Phantom Gossiper wrote:People talk about GWS & GC being in their infancy as a football club, but if that were a valid reason then why didn't sides like Port Adelaide, Adelaide, Fremantle get punished from pillar to post each week in their early years?
You could also include the Brisbane Bears. People talk about the 'Bad News Bears' but they still managed to win their first two games in their inaugural 1987 season, secured 6 wins overall, and were highly competive in many of their matches.
Their final percentage was a respectable 79 - higher than that of the legendary Collingwood who finished one game above them!
The concessions the Bears got were considerably less generous than those of Gold Coast and GWS.
Port (10 wins and a draw), West Coast (11 wins) and Fremantle (8 wins) had slightly better inaugural seasons but they were from established football states.