Rivalries have formed right across the AFL landscape, not just between two sides who share the same street.
No matter where each team find themselves on the ladder, each upcoming clash will be hard-fought to ensure that one side can have bragging rights over their opposition.
Brisbane and Collingwood are no different. From the battle of powerhouses in 2002 and 2003, player trades that shocked the AFL community, to close finishes in recent years, this rivalry has cemented itself as one of the 'must-watch' games in any season.
So in the lead-up to Friday's clash, we preview the history of the matchups, the deals and recent performances that have added to this 21st century rivalry.
History
This rivalry has been alive since 1987 when the Bears would lose their first 11 clashes with Collingwood before finally winning in 1994, with the merger then occurring between the Bears and Fitzroy that had the tally at two wins for the Lions and 13 for Collingwood.
Since the merger, however, numbers have drastically swung the Lions' way, winning 22 from the past 37 clashes.
At the Gabba, Brisbane find themselves 13-8 against Collingwood.
At home (Marvel Stadium and the MCG), Collingwood is 8-8 against Brisbane.
Largest winning margin (Brisbane): 2007 Round 17 22.17.149 def. Collingwood 7.14.56
Largest winning margin (Collingwood): 2016 Round 8 20.23.143 def Brisbane 10.5.65
Brisbane also holds supremacy in the finals with a record of 2-1. Both finals wins for the Lion were in the AFL grand finals of 2002 and 2003, while the Pies' sole win also came in 2003 through the qualifying final.
Trades
One of the most controversial trades in AFL history saw Nathan Buckley ditch the Bears in a move to Collingwood, stating "I was keen to play for a Victorian club with tradition."
In return for Buckley's departure, the Lions received Craig Starcevich, Troy Lehmann and a draft pick that would eventually pick up Chris Scott. During this time, it was believed Collingwood had won the trade, as Buckley went on to win a Brownlow, however, both Starcevich and Scott would go on to feature as part of Brisbane's three-peat side.
2014 saw another significant trade between Brisbane and Collingwood, with the Lions giving up Jack Crisp and Picks 5 and 25 in return for Dayne Beams and Pick 67. This trade was a huge win for Collingwood as Crisp remains a solid player in the Magpies' lineup, while pick five was used to draft Jordan De Goey, who remains a dangerous player when moving the ball forward. The selection of Pick 25 was traded on by the Magpies to North Melbourne, where Collingwood secured hard-nosed midfielder Levi Greenwood in return.
Beams would go on to be the shining light for what were dark times for Brisbane, who struggled to get themselves off the bottom of the ladder for the years ahead.
Beams also requested a trade back to Collingwood in 2018 for family reasons, with the Lions receiving Picks 18, 56 and a future first-round selection from the Magpies.
Dan McStay is the most recent to leave swap between the two clubs after exercising his free agency rights at the end of the last season and heading to Collingwood.
Close encounters
Throughout their history both sides have featured in some thrillers, with seven games decided by a margin of less than 10 points.
In Round 8, 2002, Collingwood hosted Brisbane at Docklands and got over the line by three points with a final score of 114 to 111 in a sell-out clash. The same year, the two teams had to wait until the grand final to play each other again, this time with Brisbane prevailing by nine points with a final score of 75 to 66.
Round 8, 2008, provided another fantastic game at the Gabba where Collingwood fell just short of stealing victory, with Brisbane walking away with a two-point win and a score of 96 to 94. Round 10, 2010 saw Brisbane win another close one by just eight points at the Gabba with a score of 88 to 80.
Again the Gabba held another tight one in Round 7 of the 2018 season, where Collingwood held a seven-point win in a high-scoring game, ending in 121 to 114.
Round 3, 2021 was a memorable game for both clubs, with Brisbane's Zac Bailey nailing a shot after the siren to give the Lions their first win of the year seeing the Queensland club claim a one-point win.
Last year's Round 5 encounter, again at the Gabba, was another tight contest as a late surge from Collingwood just wasn't enough to get over the Lions, with a seven-point win in Brisbane's books.
Last five matchups
2023 Round 4: Brisbane 18.8.116 def. Collingwood 11.17.83
2022 Round 5: Brisbane 15.8.98 def. Collingwood 14.7.91
2021 Round 22: Brisbane 22.10.142 def. Collingwood 8.9.57
2021 Round 3: Brisbane 11.7.73 def. Collingwood 11.6.72
2020 Round 15: Brisbane 6.6.42 def. Collingwood 5.4.34
Upcoming Matchup
What's at stake?
For Collingwood: Lock in first place on the ladder. A confidence booster win despite important outs. An opportunity to break the five-game winning streak the Brisbane Lions have on Collingwood.
For Brisbane: A chance to keep their first place chances alive as well as potentially locking in second place on the ladder (depending on Port Adelaide's and Melbourne's results). Brisbane will also be looking to recapture some strong form before finals.
Without a doubt, this Friday is an enticing clash for both clubs, where it is expected to be an early taste of finals footy in front of a sell-out crowd.
Collingwood host Brisbane at Marvel Stadium on Friday at 7:50 pm local time.
