List of VFL debuts in 1908

The 1908 Victorian Football League (VFL) season was the twelfth season of the VFL. The season saw 137 Australian rules footballers make their senior VFL debut and a further 39 players transfer to new clubs having previously played in the VFL.

Club	VFL debuts	Change of club
Carlton	6	0
Collingwood	12	0
Essendon	13	3
Fitzroy	10	0
Geelong	18	1
Melbourne	12	5
Richmond	21	13
St Kilda	15	1
South Melbourne	14	0
University	16	16
Total	137	39

Name	Club	Age at debut	Round debuted	Games	Goals	Notes
Ernie Kelly	Carlton	23 years, 174 days	2^[1]	8	11	Brother of Harvey and Otto Kelly.
Andy Pattison	Carlton	22 years, 259 days	13^[2]	8	1
Wally Koochew	Carlton	20 years, 315 days	3^[3]	4	2	First Victorian Football League player of Chinese background.
Bill Marchbank	Carlton	20 years, 323 days	12^[4]	3	2	Brother of Jim Marchbank.
Bill Laver	Carlton	19 years, 269 days	3^[5]	1	0
Bill Carmody	Carlton	18 years, 317 days	7^[6]	1	0
Les Hughes	Collingwood	24 years, 14 days	1^[7]	225	175
Jim Sadler	Collingwood	21 years, 293 days	5^[8]	135	64
Marshall Herbert	Collingwood	30 years, 273 days	1^[9]	51	8
Bill Heatley	Collingwood	22 years, 50 days	1^[10]	50	19
Artie Freeman	Collingwood	20 years, 235 days	2^[11]	27	17
Richard Daykin	Collingwood	21 years, 207 days	15^[12]	21	7
Alex Dunstan	Collingwood	22 years, 293 days	1^[13]	10	2
Harold Gyton	Collingwood	24 years, 56 days	3^[14]	9	1
Bill Carden	Collingwood	21 years, 344 days	1^[15]	5	0
Tom Holland	Collingwood	22 years, 251 days	4^[16]	5	0	Brother of Jack Holland.
Mick Ryan	Collingwood	25 years, 321 days	2^[17]	1	0
Harry Lees	Collingwood	18 years, 60 days	10^[18]	1	0
Paddy Shea	Essendon	22 years, 46 days	1^[19]	142	156	Brother of Mark. Previously played for Fitzroy. Also played first-class cricket for Victoria.
Lou Armstrong	Essendon	23 years, 84 days	1^[20]	107	109
Bert Daykin	Essendon	19 years, 359 days	13^[21]	32	9	Brother of Percy and Richard Daykin.
Harry Prout	Essendon	21 years, 152 days	GF^[22]	29	35
Les Minto	Essendon	21 years, 296 days	1^[23]	25	7	Previously played for Melbourne.
Harry Farnsworth	Essendon	22 years, 179 days	5^[24]	24	16
Bert Ryan	Essendon	27 years, 334 days	1^[25]	15	3
Alan Irwin	Essendon	19 years, 109 days	7^[26]	8	2
Lon Smith	Essendon	21 years, 348 days	4^[27]	6	1
Bill Heaphy	Essendon	19 years, 262 days	18^[28]	5	3
Tommy Crow	Essendon	20 years, 307 days	1^[29]	4	0
Bill French	Essendon	24 years, 68 days	10^[30]	3	0
Tom Sevior	Essendon	20 years, 203 days	3^[31]	1	0
Archie Snell	Essendon	30 years, 312 days	6^[32]	1	0	Previously played for Carlton.
Jim Campbell	Essendon	22 years, 89 days	9^[33]	1	0
Fred Anderson	Essendon	22 years, 103 days	10^[34]	1	0
George Holden	Fitzroy	19 years, 17 days	1^[35]	165	37
Billy Dick	Fitzroy	18 years, 291 days	1^[36]	53	40
Bill Dinsmore	Fitzroy	21 years, 155 days	13^[37]	19	13
Val Duncan	Fitzroy	23 years, 364 days	1^[38]	11	0
Bill Franklin	Fitzroy	24 years, 10 days	1^[39]	5	4
Fred Forbes	Fitzroy	25 years, 65 days	13^[40]	5	6
Jim Thorpe	Fitzroy	23 years, 194 days	1^[41]	2	0
Ned Richardson	Fitzroy	22 years, 32 days	10^[42]	2	0
Bill Campbell	Fitzroy	24 years, 295 days	3^[43]	1	0
Tom Norton	Fitzroy	22 years, 156 days	18^[44]	1	2
Les Armstrong	Geelong	21 years, 32 days	13^[45]	175	2
Rupe Brownlees	Geelong	20 years, 6 days	1^[46]	100	4
Charlie Cameron	Geelong	21 years, 343 days	1^[47]	46	5	Previously played for South Melbourne.
Alex Boyd	Geelong	24 years, 243 days	11^[48]	30	0
Bert Whittington	Geelong	23 years, 220 days	16^[49]	27	3
Billy Wilton	Geelong	19 years, 144 days	16^[50]	20	8
Percy Salmon	Geelong	22 years, 197 days	11^[51]	17	7
Les Gell	Geelong	21 years, 264 days	1^[52]	6	5
George Tansing	Geelong	24 years, 73 days	6^[53]	5	2
Jack Pender	Geelong	22 years, 253 days	12^[54]	4	0
Johnny Keon	Geelong	22 years, 298 days	14^[55]	4	1
Bill Davern	Geelong	24 years, 294 days	2^[56]	3	2
Norm McGorlick	Geelong	20 years, 219 days	11^[57]	3	2
Les Chisholm	Geelong	20 years, 38 days	16^[58]	3	0
Jack Green	Geelong	20 years, 283 days	6^[59]	2	0
Tom Dickson	Geelong	20 years, 60 days	16^[60]	2	0
Fred James	Geelong	24 years, 98 days	17^[61]	2	1
Robert Ritchie	Geelong	24 years, 206 days	17^[62]	2	0
Bert Bourchier	Geelong	23 years, 291 days	8^[63]	1	0
Len Norman	Melbourne	22 years, 220 days	3^[64]	30	15
Fred Hewitt	Melbourne	24 years, 227 days	10^[65]	27	2	Previously played for Carlton.
Alf Jones	Melbourne	22 years, 341 days	1^[66]	24	18
Joe Hodgkins	Melbourne	22 years, 133 days	8^[67]	24	23
Henry Wright	Melbourne	26 years, 75 days	2^[68]	18	1
Bill Tottey	Melbourne	19 years, 209 days	1^[69]	14	6
Jack Donaldson	Melbourne	28 years, 7 days	1^[70]	9	3
Albert Bickford	Melbourne	20 years, 289 days	7^[71]	9	0	Brother of Edric Bickford, brother-in-law of Rod McGregor and uncle of George Bickford. Previously played for Carlton.
Joe Bray	Melbourne	21 years, 210 days	4^[72]	3	0
Herb Friend	Melbourne	19 years, 301 days	1^[73]	2	0
George Martin	Melbourne	24 years, 317 days	7^[74]	2	2
Alex Holland	Melbourne	24 years, 13 days	7^[75]	1	0	Previously played for Collingwood.
Bill Gillespie	Melbourne	20 years, 361 days	2^[76]	1	0
George McCart	Melbourne	24 years, 320 days	2^[77]	1	0	Previously played for Carlton.
Andy Kennedy	Melbourne	24 years, 186 days	5^[78]	1	0	Previously played for Carlton.
Jim Bonelli	Melbourne	23 years, 263 days	18^[79]	1	0
Dick Fowler	Melbourne	18 years, 205 days	18^[80]	1	0
Bill Mahoney	Richmond	23 years, 122 days	01^[81]	114	53	Previously played for Geelong and St Kilda.
Ted Ohlson	Richmond	21 years, 200 days	1^[82]	105	36
Bob Bowden	Richmond	21 years, 34 days	1^[83]	73	9	Previously played for Collingwood.
Billy Schmidt	Richmond	20 years, 125 days	1^[84]	75	71
George Gibson	Richmond	22 years, 328 days	3^[85]	70	6	Previously played for Essendon.
Len Incigneri	Richmond	24 years, 120 days	1^[86]	62	4	Previously played for South Melbourne.
Tom Heaney	Richmond	20 years, 30 days	1^[87]	56	37
Bill Burns	Richmond	28 years, 119 days	1^[88]	53	10	Previously played for Geelong.
Bill Luff	Richmond	22 years, 108 days	1^[89]	39	0	Father of Bill Luff Jr.
Bill Bourke	Richmond	25 years, 284 days	1^[90]	32	45
Dick Condon	Richmond	32 years, 44 days	1^[91]	32	26	Previously played for Collingwood.
Ivor Lawson	Richmond	25 years, 14 days	3^[92]	32	3	Previously played for Collingwood and St Kilda.
Harry Neil	Richmond	25 years, 260 days	5^[93]	31	0	Previously played for Collingwood.
Herbert Hill	Richmond	20 years, 156 days	1^[94]	24	4	Previously played for Melbourne.
Doug Chapman	Richmond	18 years, 358 days	3^[95]	23	5
Jack Megson	Richmond	25 years, 12 days	1^[96]	20	3	Previously played for Essendon.
Jack Hardiman	Richmond	30 years, 280 days	1^[97]	15	5	Previously played for Geelong.
Bill Lang	Richmond	25 years, 301 days	1^[98]	14	7	Australian heavyweight boxing champion in 1908.
Charlie Pannam	Richmond	33 years, 213 days	1^[99]	14	22	Brother of Albert Pannam, father of Alby and Charlie Pannam and grandfather of Lou and Ron Richards. Previously played for Collingwood.
Emmett Ryan	Richmond	22 years, 270 days	1^[100]	12	2	Father of Peter Ryan.
Percy Stainer	Richmond	19 years, 232 days	4^[101]	7	0
Stan O'Connell	Richmond	25 years, 17 days	3^[102]	5	3
Ernie McDonald	Richmond	25 years, 97 days	1^[103]	4	0
Percy Speakman	Richmond	22 years, 249 days	12^[104]	4	4
George St John	Richmond	30 years, 116 days	16^[105]	4	1
Charles Williams	Richmond	27 years, 101 days	1^[106]	3	0
Jack Pemberton	Richmond	25 years, 133 days	4^[107]	3	0
Syd Barker	Richmond	20 years, 200 days	8^[108]	2	1	Father of Syd Barker Jr.
George Rankine	Richmond	23 years, 243 days	11^[109]	2	0
Fred Larkin	Richmond	20 years, 133 days	15^[110]	2	0
Vin Hannaford	Richmond	23 years, 14 days	2^[111]	1	0
Alex Johnston	Richmond	26 years, 154 days	2^[112]	1	0	Previously played for Carlton.
Walter Johnston	Richmond	24 years, 148 days	8^[113]	1	0
Frank Sanguinetti	Richmond	22 years, 102 days	17^[114]	1	0
Bill Woodcock	St Kilda	19 years, 322 days	3^[115]	155	48
Wally Gant	St Kilda	18 years, 60 days	18^[116]	49	6
Bill Madden	St Kilda	26 years, 166 days	1^[117]	26	14
Mick Grace	St Kilda	33 years, 283 days	1^[118]	16	26	Brother of Fitzroy footballers Jim and Joe Grace. Previously played for Carlton and Fitzroy.
Alby Landt	St Kilda	19 years, 226 days	1^[119]	4	0
Bismarck Kulpa	St Kilda	21 years, 167 days	1^[120]	2	0
Leo Duff	St Kilda	23 years, 82 days	7^[121]	2	1
Harry Hall	St Kilda	25 years, 228 days	15^[122]	2	0
Bob Northey	St Kilda	26 years, 148 days	16^[123]	2	1
Bert O'Connell	St Kilda	22 years, 343 days	17^[124]	2	0
Joe Prince	St Kilda	22 years, 341 days	18^[125]	2	0
Bob Cromie	St Kilda	26 years, 297 days	06^[126]	1	0
Jack Grant	St Kilda	25 years, 008 days	06^[127]	1	0	Previously played for Carlton.
Ernie Abbott	St Kilda	25 years, 20 days	15^[128]	1	1
Doug Hill	St Kilda	24 years, 194 days	16^[129]	1	1
Hector Mitchell	St Kilda	20 years, 355 days	16^[130]	1	0
Arthur Hiskins	South Melbourne	21 years, 236 days	1^[131]	185	56	Brother of Fred, Stan and Rupert Hiskins and uncle of Jack Hiskins.
Tom Grimshaw	South Melbourne	18 years, 145 days	1^[132]	85	0
Alf Gough	South Melbourne	20 years, 160 days	1^[133]	78	45
Jack Jones	South Melbourne	20 years, 287 days	1^[134]	15	9
Jack Turnbull	South Melbourne	22 years, 159 days	6^[135]	12	0
Toner Hosking	South Melbourne	17 years, 7 days	3^[136]	9	1
Des Baird	South Melbourne	20 years, 22 days	13^[137]	6	0
Henry Paternoster	South Melbourne	25 years, 306 days	2^[138]	2	0
John Roberts	South Melbourne	27 years, 126 days	8^[139]	2	0
Joe Larkin	South Melbourne	19 years, 315 days	11^[140]	2	0
Reuben Holland	South Melbourne	17 years, 310 days	1^[141]	1	1
Dave Bowen	South Melbourne	22 years, 63 days	3^[142]	1	0
Charles Millsom	South Melbourne	22 years, 315 days	3^[143]	1	0
Tom Clancy	South Melbourne	21 years, 58 days	7^[144]	1	0
Herbert Hurrey	University	20 years, 131 days	6^[145]	101	29
John Gray	University	19 years, 295 days	1^[146]	85	3
George Elliott	University	22 years, 336 days	1^[147]	79	3	Previously played for Fitzroy.
Jack West	University	19 years, 089 days	3^[148]	71	17	Previously played for Melbourne.
Athol Tymms	University	22 years, 071 days	1^[149]	60	29	Previously played for Essendon.
Ted Cordner	University	20 years, 319 days	1^[150]	60	8	Father of Ted Jr., Donald, Denis and John Cordner, brother of Harry Cordner, great-grandfather of Harriet Cordner and cousin of Alan and Larry Cordner. Previously played for Melbourne.
Albert Hartkopf	University	18 years, 163 days	7^[151]	48	87	Also played Test cricket for Australia.
Edgar Kneen	University	25 years, 236 days	1^[152]	46	48	Previously played for Fitzroy.
Norm Richards	University	18 years, 33 days	2^[153]	46	5
Martin Ratz	University	20 years, 201 days	1^[154]	42	52
Jack Jones	University	20 years, 93 days	6^[155]	40	3
Denby Browning	University	23 years, 316 days	1^[156]	38	25
Frank Crawford	University	20 years, 330 days	1^[157]	36	0
Harry Cordner	University	22 years, 320 days	1^[158]	29	7	Brother of Ted Cordner, cousin of Alan and "Larry" Cordner, and uncle of Don, Denis, Ted and John Cordner. Previously played for Melbourne.
Alick Ogilvie	University	21 years, 116 days	1^[159]	27	20	Previously played for Melbourne.
Chris Fogarty	University	24 years, 95 days	1^[160]	26	12	Brother of Tom, John, and Joe Fogarty, and uncle of Tom Fogarty.
Frank Boynton	University	21 years, 122 days	1^[161]	25	12	Previously played for Melbourne and Geelong.
Mark Gardner	University	23 years, 283 days	9^[162]	21	2	Previously played for Melbourne.
Tom Fogarty	University	35 years, 42 days	1^[163]	19	5	Brother of John, Chris and Joe Fogarty, and father of Tom Fogarty. Previously played for St Kilda and South Melbourne.
Leo Seward	University	22 years, 182 days	2^[164]	15	15	Brother of Harrie Seward.
Willie Marshall	University	23 years, 298 days	1^[165]	11	0	Previously played for Melbourne.
Lance Sleeman	University	23 years, 42 days	1^[166]	8	1	Previously played for Melbourne.
Henry Bowden	University	20 years, 88 days	10^[167]	8	5
Mal Williams	University	21 years, 257 days	4^[168]	7	0
Gilbert Barker	University	25 years, 277 days	1^[169]	6	2	Previously played for Fitzroy.
Joe Fogarty	University	22 years, 130 days	1^[170]	5	1	Brother of Tom, John and Chris, and uncle of Tom Fogarty. Previously played for South Melbourne and Essendon.
John Laing	University	23 years, 339 days	7^[171]	2	0
Arthur Gall	University	22 years, 272 days	10^[172]	2	0
Jim Piper	University	24 years, 128 days	18^[173]	2	0	Previously played for Geelong.
Ken Kendall	University	24 years, 57 days	01^[174]	1	0
Ted Fleming	University	22 years, 119 days	04^[175]	1	0	Previously played for Melbourne.
Frank Kirby	University	22 years, 321 days	16^[176]	1	0

List of VFL debuts in 1908

Debuts

References

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