Who would you rate as the strongest premiership side in the AFL era?

[HBF]

Think i'd take the Brisbane 3 peat team.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Lions for me as well.
Amazing footy team.

 

[PhatBoy]

Off the top of my head

Wanganeen - Silvangi - C.Johnson
McLoed - Scarlett - Enright
Lappin - Voss - Crawford
S.Johnson - Carey - Akamanins
Rioli - Lloyd - Franklin
Cox - Hird - Ricciuto
Black - Williams - Goodes -Hodge

Little bald bloke you might want to add in there somewhere

 

[Cuzz09]

Off the top of my head

Wanganeen - Silvangi - C.Johnson
McLoed - Jakovich - McKenna
Lappin - Voss - Matera
S.Johnson - Carey - Akamanins
Rioli - Lloyd - Franklin
Cox - Judd - Black
Hird - Williams - Goodes -Hodge

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[Stan_Darsh72]

Little bald bloke you might want to add in there somewhere

Completly forgot about Chappy tbh,

 

[PhatBoy]

Completly forgot about Chappy tbh,

Lol I’m going to assume that’s a joke

 

[RAPPA]

Little bald bloke you might want to add in there somewhere

Mil Hanna wasn’t little

 

[skipjack]

Brisbane three peat team or Geelong 07.

 

[Cuzz09]

Mil Hanna wasn’t little

I was honestly wondering the other day "i wonder what Mil Hanna is doing/look like these days?"

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[Goggin Our Best]

Little bit before the AFL era

However i think Essendon in 1985 would handle anyone - in fact i think they would make a mess of most - and back then if it was full time and professional - i reckon that side would have won about 5 in a row - the talent they had - Hawthorns werrnt mugs in 85 and the Dons destroyed them in the GF

Honourable mentions to Eagles 94 and Blues 95

 

[JackOutback]

Little bald bloke you might want to add in there somewhere

Two of them. Though Judd had a full head of hair early on.

 

[PhatBoy]

Two of them. Though Judd had a full head of hair early on.

So did gaz once upon a time

 

[sprockets]

After 30 completed seasons in the AFL era, which premiership team do you rate as the best and why?

Who would you rate as the strongest premiership side in the AFL era?

After 30 completed seasons in the AFL era, which premiership team do you rate as the best and why?

www.bigfooty.com

OR this

Who would you rate as the strongest premiership side in the AFL era?

After 30 completed seasons in the AFL era, which premiership team do you rate as the best and why?

www.bigfooty.com

 

[SickQwon]

Geelong 2007 era was the strongest

2007 All Australians:
Matthew Egan
Darren Milburn (Booooo)
Matthew Scarlett
Gary Ablett Jr.
Jimmy Bartel
Joel Corey
Cameron Ling
Steve Johnson
Cameron Mooney

That's 9 AA's.
Missing Paul Chapman, Joel Selwood, Corey Enright, Tom Harley, James Kelly.

Upon writing this, i'd may as well include the whole team. Seriously phenomenal.

 

[Tiger Mopsy]

Richmond.

Easily.

We are just getting started.

 

[jackenny]

Hawthorn did not have to knock over a truly dominant team to get to the top like Brisbane did.
Essendon between 1999-2001 were beating teams on average by 40+ points weekly.

Brisbane's average finals winning margin between 01-03 was 44 points compared to Hawthorn 13-15 of 35 points.

Honestly, the "weak opposition" Hawthorn had to play during their threepeat gets overplayed. You're referring to a team's average winning margin, so I take it that stat holds some weight with you and will use that stat to illustrate my point.

The Lion's crowning achievement was beating Essendon in 2001:

Essendon Home & Away 2001
Average Winning Margin = 43.2941176471 (17 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 16.6 (5 losses)

The Bombers were reigning premiers, winning the premiership in 2000. They were also minor premiers in 1999, 2000, and 2001.

Brisbane's wins against Collingwood in 2002 and 2003 weren't that impressive, though:

Collingood Home & Away 2002
Average Winning Margin = 34.3846153846 (13 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 29.2222222222 (9 losses)

Collingwood Home & Away 2003
Average Winning Margin = 40.9333333333 (15 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 30.4285714286 (7 losses)

Collingwood had no minor premierships during this time. They had no premierships during this time. They would have to wait until 2010 before winning a minor premiership and a premiership. Their 2002 season in particular was very ordinary aside from making the GF. The "truly dominant team" during this period was Port Adelaide who won the minor premierships in 2002 and 2003 but were notorious chokers until 2004 when they finally won a premiership at the end of their window.

In comparison, this was Hawthorn's opposition:

Fremantle Home & Away 2013
Average Winning Margin = 43.875 (16 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 37 (6 losses)

Sydney Home & Away 2014
Average Winning Margin = 43.8823529412 (17 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 21.6 (5 losses)

West Coast Home & Away 2015
Average Winning Margin = 54.9375 (16 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 24.2 (5 losses)

Fremantle were dominant enough that they won a minor premiership in 2015 two years later. Sydney were dominant enough that they won a premiership in 2012 two years prior. Sydney were the minor premiers in 2014, and in 2016 two years later. Sydney played three grand finals (2012, 2014, 2016). West Coast played two grand finals (2015 and 2018), and they won the premiership three years later in 2018. Basically, just making a case that these teams weren't really pushovers.

As far as Hawthorn's personal dominance, they weren't exactly pushovers themselves:

Hawthorn 2012
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 62 (17 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 21.6 (5 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 21.5 (2 wins)
Loss = (GF against Sydney by 10 points)

Hawthorn 2013
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 38 (19 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 19.3333333333 (3 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 24.6666666667 (3 games)

Hawthorn 2014
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 47.2352941176 (17 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 18.2 (5 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 34 (3 games)

Hawthorn 2015
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 60.5 (16 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 10.6666666667

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 49 (3 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 32 (1 loss)

Compare this with Essendon's individual years:

Essendon 1999
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 37.2222222222 (18 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 43.75 (4 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 69 (1 win)
Loss = (PF against Carlton by 1 point)

Essendon 2000
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 50.3333333333 (21 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 11 (1 loss)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 76.6666666667 (3 games)

Essendon 2001
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 43.2941176471 (17 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 16.6 (5 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 39.5 (2 wins)
Loss = (GF against Brisbane Lions by 26 points)

As you can see, Hawthorn were routinely beating sides by 40+ points, too. Hell, in 2012 and 2015 they were routinely beating teams by 60+. Essendon 2000 still takes the cake, but Hawthorn's period of dominance beats Essendon's period of dominance for me.

To help with recency bias, compare this to the most dominant team today, Richmond - and then consider that Hawthorn were beating the crud out of teams even more:

Richmond 2017
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 32.2666666667 (15 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 25.1428571429 (7 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 45 (3 games)

Richmond 2018
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 37.1111111111 (18 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 24.75 (4 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 31 (1 win)
Loss = (PF against Collingwood by 39 points)

Richmond 2019
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 31.5625 (16 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 46.1666666667 (6 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 51.6666666667 (3 games)

Anyway, I wrote up a whole thing:

Premiers:

Spoiler

Collingwood 1990
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 44.8125 (16 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 27.6666666667 (6 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 56.6666666667 (4 games, one draw against West Coast)

Hawthorn 1991
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 62.9375 (16 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 44.8333333333 (6 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 26 (3 games)

West Coast 1992
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 39.8666666667 (15 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 24 (6 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 26.3333333333 (3 games)

Essendon 1993
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 43.6153846154 (13 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 32.1666666667 (6 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 29 (3 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 2 (1 loss)

West Coast 1994
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 45.6875 (16 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 37.5 (6 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 49 (3 games)

Carlton 1995
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 38.7 (20 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 64 (2 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 45.3333333333 (3 games)

North Melbourne 1996
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 50.75 (16 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 44.6666666667 (6 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 47 (3 games)

Adelaide 1997
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 46.6153846154 (13 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 24.8888888889 (9 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 18.5 (4 games)

Adelaide 1998
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 42.4615384615 (13 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 15.8888888889 (9 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 43.3333333333 (3 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 48 (1 loss)

North Melbourne 1999
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 26.1764705882 (17 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 22.2 (5 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 41.3333333333 (3 games)

Essendon 2000
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 50.3333333333 (21 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 11 (1 loss)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 76.6666666667 (3 games)

Brisbane Lions 2001
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 41.7058823529 (17 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 32 (5 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 42 (3 games)

Brisbane Lions 2002
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 44.7058823529 (17 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 16.6 (5 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 45.3333333333 (3 games)

Brisbane Lions 2003
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 38 (14 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 17 (7 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 45.3333333333 (3 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 15 (1 loss)

Port Adelaide 2004
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 49.6470588235 (17 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 50.8 (5 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 33.6666666667 (3 games)

Sydney 2005
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 31.4666666667 (15 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 27.7142857143 (7 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 12.6666666667 (3 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 4 (1 loss)

West Coast 2006
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 31.0588235294 (17 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 29 (5 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 28.3333333333 (3 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 1 (1 loss)

Geelong 2007
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 51.2777777778 (18 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 11.25 (4 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 76.6666666667 (3 games)

Hawthorn 2008
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 42.1764705882 (17 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 25.8 (5 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 43.6666666667 (3 games)

Geelong 2009
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 33.0555555556 (18 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 24.5 (4 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 33 (3 games)

Collingwood 2010
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 45.0588235294 (17 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 18.75 (4 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 53 (4 games, one draw against St Kilda)

Geelong 2011
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 50.2105263158 (19 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 8.33333333333 (3 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 39 (3 games)

Sydney 2012
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 48.25 (16 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 18.5 (6 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 21.6666666667 (3 games)

Hawthorn 2013
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 38 (19 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 19.3333333333 (3 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 24.6666666667 (3 games)

Hawthorn 2014
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 47.2352941176 (17 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 18.2 (5 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 34 (3 games)

Hawthorn 2015
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 60.5 (16 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 10.6666666667

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 49 (3 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 32 (1 loss)

Western Bulldogs 2016
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 27.2666666667 (15 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 23 (7 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 24.5 (4 games)

Richmond 2017
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 32.2666666667 (15 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 25.1428571429 (7 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 45 (3 games)

West Coast 2018
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 30.875 (16 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 23.1666666667 (6 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 29 (3 games)

Richmond 2019
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 31.5625 (16 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 46.1666666667 (6 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 51.6666666667 (3 games)

Unlucky Teams (The Minor Premiers Who Didn't Win It)

Spoiler

West Coast 1991
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 51 (19 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 5.33333333333 (3 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 26.5 (2 wins)
Losses = (QF against Hawthorn by 23 points / GF against Hawthorn by 53 points)

Geelong 1992
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 70.625 (16 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 28.6666666667 (6 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 62.5 (2 wins)
Losses = (SF against West Coast by 38 points / GF against West Coast by 28 points)

Sydney 1996
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 38.375 (16 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 39.8 (5 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 3.5 (2 wins)
Loss = (GF against North Melbourne by 43 points)

St Kilda 1997
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 39.0666666667 (15 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 30 (7 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 38.5 (2 wins)
Loss = (GF against Adelaide by 31 points)

North Melbourne 1998
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 31.1875 (16 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 21.6666666667 (6 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 26 (2 wins)
Loss = (GF against Adelaide by 35 points)

Essendon 1999
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 37.2222222222 (18 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 43.75 (4 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 69 (1 win)
Loss = (PF against Carlton by 1 point)

Essendon 2001
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 43.2941176471 (17 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 16.6 (5 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 39.5 (2 wins)
Loss = (GF against Brisbane Lions by 26 points)

Port Adelaide 2002
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 38.8888888889 (18 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 30.75 (4 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 24 (1 win)
Losses = (QF against Collingwood by 13 points / PF against Brisbane Lions by 56 points)

Port Adelaide 2003
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 31.2777777778 (18 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 21.5 (4 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 39 (1 win)
Losses = (QF against Sydney by 12 points / PF against Collingwood by 44 points)

Adelaide 2005
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 37.1764705882 (17 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 15.8 (5 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 83 (1 win)
Losses = (QF against St Kilda by 8 points / PF against West Coast by 16 points)

Geelong 2008
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 52.7142857143 (21 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 86 (1 loss)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 43.5 (2 wins)
Loss = (GF against Hawthorn by 26 points)

St Kilda 2009
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 39.65 (20 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 3.5 (2 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 17.5 (2 wins)
Loss = (GF against Geelong by 12 points)

Collingwood 2011
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 57.25 (20 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 49.5 (2 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 11.5 (2 wins)
Loss = (GF against Geelong by 38 points)

Hawthorn 2012
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 62 (17 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 21.6 (5 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 21.5 (2 wins)
Loss = (GF against Sydney by 10 points)

Sydney 2014
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 43.8823529412 (17 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 21.6 (5 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 47.5 (2 wins)
Loss = (GF against Hawthorn by 62 points)

Fremantle 2015
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 29.1764705882 (17 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 40.6 (5 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 9 (1 win)
Loss = (PF against Hawthorn by 27 points)

Sydney 2016
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 47.8823529412 (17 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 12.4 (5 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 36.5 (2 wins)
Losses = (QF against Greater Western Sydney by 36 points / GF against Western Bulldogs by 22 points)

Adelaide 2017
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 53.8 (15 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 28 (6 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 48.5 (2 wins)
Loss = (GF against Richmond by 48 points)

Richmond 2018
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 37.1111111111 (18 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 24.75 (4 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 31 (1 win)
Loss = (PF against Collingwood by 39 points)

Geelong 2019
Home & Away
Average Winning Margin = 38.25 (16 wins)
Average Losing Margin = 15 (6 losses)

Finals
Average Winning Margin = 20 (1 win)
Average Losing Margin = (QF against Collingwood by 10 points / PF against Richmond by 19 points)

 

[PhatBoy]

Geelong 2007 era was the strongest

2007 All Australians:
Matthew Egan
Darren Milburn (Booooo)
Matthew Scarlett
Gary Ablett Jr.
Jimmy Bartel
Joel Corey
Cameron Ling
Steve Johnson
Cameron Mooney

That's 9 AA's.
Missing Paul Chapman, Joel Selwood, Corey Enright, Tom Harley, James Kelly.

Upon writing this, i'd may as well include the whole team. Seriously phenomenal.

Ottens and King were both AA as well albeit King was obviously well past his prime by that stage

 

[Hawk Dork]

Little bald bloke you might want to add in there somewhere

Cyril wasnt bald

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Geelong 07. Best blend of supreme talent and system. Hawks and Tigers has the system but not quite the talent of that team. Probably has 7 hall of famers in it (Ablett, Scarlett, Johnson, Chapman, Bartel, Enright, Selwood).

 

[COOGRE]

I would say saints would be the best team to not win a premiership, pies had MCG home ground advantage though which was bullshit

 

[royboys4eva]

Brisbane Lions starting midfield.. 3 Brownlow Medals and 2 Norm Smith Medals and then you add two superb players in Lappin and Power. And if anyone was having a rare of day you can throw Tim Notting in the mix.

 

[thedreamisreal]

Lions '01-03 and then daylight. Hell Essendon had the most dominant season bar none in 2000 and Brisbane put an end to their dynasty before it even started.

No bitching about MCG GF's back then...

 

[MonkeyMagik]

I voted 97-98 Adelaide, because they deserved some sort of recognition against some of the others... but you'd have to give it to 2007 Geelong. Or maybe Brisbane for their consistency on Grand Final day.

 

[Big Blood]

I'd choose Geelong because they were
a) the dominant side in the comp all year
b) they were so dominant for five years

Lions were great but they tended to perform moderately well during the year and then steamrolled their way through September. So, a great finals side, and yes, one hallmark of a truly great side is they do what they do when they have to, but in terms of games won and percentage over 2007-2011 Geelong were far and away the most dominant side and they did it for longer than Lions or Hawks, or anyone else before or since.

 

[ThePhantom777]

Brisbane three peat team or Geelong 07.

The 2007 prelim Cats v Pies was the real grand final. Had a bigger attendance than the GF, was a 5 point game. Cracker to watch.

 

[GodJokers]

If we’re talking individual sides I’m going the Cats in 07, team dominance over multiple years gotta be the Lions.