Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory

[Demonland 73,266]

Almost managed to do it here.

Which games have we managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory?

Freo game when Farmer kicked the winner?

Round 1 2018 game against Geelong when Maxy missed the goal doesn't really qualify as we were behind when he kicked.

The last quarter effort against the Cats in the return game in 2018 probably just qualifies.

[Pates 9,661]

The Saint's when we kicked that goal to be in front with 30 seconds to go, Maxxy did perfect tap straight down the throat of the Saints on ballers, long ball, goes out the back of the pack and takes a 90 degree bounce straight into the path of Montagna. Can't remember what year it was but we didn't flood the defense (back when you could do that), in fact I think it took to when the ball was being bounced that the forwards realised they didn't need to be there.

[Demonland 73,266]

Just now, Pates said:

The Saint's when we kicked that goal to be in front with 30 seconds to go, Maxxy did perfect tap straight down the throat of the Saints on ballers, long ball, goes out the back of the pack and takes a 90 degree bounce straight into the path of Montagna. Can't remember what year it was but we didn't flood the defense (back when you could do that), in fact I think it took to when the ball was being bounced that the forwards realised they didn't need to be there.

Thanks. I had successfully erased that from memory.

[Deemented Are Go! 3,692]

Just now, Demonland said:

Thanks. I had successfully erased that from memory.

Ugh. Likewise 

[Pates 9,661]

4 minutes ago, Demonland said:

Thanks. I had successfully erased that from memory.

Yep sorry, I hate losing to the Saints (there's one friend I have that just can't help but be smug about it), that one cut extremely deep for the pure stupidity of it.

Edited April 17, 2020 by Pates

[Demonstone 23,113]

Before I contribute to this thread, just let me go and put on my hair shirt.

[D4Life 2,572]

Unusually was in a Corp box that day! Managed to drink my way through the loss!! Deadened the pain!!

[Moonshadow 17,678]

56 minutes ago, Pates said:

The Saint's when we kicked that goal to be in front with 30 seconds to go, Maxxy did perfect tap straight down the throat of the Saints on ballers, long ball, goes out the back of the pack and takes a 90 degree bounce straight into the path of Montagna. Can't remember what year it was but we didn't flood the defense (back when you could do that), in fact I think it took to when the ball was being bounced that the forwards realised they didn't need to be there.

Yes, Toumpas was caught ball watching and let Montagna slip out the back on his own. 

I remember screaming: "someone pick him up!" as it was happening. Blind Freddie could see that set play unfold.

Edited April 17, 2020 by Moonshadow

[Mazer Rackham 14,971]

There was a game at the G when we were giving Essendon a hiding, and then they kicked something like 9 goals to nothing in the last to scrape home. And there I was sitting wedged between two EFC mates who were strangely silent for the first 3 quarters, but kindly proceeded to inform me of MFC's every last fault and failing during the 4th. Good times.

[Demonland 73,266]

1 hour ago, Mazer Rackham said:

There was a game at the G when we were giving Essendon a hiding, and then they kicked something like 9 goals to nothing in the last to scrape home. And there I was sitting wedged between two EFC mates who were strangely silent for the first 3 quarters, but kindly proceeded to inform me of MFC's every last fault and failing during the 4th. Good times.

We were 48 points up early in the 4th. 

[Skuit 10,031]

Here's where I really get to let my MFCSS shine:

In the back end of 2014 we lost two games by under a goal in the space of a few weeks: vs the Dogs and Port

They were tight matches, but we had the run at the end in both, until Marcus Bontempelli and Jay Schultz. 

What is particularly galling about these losses is that the AFL used them as justification to refuse a priority pick. 

 

 

[Rab D Nesbitt 8,625]

For some reason a game against North at the 'G back in 1985 always comes back to me when the subject of close losses comes up. I remember we were up by less than a kick late in time on when the umpire waived on two or possibly three stick on holding the ball decisions against them on the members wing only for them to squeeze the ball down to Wayne Schimmelbusch (I think?) to kick straight and beat us by 1 point just before the siren blew. 

[Bring-Back-Powell 15,064]

That GC 2016 game at the top of the thread was the exact definition of a poor win.

Played terribly that day and IIRC vanDenberg got us back into the game with a couple of strong marks and sausages.

We lost a few close ones in the first half of 2007 to kill Daniher’s coaching career. One in particular against North at the G when we were about 6 goals down at 3 qtr time, grabbed the lead with 3 mins left, only for Swallow to kick an amazing goal with seconds left for us to slump to 0-9. Thankfully we got on the board the following week against Adelaide.

[Bring-Back-Powell 15,064]

13 hours ago, Mazer Rackham said:

There was a game at the G when we were giving Essendon a hiding, and then they kicked something like 9 goals to nothing in the last to scrape home. And there I was sitting wedged between two EFC mates who were strangely silent for the first 3 quarters, but kindly proceeded to inform me of MFC's every last fault and failing during the 4th. Good times.

Round 6 1992. 
MCG bins were full of Melbourne scarves after the game.

[Little Goffy 14,668]

I've got recollections of a really annoying Sydney fan at the SCG late in a game against the Swans where we had been solidly in font and then Sydney just blew us apart in the last.  This fan just kept yelling 'Ten goal quarter' in Boganese.  Not a good loss.

 

[Dee Zephyr 19,269]

We didn’t lose this game but does anyone remember R1 2003? An almost epic capitulation.

Flicking through YouTube the other day I came across the last quarter of that particular match. Couldn’t remember how it played out so I pressed play. We led the Hawks by 38 points with just under 12 to play and they tied it up 10 minutes later before Green kicked the winner. 

[Gunna’s 2,104]

15 hours ago, Pates said:

The Saint's when we kicked that goal to be in front with 30 seconds to go, Maxxy did perfect tap straight down the throat of the Saints on ballers, long ball, goes out the back of the pack and takes a 90 degree bounce straight into the path of Montagna. Can't remember what year it was but we didn't flood the defense (back when you could do that), in fact I think it took to when the ball was being bounced that the forwards realised they didn't need to be there.

I just remember the little dees fan who was nervous, over the moon, then tears. 
 

Watching back, the saints ruck actually owned Gawn in the last centre bounce. 

[dl4e 5,851]

2 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Round 6 1992. 
MCG bins were full of Melbourne scarves after the game.

Mine ended up along Bridge rd.

[Jumping Jack Clennett 1,820]

On 4/18/2020 at 6:35 AM, Rab D Nesbitt said:

For some reason a game against North at the 'G back in 1985 always comes back to me when the subject of close losses comes up. I remember we were up by less than a kick late in time on when the umpire waived on two or possibly three stick on holding the ball decisions against them on the members wing only for them to squeeze the ball down to Wayne Schimmelbusch (I think?) to kick straight and beat us by 1 point just before the siren blew. 

I remember that shocker well.

That last goal came from a long kick out of defence. A football nonentity, Brendan Ryan of North , amazingly opted to punch the ball on rather than take an easy mark. It rolled 30 metres to Schimma, who took 3 bounces then slotted the winner from the angle 40m out, seconds before the siren rang. It's etched in my memory, as was the '87 North game , where Clarkson won it with a set shot after the siren, in his first game!

There was another one against Footscray on the MCG,where Darcy was given a mysterious free against Stynes in the ruck, with no time left  He kicked the winner.

[Dee Dee 1,131]

21 minutes ago, Jumping Jack Clennett said:

There was another one against Footscray on the MCG,where Darcy was given a mysterious free against Stynes in the ruck, with no time left  He kicked the winner.

I remember that  game very well: the umpires (forgot his name) decision was so bad he actually resigned a few days later citing that as the reason.

And we cannot forget another Jim Stynes incident in 1987 - the worst of the lot!

[spirit of norm smith 16,596]

Too many bad memories for this thread. 
 

1987 preliminary v Hawks was the worst by a long way. 
 

2002 final v Crows was a shocker of a last quarter.  We were 7 goals down at 1/4 time, down by 3 goals at half time, up by 4 goals at 3/4 time and lost by 2 goals to exit the “Winnable GF” season. 
 

1992 v Bombers was soul destroying. 8 goals up about 5 minutes into the last quarter and lose  

2015 loss to Saints when montagna kicked the winner was just stupid.  Where was the defensive flood.  It was 40 seconds left when we (Howe) kicked a goal to put us in front. Why left Montagna get out the back. 

 

[Jumping Jack Clennett 1,820]

22 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

2002 final v Crows was a shocker of a last quarter.  We were 7 goals down at 1/4 time, down by 3 goals at half time, up by 4 goals at 3/4 time and lost by 2 goals to exit the “Winnable GF” season.

The turning point came early in the 4th Quarter, when Yze and Robertson, who were both starring, clashed heads during a gutsy marking contest.  They both had to go off, and Adelaide got back on top.

[Tony Tea 2,809]

On 4/19/2020 at 3:17 PM, Dee Dee said:

I remember that  game very well: the umpires (forgot his name) decision was so bad he actually resigned a few days later citing that as the reason.

And we cannot forget another Jim Stynes incident in 1987 - the worst of the lot!

Umpire Caulfield. 

Dogs got a shed load of goals from frees and to rub it in Chris Grant got 3 votes in the Brownlow despite getting killed by Neitz. (Which enabled Grant to get his Brownlow cancelled by Collo - karma bus.)

[Tony Tea 2,809]

On 4/18/2020 at 10:13 AM, Little Goffy said:

I've got recollections of a really annoying Sydney fan at the SCG late in a game against the Swans where we had been solidly in font and then Sydney just blew us apart in the last.  This fan just kept yelling 'Ten goal quarter' in Boganese.  Not a good loss.

 

2003. Anzac Day. There was a lot of booze and bad manners that night. 

[Dr. Gonzo 24,368]

On 4/17/2020 at 8:56 PM, Mazer Rackham said:

There was a game at the G when we were giving Essendon a hiding, and then they kicked something like 9 goals to nothing in the last to scrape home. And there I was sitting wedged between two EFC mates who were strangely silent for the first 3 quarters, but kindly proceeded to inform me of MFC's every last fault and failing during the 4th. Good times.

ANZAC Day 1992. 41 points up at 3/4 time, Demons kicked the first goal of the last quarter. Bombers kicked 8 straight to nothing to win by a point.

Collingwood in round 2 2010, petterd dropped a chest mark in the goal square with seconds remaining and we lost by 2 points.