TOPIC:

The most famous droughts are held by Subi and Perth, but we should also consider the EP question in this respect; the  Royals have won just two flags since 1959. They were behind at halftime in the 1972 grand final, too.

That's a bit cheeky, Ark; I thought you were better than that.
The alignment finished at the end of 2001 and East Perth won the 2002 flag.
It's not as if $ubiaco have never enjoyed any advantages over the rest of the competition. 
But I have no intention of getting into a slanging match.

Swans have droughts of 27 years (1934-1961), 19 years(1963-1982) and 20 years (1990-2010)

wrote:

Swans have droughts of 27 years (1934-1961), 19 years(1963-1982) and 20 years (1990-2010)

And currently 11 years and counting (2010-....?)

The current droughts are 
1.South Fremantle 1 year
2.Subiaco 2 years
3.Peel Thunder 4 years
4.West Perth 6 years
5.Claremont 9years
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6.Swan Districts 11 years.
7.East Perth 19 years
8.East Fremantle 23 years
9.Perth 44 years
10.West Coast Eagles 0

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EF drought is 23 years and counting...yet go back 30 years and they jump up the ladder with 3 flags in that time span.....on average one every decade....geez how deceiving are stats eh?

I guess Archie, folk may disregard that 2002 flag of EP, because didn't WCE give EP a large  parachute payment for ending the alignment at the end of 2001? Thus enabling EP to keep some of their better players  and coach for  2002 on the payroll?..pretty sure WCE wouldn't be allowed to simply just cut ties on the park without some form of compensation off the park to enable EP to remain viable and competitive.

I was probably a bit oversensitive a few hours ago (defending my beloved East Perth does that to me), Freez, but it's pretty rare in the WAFL's history that the competition has been a perfectly level playing field (to use the old cliche).
At different times, different clubs - including East Perth - have had advantages that other clubs may not have enjoyed.
That said, I think it was Beasley Hutton on another thread who made the excellent point that in the 18 years encompassing 1969 and 1986 every team won two-plus flags and was runner-up in at least one grand final.
Dr. Ought kindly steered clear of all eight WAFL clubs during that glorious era.

I'm sorry my cross tasman friend but i'm afraid the sands of time have distorted your hazy recollection of the arrangement that was in place at the time which was an interstate alignment,where we kept hall of famers [Kane Munro,David Haynes,David Antonowicz,Michael O'brien,and Josh Wooden who was the only one of that bunch to have a double digit AFL career] and oh! and the seagull Callum Chambers.The real boon and driving force of those premierships was the appointment of ''Booby Micale''who we admittedly got for nix in 2000 and 2001.In 2002 Micale was only a part time coach at the Eagles while he continued as our head coach and there was no reason for the Eagles to  renumerate him for his role as Royals coach.What the alignment did was reduce debt,and i don't believe it left us with bucket loads of cash like the recent full blown alignment,and people conveniently forget that Claremont had the Full alignment in 1999 like our recent one and missed finals and promptly ditched it after 1 season.Between 1996 and 2003 we played in 7 out of eight final series which included 4 grand finals and the prelim.in 2003 where we were coached by Andy lovell who wasn't a patch on the great BOOBY MICALE  who put the finishing touches to a very good squad and went on to be a full time Eagles assistant coach and actually won an award in that capacity in their premiership winning year in 2006

LOL....RL...hazy  memory maybe mate, but not gullible to think a part time WCE coach wouldn't  of been earning more or as much, as a full time WAFL coach, in the early 2000s......so EP got the premier WAFL coach for free. for another year....plus  all those 9 triple premiership boys would of been on very good coin....... to stay in the black n blue jumper...... and there is no way that  Bronte would of allowed WCE to walk away from his club post 2001 without  some  form of parachute compensation to ensure EPFC remained financially viable and footy competitive. for a  few years post alignment...pretty sure everything in Bronte's life revolved around money.....from memory.