The Alternative Grand Finals

[Blackhawk42]

Every year during this week it is a bit of fun to speculate on the possible grand final match ups out of the preliminary finals.
It seems as if once the winners are set, the losers and match up we missed out on is completely forgotten.
I've always wondered who the eventual premier would have been if the two losing teams had made it through.

There are some intriguing potential match ups over the years.
2015 feels like quite recent history, and it's incredible to consider that the alternative grand final that season was North Melbourne vs Fremantle.
2016 was an interesting one also, as both teams that won through from the qualifying finals went on to lose. Geelong vs GWS still would have been a cracker that year if ended up being the big one.

So here is a list of the previous 10 'alternate grand finals'. Assuming both sides go in unchanged from the prelim, who wins and why?
Also feel free to add any from history.

2008: Western Bulldogs vs St.Kilda
2009: Western Bulldogs vs Collingwood.
2010: Western Bulldogs vs Geelong
2011: Hawthorn vs West Coast
2012: Adelaide vs Collingwood
2013: Geelong vs Sydney
2014: Port Adelaide vs North Melbourne
2015: North Melbourne vs Fremantle
2016: Geelong vs Greater Western Sydney
2017: Geelong vs Greater Western Sydney

 

[kane249]

2015 Fremantle were limping into the last few rounds of the finals.

McPharlin, Fyfe and Pavlich would have all missed with injury.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

I swear I’ve seen this thread before?

 

[Blackhawk42]

I swear I’ve seen this thread before?

I didn't search for it to be fair. Just thought it was topical this week and I always have a think about it every year after the prelims.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

I didn't search for it to be fair. Just thought it was topical this week and I always have a think about it every year after the prelims.

No problems from me, just thought I’d seen it in almost an identical format not too long ago and couldn’t work out why there was only one response before mine

Edit: Found one Think it’s popped up quite a bit previously though https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/alternative-grand-finalists-2000-2017.1183766/

 

[Tarkyn_24]

First response by kane249 about Fremantle’s injuries in 2015 in both threads too! Spooky

 

[Blackhawk42]

No problems from me, just thought I’d seen it in almost an identical format not too long ago and couldn’t work out why there was only one response before mine

Edit: Found one Think it’s popped up quite a bit previously though https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/alternative-grand-finalists-2000-2017.1183766/

Haha oh crap. That was before I regularly started on posting on here.

 

[demondavey]

Every year during this week it is a bit of fun to speculate on the possible grand final match ups out of the preliminary finals.
It seems as if once the winners are set, the losers and match up we missed out on is completely forgotten.
I've always wondered who the eventual premier would have been if the two losing teams had made it through.

There are some intriguing potential match ups over the years.
2015 feels like quite recent history, and it's incredible to consider that the alternative grand final that season was North Melbourne vs Fremantle.
2016 was an interesting one also, as both teams that won through from the qualifying finals went on to lose. Geelong vs GWS still would have been a cracker that year if ended up being the big one.

So here is a list of the previous 10 'alternate grand finals'. Assuming both sides go in unchanged from the prelim, who wins and why?
Also feel free to add any from history.

2008: Western Bulldogs vs St.Kilda
2009: Western Bulldogs vs Collingwood.
2010: Western Bulldogs vs Geelong
2011: Hawthorn vs West Coast
2012: Adelaide vs Collingwood
2013: Geelong vs Sydney
2014: Port Adelaide vs North Melbourne
2015: North Melbourne vs Fremantle
2016: Geelong vs Greater Western Sydney
2017: Geelong vs Greater Western Sydney

Weird.

I made a thread like this ages ago

 

[Captain_Bender]

Alternative match up for every year since 1994 when 2 prelim finals was first introduced

1994: North Melbourne vs Melbourne
1995: North Melbourne vs Richmond
1996: Brisbane vs Essendon
1997: Western Bulldogs vs North Melbourne
1998: Western Bulldogs vs Melbourne
1999: Essendon vs Brisbane
2000: Carlton vs North Melbourne
2001: Richmond vs Hawthorn
2002: Port Adelaide vs Adelaide
2003: Port Adelaide vs Sydney
2004: St Kilda vs Geelong
2005: St Kilda vs Adelaide
2006: Adelaide vs Fremantle
2007: North Melbourne vs Collingwood
2008: Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda
2009: Western Bulldogs vs Collingwood
2010: Geelong vs Western Bulldogs
2011: Hawthorn vs West Coast
2012: Adelaide vs Collingwood
2013: Geelong vs Sydney
2014: Port Adelaide vs North Melbourne
2015: Fremantle vs North Melbourne
2016: Geelong vs Greater Western Sydney
2017: Geelong vs Greater Western Sydney

 

[The King!]

2013 we were crippled so no chance


1999 would be a good one

 

[Tarkyn_24]

2009 would be interesting. Split the games and the teams were separated by the barest of margins of percentage at the end of the home and away season.

 

[Aramis]

2008: Western Bulldogs vs St.Kilda
2009: Western Bulldogs vs Collingwood.
2010: Western Bulldogs vs Geelong
2011: Hawthorn vs West Coast - Hawks were tip top in 2011.. Luke Ball still hurts, also stopped the great 2008 rematch of Geel v Hawks.. (that would have been insane)
2012: Adelaide vs Collingwood
2013: Geelong vs Sydney - would be a great game... very tough to split them.
2014: Port Adelaide vs North Melbourne
2015: North Melbourne vs Fremantle - Think Freo would have taken the chocolates, just.
2016: Geelong vs Greater Western Sydney - see below
2017: Geelong vs Greater Western Sydney - These 2 games could have been classics... the original and the rematch. One each!

Bolds are my tips based on nothing other than memory of those years.

 

[M Malice]

2018- Collingwood v West Coast.

 

[99cents]

Third placed play off on the Thursday night prior to the public holiday?

 

[roacheee]

Every year during this week it is a bit of fun to speculate on the possible grand final match ups out of the preliminary finals.
It seems as if once the winners are set, the losers and match up we missed out on is completely forgotten.
I've always wondered who the eventual premier would have been if the two losing teams had made it through.

There are some intriguing potential match ups over the years.
2015 feels like quite recent history, and it's incredible to consider that the alternative grand final that season was North Melbourne vs Fremantle.
2016 was an interesting one also, as both teams that won through from the qualifying finals went on to lose. Geelong vs GWS still would have been a cracker that year if ended up being the big one.

So here is a list of the previous 10 'alternate grand finals'. Assuming both sides go in unchanged from the prelim, who wins and why?
Also feel free to add any from history.

2008: Western Bulldogs vs St.Kilda
2009: Western Bulldogs vs Collingwood.
2010: Western Bulldogs vs Geelong
2011: Hawthorn vs West Coast
2012: Adelaide vs Collingwood
2013: Geelong vs Sydney
2014: Port Adelaide vs North Melbourne
2015: North Melbourne vs Fremantle
2016: Geelong vs Greater Western Sydney
2017: Geelong vs Greater Western Sydney

adelaide v pies is the only one i would've bothered watching this decade

 

[Back One Out]

I think I'm going to read an Alternative Thread

 

[PerthBoy86]

Pies Crows and Dogs Saints would've been good.

 

[Roobs321]

EDIT: Didn't read "Alternate" as strictly the prelim losers, therefore ignore my post

Sydney & Adelaide had a fairly tedious, one-sided rivalry for several years in the 2000s and early 10s, I'm glad we were reprieved of that in 2005 & 2006 (unless you happen to be the Crow guaranteed the flag).

I'd love Port Adelaide to whip Collingwood in 2007, just to shut up all those fools who instantly rewrote history following the Cat's 2007 PF and GF results.

I would have amputated a little toe for Sydney-GWS in 2016.

The most obvious ones are the 1999 and 1994 GFs. The 90s in hindsight needed a WCE v North GF (rather than the fizzer blowout we got). Carlton in '94 would have also done nicely. Kangaroos vs Carlton in 1999 was about as appealing as brussel sprouts, I went fishing after quarter-time. It was worth it for the prelim, but only 3 teams were flag-worthy that year and 1 of them made the GF.

In 1996, North were flag-worthy, but Sydney Swans and Brisbane Bears would have been a funny way to end the VFL centenary, especially given it would have been the final appearance of the "Bears".

1983 is just weird. Minor premier smashed in both finals, Fitzroy fairly close, Essendon a bit premature.
1986 the Swans deserved home finals but had to make do with narrow losses at the MCG.

Melbourne outperformed in the 1987 and 1988 finals series, scrub them from the equation. In '88 they benefited from narrowly winning an 'away' final against WCE, and kept the close ones going until the GF blowout/'87 prelim rematch

 

[BigVic]

North vs Freo in 2015 would've been interesting. Brad Scott and Ross Lyon going for their first flag and the last chance for Sandilands, McPharlin, Boomer and co to win one for the last time.

Sadly all GF's in the 90s were one-sided affairs

 

[Roobs321]

North vs Freo in 2015 would've been interesting. Brad Scott and Ross Lyon going for their first flag and the last chance for Sandilands, McPharlin, Boomer and co to win one for the last time.

Oh the humanity!

If they both came with their early 2015 (Freo) and early 2016 (North) form, that would have been a cool game, but their form that September wasn't flag material. Freo's frail form in the second half of 2015 would have been forgotten in the wake of such a victory I guess, would have been written down as a Lyon resting masterplan, and after copping it all summer the North fans would have been filling the main board with b2b threads in early 2016, fishing for the respect they didn't get in the 2015 GF, whilst C7 would be in constant fawn over Harvey, Petrie and Dal Santo.

 

[nickrebellious]

Alternative match up for every year since 1994 when 2 prelim finals was first introduced

1994: North Melbourne vs Melbourne
1995: North Melbourne vs Richmond
1996: Brisbane vs Essendon
1997: Western Bulldogs vs North Melbourne
1998: Western Bulldogs vs Melbourne
1999: Essendon vs Brisbane
2000: Carlton vs North Melbourne
2001: Richmond vs Hawthorn
2002: Port Adelaide vs Adelaide
2003: Port Adelaide vs Sydney
2004: St Kilda vs Geelong
2005: St Kilda vs Adelaide
2006: Adelaide vs Fremantle
2007: North Melbourne vs Collingwood
2008: Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda
2009: Western Bulldogs vs Collingwood
2010: Geelong vs Western Bulldogs
2011: Hawthorn vs West Coast
2012: Adelaide vs Collingwood
2013: Geelong vs Sydney
2014: Port Adelaide vs North Melbourne
2015: Fremantle vs North Melbourne
2016: Geelong vs Greater Western Sydney
2017: Geelong vs Greater Western Sydney

Hawthorn Richmond 2001 is just weird

 

[ioppolo]

Oh the humanity!

If they both came with their early 2015 (Freo) and early 2016 (North) form, that would have been a cool game, but their form that September wasn't flag material. Freo's frail form in the second half of 2015 would have been forgotten in the wake of such a victory I guess, would have been written down as a Lyon resting masterplan, and after copping it all summer the North fans would have been filling the main board with b2b threads in early 2016, fishing for the respect they didn't get in the 2015 GF.

North were in decent form tbf, they beat Richmond, and put up a fight against the Eagles

 

[tazaa]

North vs Freo in 2015 would've been interesting. Brad Scott and Ross Lyon going for their first flag and the last chance for Sandilands, McPharlin, Boomer and co to win one for the last time.

Sadly all GF's in the 90s were one-sided affairs

Oh the humanity!

If they both came with their early 2015 (Freo) and early 2016 (North) form, that would have been a cool game, but their form that September wasn't flag material.

Yeh nah, we accounted for Richmond in the first week (they couldnt miss) and Sydney comfortably at Homebush and led for most of the 1st half in the prelim.
The wave of momentum became too much in the 2nd half via some questionable decisions.
Nonetheless Hawthorn were always going to win the flag once they knocked over Freo. Whether we would have given a better account of ourselves in the grand final against Hawthorn is another story. We've won all our finals at the G under Scott.

 

[Roobs321]

Hawthorn Richmond 2001 is just weird

eww, the mere thought of that is grubby.

 

[Roobs321]

Yeh nah, we accounted for Richmond in the first week (they couldnt miss) and Sydney comfortably at Homebush and led for most of the 1st half in the prelim.
The wave of momentum became too much in the 2nd half via some questionable decisions.
Nonetheless Hawthorn were always going to win the flag once they knocked over Freo. Whether we would have given a better account of ourselves in the grand final against Hawthorn is another story. We've won all our finals at the G under Scott.

I just rated you more in 2014 (felt you had it in you to be a flag dark horse). Not in 2015. Beating Richmond in that EF and Sydney (vulnerable by that point of 2015) in that SF impressed me little. West Coast weren't seriously challenged in the prelim, it was a solid performance but a NID result, Eagles clearly had higher gears in them. It was a shinboner finals run, but you didn't have to demonstrate anything.

Adelaide and the Bulldogs were more dangerous for mine that season. North just got the easier finals draw.