5 AFL coaches with most premiership wins ft Michael Tuck

Modified May 13, 2024 08:32 IST

Throughout the history of AFL, coaches have led their clubs to greatness. While it's not uncommon for premiership-winning players to be made coaches and dubbed “premiership coaches”, not all of them have accomplished the feat of leading a team through premiership victories.

In this article, we highlight some coaches who have successfully taken their teams to multiple premierships:

#5 Tom Hafey (Richmond Tigers)

AFL Hall of Fame inductee Tom Hafey was behind four premiership victories in his years as Richmond’s coach. He was the coach of Richmond's team of the century in 1998. Hafey also received the AFL coaches association Coaching Legend Award in 2011.

Hafey had served as a player with the Tigers before leaving the club after the 1959 season in pursuit of a coaching career. However, when they lost coach Len Smith to a heart attack, Hafey came back to Richmond as coach, beginning strongly and pushing them closer to the finals than they had been in years.

#4 Michael Tuck (Hawthorn Hawks)

Michael Tuck, Hathorn’s ruck rover holds the AFL/VFL record for the most senior games played, with 426 games throughout his 19-year career. Despite his remarkable career achievements, he didn’t receive a lot of individual accolades – a testament to his commitment as a team player perhaps?

As Hawthorn’s most successful captain yet, Tuck led the club to four premierships victories in 1983, 1986, 1988, and 1989.

#3 Dick Reynolds (Essendon Bombers)

Dick Reynolds was one of Essendon’s greatest players and one of the league’s best rovers.

He won three Brownlow Medals, more than any other player. Renowned for his on-field prowess, Reynold’s transition to captain-coach in 1939 and eventually coach in 1951 was smooth.

Throughout his tenure, Reynolds oversaw four premiership victories (1942, 1946, 1949 and 1950) for Essendon, an incredible turnaround for a team that had been down for a long time. He coached a total of 415 games.

#2 Syd Coventry (Collingwood Magpies)

Syd Coventry was a leader both on and off the field. He's one of the AFL's most successful coaches.

While he's best remembered as one of Collingwood’s most remarkable players, Coventry made his mark as coach also, leading the Magpies to four premiership victories, in 1927, 1928, 1929 and 1930, coaching 149 games.

#1 Jock McHale (Collingwood Magpies)

At the top of the list of AFL's coaching greats is none other than the Magpies' McHale.

Serving as the Collingwood coach from 1917 to 1939, he oversaw eight premierships wins for Collingwood, establishing a coaching legacy and record which still stands today.

McHale coached 714 games, with 467 wins and 10 draws, for a winning rate of 66.1%. That included 59 finals matches (another record) and 16 grand finals for eight premierships. His 714 coaching game record was intact until 2015 when it was passed by Mick Malthouse.

Regarded famously for his inspirational traits and analytics, McHale's ability to get his players to give their best distinguished him from others. The strength of Collingwood under McHale lay in its steadfast adherence to team discipline.

McHale set up the team with no part bigger than the whole. He took the same pay as his players and trusted immensely in his ability to pick players' strengths and fitness levels. The team had to undergo a weekly assessment during trainings, similar to the ones pre-match day.

Now, premiership-winning coaches receive the Jock McHale Medal, named in McHale's honour. The first Jock McHale medal was awarded in 2001, the first season since McHale's retirement from coaching, and retrospectively awarded to all premiership-winning coaches since 1950.

Edited by Bhargav