Collingwood has played in more VFL / AFL Grand Finals than any other club in the league’s history.

Below, courtesy of historian Michael Roberts, represents a snapshot of what this weekend will mean in the context of the club and the competition’s story.

~ Collingwood currently has 15 VFL/AFL Premierships (+ one in the VFA). If the club wins this week, it will equal the VFL/AFL record of 16, held by Carlton and Essendon.

~ This will be the Magpies’ 44th VFL/AFL Grand Final (including two replays). This is No. 1 in AFL (next best are Carlton and Essendon with 29). Collingwood also played in the first VFA Grand Final in 1896.

~ This will be Collingwood’s 181st VFL / AFL final overall (including Grand Finals).

~ The club has featured in VFL / AFL finals in 81 out of 122 possible years.

~ The 2018 season represents the biggest year-on-year leap in Collingwood’s history. The previous best was from 12th in 1976 to second overall in 1977.

~ Only 29 players in VFL / AFL history have won Premierships with multiple clubs. Travis Varcoe could become the 30th. Charlie Norris, Will Hoskin-Elliott’s grandfather, is one of the others.

~ Saturday marks only the seventh time in VFL/AFL history that third on the ladder has met second in the Grand Final.

~ The game is being played on 29 September. Collingwood has played in two Grand Finals on that date. The Magpies won in 1928 against Richmond, and lost in 1979 against Carlton.



The victorious Magpies of 2010 celebrate the club's 15th premiership.

The stats
Collingwood’s Norm Smith Medallists
- Tony Shaw (1990)
- Nathan Buckley (2002)
- Scott Pendlebury (2010)

Collingwood’s Premiership Coaches
- George Angus (1910)
- Jock McHale (1917, 1919, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1935, 1936)
- Phonse Kyne (1953, 1958)
- Leigh Matthews (1990)
- Mick Malthouse (2010)

Collingwood has had 194 premiership players (179 VFL/AFL premiership players and 15 who only played in the VFA flag in 1896).

Collingwood’s highest score in a Grand Final
19.10 (124) against North Melbourne in the 1977 Grand Final Replay

Collingwood’s lowest score in a Grand Final
2.2 (14) against Melbourne in the 1960 Grand Final

Collingwood’s biggest win in a Grand Final
56 points (against St Kilda in the 2010 Grand Final Replay)

Collingwood’s biggest loss in a Grand Final
81 points (against Richmond in the 1980 Grand Final)

Most goals by a Collingwood player in a Grand Final
Gordon Coventry, who kicked nine goals in the 1928 Grand Final. It is the equal league record with Geelong’s Gary Ablett, who kicked nine goals in the 1989 Grand Final.

Most career goals by a Collingwood in Grand Finals
Gordon Coventry kicked 35 goals in Grand Finals (a league record)

Most Grand Finals for Collingwood
Gordon Coventry and Albert Collier played in 10 Grand Finals. The league record is held by Hawthorn’s Michael Tuck (11)



Tony Shaw's Magpies of 1990 celebrate after breaking the club's 32-year premiership drought.