Which game would have the biggest impact or butterfly effect on AFL history if the result was changed?

[Pavlovs Cat]

1993 Geelong came home like a train too beating all the finalist I think and missed the top 6 by a game. They make the finals in 93 would have been extremely dangerous

Tell me about it. 93 was as bad as 92. 95 sucked but Blues on a roll but in 94 we spent everything we had getting upset finals wins over Carlton and North and had nothing left for a team that had the wood on us.

 

[Roysforever]

Seems like the league made one decision after another that hurt the Roys until they eventually shafted you.

There was certainly an agenda to reduce the number of teams in Melbourne and unfortunately Fitzroy just happened to be the weakness around the period. Television money was yet to be truly valued during this era. If Fitzroy could have held on till 2001 when the TV revenue skyrocketed, there is potential that the club would still operate in the AFL these days.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Hawthorn vs Port Adelaide, 2014 Preliminary Final

What if Port Adelaide kicked straight and one more goal? Hawthorn one-and-done and Sydney would've faced Port in that year's Grand Final. Could've gone either way with Sydney's Grand Final record and Hinkley a potential premiership coach in his 2nd year at the helm.

I think Port would have won the premiership but then dropped off the follow year anyway.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

1999 prelim, Wallis hits the top of the square or Fraser Brown misses the tackle. That Essendon side possibly wins the next week and ends up being a back to back side rather than the one that is largely seen as underperforming overall despite one of the best seasons ever in 2000.

I've never understood this. North Melbourne were really hungry because of 1998, Essendon couldn't even beat Carlton who got thrashed by 73 points in the QF. I think people think of their 2000 season as being the same as their 1999 finals. Essendon were the best in 2000 because of their 1999 prelim loss.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Round 10, 2001, is usually cited as the Brisbane match that influenced their 3-peat, when they were 4-5 and defeated a rampaging Essendon. If they don't beat Essendon, they probably would have been less confident and not achieved much.

 

[WilloTree]

Fremantle training session Dec 2010 - Anthony Morobito does his ACL

A fit Morobito in 2013-15 and the Hawks 3-peat is probably Freo's.

If you think that's not significant this was him V Hawks 3 months earlier.

Freo won by 30 pts.

 

[Blues177]

1970 Grand Final - The Colliwobbles isn’t a thing as the drought ends at three instead of eight, and Carlton arguably don’t become the league powerhouse. The result of the 1977, 1979, and 1981 Grand Finals also potentially impacted.

In 1970 Barassi was thinking of resigning at the end of the season when the team was having a mid season form slump as he felt that his methods were beginning to have less impact on the players. With emotions high after the miraculous 1970 grand final win the board convinced Barassi to continue on as coach which he did so for one more season.

The decision made by Barassi at half time in the 1970 grand final may have been a sliding doors moment for a couple of other clubs.

What if Barassi at half time in the grand final followed the match committee advice of not bringing Ted Hopkins on due to the risk of leaving the bench one man short for the entire second half.

Then Ted Hopkins probably comes on in the last quarter instead so any Carlton comeback does not have the same impact as it actually did and Collingwood win by about 3 goals. Barassi may then have followed through with his mid season thoughts of resigning.

Would Barassi have then returned to Melbourne as coach in 1971 as the demons coaching position became vacant after the resignation of coach John Beckwith.

Would North Melbourne have still won at least one premiership in the 1970’s with a good board under president Allen Aylett and exploiting the 10 year recruiting rule in 1973 but without Barassi as coach?

Carlton would have still appointed John Nicholls as captain-coach for 1971, one year earlier than his actual appointment as he was always very keen to eventually coach the club.

 

[Rich01]

The lab leak doesn't occur in Wuhan.... Melbourne never break that premiership drought. Oh how the wheel spins

At least West Australians got their Grand Final in their state and stopped their sooking for a hot second.

 

[catters05]

2007 Cats v Tigers, if the score was flipped. Thompson probably gets sacked, club crumbles and definitely no 07/09/11.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

If Hawks kick straight in the 2012 GF they win the flag and likely don’t come back with a point to prove and win 3 in a row after.

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

Yeh of course but piggy was kinda more than handy compared to the others

Dipper was in and out and so was Dermott. Dipper still had a bit to offer in 1990 and obviously Dermott not being at his best through certain ailments hurt our chances. Continuity killed us that year.

 

[Supercoach Bargain]

1987 Prelim.

Jim Stynes runs across the mark, Buckenara kicks a goal after the siren. Hawks go on.

Melbourne were competitive for abt 5 years after, but it went bad after that.

Could they have capitalised on a good list and avoided the dark days?

 

[Mr Meow]

If Hawks kick straight in the 2012 GF they win the flag and likely don’t come back with a point to prove and win 3 in a row after.

I worry that Hinkley's aeroplane will have the same effect.

 

[L_W_P]

2005
Nick Davis vs Geelong

Reverse that and we get a Saints v Cats prelim in 2005.

Winner plays the Eagles.

Possibly a Cats flag in 2005 means the 2007 season is totally flipped with the Pies and Power now a more realistic chance.

Swans don't break their drought and probably don't get back there in 2006.

Roos no longer hailed as a gun coach means no Ross Lyon at the Saints in 2007. No RTB means the Pies probably don't recruit Luke Ball or Maxy Hudgton so 2010 looks entirely different.

If the Pies snagged a flag in 2007 does the handover to Buckley look better in 2012? Does it even happen?

No 'Bloods' successful culture means Buddy probably does sign with GWS instead. Could have been the difference in 2016, costing the Dogs their flag.

Roos also would have been hired by Melbourne to rebuild their club/culture. Who knows where they end up without that aura of leadership.

The whole landscape of modern football is changed if Nick Davis doesn't go berserk in that last quarter.

 

[Mr Meow]

2005
Nick Davis vs Geelong

Reverse that and we get a Saints v Cats prelim in 2005.

Winner plays the Eagles.

Possibly a Cats flag in 2005 means the 2007 season is totally flipped with the Pies and Power now a more realistic chance.

Swans don't break their drought and probably don't get back there in 2006.

Roos no longer hailed as a gun coach means no Ross Lyon at the Saints in 2007. No RTB means the Pies probably don't recruit Luke Ball or Maxy Hudgton so 2010 looks entirely different.

If the Pies snagged a flag in 2007 does the handover to Buckley look better in 2012? Does it even happen?

No 'Bloods' successful culture means Buddy probably does sign with GWS instead. Could have been the difference in 2016, costing the Dogs their flag.

Roos also would have been hired by Melbourne to rebuild their club/culture. Who knows where they end up without that aura of leadership.

The whole landscape of modern football is changed if Nick Davis doesn't go berserk in that last quarter.

With this scenario maybe Geelong in 2005 jag a Bulldogs 2016 style standalone flag and Collingwood have the 2007-2011 3 flag dynasty.

Or St Kilda start their own dynasty 2005-2010, then Chris Scott takes the reigns and gets them a couple more flags 2011-2024.

 

[Supreme_Chancellor]

What if Melbourne didn't sack Norm Smith in 1965?

• Do the Dees remain a powerhouse club throughout the rest of the twentieth century rather than slump to a 57 year drought?

What if Fitzroy and North Melbourne merged in 1996?

• Does this become a "SUPERTEAM" that wins several premierships?

What if Buddy signed with GWS?

• Does a duo of Buddy and Jezza snag GWS their first Premiership and more?

What if Mark Thompson, Alastair Clarkson or Damien Hardwick are sacked after the 2006, 2010 and 2016 seasons respectively?

• Do any of these clubs achieve the same level of success?

 

[Todman]

Round 17, 1964 Melbourne 10.13 73 to Hawthorn 10.9 69 at Glenferrie Oval.

Had Hawthorn won that game they would have finished 2 points clear on top of ladder and Melbourne slip out of finals.

Barassi would be only 5 time premiership player. Norm Smith was sacked but ( in real life restored ) as coach during off-season. Melbourne would have offered Barassi the job before Carlton came calling. Barassi coaches for 3 years, never made finals before sacked and replaced by John Beckwick for 1968 season.

Barassi remains in his furniture store to be lured out of retirement to play with Brunswick (VFA) as Captain-coach 1969 to 1972.
Unable to lift the "Wickers" ,club lacked resources and money.
Barassi becomes a Channel Seven commentator in 1968, VFA play on Sunday so it doesn't interfere with commentating. Barassi also appears on World of Sport, but leaves early to get to his game.

In 1973 North Melbourne appoints Norm Smith but Norm dies mid season, assistant coach Ron Barassi get promoted to top job.

 

[terrybull]

Phil Carmen doesn’t get suspended in 1977.

Colliwobbles probably put to an end.

Hafey gets his fifth Premiership and with getting a team from wooden-spoon to Premiers would probably propel him to greatest coach ever.

Barrassi stuck on 3 Premierships, would North be able to muster a Premiership in 1978 or at least make the Grand Final in 1979 or would they have a depressing record of five or six Grand Finals in a row for 1 Premiership?

 

[PetterdHoisted]

No thanks, I'm taking the '22 flag at the home of football. Covid Cup is all yours - STAND!

True it’s the GF you remember least of that lot as a fan.

A dramatic game in many respects but it all felt weird.

A bird flu GF or two are coming, apparently

 

[PetterdHoisted]

If geelong won ‘89

Again, great close game, legendary, but it didn’t change the look and sound of the game itself.

still waiting for someone to top 2020 GF…?

You just can’t top the umpires suddenly screaming STAND … OUTSIDE 5

and players standing as statues, getting 50MPs for running backwards off the mark etc

 

[PetterdHoisted]

If Fitzroy won the 1983 QF and Premiership, then maybe they could hold on to survive in the AFL today.

Ok this is a competitor with 2020, the roys being killed/moved

Any similar single moment for South Melbourne?

 

[Captain_Bender]

Ok this is a competitor with 2020, the roys being killed/moved

Any similar single moment for South Melbourne?

If Bob Pratt doesn't get hit by a car before either the 1935 or 36 GF, they mostly likely win

 

[PetterdHoisted]

And 2022 ,another Richmond flag if Lynch's goal stood.
Never played a replay at that game,still waiting.

Ah yes

The first finals to be decided by a botched video ref

As they said in the papers the next day, show us the video used to over-rule the umpires call of goal to Richmond

The AFL has never been able to produce it.

A good one, but like most posts here, just a my team/your team thing.

So far the contenders are 2020 GF/STAND

And 1983/86 Fitzroy

Others?

 

[Wallaby]

Round 17, 1964 Melbourne 10.13 73 to Hawthorn 10.9 69 at Glenferrie Oval.

Had Hawthorn won that game they would have finished 2 points clear on top of ladder and Melbourne slip out of finals.

Dont forget the Melbourne only won that game due to a miracle goal (by 1964 standards) kicked by Hassa Mann in a Glenferrie Gluepot in the last 5 minutes. (edit: Video queued to Mann goal, but the whole thing is a good watch).

 

[iameviljez]

And 2022 ,another Richmond flag if Lynch's goal stood.
Never played a replay at that game,still waiting.

I mean, I've never heard someone claim that a flag was in the bag if only then won an elimination final...