Collingwood ends 32‑year ‘Colliwobbles’ curse with 1990 AFL premiership

For more than three decades the Collingwood Football Club was haunted by the so‑called “Colliwobbles”, a mythic curse that saw the Magpies lose nine grand‑final appearances between 1958 and 1990. The closest they came to breaking the spell was a 1977 draw with North Melbourne, and the drought was reinforced by repeated runner‑up finishes, including a famous 44‑point half‑time collapse against Carlton in 1970.

The 1990 season finally delivered a dramatic climax. In the qualifying final Collingwood met the West Coast Eagles and the match ended in a draw, prompting a replay and a chaotic reshuffle of the finals schedule. The incident sparked on‑field brawls and later led the AFL to introduce extra‑time for future draws. Under coach Leigh Matthews, Collingwood overcame the odds and defeated the season’s dominant side, Essendon, in the Grand Final, ending the long‑standing curse and securing the club’s first premiership since 1958.