Collingwood vs Carlton: A Head-to-Head History

One of my earliest footy memories is watching Channel Seven’s live telecast of the 1981 VFL Grand Final. Prior to the opening bounce, just after Jon English belted out a rousing rendition of ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and thousands of balloons were released into the great grey sky, Peter Landy ran through the head-to-head statistics of the two participating clubs:

Game Played: 181

Collingwood wins: 89

Carlton wins: 88

Drawn games: 4

Collingwood Premierships: 13

Carlton Premierships: 12

At the time, these numbers seemed of the utmost importance. They were quite possibly the most important stats in the universe. It’s well known that the Pies surrendered a 21-point lead late in the third term and capitulated in the final 35 minutes, allowing the Blues to run out victorious by 20 points, and thus square the ledger in terms of both games won between the two teams and overall premierships. These events were devastating to an eight-year-old boy.

The Pies collapsed in 1982. The agony of five unsuccessful Grand Final attempts in five seasons finally caught up with the club. They won just four games for the year, Hafey was sacked mid-season, and perhaps worst of all, the Blues won both encounters that season to take the lead in the coveted head-to-head stakes. A lead which they have held to this day.

Over the ensuing decades there were two particular periods where the Blues consolidated this lead: they won six in a row between 1985-87, and seven in a row between 1994-97. By Round 3 of 2002, the Blues held a sizeable 14-game advantage over the Pies.

But despite the Blues enduring the worst decade of their celebrated history in the decade that followed, they still managed to lead the head-to-head count by a healthy 12-games in 2009, and by as much as 9-games at the conclusion of the 2012 season. The gap seemed insurmountable.

However, Mick Malthouse’s defection to Carlton at the start of the 2013 season marked the beginning of a Collingwood revival. The Pies managed to win the next six games and hence narrow the margin significantly. Despite the Blues causing upsets in 2016 and 2017, the Pies have now drawn to within one game of the old enemy. At present the count stands as follows:

Game Played: 257

Collingwood wins: 126

Carlton wins: 127

Drawn games: 4

Collingwood Premierships: 15

Carlton Premierships: 16

With all this in mind, it is fascinating to cast an eye over the head-to-head history of these two bitter rivals. The chart below shows that the Pies won the first seven encounters between the two teams. Furthermore, by 1905 the Pies held a substantial 19-4 lead. The Blues would bounce back to win the next nine encounters (coinciding with their three-peat in 1906-08), finally drawing level in 1919 for the first time with 28 wins apiece. However, the Pies would still manage to protect their lead for the next 23 years. It wasn’t until 1942 that the Blues hit the lead for the very first time. They narrowly held on to this honour until 1953, with the Pies snatching back the lead in their premiership year. The Pies in turn would hold a narrow lead until 1976. Over the next five years, the lead would bounce back and forth between the two teams. Incredibly, Carlton’s famous Grand Final victory in 1979 equalled the ledger at 86 wins apiece, just as their victory in the 1981 Grand Final equalled the ledger at 89 wins apiece. Those Blue Baggers sure know how to spoil a party.

It’s also worth exploring the Win/Loss records at each of the five grounds where the two clubs have met. The Pies hold 10-9 lead at VFL Park, but trail 35-37 at the MCG. The Victoria Park (53-30-2) and Princes Park (27-50-2) stats are remarkably similar with both teams holding a 23-game winning lead at their respective home grounds. The two teams have also met twice at the Brunswick St Oval with one win apiece.

Finally, it is a small consolation to Collingwood that despite trailing by one win in the overall head-to-head count, they have indeed outscored Carlton by a collective margin of 463 points in their 257 encounters.

The complete chronology of Collingwood and Carlton encounters is below, with a head-to-head running tally in the right columns.

Game #	Year/Round	Ground	Result	Margin	Coll wins	Carl wins	Draws
Game #	Year/Round	Ground	Result	Margin	Coll wins	Carl wins	Draws
1	1897 - Rd. 7	Princes Park	W	4	1	0	0
2	1897 - Rd.14	Victoria Park	W	32	2	0	0
3	1898 - Rd. 5	Victoria Park	W	42	3	0	0
4	1898 - Rd.12	Princes Park	W	19	4	0	0
5	1899 - Rd. 5	Princes Park	W	31	5	0	0
6	1899 - Rd.12	Victoria Park	W	16	6	0	0
7	1899 - SEC.1A	Victoria Park	W	21	7	0	0
8	1900 - Rd. 6	Princes Park	L	-16	7	1	0
9	1900 - Rd.13	Victoria Park	W	68	8	1	0
10	1901 - Rd. 2	Victoria Park	W	87	9	1	0
11	1901 - Rd. 9	Princes Park	W	21	10	1	0
12	1902 - Rd. 7	Victoria Park	W	38	11	1	0
13	1902 - Rd.14	Princes Park	W	37	12	1	0
14	1903 - Rd. 1	Princes Park	L	-21	12	2	0
15	1903 - Rd. 8	Victoria Park	W	14	13	2	0
16	1903 - SEC.2A	Princes Park	W	17	14	2	0
17	1903 Semi Final	Brunswick St Oval	W	4	15	2	0
18	1904 - Rd. 5	Victoria Park	L	-5	15	3	0
19	1904 - Rd.12	Princes Park	L	-6	15	4	0
20	1904 -SEC.1B	Victoria Park	W	10	16	4	0
21	1905 - Rd. 2	Victoria Park	W	32	17	4	0
22	1905 - Rd. 9	Princes Park	W	15	18	4	0
23	1905 - SEC.1A	Victoria Park	W	17	19	4	0
24	1905 Semi Final	MCG	L	-46	19	5	0
25	1906 - Rd. 4	Victoria Park	L	-20	19	6	0
26	1906 - Rd.11	Princes Park	L	-37	19	7	0
27	1906 Semi Final	Brunswick St Oval	L	-10	19	8	0
28	1907 - Rd. 6	Victoria Park	L	-11	19	9	0
29	1907 - Rd.13	Princes Park	L	-11	19	10	0
30	1908 - Rd. 4	Victoria Park	L	-28	19	11	0
31	1908 - Rd.13	Princes Park	L	-40	19	12	0
32	1909 - Rd. 3	Princes Park	L	-17	19	13	0
33	1909 - Rd.12	Victoria Park	W	1	20	13	0
34	1910 - Rd. 1	Princes Park	L	-28	20	14	0
35	1910 - Rd.10	Victoria Park	L	-29	20	15	0
36	1910 Grand Final	MCG	W	14	21	15	0
37	1911 - Rd. 8	Princes Park	L	-33	21	16	0
38	1911 - Rd.17	Victoria Park	W	15	22	16	0
39	1912 - Rd. 4	Princes Park	W	1	23	16	0
40	1912 - Rd.13	Victoria Park	L	-23	23	17	0
41	1913 - Rd. 4	Victoria Park	W	6	24	17	0
42	1913 - Rd.13	Princes Park	W	23	25	17	0
43	1914 - Rd. 1	Victoria Park	D	0	25	17	1
44	1914 - Rd.10	Princes Park	L	-7	25	18	1
45	1915 - Rd. 7	Princes Park	L	-2	25	19	1
46	1915 - Rd.16	Victoria Park	L	-1	25	20	1
47	1915 Grand Final	MCG	L	-33	25	21	1
48	1916 - Rd. 2	Victoria Park	L	-26	25	22	1
49	1916 - Rd. 5	Princes Park	W	1	26	22	1
50	1916 - Rd. 8	Princes Park	L	-12	26	23	1
51	1916 - Rd.11	Victoria Park	L	-2	26	24	1
52	1917 - Rd. 2	Princes Park	L	-31	26	25	1
53	1917 - Rd. 7	Victoria Park	W	37	27	25	1
54	1917 - Rd.12	Princes Park	L	-11	27	26	1
55	1918 - Rd. 1	Victoria Park	W	35	28	26	1
56	1918 - Rd. 8	Princes Park	L	-8	28	27	1
57	1919 - Rd. 7	Princes Park	L	-11	28	28	1
58	1919 - Rd.16	Victoria Park	W	67	29	28	1
59	1919 Semi Final	MCG	W	18	30	28	1
60	1920 - Rd. 8	Victoria Park	W	19	31	28	1
61	1920 - Rd.17	Princes Park	L	-52	31	29	1
62	1920 Prel.Final	MCG	W	24	32	29	1
63	1921 - Rd. 9	Princes Park	L	-24	32	30	1
64	1921 - Rd.18	Victoria Park	L	-27	32	31	1
65	1921 Semi Final	MCG	L	-13	32	32	1
66	1922 - Rd. 3	Victoria Park	W	7	33	32	1
67	1922 - Rd.12	Princes Park	L	-5	33	33	1
68	1923 - Rd. 7	Victoria Park	W	25	34	33	1
69	1923 - Rd.16	Princes Park	D	0	34	33	2
70	1924 - Rd. 5	Victoria Park	W	24	35	33	2
71	1924 - Rd.14	Princes Park	W	12	36	33	2
72	1925 - Rd. 8	Victoria Park	W	14	37	33	2
73	1926 - Rd. 9	Princes Park	L	-21	37	34	2
74	1926 - Rd.18	Victoria Park	W	49	38	34	2
75	1927 - Rd. 9	Victoria Park	L	-12	38	35	2
76	1928 - Rd. 7	Princes Park	W	3	39	35	2
77	1928 - Rd.18	Victoria Park	L	-20	39	36	2
78	1929 - Rd.10	Victoria Park	W	29	40	36	2
79	1930 - Rd.10	Princes Park	L	-4	40	37	2
80	1930 - Rd.17	Victoria Park	W	23	41	37	2
81	1931 - Rd. 5	Princes Park	L	-16	41	38	2
82	1931 - Rd.16	Victoria Park	W	61	42	38	2
83	1931Semi Final	MCG	L	-88	42	39	2
84	1932 - Rd. 5	Princes Park	L	-20	42	40	2
85	1932 - Rd.16	Victoria Park	L	-46	42	41	2
86	1932 Prel. Final	MCG	L	-75	42	42	2
87	1933 - Rd. 5	Victoria Park	W	4	43	42	2
88	1933 - Rd.16	Princes Park	W	9	44	42	2
89	1934 - Rd.10	Victoria Park	W	30	45	42	2
90	1935 - Rd. 9	Princes Park	L	-29	45	43	2
91	1936 - Rd. 6	Princes Park	W	6	46	43	2
92	1936 - Rd.17	Victoria Park	L	-1	46	44	2
93	1937 - Rd. 6	Victoria Park	W	27	47	44	2
94	1937 - Rd.17	Princes Park	L	-10	47	45	2
95	1938 - Rd. 5	Victoria Park	L	-16	47	46	2
96	1938 - Rd.16	Princes Park	W	20	48	46	2
97	1938 Grand Final	MCG	L	-15	48	47	2
98	1939 - Rd. 8	Victoria Park	W	39	49	47	2
99	1940 - Rd. 3	Victoria Park	W	37	50	47	2
100	1940 - Rd.14	Princes Park	L	-15	50	48	2
101	1941 - Rd. 6	Princes Park	L	-17	50	49	2
102	1941 - Rd.17	Victoria Park	L	-2	50	50	2
103	1942 - Rd.11	Victoria Park	L	-15	50	51	2
104	1943 - Rd. 4	Princes Park	W	27	51	51	2
105	1943 - Rd.12	Victoria Park	L	-104	51	52	2
106	1944 - Rd. 8	Princes Park	L	-31	51	53	2
107	1945 - Rd. 6	Victoria Park	W	25	52	53	2
108	1945 - Rd.17	Princes Park	L	-6	52	54	2
109	1945 Prel. Final	Princes Park	L	-10	52	55	2
110	1946 - Rd. 8	Victoria Park	W	56	53	55	2
111	1946 - Rd.19	Princes Park	L	-5	53	56	2
112	1947 - Rd. 9	Victoria Park	W	26	54	56	2
113	1948 - Rd. 5	Victoria Park	W	2	55	56	2
114	1948 - Rd.16	Princes Park	L	-10	55	57	2
115	1949 - Rd. 5	Princes Park	L	-30	55	58	2
116	1949 - Rd.16	Victoria Park	W	3	56	58	2
117	1950 - Rd. 3	Victoria Park	L	-11	56	59	2
118	1950 - Rd.14	Princes Park	W	37	57	59	2
119	1951 - Rd. 8	Princes Park	W	14	58	59	2
120	1952 - Rd. 5	Victoria Park	W	50	59	59	2
121	1952 - Rd.17	Princes Park	L	-21	59	60	2
122	1953 - Rd. 4	Princes Park	W	8	60	60	2
123	1953 - Rd.15	Victoria Park	W	17	61	60	2
124	1954 - Rd. 8	Victoria Park	W	9	62	60	2
125	1955 - Rd. 5	Princes Park	W	25	63	60	2
126	1955 - Rd.16	Victoria Park	W	37	64	60	2
127	1956 - Rd. 5	Princes Park	L	-42	64	61	2
128	1956 - Rd.16	Victoria Park	L	-13	64	62	2
129	1957 - Rd.10	Victoria Park	W	37	65	62	2
130	1958 - Rd. 5	Victoria Park	W	73	66	62	2
131	1958 - Rd.16	Princes Park	W	19	67	62	2
132	1959 - Rd. 3	Victoria Park	L	-32	67	63	2
133	1959 - Rd.14	Princes Park	W	11	68	63	2
134	1960 - Rd. 8	Victoria Park	W	37	69	63	2
135	1961 - Rd. 6	Princes Park	L	-11	69	64	2
136	1961 - Rd.17	Victoria Park	L	-16	69	65	2
137	1962 - Rd. 6	Victoria Park	W	16	70	65	2
138	1962 - Rd.17	Princes Park	L	-42	70	66	2
139	1963 - Rd. 8	Princes Park	W	2	71	66	2
140	1964 - Rd. 5	Victoria Park	W	19	72	66	2
141	1964 - Rd.16	Princes Park	D	0	72	66	3
142	1965 - Rd. 5	Victoria Park	L	-20	72	67	3
143	1965 - Rd.16	Princes Park	W	25	73	67	3
144	1966 - Rd.11	Princes Park	L	-11	73	68	3
145	1967 - Rd. 6	Princes Park	L	-6	73	69	3
146	1967 - Rd.17	Victoria Park	W	25	74	69	3
147	1968 - Rd. 7	Princes Park	L	-34	74	70	3
148	1968 - Rd.18	Victoria Park	L	-37	74	71	3
149	1969 - Rd. 4	Princes Park	W	64	75	71	3
150	1969 - Rd.15	Victoria Park	L	-10	75	72	3
151	1969 Semi Final	MCG	L	-36	75	73	3
152	1970 - Rd. 8	VFL Park	W	23	76	73	3
153	1970 - Rd.19	Victoria Park	W	77	77	73	3
154	1970 Semi Final	MCG	W	10	78	73	3
155	1970 Grand Final	MCG	L	-10	78	74	3
156	1971 - Rd.11	VFL Park	W	85	79	74	3
157	1971 - Rd.22	Princes Park	L	-19	79	75	3
158	1972 - Rd. 2	Victoria Park	D	0	79	75	4
159	1972 - Rd.13	Princes Park	L	-8	79	76	4
160	1973 - Rd. 7	Princes Park	L	-59	79	77	4
161	1973 - Rd.18	Victoria Park	W	15	80	77	4
162	1973 Semi Final	VFL Park	L	-20	80	78	4
163	1974 - Rd. 5	Victoria Park	W	18	81	78	4
164	1974 - Rd.16	VFL Park	L	-36	81	79	4
165	1975 - Rd. 2	Princes Park	L	-93	81	80	4
166	1975 - Rd.13	Victoria Park	L	-16	81	81	4
167	1976 - Rd. 1	Princes Park	L	-57	81	82	4
168	1976 - Rd.12	Victoria Park	W	26	82	82	4
169	1977 - Rd. 6	VFL Park	W	102	83	82	4
170	1977 - Rd.17	Princes Park	W	32	84	82	4
171	1978 - Rd. 7	Victoria Park	L	-17	84	83	4
172	1978 - Rd.18	Princes Park	L	-41	84	84	4
173	1978 Semi Final	MCG	W	15	85	84	4
174	1979 - Rd.10	Princes Park	L	-16	85	85	4
175	1979 - Rd.21	Victoria Park	W	19	86	85	4
176	1979 Grand Final	MCG	L	-5	86	86	4
177	1980 - Rd. 1	Victoria Park	L	-38	86	87	4
178	1980 - Rd.12	Princes Park	L	-5	86	88	4
179	1980 Semi Final	MCG	W	50	87	88	4
180	1981 - Rd. 6	Princes Park	W	57	88	88	4
181	1981 - Rd.16	Victoria Park	W	1	89	88	4
182	1981 Grand Final	MCG	L	-20	89	89	4
183	1982 - Rd. 3	Victoria Park	L	-34	89	90	4
184	1982 - Rd.13	Princes Park	L	-27	89	91	4
185	1983 - Rd. 3	VFL Park	L	-10	89	92	4
186	1983 - Rd.14	Victoria Park	W	55	90	92	4
187	1984 - Rd. 5	VFL Park	W	5	91	92	4
188	1984 - Rd.15	VFL Park	L	-27	91	93	4
189	1984 Semi Final	VFL Park	W	25	92	93	4
190	1985 - Rd.11	VFL Park	L	-23	92	94	4
191	1985 - Rd.22	VFL Park	L	-6	92	95	4
192	1986 - Rd. 7	Victoria Park	L	-40	92	96	4
193	1986 - Rd.19	MCG	L	-49	92	97	4
194	1987 - Rd. 2	VFL Park	L	-7	92	98	4
195	1987 - Rd.15	MCG	L	-24	92	99	4
196	1988 - Rd. 5	VFL Park	W	28	93	99	4
197	1988 - Rd.14	MCG	W	23	94	99	4
198	1988 Qual. Final	MCG	L	-38	94	100	4
199	1989 - Rd. 8	VFL Park	W	29	95	100	4
200	1989 - Rd.15	VFL Park	L	-6	95	101	4
201	1990 - Rd. 2	VFL Park	W	35	96	101	4
202	1990 - Rd.15	VFL Park	W	54	97	101	4
203	1991 - Rd.12	VFL Park	L	-20	97	102	4
204	1992 - Rd. 8	MCG	L	-33	97	103	4
205	1992 - Rd.23	VFL Park	W	16	98	103	4
206	1993 - Rd. 6	MCG	W	36	99	103	4
207	1993 - Rd.21	MCG	L	-54	99	104	4
208	1994 - Rd. 2	MCG	W	34	100	104	4
209	1994 - Rd.17	MCG	L	-43	100	105	4
210	1995 - Rd. 1	MCG	L	-29	100	106	4
211	1995 - Rd.16	MCG	L	-22	100	107	4
212	1996 - Rd. 1	MCG	L	-22	100	108	4
213	1996 - Rd.12	MCG	L	-21	100	109	4
214	1997 - Rd. 4	MCG	L	-17	100	110	4
215	1997 - Rd.19	MCG	L	-16	100	111	4
216	1998 - Rd. 6	MCG	W	29	101	111	4
217	1998 - Rd.21	MCG	L	-55	101	112	4
218	1999 - Rd. 2	MCG	L	-29	101	113	4
219	1999 - Rd.17	MCG	L	-57	101	114	4
220	2000 - Rd. 3	MCG	W	73	102	114	4
221	2000 - Rd.18	Princes Park	L	-111	102	115	4
222	2001 - Rd. 6	MCG	W	8	103	115	4
223	2001 - Rd.21	MCG	L	-68	103	116	4
224	2002 - Rd. 3	MCG	L	-20	103	117	4
225	2002 - Rd.18	MCG	W	108	104	117	4
226	2003 - Rd. 2	MCG	W	16	105	117	4
227	2003 - Rd.17	MCG	W	73	106	117	4
228	2004 - Rd. 7	MCG	L	-9	106	118	4
229	2004 - Rd.22	MCG	L	-1	106	119	4
230	2005 - Rd. 3	MCG	W	20	107	119	4
231	2005 - Rd.20	MCG	L	-35	107	120	4
232	2006 - Rd. 6	MCG	W	72	108	120	4
233	2006 - Rd.21	MCG	W	44	109	120	4
234	2007 - Rd. 7	MCG	W	24	110	120	4
235	2007 - Rd.18	MCG	W	24	111	120	4
236	2008 - Rd. 4	MCG	L	-23	111	121	4
237	2008 - Rd.12	MCG	L	-30	111	122	4
238	2009 - Rd.8	MCG	L	-51	111	123	4
239	2009 - Rd.17	MCG	W	54	112	123	4
240	2010 - Rd.6	MCG	W	53	113	123	4
241	2010 - Rd.18	MCG	W	48	114	123	4
242	2011 - Rd.3	MCG	W	28	115	123	4
243	2011 - Rd17	MCG	W	19	116	123	4
244	2012 - Rd3	MCG	L	-60	116	124	4
245	2012 - Rd15	MCG	L	-23	116	125	4
246	2013 - Rd2	MCG	W	17	117	125	4
247	2013 - Rd15	MCG	W	41	118	125	4
248	2014 - Rd 7	MCG	W	34	119	125	4
249	2014 - Rd 15	MCG	W	15	120	125	4
250	2015 - Rd 5	MCG	W	75	121	125	4
251	2015 - Rd 19	MCG	W	18	122	125	4
252	2016 - Rd 7	MCG	L	-15	122	126	4
253	2016 - Rd 15	MCG	W	12	123	126	4
254	2017 - Rd 7	MCG	L	-23	123	127	4
255	2018 - Rd 3	MCG	W	24	124	127	4
256	2018 - Rd 14	MCG	W	20	125	127	4
257	2019 - Rd 8	MCG	W	19	126	127	4

Collingwood vs Carlton: A Head-to-Head History

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'This is where it was always going to come back to': Nathan Buckley Exhibition launched

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Nathan Buckley exhibition officially launched

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