COLLINGWOOD is in rare air - again - but history should keep the Magpies on their toes.

Just two years after being 14-2 on the way to a premiership, the Magpies are again flying high as flag favourites.

Friday night's thrashing of arch-rival Carlton means the Magpies have won 14 of their first 16 games of the season and lost just once since their Opening Round defeat to Greater Western Sydney.

As others jostle for top-two, top-four and top-eight spots, Craig McRae's side is flying on the back of eight straight wins as it sets its sights on a second flag in three seasons.

But history suggests teams who have enjoyed such strong first halves of a season have had mixed results come the business end.

Since 2000, 10 seasons have had a team which has been 14-2 or better, with 2009, 2011 and 2023 featuring two such sides.

In those 10 seasons, five of those teams have gone on to win the premiership. It's a 50 per cent strike rate that will keep the Magpies on their toes.

Excluding the three seasons that had two teams with records of 14-2 or better, only two of seven went on to win the premiership.

Essendon (2000) won the flag after being 16-0, but lost the Grand Final the following year having been 14-2.

West Coast (2005), Adelaide (2006) and Geelong (2008) fell at the final hurdle before the Cats made amends the following year, against St Kilda, which had been 16-0.

Collingwood and Geelong met in 2011 after dominant starts to the campaign, while Hawthorn won the flag two years later after also making a strong start.

But Fremantle fell in a preliminary final in 2015, while Port Adelaide made a straight-sets exit in 2023, the same year the Pies won the flag.

McRae said not in the Pies' "wildest dreams" did they expect to reach 14 wins so early in the season, and he can now manage the oldest and most experienced list in the competition as required.

The Pies have positioned themselves perfectly for a record-breaking 17th VFL/AFL premiership, but history suggests it's no sure thing.

Teams which have been 14-2 or better since 2000