Who is the best team in the history of the game to not win a grand final??

[peetoo]

Not sure what "era" defines but since 2000 I would rank the 2001 - 03 Lions, 2012 - 2015 Hawks and the Cats from 2007 as better teams than Tigers from 2017.

Of those 3, I think the Lions was probably the line by line best team but it is hard to argue with the Cats sustained run from 2007 - 2022.

For me, the best team not to win a flag in that era was Saints 2004 - 2010. Maybe biased but that list should have won at least one flag.

And 2009 the closest one

 

[peetoo]

Lions were the best team on paper for a one off match for genuine stars, cats performed the best for the longest period of time. agree with saints being best team not to win one, argument for Freo too as they finished top or second a few years in a row there and similar to saints unlucky not to win one.

Lions through cats through hawks throug richmond there’s a clear trend from mostly talent basic systems to less overall talent but very advanced systems

The names in the lions side are huge on paper

 

[geelong_crazy26]

May not be the best in history to not win but still can’t believe Adelaide not only didn’t win, but got smashed by 8 goals in 2017.

They crushed Richmond during the H&A season, just to be pants’d on GF day

Adelaide oval Vs MCG was the difference

 

[Caesarr]

Geelong from 89-95 are a good shout.

Hafey Collingwood era is right up there as well. Drawn granny in 77, prelim loss in 78, GF loss in 79, GF loss in 80, GF loss in 81.

 

[Magpie Since 1986]

Geelong 2008 or Carlton 2023

 

[HairyO]

Geelong 2008 or Carlton 2023

Toot toot
Im onboard the Voss train

 

[two blue tiger]

Not sure what "era" defines but since 2000 I would rank the 2001 - 03 Lions, 2012 - 2015 Hawks and the Cats from 2007 as better teams than Tigers from 2017.

I'm talking Tigers 2017/2018/2019/2020 - won 3, but best team was the 2018.

 

[Caligo]

I'm talking Tigers 2017/2018/2019/2020 - won 3, but best team was the 2018.

Surely you were better in 2019? Lynch was a huge upgrade.

 

[Yoda_]

if we are talking Era's, the Dogs team circa 1998 - 2002 was pretty stiff to run into some of the best teams the game has seen.

From Scott West

Scott West

Age

49

Ht

178cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

25.4

5star

K

12.7

5star

HB

12.6

5star

M

3.3

3star

T

2.6

4star

No current season stats available

D

12.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

1.4

2star

T

1.0

3star

, Luke Darcy, Rohan Smith

Rohan Smith

Age

50

Ht

184cm

Wt

80kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.2

4star

K

11.9

4star

HB

5.2

4star

M

4.5

4star

T

1.2

3star

No current season stats available

D

11.8

3star

K

8.2

4star

HB

3.6

3star

M

1.4

2star

T

1.2

3star

, Scott Wind, Chris Grant Brad Johnson

Brad Johnson

Age

47

Ht

182cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.7

5star

K

14.1

5star

HB

5.6

4star

M

5.9

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

1.5

5star

No current season stats available

D

12.8

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

2.6

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

1.2

3star

G

0.6

3star

. Stars on every line that never got the ultimate chance

 

[two blue tiger]

I'm talking Tigers 2017/2018/2019/2020 - won 3, but best team was the 2018.

Had Rance at his peak in 2018. Was in top half dozen players in the league at that stage.

 

[Caligo]

Had Rance at his peak in 2018. Was in top half dozen players in the league at that stage.

Good call. I thought 2017 was his last full season.

 

[kranky al]

Surely you were better in 2019? Lynch was a huge upgrade.

I cfb they scored lynch in the off-season.

Talk about kotd by a fairy!!

There was one glaring weakness in the tigers list and it was filled like magic.

 

[peetoo]

I cfb they scored lynch in the off-season.

Talk about kotd by a fairy!!

There was one glaring weakness in the tigers list and it was filled like magic.

You just reminded us the tigers got lynch from the suns….dimmas new team

 

[adammania9]

Yeah there were two whoppers in there:

1. 1929 - smashed by 10 goals in the 2nd semi-final - progressed through to the Grand final anyway. May still have won it, but definitely easier than it should have been.
2. 1930 - this one is even worse. Beaten by Geelong in the Prelim final by 26 points. That should have been it. Season over. Instead, they replayed the exact two teams the week later.

I'm also fully aware that Geelong's first flag in 1925 was won by similar means to Collingwood in 1929. That was crap too.

Crazy how teams used to win premierships within the rules of the finals system

 

[Caligo]

Crazy how teams used to win premierships within the rules of the finals system

The thread is about grand finals.

How is this still needing to be explained?

 

[evolved2]

Essendon 1999.

 

[magpiemaniac44]

Since 2005 I'd say
Geelong 08
St Kilda 09
Collingwood 11 (only lost to 1 team for the whole year)
Richmond 18 (reckon this was Richmond's strongest season of their peak)

 

[Altum Volantes]

Eagles 91

19-3 with a cumulative margin of 16 points

Won 2 finals but lost to Hawthorn twice.

Waverley GF etc etc

 

[Caligo]

Eagles 91

19-3 with a cumulative margin of 16 points

Won 2 finals but lost to Hawthorn twice.

Waverley GF etc etc

They lost to Hawthorn at subi too yeah?

 

[Altum Volantes]

They lost to Hawthorn at subi too yeah?

They did indeed - really underrated match that one.

The rematch the following year was a cracker too.

 

[evolved2]

Eagles 91

19-3 with a cumulative margin of 16 points

Won 2 finals but lost to Hawthorn twice.

Waverley GF etc etc

Lost to the Pies at Waverly after the siren IIRC.

 

[Occidental]

Yeah there were two whoppers in there:

1. 1929 - smashed by 10 goals in the 2nd semi-final - progressed through to the Grand final anyway. May still have won it, but definitely easier than it should have been.
2. 1930 - this one is even worse. Beaten by Geelong in the Prelim final by 26 points. That should have been it. Season over. Instead, they replayed the exact two teams the week later.

I'm also fully aware that Geelong's first flag in 1925 was won by similar means to Collingwood in 1929. That was crap too.

Yep, it’s amazing when you finish on top and play in finals you don’t have to win compared to the finals you do have to win.
When it was required to win…. They did. Case closed. That includes 1925.

 

[Ricmel]

Yep, it’s amazing when you finish on top and play in finals you don’t have to win compared to the finals you do have to win.
When it was required to win…. They did. Case closed. That includes 1925.

Yeah, this was the VFL "Challenge" system I think. I know for Saints for example in 1913 they beat Fitzroy in the "Grand Final" but the team that finished on top of the ladder at end of H&A (in 1913 Fitzroy) could "challenge" if they lost a final. So effectively the Grand Final was played again and Fitzroy won.

A bit bizzare.

 

[Tiger Balme]

Adelaide oval Vs MCG was the difference

After Adelaide beat us in rnd 6 that season we lost games to Fremantle and Sydney at the MCG. The 'G wasn't the difference then.

 

[Didak Wine]

Geelong late 80s early 90s
Collingwood in the 70s early 80s