Shepparton ends Kyabram’s winning streak to claim Goulburn Valley League flag
SHEPPARTON ending Kyabram’s 62-match winning streak in the Goulburn Valley League grand final last week got us thinking about AFL teams that were stopped in their tracks on the way to seemingly inevitable premierships.
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THEY are the shock losses that are remembered forever.
Seemingly unbeatable teams brought down right at their next great moment of triumph.
Unfortunately for Kyabram in the Goulburn Valley League, it added its name to the hall of fame of unforgettable losses on the weekend.
The Bombers, heading into the match on a stunning 62-game winning streak and looking for their third-straight premiership, fell to Shepparton in a shock upset by two points — 9.9 (63) to 8.13 (61).
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Shepparton played finals for the first time in 11 years in 2016, then last year made it through to the decider.
This year it went one better, with spectators at Shepparton’s Deakin Reserve on Sunday left stunned as the Bears reversed a 55-point loss in last year’s grand final to take home its first premiership in 18 years.
Shepparton coach Sean Harrap said the win was “one of the proudest moments of my life”.
“You never think you’re going to win a premiership, but you always hope,” Harrap said.
“We believed it was possible, even though Kyabram had this big run going.
“We were able to find a way and get the ultimate glory, which is so rewarding for everyone involved.”
Kyabram’s shock loss got us thinking of AFL teams of the past 20 years that were stopped in their tracks on the way to a seemingly inevitable premiership.
RICHMOND — 2018
Just last Friday night, the reigning premier stunned the AFL world with a shock loss to Collingwood in the preliminary final.
Everything pointed to another Richmond Grand Final appearance, none more so than its 22-game winning run at the MCG, a record that had Tigers fans boasting their side was unbeatable at the home of football.
Richmond had also had a stunning run of luck with injuries over the past two seasons, but were rocked by the intensity of Collingwood, which itself has endured several years of a horror injury list.
GEELONG — 2008
The all-conquering Cats were seemingly coasting towards back-to-back premierships in 2008 after breaking a whole host of records the year before.
A record 119-point Grand Final win in 2007 was followed up by one of the most dominant home-and-away seasons we’ve ever seen.
Premiership hangover? No way. Geelong lost just one game for the season — an 86-point drubbing at the hand of Collingwood in Round 9.
But come Grand Final day, Hawthorn had other ideas and a wasteful Geelong, which kicked 11.23 for the day, was left to rue the one that got away in a 26-point loss.
PORT ADELAIDE — 2003
The Power had stormed to the minor premiership, finishing the home-and-away season three games ahead of Collingwood after eight-straight wins to end the season and having lost just once since Round 7.
They had finished on top the previous year as well, but lost its qualifying final to the Pies and then got bundled out in the preliminary final by Brisbane on its way to its three-peat.
But Port was stunned in the first week of finals in 2003 by a Sydney team that had made the top four on percentage after an up and down season.
But seven goals to one in the second quarter — and six goals from Barry Hall for the game — were enough to hold off a fast-finishing Port.
The Power recovered to beat Essendon the following week but its dominant season was ended in the preliminary final by Collingwood to the tune of 44 points.
ESSENDON — 2001
Brisbane coach Leigh Matthews channelled Arnold Schwarzenegger before a Round 10, 2001, clash with reigning premier Essendon.
He told his players: “If it bleeds, we can kill it. And we reckon Essendon can bleed.”
Matthews’ team responded with a famous victory that also killed the impression the Bombers were unbeatable.
That belief flowed onto the rest of the season as the Lions swept all before them and defeated Essendon again in the Grand Final.
ESSENDON — 1999
The Essendon-Jeff Kennett double on preliminary final day, 1999, looked to be one of the best multi bets you could ever imagine.
Few teams had been as favoured as the Bombers were that day. And Kennett was heavily tipped to retain government in the state election.
But by the end of the day all sense of certainty seemed to evaporate.
The Bombers struggled to shake off the determined Blues. Those in the crowd thought it was just a matter of time before Essendon would take control.
It looked that way in the dying seconds when Dean Wallis tried to get around Fraser Brown, but was caught. The Blues held on by a point.
And later that night it emerged that Kennett’s tenure as premier was all but over.
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