Editing Collingwood Football Club (section)

==History==
{{Recentism|date=August 2021}}
{{Main|History of the Collingwood Football Club}}

===Formation and early years===
[[File:Collingwood fc team 1896.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The Collingwood team that won the VFA premiership in 1896]]
The Collingwood Football Club was established on 12 February 1892.<ref>[http://www.afl.com.au/news/blogarticle/tabid/8123/newsid/89468/default.aspx afl.com.au]{{dead link|date=September 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/newsfeatures/news/newsarticle/tabid/5586/newsid/81675/default.aspx |title=The club's first secretary honoured – Official AFL Website of the Collingwood Football Club |access-date=29 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007020548/http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/newsfeatures/news/newsarticle/tabid/5586/newsid/81675/default.aspx |archive-date=7 October 2009 }}</ref><ref>A Century of the Best, Michael Roberts p.viii pub:1991</ref>

Collingwood played its first game in the [[Victorian Football Association]] (VFA) against [[Carlton Football Club|Carlton]] on 7 May 1892.<ref>A Century of the Best, Michael Roberts p.x pub:1991</ref> The club won the VFA Premiership in 1896.

In 1897, Collingwood, along with fellow VFA clubs [[Fitzroy Football Club|Fitzroy]], [[Melbourne Football Club|Melbourne]], [[St Kilda Football Club|St Kilda]], Carlton, [[Essendon Football Club|Essendon]], [[Sydney Swans|South Melbourne]] and [[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]] split from the VFA and formed the [[Victorian Football League (1897–1989)|Victorian Football League]] (VFL).

Collingwood won its first [[List of Australian Football League premiers|premiership]] in 1902, defeating Essendon by 33 points in the [[1902 VFL Grand Final]].

===1920s and 1930s: Four consecutive premierships===
[[File:Jock Mchale.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Jock McHale coached the club to four consecutive Grand Final victories]]
Collingwood was the most successful Victorian club of the 1920s and 1930s, appearing in 13 out of a possible 20 Grand Finals during the period.<ref>{{cite web |title=Premiership Teams – East Perth FC |url=http://www.eastperthfc.com.au/history/premiership-teams |access-date=20 September 2020 |website=East Perth Football Club |language=en-US}}</ref> Collingwood were premiers six times during this time, including four consecutive premierships between 1927 and 1930, a VFL record, and two consecutive premierships in 1935 and 1936. The club's coach during this period was [[Jock McHale]], who served as coach from 1912 to 1949. Collingwood also had three [[Brownlow Medal]]lists during the period, with [[Syd Coventry]] winning in 1927, [[Albert Collier]] in 1929 and [[Harry Collier]] in 1930. The club's ruthlessly successful period later earned the club the nickname "The Machine". American journalist and author Sam Walker included the Machine team in his book ''The Captain Class'', which listed some the author's greatest teams in the history of world sport.<ref name=Hello12>{{cite web|url=https://forever.collingwoodfc.com.au/machine-named-among-worlds-best-ever-sporting-teams/|title=Machine named among world's best ever sporting teams|work=forever.collingwoodfc.com.au}}</ref>

The Collingwood team of 1927–30 not only achieved four straight premierships, but did so with a winning percentage of around 86% across the four seasons, and an average winning margin of about five goals. In 1929 they also became the only team in history to go through a home-and-away season undefeated.<ref name=Hello12/> Collingwood remains the only club in the history of the VFL/AFL to have [[List of VFL/AFL premiers|been declared premiers]] on four successive occasions.

=== 1950s: Two premierships ===

In the 1950s, the [[Melbourne Football Club]] enjoyed an era of unprecedented success, winning five premierships in six years (the last coming in 1960, and having been runner up in 1954). Collingwood lost two Grand Finals to Melbourne in this decade, but bounced back to win premierships in 1953 and 1958. Collingwood's 1958 premiership is much cherished by the club as it prevented Melbourne from equalling Collingwood's record four premierships in a row.

The 1958 premiership was however to be Collingwood's last for 32 years, as the club was to suffer a string of Grand Final defeats in coming decades.

===1959–89: "Colliwobbles"===
{{main|Colliwobbles}}
A string of eight Grand Final losses, often by narrow margins, between 1960 and 1981 gave rise to a perception that the club was prone to "choking", a phenomenon wittily dubbed "Colliwobbles".<ref>[http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion/lets-banish-memories-of-colliwobbles-forever/story-e6frfhqf-1225929137935 Let's banish memories of Colliwobbles forever] The Herald Sun, 24 September 2010</ref><ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/sport/putting-a-price-on-colliwobbles-20100811-11zpj.html Putting a price on Colliwobbles] The Melbourne Age, 12 August 2010</ref><ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/its-still-neck-and-neck-after-44-years-20100925-15rpk.html?rand=1285423503336?autostart=1 It's still neck and neck after 44 years] The Melbourne Age, 25 September 2010</ref> Whether this perception is accurate remains a subject of debate;<ref name=footyalmanac>[http://footyalmanac.com.au/?p=14663 Colliwobbles: fact or fantasy?] ''Footy Almanac''</ref> having won two, drawn one and lost four of its last seven 
Grand Finals. [[Lou Richards]] ceremoniously buried the Colliwobbles at [[Victoria Park, Melbourne|Victoria Park]] after the club's 1990 premiership.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.theage.com.au/sport/hunt-a-churchie-goer-at-best-20100531-wrc7.html | location=Melbourne | work=The Age | title=Hunt a 'Churchie' goer at best}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.theage.com.au/sport/pies-ashes-now-in-tigerland-20091215-kuhu.html | location=Melbourne | work=The Age | title=Pies' ashes now in Tigerland}}</ref>

===1990–99: Long-awaited premiership and struggles===
{{See also|1990 AFL Grand Final}}
[[File:Nathan Buckley 2017.jpg|thumb|170px|Nathan Buckley captained Collingwood between 1999 and 2007, and served as the club's senior coach from 2012 to 2021]]
The [[1990 AFL Grand Final|1990 premiership team]], coached by [[Leigh Matthews]] and captained by [[Tony Shaw (Australian rules footballer)|Tony Shaw]], had a one-sided grand final win against [[Essendon Football Club|Essendon]], the Magpies recording a 48-point victory and ending a 32-year premiership drought which included eight [[AFL Grand Final|grand final]] losses and one draw. The sight of club great [[Darren Millane]], who died in a car-crash one year later, holding the ball aloft in triumph at the final siren is one of the indelible images of the match.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/2015-07-29/1990-premiership-exhibition|title=Re-live the triumph – 1990 Premiership exhibition|work=Collingwood Football Club|date=29 July 2015}}</ref>

After the drought-breaking premiership, the club lapsed into a state of decline for the remainder of the decade, culminating with the club's second [[wooden spoon]] in 1999. The Magpies returned to finals, though were quickly eliminated, in the [[1992 AFL season|1992 season]] against [[St Kilda Football Club|St Kilda]] and in the [[1994 AFL season]] against [[West Coast Eagles|West Coast]]. Matthews left as head coach at the end of the [[1995 AFL season|1995 season]] and was replaced at the start of the following year by 1990 premiership captain Tony Shaw, who had only retired from football 18 months earlier. Mid-table finishes under Shaw were achieved for the next two seasons, before poor results in 1998 and 1999 saw Shaw announce his resignation.

===2000–11: The Malthouse era===
Media personality, sports journalist and administrator [[Eddie McGuire]] was elected [[List of Collingwood Football Club presidents|President]] in October 1998. He oversaw the installation of new head coach [[Michael Malthouse]] in October 1999, whose appointment proved to be a masterstroke in reviving the club on-field. Under Malthouse, the acquisition and emergence of players such as [[Paul Licuria]], [[Alan Didak]], [[Anthony Rocca]] and [[Nathan Buckley]] resulted in Collingwood quickly moving up the ladder in the [[2000 AFL season]] and in the [[2001 AFL season]], only narrowly missing the finals in the latter year. Collingwood met reigning premiers [[Brisbane Lions|Brisbane]] in the [[2002 AFL Grand Final|2002 Grand Final]] and were regarded as massive underdogs, eventually falling just 9 points short of an improbable premiership. Buckley, the captain, became just the third player to win the [[Norm Smith Medal]] as best afield in the Grand Final despite being a member of the losing side. Despite a very successful home-and-away next season, they were again defeated by the Lions in the [[2003 AFL Grand Final|2003 Grand Final]], this time in thoroughly convincingly fashion.

Following those Grand Final losses, Collingwood struggled for the next two years, finishing 13th in 2004 and second-last in 2005; the latter meant Collingwood was eligible for a priority pick which the club used to recruit [[Dale Thomas (footballer)|Dale Thomas]]. Collingwood made a return to the finals in 2006, finishing fifth, but were defeated by the [[Western Bulldogs]] by 41 points in its elimination final. A loss to {{AFL Ess}} (who were on the bottom of the ladder at the time) late in the season ultimately cost them the double chance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/2012-08-30/beyond-2000-essendon|title=Beyond 2000 – Essendon|publisher=Collingwood FC|first=Luke|last=Mason|date=30 August 2012|access-date=10 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180524151821/http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/2012-08-30/beyond-2000-essendon|archive-date=24 May 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2006-08-11/bombers-shock-magpies/1237690|title=Bombers shock Magpies|publisher=ABC News ([[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]])|date=11 August 2006|access-date=10 June 2017}}</ref> The 2007 season saw them finish sixth on the ladder at season's conclusion, and in the finals they knocked out the grand finalists of the past two years, [[Sydney Swans|Sydney]], in the elimination final and then [[West Coast Eagles|West Coast]] in overtime at [[Subiaco Oval]] in the semi-final. Having earned a preliminary final against {{AFL Gee}}, Collingwood lost to the eventual premiers, by five points in one of the most memorable preliminary finals in over a decade. Nathan Buckley would announce his retirement at season's end after playing just five games in 2007 due to injury.

Collingwood finished eighth in the [[2008 AFL season]] and were assigned an away final against {{AFL Ade}} at [[AAMI Stadium]]. After at one point trailing in the match, Collingwood went on to end Adelaide's season and earn a semi-final meeting against {{AFL StK}}. Having defeated the Saints in both their regular season meetings, Collingwood lost convincingly, ending their 2008 season. The [[2009 AFL season|2009 season]] saw Collingwood finish inside the top-four for the first time since 2003, but in the qualifying final were beaten by minor premiers St Kilda convincingly. Having won a second chance, Collingwood struggled against Adelaide for the second year in a row before John Anthony kicked the match-winning goal with a minute left to send them into another preliminary final meeting with Geelong. But the season ended abruptly for the Magpies, with a 73-point loss to Geelong.

In 2010, Collingwood finished as minor premiers, and after wins in the qualifying and preliminary finals, reached the first [[2010 AFL Grand Final|Grand Final]] against St Kilda. The match finished as a draw, forcing the first [[grand final replay]] in 33 years. Collingwood won the replay by 56 points. Key defensive player [[Nick Maxwell]] captained the club to victory and midfielder [[Scott Pendlebury]] (who had already won his first of eventually three [[Anzac Day match|Anzac medals]] earlier in the year) was awarded the Norm Smith Medal. The club won a second consecutive minor premiership in 2011, and qualified for the [[2011 AFL Grand Final|Grand Final]] after a three-point victory against Hawthorn in the preliminary final. However, Collingwood was then beaten by Geelong by 38 points in the decider, after trailing by seven points at three-quarter time. Following the Grand Final loss, which also marked the end of the club's 2011 AFL season, Malthouse left Collingwood after deciding not to stay on as "director of coaching".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-01/malthouse-to-part-ways-with-pies/3205206 |title=Malthouse parts ways with Pies |access-date=22 September 2018 |website=ABC News |agency=Australian Associated Press}}</ref> Star midfielder [[Dane Swan]] won the [[2011 Brownlow Medal]] with a then-record 34 votes. Malthouse would leave having coached the club to eight finals series and four grand finals in 12 years.

===2012–2021: Coach Nathan Buckley===
Nathan Buckley, regarded as one of Collingwood's greatest players, was appointed assistant coach under Malthouse for the 2010 and 2011 seasons, before assuming the head coaching position at the start of the [[2012 AFL season|2012 season]].<ref>[http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/81524/default.aspx Pies' double act] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091016043445/http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/81524/default.aspx |date=16 October 2009 }}. Afl.com.au (28 July 2009). Retrieved on 7 September 2012.</ref> Malthouse, who had been contracted to take on a "head of coaching" role, elected to leave the club rather than put Buckley in what he regarded as an awkward position.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-01/malthouse-to-part-ways-with-pies/3205206|title=Malthouse parts ways with Pies|work=ABC News|date=1 October 2011}}</ref> Under Buckley, Collingwood continued to be successful in the short term, qualifying inside the top-four in the 2012 season, before falling 26 points short in a preliminary final to eventual premiers the [[Sydney Swans]] at [[ANZ Stadium]]. The club qualified for finals once more in 2013, though were surprisingly eliminated in the first week by underdogs [[Port Adelaide Football Club|Port Adelaide]] at home. The result prompted the Magpies coaching staff to begin making radical changes to the club's playing list, which saw premiership players [[Heath Shaw]], [[Sharrod Wellingham]], [[Heritier Lumumba]] among others leave for other clubs or retire. Over the next four years, younger talent was drafted but the club's win–loss recorded continued to deteriorate. Collingwood failed to make finals from 2014 through to the end of the [[2017 AFL season|2017 season]], progressively sliding down the ladder each year. Buckley came under intense media pressure to resign or be sacked from his position, though club administrators elected to grant him a two-year extension to his contract in October 2017 after a broad-ranging internal review.<ref name=Buckleyarticle1>{{cite web|url=https://themongrelpunt.com/afl/2018/10/17/an-imperfect-perfection-the-transformation-of-nathan-buckley|title=An Imperfect Perfection – The Transformation of Nathan Buckley|work=The Mongrel Punt|date=1 June 2019}}{{Dead link|date=October 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

The emergence of new-generation players such as [[Taylor Adams]], [[Adam Treloar]] and [[Jordan De Goey]], alongside key talls [[Brodie Grundy]] and [[Mason Cox]] mixed well with veterans Pendlebury and [[Steele Sidebottom]]. Collingwood jumped from 13th in 2017 to 3rd in 2018, sensationally knocking out reigning premiers {{AFL Ric}} in the preliminary final before falling five points short after leading for most of the match against [[West Coast Eagles|West Coast]] in the [[2018 AFL Grand Final|2018 Grand Final]], the senior team's 27th defeat in a Grand Final. Buckley's growth as a coach was partially credited for the rapid improvement.<ref name=Buckleyarticle1/> In 2019, Collingwood had another strong season, finishing fourth on the ladder, but they were unable to return to the Grand Final after a shattering four-point defeat to {{AFL GWS}} in the first preliminary final.<ref name="betterlucknextyear">{{cite web |last1=McGowan |first1=Marc |title=Gargantuan: Depleted Giants shock Pies to reach first Grand Final |url=https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/26/coll-v-gws#/match-report |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190915074443/https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/26/coll-v-gws#/match-report |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 September 2019 |website=AFL.com.au |access-date=21 September 2019}}</ref> In 2020, Collingwood finished 8th at the end of the home-and-away season.

The club made significant on-field and administrative changes in the late 2010s. It was a foundation member of the inaugural [[AFL Women's]] competition in 2017 and in the same year established the [[Collingwood Magpies Netball]] team, a division of the club competing in the professional [[Suncorp Super Netball|National Netball League]]. Collingwood unveiled a new permanent logo at the end of the 2017 season, which was the club's 125th anniversary year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/2017-10-04/a-new-logo-a-new-chapter|title=A new logo, a new chapter|work=Collingwood FC|date=4 October 2017}}</ref>

===="Do Better" report====
In 2020, the club commissioned an independent review into claims of racism at the club. In February 2021, the report was leaked to journalists and revealed that "while claims of racism have been made across the AFL, there is something distinct and egregious about Collingwood's history" and that "what is clear is that racism at the club has resulted in profound and enduring harm to First Nations and African players. The racism affected them, their communities, and set dangerous norms for the public."<ref>{{cite web|last=Gleeson|first=Michael|date=31 January 2021|title=Report finds 'systemic racism' at Collingwood|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/report-finds-systemic-racism-at-collingwood-20210201-p56ybh.html|access-date=1 February 2021|website=The Age|language=en}}</ref> Collingwood President [[Eddie McGuire]] suggested that the report signalled "a historic and proud day" for the media and club which was working towards addressing racism and that it "was not a racist club".<ref>{{cite web|title='Not a racist club': McGuire fights back after leaked report|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/544687/-not-a-racist-club-mcguire-fights-back-after-leaked-report|access-date=1 February 2021|website=www.afl.com.au|date=February 2021 }}</ref> Many criticised McGuire's response, including AFL CEO [[Gillon McLachlan]], [[Héritier Lumumba]], former Indigenous Collingwood player [[Tony Armstrong (Australian rules footballer)|Tony Armstrong]] and a Victorian Senator, among others.<ref>{{cite web|last=Cherny|first=Michael Gleeson, Daniel|date=1 February 2021|title=Indigenous ex-Pie slams Collingwood's response, McGuire refuses to quit|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/mcguire-collingwood-speak-on-report-into-racism-20210201-p56ygo.html|access-date=1 February 2021|website=The Age|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=2 February 2021|title=Lumumba has no faith in Collingwood changing under the 'current regime'|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-02/lumumba-has-no-faith-collingwood-changing-under-current-regime/13114386|access-date=4 February 2021|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title='It was more sobering and confronting': Gill queries 'proud' McGuire|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/545044/-it-was-more-sobering-and-confronting-gill-queries-proud-mcguire|access-date=4 February 2021|website=www.afl.com.au|date=2 February 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Cassidy|first=Barrie|date=2 February 2021|title=Eddie still doesn't get it: Pies can't rebuild from a position of denial|url=https://www.watoday.com.au/sport/afl/eddie-still-doesn-t-get-it-pies-can-t-rebuild-from-a-position-of-denial-20210202-p56ytt.html|access-date=4 February 2021|website=WAtoday|language=en}}</ref> McGuire later apologised for the remarks.<ref>{{cite web|date=2 February 2021|title='I got it wrong': McGuire says he shouldn't have said he was 'proud' after Collingwood report revealed|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-02/collingwood-eddie-mcguire-wrong-to-say-proud-over-racism-report/13112374|access-date=4 February 2021|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU}}</ref> On 4 February, 150 Collingwood players from the men's and women's teams penned an open letter apologising "to anyone who, through their association with our club, has been marginalised, hurt or discriminated against due to their race."<ref name="Niall">{{cite web|last=Niall|first=Jake|date=4 February 2021|title=Pies who penned open letter 'humiliated and shocked' by racism report|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/collingwood-players-pen-open-letter-on-racism-20210204-p56znn.html|access-date=4 February 2021|website=The Age|language=en}}</ref> First-grade footballer [[Darcy Moore]] said that the players were "humiliated and shocked" by the report's findings.<ref name="Niall"/> McGuire stood down as [[President of the Collingwood Football Club]] on 9 February 2021, although he had initially wanted to see the year through for a seamless transition until being compelled to step down.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/547599/eddie-mcguire-quits-effective-immediately|title='A lightning rod for vitriol': McGuire resigns, effective immediately|work=AFL.com.au|date=9 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The contenders to replace Eddie McGuire, who will stand down as Collingwood president at end of 2021 season|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/teams/collingwood/eddie-mcguire-to-stand-down-as-collingwood-president-at-end-of-2021-season/news-story/4b6daedd278c7905413a8f11f9c26cae}}</ref>

Buckley stepped down after Round 13 of the [[2021 AFL season]], and assistant coach [[Robert Harvey (footballer)|Robert Harvey]] took over as the caretaker coach until the end of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/954805/buckley-to-step-down-after-478-games-as-player-and-coach|title=Buckley to step down after 478 games as player and coach|publisher=[[Telstra]]|website=Collingwood|date=9 June 2021|access-date=29 June 2021}}</ref> Harvey focused on developing youth and letting them play, with Collingwood winning 2 out of their 9 remaining games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/collingwood-magpies/afl-news-2021-robert-harvey-departs-collingwood-magpies-offseason-changes-assistant-coach/news-story/c13369e3e79363f2b4511a09be990898|title=Harvey's big challenge for Pies star as he reveals 'shockwaves' from Buckley exit|work=[[Fox Sports (Australia)|Fox Sports]]|first1=Tom|last1=Morris|first2=Ben|last2=Cotton|date=1 September 2021}}</ref>

===2022–present: Coach Craig McRae===
In September 2021, [[Craig McRae]] was appointed as head coach of the club for the [[2022 AFL season|2022 season]] and onwards.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/sep/01/craig-mcrae-confirmed-as-collingwood-coach-as-harvey-departs-afl-club|title=Craig McRae confirmed as Collingwood coach as Harvey departs AFL club|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=1 September 2021}}</ref> In his first season as Senior Coach, McRae led the club from a 17th place finish in the previous year, to 4th place on the ladder at the conclusion of the 2022 regular season, which included an 11 game winning streak and an AFL record of 11 separate wins by under 12 points.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/829145/dont-ever-write-em-off-pies-smash-record-for-close-wins|title=Don't ever write 'em off! Pies smash record for close wins|work=[[Australian Football League|AFL]]|date=24 August 2022}}</ref> Collingwood would go on to lose two of their three Finals games in 2022 by a goal or less, losing to Geelong by 6 points in the Qualifying Final, and Sydney by 1 point in the Preliminary Final. McRae was awarded the Monjon Allan Jeans Senior Coach of the Year Award by the AFL Coaches Association for the 2022 season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Craig McRae named AFLCA Coach of the Year |url=https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/1225762/craig-mcrae-named-aflca-coach-of-the-year |access-date=2023-04-30 |website=collingwoodfc.com.au |date=20 September 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

The 2023 season marked a shift in the club's leadership, as long-time team captain [[Scott Pendlebury]] stepped down from the role he had held from 2014 to 2022. [[Darcy Moore]] was voted as the club's new captain for the 2023 season and beyond.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-01 |title=Collingwood names Darcy Moore as new skipper for 2023 |url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/collingwood-magpies/afl-2022-collingwood-magpies-announce-darcy-moore-as-captain-leadership-group-latest-news/news-story/ce2b17a3b12d6c99fd1d2b0f1cbcfcaa |access-date=2023-04-26 |website=Fox Sports |language=en}}</ref>

The Magpies entered the 2023 season with the aim to build upon their strong performance in the 2022 season. Key offseason additions included [[Tom Mitchell (Australian footballer)|Tom Mitchell]] (from Hawthorn), [[Bobby Hill (Australian footballer)|Bobby Hill]] (from GWS), and [[Billy Frampton]] (from Adelaide) through trades, and signing [[Daniel McStay|Dan McStay]] to the club as a free agent.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What to expect from Collingwood's quartet of recruits in 2023 |url=https://www.sen.com.au/news/2023/02/05/what-to-expect-from-collingwoods-quartet-of-recruits-in-2023 |access-date=2023-10-01 |website=www.sen.com.au |language=en}}</ref> Collingwood had a successful second season under Craig McRae, securing a total of 18 wins and 5 losses, and ultimately finishing first overall on the ladder. In the first Qualifying Final of the 2023 AFL Finals, Collingwood (9.6.60) defeated Melbourne (7.11.53) by 7 points. In the preliminary final, Collingwood (8.10.58) defeated the Giants (8.9.57) by 1 point, to secure a spot in the [[2023 AFL Grand Final]]. In a closely contested match, Collingwood (12.18.90) defeated Brisbane (13.8.86) by 4 points to win the 2023 AFL Premiership, equalling the league-record of 16 VFL/AFL premierships for the club.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-30 |title=Sweet 16: Magpies outlast Lions in thrilling Grand Final |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/1045017/match-report-2023-toyota-afl-grand-final-collingwood-magpies-v-brisbane-lions |access-date=2023-10-01 |website=afl.com.au |language=en}}</ref>

The 2024 season would prove to be a disappointment for the reigning premiers. Collingwood started the year poorly, losing the first three matches of their flag defence before recovering strongly to lose just once in the following eleven games. Despite this, the Magpies finished the season in indifferent fashion, winning just four of their last nine matches. 
They ultimately finished ninth with a record of 12 wins, nine losses and two draws, with percentage separating them from eighth-placed arch-rival Carlton. In doing so, Collingwood became the third reigning premier in four years (after Richmond in 2021 and Geelong in 2023) to miss the finals.