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1898 Summary
Our second year in the new competition brought a very similar result for the Blues - but at least we won against someone other than St Kilda. With 14 points from 14 games, made up of wins against South Melbourne, St Kilda (twice) and a draw against Melbourne. The Blues lifted their performance all right, but still sat in 7th place (second last of 8 teams) at the end of the Home & Away rounds.The powers that be had changed the ‘program’ for the finals campaign in 1898, with the ladder at the end of the 14 rounds determining the games for a series of ‘Sectionals’ – Carlton, coming 7th, would play against 1st, 3rd and 5th, whilst the ‘even’ teams would also play-off.
The ladder below represents performances for the first 14 rounds, whilst Rounds 15-17 above represent the 'Sectionals'. Performances in the ‘Sectionals’ would determine the finalists - technically a team could come last, win all the Sectionals and go through to a Semi Final! Despite this alluring opportunity, the Blues could not win a game in the Sectional round and came at the bottom of their 4-team 'Sectional Ladder A' for the 1898 season and played all their Sectional games away from Princes Park.
This year saw the first Grand Final playoff (with 1897 being a ‘points’ decision). Fitzroy defeated Essendon to take the flag.
Ladder
| Pos | Team | Wins | Draws | Losses | Points | For | Against | % |
| 1 | Essendon | 11 | 0 | 3 | 44 | 102.144.756 | 46.98.374 | 202.1 |
| 2 | Collingwood | 10 | 0 | 4 | 40 | 86.141.657 | 46.87.363 | 181 |
| 3 | Fitzroy | 10 | 0 | 4 | 40 | 76.112.568 | 62.95.467 | 121.6 |
| 4 | Geelong | 9 | 0 | 5 | 36 | 83.147.645 | 57.83.425 | 151.8 |
| 5 | Sth Melbourne | 7 | 0 | 7 | 28 | 61.116.482 | 68.130.538 | 89.6 |
| 6 | Melbourne | 5 | 1 | 8 | 22 | 69.115.529 | 74.101.545 | 97.1 |
| 7 | Carlton | 3 | 1 | 10 | 14 | 50.82.382 | 84.130.634 | 60.3 |
| 8 | St Kilda | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 46.63.339 | 136.196.1012 | 33.5 |
| Game | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| Agst | SO | ME | ES | GE | CO | FI | ST | SO | ME | ES | GE | CO | FI | ST |
| Posn | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| % | 156 | 64 | 63 | 69 | 56 | 61 | 69 | 63 | 66 | 56 | 56 | 55 | 54 | 60 |
People of 1898
Captains: Jimmy Aitken and Ernie WaltonLeading Goal Kicker: Tommy O'Day - 8
Patrons of the Club: Cr. McEacharn (Lord Mayor of Melb), Alderman Moloney (MLA), F. H. Bromley, J. Anderson, E. L. Zox, Alderman Pigdon, Crs. W. Strong, W. Cook, W. Ievers, J. J. Brennan, Lt.-Col. Robertson, Messrs; George Robertson, Gardiner, Gateliff, Quirk, Malcolm, Baker, T. S. Marshall, and Gillespie. (Age April 09 1898 p11)
AGM
At the Annual General Meeting held early April, illuminated address were presented to Woodhouse, Hannah, Patterson and Balharry for long service.Practice Matches
Carlton played Richmond City on the Richmond City Reserve April 09
Carlton played Melbourne Juniors at Princes Park April 16.
The Melbourne Juniors would be Carlton's feeder/reserves team this season.
A match between the Carlton President's team and the Secretary's team took place at Princes Park April 23.
Carlton played South St.Kilda (23) at Princes Park May 07.
Carlton played Brunswick at Princes Park on April 29.
Carlton won; 6.7 - 3.6
Jimmy Aitken
"There has been an extraordinary event in the Carlton circle. At the beginning of the season Aitken was elected captain by 12 votes to 8 - rather a good majority. He battled hard to get into the team against South Melbourne and Melbourne. After this he was left out of the team, owing to want of form Walton has been elected captain, and the committee came to decision that they could not play Aitken, because of his want of form. He applied for a clearance, which was given to him, and now he has received his permit to play with Melbourne, for whom, I predict,he will show fine football before long." (Herald June 03 p3)Milestones
Debuts: Jack Douglas, Pat Considine, Jim Balharry, Les Vernon, Dick Stewart, George Young, Bill Churchyard, Mick Donaghy, Herman Dohrmann, Jim Cowcher, Alf Moore, Tommy Kinman, Des Meadowcroft, Dan Pender, Charlie Curtis, Mick Pender, Fred Barlow, Charlie Brown, Len Morrison, Tommy O'Day, Jim Pender, Bill Sharkey, George Warde
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