The 1990 AFL season was the 94th season of the Australian Football League (AFL) and the first under this name, having been known as the Victorian Football League until 1989. It was the highest level senior Australian rules football competition and administrative body in Victoria; and, as it featured clubs from New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia, it was the de facto highest level senior competition in Australia. The season featured fourteen clubs, ran from 31 March until 6 October, and comprised a 22-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top five clubs.
The premiership was won by the Collingwood Football Club for the 14th time, after it defeated by 48 points in the 1990 AFL Grand Final.
Club leadership Club Coaches Chairman/President Executive Director/General Manager Football Manager Leadership group Norm Dare (senior) Rodney Eade (reserves) Noel Gordon Andrew Ireland Shane O'Sullivan Roger Merrett (captain) Scott McIvor (v/captain) Martin Leslie (deputy v/c) Alex Jesaulenko (senior) Rod Ashman (reserves) Ross Henshaw (under 19s) John Elliott Ian Collins Stephen Gough Stephen Kernahan (captain) Craig Bradley (v/captain) David Rhys-Jones (deputy v/c) Leigh Matthews (senior) Michael Taylor (reserves) Keith Burns (under 19s) Allan McAlister Rob Petrie Graeme Allan Tony Shaw (captain) Peter Daicos (v/captain) Brian Taylor, Gavin Crosisca, Darren Millane (deputy v/captains) Kevin Sheedy (senior) Mervyn Keane (reserves) Ray Jordon (under 19s) Ron Evans David Shaw (exec. director) Roger Hampson (gen. manager) Kevin Egan Tim Watson (captain) Simon Madden (v/captain) Mark Thompson (deputy v/c) Rod Austin (senior) Robert Shaw (reserves) Leigh Carlson (under 19s) Leon Wiegard Max Kelleher Arthur Wilson Paul Roos (captain) Gary Pert (v/captain) Terry Wheeler (senior) Trevor Fletcher (reserves) Neil Clarke (under 19s) Peter Gordon Dennis Galimberti Gary Merrington Doug Hawkins (captain) Stephen Wallis (v/captain) Tony McGuinness (deputy v/c) Malcolm Blight (senior) Dennis Davey (reserves) Brendan Tinkler (under 19s) Ron Hovey Ken Gannon Garry Fletcher Andrew Bews (captain) Steve Hocking (v/captain) Barry Stoneham (deputy v/c) Allan Jeans (senior) Des Meagher (reserves) Russell Greene (under 19s) Trevor Coote John Lauritz John Hook (football manager) Alan Joyce (director of football) Michael Tuck (captain) Gary Ayres (v/captain) John Northey (senior) Mark Cross (reserves & under 19s) Stuart Spencer Tony King John Sell Greg Healy (captain) Garry Lyon (v/captain) Jim Stynes (deputy v/c) Wayne Schimmelbusch (senior) Laurie Dwyer (reserves) Denis Pagan (under 19s) Bob Ansett Ken Montgomery Greg Miller Matthew Larkin (captain) Ben Buckley (v/captain) Kevin Bartlett (senior) Emmett Dunne (reserves)Doug Searl (under 19s) Neville Crowe Cameron Schwab John Wardrop Dale Weightman (captain)Michael Pickering (v/captain) Ken Sheldon (senior) Warren Jones (reserves) Gary Colling (under 19s) Travis Payze Rick Watt Peter Hudson Danny Frawley (captain) Colin Kinnear (senior) Mark Maclure (reserves) Greg Harris (under 19s) Michael Willesee Geoff Slade (exec. director) Barry Breen (gen. manager) John Reid Dennis Carroll (captain) Gerard Healy (v/captain) Greg Williams (deputy v/c) Michael Malthouse (senior) Terry O'Connor Brian Cook Trevor Nisbett Steve Malaxos (captain)John Worsfold (v/captain)Phil Scott (deputy v/c)
Foster's Cup
defeated 17.10 (112) to 10.16 (76) in the final.
Home-and-away season
Round 1
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Ground ! Crowd ! Date |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 14.15 (99) |||| 15.14 (104) ||Princes Park|| 22,427 ||Saturday 31, March |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 20.21 (141) |||| 8.12 (60) ||Windy Hill|| 18,960 ||Saturday 31, March |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 11.11 (77) |||| 28.24 (192) ||Waverley Park|| 41,694 ||Saturday, 31 March |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 12.17 (89) |||| 22.10 (142) ||MCG|| 23,191 ||Saturday, 31 March |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 19.19 (133) |||| 10.14 (74) ||Carrara Stadium|| 11,814 ||Saturday, 31 March |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 14.16 (100) |||| 8.6 (54) ||Subiaco Oval|| 25,342 ||Sunday, 1 April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 11.15 (81) |||| 22.12 (144) ||Whitten Oval|| 28,553 || Sunday, 1 April
Round 2
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Ground ! Crowd ! Date |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 9.14 (68) |||| 32.17 (209) ||MCG|| 18,105 ||Friday, 6 April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 13.9 (87) |||| 19.8 (122) ||Waverley Park|| 44,906 ||Saturday, 7 April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 13.20 (98) |||| 8.11 (59) ||Princes Park|| 6,838 ||Saturday, 7 April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 18.20 (128) |||| 13.13 (91) ||MCG|| 29,024 ||Saturday, 7 April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 18.19 (127) |||| 10.9 (69) ||Moorabbin Oval|| 23,161 ||Saturday, 7 April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 24.15 (159) |||| 14.13 (97) ||MCG|| 55,311 ||Sunday, 8 April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 10.18 (78) |||| 20.20 (140) ||SCG|| 11,051 ||Sunday, 8 April
Round 3
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Ground ! Crowd ! Date |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 11.10 (76) |||| 14.8 (92) ||Waverley Park|| 53,065 ||Saturday 14, April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 7.17 (59) |||| 18.14 (122) ||Whitten Oval|| 14,842 ||Saturday 14, April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 15.21 (111) |||| 10.21 (81) ||Princes Park|| 11,698 ||Saturday 14, April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 14.11 (95) |||| 17.11 (113) ||Carrara Stadium|| 8,683 ||Sunday 15, April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 20.8 (128) |||| 12.21 (93) ||Victoria Park|| 27,839 ||Monday 16, April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 18.14 (122) |||| 14.11 (95) ||MCG|| 59,894 ||Monday 16, April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 22.18 (150) |||| 11.11 (77) ||Kardinia Park|| 23,031 ||Monday 16, April
Round 4
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Ground ! Crowd ! Date |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 17.18 (120) |||| 10.10 (70) ||WACA Ground|| 28,568 ||Friday 20, April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 14.12 (96) |||| 11.12 (78) ||Victoria Park|| 17,948 ||Saturday 21, April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 6.13 (49) |||| 18.19 (127) ||MCG|| 17,975 ||Saturday 21, April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 9.10 (64) |||| 13.11 (89) ||Waverley Park|| 13,671 ||Saturday 21, April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 18.12 (120) |||| 5.8 (38) ||Princes Park|| 8,649 ||Saturday 21, April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 15.22 (112) |||| 20.23 (143) ||MCG|| 28,512 ||Sunday 22, April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 13.19 (97) |||| 19.17 (131) ||SCG|| 11,472 ||Sunday 22, April
Round 5
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Ground ! Crowd ! Date |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 10.16 (76) |||| 15.13 (103) ||Princes Park|| 24,960 ||Wednesday 25, April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 21.17 (143) |||| 9.10 (64) ||MCG|| 23,078 ||Wednesday 25, April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 13.13 (91) |||| 12.20 (92) ||MCG|| 67,893 ||Saturday 28, April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 11.15 (81) |||| 12.17 (89) ||Waverley Park|| 42,097 ||Saturday 28, April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 16.12 (108) |||| 10.18 (78) ||Princes Park|| 13,144 ||Saturday 28, April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 8.13 (61) |||| 19.11 (125) ||Carrara Stadium|| 9,381 ||Saturday 28, April |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 19.14 (128) |||| 10.7 (67) ||Subiaco Oval|| 25,683 ||Sunday 29, April
Round 6
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Ground ! Crowd ! Date |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 9.14 (68) |||| 15.13 (103) ||MCG|| 17,229 ||Friday 4, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 20.13 (133) |||| 14.19 (103) ||Princes Park|| 17,555 ||Saturday 5, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 10.15 (75) |||| 15.11 (101) ||MCG|| 63,218 ||Saturday 5, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 12.10 (82) |||| 5.20 (50) ||Waverley Park|| 13,610 ||Saturday 5, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 23.13 (151) |||| 12.8 (80) ||Kardinia Park|| 18,426 ||Saturday 5, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 15.14 (104) |||| 14.17 (101) ||Moorabbin Oval|| 30,895 ||Saturday 5, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 14.14 (98) |||| 12.21 (93) ||SCG|| 10,155 ||Sunday 6, May
Round 7
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Ground ! Crowd ! Date |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 18.8 (116) |||| 9.7 (61) ||MCG|| 32,269 ||Friday 11, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 13.13 (91) |||| 17.9 (111) ||Windy Hill|| 22,198 ||Saturday 12, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 13.14 (92) |||| 13.16 (94) ||Waverley Park|| 48,099 ||Saturday 12, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 18.13 (121) |||| 15.13 (103) ||Princes Park|| 14,524 ||Saturday 12, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 12.13 (85) |||| 12.15 (87) ||MCG|| 16,155 ||Saturday 12, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 9.28 (82) |||| 13.18 (96) ||Kardinia Park|| 21,181 ||Sunday 13, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 14.12 (96) |||| 13.10 (88) ||Carrara Stadium|| 7,226 ||Sunday 13, May
Round 8
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Ground ! Crowd ! Date |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 15.17 (107) |||| 13.20 (98) ||SCG|| 8,960 ||Friday 18, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 18.18 (126) |||| 9.5 (59) ||Waverley Park|| 36,370 ||Saturday 19, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 9.21 (75) |||| 17.18 (120) ||Princes Park|| 16,530 ||Saturday 19, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 20.13 (133) |||| 11.14 (80) ||MCG|| 26,376 ||Saturday 19, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 12.22 (94) |||| 11.12 (78) ||Moorabbin Oval|| 22,351 ||Saturday 19, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 11.12 (78) |||| 14.13 (97) ||Whitten Oval|| 25,255 ||Sunday 20, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 16.26 (122) |||| 9.9 (63) ||Subiaco Oval|| 20,457 ||Sunday 20, May
Round 9
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Ground ! Crowd ! Date |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 18.15 (123) |||| 11.16 (82) ||Princes Park|| 19,052 ||Saturday 26, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 26.20 (176) |||| 14.12 (96) ||Victoria Park|| 22,232 ||Saturday 26, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 18.16 (124) |||| 17.11 (113) ||Windy Hill|| 21,251 ||Saturday 26, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 14.8 (92) |||| 7.6 (48) ||Waverley Park|| 39,701 ||Saturday 26, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 8.8 (56) |||| 19.11 (125) ||Carrara Stadium|| 6,628 ||Saturday 26, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 16.16 (112) |||| 13.15 (93) ||Subiaco Oval|| 21,323 ||Sunday 27, May |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 20.19 (139) |||| 9.6 (60) ||MCG|| 19,465 ||Sunday 27, May
Round 10
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Ground ! Crowd ! Date |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 17.16 (118) |||| 13.12 (90) ||MCG|| 9,377 ||Friday 1, June |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 15.18 (108) |||| 13.7 (85) ||MCG|| 31,648 ||Saturday 2, June |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 16.14 (110) |||| 9.4 (58) ||Waverley Park|| 49,655 ||Saturday 2, June |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 15.13 (103) |||| 13.11 (89) ||Princes Park|| 11,329 ||Saturday 2, June |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 21.22 (148) |||| 10.11 (71) ||Moorabbin Oval|| 14,099 ||Saturday 2, June |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 11.8 (74) |||| 25.14 (164) ||SCG|| 12,551 ||Sunday 3, June |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 14.12 (96) |||| 13.16 (94) ||Kardinia Park|| 26,073 ||Sunday 3, June
Round 11
! Home team ! Home team score ! Away team ! Away team score ! Ground ! Crowd ! Date |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 15.9 (99) |||| 8.12 (60) ||Windy Hill|| 19,427 ||Saturday 9, June |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 15.14 (104) |||| 16.16 (112) ||Waverley Park|| 47,572 ||Saturday 9, June |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 19.18 (132) |||| 11.17 (83) ||Princes Park|| 11,848 ||Saturday 9, June |- style="background:#fff;" ||| 10.13 (73) |||| 15.17 (107) ||Carrara Stadium|| 12,339 ||Sunday 10, June |- style="background:#fff;"