Three-peats

[23.21.159]

In the first 104 years of the VFL/AFL, there were only four three-peats (including Collingwood's four-in-a-row from 1927-30).
If Hawthorn win on Saturday, it will be another two in as little as 15 years.
Personally I think this is a serious issue for the AFL and you'd have to believe their equalisation policies are just not working.
They have the fans of 18 clubs wanting to win flags. If you win one, you reasonably shouldn't expect another for 18 years. If Hawthorn win, that's 54 years' quota of flags for them in three years.
It's bad enough for us but I wonder what it's like for Saints and Dogs fans.

I believe the AFL should be structuring their rules so that it should be damn hard to win two on the trot and well-nigh impossible to win three.

Thoughts?
I'd get rid of free agency (or at least seriously tweak it) and double up on the draft at the pointy end.

 

[jb03]

it is only an issue because it is not us.

 

[tigertim]

In the first 104 years of the VFL/AFL, there were only four three-peats (including Collingwood's four-in-a-row from 1927-30).
If Hawthorn win on Saturday, it will be another two in as little as 15 years.
Personally I think this is a serious issue for the AFL and you'd have to believe their equalisation policies are just not working.
They have the fans of 18 clubs wanting to win flags. If you win one, you reasonably shouldn't expect another for 18 years. If Hawthorn win, that's 54 years' quota of flags for them in three years.
It's bad enough for us but I wonder what it's like for Saints and Dogs fans.

I believe the AFL should be structuring their rules so that it should be damn hard to win two on the trot and well-nigh impossible to win three.

Thoughts?
I'd get rid of free agency (or at least seriously tweak it) and double up on the draft at the pointy end.

So The last 15 the premiers have been just 7 clubs: Brisbane, Port, Sydney, West Coast, Geelong, Hawthorn, Collingwood. Somehow I don't think the AFL really care.

 

[22nd Man]

Short of giving the bottom club free choice of 6 players from the premiers each year you won't stop a team at that peak of its powers from going on a roll of grand final appearances and hence possible premiership streaks.
If you look back in history at least one of the previous year grand finalists turned up again the next. Plenty made 3 gfs in a row or 3 in 4 years. Quality doesn't evaporate over the summer.

The draft was never meant to make all lists equally good at one time but make it harder to get the best young talent which would eventually lead to eras ending eg North in 90s, bombers and lions last decade, saints this decade and now cats.

Trouble is free agency has come along and for every dud who gets a second chance at lower team, a star from a basket case heads to the best club/s. This will lead to teams like Hawthorn and Sydney being able to parlay a good list into a great and sustainable one.

Wouldn't rate the lions 3 they only knocked off crap pies sides in two and nearly choked in one. And the one they beat Ess was on the back of our capitulation in the prelim. Lions were as fresh as if they had rested players. The bombers had gone down to the wire v Hawks.

 

[Bill James]

Remember in 1929, Rich beat Carl in the final but the system was if the minor premier didn't win the final they got to play the winner, so Rich had to play Coll after winning the final series and lost. So it was a pretty dodgy 4 in a row.

 

[22nd Man]

Ps we wouldn't want to follow US pro sports .... One flag every 30 years. As for soccer cannot fathom following a club where you know you will NEVER get close to the top.

 

[Panthera Tigris]

All I know. Grew up as an 80s child surrounded by smug, smirking, fair weather Hawthorn supporters. And am reliving my childhood footy nightmares several decades later. *smile*ing hate them! A Tiges premiership wouldn't be complete without knocking them off enroute and wiping the smirk off their face. That would be the sweetest outcome I can think of.

 

[rinso17]

Hang on..... Didn't we complete a three peat this season...?? ;D

 

[DragaTheCro]

Hang on..... Didn't we complete a three peat this season...?? ;D

No mean feat too

 

[poppa x]

One solution (?) is to ban the top 4 clubs from any player trades in that year.
Also, remove their 1st or 2nd round draft pick in that year.
just sayin'

 

[Rosy]

.......
Personally I think this is a serious issue for the AFL and you'd have to believe their equalisation policies are just not working.
They have the fans of 18 clubs wanting to win flags. If you win one, you reasonably shouldn't expect another for 18 years. If Hawthorn win, that's 54 years' quota of flags for them in three years.
It's bad enough for us but I wonder what it's like for Saints and Dogs fans.

.......

I'd like to know what the Hawks have done differently to us. Have they made wiser player choices, built a better list, had more luck, been better coached etc or have they had advantages we haven't had?

We came from pretty much the same place when we got Wallace and laughed at them for being stuck with Clarkson. They've left us behind in leaps and bounds in terms of sustained on-field success. We've (supporters) have powered money into our club to enable us to get better players, staff and facilities.

I don't know the answer. I'm more inclined to think the Hawks have played their cards better than other clubs have.

 

[Dev Tiger]

I believe it is a combination of many factors. Hawthorn have had excellent recruiting from 2001 onwards. They have consistently drafted and recruited well. Other than Lids all of our good players have been drafted or recruited from 2006 onwards.

Luke Hodge and Sam Mitchell give them two brilliant onfield coaches that help organise their structures and game style in key moments.

They have picked up quality a grade players from other clubs where as we have drafted more role player types. These have helped us be competitive but are nowhere near the class of Hawthorn.

Clarkson has also been a gun coach and is always ahead of the curve.

I believe they have been consistently better in all areas than us. Coaching, recruiting from the draft and other clubs and onfield leadership.

 

[Brodders17]

I'd like to know what the Hawks have done differently to us. Have they made wiser player choices, built a better list, had more luck, been better coached etc or have they had advantages we haven't had?

We came from pretty much the same place when we got Wallace and laughed at them for being stuck with Clarkson. They've left us behind in leaps and bounds in terms of sustained on-field success. We've (supporters) have powered money into our club to enable us to get better players, staff and facilities.

I don't know the answer. I'm more inclined to think the Hawks have played their cards better than other clubs have.

no doubt they have done things better than us over the last 10 years no doubt, but they had 2 big advantages over us in 2004.
Hodge and Mitchell. 10 years later they are still their best 2 players.

 

[Rosy]

no doubt they have done things better than us over the last 10 years no doubt, but they had 2 big advantages over us in 2004.
Hodge and Mitchell. 10 years later they are still their best 2 players.

How did they have the advantage over us with those players in 2004? We got Lids the same pick as they got Hodge in 2001. I'd say they did well getting Mitchell at pick 36.

 

[Brodders17]

How did they have the advantage over us with those players in 2004? We got Lids the same pick as they got Hodge in 2001. I'd say they did well getting Mitchell at pick 36.

i dont mean they were given an advantage. they were both very good picks, and the hawks made a very smart trade to get them both.
i just mean that in hindsight we were not equal in 2004 when both clubs got new coaches.

 

[Rosy]

Ok get you now Brodders. Ta.

 

[YinnarTiger]

So The last 15 the premiers have been just 7 clubs: Brisbane, Port, Sydney, West Coast, Geelong, Hawthorn, Collingwood. Somehow I don't think the AFL really care.

Compare that with 1967-1983, 17 years for only 4 clubs: Us, Carlton, Hawthorn and North.

 

[Nico]

As Dimma suggested, which I think happens in the US, no free agents if you finish in the Top 4.

 

[23.21.159]

I'd like to know what the Hawks have done differently to us. Have they made wiser player choices, built a better list, had more luck, been better coached etc or have they had advantages we haven't had?

We came from pretty much the same place when we got Wallace and laughed at them for being stuck with Clarkson. They've left us behind in leaps and bounds in terms of sustained on-field success. We've (supporters) have powered money into our club to enable us to get better players, staff and facilities.

I don't know the answer. I'm more inclined to think the Hawks have played their cards better than other clubs have.

Very good questions, Rosy.
I STILL think they were much better positioned than us in that infamous 2004 draft - even before one pick was made. We had 5 picks in the top 20, but they had 3 in the top 7 (2 Roughead, 5 Franklin, 7 Lewis).
No doubt they've drafted better than us but they've also traded their way into it very well.
Clarkson and Hardwick are both first-club coaches - no-one was to know who would be better.
I also think maybe they are a bit fortunate to be at the top of the tree when free agency came in.

Football-wise I'm a socialist and I reckon no matter how much any club does things better than any others, it should barely be possible to win three in a row.

 

[martyshire]

All I know. Grew up as an 80s child surrounded by smug, smirking, fair weather Hawthorn supporters. And am reliving my childhood footy nightmares several decades later. *smile*ing hate them! A Tiges premiership wouldn't be complete without knocking them off enroute and wiping the smirk off their face. That would be the sweetest outcome I can think of.

+1