Play Nice Which club has the biggest supporter base? Collingwood, Richmond or West Coast?

[kranger]

It’s impressive how big Vic clubs are when they compete with 9 other teams in a state of less than 7million.

Something I’ve been curious about, and I wonder if anyone can answer, how many members of the 10 Victorian clubs, are from other states?

 

[Lolbert]

This is a strange thing to argue/boast about. Shouldn't onfield success be the one and only marker. Who gives a toss if the team you just happened to follow ended up having lots of fans. It's a bit 'my dad is stronger than your dad'

 

[Coaster2012]

Cant be west coast. Couldn’t even get the GF played in Perth during a pandemic.

Richmond and Collingwood cant even get a home game. You're logic is about as terrible as your attempt at a burn.

 

[megadeth92]

Lol...I guess we should've won like 8 flags to get a pass.

Were in a GF in their fifth year, fastest for an interstate club.

Won one in their sixth, also fastest.

Most finals appearances and wins in AFL era.

4 premierships out of 7 GF appearances.


Collingwood literally won 2 grand finals in 60 years...now that's pretty mind boggling for one of the 'best' teams in the VFL. They won most of theirs when the VFL was an amatuer comp and players were earning a few bob for a game while they worked day jobs.

I wasn't comparing West Coast and Collingwood, I was saying West Coast does not have a good performance record over the 33 years since it was founded. Of course Fremantle's record is even worse than West Coast's, as is Collingwood's. As West Coast had a state side in 1987, they should have won the flag that year. They were a state team up against VFL (read: suburban) club sides. Compare the 1986 WA State of Origin team with the West Coast 1987 team - you will probably find it is 80-90% the same players.

Comparing West Coast with other expansion clubs is not a valid benchmark (except perhaps in the case of Adelaide). The Bears was from a non-football state - no-one expected much from them.

WCE has never won back-to-back flags - Brisbane Lions won three in a row.

Plus you couldn't respond to my point about Carlton winning 3 flags in 4 years. If West Coast had done that I would be impressed. Why was West Coast so ordinary in 1993 and 1995 that they couldn't complete a hat-trick or even three in four years?

 

[megadeth92]

WA state side? Pretty ignorant observation. The best players from WA were already in the VFL. The brownlow medalist the year before WC started Brad Hardie was a Perth boy, he played for the Dogs and did not move to WC.

Not a great result? Is this real life? And I said AFL era. WC have made 7 grand finals, won 4 flags, made the prelim 9 times and been in 22 finals series. All in 34 years since their conception. But sure Blues are okay I guess

Nice try, debutant.

West Coast have not won three flags in a row or even back-to-back flags.

And, yes, in 1987 they had a virtual state side. Of course there were a few exceptions such as Hardie, Michael Mitchell, Mark Bairstow, and Peter Wilson. But if you look at the 1986 WA State of Origin team and the 1987 West Coast team they would be 80-90% the same. Remember Ross Glendenning, Phil Narkle, and a couple of others came back to West Coast in 1987, a partial reversing the mid-80s tide you were talking about.

 

[megadeth92]

WA state side? Pretty ignorant observation. The best players from WA were already in the VFL. The brownlow medalist the year before WC started Brad Hardie was a Perth boy, he played for the Dogs and did not move to WC.

Not a great result? Is this real life? And I said AFL era. WC have made 7 grand finals, won 4 flags, made the prelim 9 times and been in 22 finals series. All in 34 years since their conception. But sure Blues are okay I guess

Nice try, debutant.

I lived in Perth in the 1980s and 90s, now moved away. What I think is the problem is that Mick Malthouse was such a smooth businessman and self-promoter (a bit of a Brendan Rodgers-type, referring to the Celtic and Leicester manager) that he managed to avoid the criticism he should have received in WA for not winning more than two flags with the team he had. He was West Coast's first Victorian coach, he impressed the locals with his manner and his assertiveness. His bluntness and rudeness were misinterpreted as professionalism and a businesslike approach. in hindsight, he should have been criticized for not winning more flags in his time there. Even until today most WC fans think he did well in that era to win those two flags. I remember Graham Moss talking of his time at Claremont saying "with the team we had we should have won more than the 1981 premiership).

 

[Coaster2012]

West Coast have not won three flags in a row or even back-to-back flags.

And, yes, in 1987 they had a virtual state side. Of course there were a few exceptions such as Hardie, Michael Mitchell, Mark Bairstow, and Peter Wilson. But if you look at the 1986 WA State of Origin team and the 1987 West Coast team they would be 80-90% the same. Remember Ross Glendenning, Phil Narkle, and a couple of others came back to West Coast in 1987, a partial reversing the mid-80s tide you were talking about.

I lived in Perth in the 1980s and 90s, now moved away. What I think is the problem is that Mick Malthouse was such a smooth businessman and self-promoter (a bit of a Brendan Rodgers-type, referring to the Celtic and Leicester manager) that he managed to avoid the criticism he should have received in WA for not winning more than two flags with the team he had. He was West Coast's first Victorian coach, he impressed the locals with his manner and his assertiveness. His bluntness and rudeness were misinterpreted as professionalism and a businesslike approach. in hindsight, he should have been criticized for not winning more flags in his time there. Even until today most WC fans think he did well in that era to win those two flags. I remember Graham Moss talking of his time at Claremont saying "with the team we had we should have won more than the 1981 premiership).

Lol, you are completely out of touch mate if you think a team with concessions should automatically win like 4 flags in a row. The giants have got some of the best concessions of all time and have got nothing to show for it but a belting in the GF. To say WC havent achieved much is idiotic. "He only won 2 flags and multiple GF's ". **** me you're a tool.

 

[PerthBoy86]

I wasn't comparing West Coast and Collingwood, I was saying West Coast does not have a good performance record over the 33 years since it was founded. Of course Fremantle's record is even worse than West Coast's, as is Collingwood's. As West Coast had a state side in 1987, they should have won the flag that year. They were a state team up against VFL (read: suburban) club sides. Compare the 1986 WA State of Origin team with the West Coast 1987 team - you will probably find it is 80-90% the same players.

Comparing West Coast with other expansion clubs is not a valid benchmark (except perhaps in the case of Adelaide). The Bears was from a non-football state - no-one expected much from them.

WCE has never won back-to-back flags - Brisbane Lions won three in a row.

Plus you couldn't respond to my point about Carlton winning 3 flags in 4 years. If West Coast had done that I would be impressed. Why was West Coast so ordinary in 1993 and 1995 that they couldn't complete a hat-trick or even three in four years?

Suburban sides? Lol. The VFL was professional by the time the Eagles entered. They'd been poaching our best players for years.

You're the first to say the Eagles have underperformed. Even the best teams are not guaranteed to win grand finals. Luck plays into it. Look at the Pies in the late 70s and early 80s, Cats in the late 80s and early 90s and Saints in the 00s. We were unlucky in 1993, heck even 1991. Had history gone a little differently even an Eagles 4 peat from 91 to 94 would have been possible. But 2 flags is still a good effort, and West Coast imo remain at least in contention for best side of the AFL era. I for one am satisfied with our success so far.

 

[Numero Uno]

West Coast have not won three flags in a row or even back-to-back flags.

And, yes, in 1987 they had a virtual state side. Of course there were a few exceptions such as Hardie, Michael Mitchell, Mark Bairstow, and Peter Wilson. But if you look at the 1986 WA State of Origin team and the 1987 West Coast team they would be 80-90% the same. Remember Ross Glendenning, Phil Narkle, and a couple of others came back to West Coast in 1987, a partial reversing the mid-80s tide you were talking about.

there was 5 inaugural eagles who played in the 86 state of origin side

5 in a squad of 35 or 14%...bit short of the 80-90% you are ignorantly spouting
do you always lie on internet forums to push your agenda ?

'state team' is one of the biggest myths (easily destroyed) in the AFL

 

[megadeth92]

there was 5 inaugural eagles who played in the 86 state of origin side

5 in a squad of 35 or 14%...bit short of the 80-90% you are ignorantly spouting
do you always lie on internet forums to push your agenda ?

'state team' is one of the biggest myths (easily destroyed) in the AFL

85-90% was a guesstimate without looking at the actual teams. Sorry, I should have made that clear.

looking at the 1986 Australian Football Championships page on Wikipedia, these players played in both games for WA:

• Mark Bairstow
• Shane Ellis
• Paul Harding
• Laurie Keene
• Dean Laidley
• Dwayne Lamb
• Andrew Macnish
• Geoff Miles
• Michael Mitchell
• Brian Peake
• Peter Sartori
• Colin Waterson
• Peter Wilson

Of these players, the following were Eagles players: Keene, Laidley, Lamb, Macnish, Miles. These must be your five. (And Wilson, Harding and Ellis all joined the Eagles a few years later but we won't count them to be fair). But that is five out of the 13 players who played in both games.

The following players played in one of the games:

• Darren Bewick
• George Christie
• Warren Dean
• Steve Malaxos
• Darrell Panizza
• Brian Taylor
• Robert Wiley
• Greg Wilkinson
• Murray Wrensted
• Leon Baker
• Wayne Blackwell
• Gary Buckenara
• Peter Davidson
• Ross Glendinning
• Brad Hardie
• Rod Lester-Smith
• Phil Narkle
• Maurice Rioli

Out of that list, the following were Eagles players: Malaxos, Wiley, Wrensted, Glendinning, Davidson, and P. Narkle. That is 6 more players so you get 11 out of 31 (35.48%). If you count Ellis, Harding, and Wilson it goes up to 14 out of 31 (45.16%). OK, I was wrong, it was more than five but it was lower than a majority. Sorry, I should have gone back to the team-lists before mentioning the 80-90% number. However, it is still valid to ask: did any other VFL club in 1987 have access to 35% or 46% of state players on its playing list?

It is the established ideology in Perth and in the Perth media that WCE has had a successful history so far. This has been the dominant ideology since 1992. Obviously I expect opposition when I challenge the prevailing ideology. i don't say it is a poor history - obviously it is a million miles ahead of Fremantle, Carlton, Collingwood etc in the past 20-25 years. But it's not up at the level of Port Adelaide Magpies (SANFL) or East Fremantle (WAFL). yes, I know about the draft and salary cap but flags are still the measure if success.

 

[Corkintheocean]

I wasn't comparing West Coast and Collingwood, I was saying West Coast does not have a good performance record over the 33 years since it was founded. Of course Fremantle's record is even worse than West Coast's, as is Collingwood's. As West Coast had a state side in 1987, they should have won the flag that year. They were a state team up against VFL (read: suburban) club sides. Compare the 1986 WA State of Origin team with the West Coast 1987 team - you will probably find it is 80-90% the same players.

Comparing West Coast with other expansion clubs is not a valid benchmark (except perhaps in the case of Adelaide). The Bears was from a non-football state - no-one expected much from them.

WCE has never won back-to-back flags - Brisbane Lions won three in a row.

Plus you couldn't respond to my point about Carlton winning 3 flags in 4 years. If West Coast had done that I would be impressed. Why was West Coast so ordinary in 1993 and 1995 that they couldn't complete a hat-trick or even three in four years?

Would love to know who has had a good performance record over the same duration? There is only one club - Hawthorn.

You are dribbling absolute nonsense.

 

[megadeth92]

Would love to know who has had a good performance record over the same duration? There is only one club - Hawthorn.

You are dribbling absolute nonsense.

It depends how tightly you define "good". Three premierships in three years (Brisbane Lions) or three in four years (Carlton, 1979-82) were certainly good. OK, if West Coast had win the 1993 flag it would have been three-in-a-row which would have been very good. Why didn't they even make the GF in 1993?

It is the established ideology in Perth and in the Perth media that WCE has had a successful history so far. This has been the dominant ideology since 1992. Obviously I expect opposition when I challenge the prevailing ideology. i don't say it is a poor history - obviously it is a million miles ahead of Fremantle, Carlton, Collingwood etc in the past 20-25 years. But it's not up at the level of Port Adelaide Magpies (SANFL) or East Fremantle (WAFL). Yes, I know about the draft and salary cap but flags are still the measure of success.

 

[mcfazza28]

It depends how tightly you define "good". Three premierships in three years (Brisbane Lions) or three in four years (Carlton, 1979-82) were certainly good. OK, if West Coast had win the 1993 flag it would have been three-in-a-row which would have been very good. Why didn't they even make the GF in 1993?

It is the established ideology in Perth and in the Perth media that WCE has had a successful history so far. This has been the dominant ideology since 1992. Obviously I expect opposition when I challenge the prevailing ideology. i don't say it is a poor history - obviously it is a million miles ahead of Fremantle, Carlton, Collingwood etc in the past 20-25 years. But it's not up at the level of Port Adelaide Magpies (SANFL) or East Fremantle (WAFL). Yes, I know about the draft and salary cap but flags are still the measure of success.

Hawthorn & West Coast are the most successful teams of the AFL era! Hawthorn lead 5 to 4 but have played West Coast twice in GFs at each of their home grounds Waverley and MCG.

Now when you consider the handicap West Coast have (2 MCG PFs as the home team & MCG GFs) and that Hawthorn get home GFs against interstate teams then the record is excellent.

It’s difficult winning AFL premierships and it’s always even harder for interstate teams.

BTW- I really want Bucks to win a premiership. He deserves it for the grace he always carries himself with and his efforts in GFs.

 

[Asapartyhat]

West Coast Eagles are a national league club competing in a national competition.The Victorian clubs are Victorian State league clubs competing against other Victorian state league clubs .Ten of them so the numbers game favours the Eagles and it shows.
This season will most likely be the Eagles 24th finals campain in the three decades of the AFL era .So consistantly high standard high rate of success .

 

[Tackle Bag]

as an interesting aside the best attended west coast games are against good opposition whoever they happen to be that particular year

if richmond fans would rather see a game against a traditional rival who at that time is a bottom four team - well - thats just weird.

I’d much rather watch the Tigers play the Pies or Blues than say GWS. My side has a history with these teams that somehow adds substance to the experience.

I would imagine it’s similar to West Coast playing Freo. I think if a third Perth side was ever added it would quickly become a more attractive fixture for WC fans than playing most Melbourne sides as well, regardless of ladder positions.

Your point of view is perhaps representative of the difference in footy culture between a 2 team town and a 10 team town. Not to say one is better than the other.

 

[beema limapep]

It’s impressive how big Vic clubs are when they compete with 9 other teams in a state of less than 7million.

Something I’ve been curious about, and I wonder if anyone can answer, how many members of the 10 Victorian clubs, are from other states?

Most vic teams i would say uaround 10%. For big clubs it might be upto 10000. For teams like Hawthorn,North might be a bit more because of Tassie.

 

[kranky al]

I’d much rather watch the Tigers play the Pies or Blues than say GWS. My side has a history with these teams that somehow adds substance to the experience.

I would imagine it’s similar to West Coast playing Freo. I think if a third Perth side was ever added it would quickly become a more attractive fixture for WC fans than playing most Melbourne sides as well, regardless of ladder positions.

Your point of view is perhaps representative of the difference in footy culture between a 2 team town and a 10 team town. Not to say one is better than the other.

cant say i get that persoective.

when the eagles are rebuilding i get more pleasure out of watching top teams play than my own.

just love champagne footy.

but each to their own!!

 

[Rasha]

Actually Richmond were 1st in home game attendance, even with less crowd friendly game times.

Sorry. there I go again Completely destroying your argument with very basic facts.
You must get so sick of it.

Yeah, but Roy Morgan..

 

[Shane Heard]

Richmond would have 400k die hard supporters in Victoria alone ...easy.

They are all over Australia too.

West Coast have thousands of passive fans here in WA along with their hardcore 80-90k membership group

They just follow them for the sake of it and don’t get too fussed if they lose but will buy a jumper and have a JK poster framed on their wall.

Richmond, Pies, Essendon and Carlton ...nationwide ..are the powerhouse clubs with a big fan base.

The rest follow ..

 

[Shane Heard]

West Coast Eagles are a national league club competing in a national competition.The Victorian clubs are Victorian State league clubs competing against other Victorian state league clubs .Ten of them so the numbers game favours the Eagles and it shows.
This season will most likely be the Eagles 24th finals campain in the three decades of the AFL era .So consistantly high standard high rate of success .

all that is irrelevant

outside WA ...no one barracks for WCE

 

[Kangapirate]

Was watching a bit of the Eagles 80 point thumping over Geelong in the 94 grand final on YouTube the other day, after the game McAvaney, Healy and Cometti are carrying on like the Eagles would be unstoppable for years to come...what the hell happened? They barely had any bad players on the list, superstars everywhere, incredible they didn’t at least win 1 more.

 

[What else we can do]

Was watching a bit of the Eagles 80 point thumping over Geelong in the 94 grand final on YouTube the other day, after the game McAvaney, Healy and Cometti are carrying on like the Eagles would be unstoppable for years to come...what the hell happened? They barely had any bad players on the list, superstars everywhere, incredible they didn’t at least win 1 more.

Carlton 95 and North 96 happened.

 

[Kangapirate]

Carlton 95 and North 96 happened.

Disregarding that, they still don’t come close, finished 5th in 95 and 4th in 96, didn’t make the prelim in either year. Although they got screwed in 96 by having to play a home final against Essendon at the MCG. Even 97 finished 5th and lost both finals. The list they had should have been minimum prelims in those years.

Even 93 when the Eagles arguably should have been at their peak as they won flags either side of it, they mysteriously just sneak into the finals on percentage and get mauled by the baby bombers.

Maybe they had injuries or something that derailed them but as time goes on you start wondering if Malthouse really got the absolute most out of what he had.

 

[Brunswick Trap King]

all that is irrelevant

outside WA ...no one barracks for WCE

I must be the only one then.

 

[Brunswick Trap King]

West Coast have thousands of passive fans here in WA along with their hardcore 80-90k membership group

It's over 100k, champ.