1904 VFL Season

These are the results for the 1904 season of the Victorian Football League (currently known as the Australian Football League).

It featured seventeen rounds in a double round-robin format with three sectional rounds. Fitzroy were the minor premiers.

The season ended with a finals series following the First Amended Argus system. Fitzroy were the premiers, with Gerald Brosnan as the premiership captain.

Season Details

Name: 1904 VFL Season
Teams: 8
Rounds: 17 (inc. 3 sectional rounds)
Finals System: First Amended Argus System
Matches: 71

Team Details

Team Home Ground Coach (Appointed) Coach (Caretaker)
Carlton Princes Park Jack Worrall
Collingwood Victoria Park Billy Strickland
Essendon East Melbourne
Fitzroy Brunswick Street Oval
Geelong Corio Oval
Melbourne MCG
South Melbourne Lakeside Oval
St Kilda Junction Oval

Season Results

Premiers: Fitzroy
Runners-Up: Carlton
Minor Premiers: Fitzroy

Team Results

Minor Premiership Results

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA GF BF GA BA
Fitzroy 1st 12 -0- 5 48 128.2% 954 744 131 168 95 174
Carlton 2nd 10 -1- 6 42 105.5% 804 762 111 138 102 150
Collingwood 3rd 10 -0- 7 40 117.0% 867 741 119 153 99 147
Essendon 4th 10 -0- 7 40 113.1% 835 738 115 145 102 126
South Melbourne 5th 10 -0- 7 40 108.5% 831 766 109 177 104 142
Melbourne 6th 8 -0- 9 32 112.7% 947 840 128 179 115 150
Geelong 7th 4 -1- 12 18 77.2% 726 940 94 162 129 166
St Kilda 8th 3 -0- 14 12 62.1% 708 1,141 100 108 161 175

Major Premiership Results

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA GF BF GA BA
Fitzroy 1st 14 -0- 5 56 129.5% 1,076 831 149 182 107 189
Carlton 2nd 11 -1- 7 46 102.4% 884 863 122 152 117 161
Collingwood 3rd 10 -0- 8 40 114.3% 917 802 126 161 108 154
Essendon 4th 10 -0- 8 40 112.0% 875 781 121 149 108 133

Overall Premiership Results

Team Position (Outcome)
Fitzroy 1st Premiers
Carlton 2nd Runners-Up
Collingwood 3rd Defeated by Fitzroy (Semi Final)
Essendon 4th Defeated by Carlton (Semi Final)
South Melbourne 5th Did not qualify for finals
Melbourne 6th Did not qualify for finals
Geelong 7th Did not qualify for finals
St Kilda 8th Did not qualify for finals

Season Fixture

Round 1

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 07/05/1904 3:00 PM Carlton v Fitzroy Princes Park 14 - 108
SAT 07/05/1904 3:00 PM Collingwood v Geelong Victoria Park 69 - 51
SAT 07/05/1904 3:00 PM Essendon v South Melbourne East Melbourne 58 - 17
SAT 07/05/1904 3:00 PM St Kilda v Melbourne Junction Oval 85 - 39

Round 1 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 1 -0- 0 4 771.4% 108 14
Essendon 2nd 1 -0- 0 4 341.2% 58 17
St Kilda 3rd 1 -0- 0 4 217.9% 85 39
Collingwood 4th 1 -0- 0 4 135.3% 69 51
Geelong 5th 0 -0- 1 0 73.9% 51 69
Melbourne 6th 0 -0- 1 0 45.9% 39 85
South Melbourne 7th 0 -0- 1 0 29.3% 17 58
Carlton 8th 0 -0- 1 0 13.0% 14 108

Round 2

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 14/05/1904 3:00 PM Fitzroy v St Kilda Brunswick Street Oval 83 - 33
SAT 14/05/1904 3:00 PM Geelong v Essendon Corio Oval 67 - 43
SAT 14/05/1904 3:00 PM Melbourne v Collingwood MCG 49 - 55
SAT 14/05/1904 3:00 PM South Melbourne v Carlton Lakeside Oval 19 - 36

Round 2 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 2 -0- 0 8 406.4% 191 47
Collingwood 2nd 2 -0- 0 8 124.0% 124 100
Essendon 3rd 1 -0- 1 4 120.2% 101 84
Geelong 4th 1 -0- 1 4 105.4% 118 112
St Kilda 5th 1 -0- 1 4 96.7% 118 122
Carlton 6th 1 -0- 1 4 39.4% 50 127
Melbourne 7th 0 -0- 2 0 62.9% 88 140
South Melbourne 8th 0 -0- 2 0 38.3% 36 94

Round 3

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 21/05/1904 3:00 PM Carlton v Geelong Princes Park 65 - 32
SAT 21/05/1904 3:00 PM Collingwood v South Melbourne Victoria Park 29 - 55
SAT 21/05/1904 3:00 PM Melbourne v Fitzroy MCG 23 - 99
SAT 21/05/1904 3:00 PM St Kilda v Essendon Junction Oval 33 - 69

Round 3 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 3 -0- 0 12 414.3% 290 70
Essendon 2nd 2 -0- 1 8 145.3% 170 117
Collingwood 3rd 2 -0- 1 8 98.7% 153 155
Carlton 4th 2 -0- 1 8 72.3% 115 159
Geelong 5th 1 -0- 2 4 84.7% 150 177
St Kilda 6th 1 -0- 2 4 79.1% 151 191
South Melbourne 7th 1 -0- 2 4 74.0% 91 123
Melbourne 8th 0 -0- 3 0 46.4% 111 239

Round 4

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 28/05/1904 3:00 PM Essendon v Melbourne SCG 39 - 71
SAT 28/05/1904 3:00 PM Fitzroy v Collingwood Brunswick Street Oval 33 - 42
SAT 28/05/1904 3:00 PM Geelong v South Melbourne Corio Oval 40 - 52
SAT 28/05/1904 3:00 PM St Kilda v Carlton Junction Oval 31 - 40

Round 4 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 3 -0- 1 12 288.4% 323 112
Collingwood 2nd 3 -0- 1 12 103.7% 195 188
Carlton 3rd 3 -0- 1 12 81.6% 155 190
Essendon 4th 2 -0- 2 8 111.2% 209 188
South Melbourne 5th 2 -0- 2 8 87.7% 143 163
Geelong 6th 1 -0- 3 4 83.0% 190 229
St Kilda 7th 1 -0- 3 4 78.8% 182 231
Melbourne 8th 1 -0- 3 4 65.5% 182 278

Round 5

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 04/06/1904 3:00 PM Collingwood v Carlton Victoria Park 48 - 53
SAT 04/06/1904 3:00 PM Essendon v Fitzroy East Melbourne 41 - 83
SAT 04/06/1904 3:00 PM Geelong v St Kilda Corio Oval 49 - 34
SAT 04/06/1904 3:00 PM South Melbourne v Melbourne Lakeside Oval 64 - 39

Round 5 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 4 -0- 1 16 265.4% 406 153
Carlton 2nd 4 -0- 1 16 87.4% 208 238
South Melbourne 3rd 3 -0- 2 12 102.5% 207 202
Collingwood 4th 3 -0- 2 12 100.8% 243 241
Essendon 5th 2 -0- 3 8 92.3% 250 271
Geelong 6th 2 -0- 3 8 90.9% 239 263
St Kilda 7th 1 -0- 4 4 77.1% 216 280
Melbourne 8th 1 -0- 4 4 64.6% 221 342

Round 6

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
MON 06/06/1904 3:00 PM Essendon v Collingwood East Melbourne 41 - 43
MON 06/06/1904 3:00 PM Fitzroy v Geelong Brunswick Street Oval 78 - 54
MON 06/06/1904 3:00 PM Melbourne v Carlton MCG 58 - 35
MON 06/06/1904 3:00 PM South Melbourne v St Kilda Lakeside Oval 100 - 58

Round 6 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 5 -0- 1 20 233.8% 484 207
South Melbourne 2nd 4 -0- 2 16 118.1% 307 260
Collingwood 3rd 4 -0- 2 16 101.4% 286 282
Carlton 4th 4 -0- 2 16 82.1% 243 296
Essendon 5th 2 -0- 4 8 92.7% 291 314
Geelong 6th 2 -0- 4 8 85.9% 293 341
Melbourne 7th 2 -0- 4 8 74.0% 279 377
St Kilda 8th 1 -0- 5 4 72.1% 274 380

Round 7

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 11/06/1904 3:00 PM Carlton v Essendon Princes Park 47 - 53
SAT 11/06/1904 3:00 PM Fitzroy v South Melbourne Brunswick Street Oval 45 - 44
SAT 11/06/1904 3:00 PM Geelong v Melbourne Corio Oval 66 - 97
SAT 11/06/1904 3:00 PM St Kilda v Collingwood Junction Oval 49 - 34

Round 7 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 6 -0- 1 24 210.8% 529 251
South Melbourne 2nd 4 -0- 3 16 115.1% 351 305
Collingwood 3rd 4 -0- 3 16 96.7% 320 331
Carlton 4th 4 -0- 3 16 83.1% 290 349
Essendon 5th 3 -0- 4 12 95.3% 344 361
Melbourne 6th 3 -0- 4 12 84.9% 376 443
Geelong 7th 2 -0- 5 8 82.0% 359 438
St Kilda 8th 2 -0- 5 8 78.0% 323 414

Round 8

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 25/06/1904 3:00 PM Fitzroy v Carlton Brunswick Street Oval 56 - 52
SAT 25/06/1904 3:00 PM Geelong v Collingwood Corio Oval 34 - 58
SAT 25/06/1904 3:00 PM Melbourne v St Kilda MCG 91 - 26
SAT 25/06/1904 3:00 PM South Melbourne v Essendon Lakeside Oval 69 - 29

Round 8 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 7 -0- 1 28 193.1% 585 303
South Melbourne 2nd 5 -0- 3 20 125.7% 420 334
Collingwood 3rd 5 -0- 3 20 103.6% 378 365
Melbourne 4th 4 -0- 4 16 99.6% 467 469
Carlton 5th 4 -0- 4 16 84.4% 342 405
Essendon 6th 3 -0- 5 12 86.7% 373 430
Geelong 7th 2 -0- 6 8 79.2% 393 496
St Kilda 8th 2 -0- 6 8 69.1% 349 505

Round 9

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 02/07/1904 3:00 PM Carlton v South Melbourne Princes Park 61 - 37
SAT 02/07/1904 3:00 PM Collingwood v Melbourne Victoria Park 29 - 54
SAT 02/07/1904 3:00 PM Essendon v Geelong East Melbourne 66 - 28
SAT 02/07/1904 3:00 PM St Kilda v Fitzroy Junction Oval 78 - 31

Round 9 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 7 -0- 2 28 161.7% 616 381
South Melbourne 2nd 5 -0- 4 20 115.7% 457 395
Melbourne 3rd 5 -0- 4 20 104.6% 521 498
Collingwood 4th 5 -0- 4 20 97.1% 407 419
Carlton 5th 5 -0- 4 20 91.2% 403 442
Essendon 6th 4 -0- 5 16 95.9% 439 458
St Kilda 7th 3 -0- 6 12 79.7% 427 536
Geelong 8th 2 -0- 7 8 74.9% 421 562

Round 10

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 09/07/1904 3:00 PM Essendon v St Kilda East Melbourne 44 - 39
SAT 09/07/1904 3:00 PM Fitzroy v Melbourne Brunswick Street Oval 58 - 43
SAT 09/07/1904 3:00 PM Geelong v Carlton Corio Oval 35 - 35
SAT 09/07/1904 3:00 PM South Melbourne v Collingwood Lakeside Oval 45 - 42

Round 10 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 8 -0- 2 32 159.0% 674 424
South Melbourne 2nd 6 -0- 4 24 114.9% 502 437
Carlton 3rd 5 -1- 4 22 91.8% 438 477
Melbourne 4th 5 -0- 5 20 101.4% 564 556
Essendon 5th 5 -0- 5 20 97.2% 483 497
Collingwood 6th 5 -0- 5 20 96.8% 449 464
St Kilda 7th 3 -0- 7 12 80.3% 466 580
Geelong 8th 2 -1- 7 10 76.4% 456 597

Round 11

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 16/07/1904 3:00 PM Carlton v St Kilda Princes Park 61 - 25
SAT 16/07/1904 3:00 PM Collingwood v Fitzroy Victoria Park 55 - 24
SAT 16/07/1904 3:00 PM Melbourne v Essendon MCG 30 - 35
SAT 16/07/1904 3:00 PM South Melbourne v Geelong Lakeside Oval 41 - 39

Round 11 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 8 -0- 3 32 145.7% 698 479
South Melbourne 2nd 7 -0- 4 28 114.1% 543 476
Carlton 3rd 6 -1- 4 26 99.4% 499 502
Collingwood 4th 6 -0- 5 24 103.3% 504 488
Essendon 5th 6 -0- 5 24 98.3% 518 527
Melbourne 6th 5 -0- 6 20 100.5% 594 591
St Kilda 7th 3 -0- 8 12 76.6% 491 641
Geelong 8th 2 -1- 8 10 77.6% 495 638

Round 12

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 23/07/1904 3:00 PM Carlton v Collingwood Princes Park 46 - 40
SAT 23/07/1904 3:00 PM Fitzroy v Essendon Brunswick Street Oval 44 - 27
SAT 23/07/1904 3:00 PM Melbourne v South Melbourne MCG 67 - 73
SAT 23/07/1904 3:00 PM St Kilda v Geelong Junction Oval 35 - 58

Round 12 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 9 -0- 3 36 146.6% 742 506
South Melbourne 2nd 8 -0- 4 32 113.4% 616 543
Carlton 3rd 7 -1- 4 30 100.6% 545 542
Collingwood 4th 6 -0- 6 24 101.9% 544 534
Essendon 5th 6 -0- 6 24 95.4% 545 571
Melbourne 6th 5 -0- 7 20 99.5% 661 664
Geelong 7th 3 -1- 8 14 82.2% 553 673
St Kilda 8th 3 -0- 9 12 75.3% 526 699

Round 13

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 30/07/1904 3:00 PM Carlton v Melbourne Princes Park 50 - 34
SAT 30/07/1904 3:00 PM Collingwood v Essendon Victoria Park 36 - 52
SAT 30/07/1904 3:00 PM Geelong v Fitzroy Corio Oval 42 - 37
SAT 30/07/1904 3:00 PM St Kilda v South Melbourne Junction Oval 46 - 65

Round 13 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 9 -0- 4 36 142.2% 779 548
South Melbourne 2nd 9 -0- 4 36 115.6% 681 589
Carlton 3rd 8 -1- 4 34 103.3% 595 576
Essendon 4th 7 -0- 6 28 98.4% 597 607
Collingwood 5th 6 -0- 7 24 99.0% 580 586
Melbourne 6th 5 -0- 8 20 97.3% 695 714
Geelong 7th 4 -1- 8 18 83.8% 595 710
St Kilda 8th 3 -0- 10 12 74.9% 572 764

Round 14

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 13/08/1904 3:00 PM Collingwood v St Kilda Victoria Park 96 - 46
SAT 13/08/1904 3:00 PM Essendon v Carlton East Melbourne 35 - 39
SAT 13/08/1904 3:00 PM Melbourne v Geelong MCG 76 - 40
SAT 13/08/1904 3:00 PM South Melbourne v Fitzroy Lakeside Oval 46 - 58

Round 14 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 10 -0- 4 40 140.9% 837 594
Carlton 2nd 9 -1- 4 38 103.8% 634 611
South Melbourne 3rd 9 -0- 5 36 112.4% 727 647
Collingwood 4th 7 -0- 7 28 107.0% 676 632
Essendon 5th 7 -0- 7 28 97.8% 632 646
Melbourne 6th 6 -0- 8 24 102.3% 771 754
Geelong 7th 4 -1- 9 18 80.8% 635 786
St Kilda 8th 3 -0- 11 12 71.9% 618 860

Round 15 (Sectional Round 1)

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 20/08/1904 2:30 PM Collingwood v Carlton Victoria Park 59 - 49
SAT 20/08/1904 2:30 PM Essendon v Geelong East Melbourne 57 - 39
SAT 20/08/1904 2:30 PM Fitzroy v South Melbourne Brunswick Street Oval 38 - 33
SAT 20/08/1904 2:30 PM Melbourne v St Kilda MCG 93 - 21

Round 15 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 11 -0- 4 44 139.6% 875 627
Carlton 2nd 9 -1- 5 38 101.9% 683 670
South Melbourne 3rd 9 -0- 6 36 110.9% 760 685
Collingwood 4th 8 -0- 7 32 107.9% 735 681
Essendon 5th 8 -0- 7 32 100.6% 689 685
Melbourne 6th 7 -0- 8 28 111.5% 864 775
Geelong 7th 4 -1- 10 18 80.0% 674 843
St Kilda 8th 3 -0- 12 12 67.1% 639 953

Round 16 (Sectional Round 2)

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 27/08/1904 2:30 PM Carlton v Melbourne Princes Park 14 - 43
SAT 27/08/1904 2:30 PM Geelong v Fitzroy Corio Oval 30 - 53
SAT 27/08/1904 2:30 PM South Melbourne v Essendon Lakeside Oval 27 - 59
SAT 27/08/1904 2:30 PM St Kilda v Collingwood Junction Oval 20 - 81

Round 16 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 12 -0- 4 48 141.2% 928 657
Carlton 2nd 9 -1- 6 38 97.8% 697 713
Collingwood 3rd 9 -0- 7 36 116.4% 816 701
South Melbourne 4th 9 -0- 7 36 105.8% 787 744
Essendon 5th 9 -0- 7 36 105.1% 748 712
Melbourne 6th 8 -0- 8 32 115.0% 907 789
Geelong 7th 4 -1- 11 18 78.6% 704 896
St Kilda 8th 3 -0- 13 12 63.7% 659 1,034

Round 17 (Sectional Round 3)

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 03/09/1904 2:30 PM Carlton v St Kilda Princes Park 107 - 49
SAT 03/09/1904 2:30 PM Essendon v Fitzroy East Melbourne 87 - 26
SAT 03/09/1904 2:30 PM Geelong v South Melbourne Corio Oval 22 - 44
SAT 03/09/1904 2:30 PM Melbourne v Collingwood MCG 40 - 51

Round 17 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Fitzroy 1st 12 -0- 5 48 128.2% 954 744
Carlton 2nd 10 -1- 6 42 105.5% 804 762
Collingwood 3rd 10 -0- 7 40 117.0% 867 741
Essendon 4th 10 -0- 7 40 113.1% 835 738
South Melbourne 5th 10 -0- 7 40 108.5% 831 766
Melbourne 6th 8 -0- 9 32 112.7% 947 840
Geelong 7th 4 -1- 12 18 77.2% 726 940
St Kilda 8th 3 -0- 14 12 62.1% 708 1,141

Final Round 1

Semi Final

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 10/09/1904 2:30 PM Carlton v Essendon Victoria Park 43 - 40 16,000
SAT 10/09/1904 2:30 PM Fitzroy v Collingwood MCG 61 - 50 25,000

Final Round 2

Grand Final

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 17/09/1904 2:50 PM Fitzroy v Carlton MCG 61 - 37 32,688