4 (82) Subiaco Oval 39,711 Sunday 3, August

Round 19

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
North Melbourne 17.14 (116) Brisbane Lions 9.5 (59) MCG 27,021 Friday 8, August
Carlton 14.23 (107) Collingwood 13.13 (91) MCG 61,650 Saturday 9, August
Western Bulldogs 14.18 (102) Melbourne 9.10 (64) Princes Park 13,058 Saturday 9, August
Hawthorn 10.6 (66) West Coast 13.9 (87) Waverley Park 20,517 Saturday 9, August
Fremantle 12.13 (85) Richmond 5.12 (42) WACA 15,757 Saturday 9, August
Sydney 17.17 (119) St Kilda 18.20 (128) SCG 39,287 Sunday 10, August
Essendon 11.7 (73) Geelong 9.14 (68) MCG 53,901 Sunday 10, August
Port Adelaide 9.4 (58) Adelaide 9.11 (65) Football Park 45,498 Sunday 10, August

Round 20

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
West Coast 15.7 (97) Melbourne 7.17 (59) WACA 21,164 Friday 15, August
Collingwood 13.13 (91) Essendon 12.9 (81) MCG 50,944 Saturday 16, August
St Kilda 12.5 (77) Fremantle 9.10 (64) Waverley Park 26,201 Saturday 16, August
Geelong 13.17 (95) Carlton 9.13 (67) Kardinia Park 23,007 Saturday 16, August
Brisbane Lions 13.15 (93) Port Adelaide 13.15 (93) Gabba 20,835 Saturday 16, August
Sydney 20.15 (135) Hawthorn 11.11 (77) SCG 34,111 Sunday 17, August
Richmond 14.13 (97) North Melbourne 14.12 (96) MCG 29,620 Sunday 17, August
Adelaide 7.18 (60) Western Bulldogs 16.7 (103) Football Park 39,632 Sunday 17, August

Round 21

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
Melbourne 8.14 (62) St Kilda 17.12 (114) MCG 32,935 Friday 22, August
North Melbourne 10.21 (81) Hawthorn 6.7 (43) MCG 26,393 Saturday 23, August
Carlton 11.10 (76) Sydney 5.11 (41) Princes Park 27,375 Saturday 23, August
Western Bulldogs 12.14 (86) West Coast 10.8 (68) Whitten Oval 26,704 Saturday 23, August
Brisbane Lions 15.12 (102) Essendon 16.10 (106) Gabba 21,065 Saturday 23, August
Richmond 22.14 (146) Port Adelaide 8.13 (61) MCG 22,516 Sunday 24, August
Fremantle 9.14 (68) Geelong 14.16 (100) Subiaco Oval 28,751 Sunday 24, August
Adelaide 6.12 (48) Collingwood 5.9 (39) Football Park 37,661 Monday 25, August

Round 22

Home team Home team score Away team Away team score Ground Crowd Date
West Coast 18.12 (120) Brisbane Lions 11.15 (81) WACA 29,402 Friday 29, August
Melbourne 18.11 (119) Fremantle 11.13 (79) MCG 15,036 Saturday 30, August
Carlton 13.11 (89) Richmond 13.13 (91) Princes Park 34,922 Saturday 30, August
Hawthorn 13.9 (87) Western Bulldogs 15.15 (105) Waverley Park 35,706 Saturday 30, August
Sydney 13.12 (90) Geelong 15.10 (100) SCG 46,168 Saturday 30, August
Collingwood 18.14 (122) North Melbourne 15.21 (111) MCG 43,660 Sunday 31, August
Essendon 16.6 (102) Adelaide 14.14 (98) Princes Park 25,636 Sunday 31, August
Port Adelaide 12.12 (84) St Kilda 17.15 (117) Football Park 38,589 Sunday 31, August

Ladder

(P) Premiers
Qualified for finals
# Team P W L D PF PA % Pts
1 St Kilda 22 15 7 0 2294 1918 119.6 60
2 Geelong 22 15 7 0 2111 1791 117.9 60
3 Western Bulldogs 22 14 8 0 2100 2062 101.8 56
4 Adelaide (P) 22 13 9 0 2151 1769 121.6 52
5 West Coast 22 13 9 0 1969 1770 111.2 52
6 Sydney 22 12 10 0 2093 1801 116.2 48
7 North Melbourne 22 12 10 0 2051 1835 111.8 48
8 Brisbane Lions 22 10 11 1 2076 1973 105.2 42
9 Port Adelaide 22 10 11 1 1852 2017 91.8 42
10 Collingwood 22 10 12 0 2138 1919 111.4 40
11 Carlton 22 10 12 0 1978 2045 96.7 40
12 Fremantle 22 10 12 0 1748 1902 91.9 40
13 Richmond 22 10 12 0 1883 2253 83.6 40
14 Essendon 22 9 13 0 2004 2170 92.4 36
15 Hawthorn 22 8 14 0 1873 2144 87.4 32
16 Melbourne 22 4 18 0 1477 2429 60.8 16

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for
Average score: 90.3
Source: AFL Tables

Progression by round

  Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top 8.
  Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round.
  Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished in last place on the ladder in that round.
Team ╲ Round12345678910111213141516171819202122
St Kilda00444812162020242828323236404448525660
Geelong0448121620242428282832364044444848525660
Western Bulldogs04812121620202428323236404040404044485256
Adelaide44448812162024282828323636404448485252
West Coast44812161620202424242828283232364044484852
Sydney004881212121616202428283236404444484848
North Melbourne044481212161620242828282832364044444848
Brisbane Lions044888881216162024283236364040424242
Port Adelaide0048121616162024242832323236404040424242
Collingwood4888121620242424242424242828323232363640
Carlton00488812162020242428282832323236364040
Fremantle4888121216202020202424282832363640404040
Richmond48812121212161616202020202424242828323640
Essendon481212121616161616161620242424242428283236
Hawthorn4488121212121216202428323232323232323232
Melbourne444444444888881212121212121216
Source: [citation needed]

Finals series

Week one

Qualifying finals
QF2: Saturday, 6 September (2:30 pm) Western Bulldogs 18.11 (119) def. Sydney 12.12 (84) MCG (crowd: 62,432) Report
QF1: Sunday, 7 September (2:30 pm) Adelaide 14.15 (99) def. West Coast 9.12 (66) Football Park (crowd: 43,761) Report
QF4: Sunday, 7 September (2:30 pm) St Kilda 20.15 (135) def. Brisbane Lions 13.11 (89) Waverley Park (crowd: 50,035) Report
QF3: Sunday, 7 September (7:00 pm) Geelong 9.7 (61) def. by North Melbourne 11.13 (79) MCG (crowd: 55,561) Report
  • The St Kilda versus Brisbane Lions finals match was the last ever finals match to be played at Waverley Park.
  • The Adelaide versus West Coast match was originally scheduled as a night match on Saturday, but to avoid a television conflict with the funeral of Princess Diana, the game was rescheduled as a Sunday afternoon fixture.

Week two

Semi-finals
SF1: Saturday, 13 September (2:30 pm) North Melbourne 15.8 (98) def. West Coast 12.13 (85) MCG (crowd: 55,781) Report
SF2: Saturday, 13 September (7:45 pm) Adelaide 11.10 (76) def. Geelong 9.14 (68) Football Park (crowd: 46,319) Report

The Adelaide versus Geelong semi final was notable due to an incident in the third quarter, when a clear forward 50 mark to Geelong's Leigh Colbert was not awarded by field umpire Grant Vernon, denying Geelong a crucial shot at goal. This incident was later confirmed as a significant error by the AFL umpiring association, and Grant Vernon was not selected to umpire in any remaining 1997 finals matches as a result. [2]

Week three

Preliminary finals
PF2: Friday, 19 September (7:45 pm) St Kilda 15.14 (104) def. North Melbourne 11.7 (73) MCG (crowd: 77,531) Report
PF1: Saturday, 20 September (2:30 pm) Western Bulldogs 13.13 (91) def. by Adelaide 12.21 (93) MCG (crowd: 70,088) Report

Week four

Main article: 1997 AFL Grand Final
Grand final
Saturday, 27 September (2:45 pm) St Kilda 13.16 (94) def. by Adelaide 19.11 (125) MCG (crowd: 99,645) Report
  • This was the first appearance in a grand final for Adelaide.

Attendance

Team Hosted Average Highest Lowest Total Last Season +/-
Essendon 11 52,848 83,271 25,636 581,330 49,526 + 3322
Collingwood 11 48,708 78,704 23,433 535,789 44,723 + 3985
Adelaide 11 40,173 47,256 36,297 441,905 39,428 + 745
Port Adelaide 11 35,829 45,498 31,757 394,115 11,017* + 24812*
Sydney 11 35,818 46,168 23,598 393,999 24,574 + 11244
St Kilda 11 35,232 54,699 17,752 387,553 27,137 + 8095
Richmond 11 34,515 58,812 15,461 379,670 38,624 - 4109
Carlton 11 33,634 61,650 18,187 369,972 35,891 - 2257
West Coast 11 32,582 39,294 21,164 358,401 32,448 + 134
North Melbourne 11 32,520 54,901 13,056 357,725 34,627 - 2107
Hawthorn 11 32,380 51,494 15,939 356,179 23,624 + 8756
Geelong 11 28,324 65,228 16,467 311,567 25,161 + 3163
Melbourne 11 27,714 61,138 13,392 304,853 30,315 - 2601
Fremantle 11 21,982 39,711 14,721 241,801 22,473 - 491
Brisbane Lions 11 19,550 21,348 17,123 215,051 N/A N/A
Western Bulldogs 11 19,335 35,438 8664 212,681 18,073 + 1262
Totals 176 33,197 83,271 8664 5842,591 29,637 + 3560
Venue Hosted Average Highest Lowest Total Last Season +/-
MCG 53 43,488 83,271 13,392 2,304,865 46,114 - 2626
Football Park 22 38,001 47,256 31,757 836,020 39,428 - 1427
SCG 11 35,818 46,168 23,598 393,999 24,574 + 11,244
Waverley Park 22 33,806 54,699 15,939 743,732 25,545 + 8261
Subiaco Oval 17 28,371 39,711 14,721 482,310 28,289 + 82
Whitten Oval 1 26,704 26,704 26,704 26,704 10,482 + 16,222
Victoria Park 3 24,473 25,323 23,433 73,419 23,581 + 892
WACA 5 23,578 29,838 18,198 117,892 25,253 - 1675
Kardinia Park 9 21,269 24,099 16,467 191,417 22,670 - 1401
Optus Oval 22 20,781 34,922 8664 457,182 15,641 + 5140
Gabba 11 19,550 21,348 17,123 215,051 18,088 + 1462
Totals 176 33,197 83,271 8664 5842,591 29,637 + 3560

Notable events

  • The last AFL regular season game at Whitten Oval was played in Round 21, with hosts the Western Bulldogs defeating West Coast by 18 points.[3]
  • St Kilda finished on top of the ladder (prior to the finals) to claim the minor premiership, despite losing 7 matches in the home and away season. No team before or since has finished on top with that many losses, which highlights the evenness of the 1997 season. St Kilda would also play in their first preliminary final since 1972 and reach their first grand final since 1971.
  • The first qualifying final between Adelaide and West Coast was rescheduled from Saturday evening to Sunday afternoon to allow the Seven Network to screen the funeral of Princess Diana live across Australia.[4] This meant that it was played at the same time as the fourth qualifying final between minor premiers St Kilda and the Brisbane Lions, who were competing in their first season as a merged entity. The game is also notable for being the first ever final between two non-Victorian teams.
  • Gary Ablett Sr., arguably one of the games best and most well known players, officially announced his retirement during the Preliminary Final weekend. Ablett failed to play a game in 1997 due to a knee injury.

References

  1. ^ "Eight of the longest AFL suspensions". Zero Hanger. 7 August 2018.
  2. ^ "Colbert non-screamer cruelled Cats in AFL".
  3. ^ "'It was the perfect send-off': Last game at Whitten Oval". Western Bulldogss. 27 July 2022. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  4. ^ Warner, Michael; Ralph, Jon; Wade, Nick (4 July 2015). "Cats game cancelled". Geelong Advertiser. Retrieved 30 October 2015.

Sources