1997 VFL season

Premiership season

Ladder

Finals

Grand Final

Awards

• The leading goalkicker for the season was Shayne Smith, who kicked 107 goals.
• The J. J. Liston Trophy was won by Justin Crough.
• The Fothergill-Round Medal was won by James Puli.
• Frankston won the reserves premiership. Frankston 13.15 defeated Port Melbourne 11.7 in the Grand Final, held as a curtain-raiser to the Seniors Grand Final on 21 September.

  Notable events

• The VFL adopted two rule changes which had been incorporated into the Australian Football League in 1994: the size of the interchange bench was increased from two to three, and the length of a quarter was reduced from 25 minutes to 20 minutes with extra provisions for time on.