Carlton finished top of the 1987 VFL ladder with 72 points and 138.0%, four points clear of Hawthorn. Carlton won the premiership from 1st, beating Hawthorn by 33 points in the Grand Final.
Final VFL ladder · Updated Thu 17 Nov 2022, 9:53am (Melbourne time)
| Pos | Club | P | Pts | % | W | L | D | PF | PA | Last 5 | Finals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CarltonCAR🏆 | 22 | 72 | 138.0 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 2599 | 1883 | WWWWW | Premiers |
| 2 | HawthornHAW | 22 | 68 | 147.1 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 2781 | 1891 | LWWWW | Runner-up |
| 3 | SydneySYD | 22 | 60 | 129.5 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 2846 | 2197 | WLLLW | Lost SF |
| 4 | North MelbourneNTH | 22 | 54 | 99.4 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 2402 | 2417 | LWDWL | Lost FW1 |
| 5 | MelbourneMELTOP 5 | 22 | 48 | 108.0 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2189 | 2026 | WWWWW | Lost PF |
| 6 | GeelongGEE | 22 | 46 | 100.3 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 2355 | 2348 | LWLWL | – |
| 7 | Western BulldogsWBD | 22 | 46 | 95.7 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 1959 | 2046 | WLDWL | – |
| 8 | West CoastWCE | 22 | 44 | 97.9 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 2386 | 2438 | WLWLW | – |
| 9 | EssendonESS | 22 | 38 | 89.5 | 9 | 12 | 1 | 2075 | 2318 | LLWLL | – |
| 10 | St KildaSTK | 22 | 36 | 90.8 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 2150 | 2369 | WWLWL | – |
| 11 | FitzroyFIT | 22 | 32 | 91.5 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 2328 | 2544 | WLLLL | – |
| 12 | CollingwoodCOL | 22 | 28 | 76.4 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 1853 | 2425 | LWLLW | – |
| 13 | Brisbane LionsBRI | 22 | 24 | 79.3 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 2113 | 2666 | LLLLW | – |
| 14 | RichmondRIC | 22 | 20 | 82.5 | 5 | 17 | 0 | 2199 | 2667 | LLWLL | – |