1899 VFL Grand Final


The 1899 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Fitzroy Football Club and South Melbourne Football Club, held at the St Kilda Cricket Ground in Melbourne, on 16 September 1899, to determine the premiership team for the 1899 VFL season
It was the second annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League. The match, attended by 4,823 spectators, was won by Fitzroy by a margin of 1 point, becoming the first club to claim back-to-back VFL premierships.

Lead-up

Fitzroy had won the minor premiership in the 1899 season, while South Melbourne had finished sixth after the home-and-away season. In the sectional rounds, Fitzroy and South Melbourne each finished with records of 3–0 to qualify for the final.
Had South Melbourne won the match, it would not have immediately won the premiership; Fitzroy, as the minor premiers, would have had the right to challenge South to a rematch for the premiership on the following Saturday.

Summary

Despite finishing the home and away season in sixth position, the VFL's new, expanded finals system allowed South Melbourne to make the Grand Final.
The match was played in heavy rain:
The strong wind from the southern end of the ground favoured South Melbourne in the opening quarter. Harry Lampe kicked the first two goals of the match, and Fitzroy's only score, a behind, came when a kick from Mick Grace hit the post.
Fitzroy then had the advantage of the wind in the second quarter. Goals to Mick Grace and Fred Fontaine had them ahead at half time.
Charlie Colgan gave South Melbourne the lead with the only goal of the third term.
Fitzroy finished strongly. Bill McSpeerin's goal 15 minutes into the final quarter gave Fitzroy the win.

Teams

Fitzroy's Bert Sharpe, the team's centre half-forward in its 1898 premiership side, he was a late withdrawal from the side due to the death of his father the day before the Grand Final; his teammates wore black armbands for that match.

Goalkickers

Attendance