Below are the winners of the Grand Final since the first one in 1898, over 120 years ago. From the bounce, Mann — a good enough player to now be in the AFL Hall of Fame — immediately marked 25m out on a 45 degree angle — and missed! Best: Beames, Roberts, Anderson, Rodda, Wartman, Truscott. Here are Melbourne's 12 Premiership winning teams. With Athol Webb kicking three quick goals for Melbourne in the final quarter, Collingwood found it impossible to get back into the match. Although he had once kicked seven goals as a rover against North Melbourne seven years earlier, this was his first goal for five years and one of only 24 in his 99-match career. Melbourne has won 12 VFL/AFL Premierships with the first coming in 1900 and most recent occurring in 1964. In fact, Collingwood kicked just two goals - the first from a Ray Gabelich toe-kick from just five metres early in the second quarter and the second from a John Henderson set-shot from 40 metres in the third quarter. Melbourne then finished the 1926 home and away season in third position behind the previous year's grand finalists, Geelong and Collingwood. Goals: Townsend 3, Lord 2, H. Mann, Bourke, Crompton. This weekend the men who won Melbourne’s last premiership gather to remember that great day 50 years ago — and hope for another soon. Read the stories of Melbourne's 12 VFL/AFL Premierships. The Melbourne-Essendon preliminary final was a sensation, with the Redlegs' Bob Corbett felled behind play. B:  Beckwith, Marquis, Trevor JohnsonHB:  Williams, McGivern, McMahen (c)C:  McLean, Melville, CaseHF:  Mithen, Laidlaw, McKenzieF:  R. Johnson, Clarke, RidleyR:  Denis Cordner, R. Barassi, SpencerReserves:  Gleeson, AdamsCoach:  N. Smith. Melbourne Storm Whilst Cameron Smith simply can’t make his mind up, he definitely won’t be at the Storm in 2021. However, it was still good enough for the Demons to top the ladder, ahead of (in order) Essendon, Hawthorn (making the finals for the first time) and Carlton. VIC Metro. The club were universally declared the best team in the land six times between 1865 and 1876, but they were destined never to win a premiership in the VFA. Then, when Essendon defeated Melbourne by 36 points in the second semi-final, the Dons were almost unbackable to land the flag. B:  R. Emselle, Roberts, BallHB:  C. McLean, G. Jones, HIngstonC:  Wartman, La Fontaine (c), S. AndersonHF:  Gibb, Baggott, TruscottF:  Fanning, Smith, RoddaR:  Mueller, O’Keefe, BeamesReserve:  R. Barassi Snr.Coach:  FV ‘Checker’ Hughes. It was unsettling,” he said. Wins. Essendon could not claw its way back into the match, especially as veteran Mueller, brought back from the reserves for the finals, was at his best with six grand final goals. Melbourne is favored and they have a major reason to get this win as legendary captain Cameron Smith looks set to hang up his cleats after a mind-boggling 430 matches over the last 19 seasons. Goals: Beames 4, Rodda 4, L. Jones 3, Ball 2, Mueller 2, Truscott 2, Smith, Wartman, La Fontaine, Baggott. But they will also do it with a sense of incredulity. North Melbourne waited the second longest with 51 while Hawthorn (37 years) rank in third. QUIZ: When did every NRL club win their last premiership? Smith was reinstated after one match — and remained in charge until after the 1967 season — but the damage was done. Currently the top eight teams in the AFL competition play off in the finals, eventually with a grand final match usually played in the last week of September. Melbourne 20 St George Illawarra 18 107,999 Cronulla Wests 2000 Brisbane 14 Sydney Roosters 6 94,277 Brisbane North Queensland 2001 Newcastle 30 Parramatta 24 … Significantly, the Demons were defeated only twice during the season - by Footscray at the MCG in Round 14 and by Geelong by two points at Kardinia Park in Round 16. Last premiership: 1964 Drought: 52 years After the Western Bulldogs' premiership triumph this season, Melbourne now holds the longest flag drought. When we last left the Melbourne Storm in the 2020 grand final, they were coming within a whisker of surrendering a 22-point first-half lead to a team many expected to win the premiership. B:  Herring, Sholl, RipponHB:  Parkin, Purse, McClellandC:  Gardner, Young, HayHF:  Lewis, Leith, LangleyF:  Wardill (c), Geddes, RyanR:  Moodie, Cumberland, McGinis. They kept their winning run going to make a 4-0 start to life in rugby league’s newest elite competition. “He would vent his feelings to Crompton after the match and for some time after that,” Collins writes. Almost every football fan expected a Melbourne-Collingwood grand final and were delighted when these two teams slugged it out in wet conditions in the second semi-final. Three or four years, maybe. Melbourne finished the 2017 home-and-away season in ninth place with a win-loss record … Cronulla Sharks have beaten Melbourne Storm 14-12 in the 2016 NRL Grand Final and ended 49 years of hurt to land the first ever premiership title in … Melbourne dominated the second half and, in fact, had the premiership in its keeping with a 40-point lead at the final break. It was suggested - and probably with good reason - that the Demons went into the match over-confident, paying a hefty penalty. North Melbourne has won 10 premierships in its history; six in the VFA and four in VFL/AFL history. Melbourne won by 39 points. 24 September 1960, Melbourne Cricket Ground. MELBOURNE made the 1946 grand final, only to be thrashed (63 points) by Essendon and had to wait two years to avenge that defeat, in extraordinary circumstances. Goals: R. Barassi 4, Rowarth 4, Adams 3, R. Johnson 3, H. Mann, Tunbridge, Ridley. IT’S one of the AFL’s longest premiership droughts. Best: Denis Cordner, R. Barassi, Melville, McLean, McMahen, Marquis. Fittingly, some of the players behind Melbourne’s 2021 resurgence wear the numbers of those fallen players. Melbourne, however, suffered a serious setback to its ambitions when Richmond defeated it by six points in the second semi-final. No one was more surprised to see Crompton turn matchwinner than the fiery coach, who had given him strict instructions not to stray from the backline. Gabelich took possession 40m out on the half-forward flank and galloped towards goal, bouncing the ball four times, almost losing control of it every time, and eventually slamming it through from the goalsquare to regain the lead with only minutes to play. Mann likens it now to what Essendon must have been going through last year with “something hanging over their heads.”. It was to be yet another Melbourne-Collingwood grand final. Best: Beames, Smith, Baggott, La Fontaine, Mueller, Ball. Nationwide News Pty Ltd © 2020. Cordner (c), Dullard, RoddaReserves:  Bowman, JacksonCoach:  FV ‘Checker’ Hughes. The Melbourne Demons currently have the longest active AFL premiership drought. Melbourne regrouped after this incident to kick three goals in four minutes to close the half-time gap to just four points. Then, in the dying minutes, Melbourne reserve Frank "Bluey" Adams was so excited at taking the field that he accidentally collided with Collingwood winger Des Healey. Goals: R. Johnson 6, Moyes 3, Wittman 3, Duff 2, Deane, Taylor, Vine. The dynasty ended the following year when Barassi shocked the football world by accepting a lucrative offer to become captain-coach of Carlton, with an even bigger shock to follow when Melbourne sacked legendary coach Norm Smith mid-season, despite the Demons having won their first eight games. Kenneally refers to him as “like a second father. Melbourne led by just six points at the final change, but its ferocious tackling took its toll on Essendon over the final quarter. Best: Mueller, Smith, McGrath, Spittle, Bickford, Arnold. However their bid for the premiership hit a significant hurdle in the opening week of the finals with a last-minute Canberra Raiders try handing Storm a rare 12-10 loss at home and taking away their direct path to the preliminary final. Melbourne had both the best attacking record (631 points) and best defensive record (300 points). B:  R. Emselle, McGrath, Don. The disappointment of 1958, when Collingwood denied Melbourne a fourth consecutive flag, rankled with the Demons and they were determined to bounce back in 1959. Nic Naitanui is on target to play against Essendon after missing last year's premiership win. Melbourne had gone into the match with several injury problems and Keith Carroll (thigh) was replaced by Ian Thorogood in the second quarter. Siri, who's the most popular Melbourne play since the day on a flat Alan Jaco and he wasn't even the best player in his family. However, the league operated a most unusual finals system at that time, with the eight clubs drawn into two groups. Melbourne's Noel McMahen shirtfronted Collingwood star Bob Rose early and this set the tempo for the match, with the Demons willing to crash through packs and risk life and limb for the cause. “It was a sin to break a team rule regardless of the consequences.”. “No one would ever had said that from that day we would not win for another half a century. Melbourne, naturally, was the flag favorite, but all the other finalists had claims to the premiership. REPLAY: North Melbourne 21.25 (151) defeated Collingwood 19.10 (124) Collingwood 10.16 (76) drew North Melbourne 9.22 (76) 1976 Hawthorn 13.22 (100) defeated North Melbourne 10.10 (70) 1975 North Melbourne 19.8 (122 Melbourne again was the flag favourite, but there was no doubt Fitzroy was the sentimental favorite as it had not been in a grand final since winning in 1944. The Demons shocked the football world by naming amateur champion Denis Cordner at centre halfback for only his second game - five years after his debut. 50 years on, the men who won Melbourne’s last premiership await the next IT’S one of the AFL’s longest premiership droughts. Smith fell out with the committee over a number of issues and was incensed by a perceived lack of loyalty when they refused to support him financially in a legal fight with umpire Don Blew, who he accused in late 1964 of being “subconsciously biased towards the underdog”. “It’s almost embarrassing,” says Hassa Mann, the vice-captain. “I’m glad he did use his initiative. 28 September 1940, Melbourne Cricket Ground. The glorious Demon era of the '50s really started in 1954 when Footscray defeated a young Melbourne side in the grand final. There was no way Melbourne was going to fail after Corbett's heroics the previous week. They ran hard at the ball and did not allow the Demons to get their free-flowing game going. Rain had pelted down for 48 hours and, ironically, this raised Magpie spirits as the bog at the MCG undoubtedly was a leveler. Then, when Melbourne defeated Carlton by 27 points in the second semi-final, punters found a flag favorite. Year Premiership team Runner-up 2020 Richmond Geelong 2019 Richmond GWS Giants 2018 West Coast Collingwood 2017 Richmond Melbourne Storm played their first ever game on March 14, 1998 against the Illawarra Dragons at WIN Stadium. However, the Demons took control in the second quarter through the hard work of Denis Cordner in the ruck and the brilliant ground play of utility Laurie Mithen. Note: Dead heats are indicated within brackets in the premiership table above. Field umpire Coward injured an elbow and had to be replaced by emergency umpire Blackburn. O'Keefe never left Dyer's side, and with their star out of the game, Richmond wilted under the ferocious Melbourne pressure. Getting North Melbourne as their Round 13 opponent was a win, because the Kangaroos were probably the easiest opponent left on their fixture - … Collingwood led by two points at half time and there was more than a hint of an upset in the air, even though Melbourne bounced back to lead by 11 points at the final change. Melbourne, after finishing sixth, was grouped with the teams, which finished second, fourth and eighth for the right to challenge for the flag. Barassi didn’t know this would be his last match for the club with which his name had become synonymous, and for the coach who had literally been a father figure to him after the wartime death of his own Dad. Goals: Smith 7, Baggott 2, Beames 2, O’Keefe 2, Truscott, Fanning. The memory of it still makes him squirm. That’s because they cannot believe the most powerful club in the competition by far, having won an amazing six flags from eight grand finals in 11 years, could possibly still be without another one half a century later. O'Keefe did his job so well he played a pivotal role in Melbourne winning the 1940 flag. Marlion Pickett faces a sizeable disadvantage compared to the AFL’s best ruckmen but the Tigers star has a habit of defying gravity. Collingwood might have been undermanned, but its spirit was exemplary and the Magpies tackled Melbourne with every fragment of energy. The Dons rallied briefly in the third quarter and, with Gordon "Whoppa" Lane dominant close to goal, there was some slight hope of Essendon making a game of it. Melbourne Richmond 15.17 (107) - 10.8 (68) 1939 Melbourne Collingwood 21.22 (148) - … North Melbourne's Grand Final Wins. ( AAP: Hamish Blair ) Posted 26 Aug August 2019 Mon Monday 26 Aug August 2019 at … This weekend the men who won Melbourne’s last premiership gather to remember that great day 50 years ago — and hope for another soon. Melbourne continued their unbeaten start to the season with a resounding 34-point win over reigning premiers Richmond Q4: 19 mins remaining: Melbourne 10-8 (68) vs Richmond 5 … “In Sydney, look at how well Rachel is doing! However, Melbourne hit back late in the quarter through goals by Jack O'Keefe and Gerry Daly to leave Essendon chasing a 47-point three-quarter time deficit. Melbourne, after an even first half, took control in the third quarter and led by 13 points at the final break. In the comprehensive notes he has written for distribution at the reunion, premiership forward-flanker Bryan Kenneally says: “Even the master coach must have enjoyed the fairytale finish no matter how unorthodox it had been.”, Yes — up to a point. Melbourne Cricket Ground 32,688 17 September 1904 1905 Fitzroy (4) Collingwood 4.6 (30) … CordnerHB:  C. McLean, T. Cordner, LockC:  S. Anderson, La Fontaine (c), HealHF:  Gibb, Baggott, WartmanF:  O’Keefe, Smith, DalyR:  Mueller, Dullard, BeamesReserve:  LewisCoach:  FV ‘Checker’ Hughes. Members of the 1956 team celebrate the 50 year anniversary in Round 11, 2006 (Photo: AFL Photos), The 1960 team celebrates the 50 year Premiership anniversary prior to Melbourne's Round 12 clash with Collingwood in 2010 (Photo: AFL Photos), The team of 1964 celebrate 50 years since the flag in Round 12, 2014 (Photo: Michael Willson). Melbourne, after an ordinary season, found form at the right time and won its section, therefore winning the right to challenge the winner of the other group - Essendon. Barassi believes Crompton’s experience at coping with pressure as a cricketer — he played 45 first class matches as a batsman and superb fieldsman for Victoria — helped him make the right decision. Melbourne handled the heavy conditions far better than Essendon and opened a 35-point break by quarter-time. They finished seventh (when only four teams played in the finals) and never really recovered, reaching only two more Grand Finals. The 1941 season was an even one, partly because some players were available only between military service. It may be enough to win the premiership they got so close to last year. From being flag favorite a fortnight earlier, Melbourne now was the underdog in the big one against Richmond. Best: Cumberland, Langley, McGinis, Moodie, Purse, Wardill. Melbourne's remarkable run of finals victories ended when Essendon defeated the Demons by 16 points. He was the designated back-pocket and was in the forward line — against Smith’s instructions — only because his man, rover Mickey Bone, had run the length of the ground and Crompton decided to go with him. Johnson, Wise, H. Mann, Williams. Premierships Standings. For the fifth consecutive season, Melbourne finished on top of the ladder, this time half a game ahead of Carlton, with Collingwood third and Essendon fourth. Then, when Collingwood defeated St Kilda by 29 points in the preliminary final, there seemed to way the Redlegs could fall to the Magpies in the grand final. Melbourne defeated the Magpies by 11 points in a dour struggle to march straight into the grand final, while Collingwood had to struggle to defeat a gallant Geelong by 12 points in the preliminary final. Melbourne eventually won by 39 points, with Norm Smith kicking seven goals after being given instructions by Hughes to play an unorthodox role at full-forward by roaming from one side of the forward zone to the other. “Other people did become not as committed as they should have been, put it that way.”. Hey Siri you, I know a long But, because Fitzroy had topped the ladder, the Maroons had the right to challenge the winner of the Melbourne-Essendon match in a grand final. If Melbourne was to win the flag it would have to do it the hard way, and started by defeating Essendon by just five points in the preliminary final. Cumani launches 3YO assault Khoekhoe, Prince Fitzroy defeated Essendon and became favorites for the flag. Then, when Melbourne thrashed Collingwood by 89 points in the second semi-final, Demon fans dreamed of yet another premiership. It was the club's third consecutive flag and arguably the proudest. However, the Demons obviously did not believe in sentiment and thrashed the Lions by 62 points in the second semi-final. Smith had two chances to break the deadlock in the final minutes but missed both opportunities and the match ended in a draw - the first in a grand final. Hughes therefore asked the under-rated Jack O'Keefe to "tag" the Tiger star. The 1964 win — by four points over Collingwood — was one of the most dramatic ever. Critics rated Melbourne's performance as the best by any side that season and the football public now anticipated the Demons would at least give Essendon a run for its money. On the field, Lazarus celebrated his fifth premiership win with three clubs in his last match by performing a cartwheel. But Anzac Eve was Melbourne’s night as they beat Richmond at their own game to celebrate loyal veteran Nathan Jones’ 300th game in style with a 34-point win. The iconic MCG was stuck in an uncomfortable silence after the master of ceremonies baffled spectators with her “slightly awkward” gaffe. Best: Abernethy, R. Johnson, Moyes, Streeter, Warne-Smith, Wittman. Essendon topped the 1948 ladder from Melbourne by a whopping 10 match points and, naturally, very few fans would deny the Dons flag favoritism, with Collingwood and Footscray making up the final four. In a history dating back to 1892, Collingwood has collected a total of 27 premierships across senior, reserve and under-19 grades.The club won its only VFA premiership in its fifth and final year in the competition before switching to the newly formed VFL for the 1897 season. Then, in the preliminary final, Collingwood pipped Fitzroy by five points. Melbourne, on the other hand, was fresh from a week's rest. It then defeated Collingwood in the 1977 Grand Final replay after the initial match ended in a draw. Their last premiership victory came in 1964 when legendary coach Norm Smith Fitzroy, on the other hand, was almost at full strength for the big match, played in near-perfect conditions. With a revolt by supporters imminent, the club relented and re-hired him on the Monday — but the tension did not dissipate and the club was never the same again. Starts. Melbourne finished second on the ladder, behind Carlton on percentage and ahead of Richmond on percentage. B:  Deans, McGrath, RuleHB:  McLean, Denis Cordner, G. CollinsC:  Spittle, Bickford, DockettHF:  McKenzie, Arnold, McMahenF:  Mueller, Smith, CraddockR:  Don. It was a message to the Bombers that Melbourne meant business and would defend its premier status to the very last breath. No jockeys could be found matching your criteria. The first quarter was even, but poor kicking for goal by Essendon gave the Demons a 12-point lead. The Redlegs finished the home and away season on top of the ladder (two games clear of Richmond) and had a galaxy of stars to stop all challengers. That’s what just about everybody in the crowd of 102,469 — including this writer, a teenage spectator who was standing under the trajectory of Crompton’s kick, barracking hard for the Demons — were asking themselves. Then, at half-time Melbourne led by a massive 57 points - an impossible target for the Dons. Goals: Beames 6, Smith 3, Mueller 3, Wartman 2, Daly, Dullard, O’Keefe, S. Anderson, Gibb. Key Melbourne forwards Jack Mueller and Norm Smith showed devastating form against the Magpies and if they again could get among the goals the Demons could upset the Dons. 21 September 1957, Melbourne Cricket Ground. Collingwood coach Jock McHale implored his players to look for star forward Ron Todd (who had kicked 11 goals against St Kilda) at every opportunity and Melbourne was well aware that the Magpie goal kicker represented the bigger obstacle to winning the flag. B:  Crompton, Massey, Tas. Melbourne made one change from the first Grand Final, adding Bob McKenzie to the side in place of Doug Heywood. Although Todd was doing well for the Magpies close to goal, Melbourne made sure the ball did not reach him enough for the Magpies to kick a winning score and, in fact, attacked relentlessly to keep the ball at the other end. The Magpies might have fought back with a four-point preliminary final win over Geelong, but how on earth could they turn the tables on Melbourne, brilliantly led by the game's most ferocious competitor, Ron Barassi. Melbourne reached the grand final in style, humiliating Collingwood by 65 points in the preliminary final. The Demons by a mammoth 73 points after kicking 11 goals to just two over the second half. Then, after the Redlegs defeated the Magpies by 14 points in the second semi-final, every football critic was convinced Melbourne would win its first flag for 13 years. Vine kicked a goal early in the match and all Melbourne nerves were settled. Collingwood, desperate to avenge the previous year's grand final defeat, started brilliantly with a goal to Bill Serong in the opening minutes. The Demons, however, had a struggle in defeating Collingwood by 16 points in the preliminary final, with the Magpies even leading by a point at the final change. She can win the Melbourne premiership this season against great riders like ‘Ollie’ (Damien Oliver), Craig Williams and Damian Lane. 26 September 1959, Melbourne Cricket Ground. Then, in the preliminary final, Collingwood defeated Footscray by 39 points to win another crack at the Demons. Melbourne by 20 points at half time. With Melbourne's Allan La Fontaine containing Collingwood star Marcus Whelan in the centre, the Magpies did not have the drive they needed to stop the Redlegs' run. “I didn’t know whether to abuse him for a lack of discipline or cry on his shoulder,” Smith said. It was to be a second consecutive Melbourne-Collingwood grand final, and little wonder there was a record attendance of 115,802 at the MCG. Considering the blinders played by Wally Lewis medallist Cameron Munster and Clive Churchill medallist Ryan Papenhuyzen in the 26-18 win … Melbourne eventually settled, but Collingwood looked the better side over the first quarter and led by five points at the first break. Essendon gallantly fought the issue to the bitter end and, inspired by captain-coach Dick Reynolds, kicked seven goals in the final quarter. Essendon, which had made the finals just half a game ahead of Fitzroy, defeated Collingwood by 38 points in the first semi-final and then surprised the football world in defeating Carlton by seven points in the preliminary final. It was fitting that Petracca won last year’s best and fairest eight decades after Truscott wore the No.5. The powerbrokers eventually accused Smith of disrespecting their authority and sacked him by a letter couriered to his home the night before a match against North Melbourne, sparking the biggest football news story of the era. Having finished on top of the ladder despite losing the last match to Footscray, and having crushed the Magpies by 89 points in the second semi-final, the Demons were hot favourites. Barassi, Mann and Kenneally are all critical of the administration of the day for the way they treated Smith, who had been a superb player as well as a hugely successful coach — his record now immortalised in a statue outside the MCG. The final margin was 29 points in Melbourne's favour, a remarkable achievement considering so many experienced players were missing. The Bombers reveled in their underdog status and took the game right up to Melbourne in the first quarter, deliberately using their pace in an effort to burn off the opposition. B:  Beckwith, Tas. SA Metro. Essendon's triumph would be the last by any Victorian team until the 2007 AFL Grand Final when Geelong won its first premiership in 44 years and was the last win by Melbourne-based club until Hawthorn's victory in the 2008 AFL Grand Final. Melbourne led by 11 points at the last break and by 14 shortly after it, but Magpies skipper Ray Gabelich, a large, lumbering ruckman, kicked two goals in six minutes, the second of which remains unforgettable. Conditions for the grand final were atrocious. And for the surviving members of the Melbourne Football Club team that won the VFL premiership in 1964, that’s how it will be when they reunite at the MCG for the traditional Queen’s Birthday fixture against Collingwood today. 1 - Melbourne has won 12 premierships (1900, 1926, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1948, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960 and 1964) 2 - The red and blue has played in 18 grand finals, including one tie in 1948 3 - Melbourne has a 71 per cent winning record in grand finals 4 - A total of 128 players have played in Melbourne premierships Both were disasters, Hawthorn winning by 96 points in 1988 and Essendon by 10 goals in 2000. The Melbourne juggernaut rolled on in 1960, the Demons again finishing on top of the ladder, this time ahead of Fitzroy (coached by Len Smith, brother of Demon coach Norm), Essendon and Collingwood. Naturally, the Demons were almost unbackable for the flag. While the Demons carry the unwanted tag of having the longest premiership drought, St Kilda’s last — and only flag — came in 1966, two years after Melbourne’s latest triumph. Then Neil Crompton swooped on a loose ball close to goal and snapped what turned out to be the winner, even though there was still nearly three minutes left on the clock. B:  Beckwith (c), Marquis, Fenton-SmithHB:  Williams, Lord, CarrollC:  I. McLean, Mithen, DixonHF:  Tunbridge, Trevor Johnson, CaseF:  R. Barassi, Webb, RidleyR:  R. Johnson, Wilson, AdamsReserves:  Thorogood, BrenchleyCoach:  N. Smith. Cameron Smith scored 14 of the Storm’s 26 points as Melbourne proved their status as the most dominant NRL team of the 21st century Eg. Goals: R. 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