Is West Coast Eagles 2018 Premiership win the best in the history of Football? Can they go Back to Back in Season 2019? Or Will complacency set in?

[Sttew]

Saints v Geelong is the greatest GF of this millineum IMHO.

The tension in the first 15 minutes of the final quarter was incredible

 

[Benny78]

These guys weren't even tipped to make the 8 pre-season. Mitchell and Priddis gone meant a lot of experience, as well as Brownlow medals went out the window. The most important and influential player for WCE, and one of if not the best ruckmen in the comp goes down injured in Nit Nat. Gaff, an ALL-Australian and a bloke that was tipped to be runner up in the Brownlow misses a lot of football due to his punch on the young Freo lad. And Sheppard, a player who emerged the last few years as one of the key defenders in the game goes down in the first qualifier against Collingwood. 5 goals down in the first quarter, the ghosts of 2015 re-visited, a host of missed chances late on yet they still find a way to win despite all of this. Balls of steel and a mind like no other. I think this win is as good as the Doggies in 2016 and as good as any other premiership in the history of VFL/AFL.


West Coast Eagles - Could not be beaten. Mentality of a warrior.

Was this the best win or the most hardest for any side to obtain in the history of footy?

I actually think our loss against Hawthorn was the best win in the history of football. Every minute felt like a scene out of the godfather. And then BOOM! There's a twist at the end and we lose by a point! People walked out of that game questioning the sheer brilliance of it. "I'm blown away" "I was not expecting that. A true masterpiece!"

 

[Yippy Yi Yeo]

People seem to forget the huge difference NN made for WCE. He was their most influential player and added an extra dimension to their game. He was in some rare form when he went down injured in 2016 and in one game got the winning goal on the siren at GWS, which revived West Coat's season. Not just the player, but what he adds and brings to the table. Bullies couldn't have won 2016 without the Bont for example. Then as mentioned Gaff, who was 2nd favourite for the Brownlow before he got rubbed out. Their best performing mid this season. So yep, when you take out those guys, and another important cog in Sheppard who really emerged in 2015, that's some serious power and structure missing from their side. 5 goals down in a Grand Final, 2015 question marks........


No one could do that. No one could replace that quality in this day and age.

Glad to see an opposition supporter acknowledge the talent we had sitting on the sidelines. A lot seem to just brush over the losses without really considering how other teams would've coped in a similar position.

Naitanui has been our most influential player for probably 5 years now, and when he went down in 2016 after just reviving our season against GWS we all knew what it meant. Then when he went down again this year almost everyone wrote us off again, I knew we were better off than in 2016 but his loss still could not be understated, the contrast of him in and out of our midfield was stark. It forced the supposedly average midfield we had to learn to break even and compete with the best midfields, and when it was all said and done they'd even somehow learnt how to beat the best midfields. That was despite losing our most consistent midfielder to suspension, who was also leading our B&F at that point of the season. Then when we thought it was bad enough, one of our best defenders went down, who probably also should've been in the AA squad of 40. Genuinely thought after Shep went down in the QF that it'd be one bridge too far now, as he'd barely lost a head to head battle with a forward all year, and would leave the door open for De Goey types to dominate us.

All that considered, on top of playing a team in a GF at their home ground, 5 goals down 15 minutes into the first quarter with flashbacks of 2015 surely haunting many of the players minds, a mammoth performance from a guy like Gov who almost didn't play due to severe internal injurys and the last passage of play leading to Sheed's epic goal being the latest to change the lead in a GF for decades. You're simply lying to yourself if you say it wasn't one of the all time great GF victories. Other flags may have been greater in different aspects, but this one was special in its own right.

 

[PetterdHoisted]

If not for Treloars kicking issues, this thread would not exist.

2 min left, protecting a narrow lead...kicks to 1 on 2 including McGovern...That's just a miskick surely, though can't rule out stupidity.

But is it also a miracle?

If so, then we've had 3 miracles in a row.

Eagles- minor miracle (pies fluff their lines)
Tigers- semi-miraculous (13th-1st)
Dogs- full blown rapture

 

[Sainter3and7]

Every one of St Kilda's premierships is memorable.

 

[Davo23]

These guys weren't even tipped to make the 8 pre-season. Mitchell and Priddis gone meant a lot of experience, as well as Brownlow medals went out the window. The most important and influential player for WCE, and one of if not the best ruckmen in the comp goes down injured in Nit Nat. Gaff, an ALL-Australian and a bloke that was tipped to be runner up in the Brownlow misses a lot of football due to his punch on the young Freo lad. And Sheppard, a player who emerged the last few years as one of the key defenders in the game goes down in the first qualifier against Collingwood. 5 goals down in the first quarter, the ghosts of 2015 re-visited, a host of missed chances late on yet they still find a way to win despite all of this. Balls of steel and a mind like no other. I think this win is as good as the Doggies in 2016 and as good as any other premiership in the history of VFL/AFL.


West Coast Eagles - Could not be beaten. Mentality of a warrior.

Was this the best win or the most hardest for any side to obtain in the history of footy?

They beat Collingwood!

 

[threesixpio]

Good grand final for sure and great comeback win.

Best win ever - no farkn way

 

[PieNSauce]

Joke thread is a joke!

 

[Macpotata]

If not for Treloars kicking issues, this thread would not exist.

2 min left, protecting a narrow lead...kicks to 1 on 2 including McGovern...That's just a miskick surely, though can't rule out stupidity.

yeah nah. Eagles missed a host of chances before they hit the front. They deserved to win.


Nice try though.

 

[Tom_Thumb]

We stole it, weakest Eagles premiership team of the 4 no doubt. But in History will go down as one of our best GF's because we beat Collingwood on its home turf as underdogs.

 

[Tiger2709]

Only a fool would rather not make a grand final than make one and lose it. Losing grand finals is hardly emotionally scarring - people act like it causes Vietnam-like PTSD. Ridiculous.

I agree you have to be in it to win it but to say it hurts as much to lose a Prelim as a GF is also ridiculous, at least for me, I was over the prelim loss in no time a GF loss sticks in the throat for the whole preseason, it also depends a bit on who you lose to losing to big 4 clubs always feels worse for me as I grew up in the days when we dominated.

No sporting loss is anything like PTSD caused by war, its a game, you might get pissed off with a loss for a few days or even a month or so but it is still only a game and there is always next year.

 

[Tiger2709]

yeah nah. Eagles missed a host of chances before they hit the front. They deserved to win.


Nice try though.

Not totally sure about that, although the Eagles were always looking like coming back after the Magpies big early start the previous poster was also right, Treloar should have held on to the ball, chipped it around instead of going the big kick to the area covered by the best intercept marker in the game, add a bad call on the block and in most circumstances Collingwood should have won the game.

 

[Tiger2709]

27 losses and the Tiggies are still light years behind the Pies in every category of success

I'm 55 and we have won 3 times the flags of Collingwood in my lifetime 6 to 2, we were the first club to get 1 million through the gates in a year, first club to get 100k members, so historically you are right but to most people under 90 years of age you are wrong.

 

[PetterdHoisted]

yeah nah. Eagles missed a host of chances before they hit the front. They deserved to win.


Nice try though.

Nice try? What?

Yeah but you just prove my point anyway, small events decided the game in the end. Can it really be considered a miracle of a similar proportion to the last two flags?

Not quite imo

And nothing comes close to 2016

 

[Doashuey]

Not totally sure about that,

I implore you to re-watch that last quarter. Missed easy chances all quarter. Could quite possibly have won by 4 goals or more with some decent kicking.

 

[Tiger2709]

I implore you to re-watch that last quarter. Missed easy chances all quarter. Could quite possibly have won by 4 goals or more with some decent kicking.

Not denying that, I felt the Eagles would win from midway through the second, even against Richmond and we were ordinary, Collingwood started fast and finished poorly, just saying that if you lead all game and are still leading with ball in hand and two minutes to go you should really win.

Eagles totally deserved the win in the end though.

 

[Yippy Yi Yeo]

If not for Treloars kicking issues, this thread would not exist.

2 min left, protecting a narrow lead...kicks to 1 on 2 including McGovern...That's just a miskick surely, though can't rule out stupidity.

But is it also a miracle?

If so, then we've had 3 miracles in a row.

Eagles- minor miracle (pies fluff their lines)
Tigers- semi-miraculous (13th-1st)
Dogs- full blown rapture

If not for several WC players' kicking issues in front of goal that day Treloar wouldn't have even had the chance to make the kick. Masten, Kennedy, Ryan, Lycett and Cripps all missed shots they would've kicked 90% of the time close to dead in front. A million what ifs in every single game.

 

[Hap Hapablap]

it was a really good win.

but my favourite would have to be hawthorn against geelong in 2008

mr dew. what a year

 

[Yippy Yi Yeo]

Nice try? What?

Yeah but you just prove my point anyway, small events decided the game in the end. Can it really be considered a miracle of a similar proportion to the last two flags?

Not quite imo

And nothing comes close to 2016

The only thing remotely miraculous about the Tigers flag was the fact they came 13th the year before, but when you consider they made finals every year from 2013 onwards bar 2016, not so much. End of the day they had 2 finals against higher ranked teams at their own home ground, which meant they inherently had an easier path to the flag. They also had as healthy of a list as a grand finalist could have. Great win no doubt, but don't think it qualifies for miraculous.

 

[Dark Eagle 9]

West Coasts premiership season was more impressive than Richmond's premiership season.

 

[Macpotata]

I agree you have to be in it to win it but to say it hurts as much to lose a Prelim as a GF is also ridiculous, at least for me, I was over the prelim loss in no time a GF loss sticks in the throat for the whole preseason, it also depends a bit on who you lose to losing to big 4 clubs always feels worse for me as I grew up in the days when we dominated.

No sporting loss is anything like PTSD caused by war, its a game, you might get pissed off with a loss for a few days or even a month or so but it is still only a game and there is always next year.

For supporters, yeah that's the case with some. Certainly not all. For players, like *.

As for losing in a prelim or Grand Final, Grand Final for sure and certain. 2nd best is still better than everyone else who finished below them.

 

[WillieNillie]

For Eagles fans id say it is the best out of our 4 for sure. Feel like we battled through adversity more then any other but as far as best in history id say that is a stretch for the reason that too much weight is being put onto moronic pre season thoughts

If 2018 taught us anything it is that we have reached a low point in AFL commentary. In 2013, Clarko changed the game forever and 6 years later none of the dinosaurs have caught up to this change. They still judge teams by old school standards which are no longer as prevalent in todays day and age.

Gone are the days when the best midfield automatically wins. Gone are the days when a team struggles just because it lost one of its highest possession winners. Gone are the days where a small crumbing forward actually exists. Gone are the days when a ruckman was judged on his hitout stats. And most importantly gone are the days that a star will win a flag. Todays game is about 22 role players playing 22 roles

Eagles won a flag which shocked alot of people because alot of people were shocked by the concept of role players it seems. No one predicted that Mark Hutchings would surpass Sam Mitchells output to a team, or that Elliot Yeo would surpass Matt Priddis output. In hindsight im not too sure why it was such a leap but it was

I think the shock factor will continue on. I dont see the dinosaurs changing their views. I cant see them admitting a 100% true fact like for example Mark Hutchings is in 2018 a superior footballer to Gary Ablett Jnr for a top 8 team. I cant see them not wanting to judge a ruckman on hitouts won, and I certainly do not see them wanting to admit that a midfielder is of lesser importance and that in reality a the FF/CHF/CHB/FB are in 2018 the juggernaught of a side

 

[Tiger2709]

For Eagles fans id say it is the best out of our 4 for sure. Feel like we battled through adversity more then any other but as far as best in history id say that is a stretch for the reason that too much weight is being put onto moronic pre season thoughts

If 2018 taught us anything it is that we have reached a low point in AFL commentary. In 2013, Clarko changed the game forever and 6 years later none of the dinosaurs have caught up to this change. They still judge teams by old school standards which are no longer as prevalent in todays day and age.

Gone are the days when the best midfield automatically wins. Gone are the days when a team struggles just because it lost one of its highest possession winners. Gone are the days where a small crumbing forward actually exists. Gone are the days when a ruckman was judged on his hitout stats. And most importantly gone are the days that a star will win a flag. Todays game is about 22 role players playing 22 roles

Eagles won a flag which shocked alot of people because alot of people were shocked by the concept of role players it seems. No one predicted that Mark Hutchings would surpass Sam Mitchells output to a team, or that Elliot Yeo would surpass Matt Priddis output. In hindsight im not too sure why it was such a leap but it was

I think the shock factor will continue on. I dont see the dinosaurs changing their views. I cant see them admitting a 100% true fact like for example Mark Hutchings is in 2018 a superior footballer to Gary Ablett Jnr for a top 8 team. I cant see them not wanting to judge a ruckman on hitouts won, and I certainly do not see them wanting to admit that a midfielder is of lesser importance and that in reality a the FF/CHF/CHB/FB are in 2018 the juggernaught of a side

Still to much credit given to the Champion Data stats, when in reality they often mean nothing, as you mentioned its all about roles and doing the job even if it means sacrificing your own game statistically, Cotchin is a vastly better player for us at times, while getting 20 posessions than when he was getting 30.
I just wish the AFL had held off on its rule changes as it seems the big marking forward is coming back into fashion without need for change but the AFL thrive on the knee jerk reaction.

 

[Macpotata]

We stole it, weakest Eagles premiership team of the 4 no doubt. But in History will go down as one of our best GF's because we beat Collingwood on its home turf as underdogs.

Rose coloured glasses 100 percent.

You finished 16-6, the same as in 1994 and in 1992 were 15-6-1. 17-5 in 2006 and you lost the first final at home to Sydney in week 1.

1992 - started the seas slow but gained momentum and it is the way you finish after all. Nonetheless you lost to lowly Sydney and drew with Brisbane, beat Richmond by a point at the MCG. Those sides were cellar dwellars that year. Were well beaten at home by us, lost to Fitzroy and your momentum started after that by beating the Doggies who were top of the ladder. That momentum came to a halt after you coughed up a 5 goal lead in the wet at home to the Pies. Late season you were hammered by the Saints in the wet, and by the Doggies. You kicked 3 goals for the entire game in each of those. Both games were played in Victoria. Needed every ounce of strength to fight off a hardened Hawthorn outfit in week 1 of the finals. They could have been out of sight by quarter time. The Eagles of 1992 were class and deserved to win as they were the best side that year. But they weren't unbeatable.

1994

Round 1 lost to Essendon after leading by 33 points. Salmon hit you again at the death like he did in the previous home and away game the year before. Smashed by the Hawks by 71 points at Subi after the Hawkers went into that game dead last on the ladder. Hawthorn granted were a good side and played finals that year, and also smashed you again out at Waverley. Carlton destroyed you by 11 goals in your second last home and away game of the year. In between all of that you were belted by the Pies at the G in the wet, and lost to the Adelaide Crows who weren't a finals side that year.

The game has changed so much since the 1990's. To say that this Eagles side is the weakest, particularly after all their injuries and coming from 5 goals down in a Grand Final against a Victorian side { Swans in 2006 an interstate side who you beat by a point } isn't accurate at all.

Gaff's form THIS SEASON could have him comparable to Matera in 1992, or at least a Dean Kemp. NN is a far better ruckmen than Paul Harding and Sheppard could be compared to what Mckenna was. You take out a Matera or Kemp, you don't win in 1992. Taking out all 3........good luck. And Gaff could be what Kerr was in 2006. Without him, you don;t win 2006 either. Again that is taking out just one player, not all 3. That is the reason for this thread. The Eagles were missing great players and overcome insurmountable odds.

 

[Macpotata]

Glad to see an opposition supporter acknowledge the talent we had sitting on the sidelines. A lot seem to just brush over the losses without really considering how other teams would've coped in a similar position.

Naitanui has been our most influential player for probably 5 years now, and when he went down in 2016 after just reviving our season against GWS we all knew what it meant. Then when he went down again this year almost everyone wrote us off again, I knew we were better off than in 2016 but his loss still could not be understated, the contrast of him in and out of our midfield was stark. It forced the supposedly average midfield we had to learn to break even and compete with the best midfields, and when it was all said and done they'd even somehow learnt how to beat the best midfields. That was despite losing our most consistent midfielder to suspension, who was also leading our B&F at that point of the season. Then when we thought it was bad enough, one of our best defenders went down, who probably also should've been in the AA squad of 40. Genuinely thought after Shep went down in the QF that it'd be one bridge too far now, as he'd barely lost a head to head battle with a forward all year, and would leave the door open for De Goey types to dominate us.

All that considered, on top of playing a team in a GF at their home ground, 5 goals down 15 minutes into the first quarter with flashbacks of 2015 surely haunting many of the players minds, a mammoth performance from a guy like Gov who almost didn't play due to severe internal injurys and the last passage of play leading to Sheed's epic goal being the latest to change the lead in a GF for decades. You're simply lying to yourself if you say it wasn't one of the all time great GF victories. Other flags may have been greater in different aspects, but this one was special in its own right.

Very good post indeed.

Additionally, Sheed's kick was the most pressure, clutch goal of all time with less than two minutes remaining FOR a Grand Final from the boundary line ffs. That kick alone, my god.