What are the winning streaks and losing hoodoos to watch in 2018?
DO you know the last time Carlton kicked over 100 points in a match or when Collingwood last beat the Western Bulldogs? Check out your club’s winning streaks and losing hoodoos heading into 2018.
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WHEN it comes to the AFL, there is no such thing as a sure thing.
Richmond proved that once and for all in 2017, going from down and out to premiers in the space of a year.
But if the Tigers can break their Grand Final hoodoo then surely Melbourne can finally enjoy a win over North Melbourne or the Gold Coast Suns can topple the Adelaide Crows.
Will 2018 be the year someone holds Josh Kennedy goalless or the year Carlton kicks over 100 points?
In the build-up to the new season, check out some of the winning streaks and losing hoodoos your club is facing in 2018.
LIST ANALYSIS: GARY BUCKENARA ANALYSES CARLTON’S LIST
LIST ANALYSIS: GARY BUCKENARA ANALYSES COLLINGWOOD’S LIST
LIST ANALYSIS: GARY BUCKENARA ANALYSES FREMANTLE’S LIST
ADELAIDE
It is easy to see why Adelaide fans love seeing an expansion team pop up in the fixture. The Crows have owned the Gold Coast Suns since they entered the AFL, never losing a game to the young club. In fact, the closest contest between the two was a 28-point Adelaide win in 2013. Meanwhile, the Crows have lost just once to Greater Western Sydney in nine outings. In total, Adelaide’s record against the Giants and the Suns is a stunning 18-1.
BRISBANE
When you’ve been rebuilding as long as Brisbane, it can be tough tracking down a good winning streak. But one team the Lions have had the wood over is Carlton. Brisbane has won five of its past six outings against the Blues, which becomes a little more impressive when you consider the Lions have only won 12 games in the past three years. At the other end of the scale, the Lions would be happy to skip any upcoming clashes against the Tigers and the Swans, with both teams dominating Brisbane in recent times. The Lions haven’t beaten either side since 2009.
CARLTON
It hasn’t exactly been raining wins for the Blues in recent years and it certainly hasn’t been raining goals either. In fact, Carlton fans have to go back to Round 11, 2016 for the last time they watched their side kick more than 100 points in a game. That is 33 matches in a row without breaking triple figures. The last time Carlton kicked more than 20 goals in a game was against St Kilda in Round 16, 2014.
COLLINGWOOD
In the early stages of this decade, the Magpies owned the Western Bulldogs. But in more recent times, the script has flipped completely. Since 2014, the Dogs have beaten the Pies five times in a row. What must frustrate Magpie fans and head coach Nathan Buckley most is that, in those five wins the biggest margin has been just 21 points. Even in that game, the Magpies actually led at three quarter time. What could have been …
ESSENDON
Plenty gave the Bombers a chance of causing an upset against Sydney in last season’s elimination final, but the writing was well and truly on the wall that the red and black could be in for a world of hurt. Essendon hasn’t beaten Sydney since a one-point win in Round 20, 2011. Despite the 8-0 win-loss ledger since then, the two teams have played out some classic encounters, including a 2012 stunner in which the Bombers booted nine final term goals to cut a 47-point lead to four points. Earlier this year, Gary Rohan kept Sydney’s streak alive with his goal on the final siren to seal a one-point win.
FREMANTLE
There is no bigger ticket in town than a derby. But the Dockers haven’t been able to enjoy one for quite a while. Fremantle has lost its past five derbies against rival West Coast. All the losses, dating back to Round 20, 2015, have been by at least four goals. Meanwhile, the 2017 season will go down as the year of the streak buster for the Dockers. After nine straight wins against Brisbane, the club watched its attempt to reach double figures snapped in Round 12 with a 57-point loss to the eventual wooden spoon recipient.
GEELONG
There is no doubt about it. The Cats have absolutely owned the Western Bulldogs, dating all the way back to 2009. It was then that the Dogs had their last win over Geelong, a 14-point victory with the likes of Jason Akermanis, Mitch Hahn and Brad Johnson running around for the boys from the kennel. Since that day the Cats have won 11-straight between the two clubs, with only one of those wins decided by less than two goals. Among the heaviest defeats was a 101-point thrashing in 2010 which saw Gary Ablett have 39 touches and kick three goals.
GOLD COAST
It might not sound like much, but Gold Coast’s current streak of two wins in a row over Hawthorn is one to savour. The Suns lost the first eight times the two clubs met and of those, five were by more than 50 points. Gold Coast’s Round 3, 86-point win over the Hawks this year was widely viewed as the end of Hawthorn’s era of dominance. In other less positive streaks, the Suns have lost eight straight to Port Adelaide and have never beaten Adelaide or Sydney.
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
No matter how far into winter, it is always nice to head north and get some sun. It is even better if you happen to pick up four points while you’re there. Just ask the Giants, who have owned the nation’s Queensland based sides recently. GWS has won a combined nine in a row against Brisbane and the Gold Coast, five against the Suns and four against the Lions. Meanwhile, 2017 was a hoodoo buster for the Giants, with the club securing its first ever win against Collingwood thanks to a last second piece of Stevie J brilliance.
HAWTHORN
When the 2018 draw was released, three teams would have been very eager to see how many times their names came up against the Hawks. Melbourne, Carlton and Fremantle have been absolutely dominated by Alastair Clarkson and his men in recent years. The Hawks have won 14 of their past 15 matches against both Melbourne and Carlton as well as 10 of their past 11 against Fremantle. That is a win-loss ledger of 38-3. However, with Jeff Kennett returning as the club’s president, is the “Kennett Curse” coming with him? In a trend to make any Hawks fans nervous, the club has lost four in a row against Geelong.
MELBOURNE
As far as a hoodoo goes, it really can’t get much worse than this. Melbourne has lost to North Melbourne a whopping 17 times in a row. Yes, 17! The Demons’ last win against the Kangaroos was all the way back in Round 20, 2006. In that time Melbourne has been coached by Neale Daniher, Mark Riley, Dean Bailey, Todd Viney, Mark Neeld, Neil Craig, Paul Roos and Simon Goodwin. The Demons won’t have to wait long to get another shot at North Melbourne. The two clubs will clash at the MCG in Round 3 next year. Will it be 18-straight for North Melbourne or can the Demons finally get their revenge?
NORTH MELBOURNE
While they have inflicted plenty of pain on the Demons, the Kangaroos have been on the receiving end of some tough losses. Over their last 20 games at Etihad Stadium, the Roos have won just four matches. That includes losing their last seven at the ground. It was the scene of maximum heartbreak in 2017, with North losing to Geelong by a point, the Western Bulldogs by three points, Fremantle by four points and the Bulldogs again by four points. That’s one sure-fire way to keep a hoodoo going. Meanwhile, the Kangaroos do have the wood over the Lions, winning their past four matches. However, the Round 23 win this year saw North drop from having the first pick in the draft to the fourth.
PORT ADELAIDE
No one will ever forget Robbie Gray’s last second goal against St Kilda this year. The stunning piece of play ensured the Power would play finals and all-but cost St Kilda its place in the top eight. It also kept alive one of the Power’s current longest winning streaks. Thanks to Gray’s goal, Port Adelaide has beaten the Saints six times straight. However, it isn’t the club’s best active streak. The Power has beaten Gold Coast eight times in a row. In fact, the Suns’ only win over the Power was the first time the two clubs ever played back in 2011. It was also the Suns’ first ever win in the AFL.
RICHMOND
It was Round 7, 2009 when a Brisbane outfit led by Simon Black, Jonathan Brown and Daniel Bradshaw lifted the Lions to a 26-point win over the Tigers. Hopefully the Brisbane fans celebrated the win hard, because they have been waiting a while for the next one. Richmond was won 11 straight against the Lions, one of the best active win steaks in the AFL. The closest clash in that time was a 19-point Tiger victory. The Tigers are also enjoying the good times against the Bombers and Blues (six wins each) and have seven wins in a row at the MCG.
ST KILDA
The 2018 season is shaping up as make or break for the Saints and a trip to Geelong in Round 4 wasn’t what the club wanted to see when the fixture came out. The newly named GMHBA Stadium hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the Saints who have seven straight losses at the venue. Amazingly, this hoodoo extends over 18 years with St Kilda’s last win at the ground coming in Round 10, 1999. A young Lenny Hayes was running around for the Saints that day with the likes of Robert Harvey, Nathan Burke and Barry Hall.
SYDNEY
Sydney’s horror start to the 2017 season was a shock to all footy fans. And one of the most incredible aspects of the 3-7 start was that four of those losses came at the SCG. Not only did the Swans right the ship and go on to play finals, they also returned their home ground to fortress status. Sydney has now won seven in a row at the ground, with the last three of those by a combined margin of 250 points. Making the start to the season even more puzzling, the Swans have now won 38 of their past 50 games at the SCG. When it comes to opposition streaks, the Swans have never lost to Gold Coast and have won 10 straight against the Lions.
WEST COAST
There is no stopping Josh Kennedy. Despite the fact he missed five games during the season with injury, the dominant key forward finished second in the Coleman Medal, four goals behind Lance Franklin. Amazingly, Kennedy has now kicked at least one goal in his last 42 matches. In fact, the last time Kennedy failed to kick a goal in a game was in the 2015 Grand Final loss to Hawthorn.
LIST ANALYSIS: GARY BUCKENARA ANALYSES HAWTHORN’S LIST
LIST ANALYSIS: GARY BUCKENARA ANALYSES MELBOURNE’S LIST
LIST ANALYSIS: BUCKENARA ANALYSES NORTH’S LIST
WESTERN BULLDOGS
When the Western Bulldogs were rising up the ladder under Luke Beveridge, much was made of the club’s incredible form at Etihad Stadium. However, the Bulldogs have also turned the MCG into a happy hunting ground as well. The Dogs haven’t loss at the Home of Football since the club’s elimination final defeat to the Crows in 2015. The highlights since then include a semi-final win against Hawthorn, a Grand Final victory over the Swans and multiple wins over Collingwood. The Bulldogs have now won six straight at the ground.
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