Who would you rate as the strongest premiership side in the AFL era?

[Macpotata]

Many great sides. North of 1996 were phenomenal. Hawthorn in 2008 were ruthless and relentless. Not many teams could have matched that intensity on the day. Hawks played some of the best football I've ever seen and were tenacious.

 

[Sttew]

Late 2000s Cats were unbelievable ... 09 and 11 they beat some of the hardest opposition ever to grace the stage too.

St Kilda 2009 will probably go down as one of the best teams to lose a GF.

 

[Sprout]

Geelong 07-11 were much better than Richmond of 2017. Let's establish that and move on.

It's only being debated because Richmond fans.

 

[bungalow_bill]

The thought that the 2017 Richmond team is anywhere near Geelong 07-11(or Saints 09/10) is delusional.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

It's only being debated because Richmond fans.

Richmond fan to be fair. I'm sure many are embarrassed by his trolling.

 

[Benny78]

What are the arguments for Hawthorn being stronger than Brisbane?

 

[smasha]

I picked the Tiges.

But Brisbane were formidable early noughties.

 

[jimsim]

What are the arguments for Hawthorn being stronger than Brisbane?

The fact they actually killed their sides in the GF and had a pretty much complete performance in most especially in 2014 going in as underdogs. Brisbane were never minor premiers in those years as we were in 2013. We also made the Grand Final in 2012. To be in 4 consecutive Grand finals and being minor premiers in both 2012-2013 means we were a stronger side than Brisbane. Brisbane had to travel which is a fair argument but biased aside, you would have to dislike Hawthorn to pick Brisbane.

 

[winty]

The fact they actually killed their sides in the GF and had a pretty much complete performance in most especially in 2014 going in as underdogs. Brisbane were never minor premiers in those years as we were in 2013. We also made the Grand Final in 2012. To be in 4 consecutive Grand finals and being minor premiers in both 2012-2013 means we were a stronger side than Brisbane. Brisbane had to travel which is a fair argument but biased aside, you would have to dislike Hawthorn to pick Brisbane.

To be fair, Brisbane were also in the 2004 grand final, so they played 4 consecutive grand finals as well.

 

[Benny78]

I will always think of St Kilda as better than Richmond. There's only 1 flag between it anyway. St Kilda also had that great 90's side with Robert Harvey. Richmond were unwatchable deadweight for 30 years.

 

[jimsim]

To be fair, Brisbane were also in the 2004 grand final, so they played 4 consecutive grand finals as well.

Fair point, totally forgot. Both sides were great as were Geelong from 07-11. If Geelong 3 peated from 07-09, this thread wouldnt exist.

 

[jimsim]

I will always think of St Kilda as better than Richmond. There's only 1 flag between it anyway. St Kilda also had that great 90's side with Robert Harvey. Richmond were unwatchable deadweight for 30 years.

Richmond did a Steven Bradbury and backed it up with a dominant season. St Kilda were a lucky bounce away from a flag. They had a dominant 2009 which could be compared to the Bombers 2000 and had stars on every line. St Kilda of 2009 would have killed Richmond of today.

 

[tigertigertiger]

Richmond did a Steven Bradbury and backed it up with a dominant season. St Kilda were a lucky bounce away from a flag. They had a dominant 2009 which could be compared to the Bombers 2000 and had stars on every line. St Kilda of 2009 would have killed Richmond of today.

Yeah nah

 

[Nuggets73]

What are the arguments for Hawthorn being stronger than Brisbane?

Cherry picking from the Fitzroy list and getting an AFL “retention allowance” when it cost $150k to buy a house in Brisbane?

I question how much better 07-11 Geelong and 12-15 Hawthorn would have been with another 10% in the cap ... that’s two elite level players

 

[Benny78]

Richmond did a Steven Bradbury and backed it up with a dominant season. St Kilda were a lucky bounce away from a flag. They had a dominant 2009 which could be compared to the Bombers 2000 and had stars on every line. St Kilda of 2009 would have killed Richmond of today.

Couldn't have said it better myself

 

[Virgin Dog]

I picked the Tiges.

But Brisbane were formidable early noughties.

Bias aside, do you honestly, genuinely feel that '17 Tigers were better than '00 Bombers and both 3-peat sides?

 

[Since 2001]

Brisbane, geelong and hawks were such quality teams in their own way.

The only reason i give hawks and cats more credit than the lions is because of salary cap.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

In date order

Carlton '95, stars everywhere, smashed Geelong in the GF.
Brisbane 3peat side, that midfield, that spine, plus Aker.
Geelong 2011. Strong top 4 opposition. Played Collingwood 3 times for the season and beat them each time, Collingwood's only 3 losses. Played Hawthorn 3 times for the year and beat them each time. Split their 2 encounters with WCE. GF is probably the best GF game I've seen in a long time. Highly skilled in tricky conditions.

All just strong all over the ground.

I rate the '92 - '94 Eagles as the best of the AFL era owing to what they had to overcome, travel wise, to win. A magnificent defence, with a smattering of stars elsewhere. Matera, Mainwaring, Kemp, Lewis, Sumich, Heady.

Essendon '00. I rate their season but jeez when you look at their GF side, there's some real plodders in there. I don't actually remember a whole lot about the season but surely there must have been pretty weak opposition that year. About the only thing I remember is their only loss for the season, the ultimate flooding, keepings off game plan. I remember the smacking they gave Melbourne too in the GF.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Cherry picking from the Fitzroy list and getting an AFL “retention allowance” when it cost $150k to buy a house in Brisbane?

I question how much better 07-11 Geelong and 12-15 Hawthorn would have been with another 10% in the cap ... that’s two elite level players

How many Fitzroy players played in the flags? Chris Johnson is one, any others?

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Except couldnt even win 2 in a row. Shows just how amazingly hard it is to go back-to-back, wouldnt you say?

So how hard must it be for the 2 teams which managed to go back-to-back-to-back ???

Im not sure how you differentiate between Hawthorn and Brisbane.

Brisbane had COLA but travel. Hawthorn had home ground. That said, Hawthorn travelled all over the country during the end of 2015 and through the finals.

Hawthorn had the benefit of compromised drafts and both Brisbane and Hawthorn were afforded high draft picks and concessions due to bottoming out.

Geelong drafted almost all of it's 3 premierships and didn't need to bottom out.

Most wins over 50, 100, 150 and 200 games. That's a record. A winning percentage that is unrivalled. We're also the only team in history to win 18 or more games in 5 successive years. I could go on and on.

If you truly believe Hawthorn's 3 peat was better than Geelong's 5 years of dominance then good for you.

 

[footyfan1978]

How many Fitzroy players played in the flags? Chris Johnson is one, any others?

Lynch and Pike to name at least two more.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Lynch and Pike to name at least two more.

Lynch moved to Brisbane on a 10 year deal at least 3 years before the demise of Fitzroy and Pike spent 4 years at North before moving to Brisbane, so both wrong.

 

[footyfan1978]

so both wrong.

Fitzroy players originally. You are on drugs.

 

[VineyToClark]

Geelong drafted almost all of it's 3 premierships and didn't need to bottom out.

Most wins over 50, 100, 150 and 200 games. That's a record. A winning percentage that is unrivalled. We're also the only team in history to win 18 or more games in 5 successive years. I could go on and on.

Record in the AFL era or in all of history? Because you'd think the 78-86 Geelong teams that won 7 flags in 9 years would have better records. Correct me if I'm wrong though..

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Record in the AFL era or in all of history? Because you'd think the 78-86 Geelong teams that won 7 flags in 9 years would have better records. Correct me if I'm wrong though..

History.

Here are some others.

• First team to win 18 matches in 5 consecutive seasons.

• Highest M/W% from 5 consecutive seasons. Full Table

• 117: Record of fewest matches for 100 wins. Full Table

• 29: Most consecutive wins at one venue. Full Table

• 30: Most consecutive wins of designated 'home' matches (excluding finals). R2 2008 -R17 2010.

• League record m/w% from 100 consecutive matches. Full Table

• League record m/w% from 50 consecutive matches. Full Table

• League record m/w% from 75 consecutive matches Full Table

• Won all 4 quarters in 5 consecutive games establishing a new league record. (2010) R6-10 2010

• In 2007, Geelong established a new league record (unrecognised) of 9 consecutive matches won leading at 1/4 time, 1/2 time and 3/4 time.

• In 2010 Geelong became the first team to have streaks of 5 or more matches which were won leading at each quarter break in 4 consecutive seasons. 2007 (9 & 5) , 2008 (6), 2009 (8) , 2010 (5) (Also 7 from round 22 2007 to round 3 2008). Full Table

• Most consecutive rounds placed in the top 8 positions of the ladder (1994-2011 R24) after each completed round of matches. (107 rounds - R6 2007 to R24 2011) Full Table

Additional:

• Only team to win two matches by 100 points in a finals series (2007) including record Grand Final winning margin.
• Only team to win a Grand Final by only winning the last quarter. (2009)
• Only team to win a Grand Final by defeating a team undefeated during the season against all other teams.