Most Unlucky Individual in the AFL system?

[RedmanWasHere]

Has to be either Jonathon Patton or Anthony Morabito.

 

[DrEvil_]

Josh Bootsma

 

[Occidental]

One of the biggest tragedies in Football ...Would have won the Downlow Medal and been a SuperStar of the game for many years to come. Jim O'Dea ST Kilda is an Infamous name. I had a healthy dislike for all things Collingwood but reflecting on Greening still makes my blood boil. I was a tad younger than Greening but he was just the type of player I would like to have been...loved watching him play...great skills..good leap fast etc. etc. And MAYBE he would have got Collingwood over the line in 77.

In 1972 by the finals Greening was still in hospital 8 weeks after being felled and Peter McKenna did his hammy in the last round. McKenna had kicked 130 in the H&A including bags of 9, 9, 11 & 8 in the last 4 games.
Pies put out in Semis by 3 goals without Greening & McKenna.
What could have been.....

 

[mightymouse75]

Morabito had it tough. Barlow missed out on a 200 game career . Fyfe*2 broken legs. Possible 2 missed brownies on line calls.

 

[Jack Bradley]

Harry McKay

why

 

[wowlace]

Dank

 

[carlton]

No one remembers a car accident back in the mid eighties that ended a blokes career? I think it was on Queens Parade.
There was another one a few years later. I think it was on St Kilda Rd.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

No one remembers a car accident back in the mid eighties that ended a blokes career? I think it was on Queens Parade.
There was another one a few years later. I think it was on St Kilda Rd.

What was the one after Mots' accident?

 

[carlton]

What was the one after Mots' accident?

Darren Millane.

 

[Power Raid]

buckley

left for premierships and left 3 with brisbane and probably a 4th if he was in the side

 

[PhatBoy]

Menzel Drafted a few months after the 09 premiership, debuts in 2010, plays all 2011 and does his knee in the finals, misses a flag and then 4 years of footy

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Darren Millane.

Ah!

Of course.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Matthew Egan is a clear number one.

Breaks his foot in round 22, 2007. Is named in the AA side three weeks later.

Not only misses playing in the 2007 premiership but another two flags in the next four years - and never plays again.

Came to say this, misses the last H&A game on route to 3 flags while being named AA as a young player with the competition at his feet.
Could have been a star triple Premiership CHB, instead he never played again.

 

[The_Reaper]

Robbie Flower not making a grand final because a recruit from Ireland went over the mark?

 

[The Passenger]

Not AFL, and not an individual, but always worth recognising when it comes to being unlucky in sport.

Mayo Gaelic Football (and their supporters).

Won the All Ireland in 1951. Made the final next in 1989 (which they lost) and have lost 9 finals since than (including 1989). 6 of those 9 they've lost by 3 points or less (3 points in Gaelic football is roughly equivalent to about 2 goals in AFL). 2 of those 9 losses have also come in replays (both replays they lost by a point).

So brutal. Makes supporting Richmond look like 2017 every year.

 

[ioppolo]

Any player who has serious potential but keeps getting injured.

Morabito looked amazing in 2010. Barely played after that injury.

Barlow could've been anything if he didn't break a leg.

Patton, Menzel, Johnson, all shocking luck. Johnson at least had a premiership before it all went to shit.

For the Eagles in recent times, Jaymie Graham played every game in 2006...until the grand final. Was dropped to make way for Wirrapanda. Barely played after that and retired in 2008 to be with his ill sister.

Brad Smith, killer full forward for Subiaco in the WAFL in the mid 2000s. Was on the cusp of an AFL debut twice but did his knee both times IIRC. Would've been a better player than Ash Hansen. Despite dominating WAFL goal kicking for years, he never played an AFL game

 

[yyou]

NicNat
Poor fella is stuck with west coast

 

[Skeparovic]

Troy Broadbridge or John McCarthy
R.I.P fellas.

 

[Occidental]

Not AFL, and not an individual, but always worth recognising when it comes to being unlucky in sport.

Mayo Gaelic Football (and their supporters).

Won the All Ireland in 1951. Made the final next in 1989 (which they lost) and have lost 9 finals since than (including 1989). 6 of those 9 they've lost by 3 points or less (3 points in Gaelic football is roughly equivalent to about 2 goals in AFL). 2 of those 9 losses have also come in replays (both replays they lost by a point).

So brutal. Makes supporting Richmond look like 2017 every year.

Collingwood
Lost 1959 First Semi
Lost 1960 GF
Lost 1964 GF by 4 points
Lost 1965 Semi Final 1 point
Lost 1966 GF 1 point
Lost 1967 First Semi
Lost 1969 both finals after finishing top
Lost 1970 GF after being 7 goals up
Lost 1971 First Semi
Lost 1972 First Semi
Lost 1973 both finals after finishing top
Lost 1974 First Semi
Lost 1975 Elim Final 5 points
Draw 1977 GF
Lose 1977 GF replay
Lose 1978 Prelim
Lose 1979 GF 5 points
Lose 1980 GF - thrashed
Lose 1981 GF
Lose 1984 Prelim
Lose 1988 First Semi
Lose 1989 Elim Final
Win 1990 Premiership

21 unsuccessful finals campaigns in a row, including 9 Grand Finals

 

[Captain_Bender]

Collingwood
Lost 1960 GF
Lost 1964 GF by 4 points
Lost 1965 Semi Final 1 point
Lost 1966 GF 1 point
Lost 1967 First Semi
Lost 1969 both finals after finishing top
Lost 1970 GF after being 7 goals up
Lost 1971 First Semi
Lost 1972 First Semi
Lost 1973 both finals after finishing top
Lost 1974 First Semi
Lost 1975 Elim Final 5 points
Draw 1977 GF
Lose 1977 GF replay
Lose 1978 Prelim
Lose 1979 GF 5 points
Lose 1980 GF - thrashed
Lose 1981 GF
Lose 1984 Prelim
Lose 1988 First Semi
Lose 1989 Elim Final
Win 1990 Premiership

Also lost the 73 prelim after being 45 points up

 

[Occidental]

Also lost the 73 prelim after being 45 points up

That only adds to the story...

 

[donkeypunchd]

Lynden Dunn pretty stiff to never play in a final and then do a knee on the cusp

Yep if ever a player deserved finals success it was Dunny. I think Jack Trengove owns this thread through, highly talented and athletic pick 2, drafted to Melbourne in the dark years, made captain by Neeld and in attempting to carry the team played injured, destroying his body in the process. When the Tigers came looking to sign him as an FA they rejected him on the basis of a broken foot bone, so he ended up being delisted by Melbourne the year Richmond won a flag.

 

[TRP1996]

For the Eagles in recent times, Jaymie Graham played every game in 2006...until the grand final. Was dropped to make way for Wirrapanda. Barely played after that and retired in 2008 to be with his ill sister.

Didn't he then go on to suffer a horrifying ACL (or leg break?) injury in the WAFL?

 

[The Blueseum]

Ray Byrne

Played 81 games for the Blues from 1973-1978 (missing a flag one year before and one year after).

http://www.blueseum.org/Ray+Byrne

Went on to play for Collingwood and compiled 121 games. Played in losing grandfinals in his first three years 1979-80-81.

Very good 200 game player who just missed out.

 

[Forward Press]

Didn't he then go on to suffer a horrifying ACL (or leg break?) injury in the WAFL?

He did indeed. Don't look at the footage, it's pretty gruesome.

For understandable reasons he retired from the WAFL after that and all credit to him for never being bitter about being dropped for the 2006 GF and dealing with his sick sister.