I was having a conversation with a guy at work today about the worst team on paper to win a flag since 2000. Without influencing the response with my opinion first up, who do people think was the worst list to win a premiership?
It’s probably a good idea to have a look at the listed grand final sides for some of the main culprits too. There are some absolute spud names in there that you may of forgotten are actually premiership players.
Richmond. By far.
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Yep, Richmond, end thread.
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That port side isn’t exactly filled with household names but they still had more legit matchwinners than Richmond - Chad and Kane Cornes, tredrea, Burgoyne, wanganeen, Pickett. Was dimma ever AA? he should have been
Dogs by a short neck over Sydney 05/06.
I’m personally not sure having one or two jobbers is that big a deal.
in both of those sides, you take out the best spine player (Stringer and Hall respectively), and the best 2-3 on-ballers (Bontempelli/Libba, Goodes/Kirk/Bolton) and there’s a big big big pile of… bland, uninspiring competence. Sides that would win about 8 games, and look ugly getting there.
Would anyone recognise Fletcher Roberts if he stood up in their wheeties?
Richmond aren’t much better.
Yep. Although I’d say Dogs easily.
Richmond, outside of four or five players who the flaming hell are they?
You forgot Stewie Dew, and 1 x Burgoyne. Did Francou last that long?
Very good backline too, albeit no real star.
They finished top twice in about 3 years, no flash in the pan. Take out Tredrea and they probably struggle, but they were a good side otherwise: top ruck dept, very solid backline, pretty deep midfield.
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Squiggle.com reckons the 2005 Swans were pretty ■■■■■. West Coast 2006 also a weak premiership winner.
Looking back the Adelaide side of 2005/2006 really bottled it hard. Should DEFINITELY have at least played off in a GF. Lol Neil Craig.
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I think Richmond too, though a lot will be influenced by how good the side goes on to become in future years.
Collingwood 2010 also in the conversation surely.
Can’t agree with that, the Pies were dominant. We should all be thankful for the hubris of Ed and Bucks.
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Sadly, all of them.
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How do you measure it? By win/loss for that season? Or by the careers each player in that team had? Or the subsequent success the team has? Probably too early to judge Dogs 2016 and Tigers 2017. Maybe West Coast 2006? Great team on paper but it broke up pretty quickly due to off-field circumstances. By 2010 they finished last on the ladder.
Dale Morris, Easton wood, MacRae and boyd should all rate a mention in their list of guns in that gf and that puts them ahead of Richmond in my book. Hell, Johannisen is pretty handy too.
As for Sydney Michael OLoughlin, Craig Bolton, leo Barry, even Paul Williams has a fair bit of credit.
I thought about mentioning dew but feel free to add him to the list of players making them better than Richmond.
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It has to be a team that was a once off and dropped down.
You can rule out
Brisbane from 2001-2003
Port 2004 ( as they were very good prior to that and just choked in finals)
Sydney and West Coast you do not get to play in two flags on the trot being bad
Geelong 2007, 2009 and 2011.
Hawthorn 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015. You could argue they clearly pinched a flag in 2008 but that team went on to do great things.
Sydney 2012 been around the mark for so long. Made multiple gfs.
Collingwood 2010 were a good team and made the 2011 gf too. If Malthouse stayed could have had more success.
So that leaves Bulldogs and Richmond. To early to tell which one is worse. Either a worthy contender both Cinderella stories.
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None of them.
A premiership team is a premiership team.
Considering how pox we’ve been for nearly 20 years, any of them are the envy of us. Let’s be honest…
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Yeh for me it’s gotta be Richmond. The bulldogs i think will bounce back this year. Richmond are the only Victorian team I’ve watched in a grand final where I’ve said ‘Who the hell is this guy’ numerous times throughout the day. Plus they didn’t even have key forwards and really long term average players were made to look like heros for one year. One thing it does do is proves how great the coaching effort was from Hardwick and his team.
Worst grand final side i reckon Collingwood of 2002 were pretty bad.
Port 07
yep - I wish we were so bad we won a flag since 2000
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Leon Davis would captain the “All Useless Premiership 22”
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