[1][2][3] It was the 71st annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers for the 1968 VFL season.

The match, attended by a record crowd of 116,828 spectators, was won by Carlton by a margin of 3 points, making it that club's ninth premiership victory, but its first since winning the 1947 VFL Grand Final.

The Blues emerged victorious despite Essendon kicking more goals, the first of only two times that had happened in a VFL/AFL grand final as of 2023.

Essendon came within a point of Carlton at the 20 minute mark of the final term after a goal to Geoff Blethyn.

Despite being goal-less in the final quarter, Carlton managed to keep their lead, thanks largely to 20th man Neil Chandler, who took some crucial marks in the dying stages.