Following Richmond's utterly astounding victory against Carlton in Round 1, we decided to take a look at some of the biggest upsets in recent AFL history.
The Tigers overcame a 41-point deficit whilst also fielding a host of youngsters including three debutants who all made a significant impact in the historic victory.
According to the bookmakers, Richmond were 10-1 to defeat the Blues, making it a dream for those who were brave enough to back the 2024 wooden spooners.
Using available data from aussportsbetting.com, which curates historical gambling odds, we ranked each encounter by the degree to which they upset the bookmakers.
Be sure to expect the unexpected.
4. 4. St Kilda defeated Fremantle - Round 18, 2014 ($11.96 odds)
Through 2014, Fremantle were a powerhouse. Under former St Kilda coach Ross Lyon, the Dockers had won their previous eight straight games, with an average winning margin of an astounding 45 points. Conversely, St Kilda were on a horrific run of form, losing eleven straight games by an average margin of 63 points.
Just prior to the game, veteran midfielder Lenny Hayes announced his retirement, with the Saints somehow putting through a performance befitting one of their club champions. It was as if the two teams had swapped jumpers, with the Saints leaping out to a dominant first half lead of 40 points.
Remarkably, the Saints didn't stop there, leading by as much as 70 points in the third term thanks to majors from Nick Riewoldt and Rhys Stanley. The Saints performance remains one of the more unexpected dominations we've ever seen in the AFL.
