The biggest winning margin in AFL history is 190 points, set by now-defunct club Fitzroy against Melbourne in Round 17, 1979, when they scored 36.22 (238) to 6.12 (48).
The Lions’ record win eclipsed the previous biggest margin of 178 points set by Collingwood over St Kilda just 13 weeks prior.
The current record has stood for over 40 years, but not without some close calls. Geelong defeated Melbourne by 186 points in Round 19, 2011, the third-highest margin ever, while Sydney massacred West Coast by 171 points in Round 15, 2023, the equal-fourth highest.
Fitzroy’s score is also the second-highest in VFL/AFL history, behind only the 37.17 (239) scored by Geelong in defeating the Brisbane Bears by 164 points in Round 7, 1992; while their 58 scoring shots sitting third on the all-time list, with the leader Hawthorn on 66 when they scored 25.41 (191) in defeating St Kilda by 88 points in Round 6, 1977.
Scoring 200 points is a rarity at the highest level, with just 31 recorded scores in VFL/AFL history. Just two have been recorded since 2010, with the Swans’ defeating of the Eagles in 2023 the first in nearly 12 years.
Here are the top 11 winning margins in VFL/AFL history.
Round 17, 1979: 190 points – Fitzroy 36.22 (238) beat Melbourne 6.12 (48)
R19, 2011: 186 points – Geelong 37.11 (233) beat Melbourne 7.5 (47)
R4, 1979: 178 points – Collingwood 31.21 (207) beat St Kilda (3.11 (29)
R15, 2023: 171 points – Sydney 31.19 (205) beat West Coast 5.4 (34)
R12, 1919: 171 points – South Melbourne (now Sydney) 29.15 (189) beat St Kilda 2.6 (18)
R2, 1931: 168 points – Richmond 30.19 (199) beat North Melbourne 4.7 (31)
R21, 2011: 165 points – Hawthorn 31.11 (197) beat Port Adelaide 5.2 (32)
R18, 1964: 165 points – Essendon 28.16 (184) beat South Melbourne (now Sydney) 2.7 (19)
R7, 1992: 164 points – Geelong 37.17 (239) beat Brisbane Bears 11.9 (75)
R17, 1987: 163 points – Sydney 36.20 (236) beat Essendon 11.7 (73)
Geelong recorded the equal fifth biggest winning margin in VFL/AFL Grand Final history when they thrashed Sydney Swans at the MCG on Saturday.
The Cats’ blistering start to the 2022 Grand Final recalled memories of their 2007 triumph when they beat Port Adelaide by 119 points – the highest ever margin.
The Swans started with an early opening goal but it was one way traffic after that with the Cats going to the quarter-time break leading by 6.5 (41) to 1.0 (6).
In 2007 Geelong led by 23 points at the first break before powering away to a 24.19 (163) to 6.8 (44) victory – the biggest ever in VFL/AFL history. Their points total was the second highest in a Grand Final after Carlton’s 177 in 1972.
On Saturday Geelong opened up the biggest Grand Final quarter-time lead in 33 years with an overwhelming performance.
Geelong beat Sydney in disposals 108-63, contested possessions 46-27, marks 30-12, inside 50s 19-8 and scoring shots 11-1, while they also lead clearances 12-9, contested marks 2-1, free kicks 6-3 and hitouts 11-7 after the first quarter.
While the Swans had better success in the second quarter the match ran away from them in the third as the Cats scored 6.1 goals to 0.1, going to the final break leading 15.11 (101) to 4.3 (27).
It got even worse for the Swans with the Cats rolling on to a 20.13 (133) to 8.4 (52) victory.
Here are the top 11 winning margins in VFL/AFL grand final history.
2007: 119 points – Geelong 24.19 (163) beat Port Adelaide 6.8 (44)
1988: 96 points – Hawthorn 22.20 (152) beat Melbourne 6.20 (56)
2019: 89 points – Richmond 17.12 (114) beat Greater Western Sydney 3.7 (25)
1983: 83 points – Hawthorn 20.20 (140) beat Essendon 8. 9 (57)
1980: 81 points – Richmond 23.21 (159) beat Collingwood 9.2 (78)
2022: 81 points – Geelong 20.13 (133) beat Sydney Swans 8.4 (52)
1994: 80 points – West Coast 20.23 (143) beat Geelong 8.15 (63)
1985: 78 points – Essendon 26.14 (170) beat Hawthorn 14. 8 (92)
2021: 74 points – Melbourne 21.14 (140) beat Western Bulldogs 10. 6 (66)
1949: 73 points – Essendon 18.17 (125) beat Carlton 6.16 (52)
1956: 73 points – Melbourne 17.19 (121) beat Collingwood 6.12 (48)
Al Reed
Guest
Amusing how not much said about losing margin being 5th largest,jointly with Collingwood,s 1980 loss to Richmond.
Chris M
Guest
I am not sure if your judgment is affected by club affiliation or recency bias. The Western Bulldogs had to win four consecutive games to win the 2016 premiership and so I don't buy your excuse about GWS in 2019. Despite far preferring the Swans ahead of GWS, as a Sydneysider I was barracking for GWS to beat Richmond in the 2019 Grand Final. I was disappointed that the Giants put up a poor showing and were not able to win. GWS played poorly in the 2019 Grand Final and has been on a generally downward trajectory since then, but that may be for a variety of reasons. The Swans were equally as poor on Saturday as GWS was in the Grand Final of 2019. It remains to be seen how this affects the general direction of the Swans' trajectory over the next three seasons.
XI
Roar Guru
I think this is the worst since 2007. The Giants were clearly too tired to put in a fight in 2019 after 3 tough finals. Swans didn't have that excuse