Best seasons without winning a premiership

[David]

Amidst the disappointment of last night, I was feeling proud of the club and our players and thinking that – as much as I wish we were there next week – it was hard not to feel satisfied about this season and what we’ve achieved.

It also occurred to me that it’s pretty rare to feel that way after a finals loss; you won’t win the flag most of the time, so most seasons you either end with a finals loss that makes you feel pretty hollow and depressed, or you miss finals altogether and so the end-of-season misery is usually spread out over a longer period.

For me, the only times besides this year that I can remember feeling anything close to satisfaction in a non-premiership season were 2002, 2007 and maybe to an extent 2018 (though that one really hurt). How about you guys? If you had to rank non-premiership-winning seasons in recent memory, where does this one figure?

[Ronnie McKeowns boots]

The question is unclear. The best season where we didn't win, as in the best team with the best chance?

Hands down 1992. We beat all comers that year (except maybe the cats), and if we play Sav instead of my namesake against the Saints, well who knows....

But if its a case of going as far as we could have, doing our best so to speak, 2002 or 2007

[Harrysz]

In 1977 we finished on top after finishing last the year before. It was a great season. Ricky Barham was added to the list but otherwise, it was pretty much the same team that had finished last in 1976. The main difference was the new coach - Tom Hafey. Just like this year. The only new player of note was Nick Daicos. The main difference from last year and this was the new coach - Craig McRae.

1977 was a great year and should've been a premiership year, and would've been a premiership year if not for Phil Carman's undisciplined unprovoked act which got him suspended.
'

[Pies4shaw]

2018 was a shit show. It was always going to end badly, one way or the other, because the team played not to lose on the one day of the year when you must play to win.

2007 was awful - you just knew Guy Richards was going to **** up - and he let Ablett take the ball off him for the losing goal. If only Collingwood had a ruckman that season (there's a fair chance we'll be saying that at the end of 2023, by the looks of it).

2002 was awful - no Grand Final loss is ever "OK", irrespective of how "gallant" your team is in defeat. I always despised Voss and him getting the Cup, rather than our then greatest player of the modern era, sickened me.

I agree with Ronnie about the 1992 "Persistent Pies" - in those days, one Daicos was enough to make you feel like the year had been well-spent watching Collingwood.

Last evening was appalling, at the end, for about 5 minutes - and then I was over it. Mostly, it was a sense of disappointment that they didn't quite get there - it would have been so funny to see the look on Franklin's and Papley's stupid faces, if they had. Ultimately, though, the genuinely great Collingwood players stood up to be counted, yet again, and the younger players did everything they could to follow the great leadership they got on the ground (and from the coaching box).

Most of all, though, I felt that I got football back, courtesy of the Coach, in 2022. The team was unwatchable - even when they were winning - for the prior decade. It may well be that defence 0ccasionally wins premierships - but, really, no-one watching the game cares about that - what we want to see is our team being courageous, taking the game on and winning with great exploits. Things that the Daicoses, Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Ginnivan, WHE, McReery and others did in 2022 will live long in the memory. Without the highlights reel, every season in which the premiership doesn't come your way is just a complete waste. 2022 wasn't at all like that.

[Skids]

I think 2002. I was at that one and at The Cricketers after the game the vibe was amazing considering we'd lost.

This year feels similar. Geez, losing finals by 6 & 1 points to the eventual.Grand finalists stings a lot more for me.

I think we would be a better chance at knocking the Cats off next week. I think they'll destroy the Swans.

[Monco Matt]

Well, from the list provided I'll say 2007 was the least disappointing finish. I do recall walking out of the MCG after losing by 5 points feeling like we gave it our best shot against the best team for the year (of course it was Geelong, who else right?).

Again, we were good in 2007, but just your typical hard working, plucky, never say die Collingwood that we are all used to. Took a few more years to finally build a premiership team and then the succession plan ruined all that, but I won't open that old chestnut.

[23 YIPPEE!!!]

I’ll say if 2022 happens in 2023 it’s a waste but it isn’t

[What'sinaname]

I think there will always be a question mark about 2022 as we played the 3 other top 4 teams 5 times for zero wins and 5 losses

[Pies4shaw]

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

Hafey was a fitness fanatic and an old style motivator who put the fear of God into you for failing to perform. Positive reinforcement or delegating responsibility to the players would have been foreign to him. That form of coaching died out in the eighties. You wouldn’t get away with it today. And the fact they we were wooden spooners in 1976 says more about the coaching staff at the time, not about the playing group who only needed a decent coach in 1977 to perform to their ability. The crash and burn coach we got in Hafey was all we needed but at some point of time, Tom Hafey was a time bomb who was going to explode.

[think positive]

We may have finished 17th last year but I never thought that was where we were at, we lost a few close ones.

This year, new coach, management and attitude, it’s a whole different beast. After 2 years of hard lock downs and uncertainty, after last years ridicule, how can you not be proud and happy for the most part?

Fly commented he was so proud the way the team walked around and thanked the fans, me too. We waited. Idont usually do that, it hurts too much, but this was special, and the boys deserved it.

[Ronnie McKeowns boots]

[Big Dan]

How good has this year been?

Bombers after the siren.

Ending Blues season in the last 90 seconds.

Rolling Melbourne again...and again.....

Crowds filling the stands week in week out - the vibe was back!

OK - didn't win yesterday but I'll take games like we have seen this year over anything that was tossed up in recent years (2018 season the exception).

Loved this year, didn't want it to end. Bring on 2023.

[Cam]

my bad, didn't read it properly

[Presti35]

Interesting question, and very tough to answer.

I think 2022 is going to be the winner.