Best seasons without winning a premiership

[23 YIPPEE!!!]

2022 for me similar feel to that of 2002

[Bucks5]

Best season without wining the premiership is 2022 and 2011. Our performances in the H&A seasons were amazing for different reasons but we did not flag.

Every year we fell short was disappointing, I cannot say any loss was better than others. A missed chance is a missed chance.

[23 YIPPEE!!!]

Thinking 2002 is 2022 2003 we go 1 better it’s 2023

[lihei]

1973. Finished on top (W19; L3) and then went out in straight sets. Heartbreaking I know, as I was there
2011 would be a close second.

[stui magpie]

2002 I never expected to win, same as 2018.

Yeah I enjoyed the start in 2018 but with the banged up team we had in the GF and playing like we were trying to ice the game from 1/4 time on, it felt inevitable rather than shocking.

2011 hurt. I genuinely thought we would win that, unfortunately it seemed so did the players.

This year has been a hell of a fun ride and the most enjoyment I've had from a team and season since i can't remember (apart from 1990 and 2010) and not making the GF doesn't diminish that.

[David]

If I were to rank all of our finals exits this century, I’d go with something like (and obviously this is all very subjective):

Category 1: Nothing but pride, feels like we surpassed people’s expectations, a lot to look back on fondly
1. 2022
2. 2007
3. 2002

Category 2: Some positives, maybe got to enjoy a finals win or two, felt optimistic about the future
4. 2008
5. 2018

Category 3: pretty disappointing, could have been worse but the season was left on a flat note
6. 2012
7. 2011
8. 2019
9. 2009
10. 2020
11. 2006
12. 2013

Category 4: The absolute worst
13. 2003

[Harrysz]

In 1977 Phil Carman's crazy act wasn't the only reason we lost the Grand Final.
I agree that if you're 27 points in front at three quarter time you should win.
But Carman was the main reason we lost. We won the send semi final by 2 points, and Carman kicked 4 goals. He made a difference all right!
Carman's act in striking Tuck behind the play wasn't done in retaliation. It was done near an umpire, it was forceful and for no apparent reason. It was stupid, selfish and indefensible and cost us a premiership.

[First To Twenty]

2011. Smashed everyone except the cats...

[lazzadesilva]

[Pies4shaw]

^ The 20 players on the ground who led the opposition by nearly 5 goals at 3/4 time and let them draw with just 9 goals in total were the reason for the loss, along with clueless coach who couldn't get them under control. Not a guy in the stands. Carman was as responsible for that loss as Gordon Coventry and Phonse Kyne were.

[derkd]

2002 for me...that preliminary against Port I still think is the greatest win i have watched....I have never seen a side so written off as Collingwood were in the match against Port....all the comantary was "Port by how far".

Everyone remembers Heath Shaw tackle in 2010. But Ben Johnson's run down tackle of Burgoyne running into an open goal square was...*chef's kiss*.


We then pushed one of the great sides in the modern era to within 9 points. 2002 and 2022 sides have strong parallels.


Winning Premerships is the best. But beating the odds and having other sides genuinely fear playing against you is also supremely satisfying.

[Boot]

I was there to witness all the grand finals that Collingwood has won, drawn and lost since 1977 and every loss leaves a gut wrenching hole in the soul that will never be filled, however the greatest disappointment was the 1970 Grand Final loss to Carlton after being 44 points up at halftime. That loss still haunts me and I was only 9 years old listening to the radio at the time.
Oh the pain...

[LaurieHolden]

[RudeBoy]

1970

We had an amazingly talented team with Thommo, the Richardsons, Price, Greening, Tuddy and McKenna.

[Jezza]

2022 gets my vote. A reset and refresh of the club in all departments that yielded great results. Thoroughly enjoyed watching us every week, even if we lost a few games along the way. The inclusion of McRae into the coaches box felt transformative for a club that had felt stagnant within the past decade before it.

2018 was good, but 2022 bettered it with the close games and the better style of play. The ending was really disappointing, but beating Richmond in a Prelim was the stuff of dreams.

2006 is underrated. Won some games with high scores and big margins and we were probably good enough to finish top 4 which we missed because of an upset loss to Essendon late in the season. The elimination final loss to the Bulldogs was a major letdown, but it was a vast improvement from 2004-05 and the start of our rise leading up to 2010.