Former players Ken Turner and Bill Serong have joined club historian Michael Roberts to relive the Magpies’ miraculous 1958 premiership on the latest episode of the Collingwood Conversations podcast.

The victory over Melbourne in the ’58 is among the most famous wins in the history of the club.

Indeed, in his introduction at the start of the podcast, Roberts describes the result as, “The most fabled and famous of all our Grand Final wins … nothing short of a miracle.”

Collingwood had lost 10 games in a row against Melbourne prior to the 1958 decider, a run that included a 45-point defeat in that year’s second semi-final.

There was also the issue of Melbourne going into the Grand Final having won the previous three premierships.

Another Grand Final win would have enabled the Demons to equal Collingwood’s VFL/AFL record of four straight premierships between 1927 and 1930.

But the Magpies prevailed by 18 points, 12.10 (82) to 9.10 (64) before a crowd of 97,956.

“It was a very joyous occasion,” said Turner, a dashing wingman who was voted Collingwood’s best player in the 1958 finals series,

“I was quite convinced we had them halfway through the third quarter, and the way our backline played that day, nobody could’ve beaten us,” said Serong, who lined up on a half-forward flank and was named among the Pies’ best players.



1958 premiership players Murray Weideman and Thorold Merrett at the 60-year reunion prior to Collingwood's game against North Melbourne

Talking points include:

What it’s like looking back on the win 60 years on (2.40)
How Bill Serong made it to Collingwood (4.05)
How Ken Turner made it to Victoria Park (7.35)
What made Melbourne’s teams so good in the 1950s and 1960s (13.40)
Recollections of the mood on the Thursday night before the Grand Final (16.50)
The pre-game talk about protecting Collingwood’s record of four premierships in a row (18.45)
The disappointment of Pies skipper Frank Tuck missing the Grand Final (20.52)
The desperation shown by Collingwood’s backline (23.35)
The wet weather on the day (25.05)
Why the players had to wear different numbers on the day (27.08)
The simple tactics of coach Phonse Kyne (29.00)
The fights that broke out during the game (30.30)
The Pies’ domination in the third quarter (35.50)
Ken Turner’s nerves in the last quarter (36.20)
The players’ feelings when the final siren sounded (37.35)

About Collingwood Conversations:
Collingwood Conversations is a podcast exploring some of the most fascinating figures and compelling stories in Magpie history.

Each episode, club greats past and present sit down with author, journalist and club historian Michael Roberts to tell the tales of their lives in the Black and White jumper.

Click here to listen to the first episode of Collingwood Conversations where Travis Cloke reflects on his 246-game career as a Magpie.

And click here to listen to the second episode with Collingwood's first indigenous player, Wally Lovett.