Who would you rate as the weakest runners up of the last 20 years?

[Dark Avenger]

Melbourne 2000 by a mile.

They were the best of a crap bunch that year. Players such as Ingerson, Collins, Walsh, Febey, Powell, Rigoni, Leoncelli, Grgic, Beams..etc should never have made it that deep into September. Awful.

Yeah that GF team does look weak but it did have Matty Whelan, James McDonald & Cam Bruce missing.
Bit of a harsh assesment on some of those players you named too. I'd be adding Nicholson Ward & Anthony McDonald over the bolded players. Febey played over 250 games & Powell was a gun in 2000. If he wasn't hampered by injuries the following years he would have better recognition.
Admittedly a lot of the players had the seasons of their careers like Farmer & Woewodin.
Carlton were clearly the second best team in 2000 but couldn't bury us in the QF when they had the chance in the first half & were forced to play Essendon in the PF while we played & beat an experienced Nth outfit by 50 points in the PF so its not like we snuck into the Granny.

I'd say Carlton in '99 easily has us covered. They might have better name players but as stand alone seasons go the Dee's had a great 2000 & with the momentum Melbourne had (Won 10 out of the last 11 games (Only loss was to North by a point) they might have very well pinched a flag if they didn't to have come across arguably the best side of all time.

 

[WCE Wizard]

West Coast 2015

No arguments there that was a disaster at least we made up for it and won it last year

 

[WCE Wizard]

I don't see how.

They did to Hawthorn in the Qualifying final, what Hawthorn did to them in the GF.

The issue was nerves and the team buckled under pressure at a ground they rarely played at v the best team of the last 20-30 years. If WC were a weak team, they wouldn't have played finals in 16 and 17, then won a flag in 18. Hawthorn were just that good and that experienced on GF day at the MCG. They unnerved and rolled Freo, then Sydney (a very good side) and WC. Sydney had won a flag against Hawthorn only two years earlier and got smashed and WC won a flag 3 years later but were smashed in 2015. The Hawks were just that good and belted genuinely good teams.

Prob the best post I have seen, that Hawks team was that good no one one would have beaten them, at least my boys made up for it and went on to win a flag 3 years later.

 

[WCE Wizard]

Beating a Judd on one leg playing at Full Forward and Cousins going off also by under a goal isn't clearly being the 2nd best side. If even one of those guys didn't get injured you lose by 4 goals.

If Judd was fully fit you would have got your ass handed to you.

And no Daniel Kerr either

 

[Nostradumbass]

Got within a goal and had a lead most of the game, real terrible opposition.

Such a shame you couldn't finish the job.

 

[BBC1967]

This is the only post where Pies supporters aren't claiming the number one position, best midfield forward line etc - fact is they are the weakest in this case.
Maybe one of them can tells us when the last side lost GF after being 31pts in front. Hate rehashing old history but how about 1970 - guess who?

 

[Forward Press]

This is the only post where Pies supporters aren't claiming the number one position, best midfield forward line etc - fact is they are the weakest in this case.
Maybe one of them can tells us when the last side lost GF after being 31pts in front. Hate rehashing old history but how about 1970 - guess who?

Jesus you're insecure. Keep in that other thread, lord knows one thread being ruined by Tigers supporters is more than enough.

 

[WillieNillie]

Kind of feel like WC 2015 is up there. I went to that game knowing we had zero chance of winning myself because of how weak we were

My other nomination would be Carlton 1999

 

[Nostradumbass]

This is the only post where Pies supporters aren't claiming the number one position, best midfield forward line etc - fact is they are the weakest in this case.
Maybe one of them can tells us when the last side lost GF after being 31pts in front. Hate rehashing old history but how about 1970 - guess who?

Delicious

 

[BBC1967]

Delicious

Be careful we are insecure for having an opinion on a footy forum!

 

[Catters 070911]

Geelong 2008.

How were Geelong the worst runners-up?

They only lost two games for the season, one being the Grand Final, and were favourites by most of the bookies to go back-to-back.

Geelong may have had a misstep on the day that counted most, but they weren't weak that year.

 

[Catters 070911]

Geelong having a shocker against Collingwood in the prelim of 2007 is a fallacy that Port supporters tell themselves to make them feel better.

We clashed with Geelong twice in 2007 for an average losing margin of under 2 goals. We matched up very well against them at the time (beat them by 100 in 2006 and 86 in 2008) and were with them for basically all of the prelim. Two or three goals was about the right result.

I always felt that we won that Prelim, because it was goal-for-goal, save for a ten minute period where we got three goals to none. If that hadn't happened, who knows how it would have turned out?

 

[Macpotata]

And no Daniel Kerr either

wtf. I took your word for it but clarified anyway and you are correct. If they had him in there alone, you guys win.

If you had all three fit and healthy.....

 

[Gavin Excell]

Prob the best post I have seen, that Hawks team was that good no one one would have beaten them, at least my boys made up for it and went on to win a flag 3 years later.

But the reality was you did beat the same hawks side 2 weeks previous.

 

[Interstater]

Very interesting thread, I would have expected Port 2007 to have 100% of the vote.

Imo we are still recovering from it.
We haven't seen Justin's chin since.

I am genuinely shocked (and pleased) by @Rotojay's comment.

 

[Art Corvelay]

Such a shame you couldn't finish the job.

Agreed.

This is the only post where Pies supporters aren't claiming the number one position, best midfield forward line etc - fact is they are the weakest in this case.
Maybe one of them can tells us when the last side lost GF after being 31pts in front. Hate rehashing old history but how about 1970 - guess who?

Rent free.

 

[King_Tredrea]

It was us in 07 for sure. Melbourne in 2000 and Carlton 99 probably next in line.

07 was odd. From the get go it felt strange that we were there

 

[Fadge]

Adelaide 2017.

Simply because they lost to the weakest Premiership team in the last 20 years.

 

[KermitJagger]

Port in 2007 is the only one I remember.

Compare a Geelong side with Harley, Johnson, Scarlett, Enright, Corey, Bartel, Selwood, Ablett, Chapman, Ling (arguably) who were all stars to...

Tredrea, the two Burgoynes.... erm. Cough. Maybe Lade?

Even blokes like Kelly, Milburne and Ottens are names people remember. Compared to Danyle Pearce, Brad Symes, Brett Ebert, Jacob Surjan and Toby Thurstans.

 

[HTT]

How can a team be the worst GF finalist in 20 years and 3 years later win the flag? Either they werent that bad and just had an off day or they had a metoric rise in skill in 3 years. So which is it?

Richmond would have been the worst runner up in 2016 if we’d by some ridiculous miracle made the GF but we won the flag the next year...
What happens in the years before and after doesn’t change what happened in the year of reference.

 

[Richo83]

The competition was weak though. Yes they beat us but we were weakened (No Kerr, Judd with out a working groin playing mostly in the forward line and Cousins popping his hammy in the second half) and they still only just got over the line against us at their home ground. North and the Hawks were average that year.

Sure, but at least Port would make it under current rules. Carlton lost by 73 points in the elimination final, that, is arguably, as bad losing by 119 in the grand final. At least Port lost to the best team in the league. Carlton failed at their first try and was given another go because the old system was apparently invented by a senile administrator with no understanding of what maths and success are, and was biased towards Victorian sides. Carlton play the eagles in Perth and I doubt they win.

I think that the answer to this question isn't just "who played the worst in the grand final" but is more of a general question of which was the weakest side to make the grand final in history. This is because finals systems change, allowing sides like Carlton make the grand final where current sides wouldn't be able to. Port finished second, and yes, they benefited from luck, but many sides do.

Carlton benefited from a finals system which was so silly, they changed it. I'm not saying they changed it because of Carlton's grand final appearance, but nevertheless, they realised that it shouldn't have happened in the first place and changed the rules.

 

[Coaster2012]

Richmond would have been the worst runner up in 2016 if we’d by some ridiculous miracle made the GF but we won the flag the next year...
What happens in the years before and after doesn’t change what happened in the year of reference.

Yeah but my logic is that that year in isolation, maybe they can be judged as being a weak finalist. But what happened 3 years later shows that there was talent and skill there and maybe that's actually what got them there, so perhaps, they were better finalists then we thought and just really screwed up between the ears on the day.

 

[captain blood 17]

Port 2007. However, it still amazes me that Geelong couldn't go back to back with the results they were achieving and squad they had (and the Weapon and Dr Danky Dank).

 

[Goggin Our Best]

Sure, but at least Port would make it under current rules. Carlton lost by 73 points in the elimination final, that, is arguably, as bad losing by 119 in the grand final. At least
Carlton benefited from a finals system which was so silly, they changed it. I'm not saying they changed it because of Carlton's grand final appearance, but nevertheless, they realised that it shouldn't have happened in the first place and changed the rules.

As you say the finals system in the 90s was a total joke - 97 Geel finished 2nd - about .03% off top place - played Nth Melb ( Carey and co ) who finished 7th - lost narrowly - then got shunted off over to Adelaide ( Crows finished lower on the ladder ) . Wayne Jackson simply said ( they made it up as they went ) we reward teams who win finals - that was the reason given

95 could have taken the cake though - Carlton 1st ( 20 wins ) played the Bears (10 wins - lowest ever to qualify ) in the 1st week - i went to the game - and in a low scoring game at the 20 minute mark of last qtr Rodger Merrett put the Bears in front of a very nervous Carlton . If the Bears had won - they would have got leapfrogged up to the top - on the back of 10 paltry wins !!!

Only one fault with current system is the top finishing team dont get 2 shots of qualifying for a GF - you could have a team who win 22 out 22 - win their 1st final by 100 - then go into a sudden death prelim and could get rolled . Many years ago - they had that challenge system - protecting the no 1 team . Ireckon if you finish on top with 20 plus wins - then you should have the right to challenge if you get beat in the prelim

 

[Coopers]

Just 3 more votes for port and it will be 119 votes.