Worst side ever to win a flag

[PowerfulPies2023]

Yes I was surprised when I heard that stat, given our h2h is pretty even. We played you at Victoria Park a lot in the 90s, and also Docklands since it was built, so not as many games at the G as you'd expect. Wasn't that 2006 game at the MCG? We were 1st and you guys were 16th. At the time it really felt the MCG was just always going to be a big psychological obstacle.

Post 2018 until our precipitous drop we did do alright there, I think thanks to Perth/Optus Stadium being closer in dimensions.

05 was the one where we rolled ya from last place.

 

[steviewonder36]

Hurts me to suggest it but when i think about the drawn qualifying final and the quality of the premiership teams prior to and following - the Pies 1990 premiership side may be one of the poorer ones.

Regards

S. Pete

No, they suffered badly in 1991 from hubris and injury

Then in 1992, missed out on the Top2 by percentage and got knocked out in the first week under the old finals system by the Saints.

The nucleus of that team should have won more than 1 premiership.

Strange thread however, I dont think any supporter or club cares where their grand final wins compare in the history of the VFL/AFL. A premiership win is the ultimate in the game.

 

[PerthBoy86]

05 was the one where we rolled ya from last place.

Oh yeah 05. There were a few minor premierships that really got away. 05 was one of them. Then again in 06 we had a few miraculous escapes including most famously the comeback at Kardinia. 2018 we lost a patch of 3 in a row, including Essendon at home, when we looked to have sewn up top spot.

 

[Big_Birdy]

West Coast 2018 are the only team to ever go undefeated in Victoria in a season.

5/5

Bit of a forgotten stat.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

West Coast 2018 are the only team to ever go undefeated in Victoria in a season.

5/5

Bit of a forgotten stat.

Who else you play in Victoria that year besides Pies twice and Blue and Hawks. I thought it was just 4 games in Vic. I'm guessing maybe North if it were someone else.

 

[Magpie Since 1986]

Eagles had to beat an MCG tenant team at the G that year. Anytime a tenant team gets beaten at the G it’s highly deserved.

Lots of injuries as well.

Far from the worst. They also finished second that year.

Collingwood in 2023 had a lot of narrow wins. They won all their finals by a collective of 12 points. The AFL also allowed Maynard to play after he concussed Brayshaw.

Collingwood in 2023 is right up there. Can only assume you’re really hurt from 2018 still.

Hardly call the 2023 qualifying final a narrow win , we had Melbourne done at 3/4 time and put the cue in the rack to save ourself for the prelim

 

[Sqotty from office works]

Hurts me to suggest it but when i think about the drawn qualifying final and the quality of the premiership teams prior to and following - the Pies 1990 premiership side may be one of the poorer ones.

Regards

S. Pete

Hate to say it but Essendon with the bye and drawn final would be the most ripped off favourite of all time.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Bombers 2000. Weak year.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Joking.

 

[The 4th Horseman]

Relative to the season. In 2016 there were 6 teams better placed than the WB. So it’s pretty clear.

Bulldogs beat every team that year except Geelong. A lot of injuries throughout the home and away season to key players and still won 15 games. When our best players returned we showed we could beat the best. People can still question the pre finals bye but my point still stands.

 

[demondavey]

Hardly call the 2023 qualifying final a narrow win , we had Melbourne done at 3/4 time and put the cue in the rack to save ourself for the prelim

You won by 7 points. Our F50 entries were terribly utilised, yet we were able to get so close. Not excusing it as you’ve got to convert but you didn’t have it over at 3/4 time.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Dogs in 16 were great but the umps were on their side grand final day. Was going for them too as were most. Had money on them even on JJ for the Norm but definitely umps were on their side.

 

[demondavey]

Bulldogs beat every team that year except Geelong. A lot of injuries throughout the home and away season to key players and still won 15 games. When our best players returned we showed we could beat the best. People can still question the pre finals bye but my point still stands.

Yes but you were the 7th best side coming into finals. That stands. Statistically.

 

[Magpie Since 1986]

You won by 7 points. Our F50 entries were terribly utilised, yet we were able to get so close. Not excusing it as you’ve got to convert but you didn’t have it over at 3/4 time.

We were over 4 goals up against one of the worst attacks that's ever made finals and had only kicked 4 goals for the match to 3/4 time. Playing against such a blunt instrument we were never losing from there .

 

[demondavey]

We were over 4 goals up against one of the worst attacks that's ever made finals and had only kicked 4 goals for the match to 3/4 time. Playing against such a blunt instrument we were never losing from there .

You weren’t a great side.

 

[steviewonder36]

You won by 7 points. Our F50 entries were terribly utilised, yet we were able to get so close. Not excusing it as you’ve got to convert but you didn’t have it over at 3/4 time.

I was at the game, you were never going to beat us, sunshine. You sound still upset over the brayshaw KO.

Pies should have the won the 2023 GF by 5 goals, if they didnt have the goalkicking yips in the 3rd Qtr.

Demons premiership will always have an asterix, because it was COVID Season.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

You weren’t a great side.

TBf DD 2022 showed us and now we're very consistent. I disagree with your sentiments.

 

[demondavey]

I was at the game, you were never going to beat us, sunshine. You sound still upset over the brayshaw KO.

Pies should have the won the 2023 GF by 5 goals, if they didnt have the goalkicking yips in the 3rd Qtr.

Demons premiership will always have an asterix, because it was COVID Season.

Heard that before, apparently because of COVID everyone was bad except for Melbourne. Just more excuse making bullshit.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Most sides ride their luck during finals.

1990 Pies vs wce
91 hawks vs cats
93 dons vs blues and crows
94 Eagles vs pies
95 blues vs lions was tight
97 crows
98 crows
2002 Lions
2003 lost qf to pies
2004 pirt vs saibts
2005 swans vs cats and Eagles hall shouldn't have played
2006 wce vs swans
2007 cats vs pies
2008 hawks vs cats poor goal kicking
2009 cats vs saints
2010 us vs saints
2012 swans vs hawks was close
2013 hawks vs cats
2014 hawks vs port
2015 hawks lost week 1
2016 dogs lucky somewhat swans bad umpiring
2018 Eagles vs pies speed played on
2020 tigers vs port
2022 cats vs pies
2023 we rode our luck every game
2024 lions vs Giants

Point I'm making is close games for many great sides.

 

[Young Redleg]

I was at the game, you were never going to beat us, sunshine. You sound still upset over the brayshaw KO.

Pies should have the won the 2023 GF by 5 goals, if they didnt have the goalkicking yips in the 3rd Qtr.

Demons premiership will always have an asterix, because it was COVID Season.

Are you aware that we had to play at neutral venues despite finishing 1st while Port Adelaide and Brisbane were gifted home finals?

 

[Rabish Binney]

They were on the road for 4 weeks but lost the first week vs Melbourne

Yep correct.

For me it's Adelaide 1998. Finished 5th in the home and away, got absolutely trounced in the first week by Melbourne. That should the end of it but because of a quirk in the frankly broken finals system back then they get another go at it. Fair play to them they go on a great run of form for the rest of the finals, and capitalise on North completely shitting the bed but they should have never been in it to begin with.

Quirk?

Whether you agree or not, they were the rules at the time.

Personally I don’t give a toss if we are perceived as weak premiers, we won and that’s all that counts isn’t it?

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Yep correct.

Quirk?

Whether you agree or not, they were the rules at the time.

Personally I don’t give a toss if we are perceived as weak premiers, we won and that’s all that counts isn’t it?

Legit question though and legitimate response it's what's the thread is about after all.

 

[Big_Birdy]

Who else you play in Victoria that year besides Pies twice and Blue and Hawks. I thought it was just 4 games in Vic. I'm guessing maybe North if it were someone else.

Dogs

 

[btdg]

Yep correct.

Quirk?

Whether you agree or not, they were the rules at the time.

Personally I don’t give a toss if we are perceived as weak premiers, we won and that’s all that counts isn’t it?

This is a thread about the worst team ever to win a flag though?

I don't think Adelaide '98 was that weak, though. My memory is being more surprised by '97.

That year Adelaide were only 13-9 which is pretty ordinary. The Crows went into finals in pretty ordinary form, losing to 14th placed Essendon in the last round of the season, and getting belted by the Bulldogs at home in round 20. That was a very weak/even season where 13th spot was 10-12.

'97 was the first of a series of finals series thrown into absolute chaos by the combination of the rubbish McIntyre top 8 system and the AFL's weird finals fixturing policies.

That year things went haywire when 2nd placed Geelong (who had oodles of finals experience and most expected to win) lost to 7th placed North in week 1 of the finals. Ok, that happens. So then in week 2 Geelong had to play away against 5th placed Adelaide, while 7th placed North hosted 6th placed Adelaide at the MCG. Adelaide won and ended up getting an inexperienced Bulldogs, then St Kilda, and it was all a bit surprising in the moment.

At least in '98 Adelaide finished 5th, but had won 5 out of their last 6 pre-finals, including some big wins over decent Port and ST Kilda teams, and everyone was a bit more aware of them after the year before. The first week of finals went to plan (5th lost to 4th) and the Crows then smashed Sydney and the Bulldogs. North probably blew the grand final with inaccurate kicking but otherwise I think '98 Adelaide was better than '97.

Incidentally, I think it slightly underrated just how bad the McIntyre finals series was after going to a top 8, and how this skewed half a decade of grand finals (and consequently the careers of a whole bunch of players).

• '94 we had a 13 win Geelong team reach the grand final from 4th (and get belted) after 2nd placed Carlton lost to 7th placed Melbourne on a neutral ground.
• 95 was relatively chalk, but also saw 6th placed North make the prelim after winning against 3rd in week 1, then getting an easier (and home) match the following week because the finals system SHOULD have seen them play North again (so the AFL switched match-ups)

-96 the GF was 1v2. However, we had a taste of what was to come when 6th placed Essendon got belted in week 1, then got a HOME semi-final against 4th placed West Coast the following week, even though West Coast WON their first final. Had Plugger not kicked a goal after the siren, the Bombers would have made an extremely undeserved GF

• 97 we had a 13 win Adelaide team win the premiership from 4th
• '98 we had a 13 win Adeladie team win the premiership from 5th after losing finals week 1
• '99 was the zenith - a 12 win Carlton team lost by 60 in the first final, then got a home final against 5th placed West Coast who had won their final away the week before. Carlton then managed to beat a dominant Essendon team in the GF

2000 they changed the finals series and normality returned. But in a 6 year run FOUR years were completely messed up by the horrid finals structure, and the other two were also messed up in their own way.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Dogs

Of course. Round 2 Easter Sunday. How could I forget that.