The Great VFL/AFL Transformations | Thebigtip

The West Coast Eagles this season can finish as high as 2nd, if the Geelong Cats drop a couple of games. Making do with a decent draw, the Eagles can win all their games. The final result would ensure a move from 16th last year to a top four position. Such a result hasn't been achieved since Brisbane in 1999.

So, this article is about... you guessed it - the great VFL/AFL transformations of form. Looking through this list...

Melbourne - 1900 season

Melbourne finished 6th of eight teams in 1900. No finals right?

Wrong. Under a flukey system, which meant the home and away season didn't actually count, Melbourne won through their group stage, then defeated Essendon in the semi final to play Fitzroy in the Grand Final. With Fitzroy carriages adorning "Fitzroy - 1900 premiers" on the sidelines, Melbourne caused a boilover, defeating the Roys by four points.

Fitzroy - 1916 season

In 1916 there were only four teams due to the advent of the war. Fitzroy started decently, winning a couple of games and then a draw. However, Fitzroy then collapsed losing all their remaining games, finishing fourth and 'winning' the wooden spoon.

However, due to the fact that there were only four teams, Fitzroy were also granted the right to play finals football in 1916. The unthinkable then occured - Fitzroy defeating Collingwood in a semi final, before defeating Carlton twice, snaring the most unlikely of unlikely premierships.

Collingwood - 1959 season

After winning the flag in 1958, Collingwood had such a shocking start to the season, which makes their finals appearance quite remarkable. It all started when they lost to South Melbourne (of all teams) at Victoria Park (of all places) in the first round, and after a loss to Fitzroy in round eight, Collingwood were 2-6 and in massive trouble.

Collingwood then barged their way through the next 10 games, winning all of them, but a nasty second half surge from Essendon in their first semi final clash saw the Pies knocked out the very next week.

South Melbourne - 1969/1970 seasons

South Melbourne, with ailing finances and not too much depth, even with Norm Smith as coach, finished 9th in 1969 with only seven wins. They only moved up five places the next year but given their position financially, and having not made the finals for 25 years, warrants inclusion.

South  Melbourne even had a chance to nab second place in the last round, but lost to Collingwood by 16 goals. They then faded away in the second half of their semi final against the Saints and were thus knocked out.

Collingwood - 1976/1977 seasons

What remains the greatest resurgence from a team in VFL/AFL history, in which Collingwood recovered from last position in 1976 (and only five games out from the finals) to finish a game clear on top in 1977. They then made it to the Grand Final.

27 points up at three quarter time, it looked like Collingwood would complete the recovery, but North Melbourne came back and tied the game, then ran away with the replay the following week.

Fitzroy - 1980/1981 seasons

Fitzroy appointed Robert Walls as coach for the 1981 season, after Bob Stephen resigned following arguably the most unlucky wooden spoon in the AFL's history. Running well against the top teams and losing multiple games by three goals or less, it would become obvious that Fitzroy would come back in 1981.

They did just that, making the final five, but only did so after an inspiring performance in the last round against Collingwood at Victoria Park, holding them to one goal at three quarter time. They then ended Essendon's stellar run in the elimination final, but after a superb Ross Brewer goal in the semi final, lost by a point to Collingwood the next week.

Melbourne - 1997/1998 seasons

Melbourne had a poor 1997 season, winning four games and finishing a clear last on the ladder, four games behind Hawthorn. But after the acquisition of #1 draft pick Travis Johnstone, plus former #1 Jeff White during the trade period, they moved right up to fourth on the ladder.

A Grand Final appearance looked on the cards as well, after defeating last year's grand finalists Adelaide and St Kilda, but fell to North in the preliminary final.

Brisbane - 1998/1999 seasons

Brisbane had a very similar recovery to that of Melbourne the previous year - recovering from last position to finish in the top four, then beating Carlton and Footscray the next two weeks, before losing to North in the preliminary final in Leigh Matthews' first season as coach.

However, this doesn't end there. Brisbane made the finals again the next year, before winning three consecutive flags and making a fourth Grand Final, losing to the Port Adelaide Power.

West Coast - 2010/2011 seasons

This is a streak that is yet to be determined, but think about this. West Coast finished with the wooden spoon last year, yet had many premiership players from 2006 still in the team.

Currently they lie fifth on the ladder, but can move up to fourth with a win next week, provided that Carlton lose to Collingwood. With Hawthorn and Carlton playing in a few weeks time, if West Coast keep winning they can move to third. And if Geelong drop a couple of games, and West Coast win them all, they could even move to second depending on percentage. Who knows?