Teams which underachieved?

[JPetro83]

Disagree. Eagles beat you both prelims. Saints got you omin the qualifier where Harvey weaved his magic living 3 our of 6 goals. You guys just didn't have it in September.

Same for 2016 and 17. Nowhere near it. Harsh but true. Beat an average North Team then spanked in Sydney. 2017 got pole-axed.

We blitzed GWS and the Cats in 2017.. got stage fright at the G on GF day playing a team that got to play on their home deck with majority of their fans.

2006 was the year we fkd up... win the QF and were up by 4 goals at half time in that prelim and we had not lost to the swans in a while in that era. we stuffed up

 

[JPetro83]

Disagree. Eagles beat you both prelims. Saints got you omin the qualifier where Harvey weaved his magic living 3 our of 6 goals. You guys just didn't have it in September.

Same for 2016 and 17. Nowhere near it. Harsh but true. Beat an average North Team then spanked in Sydney. 2017 got pole-axed.

Its been a long time between drinks... hell, i was 15 in 1998 watching that Crows v NM GF .... ive run out of patience to a point i was numb after last year's debacle.. i just knew we were going out in straight sets.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Its been a long time between drinks... hell, i was 15 in 1998 watching that Crows v NM GF .... ive run out of patience to a point i was numb after last year's debacle.. i just knew we were going out in straight sets.

I believed we'd beat you in week 1 then after it tipper the hawks as well. But you have Curtin who's a gun and will be around for ages. You'll have more opportunities but have to compete with Brizzy, Hawks, suns and freo and the Cats I'm the mean time. Curtin will be there 10+ years so that's promising.

 

[JPetro83]

I believed we'd beat you in week 1 then after it tipper the hawks as well. But you have Curtin who's a gun and will be around for ages. You'll have more opportunities but have to compete with Brizzy, Hawks, suns and freo and the Cats I'm the mean time. Curtin will be there 10+ years so that's promising.

Freo? i dont rate them at all. In Perth they will be tough but not convinced they are a challenger

 

[JPetro83]

I believed we'd beat you in week 1 then after it tipper the hawks as well. But you have Curtin who's a gun and will be around for ages. You'll have more opportunities but have to compete with Brizzy, Hawks, suns and freo and the Cats I'm the mean time. Curtin will be there 10+ years so that's promising.

Curtin looks like a beats but i worry that he will be tempted to go home as soon as he can. i would be putting him at a few centre bounces this year. looks like he can play anywhere on the ground.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Freo? i dont rate them at all. In Perth they will be tough but not convinced they are a challenger

Good away wins vs us, gws and gold coast. Granted we were shit for a while. But GWS and Suns are very tough to go to.

Fair enough though.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Port 01-03
St Kilda 04-05
Adelaide 05-06
St Kilda 09-10
Fremantle 13-15
Sydney 14-16
Adelaide 17-18
Collingwood 18-19

Why Adelaide 2018? They weren't even finalists. You could say that about every grand final team following season if we're including non-finalist teams as wasting their chances. Collingwood 2004, Port Adelaide 2008, Hawthorn 2009, Geelong 2023, Collingwood 2024.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Should have won both in 09 and 10. Not sure about lions in 04 had you got through. West Coast In 05 were gettable. They had no forward line.

Don’t agree on 2010. 2009, absolutely. We dominated the first half (something like 36 inside 50’s to 17), but kept fluffing our shots for goal, and then Hawkins was awarded a goal for hitting the post, then they scored another one immediately after- from the centre bounce that shouldn’t have been- and in the blink of an eye they had two goals, in a low scoring game.

That was the one that got away.

In 2010 however it was us who were lucky to still be in the game at half time, as Collingwood blew a lot of chances to put us away, and then they showed the following week they were the deserving team.

2004 was another one that got away. We were obliterating Port until the crowd invasion (Port hadn’t even been inside 50, and half their team hadn’t touched the ball!), but that enabled them to regroup, when they were otherwise looking like being down by 6 goals at quarter time.

I think Brisbane were sitting ducks for whoever got them the following week.

So Port got super-lucky on both fronts.

The team we had on paper that year was nuts.

 

[Mr Meow]

Don’t agree on 2010. 2009, absolutely. We dominated the first half (something like 36 inside 50’s to 17), but kept fluffing our shots for goal, and then Hawkins was awarded a goal for hitting the post, then they scored another one immediately after- from the centre bounce that shouldn’t have been- and in the blink of an eye they had two goals, in a low scoring game.

That was the one that got away.

In 2010 however it was us who were lucky to still be in the game at half time, as Collingwood blew a lot of chances to put us away, and then they showed the following week they were the deserving team.

2004 was another one that got away. We were obliterating Port until the crowd invasion (Port hadn’t even been inside 50, and half their team hadn’t touched the ball!), but that enabled them to regroup, when they were otherwise looking like being down by 6 goals at quarter time.

I think Brisbane were sitting ducks for whoever got them the following week.

So Port got super-lucky on both fronts.

The team we had on paper that year was nuts.

2009 St Kilda lost because they could barely kick a goal in the 2nd half, including none in the critical last quarter. Impotent.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Don’t agree on 2010. 2009, absolutely. We dominated the first half (something like 36 inside 50’s to 17), but kept fluffing our shots for goal, and then Hawkins was awarded a goal for hitting the post, then they scored another one immediately after- from the centre bounce that shouldn’t have been- and in the blink of an eye they had two goals, in a low scoring game.

That was the one that got away.

In 2010 however it was us who were lucky to still be in the game at half time, as Collingwood blew a lot of chances to put us away, and then they showed the following week they were the deserving team.

2004 was another one that got away. We were obliterating Port until the crowd invasion (Port hadn’t even been inside 50, and half their team hadn’t touched the ball!), but that enabled them to regroup, when they were otherwise looking like being down by 6 goals at quarter time.

I think Brisbane were sitting ducks for whoever got them the following week.

So Port got super-lucky on both fronts.

The team we had on paper that year was nuts.

Good post. But in 2010 you just had an unlucky bounce. I suppose we did blow chances too. But if the ball went into Milnes hands it was premiership over.

 

[Tasmanian saint]

Lol that pitch invasion cost St Kilda that 2004 premiership, they would have beat Brisbane in that grand final, they were cooked by the end of that finals series and St Kilda would have been at home.

Maybe Brisbane did flog us the week before in the qualifying final though, we definitely should have beaten port , and I thought in 05 we had a team capable of winning it I thought those teams had more talent than the 09-10 teams that Lyon coached, grant Thomas was a good people manager all the players loved him but he was a limited coach no idea tactically definitely out of his depth

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Maybe Brisbane did flog us the week before in the qualifying final though, we definitely should have beaten port , and I thought in 05 we had a team capable of winning it I thought those teams had more talent than the 09-10 teams that Lyon coached, grant Thomas was a good people manager all the players loved him but he was a limited coach no idea tactically definitely out of his depth

One bad quarter against Sydney. Or was it one good quarter by Sydney.

 

[Tasmanian saint]

Should be joint winners if it ends in a draw.

Was absolutely madness they still had the the replay law in place when every other final plays extra time it should have been changed decades earlier to extra time

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Was absolutely madness they still had the the replay law in place when every other final plays extra time it should have been changed decades earlier to extra time

Agreed.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Maybe Brisbane did flog us the week before in the qualifying final though,

Similar to 2025, Geelong did Brisbane in by like 6 goals in the QF, then Brisbane flogged them in the GF. QF is irrelevant.

we definitely should have beaten port , and I thought in 05 we had a team capable of winning it I thought those teams had more talent than the 09-10 teams that Lyon coached, grant Thomas was a good people manager all the players loved him but he was a limited coach no idea tactically definitely out of his depth

I think Thomas was struggling with St Kilda upper management and the AFL hating his guts, imagine if at least St Kilda's upper management supported him, would have made a huge difference.

 

[Tasmanian saint]

Similar to 2025, Geelong did Brisbane in by like 6 goals in the QF, then Brisbane flogged them in the GF. QF is irrelevant.

I think Thomas was struggling with St Kilda upper management and the AFL hating his guts, imagine if at least St Kilda's upper management supported him, would have made a huge difference.

No I disagree on Thomas he had no coaching experience whatsoever which showed in big moments, he was only supposed to be a interim coach until we got somebody else at seasons end. except his best mate at the time was rod butters the president who didn’t even run a proper process and just gave him the job

 

[Ian Dunross]

In the AFL era I would go in order of greatest underachievements -

1. Essendon 1999-2001. Few teams in modern footy were as dominant as that Essendon team and to only win 1 flag, when it should have been 3. Obviously they won 1, but comparing trophies to the gap between them and the contenders, 1 is not enough
2. West Coast 90s - that was a State of Origin team with the best defence in AFL history? Maybe Scarlett's Geelong better? They get a caveat given the travel factor and the fact that they did win 2 and lost a third to the best team of all time.
3. St Kilda Ross Lyon - nearly went undefeated in 09 and had they kicked straight, and/or Roo not done his abductor 2 days out and/or better weather and they win that Granny. We all know about 2010.
4. Carlton 90s - maybe the biggest star factor team of the 90s? Kernahan, Williams, Kouta, Ratten, Silvagni, Madden, Brown, Hanna, etc, etc. Throw in the cash bonuses to keep players motivated. Prob should have won 3, only won 1.
5. Crows under Craig/Port under Williams - tie for 5th. Port were dominant for longer and went out in straight sets a couple of times, but at least got one flag whereas Crows didn't even make a GF after being clearly the best team in H&A and having home finals both years, plus having a midfield of McLeod, Goodwin, Riccutio, Edwards

 

[Del35196]

In the AFL era I would go in order of greatest underachievements -

1. Essendon 1999-2001. Few teams in modern footy were as dominant as that Essendon team and to only win 1 flag, when it should have been 3. Obviously they won 1, but comparing trophies to the gap between them and the contenders, 1 is not enough
2. West Coast 90s - that was a State of Origin team with the best defence in AFL history? Maybe Scarlett's Geelong better? They get a caveat given the travel factor and the fact that they did win 2 and lost a third to the best team of all time.
3. St Kilda Ross Lyon - nearly went undefeated in 09 and had they kicked straight, and/or Roo not done his abductor 2 days out and/or better weather and they win that Granny. We all know about 2010.
4. Carlton 90s - maybe the biggest star factor team of the 90s? Kernahan, Williams, Kouta, Ratten, Silvagni, Madden, Brown, Hanna, etc, etc. Throw in the cash bonuses to keep players motivated. Prob should have won 3, only won 1.
5. Crows under Craig/Port under Williams - tie for 5th. Port were dominant for longer and went out in straight sets a couple of times, but at least got one flag whereas Crows didn't even make a GF after being clearly the best team in H&A and having home finals both years, plus having a midfield of McLeod, Goodwin, Riccutio, Edwards

They won 2 flags in 3 years. Not sure they could do much more.

 

[Ian Dunross]

Why Adelaide 2018? They weren't even finalists. You could say that about every grand final team following season if we're including non-finalist teams as wasting their chances. Collingwood 2004, Port Adelaide 2008, Hawthorn 2009, Geelong 2023, Collingwood 2024.

You could argue that the Crows got stronger in 2018, adding Gibbs and a stung, motivated playing group. But I agree that Crows team is low down on the list of underachieving teams, not as good as some of the others being spoken about.

 

[Ian Dunross]

We blitzed GWS and the Cats in 2017.. got stage fright at the G on GF day playing a team that got to play on their home deck with majority of their fans.

2006 was the year we fkd up... win the QF and were up by 4 goals at half time in that prelim and we had not lost to the swans in a while in that era. we stuffed up

Yeah, Crows would have romped the GF if they'd gotten over the line in the Prelim.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

They won 2 flags in 3 years. Not sure they could do much more.

Weren't even close in the other years.


1990 bombers beat them by 10 goals
1991 hawks by 23 and 53 points
1993 bombers by 32
1995 19 and about 9 or 10 goals to Ross
1996 12 or 13 goal loss to bombers
1997 13 points to the Roos
1998 12 goals to bulldogs
1999 9 goals to carlton

A grand final, a prelim, elimination and 5 semi final appearances. Only North in 97 semi is one they blew. Would have got beaten by saints anyway.

 

[Ian Dunross]

They won 2 flags in 3 years. Not sure they could do much more.

Play in more Grannies, win more flags. West Coast fans might tell me that the players were too old and cooked after 94 and I'd defer to them, but my memory is that Matera, Worsfold, McKenna, Jackovich, Sumich, etc were playing in the second half of the 90s.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Play in more Grannies, win more flags. West Coast fans might tell me that the players were too old and cooked after 94 and I'd defer to them, but my memory is that Matera, Worsfold, McKenna, Jackovich, Sumich, etc were playing in the second half of the 90s.

They won 2 finals after their grand final win in 94.

1996 blues by 55 points
1999 dogs by 5 points

Lost x 2 in 95, 97, and losses in 96, 98, 99

2 wins 7 losses from 95-99

Poor record.

 

[Ian Dunross]

They won 2 finals after their grand final win in 94.

1996 blues by 55 points
1999 dogs by 5 points

Lost x 2 in 95, 97, and losses in 96, 98, 99

2 wins 7 losses from 95-99

Poor record.

That's pretty damning. Wonder how many of those were at home - also worth remembering back then that finals that should have been played interstate were sometimes played in Melbourne which wouldn't have helped the Eagles if that happened. Non-Western Australians also probably underestimate the cumulative effect of travel, especially back in the day before hard core sports science.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

That's pretty damning. Wonder how many of those were at home - also worth remembering back then that finals that should have been played interstate were sometimes played in Melbourne which wouldn't have helped the Eagles if that happened. Non-Western Australians also probably underestimate the cumulative effect of travel, especially back in the day before hard core sports science.

Home finals only in one of those which was the win against Carlton in 96. The MCG rule got them in 96 and 99 vs Dons and blues. The other years North won in the first week of the finals and West Coast lost. Hence why they had to play away which is quite stupid really.

Also cost the Cats in 97 against Adelaide.



I agree. Stupid finals format.