The best teams at NOT going back to back

[NorthernBastard]

Essendon should have won 99,00,01

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Essendon should have won 99,00,01

Unlucky.

 

[JackOutback]

You can make the case for 99 and 2000 but I think adding in 01 sells Brisbane short. The Bombers just got overtaken.

Interestingly, if the Bombers had won 99, North Melbourne would have been seen as the great underachievers... seven prelims with arguably the best player of all time for one flag would have been seen as a disaster.

 

[Mr Meow]

You can make the case for 99 and 2000 but I think adding in 01 sells Brisbane short. The Bombers just got overtaken.

Interestingly, if the Bombers had won 99, North Melbourne would have been seen as the great underachievers... seven prelims with arguably the best player of all time for one flag would have been seen as a disaster.

If Matera got the flu before the '92 grand final, one Eagles flag from that outrageous team in the 90s also would've been unders.

It's just one of those quirks that neither North Melbourne or West Coast quite put together a dynasty that decade, although 2 premierships in 3/4 years and other grand finals/prelims is pretty close.

 

[JackOutback]

If Matera got the flu before the '92 grand final, one Eagles flag from that outrageous team in the 90s also would've been unders.

It's just one of those quirks that neither North Melbourne or West Coast quite put together a dynasty that decade, although 2 premierships in 3/4 years and other grand finals/prelims is pretty close.

Correct, two already feels like unders from the Eagles, given the line-up and all the finals appearances. I don't see 91 as one that got away because the team was young, the travelling was new, it almost felt like we needed to lose one to win one. But we needed one of 93, 95 or 96 to go our way.

 

[EB&W Pieman]

From R13 2010 to R23 2011, Collingwood went 32-1-2 in 35 games, the three non-results being a drawn grand final, a 3 point loss to an all-time great Geelong team, and a 3 point loss to Hawthorn in a dead rubber after we’d already secured the minor premiership. Ridiculous record with a crazy % to pair with it. Should have won more flags but came into town before Geelong had left.

The 2011 Collingwood team was a beauty, but so was the 2011 Geelong team. The difference was that the Cats were all aligned, with every duck in its allotted place.
Collingwood, on the other hand, were internally bereft with Malthouse and Buckley seriously butting heads and players taking sides.
IIRC, a loved ex-player died in a Las Vegas accident late in the finals series also.
Piss weak excuses, but there was more to that result than people seem to remember.
And despite ALL that, we led at three quarter time.

 

[emuboy]

I am pretty suspicious of this thread since I know where it leads.....

Hard to think of one that tops Geelong 2008.

That's because Geelong can only win flags in even-numbered years when there is a change from King to Queen or vice versa, as was the case in 1952 and 2022.

And it's going to be a long wait for the Cats to win another flag in an even year. The only chance of it happening within the next half century would be if King William V dies and as eldest son and heir Prince George has gone off the rails and married a strange vegan Australian woman, renounced his claim to the King of England, lives like a hippie on the NSW/Queensland border and has no children of his own and Princess Charlotte has to step up and take her brother's place to become Queen Charlotte I of England.

But the chances of this are remote, so Cats fans had better pray that Prince George's firstborn child is a girl.

 

[Mr Meow]

That's because Geelong can only win flags in even-numbered years when there is a change from King to Queen or vice versa, as was the case in 1952 and 2022.

And it's going to be a long wait for the Cats to win another flag in an even year. The only chance of it happening within the next half century would be if King William V dies and as eldest son and heir Prince George has gone off the rails and married a strange vegan Australian woman, renounced his claim to the King of England, lives like a hippie on the NSW/Queensland border and has no children of his own and Princess Charlotte has to step up and take her brother's place to become Queen Charlotte I of England.

But the chances of this are remote, so Cats fans had better pray that Prince George's firstborn child is a girl.

Funnily enough I have been praying for that.

 

[FootyLad0]

That's because Geelong can only win flags in even-numbered years when there is a change from King to Queen or vice versa, as was the case in 1952 and 2022.

And it's going to be a long wait for the Cats to win another flag in an even year. The only chance of it happening within the next half century would be if King William V dies and as eldest son and heir Prince George has gone off the rails and married a strange vegan Australian woman, renounced his claim to the King of England, lives like a hippie on the NSW/Queensland border and has no children of his own and Princess Charlotte has to step up and take her brother's place to become Queen Charlotte I of England.

But the chances of this are remote, so Cats fans had better pray that Prince George's firstborn child is a girl.

Wouldn't it be the case that if Charles dies (he's currently sick) that its another British Monarch death resulting in a Cats Premiership?

 

[Capital Magpie]

The 2011 Collingwood team was a beauty, but so was the 2011 Geelong team. The difference was that the Cats were all aligned, with every duck in its allotted place.
Collingwood, on the other hand, were internally bereft with Malthouse and Buckley seriously butting heads and players taking sides.
IIRC, a loved ex-player died in a Las Vegas accident late in the finals series also.
Piss weak excuses, but there was more to that result than people seem to remember.
And despite ALL that, we led at three quarter time.

I think that was 2012, John McCarthy (by which time he was a Port Adelaide player)

 

[emuboy]

With the 2008 Grand Final people say it is one the biggest upsets of all time, but I tend to disagree and wasn't at all surprised when Hawthorn comfortably beat Geelong to win the premiership that year.

The warning signs were there in the later weeks of the season and throughout the finals. A match between the two in Round 18 was a thriller decided by the Cats over the Hawks by a narrow margin, so evidently Hawthorn were capable of issuing a serious challenge to Geelong. In the last two weeks Hawthorn were much sharper than Geelong in demolishing their opponents, that Cats with the minor premiership secure since May cruising into the finals. Then in the finals first paced Geelong and second placed Hawthorn would meet the same teams - St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs. The Hawks handed out severe hidings to the Dogs in the Qualifying Final and the Saints in the Preliminary, but Geelong were far less convincing in defeating these opponents in the inverse finals.

Still, Geelong went into the Grand Final at 23-1 and many of their supporters could not contemplate that their team could be beaten, and I think this mindset might have been with a number of Cats officials and players too. After rattling the Cats in the first half, the Hawks grabbed the momentum after half time and broke clear, and Geelong simply didn't know what to do on or off the field, with Hawthorn not only out-playing the Cats but more significantly out-smarting them too.

 

[Mr Meow]

With the 2008 Grand Final people say it is one the biggest upsets of all time, but I tend to disagree and wasn't at all surprised when Hawthorn comfortably beat Geelong to win the premiership that year.

The warning signs were there in the later weeks of the season and throughout the finals. A match between the two in Round 18 was a thriller decided by the Cats over the Hawks by a narrow margin, so evidently Hawthorn were capable of issuing a serious challenge to Geelong. In the last two weeks Hawthorn were much sharper than Geelong in demolishing their opponents, that Cats with the minor premiership secure since May cruising into the finals. Then in the finals first paced Geelong and second placed Hawthorn would meet the same teams - St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs. The Hawks handed out severe hidings to the Dogs in the Qualifying Final and the Saints in the Preliminary, but Geelong were far less convincing in defeating these opponents in the inverse finals.

Still, Geelong went into the Grand Final at 23-1 and many of their supporters could not contemplate that their team could be beaten, and I think this mindset might have been with a number of Cats officials and players too. After rattling the Cats in the first half, the Hawks grabbed the momentum after half time and broke clear, and Geelong simply didn't know what to do on or off the field, with Hawthorn not only out-playing the Cats but more significantly out-smarting them too.

I agree with the first two paragraphs, but actually many supporters including myself were nervous heading into Grand Final day.

Hard to say whether it was the case for the players. Perhaps. They didn't time their run as well as Hawthorn. There were a few niggles. Ultimately it came down to that stretch where they missed chance after chance after chance, while Hawthorn slotted a few beauties. Momentum slipped and Geelong really lost their hold on the game. It was a sensational performance by the Hawks too, which gets forgotten in the story. In fact their whole season was underrated.

 

[Tandy]

I wonder where Melbourne will sit when it's all said and done. You'd think they're cooked now. But should they have won in 22? Maybe they just weren't as good as we thought. Collingwood if they don't win it this year. Very good team

 

[Langford]

We often talk about the great dynasty teams etc which can get very boring as it’s obvious who they are

My question is a little more nuanced - which teams are the best NOT to go back to back?

I’m going to start with Hawthorn 2015. To this day it shits me.

What are your thoughts/examples?

I really think Hawthorn (and Clarkson) made a mistake asking Hale and Lake to retire- like they couldn't have been nursed to the finals in 2016.

In 2016 the Hawks were on top of the ladder with 2 or 3 games to go.

 

[threesixpio]

Question - is this why Mark T did not find solace in 2009 i.e. it was not B2B? Serious question

 

[PhatBoy]

Question - is this why Mark T did not find solace in 2009 i.e. it was not B2B? Serious question

View attachment 1919406

Any missed chance for a flag is hard to take. All the players still talk about it too

 

[Mr Meow]

Question - is this why Mark T did not find solace in 2009 i.e. it was not B2B? Serious question

View attachment 1919406

Nah it's cause we were overwhelming favourites and shouldn't have lost it.

 

[Rich01]

St Kilda 2009-10.

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Days since last B2B ladder...

1. Richmond Tigers 1227 days since B2B
2. Hawthorn Hawks 3075 days since B2B
3. Brisbane Lions 7464 days since B2B
4. Adelaide Crows 9291 days since B2B
5. Essendon Bombers 14037 days since B2B
6. Carlton Blues 15136 days since B2B
7. Melbourne Demons 23172 days since B2B
8. Geelong Cats 26091 days since B2B
9. Collingwood Magpies 31929 days since B2B
10. Fitzroy Gorillas 43255 days since B2B

Lol only team beneath Cats and Pies is the defunct Fitzroy FC.

B2B's(incidences of 2 or more flags in succession) all time ladder

1. 4 Essendon Bombers
2. 3 Richmond Tigers, Collingwood Magpies, Melbourne Demons, Carlton Blues
6. 2 Fitzroy Gorillas, Hawthorn Hawks
8. 1 Adelaide Crows, Brisbane Lions, Geelong Cats

Cats below Fitzroy and level with 2 teams who entered the competition 90+ year after them.


Combined ranking both ladders above(position on ladder 1 + position on ladder 2):

1. Richmond 3
2. Essendon 6
3. Hawthorn, Carlton 8
5. Melbourne 9
6. Brisbane, Collingwood 11
8. Adelaide, 12
10. Fitzroy, Geelong 16

Highly embarrassing for Geelong FC that among the cohort of teams winning B2B any time in history the "best team this century" ranks the lowest. That club needs to have a look at itself in regard to its inability to go B2B.

Tigers the undisputed champs, of course. Bombers will be delighted with their 2nd placed ranking. Collingwood has only late joiners, defunct clubs and the embarrassingly bad Geelong FC equal or blow them on this ladder. They are under massive pressure to go B2B this yer or they remain a total laughing stock.

 

[PhatBoy]

days since MR had some sort of internal meltdown over this subject:

What’s 12 minutes expressed as a percentage of 24 hours?

#biggerCups

 

[Meteoric Rise]

days since MR had some sort of internal meltdown over this subject:

What’s 12 minutes expressed as a percentage of 24 hours?

#biggerCups

Your club's inability to go B2B clearly bothering you PB. Just barrack for Richmond mate, problem solved.

 

[Mr Meow]

Your club's inability to go B2B clearly bothering you PB. Just barrack for Richmond mate, problem solved.

37 years ahead with like 3 finals wins?

No thanks.

 

[PhatBoy]

Your club's inability to go B2B clearly bothering you PB. Just barrack for Richmond mate, problem solved.

Not at all. I had a rugby league team doing it around the same time as your AFL team.

I’ve got both bases covered.

 

[Cleansweep17]

Your club's inability to go B2B clearly bothering you PB. Just barrack for Richmond mate, problem solved.

He’s a cats supporter they have to do a personality check to see if they don’t care about flags enough to be a member. It’s not in his nature so I wouldn’t bother.

 

[STPer18]

He’s a cats supporter they have to do a personality check to see if they don’t care about flags enough to be a member. It’s not in his nature so I wouldn’t bother.

Geelong are literally the most successful club of the 21st century and have won more flags than your Tiggies. Are you writing your own history again?