Essendon: have they gone through a season undefeated?

[-TotalFooty2000-]

Sorry if this has been raised on here before, but has the Essendon FC gone through a VFL/AFL seaosn undefeated? It could've happened pre-1925 maybe. Someone on my ICQ list asked me this question.

BTW, congratulations to Essendon, they deserve all the rewards after a great season. The challenge now is to maintain this level of performance, which could be hard in the modern-day game, and for reasons on here already discussed. I reckon they should give Steve waugh a phone call.

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[Richmondfan#1]

Not of my knowledge.

 

[dons_r_tops]

definately not douggie boy
not even pre vfl

 

[Dave]

Actually, pre VFL they did, in 1893, winning 18 drawing 2. Between 1892 and 1894 they went undefeated for 47 matches which I think is still a senior competition record (not 100% on this)

 

[The Ball]

Dave,

Wasn't it 54 or 56 matches? Because that's what I heard. (I think)

 

[WCE2000]

Yes, they have, in the VFA

From July 1892 to September 1894 they went on a 57 undefeated game streak.
In 1891, they lost only 1 game and tying in 2 others.
In 1892, they only lost 1 game again
In 1893, undefeated (obviously)
In 1894, lost the final game of the season to Geelong, but still won the premiership, because it was under Dan24's system of ladder leaders getting the premiership.

They won 4 premierships in a row, losing only 3 games in those 4 seasons.

However, there has never been a team go undefeated through a whole AFL/VFL season undefeated.

Collinwgood went through the Home and Away Rounds of 1929 undefeated before losing to Richmond in the first round of the finals. There was infact great controversy over this match, with match-fixing allegations very strong.

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[This message has been edited by WCE2000 (edited 05 September 2000).]

 

[Dave]

The Essendon history book I have shows them going undefeated in the last ten games of 1892, all 20 in '93 and 17 in '94. Where the other ten games come from I'm buggered if I know, but perhaps they were intercolony challenges or something.