In 1924 both Albert and his brother Harry played for the Melbourne district club Ivanhoe and their strong performances led to the brothers being invited to try out for Collingwood. Albert Collier made his Collingwood debut in 1925 and soon established himself in the team. He initially played forward, but after a couple of seasons became a powerful centre half back, and he was a vital part of 'The Machine', the 1927-1930 Collingwood teams who won four premierships in a row. This feat has not been repeated to date.