While it makes me wanna barf into my dinner as I type this, I sorta agree with Chins on this one.
While all of the Premiers and runner ups from 1870-1897 come from foundation VFL clubs,
Year Winner Runner-up
1877 Carlton Melbourne
1878 Geelong Melbourne
1879 Geelong Carlton
1880 Geelong South Melb
1881 South Melb. Geelong
1882 Geelong Essendon
1883 Geelong South Melb
1884 Geelong Essendon
1885 South Melb Essendon
1886 Geelong South Melb
1887 Carlton Geelong
Victorian Football Association premiership officially established
1888 South Melb Geelong
1889 South Melb Carlton
1890 South Melb Carlton
1891 Essendon Carlton
1892 Essendon Fitzroy
1893 Essendon Melbourne
1894 Essendon Melbourne
1895 Fitzroy Collingwood, Geelong, Melbourne
1896 Collingwood South Melb
Other non-eventual VFL clubs would have competed during those seasons. Furthermore, from 1877 until 1887, the premiership was a title given to the best performing team, determined largely by press consensus. These premierships, as well as premierships between 1870 and 1876 decided in the same manner prior to the foundation of the VFA, were at the time an informal title, but have since been considered official.
To me, incorporating 1870-1896 is somewhat contrived and manufactured. Clubs should recognise their own FVA premierships, but the AFL precursor VFL competition commenced in 1897 when 6 clubs split from the then VFA to form a new league.
This is the only time I’ve agreed with Chins ... I feel dirty!
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