Faced with the choice of three of the club’s most important premierships, the Collingwood Facebook fans voted for the 1902 flag ahead of the 1930 triumph over Geelong and the against the odds win over Melbourne in 1958.
The 1902 premiership was a popular winner, polling 47.93 per cent of the vote. In second place was the 1958 flag with 24.81 per cent while the 1930 premiership was only favoured by 27.25 per cent of the respondents.
1902 Grand Final
Collingwood 9.6 (60)
Essendon 3.9 (27)
Goals - Rowell 3, E.Lockwood 3, Pears, Allan, Angus
Best - Pannam, Hailwood, F.Leach, Allan, Rowell, McCormack, Tulloch
Collingwood Grand Final Team
B: G.Lockwood, W.Proudfoot, M.Fell
HB: R.Rush, C.McCormack, A.Dummett
C: C.Pannam, F.Leach, J.Allan
HF: J.Incoll, E.Rowell, G.Angus
F: H.Pears, E.Lockwood, A.Leach
Foll: F.Hailwood, L.Tulloch, R.Condon
Collingwood recorded its first ever VFL premiership in only the sixth season of the new competition when it comfortably accounted for Essendon by 33 points in the first Grand Final to be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 20 September, 1902. The Magpies, who had finished in top spot after the 17 home and away rounds, led by only a point at half time but ran away with the match with a six goal to one second half. The Argus described the method behind Collingwood’s win as requiring the “individuality…to give way to the combination”. Charlie Pannam was one of the key players in the victory, one of three he won with the club.
The premiership was hailed as the most scientific to that stage of Australian Football’s 44-year lifespan. Collingwood took a mid-season ‘business holiday’ to Tasmania where controversial club champion Dick Condon opted to experiment against a far weaker Launceston team.
Condon, it was reported, began to toy with his opposition with low, sharp passes that travelled no more than 20-25 yards to his teammates. Other stars of the time, including Charlie Pannam and Ted Rowell, cottoned on to the idea and, just like that, the stab kick was invented.
One of Collingwood's earliest stars, Charlie Pannam, flies high at the Melbourne Cricket Ground during the 1902 Grand Final against Essendon.
Finishing on top of the ladder after dropping only two of its 17 games, Collingwood was on the receiving end of a shock defeat at the hands of Fitzroy in the Second Semi Final when it was downed by 16-points.
Fortunately, the complex Argus finals system guaranteed the Magpies a challenge match courtesy of their standing as minor premiers. The Roys were defeated the following week by Essendon, setting the stage for the Magpies to face the Dons at the MCG where they went on to record their first VFL premiership.
Collingwood's first VFL premiership team and its most recent premiership team, 108 years apart. One team included players with first names such as Johm, George, Dick, Alf, Frank, Arthur, Fred, Teddy, Con, Charlie, Bill, Ted, Bob and Lardie. The other comprised Dane, Brent, Dayne, Sharrod, Leigh, Tyson, Scott, Jarryd, Heath, Steele and Travis. There was one constant, however: Harry. Harry Pears was a member of the 1902 premiership side, while Harry O'Brien joined him in the pantheon of Collingwood greats as a member of the 2010 premiership team. Floreat Pica.
.jpg)
