1997 AFLR Season
This page displays the results for the 1997 season of the Australian Football League Reserves.
It featured twenty-two rounds. Each team received two byes. The Richmond Reserves were the minor premiers.
The premiership ended with a finals series following the Second McIntyre Final Six system. The Richmond Reserves were the premiers, with Tony Free as the premiership coach.
Premiership Details
Name:
1997 Australian Football League Reserves Season
Known As:
1997 AFLR Season
Teams:
11
Rounds:
22
Finals System:
Second McIntyre Final Six System
Matches:
117
Team Details
| Team | Home Ground | Coach (Appointed) | Coach (Caretaker) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlton (R) | Optus Oval | Wayne Brittain | |
| Collingwood (R) | Victoria Park | Danny Frawley | |
| Essendon (R) | Windy Hill | Mark Thompson | |
| Footscray (R) | Optus Oval | Brian Royal | |
| Geelong (R) | Kardinia Park | ||
| Hawthorn (R) | Waverley Park | Chris Connolly | |
| Melbourne (R) | Punt Road Oval | Greg Hutchison | Matthew Rendell |
| North Melbourne (R) | MCG | Tony Elshaug | |
| Richmond (R) | Punt Road Oval | Jeff Gieschen | Tony Free |
| St Kilda (R) | Waverley Park | Peter Russo | |
| Sydney (R) | SCG | Dennis Carroll |
Premiership Results
Premiers:
Richmond Reserves
Runners-Up:
Hawthorn Reserves
Minor Premiers:
Richmond Reserves
Team Results
Minor Premiership Results
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | GF | BF | GA | BA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | 16 | -0- | 4 | 64 | 140.8% | 2,078 | 1,476 | 305 | 248 | 212 | 204 |
| Footscray (R) | 2nd | 14 | -0- | 6 | 56 | 135.1% | 2,269 | 1,680 | 329 | 295 | 244 | 216 |
| Sydney (R) | 3rd | 14 | -0- | 6 | 56 | 125.0% | 2,222 | 1,777 | 328 | 254 | 262 | 205 |
| St Kilda (R) | 4th | 13 | -0- | 7 | 52 | 117.1% | 1,888 | 1,612 | 268 | 280 | 236 | 196 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 5th | 12 | -0- | 8 | 48 | 109.3% | 1,883 | 1,722 | 278 | 215 | 244 | 258 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 6th | 11 | -0- | 9 | 44 | 104.5% | 1,918 | 1,836 | 282 | 226 | 271 | 210 |
| Carlton (R) | 7th | 11 | -0- | 9 | 44 | 99.1% | 1,953 | 1,971 | 281 | 267 | 291 | 225 |
| Collingwood (R) | 8th | 7 | -0- | 13 | 28 | 89.2% | 1,798 | 2,015 | 266 | 202 | 290 | 275 |
| Geelong (R) | 9th | 6 | -0- | 14 | 24 | 79.9% | 1,640 | 2,053 | 244 | 176 | 297 | 271 |
| Essendon (R) | 10th | 4 | -0- | 16 | 16 | 71.7% | 1,488 | 2,074 | 213 | 210 | 306 | 238 |
| Melbourne (R) | 11th | 2 | -0- | 18 | 8 | 58.7% | 1,307 | 2,228 | 184 | 203 | 325 | 278 |
Overall Premiership Results
| Team | Position (Outcome) | |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | Premiers |
| Hawthorn (R) | 2nd | Runners-Up |
| Footscray (R) | 3rd | Defeated by Richmond (R) (Preliminary Final) |
| North Melbourne (R) | 4th | Defeated by Richmond (R) (Semi Final) |
| Sydney (R) | 5th | Defeated by North Melbourne (R) (Elimination Final) |
| St Kilda (R) | 6th | Defeated by Hawthorn (R) (Elimination Final) |
| Carlton (R) | 7th | Did not qualify for finals |
| Collingwood (R) | 8th | Did not qualify for finals |
| Geelong (R) | 9th | Did not qualify for finals |
| Essendon (R) | 10th | Did not qualify for finals |
| Melbourne (R) | 11th | Did not qualify for finals |
Premiership Fixture
Regular Season
Round 1
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| THU | 27/03/1997 | 4:35 PM | North Melbourne (R) v Melbourne (R) | MCG | 77 | - | 80 | |
| SAT | 29/03/1997 | 11:00 AM | Collingwood (R) v Footscray (R) | Punt Road Oval | 121 | - | 124 | |
| SAT | 29/03/1997 | 4:30 PM | St Kilda (R) v Hawthorn (R) | Waverley Park | 138 | - | 87 | |
| SUN | 30/03/1997 | 11:00 AM | Richmond (R) v Geelong (R) | MCG | 112 | - | 82 | |
| MON | 31/03/1997 | 11:00 AM | Essendon (R) v Carlton (R) | MCG | 98 | - | 89 | |
Round 1 Bye: Sydney (R)
Round 1 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Kilda (R) | 1st | 1 | -0- | 0 | 4 | 158.6% | 138 | 87 |
| Richmond (R) | 2nd | 1 | -0- | 0 | 4 | 136.6% | 112 | 82 |
| Essendon (R) | 3rd | 1 | -0- | 0 | 4 | 110.1% | 98 | 89 |
| Melbourne (R) | 4th | 1 | -0- | 0 | 4 | 103.9% | 80 | 77 |
| Footscray (R) | 5th | 1 | -0- | 0 | 4 | 102.5% | 124 | 121 |
| Sydney (R) | 6th | 0 | -0- | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Collingwood (R) | 7th | 0 | -0- | 1 | 0 | 97.6% | 121 | 124 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 8th | 0 | -0- | 1 | 0 | 96.3% | 77 | 80 |
| Carlton (R) | 9th | 0 | -0- | 1 | 0 | 90.8% | 89 | 98 |
| Geelong (R) | 10th | 0 | -0- | 1 | 0 | 73.2% | 82 | 112 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 11th | 0 | -0- | 1 | 0 | 63.0% | 87 | 138 |
Round 2
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRI | 04/04/1997 | 4:45 PM | Melbourne (R) v Collingwood (R) | MCG | 61 | - | 103 | |
| SAT | 05/04/1997 | 10:45 AM | Richmond (R) v Essendon (R) | Punt Road Oval | 114 | - | 83 | |
| SAT | 05/04/1997 | 11:15 AM | Footscray (R) v Sydney (R) | Optus Oval | 124 | - | 134 | |
| SAT | 05/04/1997 | 11:15 AM | Geelong (R) v St Kilda (R) | Kardinia Park | 97 | - | 147 | |
| MON | 07/04/1997 | 4:45 PM | North Melbourne (R) v Carlton (R) | MCG | 106 | - | 80 | |
Round 2 Bye: Hawthorn (R)
Round 2 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Kilda (R) | 1st | 2 | -0- | 0 | 8 | 154.9% | 285 | 184 |
| Richmond (R) | 2nd | 2 | -0- | 0 | 8 | 137.0% | 226 | 165 |
| Collingwood (R) | 3rd | 1 | -0- | 1 | 4 | 121.1% | 224 | 185 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 4th | 1 | -0- | 1 | 4 | 114.4% | 183 | 160 |
| Sydney (R) | 5th | 1 | -0- | 0 | 4 | 108.1% | 134 | 124 |
| Footscray (R) | 6th | 1 | -0- | 1 | 4 | 97.3% | 248 | 255 |
| Essendon (R) | 7th | 1 | -0- | 1 | 4 | 89.2% | 181 | 203 |
| Melbourne (R) | 8th | 1 | -0- | 1 | 4 | 78.3% | 141 | 180 |
| Carlton (R) | 9th | 0 | -0- | 2 | 0 | 82.8% | 169 | 204 |
| Geelong (R) | 10th | 0 | -0- | 2 | 0 | 69.1% | 179 | 259 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 11th | 0 | -0- | 1 | 0 | 63.0% | 87 | 138 |
Round 3
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRI | 11/04/1997 | 4:30 PM | Sydney (R) v Melbourne (R) | SCG | 88 | - | 83 | |
| SAT | 12/04/1997 | 10:45 AM | Footscray (R) v Richmond (R) | Punt Road Oval | 78 | - | 129 | |
| SAT | 12/04/1997 | 11:15 AM | St Kilda (R) v Collingwood (R) | Waverley Park | 81 | - | 135 | |
| SUN | 13/04/1997 | 11:10 AM | Hawthorn (R) v Carlton (R) | Waverley Park | 146 | - | 47 | |
| SUN | 13/04/1997 | 11:15 AM | Essendon (R) v North Melbourne (R) | MCG | 64 | - | 142 | |
Round 3 Bye: Geelong (R)
Round 3 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | 3 | -0- | 0 | 12 | 146.1% | 355 | 243 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 2nd | 2 | -0- | 1 | 8 | 145.1% | 325 | 224 |
| Collingwood (R) | 3rd | 2 | -0- | 1 | 8 | 135.0% | 359 | 266 |
| St Kilda (R) | 4th | 2 | -0- | 1 | 8 | 114.7% | 366 | 319 |
| Sydney (R) | 5th | 2 | -0- | 0 | 8 | 107.2% | 222 | 207 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 6th | 1 | -0- | 1 | 4 | 125.9% | 233 | 185 |
| Footscray (R) | 7th | 1 | -0- | 2 | 4 | 84.9% | 326 | 384 |
| Melbourne (R) | 8th | 1 | -0- | 2 | 4 | 83.6% | 224 | 268 |
| Essendon (R) | 9th | 1 | -0- | 2 | 4 | 71.0% | 245 | 345 |
| Geelong (R) | 10th | 0 | -0- | 2 | 0 | 69.1% | 179 | 259 |
| Carlton (R) | 11th | 0 | -0- | 3 | 0 | 61.7% | 216 | 350 |
Round 4
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRI | 18/04/1997 | 4:30 PM | Melbourne (R) v Footscray (R) | MCG | 62 | - | 111 | |
| SAT | 19/04/1997 | 11:15 AM | Collingwood (R) v Carlton (R) | MCG | 109 | - | 121 | |
| SAT | 19/04/1997 | 11:15 AM | Richmond (R) v Hawthorn (R) | Optus Oval | 45 | - | 107 | |
| SAT | 19/04/1997 | 4:45 PM | St Kilda (R) v Sydney (R) | Waverley Park | 52 | - | 101 | |
| SUN | 20/04/1997 | 10:45 AM | Geelong (R) v Essendon (R) | Punt Road Oval | 111 | - | 67 | |
Round 4 Bye: North Melbourne (R)
Round 4 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney (R) | 1st | 3 | -0- | 0 | 12 | 124.7% | 323 | 259 |
| Richmond (R) | 2nd | 3 | -0- | 1 | 12 | 114.3% | 400 | 350 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 3rd | 2 | -0- | 1 | 8 | 147.8% | 340 | 230 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 4th | 2 | -0- | 1 | 8 | 145.1% | 325 | 224 |
| Collingwood (R) | 5th | 2 | -0- | 2 | 8 | 120.9% | 468 | 387 |
| St Kilda (R) | 6th | 2 | -0- | 2 | 8 | 99.5% | 418 | 420 |
| Footscray (R) | 7th | 2 | -0- | 2 | 8 | 98.0% | 437 | 446 |
| Geelong (R) | 8th | 1 | -0- | 2 | 4 | 89.0% | 290 | 326 |
| Melbourne (R) | 9th | 1 | -0- | 3 | 4 | 75.5% | 286 | 379 |
| Carlton (R) | 10th | 1 | -0- | 3 | 4 | 73.4% | 337 | 459 |
| Essendon (R) | 11th | 1 | -0- | 3 | 4 | 68.4% | 312 | 456 |
Round 5
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAT | 26/04/1997 | 11:15 AM | Footscray (R) v St Kilda (R) | Optus Oval | 98 | - | 116 | |
| SAT | 26/04/1997 | 2:10 PM | Essendon (R) v Collingwood (R) | Windy Hill | 73 | - | 106 | |
| SAT | 26/04/1997 | 4:25 PM | Hawthorn (R) v Sydney (R) | Waverley Park | 81 | - | 59 | |
| SUN | 27/04/1997 | 11:15 AM | Carlton (R) v Geelong (R) | Optus Oval | 131 | - | 58 | |
| SUN | 27/04/1997 | 11:15 AM | North Melbourne (R) v Richmond (R) | MCG | 70 | - | 141 | |
Round 5 Bye: Melbourne (R)
Round 5 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | 4 | -0- | 1 | 16 | 128.8% | 541 | 420 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 2nd | 3 | -0- | 1 | 12 | 145.7% | 421 | 289 |
| Collingwood (R) | 3rd | 3 | -0- | 2 | 12 | 124.8% | 574 | 460 |
| Sydney (R) | 4th | 3 | -0- | 1 | 12 | 112.4% | 382 | 340 |
| St Kilda (R) | 5th | 3 | -0- | 2 | 12 | 103.1% | 534 | 518 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 6th | 2 | -0- | 2 | 8 | 108.2% | 395 | 365 |
| Footscray (R) | 7th | 2 | -0- | 3 | 8 | 95.2% | 535 | 562 |
| Carlton (R) | 8th | 2 | -0- | 3 | 8 | 90.5% | 468 | 517 |
| Geelong (R) | 9th | 1 | -0- | 3 | 4 | 76.1% | 348 | 457 |
| Melbourne (R) | 10th | 1 | -0- | 3 | 4 | 75.5% | 286 | 379 |
| Essendon (R) | 11th | 1 | -0- | 4 | 4 | 68.5% | 385 | 562 |
Round 6
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAT | 03/05/1997 | 10:45 AM | Essendon (R) v Footscray (R) | Punt Road Oval | 50 | - | 58 | |
| SAT | 03/05/1997 | 11:15 AM | Geelong (R) v Richmond (R) | Kardinia Park | 21 | - | 52 | |
| SAT | 03/05/1997 | 4:30 PM | Hawthorn (R) v North Melbourne (R) | Waverley Park | 116 | - | 81 | |
| SUN | 04/05/1997 | 9:35 AM | Sydney (R) v Carlton (R) | SCG | 138 | - | 89 | |
| SUN | 04/05/1997 | 11:15 AM | St Kilda (R) v Melbourne (R) | Waverley Park | 111 | - | 31 | |
Round 6 Bye: Collingwood (R)
Round 6 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | 5 | -0- | 1 | 20 | 134.5% | 593 | 441 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 2nd | 4 | -0- | 1 | 16 | 145.1% | 537 | 370 |
| Sydney (R) | 3rd | 4 | -0- | 1 | 16 | 121.2% | 520 | 429 |
| St Kilda (R) | 4th | 4 | -0- | 2 | 16 | 117.5% | 645 | 549 |
| Collingwood (R) | 5th | 3 | -0- | 2 | 12 | 124.8% | 574 | 460 |
| Footscray (R) | 6th | 3 | -0- | 3 | 12 | 96.9% | 593 | 612 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 7th | 2 | -0- | 3 | 8 | 99.0% | 476 | 481 |
| Carlton (R) | 8th | 2 | -0- | 4 | 8 | 85.0% | 557 | 655 |
| Geelong (R) | 9th | 1 | -0- | 4 | 4 | 72.5% | 369 | 509 |
| Essendon (R) | 10th | 1 | -0- | 5 | 4 | 70.2% | 435 | 620 |
| Melbourne (R) | 11th | 1 | -0- | 4 | 4 | 64.7% | 317 | 490 |
Round 7
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRI | 09/05/1997 | 4:45 PM | North Melbourne (R) v Collingwood (R) | MCG | 104 | - | 107 | |
| SAT | 10/05/1997 | 10:30 AM | Melbourne (R) v Hawthorn (R) | Optus Oval | 59 | - | 78 | |
| SAT | 10/05/1997 | 10:55 AM | Geelong (R) v Sydney (R) | Kardinia Park | 86 | - | 101 | |
| SAT | 10/05/1997 | 11:05 AM | Richmond (R) v Carlton (R) | MCG | 161 | - | 52 | |
| SAT | 10/05/1997 | 4:45 PM | St Kilda (R) v Essendon (R) | Waverley Park | 63 | - | 80 | |
Round 7 Bye: Footscray (R)
Round 7 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | 6 | -0- | 1 | 24 | 152.9% | 754 | 493 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 2nd | 5 | -0- | 1 | 20 | 143.4% | 615 | 429 |
| Sydney (R) | 3rd | 5 | -0- | 1 | 20 | 120.6% | 621 | 515 |
| Collingwood (R) | 4th | 4 | -0- | 2 | 16 | 120.7% | 681 | 564 |
| St Kilda (R) | 5th | 4 | -0- | 3 | 16 | 112.6% | 708 | 629 |
| Footscray (R) | 6th | 3 | -0- | 3 | 12 | 96.9% | 593 | 612 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 7th | 2 | -0- | 4 | 8 | 98.6% | 580 | 588 |
| Essendon (R) | 8th | 2 | -0- | 5 | 8 | 75.4% | 515 | 683 |
| Carlton (R) | 9th | 2 | -0- | 5 | 8 | 74.6% | 609 | 816 |
| Geelong (R) | 10th | 1 | -0- | 5 | 4 | 74.6% | 455 | 610 |
| Melbourne (R) | 11th | 1 | -0- | 5 | 4 | 66.2% | 376 | 568 |
Round 8
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRI | 16/05/1997 | 4:45 PM | Collingwood (R) v Footscray (R) | MCG | 67 | - | 137 | |
| SAT | 17/05/1997 | 10:45 AM | Melbourne (R) v Geelong (R) | Punt Road Oval | 47 | - | 117 | |
| SUN | 18/05/1997 | 11:15 AM | Carlton (R) v Hawthorn (R) | Optus Oval | 73 | - | 113 | |
| SUN | 18/05/1997 | 11:15 AM | Essendon (R) v St Kilda (R) | MCG | 79 | - | 97 | |
| MON | 19/05/1997 | 4:45 PM | Richmond (R) v North Melbourne (R) | MCG | 154 | - | 59 | |
Round 8 Bye: Sydney (R)
Round 8 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | 7 | -0- | 1 | 28 | 164.5% | 908 | 552 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 2nd | 6 | -0- | 1 | 24 | 145.0% | 728 | 502 |
| Sydney (R) | 3rd | 5 | -0- | 1 | 20 | 120.6% | 621 | 515 |
| St Kilda (R) | 4th | 5 | -0- | 3 | 20 | 113.7% | 805 | 708 |
| Footscray (R) | 5th | 4 | -0- | 3 | 16 | 107.5% | 730 | 679 |
| Collingwood (R) | 6th | 4 | -0- | 3 | 16 | 106.7% | 748 | 701 |
| Geelong (R) | 7th | 2 | -0- | 5 | 8 | 87.1% | 572 | 657 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 8th | 2 | -0- | 5 | 8 | 86.1% | 639 | 742 |
| Essendon (R) | 9th | 2 | -0- | 6 | 8 | 76.2% | 594 | 780 |
| Carlton (R) | 10th | 2 | -0- | 6 | 8 | 73.4% | 682 | 929 |
| Melbourne (R) | 11th | 1 | -0- | 6 | 4 | 61.8% | 423 | 685 |
Round 9
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAT | 24/05/1997 | 11:00 AM | Hawthorn (R) v Geelong (R) | Waverley Park | 115 | - | 37 | |
| SAT | 24/05/1997 | 11:15 AM | Carlton (R) v Melbourne (R) | Optus Oval | 121 | - | 78 | |
| SAT | 24/05/1997 | 4:30 PM | Sydney (R) v Collingwood (R) | SCG | 102 | - | 60 | |
| SUN | 25/05/1997 | 10:45 AM | Footscray (R) v North Melbourne (R) | Punt Road Oval | 149 | - | 58 | |
| SUN | 25/05/1997 | 11:15 AM | St Kilda (R) v Richmond (R) | Waverley Park | 91 | - | 47 | |
Round 9 Bye: Essendon (R)
Round 9 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawthorn (R) | 1st | 7 | -0- | 1 | 28 | 156.4% | 843 | 539 |
| Richmond (R) | 2nd | 7 | -0- | 2 | 28 | 148.5% | 955 | 643 |
| Sydney (R) | 3rd | 6 | -0- | 1 | 24 | 125.7% | 723 | 575 |
| St Kilda (R) | 4th | 6 | -0- | 3 | 24 | 118.7% | 896 | 755 |
| Footscray (R) | 5th | 5 | -0- | 3 | 20 | 119.3% | 879 | 737 |
| Collingwood (R) | 6th | 4 | -0- | 4 | 16 | 100.6% | 808 | 803 |
| Carlton (R) | 7th | 3 | -0- | 6 | 12 | 79.7% | 803 | 1,007 |
| Geelong (R) | 8th | 2 | -0- | 6 | 8 | 78.9% | 609 | 772 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 9th | 2 | -0- | 6 | 8 | 78.2% | 697 | 891 |
| Essendon (R) | 10th | 2 | -0- | 6 | 8 | 76.2% | 594 | 780 |
| Melbourne (R) | 11th | 1 | -0- | 7 | 4 | 62.2% | 501 | 806 |
Round 10
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAT | 31/05/1997 | 11:00 AM | Hawthorn (R) v Collingwood (R) | Waverley Park | 91 | - | 83 | |
| SAT | 31/05/1997 | 11:15 AM | Geelong (R) v St Kilda (R) | Kardinia Park | 46 | - | 86 | |
| SAT | 31/05/1997 | 11:15 AM | North Melbourne (R) v Sydney (R) | Optus Oval | 100 | - | 118 | |
| SAT | 31/05/1997 | 4:45 PM | Richmond (R) v Melbourne (R) | MCG | 142 | - | 69 | |
| SUN | 01/06/1997 | 10:45 AM | Essendon (R) v Footscray (R) | Punt Road Oval | 75 | - | 140 | |
Round 10 Bye: Carlton (R)
Round 10 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | 8 | -0- | 2 | 32 | 154.1% | 1,097 | 712 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 2nd | 8 | -0- | 1 | 32 | 150.2% | 934 | 622 |
| Sydney (R) | 3rd | 7 | -0- | 1 | 28 | 124.6% | 841 | 675 |
| St Kilda (R) | 4th | 7 | -0- | 3 | 28 | 122.6% | 982 | 801 |
| Footscray (R) | 5th | 6 | -0- | 3 | 24 | 125.5% | 1,019 | 812 |
| Collingwood (R) | 6th | 4 | -0- | 5 | 16 | 99.7% | 891 | 894 |
| Carlton (R) | 7th | 3 | -0- | 6 | 12 | 79.7% | 803 | 1,007 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 8th | 2 | -0- | 7 | 8 | 79.0% | 797 | 1,009 |
| Geelong (R) | 9th | 2 | -0- | 7 | 8 | 76.3% | 655 | 858 |
| Essendon (R) | 10th | 2 | -0- | 7 | 8 | 72.7% | 669 | 920 |
| Melbourne (R) | 11th | 1 | -0- | 8 | 4 | 60.1% | 570 | 948 |
Round 11
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRI | 06/06/1997 | 4:45 PM | Collingwood (R) v Richmond (R) | MCG | 85 | - | 92 | |
| SAT | 07/06/1997 | 10:45 AM | Essendon (R) v Hawthorn (R) | Punt Road Oval | 81 | - | 110 | |
| SAT | 07/06/1997 | 11:15 AM | Footscray (R) v Geelong (R) | Optus Oval | 143 | - | 68 | |
| SUN | 08/06/1997 | 10:45 AM | Melbourne (R) v Sydney (R) | Punt Road Oval | 50 | - | 144 | |
| MON | 09/06/1997 | 10:40 AM | North Melbourne (R) v Carlton (R) | Optus Oval | 102 | - | 94 | |
Round 11 Bye: St Kilda (R)
Round 11 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | 9 | -0- | 2 | 36 | 149.2% | 1,189 | 797 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 2nd | 9 | -0- | 1 | 36 | 148.5% | 1,044 | 703 |
| Sydney (R) | 3rd | 8 | -0- | 1 | 32 | 135.9% | 985 | 725 |
| Footscray (R) | 4th | 7 | -0- | 3 | 28 | 132.0% | 1,162 | 880 |
| St Kilda (R) | 5th | 7 | -0- | 3 | 28 | 122.6% | 982 | 801 |
| Collingwood (R) | 6th | 4 | -0- | 6 | 16 | 99.0% | 976 | 986 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 7th | 3 | -0- | 7 | 12 | 81.5% | 899 | 1,103 |
| Carlton (R) | 8th | 3 | -0- | 7 | 12 | 80.9% | 897 | 1,109 |
| Essendon (R) | 9th | 2 | -0- | 8 | 8 | 72.8% | 750 | 1,030 |
| Geelong (R) | 10th | 2 | -0- | 8 | 8 | 72.2% | 723 | 1,001 |
| Melbourne (R) | 11th | 1 | -0- | 9 | 4 | 56.8% | 620 | 1,092 |
Round 12
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRI | 13/06/1997 | 4:30 PM | Sydney (R) v Richmond (R) | SCG | 82 | - | 146 | |
| SAT | 14/06/1997 | 10:30 AM | Essendon (R) v Collingwood (R) | Windy Hill | 89 | - | 103 | |
| SAT | 14/06/1997 | 11:15 AM | Geelong (R) v Hawthorn (R) | Kardinia Park | 78 | - | 69 | |
| SUN | 15/06/1997 | 11:15 AM | Melbourne (R) v Footscray (R) | MCG | 73 | - | 140 | |
| SUN | 15/06/1997 | 11:15 AM | St Kilda (R) v Carlton (R) | Waverley Park | 90 | - | 89 | |
Round 12 Bye: North Melbourne (R)
Round 12 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | 10 | -0- | 2 | 40 | 151.9% | 1,335 | 879 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 2nd | 9 | -0- | 2 | 36 | 142.5% | 1,113 | 781 |
| Footscray (R) | 3rd | 8 | -0- | 3 | 32 | 136.6% | 1,302 | 953 |
| Sydney (R) | 4th | 8 | -0- | 2 | 32 | 122.5% | 1,067 | 871 |
| St Kilda (R) | 5th | 8 | -0- | 3 | 32 | 120.4% | 1,072 | 890 |
| Collingwood (R) | 6th | 5 | -0- | 6 | 20 | 100.4% | 1,079 | 1,075 |
| Carlton (R) | 7th | 3 | -0- | 8 | 12 | 82.2% | 986 | 1,199 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 8th | 3 | -0- | 7 | 12 | 81.5% | 899 | 1,103 |
| Geelong (R) | 9th | 3 | -0- | 8 | 12 | 74.9% | 801 | 1,070 |
| Essendon (R) | 10th | 2 | -0- | 9 | 8 | 74.1% | 839 | 1,133 |
| Melbourne (R) | 11th | 1 | -0- | 10 | 4 | 56.3% | 693 | 1,232 |
Round 13
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAT | 28/06/1997 | 10:45 AM | Carlton (R) v Geelong (R) | Optus Oval | 121 | - | 93 | |
| SAT | 28/06/1997 | 11:15 AM | Richmond (R) v Essendon (R) | MCG | 123 | - | 61 | |
| SAT | 28/06/1997 | 11:15 AM | St Kilda (R) v Footscray (R) | Waverley Park | 70 | - | 100 | |
| SUN | 29/06/1997 | 11:00 AM | Hawthorn (R) v Melbourne (R) | Waverley Park | 97 | - | 44 | |
| SUN | 29/06/1997 | 11:00 AM | Sydney (R) v North Melbourne (R) | SCG | 37 | - | 64 | |
Round 13 Bye: Collingwood (R)
Round 13 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | 11 | -0- | 2 | 44 | 155.1% | 1,458 | 940 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 2nd | 10 | -0- | 2 | 40 | 146.7% | 1,210 | 825 |
| Footscray (R) | 3rd | 9 | -0- | 3 | 36 | 137.0% | 1,402 | 1,023 |
| Sydney (R) | 4th | 8 | -0- | 3 | 32 | 118.1% | 1,104 | 935 |
| St Kilda (R) | 5th | 8 | -0- | 4 | 32 | 115.4% | 1,142 | 990 |
| Collingwood (R) | 6th | 5 | -0- | 6 | 20 | 100.4% | 1,079 | 1,075 |
| Carlton (R) | 7th | 4 | -0- | 8 | 16 | 85.7% | 1,107 | 1,292 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 8th | 4 | -0- | 7 | 16 | 84.5% | 963 | 1,140 |
| Geelong (R) | 9th | 3 | -0- | 9 | 12 | 75.1% | 894 | 1,191 |
| Essendon (R) | 10th | 2 | -0- | 10 | 8 | 71.7% | 900 | 1,256 |
| Melbourne (R) | 11th | 1 | -0- | 11 | 4 | 55.5% | 737 | 1,329 |
Round 14
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAT | 05/07/1997 | 10:30 AM | Footscray (R) v Carlton (R) | Whitten Oval | 70 | - | 72 | |
| SAT | 05/07/1997 | 10:45 AM | Geelong (R) v Collingwood (R) | Punt Road Oval | 71 | - | 109 | |
| SAT | 05/07/1997 | 11:15 AM | St Kilda (R) v North Melbourne (R) | Waverley Park | 93 | - | 110 | |
| SAT | 05/07/1997 | 2:10 PM | Essendon (R) v Melbourne (R) | Windy Hill | 107 | - | 60 | |
| SUN | 06/07/1997 | 11:00 AM | Hawthorn (R) v Sydney (R) | Waverley Park | 111 | - | 84 | |
Round 14 Bye: Richmond (R)
Round 14 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | 11 | -0- | 2 | 44 | 155.1% | 1,458 | 940 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 2nd | 11 | -0- | 2 | 44 | 145.3% | 1,321 | 909 |
| Footscray (R) | 3rd | 9 | -0- | 4 | 36 | 134.4% | 1,472 | 1,095 |
| Sydney (R) | 4th | 8 | -0- | 4 | 32 | 113.6% | 1,188 | 1,046 |
| St Kilda (R) | 5th | 8 | -0- | 5 | 32 | 112.3% | 1,235 | 1,100 |
| Collingwood (R) | 6th | 6 | -0- | 6 | 24 | 103.7% | 1,188 | 1,146 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 7th | 5 | -0- | 7 | 20 | 87.0% | 1,073 | 1,233 |
| Carlton (R) | 8th | 5 | -0- | 8 | 20 | 86.6% | 1,179 | 1,362 |
| Essendon (R) | 9th | 3 | -0- | 10 | 12 | 76.5% | 1,007 | 1,316 |
| Geelong (R) | 10th | 3 | -0- | 10 | 12 | 74.2% | 965 | 1,300 |
| Melbourne (R) | 11th | 1 | -0- | 12 | 4 | 55.5% | 797 | 1,436 |
Round 15
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRI | 11/07/1997 | 4:45 PM | North Melbourne (R) v Geelong (R) | MCG | 74 | - | 86 | |
| SAT | 12/07/1997 | 10:30 AM | Footscray (R) v Collingwood (R) | Whitten Oval | 123 | - | 93 | |
| SAT | 12/07/1997 | 10:45 AM | Melbourne (R) v Carlton (R) | Punt Road Oval | 61 | - | 140 | |
| SAT | 12/07/1997 | 12:00 PM | Essendon (R) v Sydney (R) | Windy Hill | 53 | - | 148 | |
| SUN | 13/07/1997 | 10:45 AM | Richmond (R) v Hawthorn (R) | Punt Road Oval | 130 | - | 126 | |
Round 15 Bye: St Kilda (R)
Round 15 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | 12 | -0- | 2 | 48 | 149.0% | 1,588 | 1,066 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 2nd | 11 | -0- | 3 | 44 | 139.3% | 1,447 | 1,039 |
| Footscray (R) | 3rd | 10 | -0- | 4 | 40 | 134.3% | 1,595 | 1,188 |
| Sydney (R) | 4th | 9 | -0- | 4 | 36 | 121.6% | 1,336 | 1,099 |
| St Kilda (R) | 5th | 8 | -0- | 5 | 32 | 112.3% | 1,235 | 1,100 |
| Collingwood (R) | 6th | 6 | -0- | 7 | 24 | 100.9% | 1,281 | 1,269 |
| Carlton (R) | 7th | 6 | -0- | 8 | 24 | 92.7% | 1,319 | 1,423 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 8th | 5 | -0- | 8 | 20 | 87.0% | 1,147 | 1,319 |
| Geelong (R) | 9th | 4 | -0- | 10 | 16 | 76.5% | 1,051 | 1,374 |
| Essendon (R) | 10th | 3 | -0- | 11 | 12 | 72.4% | 1,060 | 1,464 |
| Melbourne (R) | 11th | 1 | -0- | 13 | 4 | 54.4% | 858 | 1,576 |
Round 16
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAT | 19/07/1997 | 11:00 AM | Hawthorn (R) v St Kilda (R) | Waverley Park | 23 | - | 152 | |
| SAT | 19/07/1997 | 11:15 AM | Carlton (R) v Essendon (R) | MCG | 110 | - | 69 | |
| SAT | 19/07/1997 | 11:15 AM | Collingwood (R) v Sydney (R) | Victoria Park | 73 | - | 117 | |
| SAT | 19/07/1997 | 11:15 AM | Geelong (R) v Richmond (R) | Kardinia Park | 84 | - | 100 | |
| SUN | 20/07/1997 | 10:45 AM | Melbourne (R) v North Melbourne (R) | Punt Road Oval | 68 | - | 123 | |
Round 16 Bye: Footscray (R)
Round 16 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | 13 | -0- | 2 | 52 | 146.8% | 1,688 | 1,150 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 2nd | 11 | -0- | 4 | 44 | 123.4% | 1,470 | 1,191 |
| Footscray (R) | 3rd | 10 | -0- | 4 | 40 | 134.3% | 1,595 | 1,188 |
| Sydney (R) | 4th | 10 | -0- | 4 | 40 | 124.0% | 1,453 | 1,172 |
| St Kilda (R) | 5th | 9 | -0- | 5 | 36 | 123.5% | 1,387 | 1,123 |
| Carlton (R) | 6th | 7 | -0- | 8 | 28 | 95.8% | 1,429 | 1,492 |
| Collingwood (R) | 7th | 6 | -0- | 8 | 24 | 97.7% | 1,354 | 1,386 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 8th | 6 | -0- | 8 | 24 | 91.6% | 1,270 | 1,387 |
| Geelong (R) | 9th | 4 | -0- | 11 | 16 | 77.0% | 1,135 | 1,474 |
| Essendon (R) | 10th | 3 | -0- | 12 | 12 | 71.7% | 1,129 | 1,574 |
| Melbourne (R) | 11th | 1 | -0- | 14 | 4 | 54.5% | 926 | 1,699 |
Round 17
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAT | 26/07/1997 | 11:00 AM | Carlton (R) v North Melbourne (R) | Optus Oval | 104 | - | 83 | |
| SAT | 26/07/1997 | 11:00 AM | Essendon (R) v Hawthorn (R) | Waverley Park | 63 | - | 89 | |
| SAT | 26/07/1997 | 2:00 PM | Sydney (R) v Footscray (R) | SCG | 172 | - | 113 | |
| SUN | 27/07/1997 | 11:00 AM | Collingwood (R) v Melbourne (R) | Punt Road Oval | 107 | - | 52 | |
| SUN | 27/07/1997 | 12:00 PM | St Kilda (R) v Richmond (R) | Waverley Park | 64 | - | 72 | |
Round 17 Bye: Geelong (R)
Round 17 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | 14 | -0- | 2 | 56 | 145.0% | 1,760 | 1,214 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 2nd | 12 | -0- | 4 | 48 | 124.3% | 1,559 | 1,254 |
| Sydney (R) | 3rd | 11 | -0- | 4 | 44 | 126.5% | 1,625 | 1,285 |
| Footscray (R) | 4th | 10 | -0- | 5 | 40 | 125.6% | 1,708 | 1,360 |
| St Kilda (R) | 5th | 9 | -0- | 6 | 36 | 121.4% | 1,451 | 1,195 |
| Carlton (R) | 6th | 8 | -0- | 8 | 32 | 97.3% | 1,533 | 1,575 |
| Collingwood (R) | 7th | 7 | -0- | 8 | 28 | 101.6% | 1,461 | 1,438 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 8th | 6 | -0- | 9 | 24 | 90.7% | 1,353 | 1,491 |
| Geelong (R) | 9th | 4 | -0- | 11 | 16 | 77.0% | 1,135 | 1,474 |
| Essendon (R) | 10th | 3 | -0- | 13 | 12 | 71.7% | 1,192 | 1,663 |
| Melbourne (R) | 11th | 1 | -0- | 15 | 4 | 54.2% | 978 | 1,806 |
Round 18
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRI | 01/08/1997 | 4:45 PM | North Melbourne (R) v Essendon (R) | MCG | 117 | - | 91 | |
| SAT | 02/08/1997 | 10:45 AM | Melbourne (R) v Sydney (R) | Punt Road Oval | 63 | - | 139 | |
| SAT | 02/08/1997 | 11:15 AM | Geelong (R) v Carlton (R) | Kardinia Park | 154 | - | 68 | |
| SAT | 02/08/1997 | 11:15 AM | Richmond (R) v Footscray (R) | Optus Oval | 70 | - | 54 | |
| SUN | 03/08/1997 | 10:45 AM | Collingwood (R) v St Kilda (R) | Punt Road Oval | 90 | - | 94 | |
Round 18 Bye: Hawthorn (R)
Round 18 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | 15 | -0- | 2 | 60 | 144.3% | 1,830 | 1,268 |
| Sydney (R) | 2nd | 12 | -0- | 4 | 48 | 130.9% | 1,764 | 1,348 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 3rd | 12 | -0- | 4 | 48 | 124.3% | 1,559 | 1,254 |
| Footscray (R) | 4th | 10 | -0- | 6 | 40 | 123.2% | 1,762 | 1,430 |
| St Kilda (R) | 5th | 10 | -0- | 6 | 40 | 120.2% | 1,545 | 1,285 |
| Carlton (R) | 6th | 8 | -0- | 9 | 32 | 92.6% | 1,601 | 1,729 |
| Collingwood (R) | 7th | 7 | -0- | 9 | 28 | 101.2% | 1,551 | 1,532 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 8th | 7 | -0- | 9 | 28 | 92.9% | 1,470 | 1,582 |
| Geelong (R) | 9th | 5 | -0- | 11 | 20 | 83.6% | 1,289 | 1,542 |
| Essendon (R) | 10th | 3 | -0- | 14 | 12 | 72.1% | 1,283 | 1,780 |
| Melbourne (R) | 11th | 1 | -0- | 16 | 4 | 53.5% | 1,041 | 1,945 |
Round 19
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAT | 09/08/1997 | 11:00 AM | Carlton (R) v Collingwood (R) | MCG | 118 | - | 80 | |
| SAT | 09/08/1997 | 11:00 AM | Essendon (R) v Geelong (R) | Windy Hill | 77 | - | 112 | |
| SAT | 09/08/1997 | 11:00 AM | Footscray (R) v Melbourne (R) | Optus Oval | 99 | - | 96 | |
| SAT | 09/08/1997 | 11:00 AM | Hawthorn (R) v North Melbourne (R) | Waverley Park | 94 | - | 95 | |
| SUN | 10/08/1997 | 11:00 AM | Sydney (R) v St Kilda (R) | SCG | 95 | - | 117 | |
Round 19 Bye: Richmond (R)
Round 19 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | 15 | -0- | 2 | 60 | 144.3% | 1,830 | 1,268 |
| Sydney (R) | 2nd | 12 | -0- | 5 | 48 | 126.9% | 1,859 | 1,465 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 3rd | 12 | -0- | 5 | 48 | 122.5% | 1,653 | 1,349 |
| Footscray (R) | 4th | 11 | -0- | 6 | 44 | 122.0% | 1,861 | 1,526 |
| St Kilda (R) | 5th | 11 | -0- | 6 | 44 | 120.4% | 1,662 | 1,380 |
| Carlton (R) | 6th | 9 | -0- | 9 | 36 | 95.0% | 1,719 | 1,809 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 7th | 8 | -0- | 9 | 32 | 93.4% | 1,565 | 1,676 |
| Collingwood (R) | 8th | 7 | -0- | 10 | 28 | 98.8% | 1,631 | 1,650 |
| Geelong (R) | 9th | 6 | -0- | 11 | 24 | 86.5% | 1,401 | 1,619 |
| Essendon (R) | 10th | 3 | -0- | 15 | 12 | 71.9% | 1,360 | 1,892 |
| Melbourne (R) | 11th | 1 | -0- | 17 | 4 | 55.6% | 1,137 | 2,044 |
Round 20
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAT | 16/08/1997 | 11:00 AM | Collingwood (R) v Essendon (R) | MCG | 62 | - | 65 | |
| SAT | 16/08/1997 | 11:15 AM | Geelong (R) v Carlton (R) | Kardinia Park | 79 | - | 118 | |
| SAT | 16/08/1997 | 11:15 AM | St Kilda (R) v Footscray (R) | Waverley Park | 21 | - | 106 | |
| SUN | 17/08/1997 | 9:35 AM | Sydney (R) v Hawthorn (R) | SCG | 106 | - | 94 | |
| SUN | 17/08/1997 | 10:45 AM | Richmond (R) v North Melbourne (R) | Punt Road Oval | 47 | - | 48 | |
Round 20 Bye: Melbourne (R)
Round 20 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | 15 | -0- | 3 | 60 | 142.6% | 1,877 | 1,316 |
| Sydney (R) | 2nd | 13 | -0- | 5 | 52 | 126.0% | 1,965 | 1,559 |
| Footscray (R) | 3rd | 12 | -0- | 6 | 48 | 127.1% | 1,967 | 1,547 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 4th | 12 | -0- | 6 | 48 | 120.1% | 1,747 | 1,455 |
| St Kilda (R) | 5th | 11 | -0- | 7 | 44 | 113.3% | 1,683 | 1,486 |
| Carlton (R) | 6th | 10 | -0- | 9 | 40 | 97.3% | 1,837 | 1,888 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 7th | 9 | -0- | 9 | 36 | 93.6% | 1,613 | 1,723 |
| Collingwood (R) | 8th | 7 | -0- | 11 | 28 | 98.7% | 1,693 | 1,715 |
| Geelong (R) | 9th | 6 | -0- | 12 | 24 | 85.2% | 1,480 | 1,737 |
| Essendon (R) | 10th | 4 | -0- | 15 | 16 | 72.9% | 1,425 | 1,954 |
| Melbourne (R) | 11th | 1 | -0- | 17 | 4 | 55.6% | 1,137 | 2,044 |
Round 21
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRI | 22/08/1997 | 4:30 PM | Melbourne (R) v St Kilda (R) | MCG | 63 | - | 85 | |
| SAT | 23/08/1997 | 10:45 AM | Carlton (R) v Sydney (R) | Optus Oval | 116 | - | 83 | |
| SAT | 23/08/1997 | 10:45 AM | Footscray (R) v Geelong (R) | Whitten Oval | 142 | - | 58 | |
| SAT | 23/08/1997 | 10:45 AM | North Melbourne (R) v Hawthorn (R) | Punt Road Oval | 107 | - | 61 | |
| SUN | 24/08/1997 | 10:45 AM | Richmond (R) v Collingwood (R) | Punt Road Oval | 102 | - | 53 | |
Round 21 Bye: Essendon (R)
Round 21 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | 16 | -0- | 3 | 64 | 144.6% | 1,979 | 1,369 |
| Footscray (R) | 2nd | 13 | -0- | 6 | 52 | 131.4% | 2,109 | 1,605 |
| Sydney (R) | 3rd | 13 | -0- | 6 | 52 | 122.3% | 2,048 | 1,675 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 4th | 12 | -0- | 7 | 48 | 115.7% | 1,808 | 1,562 |
| St Kilda (R) | 5th | 12 | -0- | 7 | 48 | 114.1% | 1,768 | 1,549 |
| Carlton (R) | 6th | 11 | -0- | 9 | 44 | 99.1% | 1,953 | 1,971 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 7th | 10 | -0- | 9 | 40 | 96.4% | 1,720 | 1,784 |
| Collingwood (R) | 8th | 7 | -0- | 12 | 28 | 96.1% | 1,746 | 1,817 |
| Geelong (R) | 9th | 6 | -0- | 13 | 24 | 81.9% | 1,538 | 1,879 |
| Essendon (R) | 10th | 4 | -0- | 15 | 16 | 72.9% | 1,425 | 1,954 |
| Melbourne (R) | 11th | 1 | -0- | 18 | 4 | 56.4% | 1,200 | 2,129 |
Round 22
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAT | 30/08/1997 | 10:45 AM | Melbourne (R) v Richmond (R) | Punt Road Oval | 107 | - | 99 | |
| SAT | 30/08/1997 | 11:00 AM | Hawthorn (R) v Footscray (R) | Waverley Park | 75 | - | 160 | |
| SAT | 30/08/1997 | 2:10 PM | Essendon (R) v St Kilda (R) | Windy Hill | 63 | - | 120 | |
| SAT | 30/08/1997 | 4:30 PM | Sydney (R) v Geelong (R) | SCG | 174 | - | 102 | |
| SUN | 31/08/1997 | 10:45 AM | Collingwood (R) v North Melbourne (R) | Punt Road Oval | 52 | - | 198 | |
Round 22 Bye: Carlton (R)
Round 22 Ladder
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | 16 | -0- | 4 | 64 | 140.8% | 2,078 | 1,476 |
| Footscray (R) | 2nd | 14 | -0- | 6 | 56 | 135.1% | 2,269 | 1,680 |
| Sydney (R) | 3rd | 14 | -0- | 6 | 56 | 125.0% | 2,222 | 1,777 |
| St Kilda (R) | 4th | 13 | -0- | 7 | 52 | 117.1% | 1,888 | 1,612 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 5th | 12 | -0- | 8 | 48 | 109.3% | 1,883 | 1,722 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 6th | 11 | -0- | 9 | 44 | 104.5% | 1,918 | 1,836 |
| Carlton (R) | 7th | 11 | -0- | 9 | 44 | 99.1% | 1,953 | 1,971 |
| Collingwood (R) | 8th | 7 | -0- | 13 | 28 | 89.2% | 1,798 | 2,015 |
| Geelong (R) | 9th | 6 | -0- | 14 | 24 | 79.9% | 1,640 | 2,053 |
| Essendon (R) | 10th | 4 | -0- | 16 | 16 | 71.7% | 1,488 | 2,074 |
| Melbourne (R) | 11th | 2 | -0- | 18 | 8 | 58.7% | 1,307 | 2,228 |
Finals Series
The positions of teams going into the finals:
| Team | Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) | PF | PA | GF | BF | GA | BA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st | 16 | -0- | 4 | 64 | 140.8% | 2,078 | 1,476 | 305 | 248 | 212 | 204 |
| Footscray (R) | 2nd | 14 | -0- | 6 | 56 | 135.1% | 2,269 | 1,680 | 329 | 295 | 244 | 216 |
| Sydney (R) | 3rd | 14 | -0- | 6 | 56 | 125.0% | 2,222 | 1,777 | 328 | 254 | 262 | 205 |
| St Kilda (R) | 4th | 13 | -0- | 7 | 52 | 117.1% | 1,888 | 1,612 | 268 | 280 | 236 | 196 |
| Hawthorn (R) | 5th | 12 | -0- | 8 | 48 | 109.3% | 1,883 | 1,722 | 278 | 215 | 244 | 258 |
| North Melbourne (R) | 6th | 11 | -0- | 9 | 44 | 104.5% | 1,918 | 1,836 | 282 | 226 | 271 | 210 |
| Carlton (R) | 7th | 11 | -0- | 9 | 44 | 99.1% | 1,953 | 1,971 | 281 | 267 | 291 | 225 |
| Collingwood (R) | 8th | 7 | -0- | 13 | 28 | 89.2% | 1,798 | 2,015 | 266 | 202 | 290 | 275 |
| Geelong (R) | 9th | 6 | -0- | 14 | 24 | 79.9% | 1,640 | 2,053 | 244 | 176 | 297 | 271 |
| Essendon (R) | 10th | 4 | -0- | 16 | 16 | 71.7% | 1,488 | 2,074 | 213 | 210 | 306 | 238 |
| Melbourne (R) | 11th | 2 | -0- | 18 | 8 | 58.7% | 1,307 | 2,228 | 184 | 203 | 325 | 278 |
Final Round 1
Elimination Final
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUN | 07/09/1997 | 11:30 AM | St Kilda (R) v Hawthorn (R) | Waverley Park | 55 | - | 63 | |
| SUN | 07/09/1997 | 4:00 PM | Sydney (R) v North Melbourne (R) | MCG | 75 | - | 90 | |
Qualifying Final
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAT | 06/09/1997 | 11:20 AM | Richmond (R) v Footscray (R) | MCG | 88 | - | 139 | |
Final Round 1 Ladder
| Team | Pos. |
|---|---|
| Footscray (R) | 1st |
| Hawthorn (R) | 2nd |
| Richmond (R) | 3rd |
| North Melbourne (R) | 4th |
| Sydney (R) | 5th |
| St Kilda (R) | 6th |
Final Round 2
Semi Final
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAT | 13/09/1997 | 11:05 AM | Footscray (R) v Hawthorn (R) | Waverley Park | 78 | - | 82 | |
| SAT | 13/09/1997 | 11:20 AM | Richmond (R) v North Melbourne (R) | MCG | 149 | - | 48 | |
Final Round 2 Ladder
| Team | Pos. |
|---|---|
| Hawthorn (R) | 1st |
| Footscray (R) | 2nd |
| Richmond (R) | 3rd |
| North Melbourne (R) | 4th |
| Sydney (R) | 5th |
| St Kilda (R) | 6th |
Final Round 3
Preliminary Final
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAT | 20/09/1997 | 11:30 AM | Footscray (R) v Richmond (R) | MCG | 77 | - | 82 | |
Final Round 3 Ladder
| Team | Pos. |
|---|---|
| Hawthorn (R) | 1st |
| Richmond (R) | 2nd |
| Footscray (R) | 3rd |
| North Melbourne (R) | 4th |
| Sydney (R) | 5th |
| St Kilda (R) | 6th |
Final Round 4
Grand Final
| Date | Match | Venue | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAT | 27/09/1997 | 11:00 AM | Hawthorn (R) v Richmond (R) | MCG | 70 | - | 114 | |
Final Round 4 Ladder
| Team | Pos. |
|---|---|
| Richmond (R) | 1st |
| Hawthorn (R) | 2nd |
| Footscray (R) | 3rd |
| North Melbourne (R) | 4th |
| Sydney (R) | 5th |
| St Kilda (R) | 6th |