97th season of the Australian Football League (AFL)
Australian rules football season
The 1993 AFL season was the 97th 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 featured fifteen clubs, ran from 26 March until 25 September, and comprised a 20-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top six clubs.
The premiership was won by the Essendon Football Club for the 15th time, after it defeated Carlton by 44 points in the 1993 AFL Grand Final .
The 1993 Foster's Cup saw Essendon 14.18 (102) defeated Richmond 11.13 (79) in the Grand Final.
Home-and-away season [ edit ]
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Footscray
13.17 (95)
Collingwood
17.13 (115)
MCG
58,997
Friday 26, March
North Melbourne
24.22 (166)
Brisbane Bears
22.11 (143)
MCG
8,653
Saturday 27, March
Hawthorn
13.15 (93)
Melbourne
11.4 (70)
Waverley Park
25,098
Saturday 27, March
Carlton
17.10 (112)
Fitzroy
17.16 (118)
Princes Park
23,433
Saturday 27, March
Geelong
20.16 (136)
St Kilda
16.16 (112)
Kardinia Park
24,337
Saturday 27, March
West Coast
17.21 (123)
Essendon
17.8 (110)
Subiaco Oval
34,361
Sunday 28, March
Richmond
12.12 (84)
Adelaide
28.10 (178)
MCG
18,473
Sunday 28, March
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Richmond
18.18 (126)
Brisbane Bears
11.14 (80)
MCG
14,497
Friday 2, April
St Kilda
19.18 (132)
North Melbourne
19.11 (125)
Waverley Park
23,554
Saturday 3, April
Essendon
20.12 (132)
Carlton
19.18 (132)
MCG
49,856
Saturday 3, April
Melbourne
13.17 (95)
Footscray
15.13 (103)
Princes Park
13,076
Saturday 3, April
Collingwood
17.11 (113)
Geelong
15.13 (103)
Victoria Park
24,147
Saturday 3, April
Sydney
12.20 (92)
Hawthorn
22.17 (149)
SCG
10,144
Sunday 4, April
Adelaide
15.11 (101)
West Coast
12.14 (86)
Football Park
46,258
Sunday 4, April
Carlton and Essendon played out the highest scoring draw in VFL/AFL history.
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
St Kilda
20.12 (132)
Sydney
13.16 (94)
Waverley Park
25,351
Saturday 10, April
Fitzroy
14.14 (98)
Footscray
14.17 (101)
Princes Park
18,265
Saturday 10, April
Brisbane Bears
17.13 (115)
Melbourne
17.11 (113)
Gabba
12,821
Sunday 11, April
West Coast
15.19 (109)
Richmond
9.11 (65)
Subiaco Oval
31,110
Sunday 11, April
Carlton
16.16 (112)
Hawthorn
16.14 (110)
Princes Park
33,274
Monday 12, April
Geelong
13.6 (84)
North Melbourne
15.18 (108)
Kardinia Park
23,428
Monday 12, April
Essendon
16.13 (109)
Collingwood
21.13 (139)
MCG
87,638
Monday 12, April
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Adelaide
15.13 (103)
Fitzroy
15.12 (102)
Football Park
45,671
Friday 16, April
North Melbourne
19.14 (128)
Melbourne
14.15 (99)
MCG
24,362
Saturday 17, April
Hawthorn
11.13 (79)
Geelong
18.17 (125)
Waverley Park
31,492
Saturday 17, April
Collingwood
15.14 (104)
St Kilda
18.18 (126)
Victoria Park
28,350
Saturday 17, April
Sydney
14.11 (95)
Essendon
28.13 (181)
SCG
9,023
Sunday 18, April
West Coast
14.14 (98)
Brisbane Bears
6.10 (46)
Subiaco Oval
30,032
Sunday 18, April
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Richmond
17.20 (122)
North Melbourne
25.9 (159)
MCG
35,113
Friday 23, April
Fitzroy
24.23 (167)
Sydney
11.8 (74)
Princes Park
10,257
Saturday 24, April
Footscray
20.7 (127)
Essendon
11.15 (81)
Whitten Oval
26,923
Saturday 24, April
St Kilda
11.12 (78)
Carlton
17.21 (123)
Waverley Park
51,211
Sunday 25, April
Brisbane Bears
19.12 (126)
Geelong
18.19 (127)
Gabba
12,996
Sunday 25, April
Melbourne
10.17 (77)
Adelaide
9.14 (68)
MCG
17,011
Sunday 25, April
Round 6
Friday, 30 April (7:38 pm)
Melbourne 22.21 (153)
def.
Richmond 8.12 (60)
MCG (crowd: 33933)
Report
Friday, 30 April (8:38 pm)
Adelaide 12.16 (88)
def. by
Hawthorn 16.9 (105)
Football Park (crowd: 46689)
Report
Saturday, 1 May (2:08 pm)
Essendon 23.18 (156)
def.
Geelong 19.18 (132)
MCG (crowd: 46588)
Report
Saturday, 1 May (2:08 pm)
North Melbourne 35.19 (229)
def.
Sydney 16.9 (105)
Princes Park (crowd: 9230)
Report
Sunday, 2 May (1:15 pm)
Brisbane Bears 17.8 (110)
def.
Fitzroy 12.11 (83)
The Gabba (crowd: 9893)
Report
Sunday, 2 May (2:08 pm)
Carlton 15.11 (101)
def. by
Collingwood 21.11 (137)
MCG (crowd: 86196)
Report
Sunday, 2 May (4:08 pm)
West Coast 19.11 (125)
def.
Footscray 13.6 (84)
Subiaco Oval (crowd: 32579)
Report
Bye St Kilda
In one of the games of the year, Essendon prevailed over Geelong in a very entertaining shoot-out. Gary Ablett put on one of his finest individual displays, kicking 14 goals 7 behinds. At the other end, Paul Salmon kicked 10 goals.
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Richmond
19.22 (136)
St Kilda
16.8 (104)
MCG
29,296
Saturday 8, May
Hawthorn
16.17 (113)
Brisbane Bears
10.10 (70)
Waverley Park
14,375
Saturday 8, May
Fitzroy
12.7 (79)
Melbourne
11.12 (78)
Princes Park
13,498
Saturday 8, May
Footscray
17.8 (110)
North Melbourne
22.9 (141)
Whitten Oval
20,942
Saturday 8, May
Collingwood
14.17 (101)
Adelaide
11.10 (76)
Victoria Park
25,854
Saturday 8, May
Sydney
13.17 (95)
Carlton
21.13 (139)
SCG
9,214
Sunday 9, May
Geelong
15.15 (105)
West Coast
16.17 (113)
Kardinia Park
23,697
Sunday 9, May
Round 8
Friday, 14 May (8:38 pm)
West Coast 7.16 (58)
def. by
Fitzroy 11.10 (76)
WACA (crowd: 28506)
Report
Saturday, 15 May (2:00 pm)
St Kilda 9.13 (67)
def. by
Essendon 19.11 (125)
Waverley Park (crowd: 43886 )
Report
Saturday, 15 May (2:00 pm)
Carlton 11.12 (78)
def. by
Footscray 15.16 (106)
Princes Park (crowd: 24133)
Report
Saturday, 15 May (2:08 pm)
Collingwood 14.10 (94)
def.
Hawthorn 10.16 (76)
Victoria Park (crowd: 29880)
Report
Sunday, 16 May (2:00 pm)
Geelong 19.14 (128)
def.
Richmond 9.24 (78)
Kardinia Park (crowd: 25224)
Report
Sunday, 16 May (2:15 pm)
Brisbane Bears 33.21 (219)
def.
Sydney 8.9 (57)
The Gabba (crowd: 8916)
Report
Sunday, 16 May (5:38 pm)
Adelaide 19.9 (123)
def.
North Melbourne 18.13 (121)
Football Park (crowd: 45562)
Report
Bye Melbourne
Against a hapless Sydney team, the Brisbane Bears kicked their highest score in a game - 33.21 (219) - and recorded their biggest win (162 points). Their three-quarter time score of 27.17 (179) also set a League record as the highest three-quarter time score until it was surpassed in 2007.
At Football Park , Adelaide came back from 26 points down at three-quarter time against North Melbourne to win by 2 points. Crows full-forward Tony Modra kicked 10 goals, and took the Mark of the Year early in the third quarter, using North's Ian Fairley and teammate Mark Mickan as a stepladder to pull down a strong overhead mark near the goalsquare.[ 1]
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
North Melbourne
20.14 (134)
Carlton
14.12 (96)
MCG
44,833
Friday 21, May
Hawthorn
20.11 (131)
Richmond
19.7 (121)
Waverley Park
20,316
Saturday 22, May
Fitzroy
14.8 (92)
Collingwood
10.13 (73)
Princes Park
24,442
Saturday 22, May
Footscray
22.11 (143)
St Kilda
11.13 (79)
Whitten Oval
17,458
Saturday 22, May
Essendon
16.15 (111)
Adelaide
10.5 (65)
MCG
34,372
Saturday 22, May
Sydney
15.14 (104)
Geelong
19.15 (129)
SCG
9,594
Sunday 23, May
Melbourne
14.17 (101)
West Coast
13.10 (88)
MCG
22,032
Sunday 23, May
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Essendon
19.15 (129)
Fitzroy
19.11 (125)
MCG
50,567
Friday 28, May
Richmond
17.20 (122)
Sydney
14.9 (93)
MCG
17,781
Saturday 29, May
Carlton
17.26 (128)
Melbourne
11.8 (74)
Princes Park
23,702
Saturday 29, May
Footscray
9.8 (62)
Hawthorn
20.12 (132)
Whitten Oval
19,397
Saturday 29, May
St Kilda
9.10 (64)
West Coast
9.12 (66)
Waverley Park
19,918
Saturday 29, May
Collingwood
5.13 (43)
North Melbourne
19.12 (126)
Victoria Park
29,779
Saturday 29, May
Brisbane Bears
12.13 (85)
Adelaide
18.14 (122)
Gabba
12,395
Sunday 30, May
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Fitzroy
7.14 (56)
Richmond
12.10 (82)
Princes Park
11,366
Saturday 12, June
St Kilda
20.10 (130)
Brisbane Bears
11.9 (75)
Waverley Park
11,748
Saturday 12, June
Geelong
13.11 (89)
Carlton
17.16 (118)
MCG
37,119
Saturday 12, June
Sydney
10.3 (63)
West Coast
17.18 (120)
SCG
8,794
Sunday 13, June
Adelaide
15.17 (107)
Footscray
8.14 (62)
Football Park
44,979
Sunday 13, June
Melbourne
24.16 (160)
Collingwood
16.13 (109)
MCG
57,833
Monday 14, June
Hawthorn
12.14 (86)
Essendon
17.14 (116)
Waverley Park
47,295
Monday 14, June
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
West Coast
15.11 (101)
North Melbourne
16.11 (107)
WACA
30,183
Friday 18, June
Melbourne
15.15 (105)
Essendon
10.11 (71)
MCG
44,094
Saturday 19, June
Hawthorn
23.14 (152)
St Kilda
11.8 (74)
Waverley Park
28,975
Saturday 19, June
Footscray
13.16 (94)
Sydney
10.9 (69)
Whitten Oval
11,797
Saturday 19, June
Carlton
24.12 (156)
Adelaide
11.11 (77)
Princes Park
21,405
Saturday 19, June
Geelong
16.17 (113)
Fitzroy
15.16 (106)
Kardinia Park
19,308
Sunday 20, June
Brisbane Bears
14.13 (97)
Collingwood
20.18 (138)
Gabba
15,471
Sunday 20, June
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
North Melbourne
11.14 (80)
Hawthorn
12.11 (83)
MCG
47,705
Friday 25, June
Fitzroy
12.7 (79)
St Kilda
17.10 (112)
Waverley Park
15,181
Saturday 26, June
Essendon
21.15 (141)
Richmond
8.15 (63)
Princes Park
19,105
Saturday 26, June
Footscray
17.19 (121)
Brisbane Bears
14.9 (93)
Whitten Oval
15,397
Saturday 26, June
Collingwood
11.5 (71)
West Coast
14.10 (94)
Victoria Park
24,371
Saturday 26, June
Sydney
23.11 (149)
Melbourne
16.13 (109)
SCG
8,250
Sunday 27, June
Adelaide
16.19 (115)
Geelong
14.11 (95)
Football Park
46,496
Sunday 27, June
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Sydney
12.10 (82)
Adelaide
18.18 (126)
SCG
13,057
Friday 2, July
Essendon
23.17 (155)
Brisbane Bears
4.15 (39)
MCG
20,453
Saturday 3, July
St Kilda
6.10 (46)
Melbourne
14.8 (92)
Waverley Park
23,398
Saturday 3, July
Fitzroy
18.11 (119)
North Melbourne
17.16 (118)
Princes Park
13,965
Saturday 3, July
Geelong
15.20 (110)
Footscray
8.6 (54)
Kardinia Park
19,293
Saturday 3, July
West Coast
13.13 (91)
Carlton
14.8 (92)
Subiaco Oval
39,789
Sunday 4, July
Richmond
17.15 (117)
Collingwood
22.15 (147)
MCG
49,980
Sunday 4, July
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
North Melbourne
19.15 (129)
Essendon
13.13 (91)
MCG
55,693
Friday 9, July
Hawthorn
15.20 (110)
Fitzroy
9.10 (64)
Waverley Park
21,744
Saturday 10, July
Carlton
19.17 (131)
Brisbane Bears
14.13 (97)
Princes Park
16,934
Saturday 10, July
Collingwood
25.19 (169)
Sydney
11.11 (77)
Victoria Park
20,394
Saturday 10, July
Melbourne
22.9 (141)
Geelong
20.7 (127)
MCG
40,819
Saturday 10, July
Adelaide
23.18 (156)
St Kilda
8.15 (63)
Football Park
46,667
Sunday 11, July
Richmond
8.14 (62)
Footscray
10.18 (78)
MCG
24,832
Sunday 11, July
Round 16
Friday, 16 July (8:38 pm)
Adelaide 26.15 (171)
def.
Richmond 4.8 (32)
Football Park (crowd: 45109)
Report
Saturday, 17 July (2:00 pm)
Fitzroy 14.11 (95)
def. by
Carlton 27.19 (181)
Princes Park (crowd: 24987)
Report
Saturday, 17 July (2:00 pm)
Collingwood 21.19 (145)
def.
Footscray 11.15 (81)
Victoria Park (crowd: 26156)
Report
Saturday, 17 July (2:00 pm)
St Kilda 27.15 (177)
def.
Geelong 15.16 (106)
Waverley Park (crowd: 22059)
Report
Saturday, 17 July (2:08 pm)
Melbourne 12.18 (90)
def. by
Hawthorn 16.10 (106)
MCG (crowd: 44303)
Report
Sunday, 18 July (2:08 pm)
Brisbane Bears 15.14 (104)
def. by
North Melbourne 22.14 (146)
The Gabba (crowd: 9609)
Report
Sunday, 18 July (2:08 pm)
Essendon 12.17 (89)
def.
West Coast 13.9 (87)
MCG (crowd: 44507)
Report
Bye Sydney
Adelaide continued their recent run of good form against Richmond , notching up the biggest win in the club's history to date (139 points). In their previous two clashes, the Crows had won by 110 and 94 points respectively. Tony Modra also kicked his third haul of 10 or more goals in a game, ending up with 13 goals 4 behinds. He had also kicked 10 against the Tigers in Round 1.
After being held to only three behinds from four kicks for the afternoon, Essendon full-forward Paul Salmon was awarded a free kick and converted the set shot in the dying minutes to give Essendon a two-point win against the reigning premiers West Coast . The win put Essendon back in the Top Six, and coach Kevin Sheedy acknowledged the importance of the win by waving his jacket in helicopter fashion as he was coming down from the coaches box.[ 2] This iconic gesture instigated a scarf-waving tradition in matches between the two clubs for several years.
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
North Melbourne
14.13 (97)
St Kilda
16.16 (112)
MCG
28,410
Friday 23, July
Geelong
13.9 (87)
Collingwood
11.13 (79)
Waverley Park
38,166
Saturday 24, July
Footscray
14.13 (97)
Melbourne
16.14 (110)
Whitten Oval
14,469
Saturday 24, July
Carlton
12.11 (83)
Essendon
15.14 (104)
MCG
67,035
Saturday 24, July
Brisbane Bears
18.10 (118)
Richmond
14.15 (99)
Gabba
8,797
Sunday 25, July
Hawthorn
24.15 (159)
Sydney
9.13 (67)
Waverley Park
13,397
Sunday 25, July
West Coast
15.17 (107)
Adelaide
10.10 (70)
Subiaco Oval
36,081
Sunday 25, July
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Collingwood
7.13 (55)
Essendon
18.15 (123)
MCG
87,573
Friday 30, July
North Melbourne
10.12 (72)
Geelong
25.16 (166)
MCG
34,439
Saturday 31, July
Footscray
22.14 (146)
Fitzroy
13.6 (84)
Whitten Oval
13,029
Saturday 31, July
Richmond
11.15 (81)
West Coast
15.10 (100)
Princes Park
6,025
Saturday 31, July
Hawthorn
13.13 (91)
Carlton
17.20 (122)
Waverley Park
40,850
Saturday 31, July
Sydney
17.16 (118)
St Kilda
24.11 (155)
SCG
9,756
Sunday 1, August
Melbourne
20.18 (138)
Brisbane Bears
6.13 (49)
MCG
15,664
Sunday 1, August
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Essendon
18.9 (117)
Sydney
13.18 (96)
MCG
22,813
Friday 6, August
Richmond
12.11 (83)
Carlton
16.10 (106)
MCG
30,874
Saturday 7, August
St Kilda
9.14 (68)
Collingwood
10.20 (80)
Waverley Park
40,327
Saturday 7, August
Fitzroy
15.9 (99)
Adelaide
13.16 (94)
Princes Park
8,545
Saturday 7, August
Geelong
22.18 (150)
Hawthorn
10.8 (68)
Kardinia Park
25,817
Saturday 7, August
Brisbane Bears
10.11 (71)
West Coast
19.17 (131)
Gabba
9,046
Sunday 8, August
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Sydney
15.9 (99)
Fitzroy
17.12 (114)
SCG
8,214
Friday 13, August
Carlton
10.17 (77)
St Kilda
11.18 (84)
Princes Park
22,774
Saturday 14, August
Essendon
14.14 (98)
Footscray
12.13 (85)
MCG
40,229
Saturday 14, August
West Coast
10.7 (67)
Hawthorn
6.9 (45)
Subiaco Oval
41,988
Sunday 15, August
North Melbourne
19.14 (128)
Richmond
11.18 (84)
MCG
17,585
Sunday 15, August
Adelaide
13.27 (105)
Melbourne
6.10 (46)
Football Park
46,310
Sunday 15, August
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
Fitzroy
22.15 (147)
Brisbane Bears
5.13 (43)
Princes Park
6,214
Saturday 21, August
Geelong
19.12 (126)
Essendon
14.10 (94)
Kardinia Park
32,808
Saturday 21, August
Collingwood
8.15 (63)
Carlton
17.15 (117)
MCG
84,054
Saturday 21, August
Hawthorn
17.13 (115)
Adelaide
13.10 (88)
Waverley Park
26,540
Saturday 21, August
Footscray
14.10 (94)
West Coast
7.10 (52)
Whitten Oval
12,444
Saturday 21, August
Richmond
8.6 (54)
Melbourne
26.19 (175)
MCG
21,654
Sunday 22, August
Sydney
14.14 (98)
North Melbourne
25.10 (160)
SCG
8,180
Sunday 22, August
Home team
Home team score
Away team
Away team score
Ground
Crowd
Date
West Coast
14.12 (96)
Geelong
17.14 (116)
WACA
32,121
Friday 27, August
St Kilda
18.17 (125)
Richmond
12.10 (82)
Waverley Park
22,971
Saturday 28, August
Carlton
16.15 (111)
Sydney
16.14 (110)
Princes Park
21,900
Saturday 28, August
North Melbourne
18.15 (123)
Footscray
20.15 (135)
MCG
31,109
Saturday 28, August
Brisbane Bears
15.16 (106)
Hawthorn
24.19 (163)
Gabba
11,544
Sunday 29, August
Melbourne
11.9 (75)
Fitzroy
14.14 (98)
MCG
22,605
Sunday 29, August
Adelaide
19.21 (135)
Collingwood
17.9 (111)
Football Park
48,522
Sunday 29, August
(P)
Premiers
Qualified for finals
Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for Average score: 105.1 Source: AFL Tables
Qualifying Final
Saturday, 4 September (7:45 pm)
Essendon 14.14 (98)
def. by
Carlton 15.10 (100)
MCG (crowd: 79739)
Report
Following the release of the Crawford Report, prepared by insolvency expert David Crawford , the clubs voted to make several significant changes to the administrative structure of the AFL during the 1993 season:
Firstly, the AFL Commission was expanded from six members to eight, and was given the power to make most administrative decisions relating to the league unilaterally (as opposed to ratification by a vote of club presidents).
Secondly, the AFL Board of Directors, after 96 years of operation, voted itself out of existence.[ 3]
Thirdly, the clubs retained the right to veto any Commission decision by a two-thirds majority.
Fourthly, with several Victorian clubs, as well as Brisbane and Sydney, being concerned about their long-term viability at the time, a stipulation was also included that any decisions relating to the expulsion, merger or relocation of any club required ratification by a simple majority of all clubs, and the agreement of the club(s) in question.[ 4]
The Brisbane Bears , which despite its name had played its home games in Gold Coast at Carrara Stadium for the first six years of its existence, relocated to Brisbane in 1993. Its first home game at its new home ground, the Gabba , against Melbourne in Round 3 resulted in a win.
At the conclusion of their Round 4 game against Collingwood , St Kilda 's Nicky Winmar responded to racial vilification from the Collingwood cheer squad by declaring, "I'm black and proud of it!" while raising his jumper and pointing to his skin, an image which has since become famous. This was also St Kilda's first win at Victoria Park in two decades.
Brisbane and North Melbourne both set club-record high scores in this season. North Melbourne's 35.19 (229) in Round 6 was then the fifth-highest score of all time, and Brisbane's 33.21 (219) in Round 8 was then the tenth-highest of all time. The opponent in both of these games was Sydney .
In Round 18, a piglet with the word "PLUGA" and the number four painted on it was released onto the Sydney Cricket Ground during the match between Sydney and St Kilda ; play was held up for two to three minutes as it managed to evade capture from trainers, security guards and players. The idea to release the pig had been devised by a small group of Sydney supporters and players the previous week, and was intended as a tactic to put dangerous St Kilda full-forward Tony "Plugger" Lockett off his game. As it happened, Lockett missed the game with injury, but was reportedly enraged when he saw the incident on television.[ 5]
Clubs
Seasons Grand finals Venues Other awards Major recurring events Second-tier and junior competitions
Related articles Known as the Victorian Football League from 1897–1989; no grand finals were held in 1897 and 1924