List of VFL/AFL premiership captains and coaches explained

This is a list of captains and coaches of Australian Football League premiership teams. Jock McHale has coached the most premierships, with eight in total. Syd Coventry, Dick Reynolds and Michael Tuck are the most successful captains, with four premierships each.

The coach of the premiership winning team currently receives the Jock McHale Medal, named in McHale's honour. The medal was first awarded in 2001, and Jock McHale Medals were retrospectively awarded to all premiership-winning coaches from 1950 onwards, which was the first season following McHale's retirement from coaching.

List

Year Premiers Captaindata-sort-type="text"Coach
George Stuckey
Alec Sloan
Alec Sloan
Dick Wardill
Tod Collins
Lardie Tulloch
Lardie Tulloch
Gerald Brosnan
Gerald Brosnan
Jack Worrall
Jack Worrall
Jack Worrall
Charlie Ricketts
George Angus
Jack Worrall
Jack Worrall
Percy Parratt
Norm Clark
Norm Clark
George Holden
Jock McHale
Henry Elms
Herb Howson
Jock McHale
Dan Minogue
Dan Minogue
Vic Belcher
Syd Barker
Syd Barker
Cliff Rankin
Albert Chadwick
Jock McHale
Jock McHale
Jock McHale
Jock McHale
(caretaker Bob Rush)
Charlie Clymo
Checker Hughes
Jack Bisset
Percy Bentley
Jock McHale
Jock McHale
Reg Hickey
Brighton Diggins
Checker Hughes
Checker Hughes
Checker Hughes
Dick Reynolds
Jack Dyer
Fred Hughson
Percy Bentley
Dick Reynolds
Percy Bentley
Checker Hughes
Dick Reynolds
Dick Reynolds
Reg Hickey
Reg Hickey
Phonse Kyne
Charlie Sutton
Norm Smith
Norm Smith
Norm Smith
Phonse Kyne
Norm Smith
Norm Smith
John Kennedy
John Coleman
Bob Davis
Norm Smith
John Coleman
Allan Jeans
Tom Hafey
Ron Barassi
Tom Hafey
Ron Barassi
John Kennedy
John Nicholls
Tom Hafey
Tom Hafey
Ron Barassi
John Kennedy
Ron Barassi
HawthornDavid Parkin
Alex Jesaulenko
Tony Jewell
David Parkin
David Parkin
Allan Jeans
Kevin Sheedy
Kevin Sheedy
Allan Jeans
Robert Walls
Alan Joyce
Allan Jeans
Leigh Matthews
Alan Joyce
Mick Malthouse
Kevin Sheedy
Mick Malthouse
David Parkin
Denis Pagan
Malcolm Blight
Malcolm Blight
Denis Pagan
Kevin Sheedy
Leigh Matthews
Leigh Matthews
Leigh Matthews
Mark Williams
Paul Roos
John Worsfold
Mark Thompson
Alastair Clarkson
Mark Thompson
Mick Malthouse
Chris Scott
Alastair Clarkson
Luke Beveridge
Damien Hardwick
Adam Simpson
Damien Hardwick
Damien Hardwick
Simon Goodwin
Chris Scott
2023Craig McRae

Note: All team captains prior to 1902, and occasionally until 1922, also acted as the team's coach.

Footnotes

Further reading

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: The Australian. No fudge: AFL insists Mick Malthouse celebration will be by the numbers. Courtney Walsh. 31 October 2014. 25 April 2015. Melbourne, VIC.