Hypothetically - Would you swap these yesteryear premierships to be in Richmond's position now? (Carl, Coll, Ess & Melb)

[Gibbke]

As we get closer to the commencement of AFL Season 2021 and we wait in anticipation for announcements relating to attendances at this years games, as a Richmond supporter I sincerely hope to get to Rd 1 to see the club unfurl 2 premiership flags.

My mind casts back to Rd 1 of 2018 and the Carlton Cheer Squad (rather ungraciously) draping a banner over their heads reading "Not as sweet as 16" as our 11th premiership, the 2017 premiership flag was being unfurled. Covid-19 is likely to save them the envy of watching Richmond's 12th and 13th flag unfurled.

Carlton might have 16 VFL/AFL premierships to boast about, but it's been over a quarter of a century since the club had premiership glory. No supporter of the club under 35 years would know what it's like to celebrate a premiership. The club has cleared its debt and reached record membership numbers, but it's nowhere near the goliath I remember it through the 1960's and '70s.

Collingwood have had recent success (2010), but there's no escaping the fact the club has only won 2 premierships in 62 years. It might have 15 premierships but 9 of them were won prior to 1930. There's no doubting the size of this club, but sustained recent success would propel it to the biggest.

Essendon have had more recent success through the 1980's up to 2000. 16 premierships but No.11 (1962) and No.12 (1965) are starting to look like a long time ago. As is 2000 given the decimation the supplements scandal caused, the effects of which are still being felt and likely to delay any future success.

Melbourne has been bereft of success for getting close to 60 years now.

I would think premierships won during your own lifetime are much more relevant. Therefore, disregarding the finals systems in place particularly prior to 1931, I pose the following hypothetical:

If you could do a deal with the devil and give back 2 from yesteryear for 1 today; as a supporter of Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon and Melbourne would you swap these premierships for 2017, 2019, and 2020?

Carlton:
1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938

Collingwood:
1902, 1903, 1910, 1917, 1919, 1927

Essendon:
1897, 1901, 1911, 1912, 1923, 1924

Melbourne:
1900, 1926, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1948

Interested in your thoughts. And those supporters of other teams.

The irony being that if Carlton supporters of a younger age have endured a lifetime without knowing premierships, then they still have another 12 seasons before it gets as bad as Richmond's drought...you need to show some humility, bud...!


I cringe at the attitudes of supporters of my own team who weren't there to buy memberships in 1996 and save our club, but jumped on the bandwagon in 2008 and still won't gtf off. Are there any Tigers supporters out there who are facepalming at the moment...? Pretty sure the attitude going into 1981 was that the Tigers were set to dominate the decade, but...you know...

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Richmond fans being Richmond fans.

This one is a fair bit more special than the rest.

 

[Ricky Vaughn]

I wouldn’t swap any of our 16 Premierships for different ones.

Actually, on careful reflection, I’d swap the 1886 flag for the 1887 flag.

 

[Lip Gallagher]

Last years premiership was more like a pre season premiership, massive asterix next to that.

 

[Tzatziki_Man]

Last years premiership was more like a pre season premiership, massive asterix next to that.

If anything has a asterisks its the 1902 and 1903 premierships in an 8 team comp

Pretty certain its harder to win one in 2020 with 18 teams and 110 days away from home.

But continue celebrating racism as your proudest day and reflecting on your premierships from 1910. Whilst Richmond have more indigenous players on their list in 2021 than any football team has had in its history, Collingwood is full of delinquents that reflect on glory from 100 years ago.

Richmond reflect on glory right now ❤ enjoy the salt

Kind regards, Reality, with a splash of yogurt dip

 

[juss]

Just to steer this hypothetical a bit, I think premierships are only enjoyed if you were alive or experienced them.

I couldn't really care less about flag wins in the early 1900s so would happily trade those for another few flags in my lifetime.

So me, I'd trade some our old ones for some future ones.

There's also the factors of what makes them enjoyable. The drought before 2017 made that the greatest moment of my sport supporting life. Decades of pain were just so satisfyingly crushed with success. Nothing will ever beat that as a Richmond fan but now that that's gone Il never have that feeling back.

I imagine the next one the Saints win for example is going to be damn precious to those that get to experience it.

 

[Phar Ace]

Normally you'd assume it was school holidays, but this sort of thread happens all year 'round with Tiggers.

Sorry, whenever I have to think of Hawthorn I just can't get that name Mayblooms out of my head for some reason - why give that away?

History can be such a bitch. During 1924 a short list of potential new clubs to the VFL were considered including Brighton, Brunswick, Camberwell, Caulfield, Footscray, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Prahran Football Clubs. Footscray was the 1924 VFA premiers so had front running. They also thrashed the VFL premiers Essendon in the Championship of Victoria. Ah what might have been.......

 

[Sky]

I wouldn't even trade Richmond's 1983-2016 for Carlton, Hawthorn's or Essendons.

Without those horrid years, 2017 wouldn't be as joyful and passionate.

You’re only lying to yourself. 9 flags over that period for Hawthorn.

 

[RUNVS]

Sorry, whenever I have to think of Hawthorn I just can't get that name Mayblooms out of my head for some reason - why give that away?

History can be such a b*tch. During 1924 a short list of potential new clubs to the VFL were considered including Brighton, Brunswick, Camberwell, Caulfield, Footscray, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Prahran Football Clubs. Footscray was the 1924 VFA premiers so had front running. They also thrashed the VFL premiers Essendon in the Championship of Victoria. Ah what might have been.......

Why are you bringing up something that happened in 1924? I mean who cares.

 

[queensberryrules]

Richmond is responsible for Ed getting tossed out. It was like the cold war and USSR falling apart because they couldn't keep up.

So, thanks RFC. We owe you one.

 

[Great8]

Wouldn’t change any of ours. Those blokes bled for the club and fully deserved it.
It’s up to the current mob to pull its finger out and create some good history of their own

 

[Sonny Bonds]

Normally you'd assume it was school holidays, but this sort of thread happens all year 'round with Tiggers.

To be fair though, a majority of them are unemployed (would say roughly 60%). So these type of Richmond threads are warranted.

 

[Bicko]

Backfire or Divvy?

 

[blitzer]

The important thing for Richmond fans to realise now is that they've already witnessed the best period of Richmond that they are likely to see in their lifetime. Its all downhill from here.

 

[Freomaniac]

I wouldn't even trade Richmond's 1983-2016 for Carlton, Hawthorn's or Essendons.

Without those horrid years, 2017 wouldn't be as joyful and passionate.

So premierships or not, I think each clubs history is special to their supporters and would make the eventual climb atop Mount Everest all that much sweeter.

However if I was a Saints supporter, I wouldn't look to success as a way of justifying my loyalty and support of the club. Id look at the family connection, memories made with nan and pop, m and dad.

Success isn't everything, but you do need success at some point to keep footy enjoyable. It's meant to help us escape from our shitty lives, if it is always shitty in itself, then whats the point? Some success is essential.

Massive statement right there. Especially in that brutal 1983-2012 period where you only made finals in 2 of those 30 years. Even then, it was only preliminary finals in 1995 and 2001.

I would dislike to have My team go through a run like that.

I have posted this Before and will post it again. Since the AFL had a system when there was 8 teams that made finals since 1994, richmond finished 9th a few times: 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2006 and 2008.

I assure you, All Richmond fans would trade those 9th placed finishes for 8th placed finishes. Thats another 6 finals. It might not be as good as a flag but those extra 6 finals would look better in the history books. Instead of making finals only 2 times in that 1982-2012 period, it would be 8 times in 30 years intead.

Just on that 1990-2001 period alone, Richmond would of played finals in 1994-6, 1998, 2000-01. Guys like Matty Knights, Paul Broderick and Brendon Gale would of had a few more finals in their career in that 1990-2001 period to look back on. Had richmond finished 8th in 2000, they probably would of Beaten Geelong in Docklands as they beled them there earlier in the season.

As for Matthew Richardson, He didnt play in 1995 finals series due to injury but would of played finals in 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000-01, 2006 and 2008.


I mean Bobby Skilton won 3 Brownlows with South Melbourne and played only one final in his career.

Robert Flower only played 3 finals in his 15 year career and those 3 finals were the last 3 game of his playing career.

 

[Freomaniac]

Just to steer this hypothetical a bit, I think premierships are only enjoyed if you were alive or experienced them.

I couldn't really care less about flag wins in the early 1900s so would happily trade those for another few flags in my lifetime.

So me, I'd trade some our old ones for some future ones.

There's also the factors of what makes them enjoyable. The drought before 2017 made that the greatest moment of my sport supporting life. Decades of pain were just so satisfyingly crushed with success. Nothing will ever beat that as a Richmond fan but now that that's gone Il never have that feeling back.

I imagine the next one the Saints win for example is going to be damn precious to those that get to experience it.

You might be right. Thats if the Saints ever win another one.

Freo on the other hand.... I dont know if I will see a freo dockers flag in my lifetime

 

[juss]

You might be right. Thats if the Saints ever win another one.

Freo on the other hand.... I dont know if I will see a freo dockers flag in my lifetime

I dont know how old you are, but any side can turn it around once they get things right.

No reason the Dockers can't be premiers before 2030.

 

[Godzke]

Our successful history is the difference between what we are today and being another Fitzroy or North Melbourne

 

[hilly]

Our successful history is the difference between what we are today and being another Fitzroy or North Melbourne

Is your finals drought longer than Fitzroy's?!

 

[Catsnlakers]

Richmond fans being Richmond fans.

It’s becoming quite sad actually, just needing to turn every conversation back to them....Just bloody enjoy having a great team & show some humility, a lot of us on here have seen 3 Premierships ( or more if you’re a Hawk ) in an era yet never acted like this.

 

[Obeanie1]

Ignorant people being ignorant people.

Just admit it.

You are desperate for external validation after 30 years of failure.

We all get it.

Over....

And over.......

And OVER..................

 

[Obeanie1]

It’s becoming quite sad actually, just needing to turn every conversation back to them....Just bloody enjoy having a great team & show some humility, a lot of us on here have seen 3 Premierships ( or more if you’re a Hawk ) in an era yet never acted like this.

Exactly.

 

[Obeanie1]

I'd rather just merge with West Coast to be honest.
17 flags
200k+ members
1 million excuses when we are garbage
Seems good to me

Ģ
Nah. Merger would fail.

West Coast has strict policies and standards about supporters spitting and abusing players and staff. More than half those feral Tigers members would be revoked.

Add the additional travel needed that would result in half the Tigers side spit the dummy and move to a better traditional MCG tenant like Collingwood.

Thanks for offering up the excuses to use when s**t though. Richmond had what, 30 years to build them up into quite a substantial library.

 

[Stabby McGee]

You've got the near completely unearned arrogance of Melbourne supporters, who swing between premierships and individual achievements when they are paying attention

How rude. 10 in 25 years is a big bloody deal. Not being out of the top four for ten years is a big bloody deal. Two triples is a big deal. Having more of our players sacrificed in wars is a big deal.

Paying attention? * you

 

[Gethelred]

How rude. 10 in 25 years is a big bloody deal. Not being out of the top four for ten years is a big bloody deal. Two triples is a big deal. Having more of our players sacrificed in wars is a big deal.

Paying attention? fu** you

I really expected it to be a mite sooner before someone reacted to something of a mischievious post.

I will say, though, that you do demonstrate more or less what I was saying anyway. You're absolutely right that all of that is pretty significant, and the idea of losing players in WW2 is awful. You're aware of your club's history, you're damn thumping proud of it, and you'd not exchange it for anything.