Which club is Melbourne's biggest rival?

[Jibroni]

If you asked me 3 months ago I would have said West Coast but winning a GF in Perth has changed things.

Its a toss up between Collingwood and Essendon.

 

[pjfairbairn]

Yeah Essendon for some reason

 

[Islanda22]

Bulldogs

Next 5 years will be memorable

 

[Charlie_s123]

 

[Simon_Says]

Although lately pre Tiges Flag Run we were consistently lumped together (for the same reason ultimately)
Melb Rich Pre Anzac games have been a fantastic institution for the game, undoubtably a grand spectacle for the fans.
Only real games that i remember for a particular reason is 21' and Back when a young Jesse Hogan

23

Jesse Hogan

Age

29

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196cm

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100kg

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Fwd

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15.0

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9.3

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5.7

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1.4

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1.9

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D

10.3

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6.0

2star

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4.3

3star

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5.3

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0.0

1star

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0.0

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13.0

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9.0

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4.0

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6.4

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went to make Alex Rance

Alex Rance

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34

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194cm

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95kg

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16.6

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8.9

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7.7

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5.7

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2.4

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226.9

3star

No current season stats available

D

17.0

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5.8

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11.2

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M

5.0

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3.6

5star

look second rate? (16'?). Richmond- Melb will be a thing

 

[Crusty Demon]

Right now Bulldogs. Geelong we also have some quality and memorable games against. But I think this year and possibly the next several we should be competing hard with the Dogs. Bit of angst building there I think. I hope the rivalry really takes off.

Collingwood are certainly our old school rivals but that seems to be fizzing out tbh. I don't hate them anywhere near as much as I did 20 years ago. Hate Essendon way more now.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

It's always Collingwood

6-1 and the 1 burns

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

It's always Collingwood

6-1 and the 1 burns

The R23 loss stings me and not because of the finals implications. Would have been five consecutive wins. Similarly this year’s loss reset the counter when we’re in a good position to string together a few years of dominance over them. At least we haven’t lost to Hawthorn since 2018, god bless draws.

Six consecutive wins over Carlton is also good value - the irony being that it would be nine since we beat them in 2014 for our first win under Roosy, except for the fact that we lost to them when they finished last in 2015 and 14th in 2016.

2019 scuppered a few good streaks in the making annoyingly. Would love to trade our streak GC for one against St Kilda, North or Essendon. We’ve also only lost to the Dons three times since Roos, basically the inverse of our losses to Carlton where they finished 15th in 2015 and last in 2016 and still beat us despite being hugely under strength in both games…plus the shootout in 2019. Time for us to go 8-12 years without losing to some Victorian sides, like the Pies, Cats, Hawks, Saints and North pulled on us. At least the Tigers and Dons never had decent streaks over us, but the seven years between drinks against Carlton from 2007-2014 makes me a bit ill, we can’t lose to them until 2024 at least. Similarly the Dogs between 2007-2013 but for whatever reason that one doesn’t bother me too much anymore, can’t quite put my finger on why.

 

[DemonZombie_001]

Biggest Rival (for me) means two teams who actively dislike each other like Hawthorn and Essendon did (or do).

Otherwise Adelaide vs Port, WCE vs Freo as current examples. Well Melbourne just does not have a rival like that. And that is mainly because Melbourne has not been a team that has had any great influence on the competition over the last 20 years.

So that is a "no one" as an answer from me.

 

[schmuttt]

In terms of on field results it is undoubtedly Geelong. So many close games between the clubs in the last few years and a couple finals meetings.

The R23 loss stings me and not because of the finals implications. Would have been five consecutive wins. Similarly this year’s loss reset the counter when we’re in a good position to string together a few years of dominance over them. At least we haven’t lost to Hawthorn since 2018, god bless draws.

Six consecutive wins over Carlton is also good value - the irony being that it would be nine since we beat them in 2014 for our first win under Roosy, except for the fact that we lost to them when they finished last in 2015 and 14th in 2016.

2019 scuppered a few good streaks in the making annoyingly. Would love to trade our streak GC for one against St Kilda, North or Essendon. We’ve also only lost to the Dons three times since Roos, basically the inverse of our losses to Carlton where they finished 15th in 2015 and last in 2016 and still beat us despite being hugely under strength in both games…plus the shootout in 2019. Time for us to go 8-12 years without losing to some Victorian sides, like the Pies, Cats, Hawks, Saints and North pulled on us. At least the Tigers and Dons never had decent streaks over us, but the seven years between drinks against Carlton from 2007-2014 makes me a bit ill, we can’t lose to them until 2024 at least. Similarly the Dogs between 2007-2013 but for whatever reason that one doesn’t bother me too much anymore, can’t quite put my finger on why.

Dogs was 2008-2012, we beat them late 2007 at Marvel (Our only win there until Round 1 2017 I believe) and then the next win was mid 2013.

We've actually got a decent record against the Lions as they've come good, our only losses being 2019 when we were awful and still pushed them right up until 3/4 time at the GABBA, then under a kick in a shocking game in 2020.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Dogs was 2008-2012, we beat them late 2007 at Marvel (Our only win there until Round 1 2017 I believe) and then the next win was mid 2013.

I was using ‘last win before streak’ as start date and ‘first win to end streak’ as end date

 

[El Gringo]

I was raised to love the Dees and despise Collingwood, I just assumed every other Melbourne supporter had the same thing.

The feud has cooled a bit in recent times but when the Pies can git gud again, it will be right back on.

 

[schmuttt]

I was using ‘last win before streak’ as start date and ‘first win to end streak’ as end date

ok

 

[King Cold]

They are more a punching bag nowadays. The ownership papers they held over us have been transferred.

I remember Richmond fans saying similar in recent times regarding our ownership over them being no longer.

It goes without saying that any win against Geelong is hard earned no matter who you are, however I feel a key difference between Geelong/Richmond and Geelong/Melbourne is the fact Melbourne don't fear playing us in Geelong and have beaten us twice down here in recent times.

Richmond on the other hand beat us half a dozen times while they were the best team in the competition 2017-2020 and all at the MCG, they unlike Melbourne fear playing us down here and not only that but 2021 proved that we still own them and that normal service has resumed.

 

[schmuttt]

I remember Richmond fans saying similar in recent times regarding our ownership over them being no longer.

It goes without saying that any win against Geelong is hard earned no matter who you are, however I feel a key difference between Geelong/Richmond and Geelong/Melbourne is the fact Melbourne don't fear playing us in Geelong and have beaten us twice down here in recent times.

Richmond on the other hand beat us half a dozen times while they were the best team in the competition 2017-2020 and all at the MCG, they unlike Melbourne fear playing us down here and not only that but 2021 proved that we still own them and that normal service has resumed.

Surprisingly reasonable post from you KC and I agree. We’ve had our issues the past few years but I’ve never felt we’ve been bothered by what ground we play at. Sure you smashed us in 2019 but everyone did because we were crap.

 

[King Cold]

Surprisingly reasonable post from you KC and I agree. We’ve had our issues the past few years but I’ve never felt we’ve been bothered by what ground we play at. Sure you smashed us in 2019 but everyone did because we were crap.

Even our game in 2019 was more competitive than the scoreboard suggested as I remember being at that game and we were ridiculously efficient with scoring from inside 50s, while Melbourne were the exact opposite in that they were very wasteful all night when going inside 50.

The game in 2017 was a similar story except not as bad/extreme as the game in 2019 was, you have to go back to Paul Roos last game as coach in 2016 to find a game where we completely smashed Melbourne off the park.

Both our games against Richmond in 2021 were very one sided and we were in cruise control for big parts of both games, our average winning margin against Richmond in 2021 was 50 points.

Geelong/Richmond in 2021 was like North Melbourne/Adelaide in 1999 with both match ups being grand final replays of the previous year where Richmond/Adelaide had won the grand final, yet Geelong/North Melbourne won both grand final replays the following year quite easily.

I'll admit I was still surprised to witness normal service resume in 2021 in terms of Geelong dominating Richmond, however it's clear to see Melbourne are a different kettle of fish and I know our games against Melbourne aren't going to revert back to being easy wins for us anytime soon.

 

[Andy_Mac]

Even our game in 2019 was more competitive than the scoreboard suggested as I remember being at that game and we were ridiculously efficient with scoring from inside 50s, while Melbourne were the exact opposite in that they were very wasteful all night when going inside 50.

The game in 2017 was a similar story except not as bad/extreme as the game in 2019 was, you have to go back to Paul Roos last game as coach in 2016 to find a game where we completely smashed Melbourne off the park.

Both our games against Richmond in 2021 were very one sided and we were in cruise control for big parts of both games, our average winning margin against Richmond in 2021 was 50 points.

Geelong/Richmond in 2021 was like North Melbourne/Adelaide in 1999 with both match ups being grand final replays of the previous year where Richmond/Adelaide had won the grand final, yet Geelong/North Melbourne won both grand final replays the following year quite easily.

I'll admit I was still surprised to witness normal service resume in 2021 in terms of Geelong dominating Richmond, however it's clear to see Melbourne are a different kettle of fish and I know our games against Melbourne aren't going to revert back to being easy wins for us anytime soon.

You don't have to go back to 2016, look no further than the prelim. Cats fans need to check into reality rehab. Cats supporters are like cuckolds, and Max Gawn is your Daddy.

You're no longer a premiership threat you went all in in 2021 and lost. The age demographic of the list isn't suited to playing 22 games then weather the step up in intensity for finals. Even Port blew you away week 1. Next year it's only going to get worse.

 

[King Cold]

You don't have to go back to 2016, look no further than the prelim. Cats fans need to check into reality rehab. Cats supporters are like cuckolds, and Max Gawn is your Daddy.

You're no longer a premiership threat you went all in in 2021 and lost. The age demographic of the list isn't suited to playing 22 games then weather the step up in intensity for finals. Even Port blew you away week 1. Next year it's only going to get worse.

I remember very well it was around this time in 2010 in that the exact same thing was being said after we'd been blown off the park by a much younger Collingwood in a preliminary final.

 

[Andy_Mac]

I remember very well it was around this time in 2010 in that the exact same thing was being said after we'd been blown off the park by a much younger Collingwood in a preliminary final.

Best you go find a tasty pillow. This is gunna hurt.

Unlike 2010 you haven't got a Hawkins or a Selwood entering their prime. You rely on a derth of +30yo to cover the talent gap of under 25's.

 

[El Gringo]

I remember very well it was around this time in 2010 in that the exact same thing was being said after we'd been blown off the park by a much younger Collingwood in a preliminary final.

The funny thing is Bomber was cooked in 2010, you won that ‘11 flag purely off Chris Scott’s fresh energy. Now Scott is cooked, the club are doubling down on him and I can’t honestly see where that fresh change is going to come from.

It’s going to definitively prove or disprove the theory that Scott was a right time/right place one year wonder premiership coach atleast though.

 

[dylan93]

I still don't feel like we have a proper rival (eg. Carlton vs. Collingwood, Geelong vs. Hawthorn, etc).

I do kind of agree with most posters above re: recent games against the Cats, and the obvious one being Pies for Queen's Birthday but I don't think any of those rivalries can live up to the other ones in the comp.

I feel like our rivalry is coming soon though. Probably whichever team is in the mix with us throughout the next 5-10 years. Could be WB, BRIS, FREM, etc.

Let's wait and see.

 

[King Cold]

Best you go find a tasty pillow. This is gunna hurt.

Unlike 2010 you haven't got a Hawkins or a Selwood entering their prime. You rely on a derth of +30yo to cover the talent gap of under 25's.

Melbourne were the first side to beat us three times in a season since West Coast did so in 1994.

Also, it's been a very long time since any side has had a winning streak of longer than 4 wins against us.

Hawthorn and North Melbourne both beat us 4 times in a row 2014-15 but apart from that, you have to go back prior to 2007 to find anyone else who's beaten us 4 times in a row even, let alone 5 times in a row or more.

 

[Dory_77]

I remember very well it was around this time in 2010 in that the exact same thing was being said after we'd been blown off the park by a much younger Collingwood in a preliminary final.

The 2010 side still had superstars on every line though, who'd put together one of the best 4 seasons ('08 and '10 finals aside) in history. Prematurely written off, as the quality was still there even without GAJ.
IMO Geelong don't have near the quality in defence or midfield at the moment they had then which will make it very hard to challenge for a flag in coming years.

 

[Jamurp]

Still hate Geelong, beating them 3 times in a season isn’t enough.

 

[King Cold]

Still hate Geelong, beating them 3 times in a season isn’t enough.

I remember it wasn't long ago when any of these polls on this board would have been a complete landslide to Collingwood.

How times have changed.