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Bit midleading since some of the sides won the flag in other years, i.e WCE 92. On that logic I would say Hawks loss to Swans 2012
Best team not to win the flag in the last 25 years?
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Bit midleading since some of the sides won the flag in other years, i.e WCE 92. On that logic I would say Hawks loss to Swans 2012
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Geelong 08, St Kilda 09 & Collingwood 2011 are the only viable options. Nothing else comes close.
I remember North 98 & Essendon 99, and while they were good, they were your average 17-5/18-4 minor premier, in an era that involved a flag or two. But they were beatable on their day. For instance, I remember WCE holding Essendon to under 30pts in 1999, and hell, they managed to lose to the Blues in the prelim, which was a joke. Those are Port 2003 level for me.
Adelaide for the first 16 rounds of 2006 was pretty good, and WCE 1991 at times was scintillating, but 2008, 2009 & 2011 are the best recent examples by far.
I remember North 98 & Essendon 99, and while they were good, they were your average 17-5/18-4 minor premier, in an era that involved a flag or two. But they were beatable on their day. For instance, I remember WCE holding Essendon to under 30pts in 1999, and hell, they managed to lose to the Blues in the prelim, which was a joke. Those are Port 2003 level for me.
Adelaide for the first 16 rounds of 2006 was pretty good, and WCE 1991 at times was scintillating, but 2008, 2009 & 2011 are the best recent examples by far.
That is amazing, and it all happened 3 times out of four seasons. Collingwood beat everybody in 2011 except Geelong 3 times! The Saints won 20 in a row in 2009 and Geelong in 2008 are arguably the greatest side of all time with no silver ware to show for it. I am grateful for all 3 premiership wins in my lifetime, you have to admire the loyalty of Saints, Demons and Dogs fans. It's hard winning Premierships.
that's just it, isn't it. we will have to live with the 119 stigma forever, but honestly, we never should have been there. Geelong were on a mission in that game more than any side ive seen in a GF....Collingwood ran them close in the PF, but it wouldn't have neccesarily happened the same way on GF day if the Pies made it. geelong were out of their skin.
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- Geelong 2008. Rolled the competition all year, apart from collingwoods stunning upset of them. Best of the great recent Geelong teams, hawthorn built a team and game plan that worked perfectly to win it all though.
- Collingwood 2011. Stunning regular season, just couldn't get it done against Geelong who had their measure all year. Don't think I've ever seen a team so easily able to "flick the switch" and win a game in a quarter like this magpies outfit. Injuries and the toll of playing a season at a frenetic pace eventually undid them, as well as a brilliant Geelong team.
- St.Kilda 2009. Combined a choking defence with an on song Riewoldt to be a juggernaut that year. Probably the weakest list of the top 3, but all the guns were absolutely flying that year, still surprised they didnt managed to win it.
we were, but port were hardly a rubbish side as well... we were clearly the team of of the season, but you guys were a worthy second, possibly third to a full strength eagles. the circumstances of the day were just a tad unfortunate, and pretty much slapped the 'undeserving grand finalist' tag on ports whole season.
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I think PA probabaly would have pipped us on GF had we made it, our brilliant finals obscures a pretty average team that wasnt quite there yet, Geelong were miles ahead of the comp. We gave Geelong a hell of a scare, with a list that really shouldn't have got that close, and they played as though they wanted the game over as soon as possible to avoid a repeat. West Coast breaking down near the end of the season cost them a shot, injuries and cousins wrecked their year.
We were definitely a pretty good side, no doubt, but there were lucky circumstances that led to us finishing 2nd. I think the day was a symbol of our mental fragility under the Williams regime, it was always there in varying degrees.
JohnnyFontane90
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If I never saw any statistics, or w-l ratios or anything like that, just purely based on watching a dominant team tear opponents to shreds it has to be Collingwood 11. never have I seen such a well oiled machine firing on all cylinders look so intimidating. just a pity geelong never got the memo.
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It was an insane era, 2008-11 was bizarre. It's not exactly unusual for the minor premier to lose to #2 or #3 on the day, but the fact it happened 3 times in 4 years in the very rare instance of the victims having 20+ wins in H&A was disturbing. Not to mention, the year it didn't happen involved a GF draw.
To support such a team and lose the GF would be excruciating. 2008 was obviously the most glaring instance, given it was the first and there was a wider gap and a non-recent winner. 2009 & 11 were more bitter pills to swallow than shock.
2008 - 21 wins, loses GF
2009 - 20 wins, loses GF
2010 - Draw
2011 - 20 wins, loses GF
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Collingwood in 2011 were lucky to even make to GF, to get past the Weagles and Hawthorn.
The best team to not win the flag (on the first try) was Collingwood in 2010. The team was scary in its proceeding two finals appearances against the Bulldogs and Geelong. They really should have blown the Saints out of the water too in the first half (which they did the following week). Would've been utterly disastrous if they'd lost that considering the form they were in
The best team to not win the flag (on the first try) was Collingwood in 2010. The team was scary in its proceeding two finals appearances against the Bulldogs and Geelong. They really should have blown the Saints out of the water too in the first half (which they did the following week). Would've been utterly disastrous if they'd lost that considering the form they were in
Correct, and their prelim win was pretty unconvincing too, basically peaked at the wrong time. Still a fairly dominant season though, as not many other teams got close. Other than Geelong, Sydney and Hawthorn were the only teams to get within 3 goals of them, and they thrashed Hawks in the H&A pretty convincingly.
I notice it happens a lot in local leagues, a team goes through undefeated, wins the 2nd semi and completely does a Greg Norman in the Grand Final. The Essendon District League has had quite a few of these in recent times. Hello Greenvale!
Port did win down at the Cattery in round 21 and that secured 2nd spot, they deserve to be in the GF on that win alone. Perhaps they spent all their pennies in the preliminary? They won by 87points and i really thought they would give the Cats a tough game.
But lost to that side 3 times by a combined total of nearly 150 points. Clearly the second best that year!!
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Port 2002-2004 were a bloody good side, they just continuously choked come finals.
JohnnyFontane90
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we all know that round 24 2011 was nothing more than an elaborate training drill for Collingwood. not saying they would have won but to include numbers from that game into any argument here is just ignorant.
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Look at waverly Division three of SFL 4 years running minor premiers 200 + percentage reaming dished in the Qualifying Final Fell over in the grand final to the second or third side sometimes in comical circumstances although one maybe 2 were sides who had their measure/beaten them the last time they played but still lost to them the other two or three times they played.
Yes in my time watching EDFL ( 17 years ) 7 teams went thru home and away season undefeated. Yet in 6 of those 7 years :1999, 2001, 2003, 2008, 2009, and 2012 did not win the premiership. Pretty soul destroying. Probably helps to have a couple of losses during the season, as the pressure just seems to build and build the longer you are undefeated.
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Essendon 96 and Essendon 99. Lost both prelims by a point.
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Essendon 96 would have been one of the luckiest teams in recent times to make the GF. Also needed WCE home semi to be played in Melbourne.
That said, Essendon were really good in that finals series. Painful losses to Brisbane & Sydney, and belting WCE (if unfairly).
Essendon 99 was really good, but I think it's one of the biggest prelim/GF upsets, rather than a contender in this thread. The Kangaroos and Brisbane were also decent teams that year, and despite falling off late the Bulldogs showed great form at times as well.
That said, Essendon were really good in that finals series. Painful losses to Brisbane & Sydney, and belting WCE (if unfairly).
Essendon 99 was really good, but I think it's one of the biggest prelim/GF upsets, rather than a contender in this thread. The Kangaroos and Brisbane were also decent teams that year, and despite falling off late the Bulldogs showed great form at times as well.
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Interesting that people say Geelong had the wood over us all year in 2011. We lost the GF, but then, so did all the teams in this thread. Were 1 kick/umpiring decision from winning the first encounter and clearly there was something wrong round 24.
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