1997 vs. 2009

[Junior 46]

1997

Melbourne

4 wins

18 losses

Essendon

9 wins

13 losses

2000 - Melbourne vs. Essendon GF

2009

Melbourne

4 wins

18 losses

Essendon

10 wins

11 losses

1 draw

?? 2012 - Melbourne vs. Essendon GF ??

But this time our midfield will tear them apart.

Edited October 14, 2009 by Junior

[east gippsland demon 7]

1997

Melbourne

4 wins

18 losses

Essendon

9 wins

13 losses

2000 - Melbourne vs. Essendon GF

2009

Melbourne

4 wins

18 losses

Essendon

10 wins

11 losses

1 draw

?? 2012 - Melbourne vs. Essendon GF ??

But this time our midfield will tear them apart.

bloody hope so that would be sweat!

[Supermercado 2,797]

1997 - Melbourne finish last

St. Kilda lose a grand final

Melbourne take an uncontracted player from the Saints

2009 - Melbourne finish last

St. Kilda lose a grand final

Melbourne (potentially) take an uncontracted player from the Saints

1998 - Both sides make finals

Melbourne knocks St. Kilda out

Stan Alves gets the sack and St. Kilda lose the plot for five years.

2010 - Yes please

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

bloody hope so that would be sweat!

It would be sweat wouldn't it....

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET

[harry 1]

The jump between 97 and 2000 is too far! We should've won the bloody flag in 98! Which means next year...

[biggestred 5,079]

pft. im writing essendon off next year. we will finish above them.

without lloyd and lucas, i completely write them off. even though their output was minimal, their entire forwardline has to move up two players. ie their third tall before now gets the best defender, not the 3rd best. they will get pounded.

[45HG 1,539]

Rubbish.

You can't claim they will decline because of losing players who had minimal impact. Without Lucas the Bombers had similar results to him being in, and with Hurley likely to only get better and if they can get Gumbleton back and Hille fit they'll most likely only improve.

[biggestred 5,079]

disagree entirely

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Rubbish.

You can't claim they will decline because of losing players who had minimal impact. Without Lucas the Bombers had similar results to him being in, and with Hurley likely to only get better and if they can get Gumbleton back and Hille fit they'll most likely only improve.

Correct.

I think they will cover their losses largely but they need to have Neagle, Gumbleton and Hurley to have productive years. And having Hille back fit means they can pinch hit Paddy Ryder at both ends of the ground.

[praha 11,240]

98 was our year. We were the best side going in to the finals series. Only 2 games separated 4th and 1st. North weren't a 5-goal better team than us. At least they weren't playing like one leading in. Retarded finals system screwed us. And it took Carlton making the GF in 99 after getting thrashed in the first week of the finals for the AFL to realise. We could have played North first up, and considering our form going in to the first week of the finals, could have beaten them, booking ourselves a Prelim home final.

Oh well.

[Sir Why You Little 37,034]

98 was our year. We were the best side going in to the finals series. Only 2 games separated 4th and 1st. North weren't a 5-goal better team than us. At least they weren't playing like one leading in. Retarded finals system screwed us. And it took Carlton making the GF in 99 after getting thrashed in the first week of the finals for the AFL to realise. We could have played North first up, and considering our form going in to the first week of the finals, could have beaten them, booking ourselves a Prelim home final.

Oh well.

We were Stiff in '98 but By Prelim Final G lyon was almost in a wheelchair, as his back was gone & Stynes was almost finished.

We missed our run by about 2 weeks.

North were a 5 goal better side that year-they just blew the GF like st.kilda in 2009

Bad Kicking...Bad Football. I Hate Adelaide though!!!!

[wattsup 470]

We were Stiff in '98 but By Prelim Final G lyon was almost in a wheelchair, as his back was gone & Stynes was almost finished.

We missed our run by about 2 weeks.

North were a 5 goal better side that year-they just blew the GF like st.kilda in 2009

Bad Kicking...Bad Football. I Hate Adelaide though!!!!

yea considering we gave adelaide a smacking in that 1st final we were robbed oh well much more excited where we are heading now though

[Sir Why You Little 37,034]

yea considering we gave adelaide a smacking in that 1st final we were robbed oh well much more excited where we are heading now though

Yes i Have that '98 Game against adelaide on Tape. The old MCC REserve was Rocking that-remember it well.

[harry 1]

We would've beaten north if the game wasn't played on a cold, dewey friday night. If it was a hard track we would've won. Then we would've beaten Adelaide the next week. Malcolm Blight said in an interview after the gf, 'the team we were really worried about was Melbourne'.

[Swampfox 190]

1997

Melbourne

4 wins

18 losses

Essendon

9 wins

13 losses

2000 - Melbourne vs. Essendon GF

2009

Melbourne

4 wins

18 losses

Essendon

10 wins

11 losses

1 draw

?? 2012 - Melbourne vs. Essendon GF ??

But this time our midfield will tear them apart.

Interesting and a reminder from the past

The last 2 Grand Finals we played in we were well beaten as expected

Just like 1954 we were not ready and not good enough yet

When we got cocky we get results like 1958

In 1964 Geelong were the best side but we got lucky that year

1965 after 8 wins straight it went pear shape and we have never recovered

I have always thought our window closed in 1960

We havent been a flag favourite since

[Sir Why You Little 37,034]

We would've beaten north if the game wasn't played on a cold, dewey friday night. If it was a hard track we would've won. Then we would've beaten Adelaide the next week. Malcolm Blight said in an interview after the gf, 'the team we were really worried about was Melbourne'.

17:12 to 12:12. But we were never really in that Prelim Final in 98. 6:8 at Half time.

I remember Blighty made that comment about us, but i never really believed him. It sounded good in hindsight.

Don't forget how good that "Beast Master" Wayne Carey was at that time of his career. Almost unstoppable.

Anyway 2010 is an even number so we will make the finals....!