Grand Final Underdog wins/Favourite Losers

[Wedgie]

Be interested if we could gather and collate stats over the years on favs losing GFs and underdogs getting up.
Obviously there wouldn't be odds in the real olden days but it wouldn't be hard to work out looking at minor round form, 2nd semi wins, etc.

Current List after discussion:

2006 Eagles (underdogs), Centrals (favs)
2002 Sturt (underdogs), Centrals (favs)
1994 Port (underdogs), Eagles (favs)
1990 Port (underdogs), Glenelg (favs)
1986 Glenelg (underdogs), North (favs)
1984 Norwood (underdogs), Port (favs)
1978 Norwood (underdogs), Sturt (favs)
1976 Sturt (underdogs), Port (favs)
1975 Norwood (underdogs), Glenelg (favs)
1966 Sturt (underdogs), Port (favs)
1964 South (underdogs), Port (favs)
1959 Port (underdogs), West (favs)
1947 West (underdogs), Norwood (favs)
1945 Torrens (underdogs), Port (favs)
1944 NA-Nor (underdogs), Port-Torrens (favs)
1943 NA-Nor (underdogs), Port-Torrens (favs)
1934 Glenelg (underdogs), Port (favs)
1932 Sturt (underdogs), North (favs)

[am Bays]

1934 Glenelg (underdogs), Port (favs) Port beat us by over 17 goals earlier in the year and in the 2nd Semi won by 10 goals 5

There you go REB who says we can't beat Port in a Grand Final.....

Seriously that has to be the biggest turnaround between a 2nd Semi and GF (74 pts) and arguably the biggest upset in GF history?? Cue Spelly

[spell_check]

1934 Glenelg (underdogs), Port (favs) Port beat us by over 17 goals earlier in the year and in the 2nd Semi won by 10 goals 5

There you go REB who says we can't beat Port in a Grand Final.....

Seriously that has to be the biggest turnaround between a 2nd Semi and GF (74 pts) and arguably the biggest upset in GF history?? Cue Spelly

No. Last years GF was the biggest turnaround - 112 points.

[am Bays]

Spelly 2, Tassie 0

[spell_check]

Spelly 2, Tassie 0

Apologies again.

[smithy]

76 Port were "hot favourites"..

Sturt huge underdogs, dad's army tag, lots of injuries.......and the right team won the day..

And I have my bottle of port on the trophy shelf to remind me of the day..

[spell_check]

Would Norwood in 1975 be another one?

[am Bays]

Would Norwood in 1975 be another one?

Without wishing to dimish the efforts of the premier team who won on the day, I'd say yes as our efforts throughout the year probably meant we started favourites but in an all too familiar story.....

As I said kudos to Norwood, winning premierships is all about producing when it counts and being the best team on the day - they were.

[Wedgie]

What I'll do is add to my original post as people make suggestions, if we discuss it and decide something should be taken off I'll then delete it, be good to go back as far as when the Challenge Final was abolished.

[Wedgie]

How about 1990, would Glenelg have started favs after winning the 2nd semi or am I thinking of another year around there?

[Leaping Lindner]

From what I've read/gathered despite only having narrow wins in both 2nd semi finals (1pt each) Port were favourites in 64 and 66. Pretty sure West started favs in 1959, Norwood in 47 and Port in 45. That takes us back to the war. FWIW PA-WT started as "hot" favourites in 43 and 44 over N-NA.

[Wedgie]

From what I've read/gathered despite only having narrow wins in both 2nd semi finals (1pt each) Port were favourites in 64 and 66. Pretty sure West started favs in 1959, Norwood in 47 and Port in 45. That takes us back to the war. FWIW PA-WT started as "hot" favourites in 43 and 44 over N-NA.

Mate, Ive misplaced my 3 SANFL history books tonight, can you let me know who those teams beat too?

[Leaping Lindner]

Sorry wasn't even thinking

66 Port (favs) Sturt (underdogs)
64 Port (favs) South (underdogs)
59 West (favs) Port (underdogs)*
47 Norwood (favs) West (underdogs) +
45 Port (favs) Torrens (underdogs) +
44 PA-WT (favs) N-NA (underdogs) +
43 PA-WT (favs) N-NA (underdogs) +

Another would be

32 North (favs) Sturt (underdogs) +

* This is debatable Port only lost one match during the year (in Round One to West) they then went through the rest of the season undefeated (including a narrow win and comfortable win to West). West then beat Port in the 2nd Semi Final (by 25 pts) and it was the first time West had beaten Port in any final since 47 and with a new Port coach in Motley (after Williams had been the one that had caused West so much september angst in the past) there was a train of thought that West would finally knock them off.

+ All these teams came from the 1st Semi Final.

[Leaping Lindner]

How could I not include 1931 North came from the 1st Semi to beat Sturt

[Pseudo]

How about 1990, would Glenelg have started favs after winning the 2nd semi or am I thinking of another year around there?

Yep, Glenelg was narrow favourite with the bookies, I remember reading as much in the press at the time.

If we compiled a list of all beaten second semi-final winners, would this differ from the list of beaten GF favourites? I mean, has there even been a 2SF winner who wasn't favourite in the GF?

[Wedgie]

If we compiled a list of all beaten second semi-final winners, would this differ from the list of beaten GF favourites? I mean, has there even been a 2SF winner who wasn't favourite in the GF?

Good question, might happen rarely though.

[Dutchy]

Bayman would be the man to help out with odds etc...

If nto aware already odds for last years GF were -

WWT $2.55
Dogs $1.50

[Hondo]

How about 1990, would Glenelg have started favs after winning the 2nd semi or am I thinking of another year around there?

Yep, Glenelg was narrow favourite with the bookies, I remember reading as much in the press at the time.

If we compiled a list of all beaten second semi-final winners, would this differ from the list of beaten GF favourites? I mean, has there even been a 2SF winner who wasn't favourite in the GF?

Possibly the Port Magpies in 1996 ... Centrals thrashed them in the second semi yet I don't recall Centrals being favourite 2 weeks later. Maybe it was line-ball I can't quite remember. Would be rare though I agree. Port in 94 and 96 must be 2 of the biggest second-semi final losses that then came back and won the GF?

[Hondo]

How about 1998 .... Sturt must have been favs against Port who had won through from the Elimination final?

[Hondo]

Would Norwood in 1975 be another one?

Without wishing to dimish the efforts of the premier team who won on the day, I'd say yes as our efforts throughout the year probably meant we started favourites but in an all too familiar story.....

As I said kudos to Norwood, winning premierships is all about producing when it counts and being the best team on the day - they were.

Have time & perspective granted any wisdom as to why the Bays had a bit of trouble on GF day? One thing this post has highlighted is that Glenelg didn't lose too many that they were actually favourite to win. Were they just a victim of circumstance each time in that they were kept coming up against a better team? That would be true for 74, 77, 81, 87, 88 and 92 anyway. The Bays made it to 12 Grand Finals in 20 seasons from 1973 - 1992 which has to go down in history as a great effort despite only picking up 3 premierships.