Carlton finished top of the 1979 VFL ladder with 76 points and 139.6%, eight points clear of North Melbourne. Carlton won the premiership from 1st, beating Collingwood by 5 points in the Grand Final.
Final VFL ladder · Updated Mon 21 Nov 2022, 4:28pm (Melbourne time)
| Pos | Club | P | Pts | % | W | L | D | PF | PA | Last 5 | Finals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CarltonCAR🏆 | 22 | 76 | 139.6 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 2772 | 1986 | WWWLW | Premiers |
| 2 | North MelbourneNTH | 22 | 68 | 123.6 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 2574 | 2083 | LWWWW | Lost PF |
| 3 | CollingwoodCOL | 22 | 60 | 126.7 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 2501 | 1974 | LWWWW | Runner-up |
| 4 | FitzroyFIT | 22 | 60 | 122.8 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 2699 | 2198 | WLWWL | Lost SF |
| 5 | EssendonESSTOP 5 | 22 | 50 | 105.1 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 2236 | 2127 | LWLWL | Lost FW1 |
| 6 | GeelongGEE | 22 | 48 | 100.4 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2149 | 2140 | WLLWW | – |
| 7 | HawthornHAW | 22 | 40 | 99.8 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 2332 | 2336 | LWWLW | – |
| 8 | RichmondRIC | 22 | 36 | 97.6 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 2451 | 2512 | WLLLW | – |
| 9 | Western BulldogsWBD | 22 | 30 | 81.8 | 7 | 14 | 1 | 2015 | 2463 | LWLLL | – |
| 10 | SydneySYD | 22 | 24 | 90.9 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 2424 | 2666 | WLWLL | – |
| 11 | MelbourneMEL | 22 | 24 | 75.9 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 2093 | 2759 | WLLWL | – |
| 12 | St KildaSTK | 22 | 12 | 65.0 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 1857 | 2859 | LLLLL | – |