Great grand final matchups we were robbed of

[juss]

2019 Pies v Tiges would have been pretty epic. There was no ‘robbing’ as Pies s**t the bed in the PF, but two ‘big four’ Melbourne clubs going at it in the GF would have been a real spectacle.

Agreed. While Richmond were the power team of that period, the Pies would no doubt have put up a much better game for neutrals than what GWS did.
The build up would have been enormous, and Collingwood were a real thorn in the side of Richmond in the way they matched up quite well.

 

[offtherails9]

Agree, hawks form was poor in the 2016 finals. Though with all the champions in the team, if they had made it by soem lucky circumstance i cant help but think that the vets would have sput in one big final all in.

Strange take, Hawks had a lot of chances in the QF vs the Cats to win that, and they should have. A home prelim against whoever, and you'd think we get to the GF.

 

[juss]

2019 not too sure both richmond and collingwood played in the gf both had a point to prove collingwood from the gf choke of 2018 and richmond and their choke in the prelim.

Not too sure if it was a sure thing richmond would win either.
I do feel Collingwood had more of a point to prove as more on thier shoulders then richmond besides the tigers won in 2017.
Collingwood would be up for it.
Thought the prelim v gws we were in the gf but the second half was a shocker and only ended up a goal short at the end.
Collingwood would have made it tough for richmond too in the gf.
Had richmond did not choke in 2018 they would not have won 2019 and 2020.
They had a point to prove.

Disagree on that last line.

Richmond were comfortably the best team in the comp across 2017-2020. One bad game in a PF stopped them from winning 4 in a row, but they finished that 2018 season 2 games and 15% clear in 1st position at the end of the H&A. There is not a chance in hell any interstate side was beating Richmond in a final at the MCG that year, such was their dominance at home.

It was a period where a bunch of all time club greats were in their prime together, the game plan stood up in finals, and they were ridiculously strong at the MCG. Winning it in 2020 completely away from home after a s**t start showed how good they were, I don't think they had anything to prove then after winning 2 flags previously.

 

[TRP1996]

West Coast/Sydney 2006

WCE/Syd in both 2005 and 2006. With the winners of the QF going on to lose the GF by an identical margin in both instances.

Crows obviously managed to land on the side of the fixture to play WCE in the PF both years.

 

[Tackle Bag]

Pies v Tigers in 19. Richmond would have won regardless but the pies would have put up more of a fight than GWS.

A full strength Collingwood might have made a good GF but I reckon both GWS and the Pies were cooked after that prelim they played. Whichever side won was always going to be up against it the next week I reckon.

The build up of a Collingwood v Richmond GF in Melbourne would be insane though .

 

[iameviljez]

You mean a side that beat both the premier and previous seasons GF side in the first 2 weeks of the finals by 50 points each? Not that big of a stretch, oh and had won their previous 7 matches prior to the prelim by an average margin of over 50 points also

… and promptly finished third last the following year?

A good ordinary side, late-90s Melbourne. Not dissimilar to late-00s Bulldogs

 

[Marmozet]

Hawthorn vs Geelong should have been the GF in 2013, but instead it happened in the PF.

2015 should have been Fremantle vs West Coast. That would have been huge!

Hawthorn vs Western Bulldogs in 2016 would have been the biggest hero vs villain match-up. The Dogs had 95% of neutral support that year, but imagine if they were playing the Hawthorn side that was going for 4 in a row?

Sydney vs GWS in 2016 would have been good too.

2019 should have been Richmond vs Collingwood. Biggest Grand Final match-up ever…and the last GF before Covid too.

 

[Shooter#17]

… and promptly finished third last the following year?

A good ordinary side, late-90s Melbourne. Not dissimilar to late-00s Bulldogs

LOL and played off in a GF the year after.. Oh forgot that bit doesn't suit the narrative

 

[iameviljez]

A full strength Collingwood might have made a good GF but I reckon both GWS and the Pies were cooked after that prelim they played. Whichever side won was always going to be up against it the next week I reckon.

The build up of a Collingwood v Richmond GF in Melbourne would be insane though .

The real screw up that year was us bottling the QF against Collingwood. From memory we were a game and a huge amount of % atop the ladder… but stuffed the QF, then lost to Richmond by three goals with Hawkins suspended.

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

Agreed. While Richmond were the power team of that period, the Pies would no doubt have put up a much better game for neutrals than what GWS did.
The build up would have been enormous, and Collingwood were a real thorn in the side of Richmond in the way they matched up quite well.

I think you would have beaten us by 7 or 8 goals had we made the '19 Grand Final.

We just weren't in good form compared to the year before. At least the City of Melbourne would have been buzzing during the buildup.

 

[Goggin Our Best]

1998 Roos vs Dees, because of the ridicules top 8 system back then Melbourne were disadvantaged for finishing 4th and thumping 5th placed Adelaide in the first week of finals, not only did they not get a week off but had the privilege of going into the harder side of the draw where they got to play the 1st placed Roos in a prelim.

Every set of supporters - have got what ifs - but they count for nothing - whats in the record book - is what is in the record book

But i thought the Dees - were unlucky - or unfortunate in 1990 - which wasnt a strong year

Melbs form coming into the finals was very good - last game of the year they beat Haw at Waverly - Hawks reigning premiers and still a very strong side

Now the touch of luck you need - that last round Geel were just shy of 4 goals in front of W/Coast at KP at 3qtr time - if the Cats hadnt folded like a weak pack of cards in the last qtr and lost narrowly to the Eagles - the the Dees finish - double chance 3rd - and absolute box seat to be premiers

That form beating the Hawks at Waverly was very good form - because the Hawks 4 weeks earlier had towelled up the Magpies by about 14 goals at the same venue

So the Dees go into an elimination final against the Hawks at Waverly again - and they beat them - thats great form - then there was the drawn final - so Melb have 2 weeks off - maybe thats why they put in the shocker against basically a dads army at the time in Ess

But 1990 i think Melb could say what if - because not many teams beat Haw back to back at Waverly in that era

 

[kriles76]

Every set of supporters - have got what ifs - but they count for nothing - whats in the record book - is what is in the record book

But i thought the Dees - were unlucky - or unfortunate in 1990 - which wasnt a strong year

Melbs form coming into the finals was very good - last game of the year they beat Haw at Waverly - Hawks reigning premiers and still a very strong side

Now the touch of luck you need - that last round Geel were just shy of 4 goals in front of W/Coast at KP at 3qtr time - if the Cats hadnt folded like a weak pack of cards in the last qtr and lost narrowly to the Eagles - the the Dees finish - double chance 3rd - and absolute box seat to be premiers

That form beating the Hawks at Waverly was very good form - because the Hawks 4 weeks earlier had towelled up the Magpies by about 14 goals at the same venue

So the Dees go into an elimination final against the Hawks at Waverly again - and they beat them - thats great form - then there was the drawn final - so Melb have 2 weeks off - maybe thats why they put in the shocker against basically a dads army at the time in Ess

But 1990 i think Melb could say what if - because not many teams beat Haw back to back at Waverly in that era

IIRC, both Melbourne vs. Hawthorn matches you mention were at the MCG.

 

[kane249]

Fyfe broke his leg in the 2015 prelim vs Hawthorn

Pavlich tore his calf in the same game

If they had been in the Grand Final likely neither would have played or under very heavy duress if they did.

2015 wouldn't have been the showpiece people are expecting.

 

[PetterdHoisted]

The real screw up that year was us bottling the QF against Collingwood. From memory we were a game and a huge amount of % atop the ladder… but stuffed the QF, then lost to Richmond by three goals with Hawkins suspended.

yeah that was a funny QF, seemed to lack intensity, or just didn't feature a surge by the Cats, the Pies just seemed to hold them at arms length the whole game (in my memory)

 

[iameviljez]

LOL and played off in a GF the year after.. Oh forgot that bit doesn't suit the narrative

No, honestly, it all fits. Melbourne of the late 90s/2000 were a decent-but-workmanlike side - but they wouldn't have been a better match for the Roos than Adelaide in 1998. The Kangaroos were a generational team at the height of their powers... who forgot how to kick straight for a day.

 

[BigVic]

Eagles would’ve won 2015 had they faced Freo with an injured Fyfe and Pavlich out.

The Dockers would’ve gone in undermanned against a full-strength Eagles side.

 

[Randall Stevens]

Every set of supporters - have got what ifs - but they count for nothing - whats in the record book - is what is in the record book

But i thought the Dees - were unlucky - or unfortunate in 1990 - which wasnt a strong year

Melbs form coming into the finals was very good - last game of the year they beat Haw at Waverly - Hawks reigning premiers and still a very strong side

Now the touch of luck you need - that last round Geel were just shy of 4 goals in front of W/Coast at KP at 3qtr time - if the Cats hadnt folded like a weak pack of cards in the last qtr and lost narrowly to the Eagles - the the Dees finish - double chance 3rd - and absolute box seat to be premiers

That form beating the Hawks at Waverly was very good form - because the Hawks 4 weeks earlier had towelled up the Magpies by about 14 goals at the same venue

So the Dees go into an elimination final against the Hawks at Waverly again - and they beat them - thats great form - then there was the drawn final - so Melb have 2 weeks off - maybe thats why they put in the shocker against basically a dads army at the time in Ess

But 1990 i think Melb could say what if - because not many teams beat Haw back to back at Waverly in that era

IIRC, both Melbourne vs. Hawthorn matches you mention were at the MCG.

Kriles is correct, both of Melbourne’s wins over Hawthorn were at MCG.
Also, Melbourne were knocked out by West Coast, not Essendon. The weeks break gifted to them by the draw was considered a big advantage at the time. And West Coast were travelling for the fifth week in a row. They played the last two h&a in Brisbane and Geelong, then the two qualifying finals at Waverley before the first semi v Melbourne.

 

[lordbob]

Strange take, Hawks had a lot of chances in the QF vs the Cats to win that, and they should have. A home prelim against whoever, and you'd think we get to the GF.

Comparing it to the previous 3 years where the hawks were usually clear winners in most finals they played, they didnt look like that in 2016. Too much just getting over the line that year.

 

[Danw0w]

Richmond vs West Coast in 2018 would have been mouth watering. The match in round 22, 2019 between the sides showed what could have been..

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Probably mentioned but Giants and Swans 2016.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Shooter#17]

No, honestly, it all fits. Melbourne of the late 90s/2000 were a decent-but-workmanlike side - but they wouldn't have been a better match for the Roos than Adelaide in 1998. The Kangaroos were a generational team at the height of their powers... who forgot how to kick straight for a day.

No doubt the roos were the dominant side in the lasted 90s

 

[Shooter#17]

Every set of supporters - have got what ifs - but they count for nothing - whats in the record book - is what is in the record book

But i thought the Dees - were unlucky - or unfortunate in 1990 - which wasnt a strong year

Melbs form coming into the finals was very good - last game of the year they beat Haw at Waverly - Hawks reigning premiers and still a very strong side

Now the touch of luck you need - that last round Geel were just shy of 4 goals in front of W/Coast at KP at 3qtr time - if the Cats hadnt folded like a weak pack of cards in the last qtr and lost narrowly to the Eagles - the the Dees finish - double chance 3rd - and absolute box seat to be premiers

That form beating the Hawks at Waverly was very good form - because the Hawks 4 weeks earlier had towelled up the Magpies by about 14 goals at the same venue

So the Dees go into an elimination final against the Hawks at Waverly again - and they beat them - thats great form - then there was the drawn final - so Melb have 2 weeks off - maybe thats why they put in the shocker against basically a dads army at the time in Ess

But 1990 i think Melb could say what if - because not many teams beat Haw back to back at Waverly in that era

Agreed that dees side of the early 90s was stacked with talent and had no luck at all. Forward line of Lyon, Scwartz, Jakovic, Neitz, Bennet, Pike ,Charles etc with gun mids and the best ruck in the game in Stynes. Should have won a flag in that period.

 

[Hojuman]

No, honestly, it all fits. Melbourne of the late 90s/2000 were a decent-but-workmanlike side - but they wouldn't have been a better match for the Roos than Adelaide in 1998. The Kangaroos were a generational team at the height of their powers... who forgot how to kick straight for a day.

I sat in the shade that day in the old Southern stand. I have attended 100's of games at the MCG and never seen the wind like it was that day. I actually got wind burn. We kicked 2.18 to the city end. Killer

 

[iameviljez]

Agreed that dees side of the early 90s was stacked with talent and had no luck at all. Forward line of Lyon, Scwartz, Jakovic, Neitz, Bennet, Pike ,Charles etc with gun mids and the best ruck in the game in Stynes. Should have won a flag in that period.

Could have been a brilliant forward line in the mid 90s had Jako and Bennett stuck around.

Not sure about the “gun mids” term. Workmanlike, yes, but I don’t see an equivalent to Williams, Matera, Buckley, Knights, etc.

 

[iameviljez]

I sat in the shade that day in the old Southern stand. I have attended 100's of games at the MCG and never seen the wind like it was that day. I actually got wind burn. We kicked 2.18 to the city end. Killer

I was at the 2008 game as we similarly conspired to shoot our own feet off. You have my empathy