With Richmond and North Melbourne following up their meeting last Friday night in the last home-and-away round of the 2015 season, by doing battle in an elimination final on Sunday, it’s interesting to reflect on the history of such occurrences throughout league football history.
There have been 10 instances where teams have clashed in the final round and then met again the following week in the first week of the finals series.
In seven of those matches, the final-round result has been replicated the following week in the finals, while the other three have been reversed.
VIDEO: Tigers train for the Elimination Final
Richmond was involved in one of these 10 double-up games, beating Essendon by 24 points in Round 22 of the 2001 season, only to cop a 70-point qualifying final hammering at the hands of the Bombers seven days later.
The most recent example happened two years ago, when Hawthorn defeated Sydney by 12 points in Round 23 at ANZ Stadium, and then thumped the Swans by 54 points in the qualifying final, en route to the 2013 premiership.
The full list of these back-to-back battles is . . .
VIDEO: The Tigers’ 2015 road to the finals
1905, Fitzroy v Essendon
Final round: Fitzroy 11.14 (80) defeated Essendon 4.13 (37), East Melbourne
Semi-final: Fitzroy 11.6 (72) defeated Essendon 4.12 (36), Princes Park
1909, Carlton v Essendon
Final round: Carlton 6.13 (49) defeated Essendon 4.10 (34), East Melbourne
Semi-final: Carlton 14.8 (92) defeated Essendon 9.2 (56), MCG
1940, Essendon v Geelong
Final round: Essendon 16.16 (112) defeated Geelong 7.10 (52), Windy Hill
Semi-final: Essendon 13.14 (92) defeated Geelong 10.14 (74), MCG
1962, Melbourne v Carlton
Final round: Melbourne 11.9 (75) defeated Carlton 5.10 (40), MCG
Semi-final: Carlton 11.12 (78) defeated Melbourne 11.10 (76), MCG
1968, St Kilda v Geelong
Final round: St Kilda 16.14 (110) defeated Geelong 8.11 (59), Moorabbin
Semi-final: Geelong 19.13 (127) defeated St Kilda 11.17 (83), MCG
1974, North Melbourne v Hawthorn
Final round: North Melbourne 16.10 (108) defeated Hawthorn 10.17 (77), Princes Park
Qualifying final: North Melbourne 15.13 (103) defeated Hawthorn 8.17 (65), MCG
1983, Essendon v Carlton
Final round: Essendon 18.10 (118) defeated Carlton 8.19 (67), Waverley Park
Elimination final: Essendon 17.12 (114) defeated Carlton 12.9 (81), Waverley Park
1990, Melbourne v Hawthorn
Final round: Melbourne 17.14 (116) defeated Hawthorn 15.14 (104), MCG
Elimination final: Melbourne 10.13 (73) defeated Hawthorn 8.16 (64), MCG
2001, Richmond v Essendon
Final round: Richmond 17.5 (107) defeated Essendon 12.11 (83), MCG
Qualifying final: Essendon 17.11 (113) defeated Richmond 5.13 (43), MCG
2013, Hawthorn v Sydney
Final round: Hawthorn 17.10 (112) defeated Sydney 16.4 (100), ANZ Stadium
Qualifying final: Hawthorn 15.15 (105) defeated Sydney 7.9 (51), MCG
