Best teams that never were

[BigVic]

What are some of the best teams that never won a flag despite an impressive regular season?

Bulldogs 2008-10. Rocket as coach, stars in the side but never won that elusive 2nd premiership with the likes of Gilbee, Brad Johnson

Brad Johnson

Age

48

Ht

182cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.7

5star

K

14.1

5star

HB

5.6

4star

M

5.9

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

1.5

5star

No current season stats available

D

12.8

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

2.6

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

1.2

3star

G

0.6

3star

and Gia in the side.

 

[00Stinger]

What are some of the best teams that never won a flag despite an impressive regular season?

Bulldogs 2008-10. Rocket as coach, stars in the side but never won that elusive 2nd premiership with the likes of Gilbee, Brad Johnson and Gia in the side.

Not even in the three best sides in that era

 

[Rotayjay]

We did all right in 2005 and 2006. Just couldn't get it done.

 

[Defabs]

What are some of the best teams that never won a flag despite an impressive regular season?

Bulldogs 2008-10. Rocket as coach, stars in the side but never won that elusive 2nd premiership with the likes of Gilbee, Brad Johnson and Gia in the side.

Dogs were never better than a PF side in any of those years. Always felt like they were making up the numbers. StK, Geel and Coll generally were a step above the dogs in those years (and hawks in 2008)

 

[Sttew]

Saints 2009 & 2010. Came oh so close. Stellar 2009 H&A and backed it up in 2010

 

[Eternal Schism]

Never won a flag? So on the year prior or after, or close to it won't count.

09' St Kilda owns this thread.

 

[JPetro83]

crows in 2005/06

 

[Tarkyn_24]

Melbourne Hawks
Fitzroy/North merger
Southport

 

[Fadge]

What are some of the best teams that never won a flag despite an impressive regular season?

Bulldogs 2008-10. Rocket as coach, stars in the side but never won that elusive 2nd premiership with the likes of Gilbee, Brad Johnson and Gia in the side.

Meteoric Rise loves this.

 

[Fadge]

Dogs were never better than a PF side in any of those years. Always felt like they were making up the numbers. StK, Geel and Coll generally were a step above the dogs in those years (and hawks in 2008)

This is true, but they were competing against 3 of the best teams we have seen since the turn of the century.

They have that same level of team for a three year period outside of that era, and they win a flag.

 

[RonnieRaven]

Saints have had a few ripper teams in the last 30 years

 

[boncer34]

Melbourne Hawks
Fitzroy/North merger
Southport

Ballarat Football Club
Sydney Lions
Melbourne Lions
Fitzroy Bulldogs
Hobart Lions
Fremantle Sharks
LA Crocodiles
Sydney Celtic

 

[Freomaniac]

We did all right in 2005 and 2006. Just couldn't get it done.

To be honest that crows side that made prelim finals in 2005 and 2006 wasnt the best side, it was one of the top sides.

That crows side had a weak forward line, even with Trent Henschel in it.

 

[simmo97]

To be honest that crows side that made prelim finals in 2005 and 2006 wasnt the best side, it was one of the top sides.

That crows side had a weak forward line, even with Trent Henschel in it.

so did West coast and Sydney.

 

[Freomaniac]

so did West coast and Sydney.

If we are comparing West coast and sydney...

West coasts main KPF...

Quentin Lynch at west coast kicked 31 goals in 2005, wasnt selected in the 2005 grand final due to bad form. 65 goals from 25 games in 2006. then 52 goals from 24 games in 2007.

With the swans. Barry Hall kicked 80 goals in 2005, 77 goals in 2006 and 44 goals in 2007.

there was not one crows player that kicked 50 goals in a season for 3 years in a row from 2004 to 2006.

 

[Ross]

This is true, but they were competing against 3 of the best teams we have seen since the turn of the century.

They have that same level of team for a three year period outside of that era, and they win a flag.

If Dan26 did a companion series ranking the best side from each season that didn't win the flag the 08 Cats, 09 Saints and 11 Pies would have a strong case to be the top three.

 

[Freomaniac]

If Dan26 did a companion series ranking the best side from each season that didn't win the flag the 08 Cats, 09 Saints and 11 Pies would have a strong case to be the top three.

Hell, I would also say the hawks in 2012 were bloody good too.

 

[terrybull]

East Perth Royals

 

[HugeJohnson]

Port 01/02/03/04

Once 3rd, 3 minor premierships in a row and only 1 premiership to show for it.

 

[maskmcgee]

Dogs were never better than a PF side in any of those years. Always felt like they were making up the numbers. StK, Geel and Coll generally were a step above the dogs in those years (and hawks in 2008)

Yet they were better than the 2016 dogs side.

 

[errant bounce]

This is just best sides to have never won a premiership.

What about some parallel universe potentials?

The Fremantle board get a bit sick of Harves a year earlier and instead look inward at the incredibly well rated Brad Scott. he becomes Dockers senior coach in 2011.

Scott inherits a side where Rising Star winner Rhys Palmer resists the overtures of the new GWS team and decides, instead, to work on his kicking. as part of this footskills work, he also learns to be wary of oncoming shins and never is the leg of first year sensation Michael Barlow broken. Anthony Morabito

Anthony Morabito

Age

33

Ht

189cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.7

3star

K

7.6

3star

HB

5.1

4star

M

2.6

3star

T

3.0

5star

CL

1.9

4star

No current season stats available

D

14.2

4star

K

8.6

4star

HB

5.6

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

3.6

5star

CL

2.0

4star

gets a sniff of the magic potion and ends up the powerful, dominant, quick off the mark, inside-outside-half-back-to-half-forward dominator he should have been.

With a young core, pamped up in the next couple of years with Lachie Neale

9

Lachie Neale

Age

31

Ht

177cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

27.0

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

15.5

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.7

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

28.3

5star

K

13.9

5star

HB

14.4

5star

M

4.6

4star

T

4.0

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

12.0

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

7.4

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

1.0

3star

CL

0.4

3star

and clean accumulator Viv Michie

Viv Michie

Age

32

Ht

185cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.4

4star

K

7.3

3star

HB

8.0

5star

M

3.2

3star

T

2.3

4star

CL

1.5

4star

No current season stats available

D

16.2

4star

K

7.8

3star

HB

8.4

5star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.8

5star

CL

2.2

4star

actually getting a game, the Dockers see older heads in James Podsiadly and Jay Schultz as educated trades.

Fremantle play off against the West Coast Eagles in the 2012 Grand Final and secure a second the following year. with a decent youth policy and the real life approach to (finally) concentrate on West Australian juniors and fringe players elsewhere, the club make finals most years and, in 2024, go all the way again with a young core spearheaded by Jye Amiss who can still kick and surprise package Josh Treacy.