AFL Premiers: Every VFL/AFL Premiership Winner Since 1897

Who has won the most AFL premierships? Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon share the record with 16 each. Here is every VFL/AFL premiership winner since 1897, with grand final scores, records and the clubs still waiting for a flag.

The Brisbane Lions are the AFL premiers for a third straight year. Brisbane kicked the last four goals of the 2026 Grand Final to beat Fremantle 14.12 (96) to 12.17 (89) at the MCG on Saturday 26 September, in front of 100,023 people. It was the club’s second three-peat, after the 2001-03 side, and the sixth premiership in its history.

Days later, coach Chris Fagan stepped down after 10 seasons and three flags. AFL.com.au reported that the next coach will be chasing a four-peat, something no club has done since Collingwood won four in a row from 1927 to 1930.

That makes it the perfect time to look back at every premiership since the Victorian Football League kicked off in 1897. The competition became the AFL in 1990, and the list below covers both eras.

Most VFL/AFL premierships by club

Carlton: 16 (last in 1995)
Collingwood: 16 (last in 2023)
Essendon: 16 (last in 2000)
Hawthorn: 13 (last in 2015)
Melbourne: 13 (last in 2021)
Richmond: 13 (last in 2020)
Geelong: 10 (last in 2022)
Fitzroy: 8 (last in 1944, before its 1996 merger with the Brisbane Bears)
Brisbane Lions: 6 (last in 2026)
South Melbourne/Sydney: 5 (last in 2012)
North Melbourne: 4 (last in 1999, as the Kangaroos)
West Coast: 4 (last in 2018)
Footscray/Western Bulldogs: 2 (last in 2016)
Adelaide: 2 (last in 1998)
St Kilda: 1 (1966)
Port Adelaide: 1 (2004)
Fremantle, Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast: yet to win one

Fremantle has now lost two grand finals, in 2013 and 2026, while GWS lost its only decider in 2019. Gold Coast is the only current club that has never played in a grand final. If you’re a Dockers fan looking for happier memories, our top 25 Fremantle Dockers players of all time is a good place to start.

Grand final records

Biggest winning margin: 119 points, Geelong 24.19 (163) def. Port Adelaide 6.8 (44) in 2007
Highest score: 177 points, Carlton 28.9 (177) def. Richmond 22.18 (150) in 1972
Lowest winning score: 25 points, Collingwood 2.13 (25) def. Richmond 1.7 (13) in 1927
One-point thrillers: 1899 (Fitzroy), 1947 (Carlton), 1966 (St Kilda) and 2006 (West Coast)
Drawn grand finals: 1948, 1977 and 2010, each settled by a replay a week later
Biggest crowd: 121,696 at the MCG for Carlton’s win over Collingwood in 1970
Grand finals away from the MCG in the AFL era: VFL Park in 1991, the Gabba in 2020 and Perth’s Optus Stadium in 2021

Three or more flags in a row has happened just seven times: Carlton (1906-08), Collingwood (four straight, 1927-30), Melbourne twice (1939-41 and 1955-57), the Brisbane Lions twice (2001-03 and 2024-26) and Hawthorn (2013-15).

How to read the list

Each line shows the premier first, then the runner-up, with scores written as goals, behinds and total points. Every grand final was played at the MCG unless another venue is listed. In the early years the VFL used several finals systems, including challenge finals, so some of those deciding matches weren’t called grand finals at the time. In 1897 and 1924 the premiership was decided by a round-robin finals series. Scores and results are checked against the AFL Tables season records.

AFL premiers: 2020s

2026: Brisbane Lions 14.12 (96) def. Fremantle 12.17 (89)
2025: Brisbane Lions 18.14 (122) def. Geelong 11.9 (75)
2024: Brisbane Lions 18.12 (120) def. Sydney 9.6 (60)
2023: Collingwood 12.18 (90) def. Brisbane Lions 13.8 (86)
2022: Geelong 20.13 (133) def. Sydney 8.4 (52)
2021: Melbourne 21.14 (140) def. Western Bulldogs 10.6 (66) at Optus Stadium
2020: Richmond 12.9 (81) def. Geelong 7.8 (50) at The Gabba

AFL premiers: 2010s

2019: Richmond 17.12 (114) def. Greater Western Sydney 3.7 (25)
2018: West Coast 11.13 (79) def. Collingwood 11.8 (74)
2017: Richmond 16.12 (108) def. Adelaide 8.12 (60)
2016: Western Bulldogs 13.11 (89) def. Sydney 10.7 (67)
2015: Hawthorn 16.11 (107) def. West Coast 8.13 (61)
2014: Hawthorn 21.11 (137) def. Sydney 11.8 (74)
2013: Hawthorn 11.11 (77) def. Fremantle 8.14 (62)
2012: Sydney 14.7 (91) def. Hawthorn 11.15 (81)
2011: Geelong 18.11 (119) def. Collingwood 12.9 (81)
2010: Collingwood 16.12 (108) def. St Kilda 7.10 (52) in a replay, after a 9.14 (68) to 10.8 (68) draw

AFL premiers: 2000s

2009: Geelong 12.8 (80) def. St Kilda 9.14 (68)
2008: Hawthorn 18.7 (115) def. Geelong 11.23 (89)
2007: Geelong 24.19 (163) def. Port Adelaide 6.8 (44)
2006: West Coast 12.13 (85) def. Sydney 12.12 (84)
2005: Sydney 8.10 (58) def. West Coast 7.12 (54)
2004: Port Adelaide 17.11 (113) def. Brisbane Lions 10.13 (73)
2003: Brisbane Lions 20.14 (134) def. Collingwood 12.12 (84)
2002: Brisbane Lions 10.15 (75) def. Collingwood 9.12 (66)
2001: Brisbane Lions 15.18 (108) def. Essendon 12.10 (82)
2000: Essendon 19.21 (135) def. Melbourne 11.9 (75)

AFL premiers: 1990s

1999: Kangaroos (North Melbourne) 19.10 (124) def. Carlton 12.17 (89)
1998: Adelaide 15.15 (105) def. North Melbourne 8.22 (70)
1997: Adelaide 19.11 (125) def. St Kilda 13.16 (94)
1996: North Melbourne 19.17 (131) def. Sydney 13.10 (88)
1995: Carlton 21.15 (141) def. Geelong 11.14 (80)
1994: West Coast 20.23 (143) def. Geelong 8.15 (63)
1993: Essendon 20.13 (133) def. Carlton 13.11 (89)
1992: West Coast 16.17 (113) def. Geelong 12.13 (85)
1991: Hawthorn 20.19 (139) def. West Coast 13.8 (86) at VFL Park
1990: Collingwood 13.11 (89) def. Essendon 5.11 (41)

VFL premiers: 1980s

1989: Hawthorn 21.18 (144) def. Geelong 21.12 (138)
1988: Hawthorn 22.20 (152) def. Melbourne 6.20 (56)
1987: Carlton 15.14 (104) def. Hawthorn 9.17 (71)
1986: Hawthorn 16.14 (110) def. Carlton 9.14 (68)
1985: Essendon 26.14 (170) def. Hawthorn 14.8 (92)
1984: Essendon 14.21 (105) def. Hawthorn 12.9 (81)
1983: Hawthorn 20.20 (140) def. Essendon 8.9 (57)
1982: Carlton 14.19 (103) def. Richmond 12.13 (85)
1981: Carlton 12.20 (92) def. Collingwood 10.12 (72)
1980: Richmond 23.21 (159) def. Collingwood 9.24 (78)

VFL premiers: 1970s

1979: Carlton 11.16 (82) def. Collingwood 11.11 (77)
1978: Hawthorn 18.13 (121) def. North Melbourne 15.13 (103)
1977: North Melbourne 21.25 (151) def. Collingwood 19.10 (124) in a replay, after a 9.22 (76) to 10.16 (76) draw
1976: Hawthorn 13.22 (100) def. North Melbourne 10.10 (70)
1975: North Melbourne 19.8 (122) def. Hawthorn 9.13 (67)
1974: Richmond 18.20 (128) def. North Melbourne 13.9 (87)
1973: Richmond 16.20 (116) def. Carlton 12.14 (86)
1972: Carlton 28.9 (177) def. Richmond 22.18 (150)
1971: Hawthorn 12.10 (82) def. St Kilda 11.9 (75)
1970: Carlton 17.9 (111) def. Collingwood 14.17 (101)

VFL premiers: 1960s

1969: Richmond 12.13 (85) def. Carlton 8.12 (60)
1968: Carlton 7.14 (56) def. Essendon 8.5 (53)
1967: Richmond 16.18 (114) def. Geelong 15.15 (105)
1966: St Kilda 10.14 (74) def. Collingwood 10.13 (73)
1965: Essendon 14.21 (105) def. St Kilda 9.16 (70)
1964: Melbourne 8.16 (64) def. Collingwood 8.12 (60)
1963: Geelong 15.19 (109) def. Hawthorn 8.12 (60)
1962: Essendon 13.12 (90) def. Carlton 8.10 (58)
1961: Hawthorn 13.16 (94) def. Footscray 7.9 (51)
1960: Melbourne 8.14 (62) def. Collingwood 2.2 (14)

VFL premiers: 1950s

1959: Melbourne 17.13 (115) def. Essendon 11.12 (78)
1958: Collingwood 12.10 (82) def. Melbourne 9.10 (64)
1957: Melbourne 17.14 (116) def. Essendon 7.13 (55)
1956: Melbourne 17.19 (121) def. Collingwood 6.12 (48)
1955: Melbourne 8.16 (64) def. Collingwood 5.6 (36)
1954: Footscray 15.12 (102) def. Melbourne 7.9 (51)
1953: Collingwood 11.11 (77) def. Geelong 8.17 (65)
1952: Geelong 13.8 (86) def. Collingwood 5.10 (40)
1951: Geelong 11.15 (81) def. Essendon 10.10 (70)
1950: Essendon 13.14 (92) def. North Melbourne 7.12 (54)

VFL premiers: 1940s

1949: Essendon 18.17 (125) def. Carlton 6.16 (52)
1948: Melbourne 13.11 (89) def. Essendon 7.8 (50) in a replay, after a 10.9 (69) to 7.27 (69) draw
1947: Carlton 13.8 (86) def. Essendon 11.19 (85)
1946: Essendon 22.18 (150) def. Melbourne 13.9 (87)
1945: Carlton 15.13 (103) def. South Melbourne 10.15 (75) at Princes Park
1944: Fitzroy 9.12 (66) def. Richmond 7.9 (51) at Junction Oval
1943: Richmond 12.14 (86) def. Essendon 11.15 (81) at Princes Park
1942: Essendon 19.18 (132) def. Richmond 11.13 (79) at Princes Park
1941: Melbourne 19.13 (127) def. Essendon 13.20 (98)
1940: Melbourne 15.17 (107) def. Richmond 10.8 (68)

VFL premiers: 1930s

1939: Melbourne 21.22 (148) def. Collingwood 14.11 (95)
1938: Carlton 15.10 (100) def. Collingwood 13.7 (85)
1937: Geelong 18.14 (122) def. Collingwood 12.18 (90)
1936: Collingwood 11.23 (89) def. South Melbourne 10.18 (78)
1935: Collingwood 11.12 (78) def. South Melbourne 7.16 (58)
1934: Richmond 19.14 (128) def. South Melbourne 12.17 (89)
1933: South Melbourne 9.17 (71) def. Richmond 4.5 (29)
1932: Richmond 13.14 (92) def. Carlton 12.11 (83)
1931: Geelong 9.14 (68) def. Richmond 7.6 (48)
1930: Collingwood 14.16 (100) def. Geelong 9.16 (70)

VFL premiers: 1920s

1929: Collingwood 11.13 (79) def. Richmond 7.8 (50)
1928: Collingwood 13.18 (96) def. Richmond 9.9 (63)
1927: Collingwood 2.13 (25) def. Richmond 1.7 (13)
1926: Melbourne 17.17 (119) def. Collingwood 9.8 (62)
1925: Geelong 10.19 (79) def. Collingwood 9.15 (69)
1924: Essendon (runner-up Richmond; round-robin finals series, no grand final)
1923: Essendon 8.15 (63) def. Fitzroy 6.10 (46)
1922: Fitzroy 11.13 (79) def. Collingwood 9.14 (68)
1921: Richmond 5.6 (36) def. Carlton 4.8 (32)
1920: Richmond 7.10 (52) def. Collingwood 5.5 (35)

VFL premiers: 1910s

1919: Collingwood 11.12 (78) def. Richmond 7.11 (53)
1918: South Melbourne 9.8 (62) def. Collingwood 7.15 (57)
1917: Collingwood 9.20 (74) def. Fitzroy 5.9 (39)
1916: Fitzroy 12.13 (85) def. Carlton 8.8 (56)
1915: Carlton 11.12 (78) def. Collingwood 6.9 (45)
1914: Carlton 6.9 (45) def. South Melbourne 4.15 (39)
1913: Fitzroy 7.14 (56) def. St Kilda 5.13 (43)
1912: Essendon 5.17 (47) def. South Melbourne 4.9 (33)
1911: Essendon 5.11 (41) def. Collingwood 4.11 (35)
1910: Collingwood 9.7 (61) def. Carlton 6.11 (47)

VFL premiers: 1897-1909

1909: South Melbourne 4.14 (38) def. Carlton 4.12 (36)
1908: Carlton 5.5 (35) def. Essendon 3.8 (26)
1907: Carlton 6.14 (50) def. South Melbourne 6.9 (45)
1906: Carlton 15.4 (94) def. Fitzroy 6.9 (45)
1905: Fitzroy 4.6 (30) def. Collingwood 2.5 (17)
1904: Fitzroy 9.7 (61) def. Carlton 5.7 (37)
1903: Collingwood 4.7 (31) def. Fitzroy 3.11 (29)
1902: Collingwood 9.6 (60) def. Essendon 3.9 (27)
1901: Essendon 6.7 (43) def. Collingwood 2.4 (16) at Lake Oval
1900: Melbourne 4.10 (34) def. Fitzroy 3.12 (30) at East Melbourne Cricket Ground
1899: Fitzroy 3.9 (27) def. South Melbourne 3.8 (26) at Junction Oval
1898: Fitzroy 5.8 (38) def. Essendon 3.5 (23) at Junction Oval
1897: Essendon (runner-up Geelong; round-robin finals series, no grand final)

Who will be the 2027 AFL premiers?

Brisbane will start next season chasing history under a new coach, while Fremantle, GWS and Gold Coast keep chasing a first flag. The trade period has already reshaped plenty of lists, so catch up on the biggest trades in AFL history and every AFL number 1 draft pick since 1981 ahead of this year’s draft. For all the latest footy news, head to TSB’s AFL hub or follow along in the TSB iPhone app and on Android.

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