Duncan, Parker, Simpkin, Duryea, Suckling - Go down in history as unluckiest premiership winners?

[RUNVS]

2011 - Mitch Duncan
2012 - Luke Parker
2013 - Jonathan Simpkin
2014 - Taylor Duryea
2015 - Matthew Suckling

These were the guys that were the subs in the Grand Final winning teams. They have that dubious honour and for several of them they only came onto the field for essentially the last quarter and as a result had a minimal impact on the outcome of the game. Had the sub rule not been in place at all then these players would have played a full game but instead because they were subs at the end of the game I suspect more than a few of them were not even tired.

So because they were subs and did not play for a large portion of their grand finals, having reasonably minimal impact on the outcomes of their games, do you think they feel like they might look back on these years and think they were not quite as involved, and it was less their premiership than their 21 team mates?

The sub rule is gone in 2016 as well so these 5 guys will be the only ones who have been the sub and won the premiership, separating them from every premiership winning player for over 40 years.

 

[Quivorir]

They should all only have 25% of a medal each.

 

[Lensen]

It's a relatively recent phenomenon the notion that bench players are full parts of the team - Cam Mooney, for example, would probably feel less a part of his flag than most of the guys you've listed.

 

[Demonated]

Somewhat true, Parker I remember had very little time and influence but Duncan came on early due to injury and had an important cameo. It depends on the situation really. It wiould be Duncan's proudest day I reckon.

 

[tigs2010]

All had more impact than Mooney

 

[Gunstall555]

in 2014 Doc had more running bounces in his 20 minutes of game time than Sydney did in the whole game. In addition, he had a solid 2015 grand final as well, so I'm sure he's pretty happy with himself.

 

[Jables]

It's interesting, Duryea (who was surprisingly good in just a quarter) and Suckling came on when the opposition were well and truly done. If I were them I guess I'd think we would have rolled them whether I was the sub or not because the teams they were on were really good, It's a team accomplishment not an individual award. Duryea was killing it anyway. Now Simpkin is a lucky bastard even though he's a solid player, another inside mid was redundant and only plausible BECAUSE of the sub rule.

 

[Jazz71286]

Pods went down halfway through the second qtr, Duncan played more than half the game. More than many bench warming ruckman of decades past.

 

[RedWhite&Blue]

I agree - it would feel a touch hollow.

 

[Stucky]

They were the rules at the time and doesn't change the fact that they're a premiership player. What about before the 90's when the bench players would only come on later in the game. Would they all feel that they were not really apart of it either?

 

[Crows4Eva]

I don't know if 'unlucky' and 'premiership winner' can realistically go in the same sentence.

 

[Topkent]

OP clearly doesnt remember that bench players hardly played before 06ish anyway

 

[Hipster Doofus]

Yeah I bet they're really upset about it.

 

[thejester]

This trope that sub players have been denied something or that it's unfair is so, so bizarre.

 

[innocentsmiles]

in 2014 Doc had more running bounces in his 20 minutes of game time than Sydney did in the whole game. In addition, he had a solid 2015 grand final as well, so I'm sure he's pretty happy with himself.

This. SO MUCH THIS.

Showed up more than most of Sydney. Didn't Bird also have more heart than his full game time team mates?

 

[MaddAdam]

OP clearly doesnt remember that bench players hardly played before 06ish anyway

It is instructive watching old finals. In the North v Geelong 94 prelim, a player coming off the bench is treated as if he'd been subbed on in that system.

"He's on! They've brought Crocker (whoever it was) on!"

 

[le dominateur]

The luckiest would have to be Leon "Donuts" Davis, AFL PC at its pathetic worse.

 

[Smithdogmaddog]

A bloke like billy harung would've killed to be sub. Thinking of the next guy in line who missed out would help you get over it pretty quickly.

 

[telsor]

Until 1978, the bench was 2 subs (called emergencies and often not played at all), no interchange, so really, no, they're not that hard done by.

 

[Donakebab]

In 2004 Hardwick, Schofield and Kingsley all had under 35% game time, should they feel unlucky too? Jason Ball had 37% in 2005 and Seaby 26% in 2006, should they feel unlucky? If game time stats were kept from earlier years you can bet that numbers would have dropped much lower for some players. Dumb thread.

 

[Hawkers]

OP clearly doesnt remember that bench players hardly played before 06ish anyway

Spot on. OP didn't think this one through

 

[Forward Press]

Aaron Shattock and Beau McDonald didn't even touch the ball in the 2002 GF.

Cameron Mooney didn't either in his GF win with North.

I doubt any of those three, or the five subs, care about that.

 

[manicmagpie]

Until 1978, the bench was 2 subs (called emergencies and often not played at all), no interchange, so really, no, they're not that hard done by.

Yes, the most famous Grand Final sub has to be Ted Hopkins.

Subs have been part of the game for around 55 years (IIRC 1930-1978, 2011-2015), while the concept of interchange has only been with us for less than 40.

Guess which one is derided as anathema to our game and which held up as tradition?

 

[telsor]

Yes, the most famous Grand Final sub has to be Ted Hopkins.

Subs have been part of the game for around 55 years (IIRC 1930-1978, 2011-2015), while the concept of interchange has only been with us for less than 40.

Guess which one is derided as anathema to our game and which held up as tradition?

Yep...I love people telling us over the past few years how we should stop messing with the game, drop the sub and go back to how the game was...

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I don't know if 'unlucky' and 'premiership winner' can realistically go in the same sentence.

Yeah, I'm sure Brendan Whitecross's heart just bleeds for guys like Duryea and Suckling.