Your favourite "come from nowhere" finals appearances.

[Dan26]

Every few years, there is an amazing finals appearance by a team who weeks earlier was no chance. Richmond this year was the latest. What have been some of your favourites? Was there any famous instances in the SANFL and WAFL?

Richmond 2014
Five games plus percentage out of the top-8 at 3-10. Win 9 in a row, to secure 8th spot with a win in the last round.

Brisbane 1995
Were 4-11 after 15 games, and were 3.5 wins out of the top-8. Were staring at a 4-12 record when down by 45 points at the Gabba versus Hawthorn during the last quarter. Hawthorn famously shelter in the shade at 3-quarter time, and Brisbane run all over them to win by 7 points.
Brisbane win 3 in a row to get to 7-11, lose to the unbeatable Blues to go 7-12, then win their last 3 games to finish 10-12, and sneak in to 8th due to a Collingwood loss to Sydney in the last round.

Melbourne 1987
Probably the most famous of all. The Demons hadn't made the finals in 23 years. Were 6-10 from their first 16 games, and looking typically inept. They win their last 6 games, including a win over the Bulldogs in the last round, in which the victor wold take 5th spot in the final-5, if Geelong lost to Hawthorn, which they did with a late goal to Jason Dunstall. Went on to storm through to the Preliminary Final losing after the siren.

Fitzroy 1984
Probably the most unlikely of all. Fitzroy were 1-8 after nine matches in 1984, last on the ladder 5 wins out of the top-5. They recovered to win four straight to go 5-8, but then lost three to go back to 5-11.

They then win their last 6 games of the season, to finish 11-11 and sneak into 5th-spot, after needing both Geelong and Footscray to both lose in the last round, which both duly did.


Anyone got any other memories of amazing last minute finals entries?

 

[Vapor]

Amazing last minute finals entries?

Carlton 2013

Thanks again Essendon!

 

[LukasTheGreat]

Hard to go past Carlton from last season, true definition of 'come from nowhere'

 

[Cobbler]

Fremantle 2006.

6-7 record and sitting outside the 8.

Won last 9 games to finish 3rd and make a preliminary final.

Most amazing aspect is that they beat everyone in the 8 on that run.

 

[Rally]

Brisbane were 4-5 heading into Round 10 in 2001, before winning the next 16 straight including the Grand Final. Doesn't quite fit the criteria, but that was a pretty monumental turnaround.

 

[juss]

Yeh Carltons last year was so unexpected.

 

[Hipster Doofus]

Fremantle 2006.

6-7 record and sitting outside the 8.

Won last 9 games to finish 3rd and make a preliminary final.

Most amazing aspect is that they beat everyone in the 8 on that run.

They went ballistic in the derby against that WCE midfield IIRC.

 

[Dan26]

Fremantle 2006.

6-7 record and sitting outside the 8.

Won last 9 games to finish 3rd and make a preliminary final.

Most amazing aspect is that they beat everyone in the 8 on that run.

That was a pretty amazing form turnaround.

Just as Brisbane was in 2001 when they were 4-5 and sitting outside the 8, then won their last 16 games to finish 20-5.

But neither of them were last minute finals entries.

 

[Mister B]

Pretty sure I can remember around the time of the 1st? World War one of the sides finished dead last on the ladder but due to the reduced number of teams still made the finals and won the flag. Could be completely wrong though, in which case feel free to ignore this post.

 

[clogged]

Brisbane in 1995 is my favourite as it suggested something had seriously changed up there. It was the turnaround that led to their dynasty.

 

[kosifantutti]

Not a finals entry but in 2008, the Saints were 8th with two games to go. One and a half wins behind North, a win and 10.4 percent behind the Crows, half a game behind the Swans and behind the Pies on percentage.

North lost to Geelong in Round 21, Collingwood beat Sydney and we doubled the Crows score.

Still seventh going into the last round, north and Pies lost to port and Freo who were third and fourth last, the Crows had a narrow win over the Dogs and we needed to smash the Dons on the Sunday to make up 4.7% and get the double chance. A 108 point win did the job.

We weren't competitive against the Cats or Hawks but it was a better finish to the season than this year.

 

[clogged]

Brisbane in 1995 is my favourite as it suggested something had seriously changed up there. It was the turnaround that led to their dynasty.

 

[Dan26]

Pretty sure I can remember around the time of the 1st? World War one of the sides finished dead last on the ladder but due to the reduced number of teams still made the finals and won the flag. Could be completely wrong though, in which case feel free to ignore this post.

Fitzroy 1916, in a 4 team league.

Finished with the wooden spoon with 2 wins. Won three knockout finals, beating 2nd-placed Collingwood then first-placed Carlton two weeks in a row, and there you have it - premiers and wooden spoon in the same season.

 

[Cobbler]

That was a pretty amazing form turnaround.

Just as Brisbane was in 2001 when they were 4-5 and sitting outside the 8, then won their last 16 games to finish 20-5.

But neither of them were last minute finals entries.

True, but we did kind of come from nowhere and that was the title of this thread.

Otherwise it's simply whoever was outside the 8 before the final round.

For that definition Carlton last year and Richmond beating the top side are up there and would be hard to beat.

 

[Scotland]

West Coast 2004

5-8, then turned around and won 8/9 and finish in 7th spot on 13 wins.

Beat 2nd, 4th, 5th, 8th in the run and the only loss came against 1st placed Port after kicking 9.22.

Bowed out in the first week of the finals against the Swans in a thunderstorm at ANZ Stadium. Who'd have known we'd play them 4 times in finals over the next 2 years.

 

[Roylion]

Fitzroy 1916, in a 4 team league.

Finished with the wooden spoon with 2 wins. Won three knockout finals, beating 2nd-placed Collingwood then first-placed Carlton two weeks in a row, and there you have it - premiers and wooden spoon in the same season.

Richmond won the wooden spoon in 1916. They finished last on the ladder at the end of the season.

 

[Righteo]

Fremantle 2006.

6-7 record and sitting outside the 8.

Won last 9 games to finish 3rd and make a preliminary final.

Most amazing aspect is that they beat everyone in the 8 on that run.

If we hadn't ****ed up 2004 and 2005 I think we would have had enough finals experience to go all the way that year, 2004-2007 was our first serious window and we wasted it. Would have smashed the Weags in the Granny.

 

[Dan26]

Fitzroy in 1981 was interesting.

All Fitzroy needed to do in the last round was win, but they had to do it at Victoria Park versus Collingwood.

The Pies were 17-4 and on top of the ladder and needed to win to retain top spot. So, they had a huge amount to play for. Fitzroy won easily, keeping Collingwood to a score of 1.3.9 at three quarter time, which was the first time in about 80 years that Collingwood had not reached a double figure score by three-quarter time.

 

[Dan26]

Richmond won the wooden spoon in 1916. They finished last on the ladder at the end of the season.

You know what I mean.

 

[Roylion]

You know what I mean.

Good effort to win the flag from fourth position?

 

[Dan26]

Good effort to win the flag from fourth position?

We all know Fitzroy were premiers, and not "wooden spooners"

But there is a certain romanticism among footy historians and a paradoxical delight in stating that they won the flag and wooden spoon in the same season (even though technically it isn't true) which you spoiled in your typically humourless way.

 

[Scotland]

If we hadn't ****** up 2004 and 2005 I think we would have had enough finals experience to go all the way that year, 2004-2007 was our first serious window and we wasted it. Would have smashed the Weags in the Granny.

Yeah, nah. Gotta beat Adelaide and Sydney to get there anyway.

 

[Cobbler]

Surely someone has gone from the spoon to finals recently, as in the last 20 years. That would fit my definition of a come from nowhere finals appearance.

Port recently?

Others?

I mean only if that fits the category, otherwise ignore.

 

[Bell Ringer]

Brisbane were 4-5 heading into Round 10 in 2001, before winning the next 16 straight including the Grand Final. Doesn't quite fit the criteria, but that was a pretty monumental turnaround.

Got absolutely flogged by Carlton @ PP. Supposedly that loss was the "line-in-sand" moment for the team and the rest is history.

 

[Roylion]

We all know Fitzroy were premiers, and not "wooden spooners"

But you said it anyway.

But there is a certain romanticism among footy historians and a paradoxical d (even though technically it isn't true) which you spoiled in your typically humourless way.

The irony.