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A retrospective: 93-95
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Author:  Donstuie [ Sun Jan 25, 2009 5:14 pm ]
Post subject:  A retrospective: 93-95
I know it's not healthy to talk about 'shoulda woulda coulda' but given there's little else to talk about, but do you guys think in 93-95 we should've gone 3 in a row (and to a lesser extent, were we a realistic chance in 96?).

- In 1993 we had the more experienced and superior side, plus a week off. Yet for various reasons a pack of talented but inexperienced children (Hird, Mercuri, Misiti, Alessio, Fletcher) mixed with old-stagers (Watson, Thompson, Salmon) and thugs (Wallis, Denham) got the better of us on the day. Plus Michael Long's biggest day out ever. Many people point to Neale Daniher's analysis of our ruck strategies as the catalyst, and is why we always seemed to be second to the ball. Should this have been our year?

- In 1994 we had the form, and the opinion of many was that we were the only team who could've knocked WC off that year, which we did when we played them at home (our overall record against them in Melbourne was pretty good up until that point). But this time it was a colossal lapse/fuck-up that saw us go out in straight sets to an understrengthed Geelong and a solid but hardly spectacular Melbourne side. Should this have also been our year?

- In 1995, I don't think ANYONE, no matter how much they hate us, can deny we were the best team by a long way. We built on our team and worked on our deficiencies ('too old, too slow' was the common statement). Yet class shone in the end.

- 1996...whatdya reckon?
Author:  kingkerna [ Sun Jan 25, 2009 7:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A retrospective: 93-95
our 94 team was better then our 95 team, I'm not sure if I'm the only one to think this, but towards the end of the season I recall Parkin messing around with players, eg. putting sexton in the forward line etc etc......major backfire.

We thumped the eventual premiers just weeks from the finals and were on fire.

Great team that season.
Author:  pj_canus [ Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A retrospective: 93-95
1993 was one of the most even years with no standout teams. Just half a game separated the top 4 who each had only 13 wins at the end of the home and away. The Don's did well to pinch a flag, but by the same token we would have been lucky to have snared one ourselves. Sticks playing a lone hand to get 7 in a losing GF was our one highlight.

1994 was one of the most disappointing seasons I can remember. WC were the best team that year, but to go out of the finals in straight sets (losing to 7th placed Melbourne in week 1 and then to Geelong who were missing almost their entire midfield) was terrible. However, that set in place the resolve for the stellar 1995 season.

Looking back on 1995 it looks like a dominant year but it felt a bit different at the time. Just two really strange losses against the bottom sides in consecutive weeks. The major worry all year was the second placed Cats who had an awesome forward line who were routinely smashing teams by huge margins. We only just shaded them in an absolute cracking home and away game at Princes Park and I remember being concerned that it could be a different outcome in the space at the G on Grand Final day. The rebounding defence proved the difference that day. SOS blanketing Ablett to complete the best finals series by a defender I have seen and McKay, Secco, Ange and Peter Dean just awesome on the rebound.

We started 1996 as raging favourites, with a 16 game winning streak to continue. We started ok, but then lost our way a bit and suffered injuries to lose any real claims to the flag by the end of the home and away period.

It was a great few years, but I think the one flag probably represents where we were at.
Author:  CK95 [ Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A retrospective: 93-95
Yep 94 was shattering. IIRC Bradley missed that first final against Melbourne with an ankle (?) & it really knocked our structure around. He was so rarely injured we just weren't used to having him out of the side.

No excuses the following week against Geelong with all their stars out injured - that was just a terrible loss. Really not sure how the wheels fell off so much in September that year. We'd backed up the thumping of West Coast which you mentioned with an even bigger win over Richmond at PP the next game.
Author:  The_Cranium [ Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A retrospective: 93-95
those finals losses in 94 were horrible. From memory the Ox tore us apart against Melbourne.

I'll never forget that day out at Arctic Park, listening to the radio pre-game, and the rumour going around that Couch, Bairstow and I think Mansfield were all out, and then the teams on the board with all 3 emergencies listed as playing, I can clearly remember thinking there is no way we can lose this...... I've often wondered since whether the players thought the same.

I seem to remember a bit of tension around at the time as well with Fraser Brown believing that he should be in the centre instead of diesel. its a long time ago, so i may wrong, but i'm sure i remember that. anyone else with a better memory of the time than i?
Author:  Donstuie [ Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A retrospective: 93-95
Wasn't Buddha also out that day?

Interesting that you guys point to 94 being the bigger disappointment. Losing the way we did was VERY frustrating, but nothing can compare to the sorrow of '93. I wanted to murder someone.
Author:  tap in 79 [ Mon Jan 26, 2009 6:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A retrospective: 93-95
re- 1993

If Peter Dean was selected/available in 1993 - if Wallis didn't crunch our best runner out of the game (Mil Hanna) and if we had a good match up on Long we would have gone a long way to winning this.


p.s -someone at the very least should have crunched Wallis out of the game. An eye for an eye, a sniper for a sniper.


We had the more A grade players, but they had more youthful enthusiasm - Mercuri, Misiti etc. A very sad day for all Blue believers.
Author:  tommi [ Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A retrospective: 93-95
Dirty............

filthy.............

black and red @#$%S...................!


kindest regards tommi
Author:  Deano Supremo [ Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A retrospective: 93-95
Donstuie wrote:
nothing can compare to the sorrow of '93. I wanted to murder someone.


I still do.
Author:  Lowey_47 [ Mon Jan 26, 2009 8:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A retrospective: 93-95
IIRC in 1994 Fraser Brown was used as a Forward Pocket during the finals series and couldn't/didn't get a touch...

1996 - was disappointing to some extent. A woeful First Quarter against West Coast and the collapse in the last quarter against Brisbane will be remembered instead of some of the otherwise decent footy played...
Author:  TruBlueBrad [ Mon Jan 26, 2009 8:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A retrospective: 93-95
Don't forget about 92 either.

Again we were in great form towards the end of the season.

We thrashed the Bulldogs, but Matthew Hogg got suspended for a couple of games which threw our balance out and we lost to Collingwood by about 16 points and then to West Coast at Subi.

If we'd made it through to the finals we'd have been a big chance.
Author:  Princes Park Whistler [ Mon Jan 26, 2009 10:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A retrospective: 93-95
Lowey_47 wrote:
IIRC in 1994 Fraser Brown was used as a Forward Pocket during the finals series and couldn't/didn't get a touch...

1996 - was disappointing to some extent. A woeful First Quarter against West Coast and the collapse in the last quarter against Brisbane will be remembered instead of some of the otherwise decent footy played...
The wheels fell off when Earl Spalding was injured re` 96.
Author:  Deano Supremo [ Mon Jan 26, 2009 11:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A retrospective: 93-95
TruBlueBrad wrote:
Don't forget about 92 either.

Again we were in great form towards the end of the season.

We thrashed the Bulldogs, but Matthew Hogg got suspended for a couple of games which threw our balance out and we lost to Collingwood by about 16 points and then to West Coast at Subi.

If we'd made it through to the finals we'd have been a big chance.


I was there the day Matty Hogg had his brain fade.

Blindsided Brian Royal with a right hook De La Hoya would have been proud of. Lost all of our momentum after that.
Author:  HELLAS BLUE [ Mon Jan 26, 2009 11:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A retrospective: 93-95
pj_canus wrote:
we started 1996 as raging favourites, with a 16 game winning streak to continue. We started ok, but then lost our way a bit and suffered injuries to lose any real claims to the flag by the end of the home and away period.


Didn't we win our first 10 straight in 1996? Then Sydney came from nowhere to beat us at Optus (Plugger killed us) and our season went from superb to tragic. It was the defining game as far as I remember both for Sydney (who played off in the GF) and us.

Edit: Just looking at Blueseum now it was 10 of our first 12 games we won and that Sydney game was round 13. From there our decline started winning only 5 games for the rest of the year.
Author:  Wangers [ Mon Jan 26, 2009 4:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A retrospective: 93-95
93 was the one that got away. We had the a good mix that year, but I think we were outsmarted in the GF.

94 was a wasted year. We had the team to be there on the last Saturday of September, but again, I think it was a mental thing with the team.

95 wouldn't have happened if 93 & 94 didn't turn out the way it did. We learnt from our mistakes, and had a huge year.

96 - up until half way throughout the year, we were fav's to go back to back. IIRC, we lost key players to injuries, and that was the end of the dynasty.

Effectively, we had a 5 year window (1992 - 1996), and snagged 1 flag. I think we should have snared 2 in that period with the team that we had.
Author:  DocSherrin III [ Mon Jan 26, 2009 6:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A retrospective: 93-95
Quote:
Effectively, we had a 5 year window (1992 - 1996), and snagged 1 flag. I think we should have snared 2 in that period with the team that we had.


Most clubs in their history can say that - more recently....

Essendon* (1999, 2000, 2001)
North (1997, 1998, 1999)
Port (2002, 2003, 2004)
Geelong (2005, 2007, 2008)

I don't agree that the window was open in 1992. In 1996 I think the team had a bad start with Andrew McKay not being around the place for much of the year. Beaumont, Hamill and Campo were very young - inexperienced and immature, while a few of the guys had too much fun on the end of season trip. It became clear as the season went on that Madden, Williams and Sticks were nearing the end of their illustrious careers. I don't ever remember having a belief in the team in 1996 whereby there were lots of changes and not everyone settled into their position as easily as '95.

The disappointment of '93 where we arrived at the ground fully expecting to win, was made even harder the following year when we lost to teams clearly inferior to ours. In '95 it all clicked (as Parkin said it would), but something just wasn't quite right in '96.
Author:  Warby [ Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A retrospective: 93-95
Personally......our inability to produce the footy we were capable of under Percy Jones in 1980 still hurts the most.

That was our biggest ever chance to snare 4 Flags in a row.
Author:  verbs [ Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A retrospective: 93-95
'93 was an even year. I remember being worried when Essendon* came back to topple Adelaide because I thought we had much more of a chance of beating the Crows than the Bombers.

'94 we were playing awesome footy but really dropped the bundle in the finals. Even if we'd got there, WCE would've given it to us I reckon.
Author:  AGRO [ Mon Jan 26, 2009 9:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A retrospective: 93-95
Warby wrote:
Personally......our inability to produce the footy we were capable of under Percy Jones in 1980 still hurts the most.

That was our biggest ever chance to snare 4 Flags in a row.



Your're right old mate but dont forget that most of the Richmond team of 1980 were on the "gear" in 1980 - interesting that this Richmond side finished 8th in 1979 and 7th in 1981 - spare me please but Tony Jewell wasnt an Einstein as a coach either. :roll:


1992 we were still in the rebuilding phase and made a late run to the finals but just missed out.

1993 we should have beaten Essendon* - but yes they did outsmart us :mad: - but we had too many 'duds' in that side like Athorn, Sholl, Powell. If we had been a bit more adventurous in our selections that day - picking a young Kouta and perhaps a Stephen Oliver who knows.

1994 - we were clearly the best team that season but suffered a brain fade in that first final against Melbourne where Sean Charles :roll: and David Schwarz beat us - losing that game cost sent us to the semi finals and we lost focus against Geelong when we should have creamed them.

1996 - we were cruelled by injury in the second half of the season and finished 5th instead of finishing in the top 4 and then suffered by having to play 2 interstate finals.

But certainly we had a window there to win more than the 1 flag that we won in 1995.
Author:  Brock Landers [ Sun Feb 01, 2009 11:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A retrospective: 93-95
1993 was the year of lost opportunity. Thats the one the hurts the most
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