2004 or 2021

[Enviable Tradition]

The last 2 times I went in to a finals series with such a feeling of trepidation was 2004 and 2021.

Which one are we in for this year?

I feel like it's 99.9% 2021.

But there's still that 0.1% that thinks what about 2004 though.

On SM-G975F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[chachi11]

I was confident we would beat Brisbane in the GF in 2004, wasnt confident of beating St Kilda in the prelim though.

2021 was ridiculous, so yes, this feels like 2021.

 

[ibd77]

I'm reserving my thoughts after the first 10 minutes of the QF. We will know if we are hungry or destined for straight sets.

 

[Enviable Tradition]

I'm reserving my thoughts after the first 10 minutes of the QF. We will know if we are hungry or destined for straight sets.

I still feel like we could Geelong game the QF and Bulldogs game the prelim as well.

So maybe we have to wait til after 10 minutes of each game.

 

[Chewy316]

2004 I was more nervous about the prelim than the Granny - expected to beat Brisbane but St. Kilda was a real toss up.

I think this side is more talented than the 2021 team - its best is as good as any in the competition and they've put it together for long periods of this season. It's nowhere near the 2004 side which imo was one of the most physical but skilled sides the AFL has seen since the turn of the millennium.

Above all else I just want to enjoy this finals series. This season has been a pleasant surprise with lots of great results I didn't see coming for the most part. As long as they exhaust themselves to the point of no return, I will be content in that situation with whatever results may be.

 

[Coobk001]

The last 2 times I went in to a finals series with such a feeling of trepidation was 2004 and 2021.

Which one are we in for this year?

I feel like it's 99.9% 2021.

But there's still that 0.1% that thinks what about 2004 though.

On SM-G975F using BigFooty.com mobile app

I've never felt like this. Probably only 2021 comes close. Maybe 2017.

We have some unique talent and potential, I'm not sure it can overcome the Hinkley factor though.

Our 2001-2004 era was tinged with choking, but no other concerns. We were elite, full of hope, and we were confident in our ability.

I'm not at all confident in our current ability, we have many concerns.

Our 2013-2014 era was just epic. Fresh coach, fresh ideas, an absolute freight train of momentum on and off field, like the wave Collingwood are riding right now. That also was no where near our now. The hope back then was just off the scale.

Now we sit here, full of trepidation, devoid of most hope, unsure of what we'll produce, aware 1 bad Hinkley like performance is likely and can end it in a flash. The talent factor can't build a level of excitement or blank out the fact that we're still under the same continuously failing regime.

I mean here we are again, we were 3 games clear in 3rd, suddenly we drop 4 in a row after 13 wins, to blow top 2. We have just found ways to lose and blow it all throughout the entire Hinkley era. We're a team defined by mediocrity, we're not winners, and we just don't feel like a smart, hard, disciplined, premiership side.

 

[_VXV]

Go back and watch 2004 again, besides Rozee Butters JHF & maybe Rioli I don’t think any other this gen of players would make that team.

This is 2021, enjoy it while it lasts but you won’t enjoy it as we’ve all seen this movie before.

 

[Schulzenfest]

Go back and watch 2004 again, besides Rozee Butters JHF & maybe Rioli I don’t think any other this gen of players would make that team.

This is 2021, enjoy it while it lasts but you won’t enjoy it as we’ve all seen this movie before.

Carn. Aliir easily replaces Bishop, SPP easily replaces Mahoney, Houston easily replaces Kingsley, Wines easily replaces Cassisi, and we've got about four KPF's who'd replace Toby.

 

[philreich]

Finals are won by handling the key moments better than the opposition. My big worry is goal kicking - this team is insanely talented, but will we start with 3:9, like we did in the 2014 preliminary final against Hawthorn? I guess time will tell.

 

[tribey]

I've never felt like this. Probably only 2021 comes close. Maybe 2017.

2021 felt like the stars had finally aligned after the final round victory over the Bulldogs, with a perfect blend of talent/veterancy/youth across all lines, home ground advantage secured and with the experience and LeArNiNgS of 2020 aiding rectification — seemingly confirmed by the objectively excellent Qualifying Final win over Geelong and the comical adversity faced by the Bulldogs, with the promise of a Grand Final on neutral territory to come.

This feels 2017-wonky: a path with high degree of difficulty and some pretty obvious personnel weaknesses, but with a vibe of “well, if we play our best”.

Something for which there’s actually evidence this time around (ie. W over BL, W over Melb, W over GWS), as opposed to the 2017 rollercoaster of looking like peak-Geelong against the bottom 10, and getting routinely beaten by any team with ability beyond mediocre.

 

[HinkleysHeroes]

Its 2001 and Brisbane will take the flag.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

2007

 

[EskimoPAFC]

Go back and watch 2004 again, besides Rozee Butters JHF & maybe Rioli I don’t think any other this gen of players would make that team.

This is 2021, enjoy it while it lasts but you won’t enjoy it as we’ve all seen this movie before.

Houston replaces half the 2004 team and also half of the other 2023 players you've listed.

 

[Winganeen]

2004 I always had faith with guys like Choco, Wilbur, Tredders, Wakelin, Carr because at their very heart they are winners.

 

[Coobk001]

2007

Only problem with comparisons to 2007 is that we were riding high as a supporter base on the back of that revival. There was a heap of hope. That was literally the most exciting season I've witnessed until that final day.

 

[Coobk001]

Go back and watch 2004 again, besides Rozee Butters JHF & maybe Rioli I don’t think any other this gen of players would make that team.

This is 2021, enjoy it while it lasts but you won’t enjoy it as we’ve all seen this movie before.

Na, Finlayson and Marshall are improvements from a tall forward perspective. Wines, Rozee, Butters, Rioli, Aliir, Houston, SPP, Bergman all make that team easy. Then you're haggling over the last spots with Boak & Burton

 

[EskimoPAFC]

Only problem with comparisons to 2007 is that we were riding high as a supporter base on the back of that revival. There was a heap of hope. That was literally the most exciting season I've witnessed until that final day.

Yep my post is probably way off, was just meant as a simple joke, not serious at all.

 

[philreich]

Hopefully this plays out like the 2002 qualifying final against Collingwood, where Daniher misses from the goal square in the first quarter, and Lions fans are left thinking, "This isn't going to be our night." That's exactly how I felt that night in 2002, when Tredrea missed an early goal from close range!!!

 

[Cheesey Mac]

Hopefully this plays out like the 2002 qualifying final against Collingwood, where Daniher misses from the goal square in the first quarter, and Lions fans are left thinking, "This isn't going to be our night." That's exactly how I felt that night in 2002, when Tredrea missed an early goal from close range!!!

If only there was a score review for the 'touched' behind on the 3QT siren that night

 

[PortPortPort]

We won 1 more game in 2021 season, technically we are a worse team than that 2021 team.

 

[theouthouse]

2004. Biggest battle will be getting to the GF, once there the natural flair of this side should win out.

Clearly capable of matching it with the other top 4 teams.

There is no awe of the 2021 Demons team who were blitzing the field. Though there are similarities with Port in the ability to take a game away from the opposition in a 15 minute burst.

 

[El_Scorcho]

In 2004, the finals chokes of the seasons before genuinely seemed like aberrations, we regularly stood up in big games otherwise. We had a team who was ready and willing to rip of heads and shit down necks.

In 2021 we briefly felt like we might have finally cracked the code with the QF win and the fact that the dogs were weaker than when we'd beaten them a few games earlier. Lol.

This year I think you can probably throw a blanket over the top 10 or so teams, and we'll need to be switched on and at our best 3 weeks in a row. It would take a level of consistent effort, backing up week after week that we haven't seen since 2014 at least.

 

[bomberclifford]

I’m strangely optimistic. I think we can take anyone on their day, it’ll just be up to how well we handle the pressure.

Danger teams would be Collingwood and Carlton. Possibly Melbourne as well. I think we have Brisbane’s measure but it’s close. Same with GWS.

Whatever path we take, we need to break through to the GF.
Once there, anything can happen.

 

[pstew2dstew]

I don't know, this season has been totally unique...

After round 3 I thought bottom 4,

We then proceed on a 13-0 run.

To me this year going into finals is a fresh feeling, new onfield leaders new talent same coach but from the bench.

It's unique to me.

 

[Portology]

We won 1 more game in 2021 season, technically we are a worse team than that 2021 team.

how do you rate our draw that year though? this year was relatively tough seem the consensus, getting teams when they were doing well, rough end of the pineapple on double ups, etc