Great grand final matchups we were robbed of

[T2B_]

Collingwood vs Carlton 2023

Would have been bloody epic. Unfortunately we probably needed to play Brissy at the MCG instead to get there and it shows why you need to finish Top 4 and not waste half the H&A season like we did.

 

[Gydafud]

You would have destroyed us in 2011. That's an unpopular opinion amongst Hawthorn fans, but we weren't ready yet.

It's partly why I just couldn't have cared less that Luke Ball kicked the winner in the dying stages of the prelim.

I just wanted our win back haha

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

Oh please like 2012, Fremantle had Geelong's measure in 2013

The crows were massively robbed in the 2012 prelim.
Some of the worst umpiring I’ve seen.
The GF result did it justice.

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

2007
Should of been Geelong v Collingwood... Grand Final was played the week before

2020
Richmond v Collingwood would of been huge...

Collingwood were no where near it in 20 and got hammered in the semi.
2019 yes.

 

[Xtreme]

The crows were massively robbed in the 2012 prelim.
Some of the worst umpiring I’ve seen.
The GF result did it justice.

Without 2012 we would never have had the drive or desire to threepeat.
Cracking grand final as well, watched it last night as part of my finals footy marathon month of September

 

[Dirty Bird]

GWS vs Brisbane 2023 - Would have been the perfect GF for the expansion of our great game.

But alas, we got stuck with shitty Collingwood instead.

note - I actually like the Craig Macrae side. I want them to win the GF.

 

[Clark G]

GWS vs Brisbane 2023 - Would have been the perfect GF for the expansion of our great game.

But alas, we got stuck with shitty Collingwood instead.

note - I actually like the Craig Macrae side. I want them to win the GF.

The perfect match up for expansion of the game would be GWS vs Gold Coast. One step at a time though - Gold Coast have to make the eight first.

 

[mouncey2franklin]

West Coast vs Freo 2015

The Hawks kicked 15.4 in the prelim at Domain to defeat the Dockers by 27 points.

Interestingly, even though Freo won the minor premiership that season, they copped a 12-goal hiding in Rd 15.

The opponent was Hawthorn. It seems Clarko had RTB's measure that year.

 

[davywap]

Some off the top of my head:

• 2007: West Coast vs. Geelong

Really felt we were robbed of this one. The best team of the 2005/2006 period vs. the one for 2007-2011. WCE imploded with the scandals. Both teams had similar styles: a low kick-to-handball ratio. Lots of handballs and overlap running through the middle of the ground, making for entertaining football. They played once in round 7 or 8; it was at Skilled; WCE was undefeated, while Geelong was demolishing teams. The Cats won by 5 goals or so; it got down to 20 points with 8 minutes left.

A healthy, firing WCE was the best foil to Geelong in 2007. It's a shame we never saw them square off, both 100%, at the MCG.

• 1994: West Coast vs. North Melbourne

Two best teams of the '90s. Would've been awesome to have seen Jackovich vs. Carey on the grandest stage of them all.

• 1999: North Melbourne vs. Essendon

The last hurrah of North, up against Essendon, the next one up.

• 2018: Richmond vs. West Coast

The two best teams all year. Was a shame we never saw this matchup.

No bias here at all

 

[davywap]

2019 Richmond vs Collingwood would of been insane and a better spectacle

1999 North v Essendon

1997 Saints vs Bulldogs - the 2 strugglers both playing for their second flag would've been awesome. Crom should've never been in the grand final, and wouldn't have been with the current top 8 system.

 

[naysayer]

The potential Geelong v Collinwood gf last year could've been amazing.

 

[Defabs]

The potential Geelong v Collinwood gf last year could've been amazing.

Agree. The QF was one of the matches of the year and has been Collingwood’s only close loss since their crazy run last season where they have failed to protect their lead in the last 5 mins of the game. Collingwood has generally matched up well against Geelong going all the way back to 2007

 

[TRP1996]

1997 Saints vs Bulldogs - the 2 strugglers both playing for their second flag would've been awesome. Crom should've never been in the grand final, and wouldn't have been with the current top 8 system.

In what way? Not outraged or anything, just curious.

It was 1998 that we finished 5th and lost first week.

 

[davywap]

In what way? Not outraged or anything, just curious.

It was 1998 that we finished 5th and lost first week.

Would've played Saints in first final under current system in first final which I'd say the would've lost (probably at afl park), then don't think would've gotten through after that. Besides, Libba's kick in prelim was a goal, would've been game over if paid. Also, if Colbert's mark was paid on the semi the result could've been different.

 

[adammania9]

2019 will be the only occasion I will ever be glad my side lost the prelim. Richmond would have mopped us up by 8-10 goals on grand final day. We were no good in the back end of the year.

 

[Soggy2112]

Would've played Saints in first final under current system in first final which I'd say the would've lost (probably at afl park), then don't think would've gotten through after that. Besides, Libba's kick in prelim was a goal, would've been game over if paid. Also, if Colbert's mark was paid on the semi the result could've been different.

You’ve made a whole bunch of assumptions there. How do you know Libba definitely kicked a goal? How do you know the Crows wouldn’t have still come back? How do you know the Saints win it at Waverley?

In 1997 the Crows won four straight finals and knocked off everyone in the top 5 in that finals series. Given that fact I don’t know how you can argue they didn’t deserve to be there.

1998 they lost in round one from 5th so arguably got lucky there.

 

[Stottzy]

Essendon and North in 1999. Had a great rivalry and were clearly the 2 best teams that year. North were thanking Carlton they beat them in the prelim.

St Kilda vs Bulldogs 97. This would have been an epic and a marketing dream being that one of these 2 clubs would break their droughts and win their 2nd flag.

Hawthorn vs Geelong during the Kennett curse era deserved another GF. Had Geelong beaten Freo in the first final in 2013 and we'd had that prelim as a GF, it would have gone down as the GOAT of grand finals.

 

[aCunningPlan]

The crows were massively robbed in the 2012 prelim.
Some of the worst umpiring I’ve seen.
The GF result did it justice.

Genuinely the most angry I have ever been after a game, how Adelaide were downright cheated out of a grand final that year was a disgrace.

 

[davywap]

You’ve made a whole bunch of assumptions there. How do you know Libba definitely kicked a goal? How do you know the Crows wouldn’t have still come back? How do you know the Saints win it at Waverley?

In 1997 the Crows won four straight finals and knocked off everyone in the top 5 in that finals series. Given that fact I don’t know how you can argue they didn’t deserve to be there.

1998 they lost in round one from 5th so arguably got lucky there.

Just my opinion

 

[Gameova_]

Some off the top of my head:

• 2007: West Coast vs. Geelong

Really felt we were robbed of this one. The best team of the 2005/2006 period vs. the one for 2007-2011. WCE imploded with the scandals. Both teams had similar styles: a low kick-to-handball ratio. Lots of handballs and overlap running through the middle of the ground, making for entertaining football. They played once in round 7 or 8; it was at Skilled; WCE was undefeated, while Geelong was demolishing teams. The Cats won by 5 goals or so; it got down to 20 points with 8 minutes left.

A healthy, firing WCE was the best foil to Geelong in 2007. It's a shame we never saw them square off, both 100%, at the MCG.

• 1994: West Coast vs. North Melbourne

Two best teams of the '90s. Would've been awesome to have seen Jackovich vs. Carey on the grandest stage of them all.

• 1999: North Melbourne vs. Essendon

The last hurrah of North, up against Essendon, the next one up.

• 2018: Richmond vs. West Coast

The two best teams all year. Was a shame we never saw this matchup.

We would've got smoked bt essendon in 99.

U nuts.

 

[BStaff17]

West Coast vs Freo 2015

The Hawks kicked 15.4 in the prelim at Domain to defeat the Dockers by 27 points.

Interestingly, even though Freo won the minor premiership that season, they copped a 12-goal hiding in Rd 15.

The opponent was Hawthorn. It seems Clarko had RTB's measure that year.

Ross only beat Clarko once during his whole time at Freo.

We couldn't beat the hawks if our lives depended on it during the RTB era.

Ironically since Ross left and Longmuir took over the Hawks are the only team Longmuir hasn't lost to yet.

Go figure.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

Ross only beat Clarko once during his whole time at Freo.

We couldn't beat the hawks if our lives depended on it during the RTB era.

Ironically since Ross left and Longmuir took over the Hawks are the only team Longmuir hasn't lost to yet.

Go figure.

Buckley had similar issues with the Hawks.

Think we only got them once or twice and one of those we had to come back from 40 down at quarter time to do it

 

[BStaff17]

Buckley had similar issues with the Hawks.

Think we only got them once or twice and one of those we had to come back from 40 down at quarter time to do it

There were a great side.

Not many teams would have beaten them often.

I recall Richmond troubled them the most outside of Geelong during the 3-peat era.

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

Crom should've never been in the grand final, and wouldn't have been with the current top 8 system.

True but Collingwood would have never “4 peat” in the 20s with the current system either.
They effectively lost 2 Grand Finals but were able to “challenge” it.
What a joke that was

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

Genuinely the most angry I have ever been after a game, how Adelaide were downright cheated out of a grand final that year was a disgrace.