List of VFL/AFL Grand Final records explained

This is a list of VFL/AFL Grand Final records, as they apply to the history of the VFL/AFL grand final between 1897 and the present day.[1]

Individual records

Most matches played (player)
11: Michael Tuck (Hawthorn) 10: Gordon Coventry (Collingwood), Albert Collier (Collingwood), Dick Reynolds (Essendon), Bill Hutchison (Essendon)
Most matches (captain)9: Dick Reynolds (Essendon) 5: John Nicholls (Carlton), Michael Tuck (Hawthorn)
Most matches (coach)17: Jock McHale (Collingwood) 12: Dick Reynolds (Essendon)

11: Frank 'Checker' Hughes (Richmond/Melbourne)

10: Tom Hafey (Richmond/Collingwood)

Most matches (umpire)11: Matt Stevic 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 202310: Jack Elder (1908–22)9: Ian Robinson(1973–87)

9: Brett Rosebury 2009, 2010 + replay, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2021

Most matches (player/coach)20: Jock McHale (Collingwood) 17: Ron Barassi (Melbourne/Carlton/N Melbourne)

14: Frank 'Checker' Hughes (Richmond/Melbourne), Norm Smith (Melbourne) 14

Most wins (player)7: Michael Tuck (Hawthorn)6: Albert Collier (Collingwood), Harry Collier (Collingwood), Frank 'Bluey' Adams (Melbourne), Ron Barassi (Melbourne)
Most wins (captain)4: Dick Reynolds (Essendon), Syd Coventry (Collingwood), Michael Tuck (Hawthorn)
Most wins (coach)8: Jock McHale (Collingwood)6: Norm Smith (Melbourne)

5: Jack Worrall (Carlton/Essendon), F 'Checker' Hughes (Richmond/Melbourne)

Most losses (player)6: Jack Titus (Richmond)

5: Dick Reynolds (Essendon), Bill Hutchison (Essendon), Rene Kink (Collingwood/Essendon), Thomas O'Halloran (Richmond), Jack Dyer (Richmond), Jack Bissett (Richmond/South Melbourne)

Most losses (captain)4: Dick Reynolds (Essendon)3: Jack Bissett (South Melbourne), Jack Dyer (Richmond)
Most losses (coach)9: Jock McHale (Collingwood)7: Dick Reynolds (Essendon)

5: Allan Jeans (St Kilda/Hawthorn), Tom Hafey (Richmond/Collingwood)

First VFL/AFL game in GFHarry Prout (Essendon) 1908, Bill James (Richmond) 1920, George Rawle (Essendon) 1923, F 'Pop' Vine (Melbourne) 1926, Ken Batchelor (Collingwood) 1952, Marlion Pickett (Richmond) 2019
Most games before first GF313: Paul Roos (Fitzroy/Sydney) 1996

304: Shane Crawford (Hawthorn) 2008

293: Paul Williams (Collingwood/Sydney) 2005

290: Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle) 2013

281: Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs) 2016

Most Norm Smith Medals3: Dustin Martin (Richmond)2: Gary Ayres (Hawthorn), Andrew McLeod (Adelaide), Luke Hodge (Hawthorn)
Most possessions in a match 39: Simon Black (Brisbane) 2003, Christian Petracca (Melbourne) 2021

37: Kane Cornes (Port Adelaide) 2007, Jordan Lewis (Hawthorn) 2014, Matt Crouch (Adelaide) 2017, Caleb Daniel (Western Bulldogs) 2021

36: Geoff Raines (Richmond) 1980, Robert Harvey (St Kilda) 1997, Peter Burgoyne (Port Adelaide) 2007

35: Daryn Cresswell (Sydney) 1996, Luke Hodge (Hawthorn) 2014

Most goals (career)35: Gordon Coventry (Collingwood)

25: Dermott Brereton (Hawthorn)

23: Jason Dunstall (Hawthorn), Jack Mueller (Melbourne)

Most goals in a match9: Gordon Coventry (Collingwood) 1928, Gary Ablett Sr. (Geelong) 19898: Dermott Brereton (Hawthorn) 1985
Most goals in a quarter5: Darren Jarman (Adelaide) 1997, Q4
Most behinds in a match10: Ron Todd (Collingwood) 19368: Bob Pratt (South Melbourne) 1933, John Hendrie (Hawthorn) 1976

Team records

Highest score
28.9 (177)by Carlton vs Richmond 1972
Lowest score1.7 (13)by Richmond vs Collingwood 1927
Highest aggregate327 pointsCarlton vs Richmond 1972
Lowest aggregate38 pointsCollingwood vs Richmond 1927
Highest winning margin119 pointsby Geelong vs Port Adelaide 2007
Lowest winning margin1 pointby Fitzroy vs South Melbourne 1899, by Carlton vs Essendon 1947, by St Kilda vs Collingwood 1966, by West Coast vs Sydney 2006
Drawn games1948

1977

2010

Essendon vs Melbourne (Melbourne won replay)

Collingwood vs North Melbourne (North Melbourne won replay)

Collingwood vs St Kilda (Collingwood won replay)

Highest losing score22.18 (150)by Richmond vs Carlton 1972
Lowest winning score2.13 (25)by Collingwood vs Richmond 1927
Highest attendance121,696Collingwood vs Carlton 1970
Lowest attendance4,823Fitzroy vs South Melbourne 1899
Highest score – 1st Qtr8.4 (52)by Hawthorn vs Geelong 1989, by Carlton vs Richmond 1972
Highest score – 2nd Qtr10.2 (62)by Carlton vs Richmond 1972
Highest score – 3rd Qtr11.8 (74)by Essendon vs Melbourne 1946
Highest score – 4th Qtr11.3 (69)by Essendon vs Hawthorn 1985
Biggest comeback – Quarter time29by Carlton vs Collingwood 1970
Biggest comeback – Half time44by Carlton vs Collingwood 1970
Biggest comeback to win – Three Quarter time23by Essendon vs Hawthorn 1984
Biggest comeback to draw – Three Quarter time27by North Melbourne vs Collingwood 1977
Premiership from lowest ladder position7thby Western Bulldogs vs Sydney 2016
Consecutive premierships2by Adelaide 1997, 1998, Carlton 1914, 1915 & 1981, 1982, Collingwood 1902, 1903 & 1935, 1936, Essendon 1911, 1912 & 1923, 1924 & 1949, 1950 & 1984, 1985, Fitzroy 1898, 1899 & 1904, 1905, Geelong 1951 1952, Hawthorn 1988 1989, Melbourne 1959 1960, Richmond 1920, 1921 & 1973, 1974 & 2019, 2020
Consecutive premierships3by Brisbane 2001, 2002, 2003, Carlton 1906, 1907, 1908, Hawthorn 2013, 2014, 2015, Melbourne 1939, 1940, 1941, & 1955, 1956, 1957
Consecutive premierships4by Collingwood 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Grand final records. 9 October 2020. AFL Tables.