What if?
20 famous title changes, replayed the other wayWe took famous AFL title changes, flipped the result, and replayed every game since through the same rules. Sometimes the belt finds its way home within days. Sometimes it never does.
What if Geelong had won?
Real result: Brisbane Lions beat Geelong 91–45 · the game
History snaps back fast: the belt is back on its real path by March 24, 2023, 22 days later, after 1 reign that never happened.
The alternate belt: Magpies
What if Carlton had won?
Real result: GWS Giants beat Carlton 105–73 · the game
History snaps back fast: the belt is back on its real path by September 30, 2023, 34 days later, after 1 reign that never happened.
The alternate belt: Lions
What if Brisbane Lions had won?
Real result: Richmond beat Brisbane Lions 82–55 · the game
History snaps back fast: the belt is back on its real path by September 7, 2019, 13 days later.
The alternate belt: Tigers
What if Port Adelaide had won?
Real result: Western Bulldogs beat Port Adelaide 116–45 · the game
It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by September 24, 2022, 378 days later, after 10 reigns that never happened.
The alternate belt: Lions → Cats → Hawks → Swans → Lions → Hawks → Suns → Power → Dockers → Swans
What if Brisbane Lions had won?
Real result: Adelaide Crows beat Brisbane Lions 95–78 · the game
It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by July 28, 2023, 61 days later, after 3 reigns that never happened.
The alternate belt: Hawks → Suns → Magpies
What if Fremantle had won?
Real result: GWS Giants beat Fremantle 109–88 · the game
It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by September 26, 2026, 85 days later, after 4 reigns that never happened.
The alternate belt: Demons → Bulldogs → Crows → Lions
What if Geelong had won?
Real result: Brisbane Lions beat Geelong 94–50 · the game
It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by September 25, 2021, 93 days later, after 3 reigns that never happened.
The alternate belt: Giants → Cats → Demons
What if Brisbane Lions had won?
Real result: Collingwood beat Brisbane Lions 105–53 · the game
It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by September 20, 2025, 156 days later, after 5 reigns that never happened.
The alternate belt: Demons → Saints → Bulldogs → Crows → Magpies
What if Hawthorn had won?
Real result: Port Adelaide beat Hawthorn 75–72 · the game
It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by May 30, 2025, 259 days later, after 3 reigns that never happened.
The alternate belt: Power → Bulldogs → Suns
What if Port Adelaide had won?
Real result: Sydney Swans beat Port Adelaide 95–59 · the game
It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by April 17, 2025, 209 days later, after 1 reign that never happened.
The alternate belt: Magpies
What if Sydney Swans had won?
Real result: Brisbane Lions beat Sydney Swans 120–60 · the game
It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by May 30, 2025, 244 days later, after 4 reigns that never happened.
The alternate belt: Hawks → Power → Bulldogs → Suns
What if Fremantle had won?
Real result: Gold Coast Suns beat Fremantle 80–79 · the game
It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by April 11, 2026, 217 days later, after 2 reigns that never happened.
The alternate belt: Cats → Hawks
What if Gold Coast Suns had won?
Real result: Brisbane Lions beat Gold Coast Suns 100–47 · the game
It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by April 24, 2026, 223 days later, after 3 reigns that never happened.
The alternate belt: Demons → Bombers → Suns
What if Brisbane Lions had won?
Real result: Sydney Swans beat Brisbane Lions 141–88 · the game
History snaps back fast: the belt is back on its real path by September 26, 2026, 21 days later.
What if Sydney Swans had won?
Real result: Fremantle beat Sydney Swans 83–71 · the game
The belt never finds its way back. Today it would belong to Sydney Swans, not Brisbane Lions.
What if Fremantle had won?
Real result: Brisbane Lions beat Fremantle 96–89 · the game
The belt never finds its way back. Today it would belong to Fremantle, not Brisbane Lions.
What if Hawthorn had won?
Real result: Fremantle beat Hawthorn 88–73 · the game
It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by September 18, 2026, 134 days later, after 7 reigns that never happened.
The alternate belt: Demons → Bulldogs → Crows → Power → Saints → Cats → Dockers
What if GWS Giants had won?
Real result: Essendon beat GWS Giants 67–64 · the game
History snaps back fast: the belt is back on its real path by September 5, 2026, 48 days later, after 1 reign that never happened.
The alternate belt: Swans
What if Essendon had won?
Real result: Hawthorn beat Essendon 132–39 · the game
History snaps back fast: the belt is back on its real path by September 18, 2026, 55 days later, after 5 reigns that never happened.
The alternate belt: Crows → Dockers → Blues → Cats → Dockers
What if Hawthorn had won?
Real result: Brisbane Lions beat Hawthorn 125–58 · the game
History snaps back fast: the belt is back on its real path by September 26, 2026, 50 days later, after 1 reign that never happened.
The alternate belt: Lions