Opinion Twelve Records That Are Safe

emuboy

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There is always the potential for AFL records to be broken every time a match is played, but there are a number of long-standing records that would appear unlikely to ever be equalled or broken, and I nominate the following twelve. What do you think?

1. LOWEST SCORE - In 1899, St Kilda managed a miserable 0.1-1 in a 161 point thrashing by Geelong (ironically, their point was the first score of the game). As this record has not been broken 110 years later, it is reasonable to assume it is staying with the Saints forever.
2. LOWEST PERCENTAGE - With games like the one above, it is little wonder that the Saints winless 1899 team recorded a miserable percentage of just 28.0! Given that just three teams since World War 2 have recorded percentages of less than 50 (Hawthorn in 1950, St Kilda in 1955 & Fitzroy in 1996), with the lowest of these being 45.4% by St Kilda in 1955, it is hard to see a team being so totally uncompetetive as to equal or better St Kilda's 1899 team.
3. MOST SUCCESSIVE WOODEN SPOONS - St Kilda started off life in the then VFL with six successive wooden spoons from 1897-1902 inclusive. No team has come close to this since, and the salary cap and draft should prevent any future team being so totally uncompetetive for so long.
4. LOWEST MATCH AGGREGATE - In 1897, Essendon defeated Melbourne 1.8-14 to 0.8-8, a match aggregate of just 22 points. Given that the most recent match to produce an aggregate of less than 50 points was the 1927 Grand Final, the Bombers and Demons are keeping this one.
5. LOWEST SCORING QUARTER - Neither Collingwood or Fitzroy scored at all in the final quarter of a 1901 match at the Brunswick Street Oval, the only time a game has produced a scoreless quarter. It is hard to see after 108 years another game occurring that will produce a scoreless quarter.
6. MOST SUCCESSIVE LOSSES - After a bright start to its tenure in the VFL from 1908-14, University fell right away, losing its last 51 games from early 1912 to the end of 1914, before leaving the league forever. As with St Kilda's wooden spoon record, the draft and salary cap would prevent such an uncompetetive team in the future.
7. PREMIER & WOODEN SPOONER IN SAME YEAR: In a war affected 4 team competition in 1916, Fitzroy finished last, but won all of its finals to take out the premiership. It is impossible to think of any realistic situation in which this absolutely unique achievement could be replicated.
8. HIGHEST SCORE IN A QUARTER - In 1919, South Melbourne kicked 17.4-106 to St Kilda's 0.0-0 in the final quarter. This is the only time that a side has kicked a century score in a single quarter (and subsequently outscored its opponent by that margin). As this one-off record took place 90 years ago and was in farcical circumstances (a number of St Kilda players walked off the ground in disgust), this record will probably last another 90 years, and then some, much to the delight of the Swans and the despair of the Saints.
9. LONGEST FINALS DROUGHT - When Hawthorn entered the VFL in 1925, the WAGS of the players were wearing flapper dresses and headbands. By the time the Hawks were playing Carlton in their debut finals match in 1957, the Hawthorn WAGS were wearing blouses, poodle skirts and bobby socks. The Great Depression, World War 2 and the Korean War had come and gone in this time, and instead of watching silent black & white movies, one could watch full sound technicolour films, or even a magical box that sat in the corner of one's loungeroom! In modern times, even consistently underperfoming teams such as Richmond and Fremantle have made the occasional visit to the finals before plunging back down the ladder again, and given that half of the teams play finals in any given year, the Hawks 32 year finals drought looks likely to remain the record forever.
10. TEAM WITH HIGHEST PERCENTAGE MISSES THE FINALS - This has happened only once, to Geelong's 1932 team which missed the final four despite having the best percentage. If the AFL had a final five, it would be conceivable that this could happen again (a team that easily beats poor opposition by keeping them to low scores, but loses plenty of close ones to the good teams to finish sixth), but with a final eight, it is inconceivable that a ninth placed team could have a better percentage than the eight finalists.
11. HIGHEST MATCH AGGREGATE - Another record involving St Kilda, but this time the Saints are on the credit side of the ledger, when they beat Melbourne 31.18-204 to 21.15-141 in 1978, for a record match aggregate of 345 points. During the 1980s and early 1990s, high scoring games were very common, and with many good teams who could score quickly and often in this time, it seemed probable that this could be bettered. But the record was never broken, and high scoring games that produce an aggregate of 300 points or more are very rare today. The last time the record looked in serious danger was a Round 6 1993 match between North & Sydney that produced an aggregate score of 334 points; and from 2000 onwards there have been just three games with a 300 point aggregate, the most recent of which was in 2003 between North & the Bulldogs.
12. GREATEST WINNING MARGIN - A 190 point thrashing handed to Melbourne by Fitzroy in 1979 remains the greatest margin of victory. The Lions beat a previous record of 178 points that had been set earlier in the 1979 season by Collingwood over St Kilda; the previous record of 171 points by Sth Melbourne over St Kilda was set in 1919 (see Point 8). In the 60 years between the Swans setting the record, and first the Magpies and then the Lions bettering it, a number of sides had gotten close. But in 30 years since the Fitzroy vs Melbourne game, no team has troubled the Lions' record winning margin. Even in games where teams have looked a chance of winning by 200 (Brisbane Bears over Sydney in Round 8 1993; Geelong over Richmond in Round 6 2007), it has been obvious long before the finish of the game that the record margin would not be reached, and with high scores so rare today, this record is presumably safe.
 

Generalissimo

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Unless the quarters are lengthened back to what they used to be, I'd say that Geelong's 37.17.239 will never be broken.

Nobody will get near Michael Tuck's 426 games- probably 375 or 380 would be the limit these days.

And I think it's a fair bet nobody will win the flag from last place again.
 

pacemaker

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Mark williams 52 posys in a match, some will come close but wont beat it.

Tony Lockett most goals 1357. too many tactics, good defenders and stratigies in place today.
 
Mark williams 52 posys in a match, some will come close but wont beat it.

Considering Dane Swan got 48 the other week, and we are constantly seeing possesion records tumble due to the high amount of hand passes and over possessing the football. I would predict that record will fall in the near future... Watson was on target to beat it on Friday night before being injured, with 16 in the first quarter.
 
Considering Dane Swan got 48 the other week, and we are constantly seeing possesion records tumble due to the high amount of hand passes and over possessing the football. I would predict that record will fall in the near future... Watson was on target to beat it on Friday night before being injured, with 16 in the first quarter.

He had 11 in the first, 6 in the second.

The only ones from those twelve I can see being beaten or matched are lowest score in a quarter, highest score in a quarter and highest winning margin (I'm guessing the highest ones will happen at the same time).

I think once St Kilda and the Bulldogs win flags there won't be as long a drought between premierships again.
 

GrassKat

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Youngest VFL/AFL player will not be broken due to draft age.

15 years 287 days Keith Bromage Collingwood 1953
15 years 297 days Albert Collier Collingwood 1925
15 years 305 days Tim Watson Essendon 1977
15 years 315 days Wels Eicke St Kilda 1909
15 years 328 days Mick Maguire Richmond 1910
15 years 349 days Len Fitzgerald Collingwood 1945

It was my primary school dream as a kid to play VFL when I was 15! Like Timmy Watson!
 

LordJimmy

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All of the OP's listings seem fair - unfortunate that St Kilda holds them.

Franklin, Roughead or Fevola might challenge 18 goals in a single game. Every generation has their superstar forwards. Lockett came close tons of times.

Greg Williams 52 disposals will fall any week now.

Roughead or Franklin could challenge Lockett's all time goals record. If they have years like this one it's a bit uncertain though.
 

HoldenMCaulfield

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Other relatively safe records:

- highest goals per game avg : Peter Hudson (5.64)

- most goals on debut : John Coleman (12)

- most consecutive games : Jim Stynes (244)

- oldest player : Vic Cumberland (43 yrs 48 days)

You may also be interested to know that there have only been five 100% accurate results - three of which by St Kilda !

okay, two of those were 1.0.6 and the third 3.0.18...
 

Spluff

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Richmond have the lowest score in a VFL/AFL Grand Final. They kicked 1.7.13 in the 1927 GF against Collingwood who kicked 2.13.25.

That record will surely never be broken.

Would have to be the lowest winning score in a grand final, too.
 

Bloods

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All of the OP's listings seem fair - unfortunate that St Kilda holds them.

Franklin, Roughead or Fevola might challenge 18 goals in a single game. Every generation has their superstar forwards. Lockett came close tons of times.

Greg Williams 52 disposals will fall any week now.

Roughead or Franklin could challenge Lockett's all time goals record. If they have years like this one it's a bit uncertain though.

You're overrating Franklin and Roughead- Lockett was a freak, they won't go anywhere near the 1360 goals.
Be surprised if either of them even kick 1000.

Lockett kicked double figures on 22 occasions and 7 goals or more on 7 occasions too. Those two records will never be broken.
 
Apr 23, 2006
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Franklin, Roughead or Fevola might challenge 18 goals in a single game. Every generation has their superstar forwards. Lockett came close tons of times.

Roughead or Franklin could challenge Lockett's all time goals record. If they have years like this one it's a bit uncertain though.

No chance. Lockett did not come close tons of times. His bags of ten or more was made up of 10, 11 and 12 goal hauls. He got 16 once, 15 once and 13 once. (He went like this when scoring 10 or more; 12, 10, 12, 10, 12, 10, 12, 13, 10, 11, 10, 12, 15, 11, 11, 16, 11, 10, 12, 10, 11, 12)

Buddy's never kicked more than 9, while Roughead and Fevola have never kicked more than 8 in a game.

When Dunstall got his 17, he had 11 to half time. No player's kicked 11 goals in a game since Lloyd got 11 against the Bulldogs in 2003. In fact, Scott Cummings' 14 against the Crows in 2000 is the most goals scored in a game this decade.
 
No chance. Lockett did not come close tons of times. His bags of ten or more was made up of 10, 11 and 12 goal hauls. He got 16 once, 15 once and 13 once. (He went like this when scoring 10 or more; 12, 10, 12, 10, 12, 10, 12, 13, 10, 11, 10, 12, 15, 11, 11, 16, 11, 10, 12, 10, 11, 12)

Buddy's never kicked more than 9, while Roughead and Fevola have never kicked more than 8 in a game.

When Dunstall got his 17, he had 11 to half time. No player's kicked 11 goals in a game since Lloyd got 11 against the Bulldogs in 2003. In fact, Scott Cummings' 14 against the Crows in 2000 is the most goals scored in a game this decade.
Stephen Milne kicked 11 against the Lions in 2005. But yeah, I think Lockett's record is safe, you rarely see 10+ goal kickers a match anymore. A lot more evenly spread nowadays.
 
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