Eagles the greatest?

[Bunk Moreland]

4 flags since 1987 when the national comp really began.

Winning four - having to come across the country to do it - is surely the most successful club?

I know Hawthorn has won seven, but West Coast having come from the west to do it?

Some people will say “state team” but it’s not as though Adelaide have done the same.

 

[magut]

Well since 87 we have 7...

 

[SSSSSS]

Best in the West. Best of the rest.

Second to Hawthorn though no questions asked when it comes to AFL success.

Don't forget 91 and 15. Beat them twice for the crown.

 

[Blueyboy74]

Have to go Hawthorn although Eagles perhaps the strongest overall since 1987 given they haven't had the lows the Hawks have experienced, including almost folding.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

There's 4 clubs that stand above the rest of the comp.
Consistently all make finals and have numerous GF's and flags since the late 80s.

 

[TheShardMan]

They dont come close to the hawks. Not even close! 92, 94 state team win. 06 drug scum. This is their 1st legit flag.

Don't insult the hawks with this comparison.

 

[perthblue]

pains me to say it but they are easily the 2nd best club of the modern era

 

[bigfatcorn]

Hawthorn is still #1 but the Eagles are close behind

Hawthorn has more premierships, but the Eagles have more long-term sustained success.

 

[jaxx]

Very strong case for now being the best team of the AFL era.

Have won flags in three separate periods of success and have also made the most grand finals, won the most finals, and made finals the most times.

AFL era (1990-2018 inclusive)

Premierships
Hawthorn 5
West Coast 4
Geelong 3
Brisbane 3
Sydney 2
North Melbourne 2
Essendon 2
Collingwood 2
Adelaide 2
Western Bulldogs 1
Richmond 1
Port Adelaide 1
Carlton 1

Grand Finals
Geelong 7
West Coast 7
Hawthorn 6
Sydney 6
Collingwood 6
Brisbane 4
Essendon 4
Adelaide 3
Carlton 3
North Melbourne 3
St Kilda 3
Port Adelaide 2
Fremantle 1
Melbourne 1
Richmond 1
Western Bulldogs 1

Finals Won
Geelong 25
West Coast 25
Hawthorn 22
Sydney 22
North Melbourne 19
Collingwood 19
Adelaide 18
Brisbane 17
Essendon 15
Melbourne 12
Carlton 11
Port Adelaide 11
Western Bulldogs 11
St Kilda 10
Fremantle 6
Richmond 6
GWS 3

Finals Series
West Coast 21
Geelong 20
Sydney 20
Hawthorn 18
Essendon 16
North Melbourne 16
Adelaide 15
Collingwood 14
Western Bulldogs 13
Carlton 11
St Kilda 11
Brisbane 10
Port Adelaide 10
Melbourne 10
Fremantle 7
Richmond 7
GWS 3

 

[Scotland]

Well since 87 we have 7...

100% agree Hawthorn have the better record, but you did win 83 & 86 before winning 3 in that era once we were in so it's a tough ask for a start up to match that.

Hawks are so far ahead of their fellow 80s powerhouses it isn't funny.

 

[The Speaker]

Very strong case for now being the best team of the AFL era.

Have won flags in three separate periods of success and have also made the most grand finals, won the most finals, and made finals the most times.

AFL era (1990-2018 inclusive)

Premierships
Hawthorn 5
West Coast 4
Geelong 3
Brisbane 3
Sydney 2
North Melbourne 2
Essendon 2
Collingwood 2
Adelaide 2
Western Bulldogs 1
Richmond 1
Port Adelaide 1
Carlton 1

Grand Finals
Geelong 7
West Coast 7
Hawthorn 6
Sydney 6
Collingwood 6
Brisbane 4
Essendon 4
Adelaide 3
Carlton 3
North Melbourne 3
St Kilda 3
Port Adelaide 2
Fremantle 1
Melbourne 1
Richmond 1
Western Bulldogs 1

Finals Won
Geelong 25
West Coast 25
Hawthorn 22
Sydney 22
North Melbourne 19
Collingwood 19
Adelaide 18
Brisbane 17
Essendon 15
Melbourne 12
Carlton 11
Port Adelaide 11
Western Bulldogs 11
St Kilda 10
Fremantle 6
Richmond 6
GWS 3

Finals Series
West Coast 21
Geelong 20
Sydney 20
Hawthorn 18
Essendon 16
North Melbourne 16
Adelaide 15
Collingwood 14
Western Bulldogs 13
Carlton 11
St Kilda 11
Brisbane 10
Port Adelaide 10
Melbourne 10
Fremantle 7
Richmond 7
GWS 3

Why 1990? This never makes sense to me. It's either 1987 or 1991.

 

[jaxx]

Why 1990? This never makes sense to me. It's either 1987 or 1991.

Because that's when the VFL officially became the AFL.

 

[The Speaker]

Because that's when the VFL officially became the AFL.

It was a name change. Irrelevant to discussions like this.

 

[PerthBoy86]

They dont come close to the hawks. Not even close! 92, 94 state team win. 06 drug scum. This is their 1st legit flag.

Don't insult the hawks with this comparison.

At least you're generous enough to give us this, instead of blaming the umpiring.

Dunno how drugs helped us in 06 though.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Power club

 

[PerthBoy86]

I'd say second best during the AFL era after Hawthorn. Have no surpassed Geelong and Brisbane.

Undefeated in Victoria, beat a big Melbourne club in the GF, think we've really 'conquered' Melbourne now.

 

[PaddyMcClunkin]

Not even the most successful club in WA...

 

[The Speaker]

Not even the most successful club in WA...

Old Easts haven't won for 20 years.

 

[jaxx]

It was a name change. Irrelevant to discussions like this.

It is the official start of the AFL. Seems pretty relevant to me. I wish all stats were from 1990 on instead of worrying about how many consecutive games South Melbourne won at Lake Oval in comparison to Richmond's recent run at the MCG.

 

[Oneiros]

I don't think you can deny Hawthorn - they'll still take some catching with how they were able to convert their three-peat. But the Eagles have a lot to hang their hat on.

 

[EasternTiger]

Well since 87 we have 7...

Essendon supporters can only count to five.

 

[Altum Volantes]

WCE 3 seperate generations winning flags - you could argue Hawthorn won theirs off the back of 2 amazing groups of players.

Hawthorn also had a big gap of not playing in a GF between 1991 and 2008.

But hey, they won them. Hawthorn still ahead either way.

 

[The Speaker]

It is the official start of the AFL. Seems pretty relevant to me. I wish all stats were from 1990 on instead of worrying about how many consecutive games South Melbourne won at Lake Oval in comparison to Richmond's recent run at the MCG.

Explain how 1990 makes more sense than either 1987 or 1991. The AFL officially started when it launched two expansion teams in WA and Queensland, with the intention to have more in the future.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Well since 87 we have 7...

Fixed

 

[Bunk Moreland]

It is the official start of the AFL. Seems pretty relevant to me. I wish all stats were from 1990 on instead of worrying about how many consecutive games South Melbourne won at Lake Oval in comparison to Richmond's recent run at the MCG.

Mate it’s a name change.

It started in 1987.