One of my earliest footy memories is watching Channel Seven’s live telecast of the 1981 VFL Grand Final.  Prior to the opening bounce, just after Jon English belted out a rousing rendition of ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and thousands of balloons were released into the great grey sky, Peter Landy ran through the head-to-head statistics of the two participating clubs: 

Game Played: 181

Collingwood wins: 89

Carlton wins: 88

Drawn games: 4

Collingwood Premierships: 13

Carlton Premierships: 12

At the time, these numbers seemed of the utmost importance.  They were quite possibly the most important stats in the universe.  It’s well known that the Pies surrendered a 21-point lead late in the third term and capitulated in the final 35 minutes, allowing the Blues to run out victorious by 20 points, and thus square the ledger in terms of both games won between the two teams and overall premierships.  These events were devastating to an eight-year-old boy. 

The Pies collapsed in 1982.  The agony of five unsuccessful Grand Final attempts in five seasons finally caught up with the club.  They won just four games for the year, Hafey was sacked mid-season, and perhaps worst of all, the Blues won both encounters that season to take the lead in the coveted head-to-head stakes.  A lead which they have held to this day.

Over the ensuing decades there were two particular periods where the Blues consolidated this lead: they won six in a row between 1985-87, and seven in a row between 1994-97.  By Round 3 of 2002, the Blues held a sizeable 14-game advantage over the Pies. 

But despite the Blues enduring the worst decade of their celebrated history in the decade that followed, they still managed to lead the head-to-head count by a healthy 12-games in 2009, and by as much as 9-games at the conclusion of the 2012 season.  The gap seemed insurmountable. 

However, Mick Malthouse’s defection to Carlton at the start of the 2013 season marked the beginning of a Collingwood revival.  The Pies managed to win the next six games and hence narrow the margin significantly.  Despite the Blues causing upsets in 2016 and 2017, the Pies have now drawn to within one game of the old enemy.  At present the count stands as follows:

Game Played: 257

Collingwood wins: 126

Carlton wins: 127

Drawn games: 4

Collingwood Premierships: 15

Carlton Premierships: 16

With all this in mind, it is fascinating to cast an eye over the head-to-head history of these two bitter rivals.  The chart below shows that the Pies won the first seven encounters between the two teams.  Furthermore, by 1905 the Pies held a substantial 19-4 lead.  The Blues would bounce back to win the next nine encounters (coinciding with their three-peat in 1906-08), finally drawing level in 1919 for the first time with 28 wins apiece.  However, the Pies would still manage to protect their lead for the next 23 years. It wasn’t until 1942 that the Blues hit the lead for the very first time.  They narrowly held on to this honour until 1953, with the Pies snatching back the lead in their premiership year.  The Pies in turn would hold a narrow lead until 1976.  Over the next five years, the lead would bounce back and forth between the two teams.  Incredibly, Carlton’s famous Grand Final victory in 1979 equalled the ledger at 86 wins apiece, just as their victory in the 1981 Grand Final equalled the ledger at 89 wins apiece.  Those Blue Baggers sure know how to spoil a party.  

It’s also worth exploring the Win/Loss records at each of the five grounds where the two clubs have met.  The Pies hold 10-9 lead at VFL Park, but trail 35-37 at the MCG.   The Victoria Park (53-30-2) and Princes Park (27-50-2) stats are remarkably similar with both teams holding a 23-game winning lead at their respective home grounds.  The two teams have also met twice at the Brunswick St Oval with one win apiece.

Finally, it is a small consolation to Collingwood that despite trailing by one win in the overall head-to-head count, they have indeed outscored Carlton by a collective margin of 463 points in their 257 encounters.

The complete chronology of Collingwood and Carlton encounters is below, with a head-to-head running tally in the right columns.

Game #

Year/Round

Ground

Result

Margin

Coll wins

Carl wins

Draws

 
 

1

1897 - Rd. 7

Princes Park

W

4

1

0

0

 

2

1897 - Rd.14

Victoria Park

W

32

2

0

0

 

3

1898 - Rd. 5

Victoria Park

W

42

3

0

0

 

4

1898 - Rd.12

Princes Park

W

19

4

0

0

 

5

1899 - Rd. 5

Princes Park

W

31

5

0

0

 

6

1899 - Rd.12

Victoria Park

W

16

6

0

0

 

7

1899 - SEC.1A

Victoria Park

W

21

7

0

0

 

8

1900 - Rd. 6

Princes Park

L

-16

7

1

0

 

9

1900 - Rd.13

Victoria Park

W

68

8

1

0

 

10

1901 - Rd. 2

Victoria Park

W

87

9

1

0

 

11

1901 - Rd. 9

Princes Park

W

21

10

1

0

 

12

1902 - Rd. 7

Victoria Park

W

38

11

1

0

 

13

1902 - Rd.14

Princes Park

W

37

12

1

0

 

14

1903 - Rd. 1

Princes Park

L

-21

12

2

0

 

15

1903 - Rd. 8

Victoria Park

W

14

13

2

0

 

16

1903 - SEC.2A

Princes Park

W

17

14

2

0

 

17

1903 Semi Final

Brunswick St Oval

W

4

15

2

0

 

18

1904 - Rd. 5

Victoria Park

L

-5

15

3

0

 

19

1904 - Rd.12

Princes Park

L

-6

15

4

0

 

20

1904 -SEC.1B

Victoria Park

W

10

16

4

0

 

21

1905 - Rd. 2

Victoria Park

W

32

17

4

0

 

22

1905 - Rd. 9

Princes Park

W

15

18

4

0

 

23

1905 - SEC.1A

Victoria Park

W

17

19

4

0

 

24

1905 Semi Final

MCG

L

-46

19

5

0

 

25

1906 - Rd. 4

Victoria Park

L

-20

19

6

0

 

26

1906 - Rd.11

Princes Park

L

-37

19

7

0

 

27

1906 Semi Final

Brunswick St Oval

L

-10

19

8

0

 

28

1907 - Rd. 6

Victoria Park

L

-11

19

9

0

 

29

1907 - Rd.13

Princes Park

L

-11

19

10

0

 

30

1908 - Rd. 4

Victoria Park

L

-28

19

11

0

 

31

1908 - Rd.13

Princes Park

L

-40

19

12

0

 

32

1909 - Rd. 3

Princes Park

L

-17

19

13

0

 

33

1909 - Rd.12

Victoria Park

W

1

20

13

0

 

34

1910 - Rd. 1

Princes Park

L

-28

20

14

0

 

35

1910 - Rd.10

Victoria Park

L

-29

20

15

0

 

36

1910 Grand Final

MCG

W

14

21

15

0

 

37

1911 - Rd. 8

Princes Park

L

-33

21

16

0

 

38

1911 - Rd.17

Victoria Park

W

15

22

16

0

 

39

1912 - Rd. 4

Princes Park

W

1

23

16

0

 

40

1912 - Rd.13

Victoria Park

L

-23

23

17

0

 

41

1913 - Rd. 4

Victoria Park

W

6

24

17

0

 

42

1913 - Rd.13

Princes Park

W

23

25

17

0

 

43

1914 - Rd. 1

Victoria Park

D

0

25

17

1

 

44

1914 - Rd.10

Princes Park

L

-7

25

18

1

 

45

1915 - Rd. 7

Princes Park

L

-2

25

19

1

 

46

1915 - Rd.16

Victoria Park

L

-1

25

20

1

 

47

1915 Grand Final

MCG

L

-33

25

21

1

 

48

1916 - Rd. 2

Victoria Park

L

-26

25

22

1

 

49

1916 - Rd. 5

Princes Park

W

1

26

22

1

 

50

1916 - Rd. 8

Princes Park

L

-12

26

23

1

 

51

1916 - Rd.11

Victoria Park

L

-2

26

24

1

 

52

1917 - Rd. 2

Princes Park

L

-31

26

25

1

 

53

1917 - Rd. 7

Victoria Park

W

37

27

25

1

 

54

1917 - Rd.12

Princes Park

L

-11

27

26

1

 

55

1918 - Rd. 1

Victoria Park

W

35

28

26

1

 

56

1918 - Rd. 8

Princes Park

L

-8

28

27

1

 

57

1919 - Rd. 7

Princes Park

L

-11

28

28

1

 

58

1919 - Rd.16

Victoria Park

W

67

29

28

1

 

59

1919 Semi Final

MCG

W

18

30

28

1

 

60

1920 - Rd. 8

Victoria Park

W

19

31

28

1

 

61

1920 - Rd.17

Princes Park

L

-52

31

29

1

 

62

1920 Prel.Final

MCG

W

24

32

29

1

 

63

1921 - Rd. 9

Princes Park

L

-24

32

30

1

 

64

1921 - Rd.18

Victoria Park

L

-27

32

31

1

 

65

1921 Semi Final

MCG

L

-13

32

32

1

 

66

1922 - Rd. 3

Victoria Park

W

7

33

32

1

 

67

1922 - Rd.12

Princes Park

L

-5

33

33

1

 

68

1923 - Rd. 7

Victoria Park

W

25

34

33

1

 

69

1923 - Rd.16

Princes Park

D

0

34

33

2

 

70

1924 - Rd. 5

Victoria Park

W

24

35

33

2

 

71

1924 - Rd.14

Princes Park

W

12

36

33

2

 

72

1925 - Rd. 8

Victoria Park

W

14

37

33

2

 

73

1926 - Rd. 9

Princes Park

L

-21

37

34

2

 

74

1926 - Rd.18

Victoria Park

W

49

38

34

2

 

75

1927 - Rd. 9

Victoria Park

L

-12

38

35

2

 

76

1928 - Rd. 7

Princes Park

W

3

39

35

2

 

77

1928 - Rd.18

Victoria Park

L

-20

39

36

2

 

78

1929 - Rd.10

Victoria Park

W

29

40

36

2

 

79

1930 - Rd.10

Princes Park

L

-4

40

37

2

 

80

1930 - Rd.17

Victoria Park

W

23

41

37

2

 

81

1931 - Rd. 5

Princes Park

L

-16

41

38

2

 

82

1931 - Rd.16

Victoria Park

W

61

42

38

2

 

83

1931Semi Final

MCG

L

-88

42

39

2

 

84

1932 - Rd. 5

Princes Park

L

-20

42

40

2

 

85

1932 - Rd.16

Victoria Park

L

-46

42

41

2

 

86

1932 Prel. Final

MCG

L

-75

42

42

2

 

87

1933 - Rd. 5

Victoria Park

W

4

43

42

2

 

88

1933 - Rd.16

Princes Park

W

9

44

42

2

 

89

1934 - Rd.10

Victoria Park

W

30

45

42

2

 

90

1935 - Rd. 9

Princes Park

L

-29

45

43

2

 

91

1936 - Rd. 6

Princes Park

W

6

46

43

2

 

92

1936 - Rd.17

Victoria Park

L

-1

46

44

2

 

93

1937 - Rd. 6

Victoria Park

W

27

47

44

2

 

94

1937 - Rd.17

Princes Park

L

-10

47

45

2

 

95

1938 - Rd. 5

Victoria Park

L

-16

47

46

2

 

96

1938 - Rd.16

Princes Park

W

20

48

46

2

 

97

1938 Grand Final

MCG

L

-15

48

47

2

 

98

1939 - Rd. 8

Victoria Park

W

39

49

47

2

 

99

1940 - Rd. 3

Victoria Park

W

37

50

47

2

 

100

1940 - Rd.14

Princes Park

L

-15

50

48

2

 

101

1941 - Rd. 6

Princes Park

L

-17

50

49

2

 

102

1941 - Rd.17

Victoria Park

L

-2

50

50

2

 

103

1942 - Rd.11

Victoria Park

L

-15

50

51

2

 

104

1943 - Rd. 4

Princes Park

W

27

51

51

2

 

105

1943 - Rd.12

Victoria Park

L

-104

51

52

2

 

106

1944 - Rd. 8

Princes Park

L

-31

51

53

2

 

107

1945 - Rd. 6

Victoria Park

W

25

52

53

2

 

108

1945 - Rd.17

Princes Park

L

-6

52

54

2

 

109

1945 Prel. Final

Princes Park

L

-10

52

55

2

 

110

1946 - Rd. 8

Victoria Park

W

56

53

55

2

 

111

1946 - Rd.19

Princes Park

L

-5

53

56

2

 

112

1947 - Rd. 9

Victoria Park

W

26

54

56

2

 

113

1948 - Rd. 5

Victoria Park

W

2

55

56

2

 

114

1948 - Rd.16

Princes Park

L

-10

55

57

2

 

115

1949 - Rd. 5

Princes Park

L

-30

55

58

2

 

116

1949 - Rd.16

Victoria Park

W

3

56

58

2

 

117

1950 - Rd. 3

Victoria Park

L

-11

56

59

2

 

118

1950 - Rd.14

Princes Park

W

37

57

59

2

 

119

1951 - Rd. 8

Princes Park

W

14

58

59

2

 

120

1952 - Rd. 5

Victoria Park

W

50

59

59

2

 

121

1952 - Rd.17

Princes Park

L

-21

59

60

2

 

122

1953 - Rd. 4

Princes Park

W

8

60

60

2

 

123

1953 - Rd.15

Victoria Park

W

17

61

60

2

 

124

1954 - Rd. 8

Victoria Park

W

9

62

60

2

 

125

1955 - Rd. 5

Princes Park

W

25

63

60

2

 

126

1955 - Rd.16

Victoria Park

W

37

64

60

2

 

127

1956 - Rd. 5

Princes Park

L

-42

64

61

2

 

128

1956 - Rd.16

Victoria Park

L

-13

64

62

2

 

129

1957 - Rd.10

Victoria Park

W

37

65

62

2

 

130

1958 - Rd. 5

Victoria Park

W

73

66

62

2

 

131

1958 - Rd.16

Princes Park

W

19

67

62

2

 

132

1959 - Rd. 3

Victoria Park

L

-32

67

63

2

 

133

1959 - Rd.14

Princes Park

W

11

68

63

2

 

134

1960 - Rd. 8

Victoria Park

W

37

69

63

2

 

135

1961 - Rd. 6

Princes Park

L

-11

69

64

2

 

136

1961 - Rd.17

Victoria Park

L

-16

69

65

2

 

137

1962 - Rd. 6

Victoria Park

W

16

70

65

2

 

138

1962 - Rd.17

Princes Park

L

-42

70

66

2

 

139

1963 - Rd. 8

Princes Park

W

2

71

66

2

 

140

1964 - Rd. 5

Victoria Park

W

19

72

66

2

 

141

1964 - Rd.16

Princes Park

D

0

72

66

3

 

142

1965 - Rd. 5

Victoria Park

L

-20

72

67

3

 

143

1965 - Rd.16

Princes Park

W

25

73

67

3

 

144

1966 - Rd.11

Princes Park

L

-11

73

68

3

 

145

1967 - Rd. 6

Princes Park

L

-6

73

69

3

 

146

1967 - Rd.17

Victoria Park

W

25

74

69

3

 

147

1968 - Rd. 7

Princes Park

L

-34

74

70

3

 

148

1968 - Rd.18

Victoria Park

L

-37

74

71

3

 

149

1969 - Rd. 4

Princes Park

W

64

75

71

3

 

150

1969 - Rd.15

Victoria Park

L

-10

75

72

3

 

151

1969 Semi Final

MCG

L

-36

75

73

3

 

152

1970 - Rd. 8

VFL Park

W

23

76

73

3

 

153

1970 - Rd.19

Victoria Park

W

77

77

73

3

 

154

1970 Semi Final

MCG

W

10

78

73

3

 

155

1970 Grand Final

MCG

L

-10

78

74

3

 

156

1971 - Rd.11

VFL Park

W

85

79

74

3

 

157

1971 - Rd.22

Princes Park

L

-19

79

75

3

 

158

1972 - Rd. 2

Victoria Park

D

0

79

75

4

 

159

1972 - Rd.13

Princes Park

L

-8

79

76

4

 

160

1973 - Rd. 7

Princes Park

L

-59

79

77

4

 

161

1973 - Rd.18

Victoria Park

W

15

80

77

4

 

162

1973 Semi Final

VFL Park

L

-20

80

78

4

 

163

1974 - Rd. 5

Victoria Park

W

18

81

78

4

 

164

1974 - Rd.16

VFL Park

L

-36

81

79

4

 

165

1975 - Rd. 2

Princes Park

L

-93

81

80

4

 

166

1975 - Rd.13

Victoria Park

L

-16

81

81

4

 

167

1976 - Rd. 1

Princes Park

L

-57

81

82

4

 

168

1976 - Rd.12

Victoria Park

W

26

82

82

4

 

169

1977 - Rd. 6

VFL Park

W

102

83

82

4

 

170

1977 - Rd.17

Princes Park

W

32

84

82

4

 

171

1978 - Rd. 7

Victoria Park

L

-17

84

83

4

 

172

1978 - Rd.18

Princes Park

L

-41

84

84

4

 

173

1978 Semi Final

MCG

W

15

85

84

4

 

174

1979 - Rd.10

Princes Park

L

-16

85

85

4

 

175

1979 - Rd.21

Victoria Park

W

19

86

85

4

 

176

1979 Grand Final

MCG

L

-5

86

86

4

 

177

1980 - Rd. 1

Victoria Park

L

-38

86

87

4

 

178

1980 - Rd.12

Princes Park

L

-5

86

88

4

 

179

1980 Semi Final

MCG

W

50

87

88

4

 

180

1981 - Rd. 6

Princes Park

W

57

88

88

4

 

181

1981 - Rd.16

Victoria Park

W

1

89

88

4

 

182

1981 Grand Final

MCG

L

-20

89

89

4

 

183

1982 - Rd. 3

Victoria Park

L

-34

89

90

4

 

184

1982 - Rd.13

Princes Park

L

-27

89

91

4

 

185

1983 - Rd. 3

VFL Park

L

-10

89

92

4

 

186

1983 - Rd.14

Victoria Park

W

55

90

92

4

 

187

1984 - Rd. 5

VFL Park

W

5

91

92

4

 

188

1984 - Rd.15

VFL Park

L

-27

91

93

4

 

189

1984 Semi Final

VFL Park

W

25

92

93

4

 

190

1985 - Rd.11

VFL Park

L

-23

92

94

4

 

191

1985 - Rd.22

VFL Park

L

-6

92

95

4

 

192

1986 - Rd. 7

Victoria Park

L

-40

92

96

4

 

193

1986 - Rd.19

MCG

L

-49

92

97

4

 

194

1987 - Rd. 2

VFL Park

L

-7

92

98

4

 

195

1987 - Rd.15

MCG

L

-24

92

99

4

 

196

1988 - Rd. 5

VFL Park

W

28

93

99

4

 

197

1988 - Rd.14

MCG

W

23

94

99

4

 

198

1988 Qual. Final

MCG

L

-38

94

100

4

 

199

1989 - Rd. 8

VFL Park

W

29

95

100

4

 

200

1989 - Rd.15

VFL Park

L

-6

95

101

4

 

201

1990 - Rd. 2

VFL Park

W

35

96

101

4

 

202

1990 - Rd.15

VFL Park

W

54

97

101

4

 

203

1991 - Rd.12

VFL Park

L

-20

97

102

4

 

204

1992 - Rd. 8

MCG

L

-33

97

103

4

 

205

1992 - Rd.23

VFL Park

W

16

98

103

4

 

206

1993 - Rd. 6

MCG

W

36

99

103

4

 

207

1993 - Rd.21

MCG

L

-54

99

104

4

 

208

1994 - Rd. 2

MCG

W

34

100

104

4

 

209

1994 - Rd.17

MCG

L

-43

100

105

4

 

210

1995 - Rd. 1

MCG

L

-29

100

106

4

 

211

1995 - Rd.16

MCG

L

-22

100

107

4

 

212

1996 - Rd. 1

MCG

L

-22

100

108

4

 

213

1996 - Rd.12

MCG

L

-21

100

109

4

 

214

1997 - Rd. 4

MCG

L

-17

100

110

4

 

215

1997 - Rd.19

MCG

L

-16

100

111

4

 

216

1998 - Rd. 6

MCG

W

29

101

111

4

 

217

1998 - Rd.21

MCG

L

-55

101

112

4

 

218

1999 - Rd. 2

MCG

L

-29

101

113

4

 

219

1999 - Rd.17

MCG

L

-57

101

114

4

 

220

2000 - Rd. 3

MCG

W

73

102

114

4

 

221

2000 - Rd.18

Princes Park

L

-111

102

115

4

 

222

2001 - Rd. 6

MCG

W

8

103

115

4

 

223

2001 - Rd.21

MCG

L

-68

103

116

4

 

224

2002 - Rd. 3

MCG

L

-20

103

117

4

 

225

2002 - Rd.18

MCG

W

108

104

117

4

 

226

2003 - Rd. 2

MCG

W

16

105

117

4

 

227

2003 - Rd.17

MCG

W

73

106

117

4

 

228

2004 - Rd. 7

MCG

L

-9

106

118

4

 

229

2004 - Rd.22

MCG

L

-1

106

119

4

 

230

2005 - Rd. 3

MCG

W

20

107

119

4

 

231

2005 - Rd.20

MCG

L

-35

107

120

4

 

232

2006 - Rd. 6

MCG

W

72

108

120

4

 

233

2006 - Rd.21

MCG

W

44

109

120

4

 

234

2007 - Rd. 7

MCG

W

24

110

120

4

 

235

2007 - Rd.18

MCG

W

24

111

120

4

 

236

2008 - Rd. 4

MCG

L

-23

111

121

4

 

237

2008 - Rd.12

MCG

L

-30

111

122

4

 

238

2009 - Rd.8

MCG

L

-51

111

123

4

 

239

2009 - Rd.17

MCG

W

54

112

123

4

 

240

2010 - Rd.6

MCG

W

53

113

123

4

 

241

2010 - Rd.18

MCG

W

48

114

123

4

 

242

2011 - Rd.3

MCG

W

28

115

123

4

 

243

2011 - Rd17

MCG

W

19

116

123

4

 

244

2012 - Rd3

MCG

L

-60

116

124

4

 

245

2012 - Rd15

MCG

L

-23

116

125

4

 

246

2013 - Rd2

MCG

W

17

117

125

4

 

247

2013 - Rd15

MCG

W

41

118

125

4

 

248

2014 - Rd 7

MCG

W

34

119

125

4

 

249

2014 - Rd 15

MCG

W

15

120

125

4

 

250

2015 - Rd 5

MCG

W

75

121

125

4

 

251

2015 - Rd 19

MCG

W

18

122

125

4

 

252

2016 - Rd 7

MCG

L

-15

122

126

4

 

253

2016 - Rd 15

MCG

W

12

123

126

4

 

254

2017 - Rd 7

MCG

L

-23

123

127

4

 

255

2018 - Rd 3

MCG

W

24

124

127

4

 

256

2018 - Rd 14

MCG

W

20

125

127

4

 

257

2019 - Rd 8

MCG

W

19

126

127

4