Does anyone wish we’d never made the 2017 GF?

[cedric]

Sure it would have been labelled another prelim choke at the time with short term pain but eventually the result would have just been consigned to another chapter in the book. The GF loss on the other hand has almost cursed the club. Has hovered over our heads like a black cloud ever since, accompanied by a tsunami of negativity. Ruined Walker‘s reputation amongst others beyond repair and triggered years of ridicule from Richmond and other opposition supporters like no other GF loss in the last decade. Making a GF is certainly seen as an achievement but like Port in 2007 what did we as a club really gain from it?

 

[Golumless]

Nah, I'm glad we got over the preliminary final hump, and at least got a chance to jag one.

This s**t was going to happen anyway. People like Burton, Roo, Chapman etc in key roles meant it was always a ticking time bomb. We might just be talking about the implosion in 2021-2022 and not 2019.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Whilst the week after sucked, being on the hill during the Mexican wave with hundreds of completely full beers being thrown into the air was absolutely epic.

Nope. It sucks but it’s character building. I hate losing prelims.

 

[Murray2503]

Sure it would have been labelled another prelim choke at the time with short term pain but eventually the result would have just been consigned to another chapter in the book. The GF loss on the other hand has almost cursed the club. Has hovered over our heads like a black cloud ever since, accompanied by a tsunami of negativity. Ruined Walker‘s reputation amongst others beyond repair and triggered years of ridicule from Richmond and other opposition supporters like no other GF loss in the last decade. Making a GF is certainly seen as an achievement but like Port in 2007 what did we as a club really gain from it?

I'm glad we made it. Just wish we had blight as our coach. May have stood a chance.

 

[Cap]

Nope, clubs go through theses times. It's part of life.

 

[Thetrader15]

If we didn't make it, Geelong and Dangerflop would have been there. No thanks

 

[relapse]

Honestly I am glad all of this has happened, I think this might end up being the kick in the pants the club has needed since the Steven Trigg days.

 

[AmericanCrow]

No

 

[s town]

No way. Everything that has happened since would have happened anyway. Cameron and Lever still would have left the next week, we still would have had the camp, and our admin wouldn't have changed.

Plus imagine being the best team of 2017 only to lose a home prelim to Geelong and Danger. Would have been the stuff of nightmares. Instead, that night is my absolute peak highlight of being a Crows supporter.

 

[MarcusP2]

No way. Everything that has happened since would have happened anyway. Cameron and Lever still would have left the next week, we still would have had the camp, and our admin wouldn't have changed.

Plus imagine being the best team of 2017 only to lose a home prelim to Geelong and Danger. Would have been the stuff of nightmares. Instead, that night is my absolute peak highlight of being a Crows supporter.

Seeing Dangerfield's soul leave his body 'right in front of me' is one of my all time highlights.

 

[jackster83]

Nope, most of us were thoroughly sick of finishing in the 5-10 position every year.

My main wish/regret was that we didn't sack Burton immediately after that disastrous press conference, when it became apparent that our run was over. We'd be 18 months further into our rebuild by now.

 

[Golumless]

Nope, most of us were thoroughly sick of finishing in the 5-10 position every year.

My main wish/regret was that we didn't sack Burton immediately after that disastrous press conference, when it became apparent that our run was over. We'd be 18 months further into our rebuild by now.

Or we'd have rebounded in 2019, and it saves the Pyke/player group relationship.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

Nah. Smashing Geelong in the prelim is a nice memory to have even though the GF was a total shitshow. We really needed to get that prelim hoodoo of our backs too.

 

[Tex200]

Happy it happened. Had long had my doubts on this group to deliver in big games under pressure. The evidence was mounting with some poor finals exits between 2012-15 and then that shocking final round choke v WCE in 2016 that would have had us in the 4.

The ‘17 GF was the final and very public nail in the coffin that showed once and for all the group just weren’t up to it.

That group played some very nice footy but never had what it took to win a flag. Thankfully we are now turning the list and moving on.

 

[PCORF]

It was good making it but the team just lost motivation after starting 6-3 the following year and then it all went downhill. Should have finished top 4 in 2016 if not for the R23 choke, we were a better team in 2016.

 

[Rotayjay]

I'm torn.

There was once a time when I thought it'd much rather lose a prelim than an grand final. But in the immediate aftermath of losing the 2017 granny I was shocked and gutted, and at the same time I was so grateful to see the Crows in a grand final after nineteen years.

Our spectacular fall from grace since has definitely soured that gratitude. I must say I'm sceptical of the idea we would have fallen in the same heap had we not made that grand final. It's hard to believe the club, relationships within the club and our players' morale would have been destroyed like that if it was a prelim loss.

We will never know what would have happened in the alternative history. That's the tantalising thing about alternative history.

We're stuck with the reality that we suck and the club is broken and will need to be glued back together piece by piece.

 

[PCORF]

that shocking final round choke v WCE in 2016 that would have had us in the 4.

It might have been the most disappointed I have ever been as a Crows fan and the EF vs North win was a spectacular performance which left an empty sad feeling after that game. Play a bit better vs WC and we could have finished 3rd or 4th, won the QF and been into a home preliminary final. But they came back with motivation in 2017, they wanted it really bad and they almost got it. Should have continued that attitude in 2018. Only problem is that our underachieving has seriously damaged this club's attitude over the years. I don't care if we go winless in 2020 or win 5 games or whatever. This club needs to suck it in and motivate itself for the future, be inspired and fight every week.

 

[Tex200]

It might have been the most disappointed I have ever been as a Crows fan and the EF vs North win was a spectacular performance which left an empty sad feeling after that game. Play a bit better vs WC and we could have finished 3rd or 4th, won the QF and been into a home preliminary final. But they came back with motivation in 2017, they wanted it really bad and they almost got it. Should have continued that attitude in 2018. Only problem is that our underachieving has seriously damaged this club's attitude over the years. I don't care if we go winless in 2020 or win 5 games or whatever. This club needs to suck it in and motivate itself for the future, be inspired and fight every week.

2012 was bad too. Finish 2nd then pull out one of their infamous no shows against Sydney in week 1 of the finals.

The no show has become a signature of this group. Can barely stand the sight of any of them.

Sooner the list is turned over the better

 

[Geoffa32]

No.

Being second is better than being 3rd or 4th.

The camp would have happened anyway, and Burton was still our head fitness guy in 2018/19.


If we had a time machine, I would much prefer we recruited Steve Saunders at the end of 2017 and cancelled the contract with CM after the GF loss.

We then make the GF in both 18/19 with chances of redemption.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

 

[Alwaysacrow]

No not at all but we needed to win it. The pain that we are going through now wouldn't seem so bad if we'd have just 1 more trophie in the cabinet. We blew it.

 

[hey shorty]

2012 was bad too. Finish 2nd then pull out one of their infamous no shows against Sydney in week 1 of the finals.

The no show has become a signature of this group. Can barely stand the sight of any of them.

Sooner the list is turned over the better

That was the one we should've won IMO. Best balanced side we had and had the wood over Sydney.

As for 2017, I'm glad we got there. Had a ripper few days in Melbourne in the leadup and experienced the parade which was great. My sister-in-law was living with her Tiger supporting partner on Swan Street at the time and Friday night was great.

But it's tough losing one.

 

[Tex200]

That was the one we should've won IMO. Best balanced side we had and had the wood over Sydney.

As for 2017, I'm glad we got there. Had a ripper few days in Melbourne in the leadup and experienced the parade which was great. My sister-in-law was living with her Tiger supporting partner on Swan Street at the time and Friday night was great.

But it's tough losing one.

Yeah we had a fun week too, and a great morning in Melb.

I was always uneasy going to the ground though. They’d never been group to be trusted.

 

[hey shorty]

Yeah we had a fun week too, and a great morning in Melb.

I was always uneasy going to the ground though. They’d never been group to be trusted.

I went to the AFL breakfast at the Crown, was really good. Richo was a speaker, he had resigned himself to the fact they wouldn't win.

Wish he was right.

 

[SugarShane]

Nah. The feeling after that prelim was just heaven.

We would've turned to s**t either way with the boneheads we had in charge so might as well have had one week where we thought we were good enough.

 

[WetCrow1991]

Should have made it in 2016, would have had a better chance of winning.