The 1996 AFL season was the 100th 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 sixteen clubs and ran from 29 March until 28 September. It comprised a 22-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top eight clubs, as well as several celebrations of the league's centenary. The premiership was won by the North Melbourne Football Club for the third time, after it defeated by 43 points in the 1996 AFL Grand Final.

AFL Draft

See 1996 AFL Draft.

Lightning Premiership

In the 1996 AFL Lightning Premiership final, defeated the 6.2 (38) to 2.9 (21) at Waverley Park.

Ansett Australia Cup

In the 1996 Ansett Australia Cup final, defeated 20.10 (130) to 10.12 (72) at Waverley Park.

Home-and-away season

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Note: The opening four matches of this round replicated the opening round of the inaugural 1897 VFL season, with Essendon and Geelong playing each other on the day of the 99th anniversary.

Round 8

Note: Ben Hart took the mark of the year in Adelaide's win over St Kilda. Note: Fitzroy's victory was the last win they had in the AFL before departing.

Round 9

Round 10

NOTE: St Kilda vs Essendon match on Saturday night was disrupted by a power failure during the third quarter, resulting the match being completed the following week on the Tuesday night with 2 12-minutes halves.

Round 11

Round 12

Round 13

Round 14

Round 15

Round 16

Round 17

Round 18

Round 19

Round 20

Round 21

Round 22

Note: Last game of Fitzroy Lions before merger with Brisbane Bears to become Brisbane Lions.

Ladder

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for Average score: 94.0 Source: AFL Tables

Progression by round

Finals

Qualifying Finals

Semi-finals

Preliminary Finals

Grand Final

Attendance

Awards

Sources