Which coach has the highest finals winning percentage in the last 35 years. Top 20.
Asked 1 October 2026 · answered by AI from every VFL/AFL game since 1897
Top finals coaches by winning percentage since 1990 (seasons 1990-2024, finals only: WF/EF/QF/SF/PF/GF), minimum 5 finals games coached:
1. Leigh Matthews - 70.8% (17-7, 24 games)
2. Malcolm Blight - 68.4% (13-6, 19 games)
3. Denis Pagan - 63.6% (14-8, 22 games)
4. Chris Fagan - 62.5% (15-9, 24 games)
5. Alastair Clarkson - 61.5% (16-10, 26 games)
6. Damien Hardwick - 61.1% (11-7, 18 games)
7. Peter Schwab - 60% (3-2, 5 games)
8. Don Pyke - 60% (3-2, 5 games)
9. Adam Simpson - 58.3% (7-5, 12 games)
10. Mark Thompson - 57.9% (11-8, 19 games)
11. Sam Mitchell - 57.1% (4-3, 7 games)
12. Paul Roos - 56.3% (9-7, 16 games)
13. Craig McRae - 55.6% (5-4, 9 games)
14. Leon Cameron - 53.8% (7-6, 13 games)
15. Kevin Sheedy - 53.6% (15-13, 28 games)
16. Luke Beveridge - 53.3% (8-7, 15 games)
17. Mick Malthouse - 53.1% (26-23, 49 games)
18. John Longmire - 50% (14-14, 28 games)
19. Neale Daniher - 50% (6-6, 12 games)
20. Michael Voss - 50% (3-3, 6 games)
Leigh Matthews leads comfortably, largely from his Brisbane Lions dynasty era (2001-2004) plus earlier Collingwood finals.