Most underachieving teams?

[Strapping Young Lad]

Remember when Geelong had Dangerfield, Ablett Jnr and Selwood in the middle and the media came up with some great name for them, and wondered how anyone would beat them.

 

[STPer18]

Remember when Geelong had Dangerfield, Ablett Jnr and Selwood in the middle and the media came up with some great name for them, and wondered how anyone would beat them.

Majority of that list won a flag a few years later in dominating fashion. Weird nom but fair enough, we do expect a lot from the most successful club this century.

 

[Pie thon]

Richmond 1927-1933, won 1 grand final from 6 appearances

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Majority of that list won a flag a few years later in dominating fashion.

Did Ablett, Selwood and Dangerfield win a flag together?

 

[PCORF]

Adelaide after 1998.

 

[rye]

Underachieving. Any competent coach with the list we’ve had for the last couple of years would get more out of them then what we currently see.

the list isnt that good

bevo massively overachieved in 2021 to reach a grand final with his patchwork backline

 

[Stax on the mill]

Collingwood 2011 -2022

Adam, it’s always gratifying to see you trolling the Pies whenever the opportunity arises. That way we can be sure that the 16.12 to 7.10 scoreline on 2nd October 2010 has left an indelible scar upon your psyche, which will never be erased over the duration of the rest of your life.

I reckon any team which has won a record 27 wooden spoons, (your team, St Kilda) over it’s history could lay claim to be the biggest underachievers. Feel really sorry for such a tormented, tortured soul.

 

[Ricky Vaughn]

North Melbourne 2020 - 2023.
In a draft and salary cap era designed to prevent it, they have genuine claims on being the worst team of all time.

That feels like underachievement.

 

[Lsta062]

Apart from the obvious ones like Essendon in 1999-2001, I will say Melbourne in 2021-2023. Really? Not even a PF appearance after 2021? I expected a lot more from that list tbh. At least their era is likely not done yet.

 

[Biggy_Boy]

Apart from the obvious ones like Essendon in 1999-2001, I will say Melbourne in 2021-2023. Really? Not even a PF appearance after 2021? I expected a lot more from that list tbh. At least their era is likely not done yet.

Classic example of a crap club culture developing alongside success and sabotaging it in the process. That side has had all the talent in the world, and in 2021 they looked to have the capacity to use it. But then there was so much noise about player in-fighting, the coach's issues, players' drug issues and bad behaviour. It's clear they've taken their eyes off the ball.

 

[nahnah]

I always felt that Saints side was very unbalanced - brilliant top-end talent but more than a few absolute plodders.

If you work on the theory that "Premierships are won by your bottom 6 and not your top 6", you can see why the Saints fell short.

Yep was watching the 2010 GF’s recently, Clinton Jones, Zach Dawson, Brett Peake, Mcqualter , all players I had completely forgotten

Robert Eddy takes the cake though, played both grand finals and then was delisted a week later

 

[evolved2]

Essendon 1999-2001 surely wins this thread. The 2000 season was the most dominant I've seen.

 

[evolved2]

Port for mine.

Primus, Cornes x 2, Wanganeen, Treadrea, 2x Burgoyne's, Lade, Francou were all A-graders in their prime. I'd argue Treadrea was the best individual player of the early 2000s and certainly the closest to Carey in terms of impact at CHF.

Some good solid citizens/former guns who were falling out of their prime in Dimma, Monty, Wakelin, Pickett & Dew.

It's just a shame their peak coincided with one of the greatest teams of all time.

Did they lose to Brisbane in any final between 2001-04? None come to mind.

 

[Woolly Mammoth]

Carlton 91-96, stacked with A-grade talent on every line, somehow only managed one premiership season, albeit a pretty all-conquering one

 

[SSSSSS]

Did they lose to Brisbane in any final between 2001-04? None come to mind.

01 they played Brisbane up at the Gabba in the QF. Port straight setted against us at footy park.

02 they lost to Brisbane in the prelim.

03 was the only season they didn't face off in a final.

 

[windyhill]

Melbourne have left one, if not two on the table. May was spot on at the B & F.

 

[Anderson Brown]

Adam, it’s always gratifying to see you trolling the Pies whenever the opportunity arises. That way we can be sure that the 16.12 to 7.10 scoreline on 2nd October 2010 has left an indelible scar upon your psyche, which will never be erased over the duration of the rest of your life.

I reckon any team which has won a record 27 wooden spoons, (your team, St Kilda) over it’s history could lay claim to be the biggest underachievers. Feel really sorry for such a tormented, tortured soul.

The poor bloke has been underachieving at life ever since.

 

[WilloTree]

The Collingwood team that won in 2010 were younger than the 'Baby Bombers' (93).

Should have been a dynasty.

 

[Cyclops]

Port 2001-2007 is an interesting one. They beat Brisbane in the H&A regularly IIRC and backed it up in the 04 GF. They had a weird weak spot vs Collingwood, and we broke them twice in 02/03 which upset their runs both times. They were very unlucky on more than one occasion, did they match up well on other finalists? From my hazy memory they were good against Crows, Swans, Eagles etc at that time. Could be wrong though.

I think they had a fair list and a really good coach (and that strong self-belief), 2 flags in that era would seem more fitting, if not more. there was a weakness in Victoria at the time until Geelong's Dank era side rolled into town, so non Vic sides actually had a chance despite the clear Vic bias in the scheduling.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Port 2001-2007 is an interesting one. They beat Brisbane in the H&A regularly IIRC and backed it up in the 04 GF. They had a weird weak spot vs Collingwood, and we broke them twice in 02/03 which upset their runs both times. They were very unlucky on more than one occasion, did they match up well on other finalists? From my hazy memory they were good against Crows, Swans, Eagles etc at that time. Could be wrong though.

I think they had a fair list and a really good coach (and that strong self-belief), 2 flags in that era would seem more fitting, if not more. there was a weakness in Victoria at the time until Geelong's Dank era side rolled into town, so non Vic sides actually had a chance despite the clear Vic bias in the scheduling.

For a club that spoke of a tradition of existing to win premierships, their whole finals history is pretty grim.
Most recently, their straight sets exit this year and the manner of their PF flogging at home to the Dogs in 2021 was pretty telling

 

[Cyclops]

For a club that spoke of a tradition of existing to win premierships, their whole finals history is pretty grim.
Most recently, their straight sets exit this year and the manner of their PF flogging at home to the Dogs in 2021 was pretty telling

That attitude worked extremely well in the SANFL where their resource base was competitive. In the AFL they are up against money machines like Collingwood, the Crows, Eagles as well as league funded franchises like Sydney and Giants. their tradition and dedication to winning isn't unmatched in this league and their mystique counts for nothing outside their walls as its a new league. No one is folding to Port because they are Port, when they started they weren't even the real Port when they came into the league. Apparently they are now.

They jagged their first flag only two years later than the Eagles (I think, 87-92, 97-04?) and on the same time frame as the Crows (91/97) with a less generous start up or resource base. That's highly competitive, and a more favourable draw would have seen them contend in 2002/03 as well.

I think in some ways they are over achievers, but given they did assemble a really respectable team and were capable for a good stretch maybe they are "conditional underachievers"?

 

[Magpie Since 1986]

Essendon 2001-present.

Some people on here might not be old enough to remember Essendon as a powerhouse, but from the mid 80s and culminating in 2000 they were a huge club that expected and had success. Their fans made Richmond supporters of the current era seem modest and humble.

Their arrogance was off the charts. I recall telling an Essendon supporter mate in 2002 I was excited to finally see my club in finals and was scoffed at saying playing finals was no achievement and they exist to win flags.

To put into perspective to fail as badly as they have would be the equivalent to a modern day powerhouse like Geelong not winning another final until 2042.

 

[Steele13]

Essendon 2001-present.

Some people on here might not be old enough to remember Essendon as a powerhouse, but from the mid 80s and culminating in 2000 they were a huge club that expected and had success. Their fans made Richmond supporters of the current era seem modest and humble.

Their arrogance was off the charts. I recall telling an Essendon supporter mate in 2002 I was excited to finally see my club in finals and was scoffed at saying playing finals was no achievement and they exist to win flags.

To put into perspective to fail as badly as they have would be the equivalent to a modern day powerhouse like Geelong not winning another final until 2042.

This is assuming we have some sort of end point to our current drought.

 

[Cyber_punk]

Essendon dropped off hard toward the later part of 2001 and by 2002 were just making up the numbers. It was a bit weird considering their dominance and it's not like they were an old team.

I guess a case could be made for North 94-99, robbed in 94 (33-13 free kicks Cats way in the PF). Carey missed most of the year in 97 along with others injured or suspended. And of course 98. Probably underachieved by at least 1 flag.

St Kilda 04-09. Especially 2009. Unbelievably dominant for the whole year save the last few weeks. Just unlucky to run into two generational sides in those years.

Crows 05-06 were pretty damn good from memory.

Collingwood 2011. They were just ripping everyone apart other than the cats. Went missing in 2012. But their talent should have netted them at least another flag

 

[Dark Eagle 9]

Power 2001 - 2004. Everyone knows that can remember back then that team should of won two. Primus & Fracou went down & Stevens nick'd off & they still kicked ass. They were better than Brissy most the time, just not when it mattered.

Eagles 2005 - 2007 ...... Judd & Kerr were only 24 when shit hit the fan, that team had so much scope for improvement.