Opinion The most (hypothetically) difficult path to a Grand Final

[Gydafud]

I was having a discussion with a mate on what the hypothetical worst possible route a Grand Final would be for any team in the AFL. He had made the argument that the Western Bulldogs had the most difficult path in 2016 having to travel to Perth, then Hawks at the MCG and then travel to Sydney before the GF. I came up with this possible path for the Eagles based on the distance required to travel, and the quality of the opponents at their home grounds.

EF - Brisbane vs West Coast - Gabba
SF - Hawthorn vs West Coast - MCG
PF - Collingwood vs West Coast - MCG
GF - Richmond vs West Coast - MCG

Is there a more difficult path on paper than having to travel back and forth across the country every week and face strong MCG opponents?

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

West coast

@ brisbane
@ gold coast
@ sydney
@ mcg

 

[The Slitherin' Snake]

I was having a discussion with a mate on what the hypothetical worst possible route a Grand Final would be for any team in the AFL. He had made the argument that the Western Bulldogs had the most difficult path in 2016 having to travel to Perth, then Hawks at the MCG and then travel to Sydney before the GF. I came up with this possible path for the Eagles based on the distance required to travel, and the quality of the opponents at their home grounds.

EF - Brisbane vs West Coast - Gabba
SF - Hawthorn vs West Coast - MCG
PF - Collingwood vs West Coast - MCG
GF - Richmond vs West Coast - MCG

Is there a more difficult path on paper than having to travel back and forth across the country every week and face strong MCG opponents?

What is the hypothetical based on? Is it this year's form - if so why would Hawthorn be in there? If not, why would Brisbane be there?

 

[Ricky Vaughn]

Freo @ Auckland
Freo @ Shanghai
Freo @ Launceston
Freo @ Kardinia Park

 

[Gydafud]

What is the hypothetical based on? Is it this year's form - if so why would Hawthorn be in there? If not, why would Brisbane be there?

Yeah, this years form and the distance required to travel between weeks. Having to go play Brisbane at the Gabba seemed considerably tougher than other options this year. Maybe GWS at Showgrounds?

West coast

@ brisbane
@ gold coast
@ sydney
@ mcg

Gold Coast has never seemed to have much of a fortress up there, at least not yet. Back-to-back MCG trips against MCG tenants would be higher difficulty imo.

 

[Handsuper47]

I'd say one of the Adelaide teams or Gold Coast having to play the Giants at GIANTS stadium, West Coast at Optus stadium, Brisbane at the Gabba then Richmond at the MCG.

 

[Aussie_boy]

I’ll give Hawthorn some credit, travelling to Perth twice in 2015 was a fair effort.

Then again it’s not like West Coast don’t travel to Melbourne enough. A Perth or Queensland team winning the comp from 7th or 8th would be the toughest path.

 

[Randall Stevens]

While they didn’t ultimately reach the Grand Final, West Coast were travelling for the sixth consecutive week when they played Essendon in the 1990 Prelim (this of course was long before the pre finals bye):

Rd 21 v Brisbane Bears @ Carrara
Rd 22 v Geelong at Geelong
Qualifying Final v Coll @ Waverley
QF Replay v Coll @ Waverley
1st Semi v Melb @ Waverley
Prelim v Essendon @ Waverley

Also, due to the QF replay Melbourne had a week off before the 1st semi

Would never happen now, so that surely stands as the most travel any team has had to take on in consecutive weeks.

 

[PerthBoy86]

West Coast playing an EF at the SCG, SF at Kardinia Park, PF at the MCG.

 

[LeverPuller]

I was having a discussion with a mate on what the hypothetical worst possible route a Grand Final would be for any team in the AFL. He had made the argument that the Western Bulldogs had the most difficult path in 2016 having to travel to Perth, then Hawks at the MCG and then travel to Sydney before the GF. I came up with this possible path for the Eagles based on the distance required to travel, and the quality of the opponents at their home grounds.

EF - Brisbane vs West Coast - Gabba
SF - Hawthorn vs West Coast - MCG
PF - Collingwood vs West Coast - MCG
GF - Richmond vs West Coast - MCG

Is there a more difficult path on paper than having to travel back and forth across the country every week and face strong MCG opponents?

EF: Melbourne v West Coast - MCG
SF: Sydney v West Coast - SCG
PF: Brisbane v West Coast - Gabba
GF: Xxxx v West Coast - MCG

4 games on the other side, no continuity in location, humidity of Brisbane thrown in week before the GF.

 

[whatis]

Would have to be a non-MCG tenant and then keep them from playing a game there in the two months leading in. Definitely send them to Tasmania in round 23 against the Hawks/Roos.

A finals game against the Swans at the SCG would probably have to feature due to the unique dimensions. Then two more away finals in two other states, and then lastly the Tigers in an MCG grand final fresh off them them having played three straight months of home games.

 

[gingernuts]

Having Chris Scott as coach

 

[Roobs321]

Gold Coast EF vs West Coast in Perth
Gold Coast SF vs Adelaide in Adelaide
Gold Coast PF vs Geelong in Geelong or Sydney in SCG
Gold Coast GF vs Richmond/Hawthorn/Collingwood in Melbourne

Never played in a final going into this, making up the numbers.

 

[longsuffreosupp]

Freo v Brisbane - Gabba
Freo v Geelong - GMHBA
Freo v Gold Coast - Metricon (?)
Freo v Collingwood - MCG

 

[PCORF]

It is hardest to get to a GF from 5th or 8th. 5th placed teams have a terrible semi final record.

Adelaide finish 5th

vs Collingwood (or Hawthorn) AO
vs Brisbane Gabba
vs West Coast Optus
vs Richmond MCG

That would be a near impossible path.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Hardest which has happened might be Adelaide 1998 (Rd 22 - West Coast in Perth, QF - Melbourne in Melbourne, SF- Sydney in Sydney, PF - Bulldogs in Melbourne, GF NOrth in Melbourne)

But I believe the toughest possible finals series would be from Adelaide/Port Adelaide/GWS/Sydney

EF - away to west coast
SF - away to fremantle
PF - away to brisbane
GF - away to Richmond

 

[100action]

West coast

@ brisbane
@ gold coast
@ sydney
@ mcg

Fremantle
@ brisbane
@ gold coast
@ sydney
@ mcg

 

[Gydafud]

So we can all agree that Richmond at the MCG is now the final boss?

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

Fremantle
@ brisbane
@ gold coast
@ sydney
@ mcg

Who?

 

[demondavey]

I’ll give Hawthorn some credit, travelling to Perth twice in 2015 was a fair effort.

Then again it’s not like West Coast don’t travel to Melbourne enough. A Perth or Queensland team winning the comp from 7th or 8th would be the toughest path.

Yes agree. If the Eagles or Lions finished 7 or 8 they’d have to travel every week if there wasn’t a game against Fremantle or Gold Coast. So hypothetically the Eagles could do;

W1 - Melbourne trip
W2 - Sydney trip
W3 - Brisbane trip
W4 - Melbourne trip

Or essentially any combination of interstate trips in week 1-3 before going to Melbourne in week 4.