Four decades of AFL Grand Final parades in pictures

THIS year’s AFL Grand Final parade will be a first for the Doggies — who haven’t played in a Grand Final since the parade started in 1977. Take a look back at 39 years of the tradition.

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THE Western Bulldogs played in the 1954 and 1961 Grand Finals — but they’ve never had a chance to get up close to fans in the centre of town during the inaugural Grand Final Parade.

The parade was adopted from a tradition which had begun decades earlier in the amateur VAFA, and became increasingly popular during the 1980s.

From its inception until 2014, the parade was based in the Melbourne city centre, usually proceeding from St Kilda Road along the city’s main thoroughfares and ending at the steps outside the Old Treasury Building.

The players have in the past appeared on parade floats and in recent times it’s become a motorcade of open-top vehicles.

When the Friday of the parade was declared a public holiday in Victoria in 2015, the AFL said the traditional city route no longer made sense with most office buildings vacant — so the route was changed.

The parade now begins at the Old Treasury Building, heads south down Spring St, east along Wellington Parade, and ends at Yarra Park outside the MCG.

The parade generally attracts in excess of 100,000 fans each year, although it’s been significantly smaller in years when no Victorian clubs contested the grand final — such as between 2004 and 2006, when crowds ranged from 40,000 to 75,000.

A record crowd of 150,000 people attended the first public holiday parade last year in 2015.

Take a look back at the parade that’s been stopping Melbourne for 39 years.

Tommy Hafey in the 1979 Grand Final parade. Picture: HWT Library.

Carlton's Alex Jesaulenko in the 1979 parade. Picture: HWT Library.

Collingwood and Richmond fans in the crowd in 1980. Picture: HWT Library.

Tom Hafey in the 1980 parade. Picture: HWT Library.

Hawthorn coach Allan Jeans and Carlton coach Robert Wallsn on Collins Street in 1986.

Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy and Hawthorn coach Allan Jeans during the 1983 Grand Final parade.

Essendon's Terry Daniher in 1984’s parade: Picture: HWT Library.

Hawthorn's Leigh Matthews in the 1984 parade. Picture: HWT Library.

Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy and his Hawthorn counterpart in 1985. Picture: HWT Library.

Coaches Malcolm Blight and Allan Jeans shake hands during the 1989 grand final parade.

Joint Brownlow Medal winners Robert DiPierdomenico and Greg Williams during the 1986 Grand Final parade.

Geelong players Gary Ablett and Garry Hocking during the 1989 parade.

Coaches Malcolm Blight and Allan Jeans shakes hands during the 1989 grand final parade. Picture: HWT Library.

Essendon's Mark Thompson and Mark Harvey during the 1990 Grand Final parade.

Karl Langdon of West Coast Eagles at the 1992 Grand Final parade. Football.

Brownlow Medal winner Paul Kelly during 1995 parade. Picture: HWT Library.

Carlton AFL player Justin "Harry" Madden surrounded by fans during the 1995 parade. Picture: HWT Library. Picture: HWT Library.

Crowds outside Flinders Street Station during the 1995 AFL Grand Final Parade. Picture: HWT Library.

Geelong co-captain Gary Ablett surrounded by fans during the 1995 parade. Picture: HWT Library.

Eagles coach Mick Malthouse during 1992 Grand Final Parade. Picture: HWT Library.

Adelaide Crows players Darren Jarman with Rodney Jameson in the 1997 parade.

Mark Bickley and Troy Bond at the 1997 parade. Picture: HWT Library.

Adelaide Crows driven along Melbourne’s city streets during 1997 AFL Grand Final Parade.

North Melbourne fans cheering the Roos at the 1998 parade. Picture: HWT Library.

Wayne Carey and Craig Bradley holding AFL Premiership cup at the parade in 1999. Picture: HWT Library.

James Hird and David Neitz holding the trophy during the 2000 parade. Picture: HWT Library.

Melbourne players Steven Pitt, Cameron Bruce and Brent Grgic during the 2000 Grand Final Parade.

A devil child at the parade in 2000. Picture: HWT Library.

James Hird and Michael Voss holding up the 2001 AFL premiership trophy during the Grand Final parade.

Bombers fans cheering on Essendon in 2001. Picture: HWT Library.

Nathan Buckley & Michael Voss hold up the trophy at AFL grand final parade in 2002. Picture: HWT Library.

Mick Malthouse and Nathan Buckley during the 2002 parade. Picture: HWT Library.

Collingwood and Brisbane Lions fans in the crowd at the Grand Final Parade through Melbourne in 2003. Picture: HWT Library.

Fans holding Josh Mahoney placards during the 2004 parade. Picture: HWT Library.

Warren Tredrea and Michael Voss during AFL Grand Final parade in 2004. Picture: HWT Library.

Captain Michael Voss and Coach Leigh Matthews wave to the crowd at the 2004 parade. Picture by Heath Missen.

Captains Chris Judd and Leo Barry holding the cup in 2006. Picture: HWt Library.

Sydney fans at the 2006 parade. Picture: HWT Library.

West Coast Eagles coach John Worsfold and Chris Judd lead the parade in 2006.

Port Power fans watching the 2007 parade. Picture: HWT Library.

A very serious Warren Tredrea holding AFL Premiership cup with Tom Harley at the parade in 2007.

Geelong’s Mark Blake and Gary Ablett in the 2008 parade. Picture: HWT Library.

Masses of Geelong and Hawthorn fans turned out to the 2008 parade. Two Melbourne teams equals no room to move in the CBD. Picture: HWT Library.

The Geelong and Hawthorn “grid girls” at the 2008 parade.

Justin Koschitzke and godson Zach in the 2009 parade. Picture: HWT Library.

Fans brave the wet conditions during the 2009 AFL Grand Final Parade through the streets of Melbourne. Picture: HWT Library.

St Kilda Captain Nick Riewoldt shakes hands with Geelong Coach Mark Thompson before the 2009 AFL Grand Final Parade.

St Kilda and Collingwood fans jostling for a glimpse of their footy heroes in 2010. Picture: HWT Library.

St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt waves as the St Kilda and Collingwood teams take part in the 2010 AFL Grand Final Parade.

Geelong Captain Cameron Ling and Collingwood Captain Nick Maxwell at the 2011 AFL Grand Final Parade.

Supporters for Hawthorn and Sydney crowd the wet streets of Melbourne for the 2012 AFL Grand Final parade.

Supporters for Hawthorn and Sydney on the wet streets of Melbourne for the 2012 AFL Grand Final Parade. Picture: HWT Library.

Hawthorn’s Lance Franklin and Josh Gibson in 2013. Picture: HWT Library.

Hawthorn and Freemantle fans fill the Melbourne CBD for the AFL grand final parade 2013. Picture: HWT Library.

Sam Mitchell and kids at the 2014 parade. Picture: Colleen Petch.

The crowd entertainment got stuck into each other at the 2014 AFL Grand Final Parade. Picture: Colleen Petch.

2014 AFL Grand Final Parade. Luke Hodge and Keiran Jack hold the premiership cup aloft on the steps of Parliament. Pic: Michael Klein

AFL Grand Final Parade 2015. The parade heads up Wellington Parade on the way to the Yarra Park and MCG. Picture: David Caird.

West Coast's Luke Shuey with Josh Kennedy during the 2015 AFL Grand Final parade in Melbourne.

The 2015 Grand Final Parade travelling its new route through the streets of Melbourne. Picture: Alex Coppel.