VFL/AFL premiership and grand final statistics

This page is a collection of VFL/AFL premiership and grand final statistics. The Australian Football League (AFL), known as the Victorian Football League (VFL) until 1990, is the elite national competition in men's Australian rules football. Each year, the premiership is awarded to the club that wins the AFL Grand Final. The grand final has been played in all VFL/AFL seasons except for 1897 and 1924 (where the premiership was awarded without a grand final being played), and has been an annual tradition in its current format since 1931.

Since the introduction by the League of equalisation policies of a salary cap and draft in 1987,[1] every team currently competing in the Australian Football League (except for Gold Coast, which has not yet qualified for a finals series) has qualified for a preliminary final. This has had a significant impact on the spread of premierships: since 1990, thirteen clubs have won a premiership, compared with only five clubs between 1967 and 1989.[2] Essendon and Carlton have won the most VFL/AFL premierships, with a total of 16 each. Of the teams currently competing in the Australian Football League, only Fremantle, Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney (three of the competition's four newest clubs) are yet to win a premiership.

Premierships by team

Club Years in competition Premierships Runners-up Premiership years Runner-up years
Essendon1897–present16141897, 1901, 1911, 1912, 1923, 1924, 1942, 1946, 1949, 1950, 1962, 1965, 1984, 1985, 1993, 20001898, 1902, 1908, 1941, 1943, 1947, 1948, 1951, 1957, 1959, 1968, 1983, 1990, 2001
Carlton1897–present16131906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 19951904, 1909, 1910, 1916, 1921, 1932, 1949, 1962, 1969, 1973, 1986, 1993, 1999
Collingwood1897–present15271902, 1903, 1910, 1917, 1919, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1935, 1936, 1953, 1958, 1990, 20101901, 1905, 1911, 1915, 1918, 1920, 1922, 1925, 1926, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1952, 1955, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 2002, 2003, 2011, 2018
Hawthorn1925–present1361961, 1971, 1976, 1978, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 2008, 2013, 2014, 20151963, 1975, 1984, 1985, 1987, 2012
Melbourne1897–present1251900, 1926, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1948, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 19641946, 1954, 1958, 1988, 2000
Richmond1908–present11121920, 1921, 1932, 1934, 1943, 1967, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1980, 20171919, 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1940, 1942, 1944, 1972, 1982
Geelong1897–present991925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952, 1963, 2007, 2009, 20111897, 1930, 1953, 1967, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2008
Fitzroy1897–1996851898, 1899, 1904, 1905, 1913, 1916, 1922, 19441900, 1903, 1906, 1917, 1923
South Melbourne / Sydney1897–present5121909, 1918, 1933, 2005, 20121899, 1907, 1912, 1914, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1945, 1996, 2006, 2014, 2016
North Melbourne1925–present451975, 1977, 1996, 19991950, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1998
West Coast1987–present431992, 1994, 2006, 20181991, 2005, 2015
Brisbane Lions1997–present312001, 2002, 20032004
Adelaide1991–present211997, 19982017
Footscray / Western Bulldogs1925–present211954, 20161961
St Kilda1897–present1619661913, 1965, 1971, 1997, 2009, 2010
Port Adelaide1997–present1120042007
Fremantle1995–present012013
University1908–191400
Brisbane Bears1987–199600
Gold Coast2011–present00
Greater Western Sydney2012–present00

Table correct to the end of the 2018 season.

Premiership frequency

Club Years in competition Seasons Premierships Runners-up Percentage of premierships won Average years
Based by seasons in comp per premiership per grand final
Hawthorn1925–present94136 13.83%7.234.95
Brisbane Lions1997–present2231 13.64%7.335.50
Essendon1897–1915, 1918–present1201614 13.33%7.504.00
Carlton1897–present1221613 13.11%7.564.21
West Coast1987–present3243 12.50%8.004.57
Collingwood1897–present1221527 12.30%8.132.90
Melbourne1897–1915, 1919–present119125 10.08%9.927.00
Richmond1908–present1111112 9.91%10.094.83
Fitzroy1897–199610085 8.00%12.507.69
Geelong1897–1915, 1917–1941, 1944–present11999 7.56%13.116.61
Adelaide1991–present2821 7.14%14.009.33
Port Adelaide1997–present2211 4.55%22.0011.00
North Melbourne1925–present9445 4.26%23.5010.44
South Melbourne / Sydney1897–present122512 4.10%24.407.18
Footscray / Western Bulldogs1925–present9421 2.13%47.0031.33
St Kilda1897–1915, 1918–present12016 0.83%120.0017.14
Fremantle1995–present2401 ––24.00
Brisbane Bears1987–19961000 – ––
University1908–1914700 – ––
Gold Coast2011–present800 – ––
Greater Western Sydney2012–present700 – ––

Table correct to the end of the 2018 season.

Premiership droughts

The following tables summarise the longest periods of time between premierships won by clubs. The first table is limited to droughts lasting 50 or more years, while the latter two are specific to each club (the first of which spans the entire competition, including all 20 teams). The duration of the drought is given as the number of full seasons contested between premierships; the season in which the drought is broken is considered to be part of the drought, and if the drought began from a club's entry to the league, the club's inaugural season is also considered to be part of the drought.

+ Drought began upon club's entry to league
† Drought ended upon club's exit from league
— Current drought

Longest premiership droughts

Club Seasons Start End Grand final appearances during drought
South Melbourne / Sydney72193320051934, 1935, 1936, 1945, 1996
St Kilda68a1897+19661913, 1965
Footscray / Western Bulldogs62195420161961
Melbourne541964—1988, 2000
St Kilda521966—1971, 1997, 2009, 2010, 2010 replay
Fitzroy5219441996†
North Melbourne511925+19751950, 1974

a As St Kilda did not contest the 1916 and 1917 seasons, the duration of this drought was either 68 contested seasons, or 70 calendar years.

Table correct to the end of the 2018 season.

Longest club premiership droughts

Club Seasons Start End Grand final appearances during drought
Adelaide201998—2017
Brisbane Bears101987+1996†
Brisbane Lions152003—2004
Carlton23191519381916, 1921, 1932
1995—1999
Collingwood32195819901960, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1977, 1977 replay, 1979, 1980, 1981
Essendon19196519841968, 1983
Fitzroy5219441996†
Footscray / Western Bulldogs62195420161961
Fremantle241995+—2013
Geelong44196320071967, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1995
Gold Coast82011+—
Greater Western Sydney72012+—
Hawthorn371925+1961
Melbourne541964—1988, 2000
North Melbourne511925+19751950, 1974
Port Adelaide142004—2007
Richmond37198020171982
St Kilda68a1897+19661913, 1965
South Melbourne / Sydney72193320051934, 1935, 1936, 1945, 1996
University71908+1914†
West Coast12199420062005
200620182015

Table correct to the end of the 2018 season.

Current club premiership droughts

* Also the longest club premiership drought
Club Seasons Start Grand final appearances during drought
Adelaide20*19982017
Brisbane Lions1520032004
Carlton2319951999
Collingwood820102011, 2018
Essendon1820002001
Fremantle24*1995+2013
Geelong72011
Gold Coast8*2011+
Greater Western Sydney7*2012+
Hawthorn32015
Melbourne54*19641988, 2000
North Melbourne191999
Port Adelaide14*20042007
Richmond12017
St Kilda5219661971, 1997, 2009, 2010, 2010 replay
Sydney620122014, 2016
West Coast02018
Western Bulldogs22016

Table correct to the end of the 2018 season.

Consecutive appearances

Consecutive premierships

The most VFL/AFL premierships won consecutively is four, achieved only once, by Collingwood (1927–1930). Teams have won three premierships in a row on a further five occasions, and back-to-back premierships have been won on a further seventeen occasions.

# Club Years
4Collingwood1927, 1928, 1929, 1930
3Carlton1906, 1907, 1908
Melbourne1939, 1940, 1941
Melbourne1955, 1956, 1957
Brisbane Lions2001, 2002, 2003
Hawthorn2013, 2014, 2015
2Fitzroy1898, 1899
Collingwood1902, 1903
Fitzroy1904, 1905
Essendon1911, 1912
Carlton1914, 1915
Richmond1920, 1921
Essendon1923, 1924
Collingwood1935, 1936
Essendon1949, 1950
Geelong1951, 1952
Melbourne1959, 1960
Richmond1973, 1974
Carlton1981, 1982
Essendon1984, 1985
Hawthorn1988, 1989
Adelaide1997, 1998

Table correct to the end of the 2018 season.

Consecutive grand finals

The most consecutive years in which a club has featured in the VFL/AFL grand final is seven, achieved by Melbourne and Hawthorn.

# Club Years Win/loss
7Melbourne1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960L, W, W, W, L, W, W
Hawthorn1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989W, L, L, W, L, W, W
6Collingwood1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930L, L, W, W, W, W
Essendon1946, 1947, 19481, 1949, 1950, 1951W, L, L, W, W, L
5Carlton1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910W, W, W, L, L
Collingwood1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939W, W, L, L, L
North Melbourne1974, 1975, 1976, 19772, 1978L, W, L, W, L
4Fitzroy1903, 1904, 1905, 1906L, W, W, L
Collingwood1917, 1918, 1919, 1920W, L, W, L
Richmond1931, 1932, 1933, 1934L, W, L, W
South Melbourne1933, 1934, 1935, 1936W, L, L, L
Brisbane Lions2001, 2002, 2003, 2004W, W, W, L
Hawthorn2012, 2013, 2014, 2015L, W, W, W
3Fitzroy1898, 1899, 1900W, W, L
Collingwood1901, 1902, 1903L, W, W
Carlton1914, 1915, 1916W, W, L
Richmond1919, 1920, 1921L, W, W
Richmond1927, 1928, 1929L, L, L
Melbourne1939, 1940, 1941W, W, W
Essendon1941, 1942, 1943L, W, L
Richmond1942, 1943, 1944L, W, L
Geelong1951, 1952, 1953W, W, L
Carlton1968, 1969, 1970W, L, W
Richmond1972, 1973, 1974L, W, W
Collingwood1979, 1980, 1981L, L, L
Essendon1983, 1984, 1985L, W, W
Geelong2007, 2008, 2009W, L, W

1 Essendon drew the 1948 VFL Grand Final, and was defeated by Melbourne in the replay.
2 North Melbourne drew the 1977 VFL Grand Final, and defeated Collingwood in the replay.

Table correct to the end of the 2018 season.

Premierships at all levels

Club Seniors Reserves Under-19s Women's Night Total
Essendon1685—6 35
Carlton168604 34
Melbourne1212603 33
Richmond11911—1 32
Collingwood157402 28
Hawthorn1341—9 27
Geelong9131—3 26
North Melbourne477—5 23
Fitzroy832—2 15
Footscray / Western Bulldogs26114 14
South Melbourne / Sydney501—4 10
St Kilda131—4 9
Adelaide2——12 5
West Coast4———0 4
Brisbane Lions3——01 4
Port Adelaide1———2 3
Brisbane Bears01——0 1
University00——— 0
Fremantle0——00 0
Gold Coast0———0 0
Greater Western Sydney0——00 0

Table correct to the end of the 2018 season.

Premierships across multiple grades in a season

A club has won premierships in three grades in a single year on only two occasions – Essendon in 1950, and Richmond in 1973. During the years that it was achievable, no club ever won a senior, reserves, under-19s and night premiership in a single year.

Season Club Seniors Reserves Under-19s Women's Night Total
1950 VFL season Essendon N/A N/A 3/3
1951 VFL season Carlton N/A N/A 2/3
1952 VFL season Essendon N/A N/A 2/3
1956 VFL season South Melbourne N/A
[note 1]		 2/4
1965 VFL season Collingwood N/A N/A
[note 2]		 2/3
1971 VFL season Melbourne N/A
[note 3]		 2/4
1972 VFL season Hawthorn N/A N/A 2/3
1973 VFL season Richmond N/A N/A 3/3
1977 VFL season Richmond N/A 2/4
1984 VFL season Essendon N/A 2/4
1985 VFL season Hawthorn N/A 2/4
1986 VFL season Hawthorn N/A 2/4
1988 VFL season Hawthorn N/A 2/4
1991 AFL season Hawthorn N/A 2/4
1993 AFL season Essendon N/A N/A 2/3
1995 AFL season North Melbourne N/A N/A 2/3
2000 AFL season Essendon N/A N/A N/A 2/2
2009 AFL season Geelong N/A N/A N/A 2/2

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The 1956 VFL Night Series Competition was only for the teams who missed the finals (5th to 12th on ladder).
  2. ↑ The 1965 VFL Night Series Competition was only for the teams who missed the finals (5th to 12th on ladder).
  3. ↑ The 1971 VFL Night Series Competition was only for the teams who missed the finals (5th to 12th on ladder).

References

Sources

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