On football's struggle street, burning hunger still gnaws

[Ghost Dog]

http://images.theage.com.au/2012/05/19/3309917/art-svCOLPICFOSTER-420x0.jpg


THE big talking point has been the unusually open race for the flag. With as many as 10 teams in the mix, the fact that all the heavyweights are there adds particular spice.
On the flipside, the usual suspects are among the exclusions. You start to wonder whether any of them will ever make it to the summit. If this sounds pessimistic, look at the history. The last genuine battler to taste success was North Melbourne and it had an extraordinary circumstance: a once-in-a-generation player named Wayne Carey. While the Roos showed it's possible, 1999 is a light year away. These days the talk is of superpowers and an arms race.
A long drought preceded Geelong's 2007 premiership, but the Cats were never of the true underclass. Although a flag wasn't won in 44 years, neither was a wooden spoon. The Cats didn't miss the finals in the '60s, were three times in the top-three in the '80s, and played in three grand finals in the '90s.


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[LostDoggy]

Painful reading, and I wanted to disagree, but I couldn't. We've made as many preliminary finals (7) as other clubs have averaged Grand Finals in the last 50 years.

That's quite pathetic, and makes people who think prelims are worth anything (like me) deserve a smack in the mouth.

[Eastdog]

Prelim Final appearances don't mean much at all. 1997 and 2009 in those prelim finals we were so close to making the Grand Final. 97 we should have been there and most likely would have won the premiership the next week. 2009 was so close and we probably wouldn't have won the next week but making the Grand Final is such a big thing for any club and week building up to it would have been exciting for all concerned.

[SonofScray]

:(

I can't even imagine the manner in which it will happen, us making a GF, let alone winning one. I imagine what it'd feel like, the joy and tension, but not how it happens. Every scenario sees us miss out.

[Eastdog]

:(

I can't even imagine the manner in which it will happen, us making a GF, let alone winning one. I imagine what it'd feel like, the joy and tension, but not how it happens. Every scenario sees us miss out.

I reckon we can. We have to develop the team again and draft well and I'm sure we can be up there again and hopefully make the big one. As I said 2009 could have gone either way we were unlucky and 97 we were in the box seat and should of won.

[SonofScray]

I reckon we can. We have to develop the team again and draft well and I'm sure we can be up there again and hopefully make the big one. As I said 2009 could have gone either we were unlucky and 97 we were in the box seat and should of won.

We'll just have to get lucky I guess, I think Mac will address some of the issues that saw us fall short recently. We have lacked a bit of toughness, not at the contest, but ore around nerve. Get that right in 09 we make a GF. 97 was just a nightmare.

[KT31]

:(:(:(:(

[Eastdog]

At least we are not the only Victorian team stuck on 1 premiership and there are quite a few clubs now with long premiership droughts. The one thing we need to do and haven't for a long time is make that Grand Final appearance.

[LostDoggy]

:(

I can't even imagine the manner in which it will happen,

I use to think like this. The closest I have came is when we snagged Hall and won the NAB cup. After that game I thought "we got it this year" . I thought with Hall and Hahn upfront, Aker chiming in (both him and Hall with Premiership experience). Strong defense (Morris , Lake, Williams), the first time I thought we had all boxes ticked. Didn't see Hahn being injured and not returning, Cooney's Hamstring, the flu that wiped out a season, Morris' back injury, and the Aker meltdown.

[Remi Moses]

Gee Tim, tell us something we don't know!

[Greystache]

It's a horendous record, one that many, including our own supporters, aren't truly aware of.

It's actually worse than what's been written, if Tim delved a little deeper, he'd see only once in AFL/VFL history has a team won the premiership from outside the top 4 (Adelaide in 1998 due to a quirk in the stupid final 8 they had at the time allowing them to lose week 1 and stay in the finals) and we haven't beaten a top 4 team in a final since 1961.

So in essence we haven't beaten a genuine premiership contender in a final for 50 years. When I did the research a couple of years back it worked out to be something like 16 consecutive finals losses to top 4 teams. It's incredible to think we've been that far away from winning a flag for such a long time.

[SonofScray]

It's a horendous record, one that many, including our own supporters, aren't truly aware of.

It's actually worse than what's been written, if Tim delved a little deeper, he'd see only once in AFL/VFL history has a team won the premiership from outside the top 4 (Adelaide in 1998 due to a quirk in the stupid final 8 they had at the time allowing them to lose week 1 and stay in the finals) and we haven't beaten a top 4 team in a final since 1961.

So in essence we haven't beaten a genuine premiership contender in a final for 50 years. When I did the research a couple of years back it worked out to be something like 16 consecutive finals losses to top 4 teams. It's incredible to think we've been that far away from winning a flag for such a long time.

Such a long span. It can't be as simple as finances and league systems. It is something about us a a Club as well, our handling of the big stage and the perceptions others hold about us.

[1eyedog]

I'm originally from Geelong and 89-94 really hurt the cats and their supporters. I remember in 2006 after their finals defeats that many of my friends said they wouldn't play in a Grand Final in the next 5 years.

[bornadog]

With 18 teams its so much harder now then it ever was to win a GF. If all teams had a go that is 18 years to wait:eek:

[LostDoggy]

With 18 teams its so much harder now then it ever was to win a GF. If all teams had a go that is 18 years to wait:eek:

Well, if it's about "waiting one's turn" surely it's our turn now since we haven't actually made the big dance in 50 years.

[bornadog]

Well, if it's about "waiting one's turn" surely it's our turn now since we haven't actually made the big dance in 50 years.

I should have added the talent pool has also been shrunk as its spread out amongst more clubs which makes it even harder.

[LostDoggy]

Quite painful to read it in black and white! Not really a cheery thought for someone who wants to be positive, and always "see the glass as half full!" OMG, I hope we can change this soon.........sigh, I want to see a premiership before I die! :D

[Doc26]

On the bright side Tim we do still exist as a Club and at the highest level, something which can not be said for South Melbourne and Fitzroy who fell many years before us. There's more fight in this dog yet.

[Eastdog]

On the bright side Tim we do still exist as a Club and at the highest level, something which can not be said for South Melbourne and Fitzroy who fell many years before us. There's more fight in this dog yet.

Well said Doc26.

[Maddog37]

Where there is life, there is hope.

[Ghost Dog]

On the bright side Tim we do still exist as a Club and at the highest level, something which can not be said for South Melbourne and Fitzroy who fell many years before us. There's more fight in this dog yet.

Well Said Doc. Very well said. Things are quite relative. We will get there. Look at Manchester City. Won it by just never giving in.

[SonofScray]

Where there is life, there is hope.

Agree. We can hang our hat on that at least, where others have fallen in that 50 years we've endured.

[w3design]

As painful as our Prelim. losses were, I must say the experience of getting to the GF as we did in 61 and bombing out on the day hurt a hell of a lot more. From one who sat through that hellish second half, I only hope we get another shot in my life time, and make a far better fist of it.

[comrade]

Well Said Doc. Very well said. Things are quite relative. We will get there. Look at Manchester City. Won it by just never giving in.

I'm not sure we can count on oil billionaires buying us a premiership.

[chef]

Well Said Doc. Very well said. Things are quite relative. We will get there. Look at Manchester City. Won it by just never giving in.

Serious?

[LostDoggy]

What you said, chef. Nearly choked on my cornflakes.

I guess billionaire Middle Eastern oil money taking over a proud old club and buying a squad worth the GDP of Greece yet which still only managed to eke out a win on goal difference in the last 2 minutes of a season counts as perseverance in these Gen Y days.

[Bulldog Revolution]

History is there to be made - imagine our delight and the clubs when we do break through.

We've had chances and whilst they've hurt, I would not have preferred a few more wooden spoons instead of those losses, however heartbreaking.

Yes, it hurts they we've had some fabulous teams that never reached the top of the mountain, and wont ever be recognised as having been as good as they were - the Wheeler, Wallace and Eade eras all had some super teams.

Our players need to play unburdened by the past and forge their own path to the promised land.

[Ghost Dog]

Serious?

They still had to win it didn't they?

[Remi Moses]

What you said, chef. Nearly choked on my cornflakes.

I guess billionaire Middle Eastern oil money taking over a proud old club and buying a squad worth the GDP of Greece yet which still only managed to eke out a win on goal difference in the last 2 minutes of a season counts as perseverance in these Gen Y days.

Agreed ( yes I know Utd have spent also) reportedly 300 million quid spent, and they won on goal difference.Just back on topic I just hope we don't just settle on the fact we still exist and some don't.

[chef]

They still had to win it didn't they?

They won it by putting their egos aside and playing as a team, they were pretty close to imploding . IMO they should have won the comp by a street with the amount they have spent on players in the last couple of seasons .

[bornadog]

They won it by putting their egos aside and playing as a team, they were pretty close to imploding . IMO they should have won the comp by a street with the amount they have spent on players in the last couple of seasons .

Imagine doing that in the AFL and buying up all the top players with no salary cap. We could win ten in a row:D

[Eastdog]

Imagine doing that in the AFL and buying up all the top players with no salary cap. We could win ten in a row:D

That's one thing the AFL doesn't allow. If it was the case then David Smorgon our president would probably buy the club and spend big on the best players.

[LostDoggy]

Imagine doing that in the AFL and buying up all the top players with no salary cap. We could win ten in a row:D

Or Imagine a sponsor chipping in money to buy the leagues best player.....someone like "Judd".....without that money appearing on the salary cap. Then still not getting anywhere????
That would be a funny situation.

[Murphy'sLore]

That's called karma.

[LostDoggy]

Success is just about not giving up. Simple as that. I wonder how many sheets of paper Einstein went through before writing down E=mc²?