DOB: 10 August 1926
Died: 14 August 2005
Debut: Round 4, 1948 against Richmond at Punt Road
Last Game: Grand Final 1954 against Footscray at MCG
From: Kew/Yallourn
Number: 3 (1948-1952), 8 (1954)
Honours:
Premiership Player - 1948
Grand Final team - 1954
Captain - 1954
150 Heroes selection
Victorian state player - 1952
Life Member - 2004
Games: 88
Goals: 5
Career Statistics
| Wins | Draws | Losses | Winning % |
| 49 | 1 | 38 | 55.68 |
The son of Jack Collins, Geoff was a tough and courageous defender whose career spanned two great eras for the Demons. He sought a clearance to Yallourn in the 1948 pre-season, but stayed and made his debut early in the year. Collins was injured in the first 10 minutes of his debut and missed the next eight weeks. It was initially thought he'd missed the rest of the season but Collins returned to the side later in the year and after just a handful of senior games played on a half-back flank in the winning 1948 Grand Final Replay.
A member of the RAAF, Collins often found his football training duties impacted by service and his missed the 1953 season while serving in the Korean War. He flew 100 missions for the 77 Squadron - the last just hours before the ceasefire - and was commended for his courage. He flew with a Demon logo painted on the side of his plane. Collins returned to Australia before the 1954 season but was posted to South Australia. Needing a replacement for retired captain Denis Cordner, Norm Smith and Bert Chadwick arranged for Collins to be transferred to Victoria so he could rejoin the club. He was named captain in 1954, ahead of Noel McMahen. That year he played in another Grand Final, but this time came out on the losing side. It was still a remarkable achievement for a player who had missed a year of football, playing in a side that finished 11th the year before.
In June 1954 he captained an Air Force representative side against an Army side led by Melbourne Seconds player Bill McMahon.
Retiring at the end of that year, just 28 years old, he moved to Gippsland and coached the Heyfield club. He received a discharge from the RAAF and took up farming in the area.
His brother Mike played 4 games in 1961-1962.
| Year | Games | Goals | Brownlow |
| 1948 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| 1949 | 17 | 0 | 2 |
| 1950 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| 1951 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 1952 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 1954 | 21 | 1 | 1 |
| Match | Charge | Sanction | |
| Round 10, 1952 | Disputing umpire's decision | Not Guilty | |
| Round 10, 1952 | Disputing umpire's decision | Not Guilty | |
Notes
May have also played for Victoria in 1951.
Lists
Family
Players who served during war
Media
Argus - 07/04/1948
Shepparton Advertiser - 30/07/1948
Age - 11/08/1948
Age - 13/04/1954
Sun - 13/04/1954
Sporting Globe - 22/05/1954
Age - 02/06/1954
Bairnsdale Advertiser - 22/11/1954
Gippsland Times - 22/11/1954
Herald - 18/12/1954
News - 21/12/1954
Links
Boyles Football Photos
Demonwiki image gallery
Wikipedia profile