Colliwobbles
Collingwood's era of grand final heartbreak and near-misses.
The Colliwobbles is a term used in the Australian Football League (AFL) to describe a period of repeated near-misses and grand final losses by the Collingwood Football Club between its 1958 and 1990 premierships. Coined by former player Lou Richards, the name combines 'Collingwood' with 'collywobbles,' a term for intestinal distress, reflecting the club's tendency to lose close games. The era ended with Collingwood's 1990 grand final victory over Essendon, though talk of its return surfaced after the 2018 grand final loss.
- period
- 1958–1990
- grand finals reached
- 9
- grand finals lost
- 8
- grand finals drawn
- 1 (1977)
- term coined by
- Lou Richards
- first premiership after period
- 1990
- subsequent premierships
- 2010, 2023
Lore & Background
The Colliwobbles began after Collingwood's 1958 premiership and lasted until 1990, during which the Magpies appeared in nine grand finals, losing eight and drawing one (1977). The term was popularized by Lou Richards, a former Collingwood player, as a pun on 'collywobbles,' meaning a rumbling stomach. The club's losses were often by small margins, including a four-point loss in 1964, a one-point loss in 1966, and a five-point loss in 1979. The 1980 grand final saw Collingwood's worst loss, 81 points to Richmond, then the worst in VFL history.
Reader's Guide
The Colliwobbles symbolize a specific form of sporting failure—choking under pressure—applied uniquely to Collingwood. Its significance lies in how it shaped the club's identity for over three decades, becoming a cultural touchstone in Australian football. The term's playful etymology masks the genuine pain of repeated near-victories, with five grand finals lost by single-figure margins. The 1990 victory over Essendon was marked by Lou Richards ceremoniously announcing the end of the Colliwobbles, and the club buried a memoir of the era at Victoria Park. However, the 2018 grand final loss revived media speculation about its return. Despite the 1990 and 2010 premierships, Collingwood's 2023 win was its first in September since 1958, underscoring the lingering shadow of the Colliwobbles. The term remains a cautionary tale about the psychological weight of past failures.
Did You Know?
- The term 'Colliwobbles' is a play on 'collywobbles,' meaning a state of intestinal disorder.
- Collingwood lost the 1966 grand final by one point to St Kilda, which remains the Saints' only premiership as of 2026.
- The 1970 grand final between Collingwood and Carlton drew a league-record attendance of 121,696.
- Collingwood's 2023 premiership was its first in September since 1990.
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