We didn't win the flag in 1997 - who do you blame?

[Dry Rot]

First up, this season was in my pre-AFL days. I haven't seen the game but I've read a hell of a lot about it.

Many seem to think that a blind goal umpire robbed us of not only a PF but a seemingly certain flag, but does this really stand up to scrutiny?

1. Obvious question - was it a goal? Seems to be a consensus that it was?

2. Did we really deserve to win the game? IIRC, we were well ahead and should never have let the Crows back in the game.

3. As the Crows came back, didn't Wallace have a Plan B? Was he more to blame, the coach or the players?

4. But what if we had won the PF - was a flag so certain the next week? IIRC Spida Everritt had done his shoulder in the finals and one of young gun forwards that season was missing from the GF. If I was genie and could take you back then, if we want to discuss "ifs", how about I give Libba the goal and Spider a good shoulder and be available. Who would win that Dogs v Saints GF?

[hujsh]

Well at least if we made it the Crows wouldn't have won. It would have been us and the Saints which would have been nice.

[Dry Rot]

It would have been us and the Saints which would have been nice.

Why?

And would we have beaten Saints with Everitt?

[The Coon Dog]

Maybe, coulda, woulda, shoulda. Who knows? Not worth thinking about as it's something I try to forget about, but people on here & BF decide to bring it up again. More therapy sessions required now!

I reckon Wallace was slow to react to the way the game changed. This is all from a supressed memory, mind you, but I recall Grant sitting up our forward line like a stale bottle of pineapple juice whist Nigel Smart ran amok in their forward line.

Romero should never have played as he re did his shoulder early doors.

Cameron was taken from the ground in the early part of the final term as i felt Wallace was 'resting' him for the following week.

Like in '85, I felt if we got there, we would have won, tho it would have been without Cookie from memory, I seem to recall he got reported & rubbed out.

Thanks DR, for making me relive some of that!!

[LostDoggy]

1. Obvious question - was it a goal? Seems to be a consensus that it was?

Yes, I was behind it in flight.

2. Did we really deserve to win the game? IIRC, we were well ahead and should never have let the Crows back in the game.

No we played like millionaires in the 2nd half and choked on most chances we had to finish them off.

3. As the Crows came back, didn't Wallace have a Plan B?

Its more a case of Wallace had no answer to Blight's plan B.

Was he more to blame, the coach or the players?

Both

4. But what if we had won the PF - was a flag so certain the next week? IIRC Spida Everritt had done his shoulder in the finals and one of young gun forwards that season was missing from the GF. If I was genie and could take you back then, if we want to discuss "ifs", how about I give Libba the goal and Spider a good shoulder and be available. Who would win that Dogs v Saints GF?

Yes would have won. We had their measure. Beat comfortably a full strength Saints at their home ground at VFL park mid season. They had no matchup for Chris Grant. Unless we choked.

[Dry Rot]

How did Blight turn it around in the second half?

[LostDoggy]

How did Blight turn it around in the second half?

He was helped by Modra doing his knee prior half time. Our backline was in control, Kretiuk dominating Modra.
Simply moved Smart to CHF then later Jarman to FF. Rehn got on top of Wynd, Samson ( was never heard of again) kicked 2 rippers in the 3rd quarter to keep them within distance.

[BulldogBelle]

How did Blight turn it around in the second half?

Blight always had the answers whenever he coached against us...whilst at Adelaide and also at Geelong. He could read our game so easily. I used to hate playing against any team he coached - somehow I knew he would find our measure each and every time we faced his coaching against us.

Blame: It was a number of things - Our cockiness in the second half thinking we had the game won, the umpire who disallowed Libba's goal, Wallace doing a few silly moves. I could go on and on.

[LostDoggy]

Just remembered Adelaide beat us at Optus Oval easily but we thrashed them in Adelaide 4/5 weeks prior the finals.

[hujsh]

Why?

And would we have beaten Saints with Everitt?

Two clubs who haven't won flags in ages. One has to win. Adelaide doesn't

[hotdog]

Dry Rot a most painful memory for me but if you must....
1. Yes it was a goal but in the big scheme of things shoul have won the game by then
2. We were lining up at the Western Oval for GF tickets at 3/4 time so no we did not deserve to win even though it was our shot at glory
3. The beauty of our game. I can remember whilst playing if you got a run along nothing could stop you. Adelaide did just that. Jarman could have had 3 opponents that day and still marked and goaled,
they had the run.
4. Probably would have beaten the Saints but we too could be sitting here saying what happened on that day.
IMO as painful as it was/ is! it will make it all so sweeter on that day......

[Mantis]

Bringing up old memories I have been trying unsuccessfully to forget.

Up until the last quarter we were playing very well. We held ground in the all important 3rd qtr and looked to be cruising into the GF, but as we all know it unravelled in 30mins of torture.

Who to blame?

1. Wallace - As TCD posted, Wallace was very slow to react to the change in momentum. Grant had to move to CHB, just had to.

2. Kicking for goal - We had some very gettable goals which were missed. We had know-one with the calmness to ice the game. We simply wilted under the pressure.

3. Mark West - I still can't forget him for that miss. In-excusable for a league player to miss it.

4. Kick-ins - We continued to kick long to Wynd who was used as a step ladder by Smart on the Southern Stand side. For some reason I can remember thinking that Smith was rushing his kicks and not spotting up players free on the Members side. To me Dent should have been used to kick out more in this situation.

5. Midfield - Kane Johnson tore us apart in the last qtr. We had no run left. Playing Romero was a mistake.

6. Jarman - Curley was not the correct match-up, but Jarman was all class as he showed the next week.

[LostDoggy]

Bringing up old memories I have been trying unsuccessfully to forget.

Up until the last quarter we were playing very well. We held ground in the all important 3rd qtr and looked to be cruising into the GF, but as we all know it unravelled in 30mins of torture.

Who to blame?

1. Wallace - As TCD posted, Wallace was very slow to react to the change in momentum. Grant had to move to CHB, just had to.

2. Kicking for goal - We had some very gettable goals which were missed. We had know-one with the calmness to ice the game. We simply wilted under the pressure.

3. Mark West - I still can't forget him for that miss. In-excusable for a league player to miss it.
4. Kick-ins - We continued to kick long to Wynd who was used as a step ladder by Smart on the Southern Stand side. For some reason I can remember thinking that Smith was rushing his kicks and not spotting up players free on the Members side. To me Dent should have been used to kick out more in this situation.

5. Midfield - Kane Johnson tore us apart in the last qtr. We had no run left. Playing Romero was a mistake.

6. Jarman - Curley was not the correct match-up, but Jarman was all class as he showed the next week.

Bit harsh! On the run , someone breathing down his neck from 35m

[Mantis]

Bit harsh! On the run , someone breathing down his neck from 35m

and to put your team into a grand final... Mate, everyone dreams of this moment and it simply should not have been missed. As well as he played on that day this is the one moment that defines him and he stuffed it up.

[LostDoggy]

Can't blame 1 individual player as other missed easy shots too!
Huddo didn't sheppard, Someone blazed away when Cook was free in the square, etc, etc.