Weakest year since…

[Defabs]

I would say that 2017 was the weakest year, just so many bad standard, low-scoring games, one on top of another culminating in a terrible finals series of inconsistent form and one-sided, low standard finals.

100%. I was just thinking of 2017. The worst finals series in history. It’s being easy for the OP to show recent bias and talk bout how bad this season is and disregard the rest.

Apart from the bottom 2, the season is so tight. Actually there are shades of 1993 where 4th bottom could end up winning just short of 50% of matches.

Also the OP mentioned 2020. Any season that should have an asterisk is that one. Shortened quarters, no crowds, short break, less games, it was nothing more than a glorified lightening premiership.

 

[BigVic]

2020 was due to COVID. An * season

 

[Macca180]

OP is right.

Except 5th to 12th is as exciting as it's ever been.

Never been so many teams in contention to play finals this late.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

It's looking like an even season, don't know if that necessarily means it's weak. I don't think you can judge the relative strength of a given season until a few years down the track, which makes 2022 an interesting one, given the grand finallists having such disappointing seasons the following year, but the other contenders from that year all staying around the mark, or improving.

There's some staggering towards the end of the home and away by the teams that established themselves pretty early on as the 2023 top four and a few teams fighting for 5th-8th could be in hot form heading into September which will hopefully make for an interesting finals series. As for the weakest season? Time will tell.

 

[Roobs321]

2021 was the only year since about 2015 that I’d call intimidating to win. The two teams in that GF were better than most in recent times.

 

[Drought Break]

2022 weakest year in history. Looks like most of the teams were still working from home with covid.

An old Geelong side beating up on a woeful swans outfit was the sealer. Melbourne the only talented side and they decided to have a lean year.

 

[crazywildhorse]

Last year was pretty damn weak, as evidenced by a fairly ordinary Geelong side flogging a poor Swans outfit in the GF.

The fact both teams look likely to miss finals says it all.

This. Last year was a shocker.

 

[HTPunter]

A late season hiccup means **** all for the Pies.

Let’s just let them regroup - they’re probably in the last big training block for the year.

Dees with Gawn sole rucking aren’t weak either.

 

[HTPunter]

I can’t remember a year where something along these lines wasn’t posted.

Always by a fan of a club outside the top 4…

 

[juss]

This year would have to be one of the weakest seasons of AFL we have witnessed. It almost seems sacrilege that someone has to win the premiership this year. The winner will be one of the weakest in many years.

Other weak premiers include WCE 2018 (Richmond a great team that year), Dogs 2016, Swans 2012?
Then you’d have to go back a while before that…

Collingwood - some close wins have flattered them. The best out of the lot so far. Weak competition.

Port Adelaide - also flattered by some close wins. They seem to fall apart under pressure. The gap between their best, and worst is the largest in the competition.

Brisbane - can’t win in Melbourne. Can’t see how they win interstate final/s. Look a different team away from the GABBA.

Melbourne - have been reasonable. Don’t look anywhere near the level they were at in 2021 and early 2022.

GWS - decent side. Nothing special.

Bulldogs - dangerous on the day. Inconsistent.

Saints - had a good start to the year, but can’t see them beating top teams.

Carlton - look great when they are on. Mixed year. Would have liked to have seen them in the top 4. At least they can threaten in Melbourne in September.

Geelong - a shadow of 2022. With all the players they’ve got back in recent weeks, they are an enormous disappointment.

Adelaide - dangerous on their day, a team on the up

The rest… who cares (could put Geelong and Adelaide in that basket too)

I could have left it at the top 4 to 6 teams to illustrate the point, but went a bit further.

Really, the point is that whoever wins it won’t even be close to Geel 2022, Rich 17,19-20, Melb 21 etc.

Honestly hate this crap.

The competition is even these days, with every team a chance, get over it.

The flag will be as meritorious as any other year with the best team winning when it matters in September like any other season.

You're only playing in a field against your contemporaries, not teams from a decade ago.

 

[WilloTree]

every team a chance

Have you been to Optus this year?

 

[beerbandit]

My team won’t play finals “what a weak season”. How dare a team win a premiership!!!

Give me a spell, go and do your Reading Eggs and Mathletics because it’s due Monday morning.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

Last year Geelong won their back 13, Sydney their back 6 and Collingwood 12 of their back 13. The Demons were the reigning premiers. Was a very strong top four.

This year you cannot bank on any of the current top four winning a final. Melbourne are in the best winning form right now but have been far from dominant.

Geelong were healthy and just did what Geelong had done for the past decade.

No one else had their shit together. Collingwood were emerging, and Sydney eventually emerged as the best of a really average bunch.

Geelong were the same as they'd been for a decade. The difference last year was that there wasn't anyone better than them, unlike the previous years.

Geelong are still doing Geelong stuff this year, but Port, Collingwood and Melbourne seem to have their shit together.

Last year, there was no Port, Collingwood or Melbourne.

 

[PhatBoy]

We aren’t any good though mate.

We are blessed to be in the position of being the only Victorian club without a neutral home ground. We wouldn’t have made finals in years such as 2012 and 2018 without it, and we don’t deserve to be there this year.

We went 8-7 away from KP in 2012.

Yes it required a 14-8 record to make the 8 that year, but other teams didn’t have to play 15 games at an actual AWAY venue. Even with just neutral ‘home’ games across a normal 22 week draw that year we probably make finals. Remember, sides with neutral home venues still get a) home games and b) neutral games where they don’t have an advantage but also don’t have a nominal disadvantage

 

[Ichiro #51]

I think the comp is entering a period where system and tactics play a much bigger role in deciding the outcome of games. Game plans have always been around of course, but they were pretty loose and unsophisticated. Teams that can’t play a consistent system literally have no chance; ie. North Melbourne. Teams with outdated systems struggle; ie. Freo.

The overall quality of football (in terms of how difficult it is to beat an opponent) is the highest it’s ever been. Honestly, every game has numerous examples of team play that are really incredible. I personally think this year is a new benchmark.

 

[Young Redleg]

I actually think the opposite. The mid to lower teams have been better this year than usual and this will be one of the most impressive premierships to whoever wins it.

Hawthorn are probably one of the best 16th placed teams I've ever seen.

 

[Osho]

Have to see how things play out still. Can Cats turn their flag into a series, a dynasty? Can Pies deliver on their promise, win one, then another? Dees have a huge chance now to fix their 1 cylinder forward line and grab the Flag this year. They have made decisive moves the last month, and to me, look primed.

I think it is interesting that the OP and I assume others are now, in retrospect, realising how hard it is to win flags in bunches of 3 or more. What RFC has done will step by step dawn on people who have hitherto been in denial.

 

[Moonatic77]

To answer the OP, the four weakest seasons this century have been 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2022. Oh, and old timers I talk to often point to 1963 as being a particularly weak year.
Other 'weaker than normal' seasons have been 1989, 1992, 1994, 1995 and 2008.

 

[STPer18]

The strongest years I've seen off the top of my head would be 2007, 2009, 2011 & 2022. I'll reserve judgement of 2023 until I see who takes the flag home this year.

 

[Gumby2Hurley]

Outside of the bottom 2 it has been a season of momentum & i've enjoyed it.

 

[beerbandit]

The strongest years I've seen off the top of my head would be 2007, 2009, 2011 & 2022. I'll reserve judgement of 2023 until I see who takes the flag home this year.

1990 and 2010 were 2 ultra strong years

 

[beerbandit]

Outside of the bottom 2 it has been a season of momentum & i've enjoyed it.

Given how even the competition is then I’d go as far to say that it’s a strong season.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

Let’s just let them regroup - they’re probably in the last big training block for the year.

There it is!!

I've been waiting for someone to pull out the old 'heavy training block' furphy!

Fully expected it from a Collingwood fan though, I gotta say.

 

[Bald]

Just because anybody can beat anybody doesn't make the competition weak.

I particularly like the fact that there isn't one clear standout team over the rest and I'd like to think that's because we've got a lot of good clubs as opposed to the glass half empty view that it's due to there being a lot of poor ones.

 

[candyapple]

Last year is the answer look at the scrubs who got a chip