In the Australian Football League (AFL), the "Colliwobbles" refers to the period between Collingwood's 1958 and 1990 premierships, where the Magpies reached nine AFL/VFL Grand Finals for eight losses and a draw in 1977.

This era was dubbed as the Colliwobbles partly because Collingwood sometimes lost by small margins; in this way, "Colliwobbles" is a specific term for choking when it is done by Collingwood.

The term was coined by Lou Richards, and it is a play on the words "Collingwood" and "collywobbles" (a state of intestinal disorder, usually accompanied by a rumbling stomach). [1]

The main period of the Colliwobbles ended in the 1990 AFL Grand Final, when Collingwood defeated Essendon to win their first premiership since 1958. Lou Richards ceremoniously announced the end of the Colliwobbles, and the club marked the occasion with the burial of a memoir of the hitherto trying times in front of a large crowd at Victoria Park.[2][3]

After losing the 2018 grand final after leading most of the day, there was talk in the media that the Colliwobbles had returned.[4][5]

Despite the supposed death of the Colliwobbles, 1958 remained Collingwood's last September premiership until 2023; the 1990 and 2010 premierships were won in October due to drawn finals (both involving Collingwood)—which, incidentally, are no longer possible, as extra time is invoked in case of a tied game for the grand final—and Collingwood have won only three (and drawn two) of the sixteen Grand Finals they have appeared in since their 1958 premiership, while losing eight.

Grand Final appearances during the main "Colliwobbles" period

Grand Final Premier Runner-up Score Margin Venue Attendance
1960 Melbourne Collingwood 8.14 (62) – 2.2 (14) 48 MCG 97,457
1964 Melbourne Collingwood 8.16 (64) – 8.12 (60) 4 MCG 102,469
1966 St Kilda Collingwood 10.14 (74) – 10.13 (73) 1 MCG 101,655
1970 Carlton Collingwood 17.9 (111) – 14.17 (101) 10 MCG 121,696
1977 North Melbourne Collingwood 9.22 (76) – 10.16 (76) 0 MCG 108,244
21.25 (151) – 19.10 (124) 27 MCG 98,366
1979 Carlton Collingwood 11.16 (82) – 11.11 (77) 5 MCG 113,545
1980 Richmond Collingwood 23.21 (159) – 9.24 (78) 81 MCG 113,461
1981 Carlton Collingwood 12.20 (92) – 10.12 (72) 20 MCG 112,964
1990 Collingwood Essendon 13.11 (89) – 5.11 (41) 48 MCG 98,944

Grand Final appearances since the main "Colliwobbles" period

Grand Final Premier Runner-up Score Margin Venue Attendance
2002 Brisbane Lions Collingwood 10.15 (75) – 9.12 (66) 9 MCG 91,817
2003 Brisbane Lions Collingwood 20.14 (134) – 12.12 (84) 50 MCG 79,451
2010 Collingwood St Kilda 9.14 (68) – 10.8 (68) 0 MCG 100,016
16.12 (108) – 7.10 (52) 56 MCG 93,853
2011 Geelong Collingwood 18.11 (119) – 12.9 (81) 38 MCG 99,537
2018 West Coast Eagles Collingwood 11.13 (79) – 11.8 (74) 5 MCG 100,022
2023 Collingwood Brisbane Lions 12.18 (90) – 13.8 (86) 4 MCG 100,024

Trivia and statistics since 1958

See also

References

  1. ^ "Lou Richards (Profile)". victoriapark.net.au.
  2. ^ Mark Hawthorne (31 May 2010), "Hunt a 'Churchie' goer at best", theage.com.au
  3. ^ Geoff McClure. "Pies' ashes now in Tigerland". theage.com.au.
  4. ^ Andrew Wu. "Colliwobbles return as Eagles claim grand final for the ages". theage.com.au.
  5. ^ Herald Sun. "Have the Colliwobbles risen from the grave?". heraldsun.com.au.
Categories