Biggest AFL Upsets in History

Very few things are worse than believing in your favourite Australian Football League (AFL) team, having all the bets in its favour, only for there to be a massive upset in the finals and your beloved team ends up losing! Believe it or not, this happens way more frequently than people care to admit. Over the years, there have been some massive AFL upsets that have not quickly been forgotten by fans, sportsbooks or bettors. Below are some of the biggest AFL upsets in the game’s history – the ones that went against the odds and kept everyone clinging to the edge of their seats!

North Melbourne versus Adelaide

In 1998, everything seemed perfectly in place for North Melbourne to walk away victorious. The team had qualified comfortably for the final, whereas its rivals, Adelaide, had battled to get to the final round. North Melbourne was the favourite to win for a reason – the team was the highest credentialed one of the era. As the game progressed, all seemed to be going according to plan until North Melbourne suffered several terrible shots in the second quarter. Adelaide made an extraordinary comeback because of this and walked away as winners.

Geelong versus Hawthorn

In 2008, Geelong had won 23 out of its 24 games. The team looked set to win against its opponents Hawthorn, which was clearly an outsider against the odds compared with Geelong. The game was a highly anticipated one, as both teams were known for playing unconventionally. When it began, Geelong immediately took the lead, starting strong and leading until early into the third quarter. However, the upset was triggered by a goal by Lance Franklin of Hawthorn from outside 50 meters. This motivated the Hawks to keep going and to keep scoring, which they continued to do until they were crowned victors at the end of the match.

Carlton versus Fitzroy

1916 was a very strange year for football. Called the Victoria Football League (VFL) back then, the VFL consisted of just four teams. It was decided that because of the fact that there were just four teams, all teams would be entered into the final. Fitzroy had a strong start in the tournament and then decided to save all of its energy until the final. The team lost nine games in a row, and was able to lure Carlton, its rival, into a false sense of security. However, Team Fitzroy surprised everyone when it won every match in the finals, including two very easy victories over Carlton, which was at the top of the table.

Western Bulldogs versus Sydney Swans

The Western Bulldogs had not won the https://australiansportsbetting.net/afl/ in 62 years when it went up against the Sydney Swans in 2016. The Sydney Swans was made up of a star-studded team and was right at the top of the championship table, having won eight of their last nine games. With just seven minutes of the match remaining, the Western Bulldogs slid into a one-point lead. The Western Bulldogs was the first team in AFL history to win the tournament from seventh place on the board.