List of Victorian Football League players who died on active service

Since the inception of the Victorian Football League in 1897, many of its players have served in the armed services, including the Anglo-Boer War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War (in which Melbourne's Geoff Collins served as a fighter pilot), and the Vietnam War (in which Geelong's Wayne Closter served).

A number of the VFL players who served also lost their lives on active service; they were either killed in action, or died as a consequence of the wounds, injuries, and/or illnesses they had suffered in their active service.

According to Main & Allen (2002, p.x), "no VFL footballer was killed in any wars other than the Anglo-Boer War and the two World Wars".

The Anglo-Boer War
Charlie Moore and Stan Reid, the only two VFL players to be killed in the Anglo-Boer War, had played against each other in the 1898 VFL Grand Final.

Reid had played in the back-pocket for Fitzroy and was one of Fitzroy's best players, whilst Moore had played at full-forward for Essendon. Fitzroy won the match 5.8 (38) to 3.5 (23), with Moore kicking one of Essendon's three goals.

Moore had already played a number of senior games for Albert Park Football Club (and, possibly, also for the South Melbourne Football Club) in the VFA before moving to play for Essendon in the VFL's inaugural year of 1897, whilst Stan Reid had played quite a number of senior games for the Fitzroy Football Club in the VFA prior to 1897.

World War I
Despite the various suggestions that have been given over time, related to particular individuals, it is clear that, because, at least, six former VFL footballers were killed during the chaos of the landing at Anzac Cove on Sunday, 25 April 1915 — Lieutenant Joseph Rupert "Rupert" Balfe (University), Private Joseph Alan "Alan" Cordner (180) (Geelong and Collingwood), Private Claude Terrell Crowl (337) (St Kilda), Private Charles "Charlie" Fincher (472) (South Melbourne), Private Fenley John "Fen" McDonald (127) (Carlton and Melbourne), and Corporal Arthur Mueller "Joe" Pearce (418) (Melbourne) — it can never be definitively argued that any particular one of these men was "the first VFL footballer killed in the First World War".

Umpires
At least one VFL umpire is known to have been killed: goal umpire Alexander Salton who served as a Private in the 60th Battalion, First A.I.F. He died from his wounds on 10 September 1916 in France. He was shot in the stomach in the slaughter of the Battle of Fromelles on 19 July 1916, taking part in a 300 yard charge – ordered by the infamous British Lieutenant-General Richard Haking – over open ground into the face of German machine-gun fire. The 60th Battalion went into the battle with 887 personnel and came out with one officer and 106 men. Two and a half months later, he died from the wounds he had sustained (aged 45). He is the only VFL field, boundary, or goal umpire known to have been killed on active service in any war.

In an unusual case, one VFL umpire, Henry James “Bunny” Nugent (1880-1955), served in three wars,  the Boer War, World War I,   and World War II. (he had put his age back five years to enlist in 1939). In his first senior VFL match as field umpire back from service in the First AIF, (Richmond v. Essendon on Saturday, 11 May 1918), the Richmond and Essendon players lined up and formed a guard of honour for him to run through as he took the ground.