1998 AFL Season (What They Can Do Next Week)

The 1998 AFL Premiership season was the 102nd annual VFL/AFL season contested between the sixteen teams of the AFL league, and was won by the minor premiers, the Western Bulldogs, their second in a row and third overall.

Notable Events

 * Former Geelong star Gary Ablett joined the Richmond Tigers on a three year, 1.5 million dollar contract, obliged to play to the end of the 2000 season.
 * Following the 108 point, round 18 loss to the Western Bulldogs, the Collingwood Football Club announced that they withdrew their contract with coach Tony Shaw, the 1990 premiership player Peter Daicos becoming acting coach for the remainder of the season.
 * Prior to the pre-season, Melbourne appointed former Essendon midfielder Neale Daniher to replace Neil Balme following the disappointing 1997 season.

Awards

 * Finishing the season with 17 wins and 5 losses, the Western Bulldogs were the 1998 minor premiers, marking the first, and to date, only time the Bulldogs topped the VFL/AFL ladder.
 * Following a lowly season under Tony Shaw, Collingwood were 'awarded' the wooden spoon for the 1998 season, having only 3 wins and 19 losses.
 * For the second time in his professional footballing career, Tony Libertore won the Brownlow medal after being voted the 'best-and-fairest' player during the 1998 home-and-away season. He ended up with 30 votes, two ahead of the runner up, Adelaide midfielder Mark Ricciuto.
 * For the third time in his career, Sydney forward Tony Lockett was awarded the Coleman medal for kicking the most goals during the year, ending with 110 following the end of the home-and-away season.