The what ifs in footy

[skywalker1977]

THE WHAT IFS WITH FOOTY

Footy is a rather funny game at hand and alot of times reults pan out the way most would expect and the rest of the times there are the games that leave most footy fans stunned in their wake.

Im interested in hearing what most supporters believe are their what ifs in footy seasons gone by and what they believe may have eventuated certain marks kicks or play been allowed.

For me I will alwaws wonder what might have been with season 1993, the year in which the crows would score 8 goals 20 behinds against an ageing blues outfit out at waverly, inaccuracy cost the crow, a win would have put them in the grand final in only their third year.
But thats not the biggest what if of the year for me personally, holding a 42 point lead against the dons in the prelim final, i recall listening and thinking this essendon team with sheedy as coach and the older experiencedplayers in harvey, daniher, grenvold, thompson, odonell, salmon and long were not done with yet.
I recall seen the pain on their faces after the 1990 grand final and felt disappointed that liptak and riccuitto missed easy goals and could have lead by as much as 9 or 10 goals.

it wasnt to be and the dons came back fighting hard and won the flag.

but given how we went to sleep in the second half, its worth asking crow fans just how far they could have gone the following week against the blues?

there are lots im sure, for instance the 1999 prelim final with the blues and the dons, the dees inaccuracy in 1987 prelim final.
how bout the rest of u footy fans out there what are ur what ifs?

interested in all ur thoughts

 

[FootyJunkie]

Crows had a terrible record at Waverley, so that was always going to go against them in that final with Carlton

had they won, i think all the excitement and the week off, and Modra this and Modra that, would have gone to the upstart team's heads... apparently it showed in the locker rooms at halftime of the Prelim when some off hand joke by someone in the Adelaide squad made them drop their focus for the second half... Bombers would have disposed of Carlton in the PF and then Adelaide in the GF effortlessly

same year, had we beat Essendon in Semi, we would have played the Crows in the Prelim at the MCG... but I still reckon a heap of people would have come over for the game anyway... we would have found our 92 finals form again and gone on to beat Carlton in the big one

the '99 GF between North and Essendon would have been cracker-filled, high scoring contest, Bombers would have broken away in the final qtr i reckon though

Carlton would have had Melbourne for lunch in the 87 GF

same goes for Hawthorn being whooped in the '01 GF by Brissie had they sneaked by Lloyd-less Essendon in the Prelim

not sure how the 06 GF Replay would have gone down, the agony of not putting away Sydney the previous week and having them level the scores may have been our un-doing in the follow up, and no flag to show for the year, Sydney goes back to back

 

[Spurk]

If it wasn't so windy in 98 North would have punished the Crows.

 

[Ashb23]

My what ifs:

What if Colberts mark had of been paid in '97, and Hockings goal counted? Would we have saluted back then? (happy enough now).

What if we'd had a decent ruckman in '05... don't think we'd have won it, but maybe the saints (Really didn't rate the eagles - we smashed them late that season).

What if the pies had gotten up in the '07 prelim? Would have been an interesting g/f, and I'm not sure we would have gone on to be the team we've become....

 

[tonk]

What if Darren jolly's wife hadn't of had her baby in the 06 grand final week. The guy had hardly slept all week and was knackered on the day.

 

[FootyJunkie]

What if the pies had gotten up in the '07 prelim? Would have been an interesting g/f, and I'm not sure we would have gone on to be the team we've become....

Pies would have got up... Choco, Chadwick and the rest of those power puffs were so arrogant and cocky GF week, would have been the same thing... maybe not a 100+ belting though

 

[DaVe86]

What if Rocca's kick was rightfully paid a goal in the 02 GF.

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

What if....

- Jason Cloke was never suspended in the 02 Prelim? (today it would be a free kick and that's it)

- Anthony Rocca never lifted his elbow in the 03 Prelim?

- 3 key umpiring decisions had gone OUR way in the 02 GF?

- the 07 Prelim had gone for 2 more minutes?

- Chris Judd had picked Collingwood as he should have?

 

[Pumbi]

What if Fraser Gehrig hadn't have kicked his 100th Goal in the 04 Prelim against Port?

 

[FootyJunkie]

What if Fraser Gehrig hadn't have kicked his 100th Goal in the 04 Prelim against Port?

a tired Lions outfit would have 4-peated the following Saturday

 

[Ando727]

Carlton would have had Melbourne for lunch in the 87 GF

I don't think you can be that categorical about that one. Melbourne were on an incredible roll and if it weren't for a few simple errors in the last 5 minutes of the game, they had earned their place in the GF. Compared with the 2 GFs Melbourne have played in since then, the '87 is the one that we would have given the best show in. We had an X-Factor that year that most teams were very nervous about. We didn't win every game, but the games we won were won in fine style. Hawthorn were generally a superior team to Carlton that year anyway (beat them twice during the sean and slaughtered many other teams). Given how Melbourne essentially beat Hawthorn apart from Jimmy Stynes stepping over the mark, we could have really pushed Carlton. I think you could have flipped a coin to determine the result of Melbourne Carlton GF that year

 

[HeavyPop]

- Chris Judd had picked Collingwood as he should have?

We would not be as good a side.

 

[skywalker1977]

I don't think you can be that categorical about that one. Melbourne were on an incredible roll and if it weren't for a few simple errors in the last 5 minutes of the game, they had earned their place in the GF. Compared with the 2 GFs Melbourne have played in since then, the '87 is the one that we would have given the best show in. We had an X-Factor that year that most teams were very nervous about. We didn't win every game, but the games we won were won in fine style. Hawthorn were generally a superior team to Carlton that year anyway. Given how Melbourne essentially beat Hawthorn apart from Jimmy Stynes stepping over the mark, we could have really pushed Carlton. I think you could have flipped a coin to determine the result of Melbourne Carlton GF that year

just watched the games on old tapes and dvds and the blues would have easily won against the dees, they got their chance the following year.
the blues were rebounding from 86 and wouldnt have lost 2 g in a row as well as the week off.

 

[Tzatziki_Man]

What if they did become the Melbourne Hawks?

 

[skywalker1977]

a tired Lions outfit would have 4-peated the following Saturday

Thats a great one to think about, always wondered how the saints would have gone against the worn out lions.

 

[saj_21]

Wat if Melbourne's 98 finals series been played under the new system (1 v 4 and 2 v 3 etc) as opposed to the old system of (1 v 8, 2 v 7 etc)....prbly still wud of lost to north in GF, but who knows the crows were able to knock them when they had an off day!

 

[FootyJunkie]

what if our 91 season wasn't so dominant, and we fell 2nd, Hawthorn were minor premiers

3 finals in Melbourne in Week 1, and with the MCG out of commisson, that would have meant 3 finals at Waverley

first ever night final would have come early... don't think Waverley ever hosted a night game for Home and Away, let alone, a Friday Night game... getting down there on a Friday night would have been a bastard for Dees and Dons fans though

Fri Night Sep 6th
Melbourne v Essendon - Waverley (Night)

Sat Sep 7th
Geelong v St.Kilda - Waverley

Sun Sep 8th
Hawthorn v West Coast - Waverley

perhaps being on the road may have done us some good... no 'first ever non-Vic final' and turning Perth into Eagle City... just being away from home and belting Hawthorn on THEIR home turf like we did earlier that year could have been the ticket

We would have got Geelong in the Semi while Hawthorn would have got Melbourne... I reckon we could have got up.... just, giving us a week off after being on the road for 3 weeks straight.... Hawthorn gets to the GF the other route, only a much fresh Eagles outfit gets up in the GF as we were "bound for glory" a year ahead of schedule

 

[MarkT2]

I'm a Collingwood supporter - I've got millions of 'em!

What if:
Someone was on the goal line in 1966 (obvious answer);
Carmen didn't hot Tuck in 1977;
The boundry umpire saw the ball out of bounds in 1979;
Dennis Banks answered his phone in 1991;
1999 draft - Pick 1 : Mathew Pavlich;
A ruckman, my kingdom for a ruckman - all decade, but particularly 2007;
Tarrant could kick straight in the 3rd Q in 2002;

On the opposite note, what if Sumich didn't miss:
Mathews doesn't coach the 1990 flag. Do Collingwood go without a flag post 1958? Does Mathews get the Brisbane gig?

 

[FootyJunkie]

What if they did become the Melbourne Hawks?

AFL would have been a 15 team league up until next year when Gold Coast joins

16 team league and no bloody GWS in sight

Melbourne Hawks would have won a few flags i reckon

 

[Demonic Ascent]

I don't think you can be that categorical about that one. Melbourne were on an incredible roll and if it weren't for a few simple errors in the last 5 minutes of the game, they had earned their place in the GF. Compared with the 2 GFs Melbourne have played in since then, the '87 is the one that we would have given the best show in. We had an X-Factor that year that most teams were very nervous about. We didn't win every game, but the games we won were won in fine style. Hawthorn were generally a superior team to Carlton that year anyway (beat them twice during the sean and slaughtered many other teams). Given how Melbourne essentially beat Hawthorn apart from Jimmy Stynes stepping over the mark, we could have really pushed Carlton. I think you could have flipped a coin to determine the result of Melbourne Carlton GF that year

I think we would have been belted we had a lot of injuries out of that Prelim and a lot of our players played their GF that day; they were out on their legs in the last quarter.

The biggest what if's from a Melbourne perspective;

What if Collingwood & WCE did not draw in the QF in 1990 forcing us into taking a week off. We beat WCE & Essendon both twice that year including at Subiaco and Windy Hill however fell over against WCE in the Semi Final.

What if the final 8 was in its current format in 1998 and Adelaide did not get a double chance after finishing 5th. We may have been the first team to go from wooden spoon to premiership.

And on a slightly different track- what if Schwarz didn't do his knee; he could have been one of the best players of the late 90's. Come to think of it we had a bad run with injuries to key players in the 90's including Schwarz, Lyon, Tingay.

 

[FootyJunkie]

On the opposite note, what if Sumich didn't miss:
Mathews doesn't coach the 1990 flag. Do Collingwood go without a flag post 1958? Does Mathews get the Brisbane gig?

Still think the Pies would have got us in the Prelim (5th straight week on the road) but with Essendon getting a week's break, the GF could have gone either way.

Yeah, Matthews might have been no where in sight today.... no Brisbane 3-peat?

you have to say, Leigh winning the Pies flag in 90 put him on the map in terms of coaching and broadcasting prospects...

 

[Scatter]

2006 - What if WC beat Sydney in the 1st final in Perth (instead of losing by a point) - Freo then play WC in a prelim at Subi (instead of Sydney at Sydney), after thrashing them a few weeks prior. Could have been in a GF and stopped WC from winning one.

 

[FootyJunkie]

What if Collingwood & WCE did not draw in the QF in 1990 forcing us into taking a week off. We beat WCE & Essendon both twice that year including at Subiaco and Windy Hill however fell over against WCE in the Semi Final.
.

finals are a different kettle of fish.... i reckon Pies or Eagles would have accounted for you guys in the Semi

 

[FootyJunkie]

2006 - What if WC beat Sydney in the 1st final in Perth (instead of losing by a point) - Freo then play WC in a prelim at Subi (instead of Sydney at Sydney), after thrashing them a few weeks prior. Could have been in a GF and stopped WC from winning one.

Freo vs Sydney GF at Melbourne Cricket Chirping Ground

 

[Lord_Flashheart]

What if Brisbane didn't have to play Geelong "At home" at the MCG.

Remember Brisbane were ahead (just) at half time in the 2004 GF after smashing the Saints a few weeks before.