Who has been the most successful team of the last 40 years in the VFL/AFL? What about the least successful team?
Australian football Hall of Famer Terry Wallace has seen it all in that time period and feels one club stands head and shoulders above the others.
“The most successful club over those 40 years is Hawthorn,” Wallace told SEN Evenings.
“Hawthorn has comfortably been, in my opinion, the most successful club.”
Since 1978, the Hawks have won 10 flags, meaning they’ve won one of every four premierships. They’ve made a further five Grand Finals in that time period.
Wallace played in three of those premierships with Hawthorn – 1978, 1983 and 1986.
In recent years, the Hawks won three straight flags across 2013, 2014 and 2015, also winning in 2008.
Conversely, Wallace believes Melbourne has been the least successful team of the last 40 years.
“To me it had to be one of Melbourne or St Kilda, but I think Melbourne personally,” Wallace said.
“St Kilda drew a Grand Final and were an inch away from winning another one.
“The two Grand Finals Melbourne actually made, they got slaughtered and I think over the journey, they’ve had some spikes, but I think Melbourne’s been the most disappointing over the 40 years.”
Melbourne has only appeared in two Grand Finals in the last 40 years and have an average losing margin of 78 points across those games.
The side went through tough times across the majority of the last decade, winning back to back wooden spoons in 2008 and 2009.
They also finished 17th in 2013 and 2014, 16th in 2012 and 14th in 2007.
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