SWFL 2017: Three consecutive weekends with a drawn league game

Last week the South West Football League made state-wide headlines as the Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault Lions drew back-to-back clashes. 

First in round five on May 14, HBL drew with Bunbury 5.13.43 to 6.7.43. They then backed the performance up with another tied score the following weekend against Eaton 8.14.62 to 9.8.62. 

Given there hasn't been a draw in the AFL since late 2015, you can imagine the chance of any two teams finishing the game on the exact score is as rare as hen's teeth.

The odds of it happening two weeks in a row had to be tiny. So three weeks in a row would be crazy right? 

HBL managed to secure a victory on Saturday in round seven against Donnybrook, albeit by just two points, 10.4.64 to 9.8.62 only to see Bunbury and Carey Park tie a match on Sunday. 

The Bulldogs and the Panthers finished four quarters locked together, 10.9.69 to 11.3.69 at Kelly Park. 

Carey Park moved off the bottom of the South West Football League ladder with the drawn their first premiership points of the 2017 season. 

The result was just the 36th draw in a league game from 1076 matches. That’s approximately one every 30 rounds. 

Believe it or not, drawing back-to-back games is not unheard of you look at the biggest stage of all.

The Blues have done it twice. In round 2 way back in 1911, Carlton drew with arch-rivals Essendon, only to do it again the following week against the now-defunct South Melbourne.

Then in Round 5, 1921, the Blues drew with another club that has since folded, Fitzroy before drawing with the Bloods again in Round 6.

Since 1897 there has been 154 draws.

Remarkably there was no draw in the AFL in 2016, which was the first time since 2004 there has been a draw-less season.

The last time there was a draw in the AFL was Round 21, 2015, between the Saints and the Cats at Docklands.

In fact, St Kilda have become something of a "draw specialist" over the past six seasons, finishing on the same score as their opponents on four occasions, including the famous 2010 Grand Final against Collingwood.

West Coast have had six drawn games in their 30-year history, while Fremantle have done it only once against Sydney in Round 8, 2013.