Sliding door moments

[Paganism mark II]

In each season there’s “what if’s” and elements of luck that ultimately determine the fate of teams.

My biggest sliding door moment would be week 1 of the 2016 finals series. Isaac Smith missing that goal after the siren condemning Hawthorn to a week 2 final against the Bulldogs.
In 2016, Geelong played the dogs twice and beat them comfortably. If Smith kicks that goal, Geelong then play the dogs, Hawthorn get the week’s rest and play Sydney in a preliminary final at the MCG, who they had a great record against.
You’d have fancied Geelong with their final’s experience to beat GWS in that preliminary final.
So Smith’s missed set shot may very well have been the death knock for Geelong that night, unknowingly for all at the time.

 

[manicmagpie]

In each season there’s “what if’s” and elements of luck that ultimately determine the fate of teams.

My biggest sliding door moment would be week 1 of the 2016 finals series. Isaac Smith missing that goal after the siren condemning Hawthorn to a week 2 final against the Bulldogs.
In 2016, Geelong played the dogs twice and beat them comfortably. If Smith kicks that goal, Geelong then play the dogs, Hawthorn get the week’s rest and play Sydney in a preliminary final at the MCG, who they had a great record against.
You’d have fancied Geelong with their final’s experience to beat GWS in that preliminary final.
So Smith’s missed set shot may very well have been the death knock for Geelong that night, unknowingly for all at the time.

The all time classic is what if the ball had bounced differently for Milne in the 2010 drawn Grand Final (or alternatively, what if Milne had actually attacked the ball)?

Think about the difference that would make to:

• Milne's reputation - would be considered a hero of St Kilda on par with Barry Breen instead of remembered for the indecent assault.
  
• Malthouse - if he couldn't get Collingwood over the line in 2011 would have coached for 17 seasons without a flag, severely denting his legacy and rep.
  
• Buckley - the handover would probably be seen as necessary and he would have been initially cut much more slack as a result.
  
• Lyon - hailed as a coaching genius instead of devising game plans that come up short in Grand Finals.
• Pendlebury - the fact he was suffering through illness in the GF would not have been seen as a valid excuse for his poor performance if he didn't have the ability to make amends the week after. Other achievements greatly diminished as a result.
  
• McGuire - huge pressure on Eddie's presidency if he doesn't have a flag after all that time in charge.
• Riewoldt, Hayes, Goddard, Montagna etc - vast difference in legacy and reputation if they have a flag on their CV at end of their careers.
• Reverse for Swan, Didak etc who would be missing their premiership credentials.

All these massive changes and more due to one bounce of the ball...

 

[iluvparis]

The all time classic is what if the ball had bounced differently for Milne in the 2010 drawn Grand Final (or alternatively, what if Milne had actually attacked the ball)?

Think about the difference that would make to:

• Milne's reputation - would be considered a hero of St Kilda on par with Barry Breen instead of the indecent assault.
  
• Malthouse - if he couldn't get Collingwood over the line in 2011 would have coached for 17 seasons without a flag, severely denting his legacy and rep.
  
• Buckley - the handover would probably be seen as necessary and he would have been initially cut much more slack as a result.
  
• Lyon - hailed as a coaching genius instead of devising game plans that come up short in Grand Finals.
• Pendlebury - the fact he was suffering through illness in the GF would not have been seen as a valid excuse for his poor performance if he didn't have the ability to make amends the week after. Other achievements greatly diminished as a result.
  
• McGuire - huge pressure on Eddie's presidency if he doesn't have a flag after all that time in charge.
• Riewoldt, Hayes, Goddard, Montagna etc - vast difference in legacy and reputation if they have a flag on their CV at end of their careers.
• Reverse for Swan, Didak etc who would be missing their premiership credentials.

All these massive changes and more due to one bounce of the ball...

• Goddard mark goes down as the greatest of all time and arguably becomes to the AFL era what Jezza's mark is to the VFL era.

 

[iluvparis]

Also inb4 Stephen O'Reilly stays at Freo

 

[Paganism mark II]

The all time classic is what if the ball had bounced differently for Milne in the 2010 drawn Grand Final (or alternatively, what if Milne had actually attacked the ball)?

Think about the difference that would make to:

• Milne's reputation - would be considered a hero of St Kilda on par with Barry Breen instead of the indecent assault.
  
• Malthouse - if he couldn't get Collingwood over the line in 2011 would have coached for 17 seasons without a flag, severely denting his legacy and rep.
  
• Buckley - the handover would probably be seen as necessary and he would have been initially cut much more slack as a result.
  
• Lyon - hailed as a coaching genius instead of devising game plans that come up short in Grand Finals.
• Pendlebury - the fact he was suffering through illness in the GF would not have been seen as a valid excuse for his poor performance if he didn't have the ability to make amends the week after. Other achievements greatly diminished as a result.
  
• McGuire - huge pressure on Eddie's presidency if he doesn't have a flag after all that time in charge.
• Riewoldt, Hayes, Goddard, Montagna etc - vast difference in legacy and reputation if they have a flag on their CV at end of their careers.
• Reverse for Swan, Didak etc who would be missing their premiership credentials.

All these massive changes and more due to one bounce of the ball...

Very true

 

[HTT]

Last year
R19: Adelaide draw with Collingwood
If McGovern doesn't mark and goal on the siren, Adelaide lose.

Assuming all else stays the same, their last round game against West Coast suddenly holds some value - Geelong would actually be sitting above them heading into that game.

I'm sure if top spot was on the line, Adelaide would have been a bit more inclined to win that game, and probably win or get closer.

Melbourne then makes the finals

 

[PAFC_1870]

Play on call for Dixon... Geelong finish 4th, Port finish 5th.

If that wasn't called, Geelong play WCE in the first final... at home. Port get the double chance.

It may have actually benefited both in a way.

 

[Jack Bradley]

Nathan Buckley backs out on a contract that would land him at North Melbourne, and joins Collingwood - yet still keeps the $10,000 advance payment.

Would have 2 flags at North

If he didnt leave the Lions he could of had 3.

Now he has none. This is my favourite.

 

[Quivorir]

Pretty sure you don't understand what the term "sliding doors moment" means. Please learn from this guy who is employed to write for a living.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-06-15/sliding-doors-round-13

 

[Senor M]

Last year
R19: Adelaide draw with Collingwood
If McGovern doesn't mark and goal on the siren, Adelaide lose.

Assuming all else stays the same, their last round game against West Coast suddenly holds some value - Geelong would actually be sitting above them heading into that game.

I'm sure if top spot was on the line, Adelaide would have been a bit more inclined to win that game, and probably win or get closer.

Melbourne then makes the finals

That sliding doors moment leaves potential to radically change Richmond's Premiership run too.

If Adelaide still lost that game (even if the score) they would've finished 2nd without the 2 points from the R19 draw.

Second Vs Third because Adelaide Vs Richmond at the Adelaide Oval. Richmond doesn't play as well away from the MCG and likely lose the Qualifying final meaning their finals hoodoo isn't broken and face a much more difficult run to get to the Grand Final than just a Prelim Vs. GWS at the MCG.

 

[Arctic fox]

Mark Thompson going to Essendon.

 

[ManOfClay]

In each season there’s “what if’s” and elements of luck that ultimately determine the fate of teams.

My biggest sliding door moment would be week 1 of the 2016 finals series. Isaac Smith missing that goal after the siren condemning Hawthorn to a week 2 final against the Bulldogs.
In 2016, Geelong played the dogs twice and beat them comfortably. If Smith kicks that goal, Geelong then play the dogs, Hawthorn get the week’s rest and play Sydney in a preliminary final at the MCG, who they had a great record against.
You’d have fancied Geelong with their final’s experience to beat GWS in that preliminary final.
So Smith’s missed set shot may very well have been the death knock for Geelong that night, unknowingly for all at the time.

Huge sliding doors moment for the dogs there. We’d be monumentallly ****ed, still in huge debt and without a flag while serving the tripe we are serving up now

 

[HTT]

That sliding doors moment leaves potential to radically change Richmond's Premiership run too.

If Adelaide still lost that game (even if the score) they would've finished 2nd without the 2 points from the R19 draw.

Second Vs Third because Adelaide Vs Richmond at the Adelaide Oval. Richmond doesn't play as well away from the MCG and likely lose the Qualifying final meaning their finals hoodoo isn't broken and face a much more difficult run to get to the Grand Final than just a Prelim Vs. GWS at the MCG.

Yep and loser of that game would cop Sydney the next week

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Mark Thompson going to Essendon.

Huge one. What if Bomber stays at Geelong?

 

[Paganism mark II]

Pretty sure you don't understand what the term "sliding doors moment" means. Please learn from this guy who is employed to write for a living.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-06-15/sliding-doors-round-13

Pretty sure you don't understand what the term "sliding doors moment" means. Please learn from this guy who is employed to write for a living.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-06-15/sliding-doors-round-13

Pivotal moments in life where our actions alter our destiny

 

[manicmagpie]

• Goddard mark goes down as the greatest of all time and arguably becomes to the AFL era what Jezza's mark is to the VFL era.

Absolutely. That mark became the goal that put St Kilda in front for the first time. It gets replayed enough as it is, if it led to a win we would never see the end of it.

I forgot to add to my original post that if Travis Cloke thinks he copped a lot of flak during his career as it is, he would have been pilloried for ever because of those misses just before half time.

 

[Paganism mark II]

Absolutely. That mark became the goal that put St Kilda in front for the first time. It gets replayed enough as it is, if it led to a win we would never see the end of it.

I forgot to add to my original post that if Travis Cloke thinks he copped a lot of flak during his career as it is, he would have been pilloried for ever because of those misses just before half time.

Had everything going for them, Goddard hanger, hit the front, momentum...

 

[manicmagpie]

Another one I think about every so often is if Collingwood had managed to hold on against Geelong in the 2007 Prelim.

It's very tempting to think we would have won the GF given how terrible Port were in the actual one, but there's no guarantee they would have done so. We had also had a very draining finals series including extra time in Perth, so not sure how they would have pulled up. The amazing thing is that Buckley did his hammy in the last minutes of the prelim and would have missed out anyway.

I think nothing much would have changed for Geelong. That team was so good they would probably have just won in 2008 instead, as they would have had the hunger that they were probably missing against Hawthorn that year.

 

[The Gong]

Pretty sure you don't understand what the term "sliding doors moment" means. Please learn from this guy who is employed to write for a living.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-06-15/sliding-doors-round-13

I'll peg this one as clever satire.

It's always bugged me that Barrett doesn't understand or chooses to ignore what sliding doors means. Maybe "Random unsubstantiated and most likely untrue rumours" isn't as catchy.

 

[HTT]

Pivotal moments in life where our actions alter our destiny

He had his tongue firmly planted in his cheek. Barrett's lack of understanding of the concept is fairly well publicised

 

[Paganism mark II]

Round 22 1987, Kernahan kicks a goal after the siren to give Carlton top spot, a week’s break and straight into a 2nd semi final.
Misses it and Hawthorn finish top and get the week off.
Fast forward 4 weeks and Carlton beats a tired Hawthorn in the grand final on a hot 30+ degree day

 

[Paganism mark II]

He had his tongue firmly planted in his cheek. Barrett's lack of understanding of the concept is fairly well publicised

I apologise unreservedly to my fellow North Melbourne big footyist

 

[manicmagpie]

Had everything going for them, Goddard hanger, hit the front, momentum...

That Goddard mark and goal was at the 19 minute mark and put them 6 points up. The quarter went for 31 minutes and yet St Kilda's only subsequent score was from the decisive bounce in front of Milne after they'd given up the lead again.

Yet most people (even Nick Maxwell) immediately say that St Kilda were 'overrunning Collingwood' and would have won if extra time was played.

 

[00Stinger]

Steve Johnson doesn't fail his medical at Collingwood.

Do Collingwood then beat Geelong in the 2007 Prelim? And go on to become premiers?

 

[Superstar swan]

Sinclair kicking 6 tonight to sincer the eagles