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VFL/AFL Premiers

Currently the top eight teams in the AFL competition play off in the finals, culminating with a grand final match usually played in the last week of September. Read about the AFL finals system. Below are the winners of the Grand Final since the first one in 1898, over 120 years ago.

There have been three drawn grand finals (1948, 1977 and 2010), which required a replay match the following week. Since 2016, the rules have changed so grand finals that are tied after full-time will result in extra time of  two five-minute periods. If the scores are still tied at the end of the extra time, play continues until the next score.

Collingwood has played in the most Grand Finals, 44, winning 15 of them. Essendon and Carlton have been premiers 16 times. Only one team has won four consecutive grand finals, Collingwood in 1927, 1928, 1929 and 1930. Gold Coast is the only current team not to have played in a grand final.

AFL Grand Final parade in 2006

In 2016, the Western Bulldogs appeared in their first Grand Final since 1961, beating the Sydney Swans by 22 points. The Bulldogs won three consecutive finals from a record seventh position on the ladder to progress through to the Grand Final.

The 2017 winner Richmond completed the greatest 12-month turnaround in AFL history, after finishing 13th on the ladder in 2016, the Tigers won their first premiership in 37 years in 2017. In 2020, they again won the grand final

List of AFL Grand Final Winners

Related Pages

• Norm Smith Medal — award for the best player in the AFL Grand Final.
• Grand Final Sprint Winners
• AFLW Premiers - winners of the women's AFL competition
• Wooden Spoon winners
• Brownlow Medalists
• Grand Final Venues

Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.

Old Comments

Commenting is closed on this page, though you can read some previous comments below which may answer some of your questions.

• Why are the AFL counting VFL premierships as AFL premierships? Since 1990 Geelong, Brisbane & West Coast lead with 3 AFL premierships each. Followed by Hawthorn, kangaroo's, Sydney, Collingwood, Essendon & Adelaide with 2 AFL premierships each. Carlton & Port Adelaide with 1 AFL premiership each. In 1990 the game become AFL officially because of a move to a National competition. There has been a wider spread of premiers since the introduction of a draft & Salary cap. Not like in the VFL when it was dominated by 4 or so clubs. Therefore Carlton & Essendon haven't won the most AFL premierships on 16. Essendon have won 2 AFL 14 VFL premierships & Carlton have won 1 AFL 15 VFL premierships etc. Matt (2013)
  • Of course they count VFL and AFL together. The teams are the same, the comp is the same, only the name had been changed. The record stands: Essendon and Carlton have won the most premierships, what ever you call it. Brunhilde (2013)
• AFL is a national competition. Only 1990 + is valid. Chooky Brunhilde (2013)
• no, VFL was on the same skill level as AFL with the same teams but AFL is just incorporating the other sates into the VFL which changed the name to AFL Demiville chooky (2013)
• No, it is completely different because there are completely different teams involved. So to claim one team is better because they have more premierships including the VLF is stupid as some teams didn't exist then to challenge for it. Confused demiville (2013)
• that was there problem, so because the gold coast started 4 years ago it should start from there? grow a brain. RyinKlarkesSpelCheuqe Confused (2015)
• All that changed was the name. The teams are still generally the same: Brisbane Lions are Fitzroy, Western Bulldogs are Footscray and Sydney Swans are South Melbourne. New teams have been introduced in more recent years, but that is normal for every sport. So it makes complete sense that the AFL and VFL are counted together. Pears Confused (2014)
• Brisbane was actually the Brisbane Bears when they joined in 1987 playing in the Gold Coast then in 1996 the Bankrupt Fitzroy Lions merged with the near bankrupt Brisbane Bears to Become the Brisbane Lions (with financial support from the AFL) and move to Brisbane to play there home games. This was to Allow both teams to survive and so that the Port Adelaide Power could join the league. Shawn Callaghan Pears (2019)
• I agree with you 100%, but under the same argument Port Adelaide won 36 cups in the SANFL. So technically they have won the most then? George demiville (2013)
  • Ummm, no it wouldn't because SANFL isn't part of that VFL/AFL connection. When VFL was the premier league of Australian Football, Victoria still had it's equivalent of WAFL and SANFL in the VFA. When the AFL was created and put in place of the VFL being the premier league, Victoria's state league became the VFL with teams from the VFA becoming part of the VFL. Spin.King George (2014)
• The VFL as a competition ceased to exist from 1987 when the AFL was formed with interstate teams. New teams with new home & away, structure, along with with a new rules governing body. A new VFL competition is in existence from 1987 which isn't the same as before. Aussie Spin.King (2014)
• You ignorant Victorians need to wake up and smell the roses. The WAFL and SANFL were the equal of the VFL, producing footballers of superior skill, which is why Victorian teams constantly came knocking. Many of our best told them to bugger off - such as Stephen Michael. With the VFL staggering toward Bankruptcy they begged WA and SA to bail them out in 1984/85. Therefore you either include all records from the VFL, WAFL and SANFL when assessing players and club records, or you start with a clean slate from 1986. This is the reason the AFL has rolled over and agreed to induct more former players from WA and SA from next year! The VFL was basically played on mud heaps and most of there past stars would struggle on todays grounds were as WA players enjoyed grounds wide and firm and fast and most likely would perform well today. Jeffery Michael Hill Aussie (2015)
• This is clearly correct. There were three state leagues, of which the VFL was only one. I agree with the comment below that a sensible comparison can only be drawn be drawn on the basis of percentages of premierships won while the team was in the competition. Otherwise, we would need a comparison that's much bigger and which compares the other state leagues with the VFL. The winning ways of East Fremantle and Port Adelaide come to mind. Any other analysis adopts a Victorian bias for no good reason. In the same way, the Brownlow in the days of the VFL should be considered alongside the Sandover Medal in the WAFL and the Magarey Medal in the SANFL. The AFL is not the same as the VFL. Lumping them together cannot change the facts. Roger Jeffery Michael Hill (2016)
• I would say the SANFL was equal but the WAFL was nowhere near the standard. Your arrogance conceals your own ignorance. Greg Yin Jeffery Michael Hill (2015)
• Let me guess Greg, you watched the WAFL, VFL and SANFL throughout the 70's? I think Not, i did so i can tell you the quality of the talent in the WAFL was superior to the VFL, and the only way they won interstate games was to use WAFL players in their team, the first time it went state of origin they were thumped, and i was at that game. Jeffery Michael Hill Greg Yin (2015)
• State Of Origin was canned because the other states couldn't stay competitive with Victoria. Short memories some people. Ted Jeffery Michael Hill (2015)
• your on drugs mate, state off origin is where players were born not what league they played in for a start. secondly WAFL was way inferior to the VFL RyinKlarkesSpelCheuqe Jeffery Michael Hill (2015)
• Jeffrey Michael Hill you have a serious inferiority complex... Lighten up! Your memory might want to believe that VFL footy players were unskilled peasants playing on rubbish piles at the tip, but when you're bitter & insecure like you clearly are, it'll always look that way... I guess you travelled interstate each week & watched these VFL games to make such a call? or was it just that 1 and only state of origin match you went to that qualifies you to make such a statement? my dad played and coached in the VFL & I know the quality was just as good as any good team today, so unlike you, I know what I'm talking about because I was actually there! Bree Jeffery Michael Hill (2015)
• You are silly, VFL was never close to bankruptcy and the VFL was the premier comp. Even if it isn't the VFL/AFL is the same league, SANFL, WAFL are different leagues and Fremantle and West-coast and Adelaide etc etc won flags in different competitions. although I am quite happy for you interstater t go away and join the superior SANFL/WAFL and leave us inferior teams to play in Victoria RyinKlarkesSpelCheuqe Jeffery Michael Hill (2015)
• Weak argument, that would mean all the VFA premierships would count too. Greg Yin George (2015)
• And now it's 2012+ because the Giants and Suns have been added. Should be a Premiership %. Example if Collingwood's played for 100 seasons and won 10 Grand Finals, then their % is 10%. But if the Giants played 5 seasons and won 1 Grand, then their % is 20%; making the Giants the better team. Jason Pollock Matt (2015)
• MATTS correct stop harping back to the VFL history interstate teams and called AFL it start from 1990 and still my mob ST KILDA still struggle. Kev (2015)
• Carlton has won 2 AFL premierships. Bears joined in "86" and Carlton won in 87 and 95 which makes 2 AFL premierships not one, unless of course it wasn't named the AFL after Brisbane joined. GB Haynz (2019)
• Melbourne F.C 1964 baahaaa...man what a terrible club!! Nekminnut5150 (2017)
• has any AFL team won a Brownlow and premiership in the same year. JOHN (2017)
• Now I might only be 19 but just listen to me for a sec. People are saying that because new teams joined the league all previous premierships shouldn't be counted what a load of rubbish. Come on, does that mean Hawthorn and Sydney have won all the premierships in the AFL because they are the only 2 to have won during the 18 team line up. And all previous flags are forgotten about. No. As 6FL was the premiere league out of the states it became the AFL. Otherwise the SANFL or WAFL would have been the one that changed its name to the AFL and Victorian teams such as Melbourne, Collingwood, Essendon, Carlton etc would've joined that league with no premierships to their name. As the interstate teams joined this league (VFL) they are basically the same thing as GWS and Gold Coast joining. And therefore don't carry across any previous premierships with them. Josh (2016)
• Easy answer there are clubs in the AFL that came from the VFL there are no clubs in the AFL that came from the SANFL or the WAFL period. Tiger Dan (2016)
• pt Adelaide is in the sanfl..or your going to tell me they are not Port Adelaide. Bow tiger Dan (2016)
• Slightly incorrect - the Adelaide Crows were formed as a representative of the SANFL, initially. The "team for all South Australians" Phred tiger Dan (2016)
• The Adelaide FC (Crows) never played in the SANFL. In fact the SANFL initially rejected an invitation from the expanding AFL to register a team to compete in the AFL. When the Port Adelaide FC approached the AFL seeking an AFL License the SANFL then quickly did an about face and contacted the AFL to belatedly accept the AFL's original invitation. Steven Phred (2016)
• This page is factually incorrect on one front: It CLEARLY says for 1897 and 1924 that there was no Grand Final - both years Essendon being declared Premiers, but then you write that Essendon has won 16 Grand Finals. It is a KNOWN FACT that Essendon has only won 14 Grand Finals - at least to those that have some sort of awareness of history. Based on that fact, Essendon is behind both Carlton and Collingwood for Grand Final wins. Mathew Kouzmenko (2015)
• I have changed the words from grand finalist to premiers, hope that satisfies the pedants. Rob Admin Mathew Kouzmenko (2015)
• Essendon won 16 premierships Go Bombers. Adorel (2015)
• Yeah but of them 16 Premierships, how many players were drug cheats like Watson & co. Tom Stockton Adorel (2016)
• Essendon have won 14 grand Finals! 1924 and I think the very first season of VFL their were no finals series so the Blues have the record with 16 Grand Final wins! Steve Higgins Adorel (2016)
• When was the last time a team out of the four won the grand final? Roz (2014)
  • Crows 1998 from 5th. Only time a team has won from outside the four. Go Crows! Bear roz (2015)
  • And now the Western Bulldogs from 7th in 2016 . Beno Bear (2019)
• In 1900 Melbourne won the premiership from sixth on the ladder, so crow's were not the first side to win from outside the top four (Daryl, Oct 2022)