Adelaide Crows Back to Back

[Macpotata]

I don't think these guys get enough recognition for their accomplishments in the late 1990's. No other side went back to back in that decade. Pretty big statement considering we had the likes of Hawthorn, West Coast, Carlton and powerhouse North. The Cats were a phenomenal beast yet we couldn't even muster one flag. The Dons were strong and only managed one. Yet this side won two, and did so in 1998 after travelling on the road in all weeks in September, and in their last home and away game of the year against WCE in Perth. That's 5 consecutive away games to end the year. Remarkable.

They were the first side ever to win 4 finals also the year before coming back from 40 points down in a prelim final. That year they were missing Tony Modra and Mark Riccuito in he big dance and were well tested by a strong St.Kilda outfit. Andrew Mcleod won two consecutive Norm Smiths, and although North kicked themselves out of the game in the first half in 1998, the Crows still rallied from a 4 goal half time deficit which is quite a hard task to do. The Saints led by about that margin too the year before at various stages. That year they beat everyone above them in the finals, The Bulldogs in 3rd place, the Cats in 2nd and the Saints in 1st. And in week 1 West Coast in 5th. They beat the best, every week of the finals.

Phenomenal team. I think a lot of people use the word fluke to describe their achievements when in reality, only a truly great side can win two consecutive premierships.

 

[RAPPA]

11 goals to Darren Jarman across both GFs. Solid effort that.

 

[Benny78]

I thought it was a pretty s**t effort tbh. Eclipsed by Richmonds 2017 individual flag which is eclipsed by West Coasts 2018 flag.

 

[AndyLucimitis]

...and all of the above eclipsed by Cyril Rioli.

 

[Papa G]

Crows had some genuine superstars and brilliant coach, but geez they were a side that absolutely rode their luck. 1997 wasn't a particularly strong year and they beat St Kilda who on paper weren't a particularly strong side (had a pretty good forward line). 98 they finished 5th, lost their first final (but still got another go) and then came across a very good North side who should have had the game sewn up by half time bar their atrocious kicking. McLeod and Jarman were superb in both GF's and they had some great cameos too (Shane Ellen kicking 5 WTF?) but yeah as I said rode their luck magnificently. The Crows have been in far better regular season positions to win the flag with probably superior sides too, but as yet haven't been able to do it again.

 

[Xtreme]

They were an amazing unit and I was behind them all the way (couldn't stand the Victorian government trying to turn the footy into a state vs state war... so naturally I sided with the opposition ).

And their 1998 run was magical, Hawthorn also did it the hard way in 2015 (two interstate trips during the finals). I also think the Bulldogs deserve the plaudits for doing it the hard way in 2016, defying the odds every week .

It's hard enough to win one in a row, winning back to back premierships shows the Crows in 97/98 were a fantastic side

 

[Cudi_420]

A solid team that went on a roll at the right time.

Worth noting that Adelaide in 98 and Carlton in 99 led to the change in the finals system. Despite both teams getting smashed in the first week of the finals, the team they lost to played the higher ranked team in the Prelim.

Melbourne beat Adelaide by 8 goals in the first week of the finals. Yet we played 1st placed North in the Prelim while the Crows played the Bulldogs.

 

[Jesse Custer]

Great side playing great footy when it mattered the most. Also hats off to Blight. Finally winning a flag after Geelong.

 

[radiojake]

A solid team that went on a roll at the right time.

Worth noting that Adelaide in 98 and Carlton in 99 led to the change in the finals system. Despite both teams getting smashed in the first week of the finals, the team they lost to played the higher ranked team in the Prelim.

Melbourne beat Adelaide by 8 goals in the first week of the finals. Yet we played 1st placed North in the Prelim while the Crows played the Bulldogs.

Essendon 96 were in the same situation too

 

[Turnover]

Back to back camps?

 

[CrowInFiji]

Thought this was a prediction thread for 19/20

 

[Blackhawk42]

...and all of the above eclipsed by Cyril Rioli.

To be fair...
Cyril flags: 4
Adelaide flags: 2

 

[ok.crows]

Melbourne beat Adelaide by 8 goals in the first week of the finals. Yet we played 1st placed North in the Prelim while the Crows played the Bulldogs.

The Crows lost in the first week away to Melbourne, who were a higher ranked side. Under the current system this first round, although it would have been an elimination match, would have been a home match for the Crows against the eighth ranked side (Essendon).

Also the Crows had not only to beat the Bulldogs but also eventually had to beat 1st placed North as well to win the flag.

Your point?

 

[Teen Wolf]

They still don't seem to really get full credit for the '97 flag, let alone going back-to-back. Then again, find one premiership that a random peanut hasn't tried to downgrade at some point.

Personally I think they could've pulled off a three-peat if it wasn't for finishing so poorly in 1999 due to a pathetic effort in the ruck by Pittman. Sounds pretty harsh on an individual but he's going to have to live with that.

 

[radiojake]

Personally I think they could've pulled off a three-peat if it wasn't for finishing so poorly in 1999 due to a pathetic effort in the ruck by Pittman. Sounds pretty harsh on an individual but he's going to have to live with that.

6/10 for quoting close to verbatim

the quote was from 1997 (Rnd 2 if I recall correctly)

 

[Teen Wolf]

6/10 for quoting close to verbatim

the quote was from 1997 (Rnd 2 if I recall correctly)

I don't give a cat's rotbag.

 

[Alphonse_]

Quite frankly, without trying to sound insulting/disrespectful, the Crows 97/98 outfit is the, most luckiest, if not undeserving B2B champions in VFL/AFL history (ie Unpaid Leigh Colbert mark 1997)

 

[John Who]

Those back to back years were some of the most astounding unpredictable premiership years in probably the history of 2 consecutive AFL seasons. No way known anyone (not even Crows fans could predict 2 premierships in those 2 years). We were 4th and 5th, from memory, after those minor rounds. The runners up (Saints and North) were the standout teams in those respective years, and were also the hot favorites on GF days.
Take home message:
- we probably rode our luck with those 2 years and karma have bite the Crows hard in the next 20 odd years.
- winning the minor premiership means jack all if you can't be the best team in the major rounds!

 

[Carson Dial]

Quite frankly, without trying to sound insulting/disrespectful, the Crows 97/98 outfit is the, most luckiest, if not undeserving B2B champions in VFL/AFL history (ie Unpaid Leigh Colbert mark 1997)

Not sure if you pulled that off just quietly..

 

[radiojake]

Quite frankly, without trying to sound insulting/disrespectful, the Crows 97/98 outfit is the, most luckiest, if not undeserving B2B champions in VFL/AFL history (ie Unpaid Leigh Colbert mark 1997)

first team to win 4 finals (97)

five consecutive interstate games on way to B2B (98)

Mark Bickley's rushed behind that got credited a Geelong goal cancels out Colbert's mark -

 

[Altum Volantes]

1997 was a funny old season - lacked a truly outstanding team and similar to 1993, it ended up being a bit of a raffle....but the fact that the Crows, still a bit of ‘spare parts’ team, went back and did it again in 1998 is definitely an underrated achievement.

Can’t believe they’ve only been back to the big dance once since then really.

 

[PowerForGood]

What gets missed in the assessment of the Crows 97 98 premierships is that they had the highest percentage of all teams in both years.

So one could suggest that whilst they finished 4th and 5th H&A, they were a better side than that.

 

[ok.crows]

ie Unpaid Leigh Colbert mark 1997

What about the unpaid Modra mark in the same game? Or for that matter in the same game the goal awarded to Geelong after Burns kicked the ball into Bickley's leg and then it deflected through the goals?

Why are these incidents that favoured Geelong in the same game never mentioned?

 

[Bearded Clam]

Crows had some genuine superstars and brilliant coach, but geez they were a side that absolutely rode their luck. 1997 wasn't a particularly strong year and they beat St Kilda who on paper weren't a particularly strong side (had a pretty good forward line). 98 they finished 5th, lost their first final (but still got another go) and then came across a very good North side who should have had the game sewn up by half time bar their atrocious kicking. McLeod and Jarman were superb in both GF's and they had some great cameos too (Shane Ellen kicking 5 WTF?) but yeah as I said rode their luck magnificently. The Crows have been in far better regular season positions to win the flag with probably superior sides too, but as yet haven't been able to do it again.

Geez.... the saints midfield wasn’t too shabby though... led by the Brownlow medalist... and the crows forward line was missing its gun.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

The Crows lost in the first week away to Melbourne, who were a higher ranked side. Under the current system this first round, although it would have been an elimination match, would have been a home match for the Crows against the eighth ranked side (Essendon).

Also the Crows had not only to beat the Bulldogs but also eventually had to beat 1st placed North as well to win the flag.

Your point?

And after the Crows beat 8th placed Essendon, who would’ve gone on to knock them out the week after?

Oh right.