Damon Mcknight
The AFL Grand Final is played at the end of the finals series and has been an annual tradition since 1898, except in 1924. The game is traditionally staged on the last Saturday afternoon in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The club that wins the AFL Grand Final receives the AFL's premiership cup and flag. Collingwood, Essendon, and Carlton have each been premiers 16 times. Collingwood has played in the most Grand Finals, winning 16 out of 45 games. However, counting just the AFL era, Hawthorn has been the most dominant side, winning five grand finals, while West Coast and Geelong have each won four. Perth-based West Coast became the first non-Victorian club to win a grand final in 1992.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| State with the most AFL Grand Final wins | Victoria |
| Clubs with the most AFL Grand Final wins | Collingwood, Essendon, and Carlton (16 each) |
| Club with the most consecutive AFL Grand Final wins | Collingwood (4) |
| AFL club with the most premierships | Hawthorn (5) |
| Non-Victorian club with the most premierships | Brisbane Lions (3) |
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What You'll Learn
Collingwood has won the most grand finals
Collingwood Football Club has won the most Grand Finals in the Australian Football League (AFL), formerly known as the Victorian Football League (VFL). They have won 16 Grand Finals, sharing the top spot with the Carlton Football Club and Essendon Football Club, which have also won 16 premierships each. However, Essendon has only won 14 Grand Finals, with the other two premierships earned outside of the Grand Final.
Collingwood won its first premiership in 1902, defeating Essendon by 33 points. The club was the most successful Victorian club of the 1920s and 1930s, appearing in 13 out of 20 Grand Finals and winning six premierships during this period. Collingwood won four consecutive premierships between 1927 and 1930, a VFL record, and two more consecutive premierships in 1935 and 1936. The club's coach during this era was Jock McHale, and Collingwood also boasted three Brownlow Medallists: Syd Coventry (1927), Albert Collier (1929), and Harry Collier (1930). The team's dominant performance earned them the nickname "The Machine."
After the 1958 premiership, Collingwood experienced a 32-year drought without a premiership win. During this period, known as the "Colliwobbles," Collingwood reached nine AFL/VFL Grand Finals but suffered eight losses and one draw. The Colliwobbles ended in 1990 when Collingwood defeated Essendon to claim their first premiership since 1958. Collingwood won the AFL Grand Final again in 2010 and 2023, bringing their total number of premierships to 16.
The rivalry between Collingwood and Essendon has been intense, with their first Anzac Day clash taking place in 1995. After the 2024 match, Collingwood had won 17 times to Essendon's 11, with the first and most recent matches ending in draws. Collingwood also has a notable rivalry with Richmond, with the two clubs playing against each other in five grand finals between 1919 and 1929. Collingwood won in 1919, 1927, 1928, and 1929, while Richmond won in 1920. In the 1980 Grand Final, Richmond handed Collingwood an 81-point defeat, which was a record at the time.
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Essendon and Carlton are tied for second
Australian Football League (AFL) Grand Finals have been held annually since 1898, except in 1924. The game is traditionally staged on the last Saturday afternoon in September, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The club that wins the grand final receives the AFL's premiership cup and flag, and the players on the winning team receive gold premiership medallions.
The Collingwood Football Club has won the most grand finals, with 16 wins. However, Essendon and Carlton are tied for second place with 16 premierships each, although Essendon has only won 14 grand finals.
Essendon's first premiership win was in 1897, and they were declared premiers without playing a grand final again in 1924. In 1950, Essendon became the first club to win premierships in three grades in a single year. Essendon has also drawn two grand finals, in 1948 and 1990.
Carlton, meanwhile, has won 16 grand finals. They were the first non-Victorian club to contest and win a grand final, doing so in 1991 and 1992, respectively.
Both Essendon and Carlton have rich histories in the AFL and have experienced significant success, as evidenced by their high number of premierships.
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Brisbane has won four premierships
Brisbane has enjoyed success in the AFL Grand Final, with the Brisbane Lions winning four premierships. The Lions won three premierships in a row between 2001 and 2003, and added a fourth in 2024.
The Brisbane Lions' three consecutive premierships in the early 2000s were a significant achievement, with the club enjoying the greatest success of any non-Victorian side at the time. The Lions' triumph in 2001 was the first of this hat-trick, making them the second non-Victorian club to win a grand final. This was a significant moment in the history of the AFL, demonstrating the growing strength of non-Victorian clubs.
The Brisbane Lions' success in the early 2000s was built on a strong foundation, with the club reaching the grand final on a consistent basis during this period. The club's performance in the early 2000s set a precedent for future success, with the Lions establishing themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the AFL. The club's performance during this era has left a lasting legacy, with the Brisbane Lions continuing to be a prominent force in the AFL today.
The Brisbane Lions' most recent premiership win in 2024 demonstrated the club's continued competitiveness and their ability to bounce back after a period of rebuilding. This win marked a new era for the club, with players like Cam Rayner and Zac Bailey, who joined the club in 2017, celebrating their 150th game for the Lions. The 2024 premiership win was a testament to the club's resilience and their ability to adapt and remain competitive in the ever-evolving landscape of the AFL.
Brisbane's four premierships have solidified the city's place in the history of the AFL Grand Final, with the Brisbane Lions becoming a staple of the competition and a force to be reckoned with.
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Hawthorn has won the most AFL grand finals
Hawthorn, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Mulgrave, Victoria. The club was founded in 1902 in the inner-east suburb of Hawthorn and is the youngest Victorian-based team in the AFL.
Hawthorn has drawn more than 1,000,000 annual fans to AFL matches in seven separate seasons, including 2008 and 2011-2016. In 2012, Hawthorn became the second club to grow its membership beyond 60,000, setting a goal of reaching 80,000 members by 2017.
Overall, Hawthorn's success in the AFL has been remarkable, with their strategic gameplay, strong fan base, and consistent performance making them a force to be reckoned with in the league.
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West Coast and Geelong have won four premierships each
West Coast Eagles and Geelong have won four premierships each. West Coast Eagles, based in Perth, became the first non-Victorian club to contest and win a grand final in 1991 and 1992, respectively. They are followed by Hawthorn, Kangaroo's, Sydney, Collingwood, Essendon, and Adelaide, who have won two AFL premierships each. Geelong, Brisbane, and West Coast lead with three AFL premierships each. Collingwood has played in the most grand finals, winning 16 out of 45 games. Essendon and Carlton have also won 16 premierships each, with Collingwood and Essendon being the only clubs to have won 16 grand finals.
Since 1994, new finals systems have required both grand finalists to qualify by winning a preliminary final in the preceding week. This ended the long-standing tradition of one qualifier receiving a bye in the week before the grand final. The Brisbane Lions celebrated their most recent win over Sydney in the 2024 Grand Final. The Western Bulldogs won their first Grand Final since 1961 in 2016, defeating the Sydney Swans by 22 points. Richmond achieved the greatest 12-month turnaround in AFL history, winning their first premiership in 37 years in 2017 and another grand final in 2020.
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Frequently asked questions
Victorian clubs have won the most AFL Grand Finals. Collingwood, Essendon and Carlton have each won 16 premierships.
Brisbane won the 2024 AFL Grand Final against Sydney.
Hawthorn has won the most AFL Grand Finals since 1990, with five premierships.
