In the beginning...
1982 - Sydney Swans
Brownlow Medalist Peter Moore chases a Sydney Swan after the ball in front of the Ryder Stand at Victoria Park in the early 1980s. South Melbourne relocated to Sydney ahead of the 1982 season but retained the same players, nickname and colours.
1987 - Brisbane Bears
Tony Shaw races down the wing as a lone Brisbane Bear gives chase in the two club's first meeting in round six, 1987 at Victoria Park.
1987 - West Coast
Barge takes on the Junkyard Dog in the goal square at the Yarra Falls end at Victoria Park in the late 1980s. In simpler terms, Collingwood full forward Brian Taylor celebrates a goal as Dean Laidley can only rue what might have been as the Magpies tackle the Eagles at Lulie St.
1991 - Adelaide
The Pride of South Australia got acquainted with Victoria Park in the early 1990s. Scott Hodges runs back to full forward in 1991; Damian Monkhorst battles with Shaun Rehn in 1994.
1995 - Fremantle
The Wolf Man, Fremantle's Clinton Wolf, played only four games for the Dockers in 1995 but it was enough to make him an early cult hero with the Purple Haze. Wolf's number went into the book for tripping Damien Monkhorst in round five, 1995.
1996 - Brisbane Bears
The Brisbane Bears merged with Fitzroy to become the Brisbane Lions at the close of the 1996 season. They reached the Preliminary Final that year, but lost their final home and away match to Collingwood by 52-points at Victoria Park in round 22, 1996. In the above photo, Magpie utility Trent Hotton gives Tristan Lynch the slip.
1997 - Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide landed in the AFL in 1997 and were greeted by a 79-point drubbing at the hands of Collingwood. Anthony and Sav Rocca played alongside each other for the first time at the highest level and combined to kick eight goals; Robbie Ahmat slips away from Adam Hueskes.
1997 - Brisbane Lions
The newly formed Brisbane Lions gave Collingwood serious trouble in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It took Collingwood seven attempts before it could breakthrough against the merged team and only recorded two wins against them between 1997 and 2005. Both images are from the 1999 season. Heath Scotland grapples with Steven Lawrence at the Gabba in round seven; Chris Tarrant crashes a pack involving Gavin Brown, Justin Leppitsch and Chris Scott during the final game at Victoria Park in round 22, 1999.
1999 - Interlude
Rodney Eade coached Sydney to the first win of his coaching career over Collingwood in round three, 1996; in round 10, 1999, Tony Lockett broke Magpie Gordon Coventry's all-time goal kicking record with his 1300th goal after the quarter time siren.
2011 - Gold Coast
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Josh Fraser, a 200 game Magpie who represented the club in two Grand Finals, meets with the black and white for the first time since leaving the club in round 18, 2011, as he tangles with Cameron Wood at a boundary throw-in on the Gold Coast.
2012 - Greater Western Sydney
In 2012, we welcome the Greater Western Sydney Giants into the AFL competition. Untried big-men Jarrod Witts and Israel Falau do battle at a boundary throw-in during the first round of the NAB Cup earlier this year.
1996 - RIP Fitzroy
As we acknowledge the newcomers to the competition of the past 30 years, it would be remiss to overlook the history between the Collingwood and Fitzroy Football Clubs. The Roys played their final game against the Magpies in round 16, 1996, when the Pies won by 40 points at Victoria Park. They merged with the Brisbane Bears at season's end. In 209 meetings between 1897 and 1996, Collingwood won 131 matches and Fitzroy 75. There were three draws.
As Tony Shaw (pictured above with Paul Roos) said after the final match between the two teams: "I don't know whether we underestimated them or what, but I didn't think there was the passion and effort that needed to be put in at any level of league today. Fitzroy have got to be congratulated".
