Best premiership side out of Bulldogs 2016, Richmond 2017 and West Coast 2018

Which of these premiership sides is the best of the last 3 years?


  • Total voters
    570
Sep 13, 2015
18,683
48,481
Hillary Step
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
76ers
As opposed to Richmond's wonderful record away from Melbourne?
3-2
49pt loss to GWS
9pt win over Port
26pt win over Freo
33pt loss to Adelaide
92pt win over GC

Pretty handy record I’d say, especially given our injury run at the start of the year.
After the GC game we were 6-4 in Victoria and 3-2 away.

Our run of wins at the G since has coincided almost totally with us getting players back.
 

Lsta062

Brownlow Medallist
Jul 15, 2014
21,580
41,429
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
Chelsea, LA Lakers, Western United
The crows also destroyed you guys during the season, finished above you lot and up until the grand final had a finals series just as dominant as Richmond. Not having to leave the mcg played a large part in your premiership, I honestly rate the dogs flag above it
Your assertion that Adelaide would have beaten us on every ground except MCG is speculation. We beat Collingwood comfortably twice in the season last year at the MCG, yet it did not save us from losing to them in the PF.

Also, that 76-point loss to Adelaide was in Round 6 when we didn’t really find our feet yet. We even lost to 2017 Fremantle at the MCG a couple of weeks later. Towards the end of the season though we beat Fremantle by 104 points at Subiaco Oval, which was their biggest ever loss as the home team. We were on fire towards the end of that year, simple as that.
 

bh90210fan

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 4, 2017
9,623
11,108
AFL Club
West Coast
Your assertion that Adelaide would have beaten us on every ground except MCG is speculation. We beat Collingwood comfortably twice in the season last year at the MCG, yet it did not save us from losing to them in the PF.

Also, that 76-point loss to Adelaide was in Round 6 when we didn’t really find our feet yet. We even lost to 2017 Fremantle at the MCG a couple of weeks later. Towards the end of the season though we beat Fremantle by 104 points at Subiaco Oval, which was their biggest ever loss as the home team. We were on fire towards the end of that year, simple as that.
You were on fire at the end of the year - apart from when you had to play anyone decent away from the mcg like Geelong in round 19
 
Mar 4, 2015
2,127
2,572
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
Other Teams
Central Districts
You're not giving Richmond any credit, that's the point im making. Oh and, by the way, it's only you stating this about the crows which i wholeheartedly disagree. Richmond won it as they wanted it more and played much better. You're making way to many excuses for the crows. Anyway, i think we've gone back and forth on this over and above!

Oh, no, I give Richmond credit, they took advantage of the situation and good luck to them, but it was always more about Adelaide's lack of performance than Richmond's exceptional.
The fact that you didn't even make the following years GF doesn't help your cause and if you fall over this year it will be sealed as just another one off flag from a run of the mill team, like Ports 04 flag, where we made it to a GF and took on a 3 peat juggernaut at the end of their reign.
 

Ancient Tiger

🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
Sep 18, 2007
16,613
35,088
Richmond
AFL Club
Richmond
Why would I be in denial, I don't care enough, my opinion is widely accepted as how it played out.
Adelaide were the better side and didn't show up on the biggest stage, history is littered with examples of this and not just from the football field.
And don't think this is some veiled swipe at Adelaide because unlike many of my fellow club supporters, I don't mind the Crows, it just is what it is.

Now, don't get me wrong though, im not trying to convince you with post after post of my frustrations as you have with anyone who doesn't support your beliefs, I know that would be futile so im happy to leave it there.
So according to your logic, we were easily the best side last year and just "didn't show up" on Prelim final day. You can't have one without the other. So we were the best according to you in 2018 instead of 2017. I am saying we were the best in 2017 and not 2018. So in a way we agree!
 
Sep 13, 2015
18,683
48,481
Hillary Step
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
76ers
Oh, no, I give Richmond credit, they took advantage of the situation and good luck to them, but it was always more about Adelaide's lack of performance than Richmond's exceptional.
The fact that you didn't even make the following years GF doesn't help your cause and if you fall over this year it will be sealed as just another one off flag from a run of the mill team, like Ports 04 flag, where we made it to a GF and took on a 3 peat juggernaut at the end of their reign.
“You didn’t even make the GF”
Yeah we just finished top and made a prelim, poor premiership defence.
 
Mar 4, 2015
2,127
2,572
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
Other Teams
Central Districts
So according to your logic, we were easily the best side last year and just "didn't show up" on Prelim final day. You can't have one without the other. So we were the best according to you in 2018 instead of 2017. I am saying we were the best in 2017 and not 2018. So in a way we agree!

Well you didn't turn up, you let a bloke who could hardly get a touch this year pants you.
To be honest i expected you to make the GF last year, you are a good side, you don't make GF's by chance, but I doubt the result would have been any different.
 

BennyGan

Club Legend
Jan 15, 2019
1,638
2,529
AFL Club
Geelong
Richmond hit form so late in the season that they spent 15/23 rounds of 2017 in the top 4? :rolleyes:

Richmond also destroyed all of the top 4 sides by 36+ points in the finals, something that neither Western Bulldogs nor West Coast did.
They also lost to Geelong in Geelong round 21 without Selwood, Hawkins, Duncan and Blicavs. But I forgot that doesn’t count because games down there are too unfair according to tigers fans.
 

blckcaviar

Team Captain
Jul 21, 2018
484
1,259
AFL Club
Carlton
I dunno why a couple of people keep arguing in this thread as if they can prove they're right, it's pointless. According to the poll, most people who voted put Richmond somewhat above West Coast, with Doggies a pretty distant last. All this thread is canvassing is opinions, there's no objective answer.
 
Mar 4, 2015
2,127
2,572
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
Other Teams
Central Districts
I dunno why a couple of people keep arguing in this thread as if they can prove they're right, it's pointless. According to the poll, most people who voted put Richmond somewhat above West Coast, with Doggies a pretty distant last. All this thread is canvassing is opinions, there's no objective answer.

I wouldn't really call it arguing if you're referring to my exchange, its just an opinion as you say, but I like to look further than just the events of the day.

In Adelaide's case you've got a club who have never lost a GF from their 2 appearances and who may well have gone in with the mindset that it would just happen, Losing Walshy in 2015 would have no doubt set them back or they may well have been more finals hardened by 2017.
The stuff with CM was a massive distraction, add in the Lever unrest and you had a wreck looking for a place to happen, the 2017 GF was that place.
Compare that to Richmond's lead in and the only concerns were the reviews of the previous off season, they went in with nothing to lose and everything to gain.
I think it would be fair to say that had Adelaide won that game Hardwick and the team would have still been given a healthy pass mark, whereas Adelaide's season is considered a failure, they choked.

As for the poll results, well considering they've got a million fans and the majority of the votes have some reference to Richmond in one form or another, should it surprise anyone.
To West Coast fans its just a flag, to Richmond fans its the second coming of Christ as evident by their staunch defence.
 

swiftdog

Premiership Player
Sep 26, 2005
4,208
2,757
melbourne
AFL Club
Collingwood
Richmond. If it wasn't for Collingwood playing the game of their lives in the prelim, they'd likely have won last year IMO.

This myth still perpetuates. You can make a reasonable argument that Collingwood were a better side than Richmond last year. Yes Richmond won the 2 H&A games but could only kick away after Collingwood suffered multiple in-game injuries. PF was a great game but only just in the top 5 Collingwood finals performances since 2002. I’d rate the following three better performances clearly better:

2010 PF vs Geelong
2002 QF vs Port
2002 GF vs Brisbane - despite the loss

I probably rate the 2018 PF alongside the 2003 QF vs Brisbane for Collingwood.
 

Captain_Bender

Premiership Player
May 21, 2015
4,495
6,759
AFL Club
Richmond
This myth still perpetuates. You can make a reasonable argument that Collingwood were a better side than Richmond last year. Yes Richmond won the 2 H&A games but could only kick away after Collingwood suffered multiple in-game injuries. PF was a great game but only just in the top 5 Collingwood finals performances since 2002. I’d rate the following three better performances clearly better:

2010 PF vs Geelong
2002 QF vs Port
2002 GF vs Brisbane - despite the loss

I probably rate the 2018 PF alongside the 2003 QF vs Brisbane for Collingwood.
#collingwoodhaveinjuries
 

Lsta062

Brownlow Medallist
Jul 15, 2014
21,580
41,429
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
Chelsea, LA Lakers, Western United
You were on fire at the end of the year - apart from when you had to play anyone decent away from the mcg like Geelong in round 19
How'd West Coast go against Geelong at Kardinia Park this year hmmm?

They also lost to Geelong in Geelong round 21 without Selwood, Hawkins, Duncan and Blicavs. But I forgot that doesn’t count because games down there are too unfair according to tigers fans.
And how many teams lose to Geelong in Geelong? We play there once in a while. It's likely that many of our players haven't ever played on that ground before that game.
 
Aug 14, 2011
44,794
16,853
Trafalgar
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
Mclaren Mercedes F1
So according to your logic, we were easily the best side last year and just "didn't show up" on Prelim final day. You can't have one without the other. So we were the best according to you in 2018 instead of 2017. I am saying we were the best in 2017 and not 2018. So in a way we agree!

Minor premiership has never been more than a curio, to be the best be there GF day & go home smiling.
Its not little aths, just being there doesnt count.

Late here, back to the question, rank the Dogs in 2016 as the best effort by far, on the road wins arent easy. Best team, bit academic, too invested in 2019.
 
Last edited:
Aug 14, 2011
44,794
16,853
Trafalgar
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
Mclaren Mercedes F1
How'd West Coast go against Geelong at Kardinia Park this year hmmm?


And how many teams lose to Geelong in Geelong? We play there once in a while. It's likely that many of our players haven't ever played on that ground before that game.

& here we are, all needing to keep on winning .... interesting quiz questions tho'.
 

ShaunWCEFC

All Australian
Jan 22, 2013
738
1,217
Perth
AFL Club
West Coast
I don't know how these teams can be compared, they're all different in the own right.

1. West Coast had the better Home & Away Season

2. Richmond had the better Finals Series

3. Bulldogs had neither, but winning 4 Finals as underdogs is something special
 

Corkintheocean

Premiership Player
Aug 15, 2009
3,559
5,462
AFL Club
West Coast
Oh, no, I give Richmond credit, they took advantage of the situation and good luck to them, but it was always more about Adelaide's lack of performance than Richmond's exceptional.
The fact that you didn't even make the following years GF doesn't help your cause and if you fall over this year it will be sealed as just another one off flag from a run of the mill team, like Ports 04 flag, where we made it to a GF and took on a 3 peat juggernaut at the end of their reign.
Thought provoking opinion. Thanks for sharing it. Fair bit of truth in this.
 
Back