Fremantle's Grand Final loss follows a brutal pattern: only 5 of 28 teams
Fremantle's loss makes them the 29th team to lose by 10 points or fewer; only five of 28 previously won next year.
Fremantle became the 29th team in VFL/AFL history to lose a Grand Final by 10 points or fewer. The Dockers' chances of bouncing back look grim on the numbers.
Of the 28 previous teams in that position, only five won the flag the following year. Five other teams reached the Grand Final again but fell short once more.
However, recent form offers some hope. Of the last five teams to lose a Grand Final thriller, three have won the premiership next year.
Brisbane lost to Collingwood by four points in 2023, then won the flag in 2024. Hawthorn fell to Sydney by 10 points in 2012, then won three in a row.
Fremantle are still young and contending strongly, the same position those Hawks and Lions were in before their bounce-back.
- 29th team
- Teams in this position
- 5 of 28
- Previous teams who won next year
- 3 of last 5
- Recent winners from close losses
- 2024, after losing by 4 points in 2023
- Brisbane's comeback win
Why it mattersIf Fremantle can overturn this loss next season, they join a rare club; most teams that lose close deciders never win the flag at all.
AustraliaFremantle fans face a long drought if the historical pattern holds, but recent precedent suggests a 2027 rebound is possible.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 h ago
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