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AFL Grand Final History: Every Era, Every Dynasty, Every Great Moment
From the first VFL premiership in 1897 to the modern AFL era — the eras, the dynasties, and the moments that define the biggest day in Australian sport.
The AFL Grand Final is the culmination of the longest-running football competition in Australia, and its history stretches back to 1897 — making it one of the oldest annual championship deciders in world sport. Across more than a century, certain clubs and eras have dominated, certain matches have become legend, and the event itself has grown from a Victorian football decider into a genuine national occasion.
The Eras
1897 — The First VFL Premiership
The Victorian Football League’s inaugural season concludes with Essendon declared premiers, finishing top of the table under the era’s round-robin format rather than a dedicated Grand Final. This marks the formal beginning of the premiership history the AFL recognises today.
Early 1900s — The Finals System Emerges
Dedicated finals formats, including the Argus system, begin determining the premiership through a structured finals series rather than ladder position alone, establishing the Grand Final as a distinct, decisive match.
1902 — The MCG Becomes Home
The Grand Final settles into its long-term home at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, beginning the relationship between the match and the Cathedral that continues into the present day, with only rare exceptions across more than a century.
1920s–40s — Early Dynasties
Clubs including Collingwood and Richmond establish multi-premiership periods, with Collingwood’s four consecutive flags from 1927–30 standing as one of the most dominant stretches in the competition’s history.
1950s–70s — Melbourne and Carlton Eras
Melbourne wins six premierships in a decade through the 1950s–60s under coach Norm Smith. Carlton and Richmond establish their own multi-flag periods through the 1960s–70s, cementing themselves as the era’s benchmark clubs.
1989 — The Match Often Called the Greatest
Hawthorn defeats Geelong in a Grand Final widely regarded as one of the most thrilling in VFL/AFL history, decided by six points after a contest of sustained, high-scoring intensity from both sides.
1990 — The AFL Era Begins
The competition is renamed the Australian Football League, reflecting its growing national scope. Premierships from this point are recognised under the modern AFL banner, though continuous with the VFL premiership count.
2000s–10s — The Modern Dynasties
Brisbane Lions win three consecutive flags (2001–03). Geelong and Hawthorn each establish dominant multi-premiership periods through the 2000s and 2010s, with Hawthorn’s 2013–15 three-peat standing as the most recent genuine dynasty.
2017–20 — Richmond’s Return
Richmond ends a 37-year premiership drought in 2017 and goes on to win three flags in four years under coach Damien Hardwick, one of the most celebrated turnarounds in the competition’s recent history.
2021 — Melbourne’s 57-Year Wait Ends
Melbourne wins its first premiership since 1964, ending the longest drought of any club at the time and producing one of the most emotionally significant Grand Final results in the competition’s modern history.
Why Grand Final History Matters
Premiership counts are the primary measure of a club’s historical standing in Australian football culture — more so than any individual statistic or award. A club’s flag count, its most recent premiership, and the length of any current drought are all part of the constant background conversation among supporters, commentators, and rival fans alike. Understanding the eras and dynasties is understanding how AFL clubs are positioned relative to each other in the sport’s cultural memory.
Carlton and Essendon are jointly the most successful clubs by official VFL/AFL premiership count, though the exact ranking and methodology is occasionally debated given the different finals systems used across the competition’s long history.
Related Pages
AFL Slang & Culture — The Complete Guide
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The MCG: History of the Cathedral
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