Biggest Grand Final upset

[Leaping Lindner]

1978 by a mile for mine.
* Sturt lost one game all year - against West at Richmond a bogey ground for many sides in those days.
* Sturt never looked in trouble against Norwood in the 2nd Semi
* Norwood had played 4 weeks in a row
* Sturt had a rep as Grand Final experts

I was there and still can't believe they won.

[Adelaide Hawk]

surely 1976 was the biggest upset in my lifetime no one apart from ah & sturt gave sturt a chance, it was to be port by how far & from memory sturt didn't win it rick davies did & that loss was to be a big spur to port who went on to win numerous premierships over the next few years including the next year (1977)

spot on bayman, it was meant to be the maggies in a canter in '76

"sigh" didn't you read by post above of the players selecting Sturt to win? This 76 Port favouritism has become folklore rather than fact, a bit like all the people who "were there" when Royce Hart was knocked out and took no further part in the game ... which of course is false, and yet people still say it happened.

[Adelaide Hawk]

1978 by a mile for mine.
* Sturt lost one game all year - against West at Richmond a bogey ground for many sides in those days.
* Sturt never looked in trouble against Norwood in the 2nd Semi
* Norwood had played 4 weeks in a row
* Sturt had a rep as Grand Final experts

I was there and still can't believe they won.

It was all done in 15 minutes of power footy. From the start of the final term, Norwood were 29 points down, and when John Wynne put Norwood in front for the first time, only 15 minutes had elapsed. Norwood just attacked relentlessly in that first 15 minutes. After that, it was a tough Grand Final struggle we sadly don't see any more. and Norwood were fortunate to hang on. Can't blame Sturt fans for being disappointed, but it was one of the most remarkable things I've seen in footy.

[stampy]

surely 1976 was the biggest upset in my lifetime no one apart from ah & sturt gave sturt a chance, it was to be port by how far & from memory sturt didn't win it rick davies did & that loss was to be a big spur to port who went on to win numerous premierships over the next few years including the next year (1977)

spot on bayman, it was meant to be the maggies in a canter in '76

"sigh" didn't you read by post above of the players selecting Sturt to win? This 76 Port favouritism has become folklore rather than fact, a bit like all the people who "were there" when Royce Hart was knocked out and took no further part in the game ... which of course is false, and yet people still say it happened.

honestly AH i cant believe that those people could have confidently picked the blues, i was there, still only 13 at the time, lucky enough to get a seat (on cement) on the concourse level at the southern goal end, port were red hot for that flag, didnt produce the goods, Davies was everywhere, end of story.

[BUZZ]

I sat in the rain in 1994 and saw Port comeback from 6 goals behind in the 1st quarter to pinch the Premiership against the Eagles in a huge upset. Scotty Hodges kicked 5 in the last quarter on one leg if memory serves correctly. Think Port were rank underdogs that year from memory.

Did Port come from the elimination final that year?

[FlyingHigh]

I sat in the rain in 1994 and saw Port comeback from 6 goals behind in the 1st quarter to pinch the Premiership against the Eagles in a huge upset. Scotty Hodges kicked 5 in the last quarter on one leg if memory serves correctly. Think Port were rank underdogs that year from memory.

Did Port come from the elimination final that year?

Nah, Buzz. They played Centrals in the Qualifying Final, and from memory Centrals were 13 points up entering time-on (the days when there was only 5 minutes of time-one and clock didn't stop for out-of-bounds), and Port got back to draw and then win in extra time. Port would have had to play Norwood the next week in the first semi, and as we know Port-Norwood finals are always 50-50.
Port were beaten comprehensively by the Eagles in 2nd semi, but remember Darryl Poole having an easy shot from the edge of the goal-square early in the last with Eagles 4-5 goals up. He hit the post and Eagles went on to win by 70 points. That moment always haunts me coz it seemed engender a bit of complacency in the Eagles kicking away to the final margin, and steel Port's resolve that they wouldn't be laughed at. And of course the GF was pure Port Adelaide folklore My worst day at the football ever. Worse than 2004.

1978 and then 1994 would have to be the two biggest upsets.
2002 from memory Sturt, Centrals and Norwood all finished on 17-3 and were so far in front of the rest of the comp. Centrals were favourites, but was hardly the biggest upset ever.

[FlyingHigh]

Spelly, do you have the final five from 2000, and the win-losses of Centrals and Eagles in the last 6-8 games, and the Centrals-Eagles minor results? Thanks.

[spell_check]

Minor Round Ladder
1) Eagles 17-3 61.79
2) Central 14-6 58.34
3) Port 13-7 53.67
4) Sturt 12-8 51.65
5) Norwood 10-10 51.51

Last 8 Minor Round (Finals in brackets)
Central WWLWLLWW(WWW)
Eagles WWWWWWWW(LWL)

Round 6 2000
Central 4.3 10.8 11.11 15.13 (103)
Eagles 1.2 3.4 4.6 10.8 (68)
Woodville, 2763

Round 18 2000
Eagles 3.1 6.4 12.4 15.8 (98)
Central 1.2 4.5 7.9 9.15 (69)
Elizabeth, 3060

[Macca19]

1996 was definitely an upset in logical terms. Obviously with Port winning the previous two flags they were always a chance, but they lost to Centrals 4 times that year. They got close late in the year at Elizabeth, but Centrals stormed home from 4-5 goals down to win that one. Poole out suspended. It was meant to be Centrals year that year.

1994 as well but thats already been well talked about here.

They are the main two since ive followed footy.

[LBT]

1996 was definitely an upset in logical terms. Obviously with Port winning the previous two flags they were always a chance, but they lost to Centrals 4 times that year. They got close late in the year at Elizabeth, but Centrals stormed home from 4-5 goals down to win that one. Poole out suspended. It was meant to be Centrals year that year.

1994 as well but thats already been well talked about here.

They are the main two since ive followed footy.

Hey Macca.....time for a new sig

[Rik E Boy]

1978 by a mile for mine.
* Sturt lost one game all year - against West at Richmond a bogey ground for many sides in those days.
* Sturt never looked in trouble against Norwood in the 2nd Semi
* Norwood had played 4 weeks in a row
* Sturt had a rep as Grand Final experts

I was there and still can't believe they won.

GOLD. Love watching the vid to this day.

regards,

REB

[Brucetiki]

2002 from memory Sturt, Centrals and Norwood all finished on 17-3 and were so far in front of the rest of the comp. Centrals were favourites, but was hardly the biggest upset ever.

Centrals was 18-2, Sturt and Norwood each 17-3 I believe - no other team had a winning record that year. Centrals lost to Norwood twice, Sturt lost to Centrals three times, Norwood lost to Sturt twice and West once (West the only side to beat any of the top 3 sides that year).

Anyone notice the poll result is flicking us the bird

[JK]

Anyone notice the poll result is flicking us the bird

LMFAO!!

Im not even going to ask how you managed to come up with that but cheers for the laugh!

[Sam_goUUUdogs]

2002 would be the biggest upset for mine.

[baggy8]

1978 and then daylight. As for 1976, Port were the favourites, but there were many, and not just Sturt supporters, who thought the Double Blues could do it. You don't get 82,000 people (incl. an estimated 15, 000 turned away) showing up if they think it's going to be a whitewash.

[Adelaide Hawk]

1978 and then daylight. As for 1976, Port were the favourites, but there were many, and not just Sturt supporters, who thought the Double Blues could do it. You don't get 82,000 people (incl. an estimated 15, 000 turned away) showing up if they think it's going to be a whitewash.

Spot on Baggy, this is what I've been trying to say. Just about any Norwood supporter who witnessed the 1st semi final that season would have at least given Sturt a real chance. They were brilliant in that match, and I considered their best to be better than Port's.

A lot of people look at overall seasons for premiership favouritism, and a lot of times the better team over the year wins the flag, but in fact it is usually the better team over the the finals series who wins it. All the minor round does is qualify a team, the finals determine the winner.

Many may not realise that in Sturt's 5-in-a-row from 1966-1970, they only won 2 minor premierships, 1966 and 1968, but nobody could argue who was the better team in the finals each season.

[SABRE]

Sorry to disagree with most of you, but I can't remember anything upsetting about the 1978 Grand Final.

The 2 or 3 days that followed were a bit blurry though.

[dedja]

Sorry to disagree with most of you, but I can't remember anything upsetting about the 1978 Grand Final.

The 2 or 3 days that followed were a bit blurry though.

hic

I was always going to lose that year ... Norwood High was 50/50 Redlegs/Blues so I was going to suffer either way.

Kudos goes to Gags for that mark and Danny Jenkins smother in the dying minutes.

[am Bays]

A lot of people look at overall seasons for premiership favouritism, and a lot of times the better team over the year wins the flag, but in fact it is usually the better team over the the finals series who wins it. All the minor round does is qualify a team, the finals determine the winner.

Many may not realise that in Sturt's 5-in-a-row from 1966-1970, they only won 2 minor premierships, 1966 and 1968, but nobody could argue who was the better team in the finals each season.

You mean like 1981, three games clear at the end of July still manage to finish Minor Premiers and.....

*sigh*

[Big Phil]

A lot of people look at overall seasons for premiership favouritism, and a lot of times the better team over the year wins the flag, but in fact it is usually the better team over the the finals series who wins it. All the minor round does is qualify a team, the finals determine the winner.

Many may not realise that in Sturt's 5-in-a-row from 1966-1970, they only won 2 minor premierships, 1966 and 1968, but nobody could argue who was the better team in the finals each season.

You mean like 1981, three games clear at the end of July still manage to finish Minor Premiers and.....

*sigh*

Central's have certainly proved that point to be very true the last decade, particularly the last few seasons...