Collingwood blitzed the VFL reserves competition when it was first formed, winning a Premiership in the competition’s inaugural season, 1919, and four in the first seven years. All four of these flags were annexed in the name of Collingwood Districts, the club that acted as Collingwood’s reserves team until 1938.
Success was a little harder to come by in the ensuing years, but further flags followed in 1940 (in a team featuring Lou Richards), 1965 and 1976.
It’s also worth noting that Williamstown won a flag in the VFL in 2003, during the period it was allied with Collingwood’s reserves team.
1919
Grand Final (October 11)
University A 1.2 2.4 3.6 4.8.32
Collingwood 2.3 3.6 4.6 6.11.47
Goals: Dillon 3, Utting 1, Holt 1, H. Chesswas 1
Best: Thomson, Youren, Joseph, H. Chesswas, Webb, Dillon
Premiership team*
Backs: Charlie Mutch (C) Wally Chesswas Arthur Dillon
HB: Sam Mackechnie George Youren Bob Foran
C: Hugh Thomas Vernon Carkeek Leo Wescott
HF: Joe Keary (VC) Les Husband Harry Chesswas
For: Valentine Daicy Ern Utting "Brownie" Holt
Foll: Arthur Joseph Archie Thomson Reynolds Webb
Coach: Charlie Mutch (TBC)
* Please note that we have not been able to find a published final team for this game, so it has been pieced together from different newspaper reports. As such, doubt surrounds a small number of the above-named players and whether they actually played in the game.
1920
Grand Final (September 25)
Collingwood 2.3 3.8 4.10 7.14.56
University 1.1 5.1 7.1 7.2.44
Goals: Harding 2, Dillon 2, Ross 2, Monohan 1
Best: Ross, Wescott, Thomson, Buck, Mutch, T. Chesswas, H. Chesswas. Oram
Premiership team
We so far have been unable to find a full team for this game. Players confirmed to have played include: Bill Buck, Leo Wescott, Hector Ross, Artie Dillon, Les Oram, Charlie Mutch, Jack Monohan Jnr, Tom Chesswas, Harry Chesswas, Archie Thomson & T. Harding. George Tory, Wally Wildsmith, Wally Chesswas, Arthur Joseph & Herbie Taylor are all considered highly likely, having played in the previous final. The final two spots are most likely to have been filled by Joe Keary, George Beasley or Roy Allen.