Can excellence be celebrated without a premiership?

[TheDalek079]

I'm a Roosters fan so I'll use them as an example. 2003/2004 Roosters were one of the best teams of the modern era. They took the defence of our '02 premiership side and added ruthless attack. We were nearly unstoppable as we marched into consecutive grand finals. But we came away with nothing.

This was a terrific team and I'd like to celebrate that, but when I recall those years all I see is Toddy Byrne getting caught by an overthehill lock and Hegarty clapping instead of tackling

Other teams have similar problems. Melbourne won 3 minor premierships, and reached four grand finals 2006-2009 without a premiership to their name. The Bulldogs got back to back minor premierships in '93/'94 but not the ultimate trophy.


Are we supposed to celebrate these dominant teams, or are we supposed to ignore them due to the lack of premierships?

 

[I Bleed Maroon]

2nd place is never celebrated.

 

[LESStar58]

I'm a Roosters fan so I'll use them as an example. 2003/2004 Roosters were one of the best teams of the modern era. They took the defence of our '02 premiership side and added ruthless attack. We were nearly unstoppable as we marched into consecutive grand finals. But we came away with nothing.

This was a terrific team and I'd like to celebrate that, but when I recall those years all I see is Toddy Byrne getting caught by an overthehill lock and Hegarty clapping instead of tackling

Other teams have similar problems. Melbourne won 3 minor premierships, and reached four grand finals 2006-2009 without a premiership to their name. The Bulldogs got back to back minor premierships in '93/'94 but not the ultimate trophy.


Are we supposed to celebrate these dominant teams, or are we supposed to ignore them due to the lack of premierships?

I think it can be measured by individual accolades as strange as that sounds.

Former basketballer Charles Barkley for instance; perennial All Star, Dream Teamer, MVP winner but never won a world championship.

Odd comparison But it kind of fits with the OP.

 

[Raider_69]

Nope, no point being good if you cant be good enough when it counts.

 

[Nugget10]

I'm a Roosters fan so I'll use them as an example. 2003/2004 Roosters were one of the best teams of the modern era. They took the defence of our '02 premiership side and added ruthless attack. We were nearly unstoppable as we marched into consecutive grand finals. But we came away with nothing.

This was a terrific team and I'd like to celebrate that, but when I recall those years all I see is Toddy Byrne getting caught by an overthehill lock and Hegarty clapping instead of tackling

Other teams have similar problems. Melbourne won 3 minor premierships, and reached four grand finals 2006-2009 without a premiership to their name. The Bulldogs got back to back minor premierships in '93/'94 but not the ultimate trophy.


Are we supposed to celebrate these dominant teams, or are we supposed to ignore them due to the lack of premierships?

Nah doesn't happen. It's called a choke simple as that

 

[Armageddon.]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPFMzskXZvY

 

[Hutty1986]

Why would a team cheating be 'celebrated.' Melbournes minor premierships in that era mean SFA

 

[BuffaloRules]

Melbourne 07, 09 won the game on the field, no doubt got drunk for 2 weeks and got the tattoos.

The others that lost the grand final, no.

 

[Michael Bishop]

Winning is everything, coming second is not cause for celebration. Manly were by far the best team in '95, '96 and '97 (NRL comp) but only won the one premiership. I look back on that period as a low light not anything else.

 

[Jason Maher]

That's where the soccer method of first past the post is superior to our method. Rewards the best team over an entire season, with very rare exceptions. They then have a knockout cup to cover the ground we cover with a final series. At the risk of sounding like old Pops, winning a Grand Final does not mean you are the best team, though the best team does win more often than not. Best example would have been if Parra saluted in 2009. They played like absolute busted arses for the majority of 2009, but pulled a rich vein of form from out of their arses (well, Jarryd Hayne's arse) to sneak into 8th, win through to a GF, and to be fair, they had a reasonable chance of winning it, even against a mob of cheats.

Which raises another interesting point, as everyone remembers the Parra team of 09, while hardly anyone ever mentions the Roosters teams of 03-04 (note: Penrith were the Minor Premiers in 03, so I think it's a bit insulting to suggest the Roosters were a vastly superior outfit that year). People remember winners, and occasionally runners up who massively over-achieve just by making it to the big stage.

Frankly, first past the post is the fairest system, and the best system for rewarding the best team. What is gained by having a final series and a Grand Final, though, I think outweighs what is lost in not always recognising the best overall team for the year. Finals football is such a different kettle of fish in terms of excitement and pressure, and absolute elation if you get lucky enough to see your team salute, that I think most of us can live with the odd Bradbury every now and then.

As for the fans of teams that slip up, well, that's goes in the category of lows that make you appreciate the highs even more.

Melbourne 07, 09 won the game on the field, no doubt got drunk for 2 weeks and got the tattoos.

The others that lost the grand final, no.

Not relevant when the thread topic is what is remembered years later.

 

[mongoose]

First past the post isn't fair in the current NRL setup. Teams are affected by Origin and only play some teams twice.

Not fair on a team playing the Storm and Rabbitohs twice in a season and the Eels and Tigers once.

 

[Anon]

First past the post isn't fair in the current NRL setup. Teams are affected by Origin and only play some teams twice.

Not fair on a team playing the Storm and Rabbitohs twice in a season and the Eels and Tigers once.

But you had four byes. Well two byes plus two games against the Dragons which is as good as a bye

 

[adamkungl]

For a while I've thought we should give more recognition to the Minor Premiers. Maybe lose the word 'minor' for a start... could call it League Winners or something I dunno. And definitely more prize money than the pissy amount on offer.

Not to take anything away from winning the GF, but to reward a season of sustained dominance.

 

[no name]

Parra '01 is the first team I thought about when I read the title.
So good too watch yet fell one game short.

 

[RockWheel]

Whoever said sport's meant to be fair? Finishing first is fine and all, if you desperately think we should be acknowledging the most consistent team every season, but fairness really shouldn't have anything to do with it. Finals/grand finals are what the competition is about - being one of the top teams all year, and beating the other top teams in winner takes all football. I believe that the best team overall doesn't always win the grand final, but I don't think many teams that do win it are undeserving of it.

 

[Loudstrat]

Whoever was the demented turdbreath who mentioned Melbourne in a team that should be celebrated - that's like nominating Ivan Milat for an OAM.

I agree with OP's sentiment. That said, I thought, according the the masses of geniuss, the 03-4 Roosters were a massive failure on every single level due to Ricky Stuart.

 

[some11]

The Minor Premiership should have more importance placed on it, it should be called 'Team of the Season' or something.

 

[Billythekid]

Other teams have similar problems. Melbourne won 3 minor premierships, and reached four grand finals 2006-2009 without a premiership to their name.

It makes absolutely no sense to use the storm as an example here. The storm won 2 premierships in that period and they were taken away due to rorting the cap. All of that success including the minor premierships were taken away. This wasn't a team that was perfectly capable of winning a GF but either choked (ala parra 01) or was shown up by a team who stepped up on the big day.

 

[Stagger Lee]

For a while I've thought we should give more recognition to the Minor Premiers. Maybe lose the word 'minor' for a start... could call it League Winners or something I dunno. And definitely more prize money than the pissy amount on offer.

Not to take anything away from winning the GF, but to reward a season of sustained dominance.

Agree on this 100%

 

[POPEYE]

First past the post is the only true indication of who is the worthiest team of a season. What should be happening is every team has equal opportunity by all playing each other twice, without disruption.

The real question as it stands now; "Can excellence be celebrated WITH a premiership?"

There is absolutely no reason against and a hundred for having a PREMIER team and a CUP winning team . . . win win for everyone