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I commented in another couple of threads how amazing I find it that we really came from nowhere in the last third of the season to grab the flag. When I watched Sensational Swans last week this was reinforced - we were pretty much just another middle level side up until rd 15.
In rd 14, we lost by 1 pt to a poorly travelling Richmond in a fairly insipid display.
This made us 8-6, with a percentage of just 99.1% and in 6th place.
Looking back I am amazed how poorly placed we were at the time.
However, maybe the last quarter against Richmond inspired the team and showed the guys what they could do if they get it together.
For the rest of the season we went 10-2, with a percentage of 142.1%, and of course finishing first!! Indeed, over that time the highest score against us was just 98 while we scored over 100 six times.
Given such a dramatic turnaround in form, I was curious to look back at the position of other premiers in rd 14 (2/3 of the way through the H&A season).
We were the worst-placed eventual premier since West Coast in 1992.
In most cases the premier had won 9-11 games and had a healthy percentage of at least 115%, and were usually in the top 4.
In 1997 and 1998, Adelaide had also won only 8 games, but was placed 3rd and had percentages of 122% and 113%.
In 1992, West Coast was only in 5th place (final 5 system) with 7.5 wins, although they had a good percentage of 122%.
To find another team with low wins and low percentage, you have to go as far back as 1975, when North Melbourne was in 4th place (final 5 system) with just 7 wins and a percentage of only 101%.
So 2005 is a bit reminiscent of 1975 - neither eventual premier looked likely to win a significant way into the season and both broke huge droughts by their win and both had to get to the GF the tough way by playing each week of the finals and both were associated with Barassi!
In rd 14, we lost by 1 pt to a poorly travelling Richmond in a fairly insipid display.
This made us 8-6, with a percentage of just 99.1% and in 6th place.
Looking back I am amazed how poorly placed we were at the time.
However, maybe the last quarter against Richmond inspired the team and showed the guys what they could do if they get it together.
For the rest of the season we went 10-2, with a percentage of 142.1%, and of course finishing first!! Indeed, over that time the highest score against us was just 98 while we scored over 100 six times.
Given such a dramatic turnaround in form, I was curious to look back at the position of other premiers in rd 14 (2/3 of the way through the H&A season).
We were the worst-placed eventual premier since West Coast in 1992.
In most cases the premier had won 9-11 games and had a healthy percentage of at least 115%, and were usually in the top 4.
In 1997 and 1998, Adelaide had also won only 8 games, but was placed 3rd and had percentages of 122% and 113%.
In 1992, West Coast was only in 5th place (final 5 system) with 7.5 wins, although they had a good percentage of 122%.
To find another team with low wins and low percentage, you have to go as far back as 1975, when North Melbourne was in 4th place (final 5 system) with just 7 wins and a percentage of only 101%.
So 2005 is a bit reminiscent of 1975 - neither eventual premier looked likely to win a significant way into the season and both broke huge droughts by their win and both had to get to the GF the tough way by playing each week of the finals and both were associated with Barassi!
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