Fact Largest grand final leads

[PonsfordMagpie]

1961 = Hawthorn won by 43 points (94-51)

• Hawthorn [44] = 94-50 (Q4)
• Footscray [16] = 9-25 (Q1)

1962

1963

1964

1965 = Essendon won by 35 points (105-70)

• Essendon [51] = 92-41 (Q4)
• St Kilda [12] = 19-31 (Q2)

1966 = St Kilda won by 1 point (74-73)

• St Kilda [13] = 57-44 (Q3), 67-54 (Q4)
• Collingwood [7] = 36-43 (Q3)

1967 = Richmond won by 9 points (114-105)

• Richmond [22] = 64-42 (Q2)
• Geelong [15] = 6-21 (Q1)

1968 = Carlton won by 3 points (56-53)

• Carlton [14] = 54-40 (Q4)
• Essendon [6] = 25-31 (Q2)

1969 = Richmond won by 25 points (85-60)

• Richmond [28] = 41-13 (Q2); 47-19 (Q3)
• Carlton [10] = 48-58 (Q3)

1970 = Carlton won by 10 points (111-101)

• Carlton [11] = 111-100 (Q4)
• Collingwood [44] = 9-53 (Q2); 29-73 (HT)

1971 = Hawthorn won by 7 points (82-75)

• Hawthorn [19] = 76-57 (Q4); 82-63 (Q4)
• St Kilda [28] = 29-57 (Q3)

1972 = Carlton won by 27 points (177-150)

• Carlton [57] = 159-102 (Q3)
• Richmond [5] = 8-13 (Q1)

1973 = Richmond won by 30 points (116-86)

• Richmond [39] = 101-62 (Q3)
• Carlton [6] = 0-6 (Q1)

1974 = Richmond won by 41 points (128-87)

• Richmond [48] = 121-73 (Q4); 127-79 (Q4); 128-80 (Q4)
• North Melbourne [11] = 27-38 (Q2)

1975 = North Melbourne won by 55 points (122-67)

• North Melbourne [61] = 116-55 (Q4); 122-61 (Q4)
• Hawthorn [1] = 0-1 (Q1); 6-7 (Q1)

1976 = Hawthorn won by 30 points (100-70)

• Hawthorn [30] = 100-70 (FT)
• North Melbourne [DID NOT LEAD]

1977 = DRAW (76-76)

• North Melbourne [20] = 28-8 (Q1)
• Collingwood [28] = 39-67 (Q4)

1977 Replay = North Melbourne won by 27 points (151-124)

• North Melbourne [36] = 66-30 (Q2); 115-79 (Q4)
• Collingwood [6] = 7-13 (Q1)

1978 = Hawthorn won by 18 points (121-103)

• Hawthorn [35] = 114-79 (Q4); 120-85 (Q4)
• North Melbourne [12] = 46-58 (Q3)

1979 = Carlton won by 5 points (82-77)

• Carlton [22] = 73-51 (Q4)
• Collingwood [28] = 6-34 (Q2)

1980 = Richmond won by 81 points (159-78)

• Richmond [83] = 140-57 (Q4); 146-63 (Q4)
• Collingwood [1] = 0-1 (Q1); 1-2 (Q1); 7-8 (Q1); 14-15 (Q1)

1981 = Carlton won by 20 points (92-72)

• Carlton [20] = 92-72 (FT)
• Collingwood [21] = 49-70 (Q3)

1982 = Carlton won by 18 points (103-85)

• Carlton [24] = 103-79 (Q4)
• Richmond [18] = 39-57 (Q2)

1983 = Hawthorn won by 83 points (140-57)

• Hawthorn [101] = 128-27 (Q4)
• Essendon [DID NOT LEAD]

1984 = Essendon won by 24 points (105-81)

• Essendon [25] = 99-74 (Q4)
• Hawthorn [33] = 19-52 (Q2)

1985 = Essendon won by 78 points (170-92)

• Essendon [78] = 170-92 (FT)
• Hawthorn [13] = 12-25 (Q1)

1986 = Hawthorn won by 42 points (110-68)

• Hawthorn [52] = 101-49 (Q4)
• Carlton [DID NOT LEAD]

1987 = Carlton won by 33 points (104-71)

• Carlton [42] = 97-55 (Q4)
• Hawthorn [3] = 23-26 (QT)

1988 = Hawthorn won by 96 points (152-56)

• Hawthorn [97] = 152-55 (Q4)
• Melbourne [1] = 8-9 (Q1)

1989 = Hawthorn won by 6 points (144-138)

• Hawthorn [43] = 115-72 (Q3); 121-78 (Q3)
• Geelong [6] = 0-6 (Q1)

1990 = Collingwood won by 48 points (89-41)

• Collingwood [49] = 89-40 (Q4)
• Essendon [12] = 2-14 (Q1)

1991 = Hawthorn won by 53 points (139-86)

• Hawthorn [54] = 133-79 (Q4); 139-85 (Q4)
• West Coast [24] = 0-24 (Q1)

1992 = West Coast won by 28 points (113-85)

• West Coast [34] = 105-71 (Q4); 113-79 (Q4)
• Geelong [24] = 18-42 (Q2)

1993 = Essendon won by 44 points (133-89)

• Essendon [61] = 126-65 (Q4)
• Carlton [DID NOT LEAD]

1994 = West Coast won by 80 points (143-63)

• West Coast [81] = 143-62 (Q4)
• Geelong [7] = 21-28 (Q1)

1995 = Carlton won by 61 points (141-80)

• Carlton [86] = 141-55 (Q4)
• Geelong [DID NOT LEAD]

1996 = North Melbourne won by 43 points (131-88)

• North Melbourne [44] = 118-74 (Q4)
• Sydney [25] = 20-45 (Q2)

1997 = Adelaide won by 31 points (125-94)

• Adelaide [32] = 119-87 (Q4)
• St Kilda [17] = 26-43 (Q2)

1998 = Adelaide won by 35 points (105-70)

• Adelaide [37] = 105-68 (Q4)
• North Melbourne [24] = 27-51 (HT)

1999 = Kangaroos won by 35 points (124-89)

• Kangaroos [47] = 116-69 (Q4)
• Carlton [8] = 21-29 (Q2)

2000 = Essendon won by 60 points (135-75)

• Essendon [72] = 128-56 (Q4); 134-62 (Q4)
• Melbourne [1] = 0-1 (Q1); 7-8 (Q1); 13-14 (Q1)

2001 = Brisbane Lions won by 26 points (108-82)

• Brisbane Lions [39] = 108-69 (Q4)
• Essendon [20] = 34-54 (Q2)

2002 = Brisbane Lions won by 9 points (75-66)

• Brisbane Lions [9] = 75-66 (FT)
• Collingwood [8] = 14-22 (Q2)

2003 = Brisbane Lions won by 50 points (134-84)

• Brisbane Lions [69] = 134-65 (Q4)
• Collingwood [DID NOT LEAD]

2004 = Port Adelaide won by 40 points (113-73)

• Port Adelaide [42] = 113-71 (Q4)
• Brisbane Lions [7] = 36-43 (Q2)

2005 = Sydney won by 4 points (58-54)

• Sydney [21] = 39-18 (Q2)
• West Coast [10] = 6-16 (Q1); 41-51 (Q4)

2006 = West Coast won by 1 point (85-84)

• West Coast [29] = 53-24 (Q2)
• Sydney [1] = 0-1 (Q1)

2007 = Geelong won by 119 points (163-44)

• Geelong [128] = 163-35 (Q4)
• Port Adelaide [1] = 1-2 (Q1)

2008 = Hawthorn won by 26 points (115-89)

• Hawthorn [33] = 115-82 (Q4)
• Geelong [7] = 26-33 (Q1); 32-39 (Q2)

2009 = Geelong won by 12 points (80-68)

• Geelong [12] = 12-0 (Q1); 43-31 (Q2); 80-68 (FT)
• St Kilda [10] = 19-29 (Q2)

2010 = DRAW (68-68)

• Collingwood [24] = 50-26 (HT); 51-27 (Q3)
• St Kilda [6] = 61-67 (Q4)

2010 Replay = Collingwood won by 56 points (108-52)

• Collingwood [57] = 102-45 (Q4); 108-51 (Q4)
• St Kilda [DID NOT LEAD]

2011 = Geelong won by 38 points (119-81)

• Geelong [38] = 118-80 (Q4); 119-81 (Q4)
• Collingwood [18] = 27-45 (Q2)

2012 = Sydney won by 10 points (91-81)

• Sydney [28] = 59-31 (Q3)
• Hawthorn [19] = 10-29 (QT)

2013 = Hawthorn won by 15 points (77-62)

• Hawthorn [31] = 77-46 (Q4)
• Fremantle [DID NOT LEAD]

2014 = Hawthorn won by 63 points (137-74)

• Hawthorn [63] = 119-56 (Q4); 137-74 (Q4)
• Sydney [6] = 2-8 (Q1); 8-14 (Q1)

2015 = Hawthorn won by 46 points (107-61)

• Hawthorn [62] = 104-42 (Q4); 105-43 (Q4)
• West Coast [7] = 0-7 (Q1)

2016 = Western Bulldogs won by 22 points (89-67)

• Western Bulldogs [22] = 89-67 (FT)
• Sydney [8] = 0-8 (Q1); 31-39 (Q2)

2017 = Richmond won by 48 points (108-60)

• Richmond [53] = 107-54 (Q4)
• Adelaide [13] = 15-28 (Q2)

2018 = West Coast won by 5 points (79-74)

• West Coast [5] = 79-74 (FT)
• Collingwood [29] = 2-31 (Q1)

2019 = Richmond won by 89 points (114-25)

• Richmond [89] = 114-25 (FT)
• GWS [5] = 3-8 (Q1)

2020 = Richmond won by 31 points (81-50)

• Richmond [31] = 81-50 (FT)
• Geelong [22] = 13-35 (Q2)

2021 = Melbourne won by 74 points (140-66)

• Melbourne [74] = 140-66 (FT)
• Western Bulldogs [19] = 40-59 (Q3)

2022 = Geelong won by 81 points (133-52)

• Geelong [87] = 133-46 (Q4)
• Sydney [DID NOT LEAD]

2023 = Collingwood won by 4 points (90-86)

• Collingwood [12] = 12-0 (Q1)
• Brisbane Lions [13] = 37-50 (Q2)

2024 = Brisbane Lions won by 60 points (120-60)

• Brisbane Lions [73] = 107-34 (3QT); 108-35 (Q4)
• Sydney [11] = 2-13 (Q1)

2025 = Brisbane Lions won by 47 points (122-75)

• Brisbane Lions [65] = 122-57 (Q4)
• Geelong [10] = 12-22 (Q2)

 

[BigVic]

Poor Sydney. Most recent team NOT to lead in a grand final. Freo had the dubious honour in 2013 and St Kilda didn't lead in the 2010 Replay.

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

Updated after the 2025 GF.

2025 = Brisbane Lions won by 47 points (122-75)

• Brisbane Lions [65] = 122-57 (Q4)
• Geelong [10] = 12-22 (Q2)