The biggest "What could've been?"

[Total_Juddshanks]

Geelong would've still won 07. Amazing side.

Possibly,although they were just starting to become an amazing side.

Obviously we will never really know for sure but bear in mind that in real life they beat Collingwood by less than a goal in the PF- the previous week without judd or cousins the eagles pushed Collingwood to extra time.

Also, bear in mind that at that point Geelong had zero grand final experience on their list, whereas almost every west coast player would have been looking at their third consecutive grand final- I think that counts for something- and against better, more finals hardened opposition than port, it could have ended up being Geelong's 'you have to lose one to win one' year.

Also it's my what-if scenario and I'm telling you west coast won. Was a great game, I remember it clearly

 

[RhinotheFC]

If Luke Ball wasn't left all on his Pat Malone in the dying seconds of the 2011 Prelim.

 

[BigVic]

Malcolm Blight doesn't move Darren Jarman up forward in the 3rd quarter of the 1997 Grand Final

 

[Countrypie]

How did you lose 70 and 73???? Man! You guys have lost a lot of Grand Finals!

1970 was a nightmare.
McKenna had kicked 6 to half time. Tuddy knocked him into next week just before half time. Carlton would've still come back, but Mckenna would've kicked tow or three in the 2nd half if he was awake. 1973 was a direct result of 1970 - the ghosts came back to haunt too many good players. Set shots missed in the last 15 minutes were critical.
If the pies had won in 1970, they would have won in 73 and probably held on in 77.
The biggest if only though is if only John Greening had played a full career rather than be struck down when he was still a kid. Polled 14 votes in 12 games in 1973.

 

[marty36]

Malcolm Blight doesn't Darren Jarman up forward in the 3rd quarter of the 1997 Grand Final

Or start Shane Ellen up forward he kicked 5




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[telsor]

Yep.

Can only look back and question if the decision was made the best information at hand.

and you also need to consider the flow on from it.

If Richmond had taken Franklin over Tambling, we probably wouldn't have a large chunk of our best players (more specifically, Cotchin & Martin).

Might it have been better overall...Perhaps, but it's really impossible to tell. Franklin may not have developed the same and the question marks over his attitude, etc that existed at draft time may have turned out to go the other way (our off field support/development was woeful back then). That choice may have cost the game a champion, and nobody would have known any different....(as another, impossible to answer, 'what if', what forgotten 'nobodies' could have been far better if drafted elsewhere...)

 

[ShockersBoy11]

If Sheridan hadn't dropped that mark
If Mora hadn't done his knee
If Fyfe had kicked those first two goals in the Granny
If we had beaten Sydney in the Prelim in 06
If we hadn't sacked Harvey & Neesham

 

[Football Tragic]

Promotion/Relegation National League
There was talk sometimes in the 50s to have a national league that incorporated promotion/relegation from the state leagues. Would that have been the more ideal setup to the eventual VFL/AFL transition? Would this have been your preferred method?

I think in Victoria now, we are quickly moving to a similar league at VFL level to the one you're discussing here. More teams are creating reserve VFL teams but some of stand alone teams still continue to dominate. It would be great of this sort of system to occur at that level. I wouldn't necessarily move the AFL Reserve teams up and down but I would move the stand alone teams ensuring that they are always competitive and ensure the AFL affiliated team (and the AFL players there in) are playing to the highest standard they can.

The Foxtel Cup was a great idea but because it only reached 30% of the market place and had stand alone teams in it (correct me if I'm wrong here), the interest wasn't as high. Why not include any team that finished 1st/2nd regardless of their affiliations? Imagine if the Crows, Eagles and Pies affiliated teams were included. The interest would be far higher.

I would also love to see the grand finalist teams of the competition included in the AFL practice match schedule. Would give the AFL a genuine hit out and promote the 2nd tier system (and players participating) too.

If there ever comes a time when we get a Tasmanian team, to avoid a bye with having an odd number, perhaps using this system to include a VFL/WAFL/SANFL etc team could be solution?

Anyway, pie in the sky ideas but could create addition interest

 

[PoppedCorn]

No goal post and you still lose by 7 points

The ball goes to a kick in and everything changes
So no

 

[footyfan1978]

Ball bounces opposite way for Milne and into his lap.
Harmes does not chase down the wet ball slewed off his kick in muddiest grand final in our lifetime.

 

[Countrypie]

Ball bounces opposite way for Milne and into his lap.
Harmes does not chase down the wet ball slewed off his kick in muddiest grand final in our lifetime.

I know it's part of folklore but as I remember it that act put you 11 pts up and although we kicked one after the bounce, there's no guarantee we would've cleared the ball from that pocket anyway. A great act of desperation that didn't necessarily make the difference one way or the other.

 

[chiwigi]

If Ross Oakley hadn't tricked Port into thinking they would get a team in before the crows were created

The crows would never have formed


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This is true and it is equally true that if Norwood hadn't pretended that they hadn't applied and stood by Port, we would have a fantastic and traditional rivalry in the AFL instead of the spiteful and petty crap we get now. Hell, by now there may have been a third traditional club.

 

[BigVic]

Original VFL Park Capacity
Having the train line extended to the stadium and the full plans for the stadium capacity fulfilled, would it be hosting the Grand Final from now on? 150,000 fans packed out in the eastern suburbs could have been possible if the infrastructure supported it. Or would it have been the great white elephant for the VFL?

Had VFL Park got it's original capacity, it would've been the largest sports stadium in the world.

 

[Boxhead_31]

Had VFL Park got it's original capacity, it would've been the largest sports stadium in the world.

What Waverley was meant to look like

 

[Gydafud]

From the Geelong board

In the 1940s the secretary (CEO) of the League, Likely McBrien recommended that an 'MCG sized' stadium be developed in Kardinia Park - more centrally located in the Park than the Eastern Oval (site of current stadium) being used for League matches. Post-war shortages of funds and building materials meant that nothing came of the plan.

Wouldn't have been too hard to accomplish down in Geelong with the state of KP at the time. Not thinking that the relocation of the stadium would have led to a 100,000 seat stadium now existing in Geelong, but it would definitely have been easier to redevelop the stadium if it wasn't located so close to Moorabool St.

This is how it looked circa 1957.

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

What if Sydney did not get CoLA, Ambassadorial Payments and a FIXture....

???

 

[Gydafud]

This is true and it is equally true that if Norwood hadn't pretended that they hadn't applied and stood by Port, we would have a fantastic and traditional rivalry in the AFL instead of the spiteful and petty crap we get now. Hell, by now there may have been a third traditional club.

Think there would ever be room for a 3rd Adelaide team?

 

[Countrypie]

This is true and it is equally true that if Norwood hadn't pretended that they hadn't applied and stood by Port, we would have a fantastic and traditional rivalry in the AFL instead of the spiteful and petty crap we get now. Hell, by now there may have been a third traditional club.

I remember at the time really wanting the traditional clubs to come in - both in SA and WA. Yes, the Crows have been a great success, but the idea of Norwood, Glenelg & POrt playing in the AFL feels better from a "romantics " point of view

 

[Scotland]

LOL @ 100k seat stadium in Geelong in the 1940s when the population was about 50k.

 

[Gydafud]

LOL @ 100k seat stadium in Geelong in the 1940s when the population was about 50k.

From memory, the 1940s version of the MCG only had the MCC stand and the Southern Stand (The Olympic stand had yet to be built for the Olympics). Not sure on the seating capacity, as it was mostly standing room around the bays/edge. Not a huge ask back then, and they didn't have to build the stands, just the open space around the ground.

 

[Scotland]

What could've been... if the VFL clubs voted no to expansion.

Would we have a super league of new clubs?
Would we have a new league of VFL/WAFL/SANFL clubs?
Would bankrupt clubs have disappeared?

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

Everitt, Vidovic, Winmar and Loewe are all fit for the 97 finals series.

 

[iluvparis]

Purely from a game perspective;

What if;

Adelaide beat Essendon in the 1993 Preliminary Final? Who wins the flag?
Me - Adelaide

??? Carlton defeated Adelaide comfortably in the second semi - you cost us a flag you chokers.

 

[chiwigi]

Think there would ever be room for a 3rd Adelaide team?

It might have been possible with traditional clubs. There are plenty who do not go to Crows or Port games or follow either team. A southern or Northern team perhaps.
The 'all encompassing' Crows put paid to it anyway. There's no chance now.

 

[Scotland]

What if... Carlton trade picks 1 & 3 to West Coast for Chris Judd and keep Josh Kennedy.

Does it make any difference to their 2011-2013 era when they were around the finals? Kennedy was just starting to come into his own by 2011 and Fev was gone at the end of 2009 IIRC.

What happens to West Coast who probably pick Cotchin and Masten?