View source for 1908 VFL grand final

{{Short description|Grand final of the 1908 Victorian Football League season}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Use Australian English|date=December 2017}}
{{Infobox Australian rules football match
| year         = 
| competition  = AFL
| match_type   = Grand Final
| image        = 
| home         = [[File:Cartlon fc logo 1900s.jpg|50px]]<br/>{{AFL Car}}
| home_abbr    = CAR
| home_colours = 
| away         = [[File:EssendonDesign.svg|50px]]<br/>{{AFL Ess}}
| away_abbr    = ESS
| away_colours = 
| home_qtr1    = 2.3 (15)
| home_qtr2    = 5.4 (34)
| home_qtr3    = 5.5 (35)
| home_qtr4    = 5.5 (35)
| away_qtr1    = 1.1 (7)
| away_qtr2    = 2.4 (16)
| away_qtr3    = 3.5 (23)
| away_qtr4    = 3.8 (26)
| home_score   = 5.5 (35)
| away_score   = 3.8 (26)
| date         = 26 September 1908
| stadium      = [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]]
| attendance   = 50,261
| umpire       = [[Jack Elder (umpire)|Jack Elder]] 
| coin_toss    = 
| kick_end     = 
| prematch     = 
| anthem       = 
| halftime     = 
| postmatch    = 
| norm_smith   = 
| jock_mchale  = 
| network      = 
| commentators = 
| last         = 1907
| next         = 1909
}}

The '''1908 VFL Grand Final''' was an [[Australian rules football]] game contested between the [[Carlton Football Club]] and [[Essendon Football Club]], held at the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] in [[Melbourne]] on 26 September 1908. It was the 11th annual [[VFL Grand Final|Grand Final]] of the [[Victorian Football League (1897–1989)|Victorian Football League]], staged to determine the [[List of AFL premiers|premiers]] for the [[1908 VFL season]]. The match, attended by 50,261 spectators, was won by reigning premiers Carlton by a margin of 9 points, marking that club's third premiership victory and third in succession.

==Right to challenge==
This season was played under the [[Second amended Argus system|amended ''Argus'' system]]. Carlton was the minor premier, and Essendon had finished second. The teams both qualified for this match by winning their semi-finals matches.

If Essendon had won this match, Carlton would have had the right to challenge Essendon to a rematch for the premiership on the following weekend, because Carlton was the minor premier. The winner of that match would then have won the premiership.<ref name="egep">{{citation|first=Stephen|last=Rodgers|title=Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL Results, 1897–1991|publisher=Viking O'Neil|publication-place=Ringwood, VIC|edition=3rd|date=1992}}</ref>

==Teams==
{| width=92% |
|-
|{{Australian rules football kit
 | pattern_b  =  
 | pattern_sh =  
 | pattern_so =  
 | body       = 0E1E2D 
 | shorts     = ffffff 
 | socks      = 0E1E2D
 | title      = Carlton  
}}
|{{Australian rules football kit
 | pattern_b  = _redrightsash 
 | pattern_sh =  
 | pattern_so = _hoops_black 
 | body       = 000000  
 | shorts     =ffffff  
 | socks      =FB0000  
 | title      = Essendon 
}}
|}
{|
|valign=top|
{{Aussie rules team| title =  {{font color|#FFFFFF|Carlton|link=Carlton Football Club}} | color = #0E1E2D   
| backpocket1 = [[Norm Clark]]
| fullback = [[Les Beck]]
| backpocket2 = [[Arthur Ford (Australian footballer)|Arthur Ford]] 
| halfbackflank1 = [[Jim Flynn (footballer)|Jim Flynn]]
| centrehalfback = [[Billy Payne (footballer)|Billy Payne]]
| halfbackflank2 = [[Fred Jinks]]
| wing1 = [[George Bruce (footballer)|George Bruce]]
| centre = [[Rod McGregor]] 
| wing2 = [[Ted Kennedy (footballer)|Ted Kennedy]] 
| halfforwardflank1 = [[Alex Lang]]  
| centrehalfforward = [[Jim Marchbank]]
| halfforwardflank2 = [[Martin Gotz]] 
| forwardpocket1 = [[Harvey Kelly]] 
| fullforward = [[Vin Gardiner]]
| forwardpocket2 = [[George Topping]]
| ruck = [[George S. Johnson|George Johnson]] 
| ruckrover = [[Charlie Hammond]] 
| rover = [[Fred Elliott (footballer)|Fred Elliott]] (c)
| reserve1 = 
| reserve2 =
| coach = [[Jack Worrall]]}}
|valign=top|
{{Aussie rules team| title = {{font color|#CC2031|Essendon|link=Essendon Football Club}} | color = #000000  
| backpocket1 = [[Len Bowe]]
| fullback = [[Billy Griffith (footballer)|Billy Griffith]] (c)
| backpocket2 = [[Bert Daykin]]
| halfbackflank1 = [[Mark Shea]]
| centrehalfback = [[Bill Busbridge]]
| halfbackflank2 = [[Bill S. Johnson|Bill Johnson]]
| wing1 = [[Bill L. Davies|Bill Davies]]
| centre = [[Bill Sewart]]
| wing2 = [[Les Minto]]
| halfforwardflank1 = [[Paddy Shea]]
| centrehalfforward = [[David Smith (sportsman)|Dave Smith]]
| halfforwardflank2 = [[Harry Prout]]
| forwardpocket1 = [[Bill Heaphy]]
| fullforward = [[Harry Farnsworth]]
| forwardpocket2 = [[Arthur Legge (Australian rules footballer)|Arthur Legge]]
| ruck = [[Allan Belcher]]
| ruckrover = [[Jim Martin (Australian footballer)|Jim Martin]]
| rover = [[Ernie Cameron]]
| reserve1 = 
| reserve2 = 
| coach = [[David Smith (sportsman)|Dave Smith]]}}
|}
* Umpire – [[Jack Elder (umpire)|Jack Elder]]

==Statistics==
===Goalkickers===
[[File:Carlton 1908 premierteam.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Carlton FC, 1908 Premier team]]
{| width="40%"
| valign="top" width="30%" |
'''Carlton''':
* Elliott 1
* Gotz 1
* Kelly 1
* Kennedy 1
* Marchbank 1
| valign="top" width="30%" |
'''Essendon''':
* Legge 1
* Martin 1
* P.Shea 1
|}

===Attendance===
* MCG crowd – 50,261

==See also==
* [[1908 VFL season]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
*[http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1908/030519080926.html AFL Tables: 1908 Grand Final]
* ''The Official statistical history of the AFL 2004'' 
* Ross, J. (ed), ''100 Years of Australian Football 1897–1996: The Complete Story of the AFL, All the Big Stories, All the Great Pictures, All the Champions, Every AFL Season Reported'', Viking, (Ringwood), 1996. {{ISBN|0-670-86814-0}}

{{1908 Carlton premiership players}}
{{Carlton Football Club}}
{{Essendon Football Club}}
{{Australian Football League}}

[[Category:VFL/AFL Grand Finals]]
[[Category:1908 in Australian rules football|Grand]]
[[Category:Carlton Football Club]]
[[Category:Essendon Football Club]]
[[Category:September 1908 sports events]]