Opinion Geelong in the last 17 years. Best team of the 21st century?

[BigVic]

Geelong have been a consistent team in the past 17 years.

Finals in every year except for 2006 and 2015, Grand Finals in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2020 and premierships in 2007, 2009 and 2011. They’re destined to make yet another finals series and another top four berth.

Are Geelong the best team this century?

 

[Bald]

Which team has won the most flags in the 21st century? Start there to find the best team because finals appearances without flags are just missed opportunities.

 

[Captain_Bender]

Humiliated in every finals series since 2012, greatest home and away side yes, in the big boy games? Far from it

 

[Conan Troutman]

Leigh Matthews Names His “Champion Club” Of The Century​

Leigh Matthews names his “champion club” of the century

From the lips of Lethal.

www.sen.com.au

​

 

[STPer18]

Leigh Matthews says yes, and who are we to argue with him?

 

[Greggy]

Leigh Matthews says yes, and who are we to argue with him?

He also gave Nathan Broad votes in the Norm Smith.

 

[STPer18]

He also gave Nathan Broad votes in the Norm Smith.

Honest mistake, definitely not going senile.

 

[Corn Cobbers]

Definitely the best "home and away" team

 

[dustysnecktattoo]

The minor premiers of the 21st century

 

[BigVic]

A good team in the regular season

 

[STPer18]

Geelong have been a consistent team in the past 17 years.

Finals in every year except for 2006 and 2015, Grand Finals in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2020 and premierships in 2007, 2009 and 2011. They’re destined to make yet another finals series and another top four berth.

Are Geelong the best team this century?

Are you answering your own question?

A good team in the regular season

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

Been ridiculously consistent since 2004, which is a testament to them.

3 flags is still a great return, but I think they should have added another one or two flags on top of that.

 

[BigVic]

Been ridiculously consistent since 2004, which is a testament to them.

3 flags is still a great return, but I think they should have added another one or two flags on top of that.

Had they won 2008, it'll be a no brainer

 

[Falcon3518]

No, didn’t have a forward line or get b2b. Also they had no team defence/system.

For list quality yeah maybe, it’d be out of the lions or them imo. But if they played an actual game against the other 3 dynasty sides hawks and tigers would beat them. That’s just my opinion anyway.

 

[BF Tiger]

Not this s**t again.

 

[Warhorse]

No, didn’t have a forward line or get b2b. Also they had no team defence/system.

For list quality yeah maybe, it’d be out of the lions or them imo. But if they played an actual game against the other 3 dynasty sides hawks and tigers would beat them. That’s just my opinion anyway.

Geelong beat two genuinely good teams in St Kilda and Collingwood to win flags.

Geelong are probably the best run club through the period. Perhaps west coast as they certainly know how to make money.

For better or worse we are now a plastic club run like a business. It's not about finals now it's about extracting money from the supporter base. The stadium prints money for the club. Geelong are now a destination club that big names want to play for.

The Geelong brand is one that companies want to be associated with.

 

[sobrave]

Yay, another thread to bump after an embarrassing finals exit

 

[My Tilly]

Yay, another thread to bump after an embarrassing finals exit

As much as I hate to admit it, you are correct.
It is why I have literally zero faith in this team to do anything at all at the end of the year. They have continually illustrated they just aren't up to handling the pressure of finals.
We are even hearing news of heavy training loads getting the team in peak condition for September. All the same excuses we been hearing for years.

This team will do exactly as expected. Finish top four and enter the first week 50/50 to win the game. Get rolled by 3 or 4 goals. Turn up in week two and play a team who slugged it out the previous week, Beat them by 7 goals. Proceed to get embarrassed in the preliminary final.

 

[PJays]

The AFL's equalisation measures mean it's very difficult to remain good for a long time. The AFL system is specifically designed so every club can compete for flags. And, generally that's what happens.

Draft, hard salary cap, restrictive free agency. These are the reason virtually every club has played in a GF this century (except Carlton who won the flag in 99, North who played a prelim 2 years straight, and Gold Coast who entered in 2011, and which seems to be a professional sports wasteland where teams either die (Blaze) or struggle (Titans, Suns)). They are also the reason clubs bottom out.

Geelong and Sydney have been the two clubs who have beaten the system consistently over a long period of time. Teams aren't supposed to be able to do what they've done

Geelong has managed to unearth and develop a stream of quality players from lower divisions - Podsiadly, Blicavs, Kelly Stewart etc

Geelong easily the most impressive club of this century for mine and its not even close.

Yes Hawthorn has one more flag but they got lucky winning the prelim 3 years in a row by a goal or less. They won 2 flags on their home ground against interstate opponents who had outplayed them over the 22 round season. They didn't earn home ground advantage in 2014 or 2015, it was gifted via a quirk in the AFL system. Quirky compared to most other sports where the playing field is more even (at least pertaining to finals fixturing).

Hawthorn has also been rubbish much of the time- missing finals 10 times this century (soon to be 11). Geelong's only missed 5.

Leigh Matthews is spot on. Geelong easily the most impressive club. By staying near the top for 15+ years, they've done exactly what the AFL system is designed to stop clubs doing.

 

[Power Raid]

Hawks would have a decent argument for being the best side of the last 20 years

The hawks with 4 flags during this period and 3 for the cats, tigers and lions

flags count........coming second is the first loser. Thus building for flags is worth more than consistency.



Confirming the hawk's as the greatest team of the AFL, they lead the table with the most flags

Hawks	5​
Eagles	4​
Tigers	3​
Lions	3​
Cats	3​
Roos	2​
Crows	2​
Dons	2​
Pies	2​
Swans	2​
Demons	1​
Port	1​
Blues	1​
Dogs	1​
Dockers	-
Saints	-
Suns	-
Giants	-

 

[The 747]

Debatable but we are the most consistently 'good' side.

 

[Cotchins Hair Piece]

How can you ask if they’re the best team of the 21st century but not include the first six seasons of the same century?

 

[CharacterFirst]

Yep. We are the best.

 

[Romeoh1]

Yawn.

 

[Wojcinski]

pains me to say it but Hawthorn is so far, Geelong second best