They say a picture can tell a thousand words. 

But can 22 photos tell the story of our 2017 season?

Throughout the season, the talented team at AFL Photos have been on hand to capture the highs and lows of each and every game day. 

Take a look back at the year that was with the best image from all 22 home and away season games. 

Round 1



An old face awaits in the first game of the new season. Travis Cloke made his Western Bulldogs debut in round one, while the Magpies blooded new trio Chris Mayne, Henry Schade and Will Hoskin-Elliott in a 14-point loss to the reigning premiers.

Round 2



Round two begun on a Thursday night as the Magpies and Tigers squared off in front of 58,236 at the MCG. Tim Broomhead joined housemate Brodie Grundy in the team as one of two inclusions, and helped the ruckman celebrate a third-quarter goal.

Round 3



If Collingwood supporters didn’t know Will Hoskin-Elliott yet, they did after a round three trip to the SCG. Trailing by just one point with minutes remaining in the final term, Hoskin-Elliott calmly slotted one of the best goals of the season from the boundary line. The result? Our first victory at the SCG in 17 years.

Round 4



Jamie Elliott pulled on a Collingwood jumper for the first time in 588 days as the Magpies met the Saints under the Etihad Stadium roof. While it was a long time coming for the exciting forward, his teammates couldn’t get the job done in a scrappy 14-point loss.

Round 5



Losing on ANZAC Day hurts everyone attached to Collingwood. But getting a glimpse of Daniel Wells in action made for a nice silver lining. After swapping his North Melbourne stripes for Black and White ones, Wells kicked two crucial goals in the biggest game on the home and away calendar.

Round 6



After a game against Essendon self-described as his “worst in 10 years”, Scott Pendlebury was prolific in a 29-point win over Geelong. The skipper finished with 33 disposals, nine tackles and a goal – although it didn’t impress Joel Selwood as the pair of captains exchanged words on the final siren.

Round 7 



Champions of generations past formed a guard of honour to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Collingwood Football Club against arch rivals Carlton at the MCG. Unfortunately, the festivities ended quickly as the Blues claimed a 23-point victory.

Round 8



Devastation in Blacktown. The Magpies were just seconds away from keeping an unbeaten record against Greater Western Sydney intact. Enter veteran Steve Johnson. The former Cat goaled to give the Giants a three-point win in the wet and break the hearts of the travelling Pies.

Round 9



A fitting goodbye to one of Collingwood’s most loved figures. Lou Richards was farewelled at the MCG prior to his beloved Magpies’ round nine clash with Hawthorn. They did him proud, coming back from 43 points down to stun the Hawks.

Round 10



Daniel Wells became the first Magpie in the club’s 125-year history to don the number 67 jumper during an Indigenous Round clash with the Brisbane Lions. The jumper was a nod to the 1967 Referendum which led to including Aboriginal Australians in the census for the first time. On the field, Wells had 20 disposals and kicked two goals as Collingwood claimed a 45-point victory.

Round 11



Collingwood said goodbye to Subiaco in style, leading from start to finish to record a 20-point victory over Fremantle. Tyson Goldsack (pictured above) was the hero, playing out the game with a visibly injured shoulder.

Round 12



“Jeremy Howe does what Jeremy Howe does!” The commentary of this outstanding mark was perhaps understated, only because the AFL world has become so used to seeing our star defender fly. Howe pulled down arguably the Mark of the Year against his old side during the third instalment of the Big Freeze at the MCG.

Round 13 - BYE

Round 14



Another week, another Mark of the Year contender. This time it was ruckman Brodie Grundy doing the flying as he took a hanger which left teammate Ben Reid gasping for air in the process.

Round 15



Scott Pendlebury had the company of his newborn son Jax as he led Collingwood onto the ground in his 250th AFL game. Jordan De Goey produced a break-out 32-disposal game, however the Hawks squared the ledger against the Pies with a 24-point victory.

Round 16



Levi Greenwood wasn’t making any friends as he floored Zach Merrett and quickly felt the anger of Merrett’s Essendon teammates. A one-match suspension followed for the former North Melbourne hard man, but it wasn’t before Collingwood suffered a 37-point loss to the Bombers.

Round 17



The Gold Coast was uncharastically wet and wild as the Magpies saluted milestone men Jarryd Blair and Daniel Wells in style with a 15-point victory. “The footy gods were smiling on us tonight,” coach Nathan Buckley said after the scrappy win.

Round 18



Darcy Moore was left dazed and confused, while Travis Varcoe was also concussed during a bruising contest under the Etihad Stadium roof. Yet the Magpies somehow managed to defy the odds to produce a come-from-behind victory over the Eagles in one of the most exciting finishes of the year.

Round 19



Collingwood hadn’t felt the emptiness of a draw since the 2010 Grand Final against St Kilda. The feeling returned in round 19 against Adelaide in the most dramatic of fashions. After leading all day, the Magpies were left to wonder what might have been after Mitch McGovern marked and goaled after the siren to tie the final scores at 103-apiece.

Round 20



The hit which left the footy community talking. Brodie Grundy showed instant remorse, yet couldn’t escape suspension for a tackle which hospitalised North Melbourne’s Ben Brown. Controversy aside, the Magpies were dominant from go to whoa to record their biggest victory of the season.

Round 21



A round 21 trip to Adelaide was looking ugly early as Port raced to a 27-point lead midway through the second quarter. Mason Cox rucked manfully against All-Australian tall Paddy Ryder, while Ben Reid sparked a second-half Collingwood revival which narrowed the margin to eight points late in the third quarter.

Round 22



All eyes were on father-son favourite Josh Daicos as the young forward debuted for Collingwood 24 years after his dad Peter’s final game in the Black and White. Daicos has nine possessions and laid nine tackles as the Magpies lost to Geelong in a low-scoring MCG affair.

Round 23



The sweet taste of victory to put a full stop on 2017. Beating Melbourne not only knocked the Demons out of finals contentions, but marked the first win in Black and White for first-year trio Josh Daicos, Kayle Kirby and Callum Brown.