2023 VFL season

The 2023 VFL season was the 141st season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), a second-tier Australian rules football competition played in the states of Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland. The season commenced on 25 March and concluded with the grand final on 24 September.^[1]

Gold Coast reserves won its 1st premiership, defeating Werribee by 19 points in the grand final. It was the first time the VFA/VFL premiership was won by a non-Victorian team.^[2]

Home-and-away season

All starting times are local time. Source: AFL.com.au

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Round 8

Round 9

Round 10

Round 11

Round 12

Round 13

Round 14

Round 15

Round 16

Round 17

Round 18

Round 19

Round 20

Round 21

Round 22

Ladder

Source: AFL
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for
(R) = Reserves
(P) Premiers

Wildcard round

The season introduced a wildcard round, played after the home-and-away season is complete, but not considered part of the finals series. The seventh placed team played the tenth placed team, and the eighth placed team played the ninth placed team. The winners advanced to the eight-team finals series, assuming the seventh and eighth positions under the AFL finals system.^[1]

Finals series

Qualifying finals and elimination finals

Semi-finals

Preliminary finals

Grand Final

Teams

Awards

The J. J. Liston Trophy was won by Jarryd Lyons (Brisbane), who polled 26 votes. Lyons finished ahead of Boyd Woodcock (Southport) who polled 24 votes to finish second in the count for the second consecutive season; and Tom Gribble (Werribee) and Lachlan Sullivan (Footscray) who polled 21 votes.^[14]
The Jim 'Frosty' Miller Medal was jointly won by Chris Burgess and Brodie McLaughlin (Gold Coast), who both kicked 51 goals during the home-and-away season. It was Burgess' second year in a row taking out the award.^[15]
The Fothergill–Round–Mitchell Medal was won by Sam Clohesy (Werribee).^[14]
The Coaches MVP award was won by Lachlan Sullivan (Footscray).^[14]

References

^ a b "Wildcard Round introduced as 2023 Smithy's VFL season dates announced". Australian Football League. Telstra. 13 December 2022.
^ Rhodes, Brendan (24 September 2023). "Flag Suns as Gold Coast wins epic". afl.com.au. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
^ Bauer marked 10m out almost directly in front and kicked truly."Bauer boots after-the-siren goal to see VFL Tigers home". 4 June 2023.
^ Bauer converted a set shot from 35m out on a slight angle."Bauer's brilliance topples Brisbane". 30 June 2023.
^ "VFL match report: 'Walla' stuns Suns after the siren". Essendon Football Club. 3 July 2023.
^ "Tiger makes case for AFL return, Werribee record 15 different goalkickers: VFL Wrap". Zero Hanger. 17 July 2023.
^ "Williamstown warrior: Billy Swan's admiration for the man breaking his VFA/VFL games record". CODE Sports.
^ "Northern Bullants fail to score a single goal as they go down by 157 points in the VFL". 6 News Australia. 22 July 2023.
^ "Defeat of Pies secures club record 14th straight win". Weribee. 6 August 2023.
^ "VFL clash with Borough moved to Tigerland". Richmond. Telstra. 9 August 2023.
^ a b "VFL: Rd 22 team v Coburg". Essendon Football Club. 18 August 2023.
^ "VFL Grand Final - Gold Coast d Werribee". Austadiums. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
^ a b Rhodes, Brendan (22 September 2023). "TEAMS: 2023 Smithy's VFL Grand Final". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 11 June 2024.
^ a b c d "2023 VFL and VFLW Awards: Lyons wins Liston; three-way tie for Lambert-Pearce". afl.com.au. 18 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
^ "Two SUNS take home Frosty medal". Gold Coast Suns. 24 August 2023.