Autopsy AFL 2023 Round 16 - Crows v North Sat July 1st 1:45pm AEST (AO)

[Hobbes]

Yes I was 17 and 18 when they happened.

Crows were lucky Libba's 'goal' was judged a point in the 1997 prelim final and under the current finals system, you would have bowed out in 1998 after your flogging in the first final by the Dees


Also in that grand final that year, North kicked themselves out of a flag with their woeful goal kicking conversion in the first half.

No offence, but it was two of the most unimpressive flags I have seen in my lifetime (I am 43)

You can only judge a match under the conditions in which it was being played. Adelaide were four goals down at quarter time, five down at half time and nine down at three quarter time. And, they knew that the result almost certainly didn't matter - they were through to the next round regardless of the result, and probably with the same draw.

So, under those conditions, do you drag out secret tricks you've been planning for months, or do you tell the team to go through the motions and save their energy for a match which matters?

 

[ok.crows]

and under the current finals system, you would have bowed out in 1998 after your flogging in the first final by the Dees

If the current finals system was used in 1998 the Crows would not have been playing the Dees in the first final.

 

[Hobbes]

If the current finals system was used in 1998 the Crows would not have been playing the Dees in the first final.

With the current final system, we would have something like:

North d Melbourne
Bulldogs d Sydney
Adelaide d Essendon
St Kilda d West Coast

Melbourne v Adelaide
Sydney v St Kilda

M/A v Bulldogs
S/StK v North

It could easily be the same GF.