1982 VFL season
# 1982 VFL season

The 1982 VFL season was the 86th season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 20 March until 25 September, and comprised a 22-game home-and-away season followed by a finals series featuring the top five clubs.

The season saw the VFL establish its first permanent interstate presence, as the South Melbourne Football Club (which was known after June just as the Swans, being renamed Sydney the following year) played all of its home games on Sunday afternoons in Sydney, New South Wales.

The premiership was won by the Carlton Football Club for the 14th time and second time consecutively, after it defeated Richmond by 18 points in the VFL grand final.

## Night series

The Swans defeated North Melbourne 13.12 (90) to 8.10 (58) in the final.

## Home-and-away season

### Round 1

| | Round 1 | Round 1 | Round 1 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 27 March (2:10 pm) | Carlton 16.17 (113) | drew with | Fitzroy 17.11 (113) | Princes Park (crowd: 26,669) |
| Saturday, 27 March (2:10 pm) | Collingwood 7.16 (58) | def. by | Geelong 21.20 (146) | VFL Park (crowd: 53,549) |
| Saturday, 27 March (2:10 pm) | Essendon 29.16 (190) | def. | Footscray 11.15 (81) | Windy Hill (crowd: 26,456) |
| Saturday, 27 March (2:10 pm) | St Kilda 12.16 (88) | def. by | Hawthorn 17.17 (119) | Moorabbin Oval (crowd: 19,719) |
| Saturday, 27 March (2:10 pm) | Richmond 18.14 (122) | def. | North Melbourne 15.14 (104) | MCG (crowd: 38,864) |
| Sunday, 28 March (2:10 pm) | Swans 20.17 (137) | def. | Melbourne 16.12 (108) | SCG (crowd: 15,764) |

### Round 2

| | Round 2 | Round 2 | Round 2 | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 20 March (2:10 pm) | Fitzroy 13.11 (89) | def. by | Richmond 20.10 (130) | VFL Park (crowd: 38,686) | Report |
| Saturday, 3 April (2:10 pm) | Carlton 8.17 (65) | def. by | Essendon 13.13 (91) | VFL Park (crowd: 60,208) | Report |
| Saturday, 3 April (2:10 pm) | Footscray 14.8 (92) | def. by | Collingwood 15.14 (104) | Western Oval (crowd: 27,266) | Report |
| Saturday, 3 April (2:10 pm) | Hawthorn 13.19 (97) | def. | Geelong 11.12 (78) | Princes Park (crowd: 15,600) | Report |
| Saturday, 3 April (2:10 pm) | Melbourne 20.26 (146) | def. | St Kilda 16.10 (106) | MCG (crowd: 25,467) | Report |
| Saturday, 3 April (2:10 pm) | North Melbourne 24.13 (157) | def. | Swans 16.21 (117) | Arden Street Oval (crowd: 14,097) | Report |

### Round 3

| | Round 3 | Round 3 | Round 3 | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 10 April (2:10 pm) | Collingwood 13.16 (94) | def. by | Carlton 20.8 (128) | Victoria Park (crowd: 34,055) | Report |
| Saturday, 10 April (2:10 pm) | Fitzroy 14.16 (100) | def. by | North Melbourne 25.14 (164) | Junction Oval (crowd: 21,888) | Report |
| Saturday, 10 April (2:10 pm) | St Kilda 17.14 (116) | def. by | Swans 20.22 (142) | Moorabbin Oval (crowd: 17,811) | Report |
| Monday, 12 April (2:10 pm) | Richmond 25.22 (172) | def. | Essendon 16.14 (110) | MCG (crowd: 90,564) | Report |
| Monday, 12 April (2:10 pm) | Hawthorn 28.26 (194) | def. | Footscray 7.9 (51) | VFL Park (crowd: 22,209) | Report |
| Monday, 12 April (2:10 pm) | Geelong 21.12 (138) | def. | Melbourne 5.16 (46) | Kardinia Park (crowd: 24,672) | Report |

### Round 4

| | Round 4 | Round 4 | Round 4 | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 17 April (2:10 pm) | Carlton 21.22 (148) | def. | Hawthorn 12.15 (87) | Princes Park (crowd: 29,654) | Report |
| Saturday, 17 April (2:10 pm) | Richmond 15.17 (107) | def. | Collingwood 10.15 (75) | VFL Park (crowd: 59,472) | Report |
| Saturday, 17 April (2:10 pm) | Essendon 12.19 (91) | def. by | North Melbourne 14.24 (108) | Windy Hill (crowd: 27,190) | Report |
| Saturday, 17 April (2:10 pm) | Melbourne 19.12 (126) | def. by | Footscray 19.19 (133) | MCG (crowd: 19,832) | Report |
| Saturday, 17 April (2:10 pm) | St Kilda 16.9 (105) | def. | Geelong 13.14 (92) | Moorabbin Oval (crowd: 17,148) | Report |
| Sunday, 18 April (2:10 pm) | Swans 24.18 (162) | def. | Fitzroy 14.22 (106) | SCG (crowd: 13,617) | Report |

### Round 5

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Hawthorn | 13.22 (100) | Richmond | 10.22 (82) | Princes Park | 20,110 | 24 April 1982 |
| Geelong | 12.12 (84) | Swans | 11.16 (82) | Kardinia Park | 20,770 | 24 April 1982 |
| Footscray | 15.20 (110) | St Kilda | 20.9 (129) | Western Oval | 18,526 | 24 April 1982 |
| Fitzroy | 18.19 (127) | Essendon | 15.12 (102) | Junction Oval | 18,268 | 24 April 1982 |
| North Melbourne | 19.22 (136) | Collingwood | 18.11 (119) | Arden Street Oval | 23,405 | 24 April 1982 |
| Melbourne | 9.12 (66) | Carlton | 9.22 (76) | VFL Park | 26,950 | 24 April 1982 |

### Round 6

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Collingwood | 13.10 (88) | Fitzroy | 12.19 (91) | Victoria Park | 27,052 | 1 May 1982 |
| Richmond | 18.8 (116) | Melbourne | 15.16 (106) | MCG | 31,438 | 1 May 1982 |
| Geelong | 17.20 (122) | Footscray | 7.22 (64) | Kardinia Park | 18,791 | 1 May 1982 |
| St Kilda | 11.14 (80) | Carlton | 16.22 (118) | Moorabbin Oval | 26,185 | 1 May 1982 |
| North Melbourne | 15.11 (101) | Hawthorn | 19.21 (135) | VFL Park | 34,921 | 1 May 1982 |
| Swans | 15.21 (111) | Essendon | 18.9 (117) | SCG | 15,461 | 2 May 1982 |

### Round 7

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Melbourne | 22.11 (143) | North Melbourne | 28.12 (180) | MCG | 25,704 | 8 May 1982 |
| Footscray | 15.20 (110) | Swans | 20.11 (131) | Western Oval | 11,487 | 8 May 1982 |
| Fitzroy | 19.15 (129) | Hawthorn | 17.15 (117) | Junction Oval | 14,675 | 8 May 1982 |
| Carlton | 15.20 (110) | Geelong | 7.7 (49) | Princes Park | 28,736 | 8 May 1982 |
| Essendon | 17.20 (122) | Collingwood | 9.13 (67) | Windy Hill | 25,510 | 8 May 1982 |
| St Kilda | 17.12 (114) | Richmond | 21.14 (140) | VFL Park | 33,222 | 8 May 1982 |

### Round 8

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| North Melbourne | 23.18 (156) | St Kilda | 6.16 (52) | Arden Street Oval | 16,258 | 15 May 1982 |
| Geelong | 12.15 (87) | Richmond | 11.23 (89) | Kardinia Park | 28,403 | 15 May 1982 |
| Hawthorn | 15.15 (105) | Essendon | 16.15 (111) | Princes Park | 26,865 | 15 May 1982 |
| Footscray | 11.11 (77) | Carlton | 14.22 (106) | Western Oval | 17,903 | 15 May 1982 |
| Fitzroy | 13.21 (99) | Melbourne | 25.14 (164) | VFL Park | 25,856 | 15 May 1982 |
| Swans | 15.25 (115) | Collingwood | 13.19 (97) | SCG | 20,905 | 16 May 1982 |

### Round 9

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Essendon | 19.19 (133) | Melbourne | 12.13 (85) | Windy Hill | 22,403 | 22 May 1982 |
| Collingwood | 13.14 (92) | Hawthorn | 17.12 (114) | Victoria Park | 24,904 | 22 May 1982 |
| Carlton | 27.23 (185) | Swans | 12.11 (83) | Princes Park | 23,954 | 22 May 1982 |
| Richmond | 21.13 (139) | Footscray | 14.14 (98) | MCG | 22,493 | 22 May 1982 |
| St Kilda | 16.19 (115) | Fitzroy | 25.12 (162) | Moorabbin Oval | 15,140 | 22 May 1982 |
| Geelong | 15.19 (109) | North Melbourne | 9.9 (63) | VFL Park | 25,237 | 22 May 1982 |

### Round 10

| | Round 10 | Round 10 | Round 10 | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 29 May (2:10 pm) | Carlton 18.16 (124) | def. | Richmond 16.11 (107) | Princes Park (crowd: 35,372) | Report |
| Saturday, 29 May (2:10 pm) | Melbourne 16.24 (120) | def. | Collingwood 17.11 (113) | MCG (crowd: 52,169) | Report |
| Saturday, 29 May (2:10 pm) | Essendon 22.17 (149) | def. | St Kilda 18.11 (119) | VFL Park (crowd: 36,736) | Report |
| Saturday, 29 May (2:10 pm) | Fitzroy 25.11 (161) | def. | Geelong 19.18 (132) | Junction Oval (crowd: 16,256) | Report |
| Saturday, 29 May (2:10 pm) | Footscray 15.10 (100) | def. by | North Melbourne 23.20 (158) | Western Oval (crowd: 15,686) | Report |
| Sunday, 30 May (2:10 pm) | Swans 15.13 (103) | def. by | Hawthorn 24.13 (157) | SCG (crowd: 15,420) | Report |
| On the Thursday following Footscray's 58-point loss to North Melbourne, their ninth defeat in ten games, Royce Hart was dismissed as senior coach and demoted to the position of assistant coach. Reserve team coach and Hart's predecessor Don McKenzie returned to stand in as caretaker until a new coach was appointed. ||||||

### Round 11

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Richmond | 20.14 (134) | Swans | 18.25 (133) | MCG | 28,216 | 5 June 1982 |
| Hawthorn | 26.22 (178) | Melbourne | 14.15 (99) | Princes Park | 14,087 | 5 June 1982 |
| Collingwood | 26.16 (172) | St Kilda | 21.10 (136) | Victoria Park | 26,657 | 5 June 1982 |
| Geelong | 10.11 (71) | Essendon | 17.9 (111) | Kardinia Park | 29,884 | 5 June 1982 |
| North Melbourne | 13.18 (96) | Carlton | 15.15 (105) | Arden Street Oval | 26,206 | 5 June 1982 |
| Footscray | 16.12 (108) | Fitzroy | 23.22 (160) | VFL Park | 13,908 | 5 June 1982 |

### Round 12

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Richmond | 23.18 (156) | Fitzroy | 17.16 (118) | MCG | 43,474 | 12 June 1982 |
| St Kilda | 14.11 (95) | Melbourne | 19.24 (138) | Moorabbin Oval | 19,385 | 12 June 1982 |
| Swans | 15.15 (105) | North Melbourne | 16.15 (111) | SCG | 14,523 | 13 June 1982 |
| Geelong | 6.17 (53) | Hawthorn | 17.10 (112) | VFL Park | 38,086 | 14 June 1982 |
| Collingwood | 24.19 (163) | Footscray | 14.13 (97) | Victoria Park | 29,075 | 14 June 1982 |
| Essendon | 19.12 (126) | Carlton | 8.18 (66) | Windy Hill | 33,800 | 14 June 1982 |

### Round 13

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Footscray | 16.11 (107) | Hawthorn | 12.20 (92) | Western Oval | 10,530 | 19 June 1982 |
| Carlton | 12.26 (98) | Collingwood | 9.17 (71) | Princes Park | 30,346 | 19 June 1982 |
| Melbourne | 21.8 (134) | Geelong | 10.10 (70) | MCG | 23,365 | 19 June 1982 |
| North Melbourne | 13.10 (88) | Fitzroy | 11.21 (87) | Arden Street Oval | 16,000 | 19 June 1982 |
| Essendon | 10.5 (65) | Richmond | 12.10 (82) | VFL Park | 64,319 | 19 June 1982 |
| Swans | 30.19 (199) | St Kilda | 15.13 (103) | SCG | 10,034 | 20 June 1982 |

### Round 14

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Geelong | 17.8 (110) | St Kilda | 10.3 (63) | Kardinia Park | 15,107 | 26 June 1982 |
| Fitzroy | 16.16 (112) | Swans | 20.13 (133) | Junction Oval | 12,300 | 26 June 1982 |
| Collingwood | 10.12 (72) | Richmond | 13.16 (94) | Victoria Park | 25,409 | 26 June 1982 |
| Hawthorn | 17.14 (116) | Carlton | 12.10 (82) | Princes Park | 23,354 | 26 June 1982 |
| Footscray | 14.8 (92) | Melbourne | 13.16 (94) | VFL Park | 18,947 | 26 June 1982 |
| North Melbourne | 14.13 (97) | Essendon | 15.15 (105) | MCG | 47,656 | 26 June 1982 |

### Round 15

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Essendon | 21.13 (139) | Fitzroy | 7.12 (54) | Windy Hill | 20,059 | 3 July 1982 |
| Carlton | 18.20 (128) | Melbourne | 16.15 (111) | Princes Park | 21,871 | 3 July 1982 |
| Richmond | 17.14 (116) | Hawthorn | 22.14 (146) | MCG | 48,338 | 3 July 1982 |
| St Kilda | 20.11 (131) | Footscray | 18.12 (120) | Moorabbin Oval | 15,958 | 3 July 1982 |
| Collingwood | 13.11 (89) | North Melbourne | 16.13 (109) | VFL Park | 32,812 | 3 July 1982 |
| Swans | 18.18 (126) | Geelong | 12.15 (87) | SCG | 12,221 | 4 July 1982 |

### Round 16

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Hawthorn | 32.14 (206) | North Melbourne | 15.22 (112) | Princes Park | 18,760 | 10 July 1982 |
| Footscray | 25.7 (157) | Geelong | 17.13 (115) | Western Oval | 14,004 | 10 July 1982 |
| Carlton | 21.13 (139) | St Kilda | 9.9 (63) | VFL Park | 27,829 | 10 July 1982 |
| Melbourne | 9.18 (72) | Richmond | 23.9 (147) | MCG | 36,161 | 17 July 1982 |
| Essendon | 12.10 (82) | Swans | 17.13 (115) | Windy Hill | 22,278 | 17 July 1982 |
| Fitzroy | 10.24 (84) | Collingwood | 9.10 (64) | VFL Park | 26,105 | 17 July 1982 |

### Round 17

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Richmond | 28.17 (185) | St Kilda | 14.18 (102) | MCG | 22,749 | 24 July 1982 |
| Collingwood | 15.18 (108) | Essendon | 17.17 (119) | Victoria Park | 24,487 | 24 July 1982 |
| North Melbourne | 22.14 (146) | Melbourne | 16.17 (113) | Arden Street Oval | 10,887 | 24 July 1982 |
| Geelong | 16.19 (115) | Carlton | 11.9 (75) | Kardinia Park | 19,892 | 24 July 1982 |
| Hawthorn | 18.15 (123) | Fitzroy | 27.8 (170) | VFL Park | 24,760 | 24 July 1982 |
| Swans | 14.27 (111) | Footscray | 15.8 (98) | SCG | 11,289 | 25 July 1982 |

### Round 18

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Essendon | 12.10 (82) | Hawthorn | 15.10 (100) | Windy Hill | 22,991 | 31 July 1982 |
| Collingwood | 12.13 (85) | Swans | 13.12 (90) | Victoria Park | 20,636 | 31 July 1982 |
| Carlton | 30.21 (201) | Footscray | 10.12 (72) | Princes Park | 17,514 | 31 July 1982 |
| St Kilda | 14.12 (96) | North Melbourne | 22.18 (150) | Moorabbin Oval | 10,955 | 31 July 1982 |
| Melbourne | 13.15 (93) | Fitzroy | 24.19 (163) | MCG | 18,649 | 31 July 1982 |
| Richmond | 24.19 (163) | Geelong | 11.13 (79) | VFL Park | 23,237 | 31 July 1982 |

### Round 19

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Footscray | 7.8 (50) | Richmond | 16.16 (112) | Western Oval | 16,259 | 7 August 1982 |
| Fitzroy | 21.16 (142) | St Kilda | 11.12 (78) | Junction Oval | 9,987 | 7 August 1982 |
| North Melbourne | 22.18 (150) | Geelong | 11.16 (82) | Arden Street Oval | 11,634 | 7 August 1982 |
| Hawthorn | 20.20 (140) | Collingwood | 16.22 (118) | Princes Park | 18,699 | 7 August 1982 |
| Melbourne | 14.17 (101) | Essendon | 20.17 (137) | VFL Park | 28,379 | 7 August 1982 |
| Swans | 15.16 (106) | Carlton | 9.18 (72) | SCG | 25,601 | 8 August 1982 |

### Round 20

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Hawthorn | 18.18 (126) | Swans | 8.14 (62) | Princes Park | 15,743 | 14 August 1982 |
| Collingwood | 17.12 (114) | Melbourne | 25.18 (168) | Victoria Park | 20,702 | 14 August 1982 |
| Geelong | 5.18 (48) | Fitzroy | 15.15 (105) | Kardinia Park | 14,597 | 14 August 1982 |
| St Kilda | 10.16 (76) | Essendon | 13.12 (90) | Moorabbin Oval | 15,705 | 14 August 1982 |
| Richmond | 9.10 (64) | Carlton | 13.14 (92) | MCG | 71,203 | 14 August 1982 |
| North Melbourne | 17.16 (118) | Footscray | 16.8 (104) | VFL Park | 11,133 | 14 August 1982 |

### Round 21

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Fitzroy | 19.17 (131) | Footscray | 12.11 (83) | Junction Oval | 8,280 | 21 August 1982 |
| Essendon | 14.12 (96) | Geelong | 12.13 (85) | Windy Hill | 17,587 | 21 August 1982 |
| Carlton | 26.24 (180) | North Melbourne | 17.8 (110) | Princes Park | 28,309 | 21 August 1982 |
| Melbourne | 14.8 (92) | Hawthorn | 14.19 (103) | MCG | 26,049 | 21 August 1982 |
| St Kilda | 22.16 (148) | Collingwood | 16.16 (112) | VFL Park | 25,816 | 21 August 1982 |
| Swans | 16.14 (110) | Richmond | 19.13 (127) | SCG | 21,083 | 22 August 1982 |

### Round 22

| Home team | Home team score | Away team | Away team score | Venue | Crowd | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| North Melbourne | 11.13 (79) | Richmond | 15.8 (98) | Arden Street Oval | 19,135 | 28 August 1982 |
| Melbourne | 25.13 (163) | Swans | 22.16 (148) | MCG | 27,521 | 28 August 1982 |
| Hawthorn | 23.23 (161) | St Kilda | 11.7 (73) | Princes Park | 13,116 | 28 August 1982 |
| Footscray | 9.8 (62) | Essendon | 32.16 (208) | Western Oval | 21,575 | 28 August 1982 |
| Geelong | 18.13 (121) | Collingwood | 18.18 (126) | Kardinia Park | 20,950 | 28 August 1982 |
| Fitzroy | 17.9 (111) | Carlton | 23.12 (150) | VFL Park | 46,130 | 28 August 1982 |

## Ladder

| (P) | Premiers |
| - | - |
| | Qualified for finals |
| # | Team | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts |
| 1 | Richmond | 22 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 2682 | 2125 | 126.2 | 72 |
| 2 | Hawthorn | 22 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 2828 | 2149 | 131.6 | 68 |
| 3 | Carlton (P) | 22 | 16 | 5 | 1 | 2561 | 2008 | 127.5 | 66 |
| 4 | Essendon | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 2576 | 2057 | 125.2 | 64 |
| 5 | North Melbourne | 22 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 2693 | 2458 | 109.6 | 56 |
| 6 | Fitzroy | 22 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 2614 | 2550 | 102.5 | 50 |
| 7 | Swans | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2621 | 2537 | 103.3 | 48 |
| 8 | Melbourne | 22 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 2488 | 2752 | 90.4 | 32 |
| 9 | Geelong | 22 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 2073 | 2293 | 90.4 | 28 |
| 10 | Collingwood | 22 | 4 | 18 | 0 | 2201 | 2575 | 85.5 | 16 |
| 11 | St Kilda | 22 | 4 | 18 | 0 | 2188 | 3052 | 71.7 | 16 |
| 12 | Footscray | 22 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 2066 | 3035 | 68.1 | 12 |

Rules for classification: 1. premiership points; 2. percentage; 3. points for Average score: 112.1 Source: AFL Tables

## Finals series

### Finals week 1

| | Qualifying final | Qualifying final | Qualifying final | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 4 September (2:30 pm) | Hawthorn 16.9 (105) | def. by | Carlton 25.13 (163) | MCG (crowd: 70,552) | Report |
| | Elimination final | Elimination final | Elimination final | | |
| Saturday, 4 September (2:30 pm) | Essendon 16.19 (115) | def. by | North Melbourne 19.14 (128) | VFL Park (crowd: 50,537) | Report |

### Finals week 2

| | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| SF1: Saturday, 11 September (2:30 pm) | Hawthorn 24.22 (166) | def. | North Melbourne 18.6 (114) | MCG (crowd: 61,729) | Report |
| SF2: Saturday, 11 September (2:30 pm) | Richmond 16.17 (113) | def. | Carlton 13.12 (90) | VFL Park (crowd: 65,611) | Report |

### Preliminary final

| | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 18 September (2:30 pm) | Carlton 13.16 (94) | def. | Hawthorn 8.15 (63) | VFL Park (crowd: 61,307) | Report |

### Grand final

| | Grand final | Grand final | Grand final | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 25 September (2:50 pm) | Richmond 12.13 (85) | def. by | Carlton 14.19 (103) | MCG (crowd: 107,536) |

## Season notes

* South Melbourne, affected by limited finances and loss of its inner-city support base ever since World War II, relocated to Sydney after experimental matches played by the VFL there since 1979. Early in the season, the team was still formally known as South Melbourne, although it marketed itself as 'Sydney Swans' in Sydney; on 2 June, the team formally became known as 'the Swans' for the remainder of the season, before formally becoming the 'Sydney Swans' in 1983.
* The VFL's new headquarters at 120 Jolimont Road, Jolimont was officially opened by the recently appointed Victorian Governor Sir Brian Murray at a special dinner on 17 March in the function room of the building. The dinner, which was attended by over 120 invited guests, also served as the launch of the VFL season.
* Looking to build on the previous season's successful first outing for premiership points at The Gabba, the VFL had hoped that the Round 7 match between St Kilda and Richmond, originally scheduled at VFL Park, could be relocated to Brisbane without needing a replacement match played at Waverley. However, League officials were unable to get approval from the clubs to remove the stipulation that required a replacement game at VFL Park if a premiership game was to be played at The Gabba. Essendon, who had played in the previous season's historic first game at the Gabba for premiership points, had been approached about transferring their home game against Collingwood from Windy Hill to Waverley, but refused. Football fans in Brisbane would have to wait until 1991 for the next League game played at the Gabba for premiership points.
* Round 3 - the split Easter round - set a number of VFL records on and off the field; the total gate takings for the round was regarded as the highest on record at the time, officially reported as $486,652, paid by 213,199 people.
* From 4 May, patrons were banned from bringing alcoholic beverages into VFL matches, and were limited to purchasing at most two pre-opened cans at a time from vendors at the ground.
* Owing to the extreme drought and consequent firm grounds, the 1982 season remains the highest-scoring on record. Among the records were:
   * an average game score of 112 points; the next highest average score in a season was 106 points in 1979 and 1983
   * St Kilda and Footscray became the only teams ever to concede 3,000 points in one season
   * 66 scores of 20 goals occurred, a record equalled only in 1991
   * 57 matches where both teams scored more than 100 points - no other season had more than fifty such matches
   * Round 10 is the only round in VFL/AFL history in which every team scored 100 or more points.
* In Round 16 against North Melbourne, Hawthorn set record scores of 13.3 (81) for the first quarter and 20.7 (127) for the first half. The former record stood until 2011, and the latter stood until 2004.
* After a negative response from the players since its introduction in 1980, the VFL abandoned the practice of presenting runners-up medals to the losing team as part of the grand final post-match presentation.
* In Round 18, Leigh Matthews ran into and broke a behind post at Windy Hill.
* Early in the season, the VFL arranged for the grand finalists to play a rematch as a demonstration sport at the 1982 Commonwealth Games, held in Brisbane shortly after the season was finished. Carlton and Richmond played the exhibition match at the Gabba on Wednesday, 6 October, and Richmond won the high-scoring match 28.16 (184) to 26.10 (166).

## Awards

* The Coleman Medal was won by Malcolm Blight from North Melbourne.
* The Brownlow Medal was awarded to Brian Wilson from Melbourne.
* The inaugural VFL Players Association Most Valuable Player Award was won by Leigh Matthews. In 2002, the award was renamed the Leigh Matthews Trophy in his honour.
* The reserves premiership was won by Geelong for the third consecutive season. Geelong 19.18 (132) defeated St Kilda 12.11 (83) in the grand final, held as a curtain-raiser to the seniors Grand Final on 25 September.
