What are some effects that could've changed a premiership team's season

[The Jack]

the scoreline was Saints 7.11.53 to crows 5.10.40 at half time. Imagine if Saints kicked 10.8.68 at half time?

Crowbots kicked 14 goals 1 after half time. I mean come on. Seriously

 

[The Jack]

 

[L_W_P]

I'm gonna try and hit this again but "off field" stuff.

1997 -
Modra.
If Modra plays the Crows probably win BUT it also probably means that Ellen & Jarman don't play the roles they do. Even if Modra kicks a bag, it might have meant the Saints are in with a shot.

Spida & Lazar injuries.
Spida was red hot before he got hurt. If he plays, who knows. Then his back up in Lazar Vidovic goes down and we end up having to ruck 3rd stringer Brett Cook.

Nicky Winmar
It was a huge call for Winmar to play the GF given his father had passed away the day before. While the boys would have revved up to play their hardest there's no doubt that this left the group in a less than ideal spot in their preparation.

2004 -
The Prelim Crowd
It was early in the game but he Saints started with all the momentum. G-Train kicks his 100th goal, the crowd invades, Port regroup and it turns into an absolute war.

2005 -
Nick Davis.
That last qtr not only changed the Swans history but also the Cats & Saints. Geelong would put the squad on notice and then have a pretty harsh review 12 months later. That Saints would run out of gas in the prelim against a team that felt like they could win from anywhere.

If the Cats got through in 2005 that would have been a prelim for the ages. Who knows what would have happened with either club after that.

2009 -
Schneider mocks the ump.
It was essentially a meaningless match vs North late in the season. The Saints were on their way to the minor premiership when, following a call that probably should have gone his way, Adam Schneider decided to turn and mocking clap at the umpire and mouth off.

It was probably meaningless overall but when you have a game as close as the 2009 GF, things like the Hawkins poster start to fall into tin foil hat theory...

2010
"It's only half time"
One of the biggest calls in premiership history.

After the initial game was a draw the Saints cancelled their plans and sent everyone home to "rest up" and get ready for the review/planning for the replay.

The Magpies didn't. They got everyone together for the dinner as planned and reinforced the message: "It's only half time".

While the Saints players went home and stressed about what could have been, the Pies were being laser focused on what was still to be done.

Ball & Maxy
It was a brave call to leave Luke Ball on the bench in the 2009 GF, one that ended up with the former skipper leaving the Saints.

After being denied a trade to.his preferred team in Collingwood, Ball nominated for the draft. With some controversy around how he handled things re: interviews and medical appointments, Ball ended up at the Pies.

Less spoken about is the hiring of former Saints full back Max Hudghton.

Max was left out of the 2009 Saints team for Zac Dawson and retired following that season.

The Pies pounced and hired him as an assistant immediately.

Between Ball & Hudghton there was an intimate knowledge of the Saints players and their coaching setup.

The Pies took full advantage, with young gun Nathan Brown playing the game of his life on Saints skipper Nick Riewoldt thanks, in part, to the tips and tricks he learned from Hudghton.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

If the Brisbane time keeper had blown the siren on time, in the last round of 2021, instead of play going on, and one point being scored, costing the Bulldogs top four. The Bulldogs wouldn’t have had to play in four states, be locked up in their hotel rooms and might have put up a better fight in the GF. Mind you I still think Melbourne would have won, they had destiny written all over them.

 

[cutterman]

Duursma doesn't drop an absolute sitter in the goal square in the 2020 Prelim. In a low scoring slog, in the wet, with the shortened quarters. We could have been looking at a Port v Geelong GF.

Probably the most famous sliding doors example is the Fraser Brown tackle on Dean Wallis in the 1999 Prelim. North definitely would have had a much tougher opponent the following week

 

[GhostofJimJess]

Duursma doesn't drop an absolute sitter in the goal square in the 2020 Prelim. In a low scoring slog, in the wet, with the shortened quarters. We could have been looking at a Port v Geelong GF.

Bit harsh. The Duursma dropped mark was in the second quarter wasn't it?

 

[CakeEater]

A new set of umpires in the 13 GF and the 15 pf

 

[PhatBoy]

View attachment 2190892

Because of St Kilda’s incredibly forlorn history when it comes to titles I feel guilty and sorry for them when it comes to this moment but then I remember them being gifted a double goal because Darren Milburn had a pretty heated but normal attempt to remonstrate with an umpire about what he believed was a touched off the boot call (it wasn’t: he touched the boot itself from memory) and the Saints were given a goal in front of the sticks so as far as I’m concerned it evened out.

 

[Rich01]

A new set of umpires in the 13 GF and the 15 pf

Forget the umpires in the 13 GF.
Fyfe just needed to kick straight in front of goals. He choked on the biggest stage.

 

[Rich01]

WC lost to Richmond at the MCG in Rd 22 2019 by 6 points and finished 5th with 15 wins 112.5%. Get over the line in that game and we finish 3rd, Richmond 5th. Huge repercussions for the finals series.

Yep, that game pretty much set Richmond up for an irrepressible flag that year.

Some big brain farts from some solid West Coast defenders in the last couple of minutes.

 

[HotelBastardos]

Because of St Kilda’s incredibly forlorn history when it comes to titles I feel guilty and sorry for them when it comes to this moment but then I remember them being gifted a double goal because Darren Milburn had a pretty heated but normal attempt to remonstrate with an umpire about what he believed was a touched off the boot call (it wasn’t: he touched the boot itself from memory) and the Saints were given a goal in front of the sticks so as far as I’m concerned it evened out.

And the cats would have still got a point and the ball from full back. Anything could have happened after .That Milburn decision was abhorrent. A free should be from the circle not the goal square. Just coz the ump cant take a jibe in a bloody Grannny. Plus Cats won by two goals anyway

 

[CakeEater]

Forget the umpires in the 13 GF.
Fyfe just needed to kick straight in front of goals. He choked on the biggest stage.

Mate, hawks got gifted 5 goals by the umps to our 0.

Yes fyfe could have kicked better, but the umpires are a factor on the day when Cyril gets a goal from a HTB decision from a chicken wing tackle whilst being subsequently suspended for the action.

Buddy got a 50 for Luke Mc "overstepping" after the ball had headed towards the goals.

Given it was only 13 points the difference, the umps had a material impact on the game at a equivalent level to Fyfes set shot kicking.

 

[cutterman]

Bit harsh. The Duursma dropped mark was in the second quarter wasn't it?

Fair challenge.

There were only 6 more goals kicked for the match after that point, and Port likely would have taken a lead into half time. But a lot of water went under the bridge between then and the final siren

 

[rapidfire7]

If Milne could’ve got the ball to bounce any other way that day the Saints win

Geelong inexplicably poor goal kicking against the Hawks - Cats win

Fremantles very poor goal kicking against the Hawks - Freo win

Carlton play H behind the ball against Brisbane at the end of Q1 in 2023 in the last 5 minutes/Playing another small instead of an injured Charlie in that same PF - Carlton play GF

Nick Davis is smothered on that last goal, or Ryan O’Keefe doesn’t launch the ball like 80m with the biggest kick of his career to setup his 2nd (?) - Cats win flag

Ryan O’Keefe clears congestion in the grand final or Chick misses the follow up shepherd - Swans win

That whole Dom Sheed play was freakiest of freak moments, Pies win if any of that doesn’t come off or if JDG played in the right position even

Sam Simpson doesn’t get KO’d cats win that flag, or if Ablett Jr doesn’t do his shoulder they also win, case could be made for Vlaustin too though

Bevo plays a sweeper at stoppage and they might’ve won that flag, instead of letting Trac and Oliver exit the front over and over

Yes, it was a devastating way to lose an important game of football, but I do not understand why such an incredibly big deal is forever being made about the Cats semi final loss to the Swans in 2005 (and the widespread belief that they virtually dropped the cup by doing so).

The 12-10 Cats were not a great team in 2005, so even if they had gotten through that semi and beaten the 14-8 Saints in the Prelim (anything but a sure thing), they would have surely fallen against the 17-5 Eagles in the Grand Final.

I actually think that it was a very significant and character building experience for the boys, which played a part in laying the foundations for the success which followed.

 

[Wallaby]

One that's forgotten these days.

1935. South Melbourne beat Collingwood in the 2nd Semi-Final to go into the GF. Star Full-Forward Bob Pratt kicks 6 (against Jack Regan 'The Prince of Full Backs'), reaching the 100-goal mark for the season in the process. (He had also kicked 10 against Collingwood and Regan in Rd 12).

Two days before the Grand Final (against Collingwood) Bob Pratt gets hit by a truck in High St Prahran and misses the GF.

Collingwood win.

 

[Elixuh]

The Bulldogs not bringing their own umpires to the 2016 grand final.

Will Ashcroft doing an ACL in 2023.

The umpire calling no advantage in the dying stages of the 2023 GF.

 

[BringFevBack2021]

Yes, it was a devastating way to lose an important game of football, but I do not understand why such an incredibly big deal is forever being made about the Cats semi final loss to the Swans in 2005 (and the widespread belief that they virtually dropped the cup by doing so).

The 12-10 Cats were not a great team in 2005, so even if they had gotten through that semi and beaten the 14-8 Saints in the Prelim (anything but a sure thing), they would have surely fallen against the 17-5 Eagles in the Grand Final.

I actually think that it was a very significant and character building experience for the boys, which played a part in laying the foundations for the success which followed.

Fair, I was quite young and growing up in the Western Suburbs there were a LOT of Geelong supporters around me, so they felt better than what they actually were I suppose

That game was freakish though, so many absolutely bizarre moments for the Swans to get home

 

[PhatBoy]

Fair, I was quite young and growing up in the Western Suburbs there were a LOT of Geelong supporters around me, so they felt better than what they actually were I suppose

That game was freakish though, so many absolutely bizarre moments for the Swans to get home

Being at the ground with a dozen bandwagon Swan supporting mates and feeling like the only Cats supporter in the entire stadium was one of the hardest experiences of my life in many respects.

Then I remembered I was in Sydney to get shitfaced and snapped out of it and hit the town. It was still torture during that last 20 minutes and the 5-10 that followed though.

 

[GetDimmaBack]

The Bulldogs not bringing their own umpires to the 2016 grand final.

The Swans not playing a few injured players, believing they merely had to turn up to win.

 

[raskolnikov]

Stephen Kernahan's missed goal in 93 resulted in a draw which ultimately meant Essendon finished first, whereas if he had kicked the goal we may have finished as low as 5th.

 

[Nvent]

Because of St Kilda’s incredibly forlorn history when it comes to titles I feel guilty and sorry for them when it comes to this moment but then I remember them being gifted a double goal because Darren Milburn had a pretty heated but normal attempt to remonstrate with an umpire about what he believed was a touched off the boot call (it wasn’t: he touched the boot itself from memory) and the Saints were given a goal in front of the sticks so as far as I’m concerned it evened out.

I remember the 2009 GF for the gift free Ablett received and then goaled. Riewoldt was mauled the entire day yet the umpire awarded Ablett that free.
Umpires changed the game Geelings way.

 

[PhatBoy]

I remember the 2009 GF for the gift free Ablett received and then goaled. Riewoldt was mauled the entire day yet the umpire awarded Ablett that free.
Umpires changed the game Geelings way.

And I bet Stephen Baker did nothing illegal to help keep Johnson from having any impact (along with Johnson just having a shocker anyway)
Yes well they were very deliberate about it with their average of 1 extra free kick towards the cats per quarter across what was probably the most intense and physical grand final of the century so far and they hid it really well with the Milburn call.

I’m sure the 19 frees the Saints received were all there and the 23 the cats got weren’t.

 

[churner]

Yep shocking decision. Lions were robbed. Also if Ashcroft doesn't do his ACL we almost certainly win dodgy umpiring decision or not.

Poor call to pay advantage, but if we're going to do this, you also have to include two errors that actually led to Brisbane goals: missed 50 on Bailey for encroachment giving him his 2nd goal, and the incredibly harsh 50 on Markov resulting in McCluggage's Q3 goal. Almost another at the end of Q2 but at least Pies still kicked a goal out of it.

*I also see your Ashcroft injury and raise you Murphy and McStay.

 

[iameviljez]

Just coz the ump cant take a jibe in a bloody Grannny.

Nope, I disagree with this and I'm a Geelong supporter. Milburn should have shut his mouth. If the free kick is there to be paid, the umpire should pay it and the fault was nobody's but Milburn's.

 

[iameviljez]

Honestly, for so many flags, there are moments that they could have gone the way of Essendon 1999.

Geelong 2007 was incredibly dominant, but was within a non-free-kick to Rocca in the dying seconds of the prelim (that should have been paid, tbh) of not even making the Big Dance.

For all of Hawthorn's success in their three-peat, they were extremely lucky to get through their prelims in 2013 and, especially, 2014.

Richmond only just scraped their way into 2020. I'd suggest that if Collingwood had beaten Geelong in the 2022 QF, they would have gone on to win the flag as well. As it was, they rode their luck something shocking in 2023.

Footy is a very chaotic game with knockout finals at the end. It's littered with tiny moments that win games.