

Henry Harrison, widely revered as 'the father of football', and winner of the Champion of the Colony award on a record five occasions.
Wills |
Coulthard |
|||||||
|
XXX |
||||||||
|
Year |
Player's Name | Club | |
| 1858 | G.S. Bruce | Richmond Cricketers | |
| 1859 | T.W. Wills | Geelong | |
| 1860 | H.W. Bryant | Melbourne | |
| 1861 | G.O'Mullane | South Yarra | |
| 1862 | H.C.A. Harrison | Melbourne | |
| 1863 | H.C.A. Harrison | Melbourne | |
| 1864 | A.M. Greenfield | Ballarat | |
| 1865 | T.W. Wills | Melbourne | |
| 1866 | H.C.A. Harrison | Melbourne | |
| 1867 | H.C.A. Harrison | Melbourne | |
| 1868 | J.J.A. Conway | Carlton | |
| 1869 | H.C.A. Harrison | Melbourne | |
| 1870 | T.W.C. Riddell | South Yarra | |
| 1871 | B.J. Goldsmith | Melbourne | |
| 1872 | T.W. Wills | Geelong | |
| 1873 | J.C. Donovan | Carlton | |
| 1874 | W.N. Lacey | Carlton | |
| 1875 | Geo Robertson | Carlton | |
| 1876 | Geo A. Coulthard | Carlton |
Worrall |
Thurgood |
|||||||
|
XXX |
||||||||
|
Year |
Player's Name | Club | |
| 1877 | Geo A. Coulthard | Carlton | |
| 1878 | H.P. Douglas | Geelong | |
| 1879 | Geo A. Coulthard | Carlton | |
| 1880 | James Wilson | Geelong | |
| 1881 | James Wilson | Geelong | |
| 1882 | James Wilson | Geelong | |
| 1883 | John Baker | Carlton | |
| 1884 | J.T. Kerley | Geelong | |
| 1885 | Peter Burns | South Melbourne | |
| 1886 | J.C. Pearson | Essendon | |
| 1887 | John Worrall | Fitzroy | |
| 1888 | D.D. McKay | South Melbourne | |
| 1889 | W.J. Hannaysee | Port Melbourne | |
| 1890 | John Worrall | Fitzroy | |
| 1891 | Peter Burns | South Melbourne | |
| 1892 | Charles Forbes | Essendon | |
| 1893 | Albert Thurgood | Essendon | |
| 1894 | Albert Thurgood | Essendon | |
| 1895 | George Vautin | Essendon | |
| 1896 | Bill Strickland | Collingwood |
McGinis |
Trotter |
McNamara |
Lee |
|||||
|
XXX |
|
Year |
Player's Name | Club | |
| 1897 | Fred McGinis | Melbourne | |
| 1898 | Dick Condon | Collingwood | |
| 1899 | Mick Grace | Fitzroy | |
| 1900 | Fred Leach | Collingwood | |
| 1901 | Albert Thurgood | Essendon | |
| 1902 | E.M. 'Ted' Rowell | Collingwood | |
| 1903 | Hugh Gavin | Essendon | |
| 1904 | Harry 'Vic' Cumberland | St Kilda | |
| 1905 | Percy Trotter | Fitzroy | |
| 1906 | Jack 'Dookie' McKenzie | Essendon | |
| 1907 | Dave McNamara | St Kilda | |
| 1908 | Bill Busbridge | Essendon | |
| 1909 | Bill Busbridge | Essendon | |
| 1910 | W.H. 'Dick' Lee | Collingwood | |
| 1911 | Bruce Sloss | South Melbourne | |
| 1912 | Ernie Cameron | Essendon | |
| 1913 | Harry 'Vic' Cumberland | St Kilda | |
| 1914 | Dave McNamara | St Kilda | |
| 1915 | W.H. 'Dick' Lee | Collingwood | |
| 1916 | Vic Thorp | Richmond | |
| 1917 | 'Paddy' J. O'Brien | Carlton | |
| 1918 | Jack Howell | South Melbourne | |
| 1919 | Vic Thorp | Richmond | |
| 1920 | Roy Cazaly | South Melbourne | |
| 1921 | Horrie Clover | Carlton | |
| 1922 | R.G. 'Goldie' Collins | Fitzroy | |
| 1923 | Tom Fitzmaurice | Essendon |
An asterisk after a player's name indicates that he also won the Brownlow Medal that year.
Syd Coventry |
Reynolds |
Dyer |
Graham |
|||||
|
XXX |
|
Year |
Player's Name | Club | |
| 1924 | Tom Fitzmaurice | Essendon | |
| 1925 | Colin Watson* | St Kilda | |
| 1926 | Ivor Warne-Smith* | Melbourne | |
| 1927 | Syd Coventry* | Collingwood | |
| 1928 | Ivor Warne-Smith* | Melbourne | |
| 1929 | Syd Coventry | Collingwood | |
| 1930 | Alan Hopkins | Footscray | |
| 1931 | G.J. 'Jocka' Todd | Geelong | |
| 1932 | Haydn Bunton senior* | Fitzroy | |
| 1933 | Gordon Coventry | Collingwood | |
| 1934 | Laurie Nash | South Melbourne | |
| 1935 | Laurie Nash | South Melbourne | |
| 1936 | Harry Collier | Collingwood | |
| 1937 | Dick Reynolds* | Essendon | |
| 1938 | Jack Regan | Collingwood | |
| 1939 | Dick Reynolds | Essendon | |
| 1940 | Jack Dyer | Richmond | |
| 1941 | Ted Cordner | Melbourne | |
| 1942 | Jack Dyer | Richmond | |
| 1943 | Jack Dyer | Richmond | |
| 1944 | Norm Smith | Melbourne | |
| 1945 | Jack Graham | South Melbourne |