Analysis Geelong vs top 4 rivals from 2013-2014 seasons

King Cold

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Nov 9, 2011
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I have decided to do another analysis comparing us to our top 4 rivals from 2013-2014 as I said I would a few years ago when I did the last one which can be found here for those who haven't seen it or forgotten about it.

Since the final 8 system was introduced in 1994, there has been a team that has come from outside the top 8 one year to making top 4 the following year, and this happened every year from 1994 up until 2008.

2009 was the year that broke this trend, and in 2010 the top 4 remained unchanged from the previous year.

Same thing happened in 2013-2014 when the top 4 teams were Geelong, Hawthorn, Sydney and Fremantle.

Since then, the cycle has gone back to status quo with a team coming from outside the top 8 one year to making top 4 the following year.

Lets compare finishing positions over the last four seasons for each club.

Geelong finishes:
2015 - 10th
2016 - 2nd
2017 - 2nd
2018 - 8th

Hawthorn finishes:
2015 - 3rd
2016 - 3rd
2017 - 12th
2018 - 4th

Sydney finishes:
2015 - 4th
2016 - 1st
2017 - 6th
2018 - 6th

Fremantle finishes:
2015 - 1st
2016 - 16th
2017 - 14th
2018 - 14th

Fremantle went back to the bottom after their run at the top of the ladder, and while Hawthorn and Sydney are currently middle of the road, they appear to be following the same path. This is normal as the AFL system is designed for teams to go through these cycles.

Many people thought our time was up in 2015 when we fell to 10th and missed finals for the first time since 2006, but I can't speak highly enough of those in charge at the club on how they managed to ensure we only had a single down year, before springboarding back into premiership contention in 2016.

I'm enjoying us being in premiership contention again this year while we continue to get games into youngsters at the same time, while the Hawks, Swans and Dockers all currently languish around the middle to lower rungs of the ladder without being near premiership contention.

It will be interesting to do another analysis a few years down the track and compare how we have performed in comparison to Richmond, West Coast and GWS, who have been around the mark for a while now.
 
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