Who is our Traditional rival?

[HOSE B ROMERO]

Reading the Essendon thread got me thinking. Who is our biggest rival? Generally rivalry seems to happen through one of two ways. Firstly a geographical rivalry; EPL - Arsenal/Tottenham, Man City/Man Utd etc. Or a rivalry built on great battles in a certain era ; Hawthorn/North, Hawthorn/Geelong, Carlton/Collingwood etc.

Geographically our rivals are Essendon or North. I've always felt more of the rivalry with Essendon. I've no doubt that it could really develop with the bombers rise up the ladder.

As for the second scenario, they're seems to be a real possibility of some bitterness developing between us and the two Sydney teams. But i'm not aware of a definite rival from the past??

[ledge]

It was Collingwood for years by the supporters but I think in the board room they were always close.
Both being blue collar teams might be a reason we are close within the club.
Essendon would probably be the one we don't associate with, not because of recent events but they were always the snobby arrogant white collar team, Hird went along way to proving they still are that way.

[Eastdog]

Good thread. It's an interesting question. I'll go the Dons and Kangaroos both geographically close to us. Collingwood is a rival to everyone. The Giants maybe.

[Happy Days]

I honestly feel like our biggest rival is the Giants. The preliminary final last year was the perfect football story; the battling club, teeming with tradition and history, having never had anything handed to them, up against the trust-fund-brat, focus group devil spawn soulless entity that is GWS. There was a real life parable to go alongside the actual on-field action, and created one of the most unforgettable spectacles of all time. The drama of those last few minutes is the sort of thing that scriptwriters dedicate lives to.

Whenever we play them now, the result can only mean so much to them, because they're never getting that win back. That's the sort of stuff that makes rivalries; not a round, or happening to play someone forever.

[azabob]

For me it has nothing to do with geography. It's more about on field rivalry and in the past it was mainly St.Kilda but now well and truly GWS.

[azabob]

I honestly feel like our biggest rival is the Giants. The preliminary final last year was the perfect football story; the battling club, teeming with tradition and history, having never had anything handed to them, up against the trust-fund-brat, focus group devil spawn soulless entity that is GWS. There was a real life parable to go alongside the actual on-field action, and created one of the most unforgettable spectacles of all time. The drama of those last few minutes is the sort of thing that scriptwriters dedicate lives to.


Whenever we play them now, the result can only mean so much to them, because they're never getting that win back. That's the sort of stuff that makes rivalries; not a round, or happening to play someone forever.

Spot on HD.

[bornadog]

For me it has nothing to do with geography. It's more about on field rivalry and in the past it was mainly St.Kilda but now well and truly GWS.

I can't really agree on St Kilda. I think the AFL tried to make us a rivalry during rivalry round. I agree we are starting to build one with GWS, especially as at least 6 players/Coaches/Officials there, plus as HD said, the prelim.

Essendon have always hated us and opposed our entry to the VFL, way back even before the 1924 Champions of Victoria clash.

[HOSE B ROMERO]

I honestly feel like our biggest rival is the Giants. The preliminary final last year was the perfect football story; the battling club, teeming with tradition and history, having never had anything handed to them, up against the trust-fund-brat, focus group devil spawn soulless entity that is GWS. There was a real life parable to go alongside the actual on-field action, and created one of the most unforgettable spectacles of all time. The drama of those last few minutes is the sort of thing that scriptwriters dedicate lives to.

Whenever we play them now, the result can only mean so much to them, because they're never getting that win back. That's the sort of stuff that makes rivalries; not a round, or happening to play someone forever.

Beautiful description HD, take a bow.

[The bulldog tragician]

Essendon because their supporters are the utmost in smugness and arrogance and a host of reasons that only those of us who go back a few years know. They had their fair share of nasty little snipers. And as I posted in another thread, they inflicted TWO of our 3 heaviest defeats on us in the 80s, less than 12 months apart.

GWS because of everything they represent, bullet points in the afl strategic plan, without a heart. And, their own fair share now of nasty snipers.

Beating either of these two will always be unbelievably sweet - that we denied the latter a grand final spot is always going to be remembered!

[Twodogs]

I can't really agree on St Kilda. I think the AFL tried to make us a rivalry during rivalry round. I agree we are starting to build one with GWS, especially as at least 6 players/Coaches/Officials there, plus as HD said, the prelim.

Essendon have always hated us and opposed our entry to the VFL, way back even before the 1924 Champions of Victoria clash.

They did oppose our entry but it wasn't just hatred. They just didn't want to give up the catchment area of valuable players they routinely recruited who had no other club to play for if they came from west of the city and wanted to play VFL. If Footscray and North came in a lot of their access to players disappeared.

[Webby]

They did oppose our entry but it wasn't just hatred. They just didn't want to give up the catchment area of valuable players they routinely recruited who had no other club to play for if they came from west of the city and wanted to play VFL. If Footscray and North came in a lot of their access to players disappeared.

Of course it wasn't hatred - we barely played against them as we were in different comps.

However, the fact that they jealously protected their western recruiting zone, yet snubbed it to play in East Melbourne for 30 plus years, actually deprived the western suburbs of league football!

Essendon will do "whatever it takes" to push their own interests. True for 100+ years..!

They probably don't see us as a rival, but we sure as hell see them as one!!

I heard in the media that Essendon will have an edge on us today as their fans will want it more. They'll be more desperate..! I don't think they respect us for what we are! Today feels like the opportunity of a lifetime. I hope our players realise this!!

[Twodogs]

Of course it wasn't hatred - we barely played against them as we were in different comps.

However, the fact that they jealously protected their western recruiting zone, yet snubbed it to play in East Melbourne for 30 plus years, actually deprived the western suburbs of league football!

Essendon will do "whatever it takes" to push their own interests. True for 100+ years..!

They probably don't see us as a rival, but we sure as hell see them as one!!

I heard in the media that Essendon will have an edge on us today as their fans will want it more. They'll be more desperate..! I don't think they respect us for what we are! Today feels like the opportunity of a lifetime. I hope our players realise this!!

There's an old saying "when you're least expecting war, you should prepare for war" Essendon aren't expecting a war.

[Doc26]

Although I loathe the thought of losing to the Giants given who they are and our recent history with them, taking Carlton's scalp has provided greater satisfaction, and proven by the test of time.

I'm not sure if this rivalry existed with the depth it has since John Elliott's statement of our 'tragic history' but I feel as a Club that we view our matches with them as quite personal.

[KT31]

For me it has nothing to do with geography. It's more about on field rivalry and in the past it was mainly St.Kilda but now well and truly GWS.

Totally agree with this, in the past I've thought it was between the Dee's and the Saints with both we seemed to have correlation with battles when we were either up or down, but definitely agree it's GWS now and would love to see us play them in the riverly round.

[comrade]

Our biggest rival right now is GWS. Here's hoping it builds into something huge over the next 5 years (close finals/controversial moments/public argy bargy etc). The AFL needs it more than anything.