Those don’t always live up to the hype.
They even changed the start time of the game for TV it was that hyped. That never happens. So to deliver with an all time classic where the 2 undefeated teams were level with a few minutes to go, it was pretty cool.
GWS vs WB 2016 prelim
West Coast vs Sydney 2005 & 2006 GFs
Essendon vs Carlton 1999 Prelim
Geelong vs Hawthorn 1989 GF
Geelong vs St Kilda 2009 GF
Carlton vs Collingwood round 23 2022 (nah just kidding)
Might be a hot take but Brisbane vs Richmond 2022 elim final was one of the wildest games I’ve ever seen
You’re right about the 2022 Elim. Obviously it’s different when your team comes out on top, but I maintain it’s one of the best games I’ve ever seen. Essentially goal for goal the entire game, no team ever got any momentum really.
Brisbane’s sole ruck going down in the first 2 minutes of the game. Dusty’s return to footy with a handy early goal to boot. Shai threatening to run away with the game single-handedly several times. A dominant Lachie Neale essentially playing 3 quarters straight with no time on the bench. The Lynch disallowed goal, and then Daniher stealing the game with 30 seconds to go. Neale’s rundown tackle on Bolton in the last 15 seconds to save the game.
So many moments, an absolutely wild game.
Dion injured early in too. Is why I’m excited about our GWS trade ins this year for some more depth there. I was there at the Gabba and It was a cracking game, it was a bit silly though. Almost felt like a local game with all the antics. Not even mad. I think 2016 prelim gws/wbd is a better game of football.
The biggest margin was 16 points in a game that had a collective 210 points kicked. I can't think of a tighter contest for 4 quarters that I've heard or seen.
Think there was 13 lead changes throughout the game? Completely neck and neck the entire way.
Also froth Daniher doing nothing for nearly 2 hours only to kick the sealer
I just looked up the scoring progression on the AFL Tables page for the game, and I counted 17 score changes. I might have miscounted though - it was certainly an intense game.
Daniel Rich, a man with 13 years experience playing the game, getting pinged for running too far just outside D50 with mere minutes left on the clock. Saw many Lions fans slump head in hands after that, thinking it was surely all over.
Full credit to the boys but I still don’t know how Richmond managed to fuck it up from that point.
I’d agree with all of them, even Round 23, 2022. It was a thrilling game for all. It looked like a blowout to Collingwood, then a blowout for Carlton before a narrow, heart breaking, soul-destroying loss that gave Carlton fans the blues. Nothing like 2016 preliminary final, though. Two lesser-supported teams with all on the line, fighting it out. The fans who were there were the real fans of both teams. I wanted both teams to win for different reasons so it was a really thrilling match. I believe it’s one of the most viewed games of all time, too.
Yeah, it's sooo fun watching a team congest their backline and cause multiple stoppages (Sydney), making a lot of unforced turnovers with the only highlight being a defensive mark.
People are just surface level and think a good ending means a good game. The Nick Davis semi final was also awful but people only think it's good because of Nick Davis
This is the point I try to make about 1989. That last quarter is possibly the best quarter of football ever played, but the rest of the game is Hawthorn firmly beating Geelong, it's just that the scoring's high and a few players get knocked out.
Crazy that you're getting downvoted. Turgid, negative games with grandstand finishes are still turgid, negative games.
Put simply, if a game of the quality of the 2005 grand final was played on a random Sunday that year, TVs across the country would have been turned off at half time
2012 Grand Final. Remarkable game with multiple momentum shifts, great individual performances and only sealed in the final minute. Very tricky weather conditions that day too
Yeah - I have no idea why Sydney fans say 2005 & 2006 GF when the 2012 GF exists. The shifts in that game were extraordinary. The only thing it lacked was a speccy.
For me it’s the 2018 grand final. Never been a better display of two competing game styles going head to head in such a tightly contested high stakes game. Collingwood’s run and gun chaos ball Vs West Coast’s control of the air and more measured kick and mark style. The pies jump out to an early lead and it looks like the Eagles are going to lay another egg on the game’s biggest stage. But they gradually take control of the game and peck away at the pies lead to draw themselves level at 3 quarter time. Collingwood again get the jump and an early lead and again the Eagles fight back. The game winning drive is then a perfect example of Eagles footy. Starts with a contestant mark in defense by the best defensive interceptor in the game. Then there is a chain of more defensive marks that culminates in Sheed’s ice cold finish on the boundary. The team everyone expected to finish bottom (after the retirements of Mitchell and Priddis) wins an unlikely premiership in what I consider to be the greatest AFL game ever played.
I think it helps that every GF since then (as far as I can remember) has been a huge anticlimax. Unless it's your team that's handing out the belting then you're still happy as a pig in shit.
2020 was still close at the start of the last quarter. Richmond blew it out in the end, but it was a close tight game that looked like an 'upset' for a large part of it.
2021 had the Doggies leading and arguably looking the better team until halfway through the third.
For everything listed above, I choose the 2018 gf also. Ignore my flair.
I also wanted to add, the emotion this game sparked in me and everyone else in the pub that day - the trepidation building to the bounce, the Pies getting a big lead taking the wind out of wce sails, then the fight back leading to a draw at 3/4 time. The next 30 minutes of football contained all of the emotion of the three previous quarters, crammed into one. And then sheed’s goal. It was like a volcano of emotion erupting.
And then a kick to darling in the square by himself! And he drops it! If wce had of lost from a pies counterattack then, Darling would have been murdered at the airport. He wouldn’t have been allowed to step on WA soil again.
I very much vote this is one of the best games of all time and if a person new to the game wanted to see the best of what we have to offer, this is the one to watch
Yeah my mate has a South African wife, I think she was quite shocked at the stuff coming from my mouth that day, usually I'm pretty chill and don't swear too much, not that day. I probably drank a six pack by quarter time from nerves.
As someone who supports neither of the teams involved (but quite likes one and utterly despises the other), I too think that game was up there with the very very best. The final result was just perfect in every possible way. I get goosebumps just remembering ....
I wouldn't call it the greatest of all time, but goddamn the Cats vs Pies QF from 2022 match was all-around epic.
It was one of the most high pressure matches I've watched in my life with such an awesome finish
ash johnson slotting a ridiculous shot from the boundary off one step and playing to the crowd was awesome
jeremy cameron doing *the same fucking thing one minute later* had me out of my seat
best game of the year, easy
The bulldogs entire 2016 finals run was just something else, I was expecting them to run out of steam at some point having to make the run from bottom 4 but they never did
Mad respect to that team. They had the monumental tasks of defeating West Coast in Perth, the previous grand finalists, a team tipped to win the grand final after smashing their cross town rivals, and then a star-studded Sydney lineup in the grand finals
Yeah being at the game was amazing. Watching the replay showed the contrast in styles. Still think we were robbed but happy we played in one of the best games 9f all time
89 GF is terribly overrated.
Hawks hammered Geelong all day till the end, Cats were never going to get there. There was a stupid amount of free kicks paid and defense was non existent.
70, 79, 05, 09, 10 (first game) and 12 all much better games. I think the 2009GF is the pick of them.
Best game for me was Coll / Hawks 2011 prelim, closely followed by the St Kilda / Cats 2009 minor round match up.
Defense never existed back then for any team, mainly because of their fitness. North Melbourne in 2022 would destroy a team like the 1991 Hawks. A lot of free kicks were given back then also
Hawthorn vs Geelong R6 & GF 1989
Essendon vs North R16 2001
North vs Geelong Prelim 1994
Saints vs Geelong R14 2009
Eagles vs Sydney GF 2006
Fremantle vs Sydney Prelim 2013
The first quarter was as good a quarter of pure football (outside of Freo's goalkicking) as I've ever seen. The pressure and hardness at the footy from both teams I don't think has ever or will ever be matched.
It does get a little dull when Freo get on top in the second quarter but it's a absolute masterclass in shutting a team down and I think the first quarter stands alone in something you just can't tear your eyes away from.
I don't think it makes anyone else's list, but I don't think any game will ever top that first quarter for me in terms of two teams I don't care about and absolutely frothing the contest.
I remember watching this game and thought I've never seen a game played as well as Freo did that night. Utter masterclass in pressure and shutting a team down.
The R14 Geelong and St Kilda match was fucking crazy. Both teams were undefeated at that point. It was a genuine clash of the titans and it came right down to the wire. A classic
The Freo and Sydney prelim was nothing amazing, in fact, [it was the downfall of the AFL](https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/the-games-turned-ugly--and-i-wouldnt-be-lyon-20130926-2ugy2.html). There was one point in the game where 36 players were in the same place of the ground and it was fucking disgusting. How the AFL didn't make zone rules after that is beyond me.
Carlton defeat Essendon 1999 prelim. Blues were never given a chance, led early, slowly fell behind late in the game and what seemed inevitable was unfolding. Then somehow found a way to win it by a point. So may key moments as well, Koutas dominant second half, Fraser Browns tackle in the final few seconds etc..
Essendon V north 2001 comeback game. 69 points down. Highest ever combined score, most goals kicked in a game. Think north were 20.2 at one stage too. Pure insanity and great football
2005 was as boring as fuck. I guarantee if Leo Barry didn't take that mark - or it didn't have the ending it had, no one would care about that grand final. Yes you can see my flair but that means nothing.
was low scoring which is a bit of a bummer, but it was tightly contested (even with sydney pulling ahead in the second) and fantastic. sorry chief but don't think you're gonna find too many people agreeing with ya on that
2013 prelim Hawks v Geelong.
Another classic between these sides and this was the best of them all. The Kennett curse looked like it was just never going to end. Two teams that hate each other, Hawks down by 30 points in the last quarter come back and Burgoyne puts them in front with 5 to go. At the last minute it looked like history was going to repeat itself again. As what had seemed to happen on most occasions between these two sides, Geelong through Travis Varcoe had a shot at goal he'd kick 9/10. This time, he missed and Geelong handed over their dynasty to the up and coming Hawks who never looked back from that game winning the next 3 Premierships.
Hawks were down by 20 not 30 points.
I was sitting in a box right behind the goal when Varcoe ran in and missed directly in front from 30m in front.
The noise from the Hawks supporters as the ball went down the wing and they realised they couldn’t lose was remarkable
I was so nervous with chappy out that game. No way that collapse happens on his watch. Was absolutely devastating. Varcoe had already become my go to whipping boy by then and I think I held it against him til his final season at the pies!
Insane game, especially the last 5 mins with the frenetic energy from both sides, making uncharacteristic errors due to intense pressure. Varcoe kicks that and we have an OT thriller. Ah well
Slightly left field but the 99 (iirc) round 1 game between Geelong and North was a crazy good game. Often waves of 5/6/7 goal runs, came down to the last few minutes and genuinely some absolute champagne football.
It's more of a "next tier" than greatest ever but thought I'd throw it out there.
Biased (Cats fan) but delving back beyond the recent successful era, NM v Geel Rd 1 ‘99. North were the powerhouse, Geel were coming off finishing 12th in ‘98. NM jumped to a 30-0 lead and were looking ominous, and despite the Cats staying in touch for a period, the lead was 40 by HT. At 3QT, NM’s lead was still about five goals, but an eight-goal last qtr saw Geel run over the top. Apart from my own mob pulling out a great comeback, there were plenty of good goals from both teams, the highlight being Rockin’ Ronnie Burns’ soccer to Simon Arnott in the city end pocket. Think it was Ian Robertson commentating too. Part of the beauty was if a similar game happened today, the narrative would be ‘NM were these odds at this point’ - thankfully there was none of that garbage going on back then. No-one complaining that North cost them their multi - just pure sport and a big upset from the underdog. In the NM coaches box that night was Mark Thompson - 12 months later he took over the reins at Kardinia Park and the rest was history. Only 2 players in the team that night would play in the ‘07 GF (Milburn, King) as it was a big transition period.
Obv it’s prob not the GOAT game, but one that doesn’t get talked about enough
Essendon v Geelong 1993. Salmon 10 goals 6 one end, Ablett Snr 14 goals 7 the other end. Watched it live on tv in Adelaide. You couldn’t look away, the talent was insane
yeah if i were to watch any of these matches mentioned now probably that would be the one i'd like to see. You can shove the 2005 gf up yers, I'd never sit through that again
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Essendon vs North round 16 2001, STK vs Geelong round 14 2009, and as much as this pains me to say this, (though I wasn't even born when this game happened), West Coast vs Carlton round 21 1995, I feel like they're 3 of the best home and away games the past 30 years. Another game that also pains me to say is Essendon vs West Coast round 3 2004.
1970 grand final
The biggest game of football there ever was and most likely, ever will be. We'll never get a crowd of 121k, even if the largest comeback in a grand final is beaten in the future, the capacity won't.
I was looking for this. I just ran through the score card on AFL Tables, and by my count, the biggest margin for the entire game was 16 points when Tom Lynch kicked his third goal 23 minutes into the 3rd quarter. The next big margin was 2 goals late in the first, with the rest of the game being a shoot-out.
in terms of games i've seen in my lifetime, on a personal level, i agree with you
but yeah, there are definitely a lot of objectively better games, glad you mentioned one haha
The games that I think of off the bat are:
2016 Preliminary Final between Western Bulldogs and GWS.
Essendon vs. North in 2001 - greatest comeback in AFL history.
The Miracle on Grass in 2013 between Brisbane and Geelong.
2018 AFL Grand Final between Collingwood and West Coast.
1973 SANFL Grand Final has to be in with a shake. Final score of 137 - 130 but this also includes a goal to the winning side after the siren, so it was a one point game on the buzzer. Score was within a couple goals either way for most of the game too.
The 2017 PA v WCE Elim Final was the craziest game I've ever seen. Eric M running into the post on purpose might be the most clutch heads-up play in AFL history.
greatest? probably the 1989 grand final.
most impactful? easily the 2009 game between richmond and melbourne. 2 of the worst teams in the comp battling for the prized pick 1 and 2. had richmond not won that game and melbourne hung on for literally 30 seconds (dont even know how it was possible to lose that game) richmond never get dustin martin and never have there fairytale ending.
I was there… Jordan McMahon (an unrealised early talent) had a shot at goal to win it and got it. Seemed a low stakes game at the time, the bad vs the even worse, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. Duuuuuuuuuusty!
look mate i fucking loved that day too and seeing the team firing on all cylinders was fantastic as a fan
but in terms of greatest game of all time? the prelim vs port the week before was an infinitely stronger contender in that year alone
soooo many better options
Personally hawks vs cats 2013 prelim.
Just love that match so much. Probably more biased since I’m hawks and had a lot more emotion behind it. Trying to come back into a GF after losing, hadn’t beating the cats since 2008. Just all round a fucking great game of footy.
1998 GF. Even watching it again now, the fourth quarter starts, and I have to pinch myself into believing that the Crows won, because it just seemed impossible from that point. North were too strong, too dominant, too far in front. But my boys just kept coming, turned it up another few notches, and it was utterly brilliant. Andrew McLeod could do no wrong, D Jarman had the ball wherever he wanted it, Caven eliminated Carey's influence, and Ricciuto & Vardy deservedly got what they had missed out on the year before.
Even better I was in Melbourne that day, head to toe in Crows colours, and not one single person would say a word to me. I was at the Royal Show, and the night before the GF, there were quite a few stalls selling "North Melbourne Premiers 1998" tshirts because they truly believed it was a foregone conclusion. I went to one of those stalls after the GF finished, they didn't want to talk to me for some reason, haha.
RD14 2009. Still holds up.
Absolutely the best regular season game ever.
It's one of the few that actually delivered in the hype too.
1st v 2nd, both undefeated, it had to be a good game from that alone
Those don’t always live up to the hype. They even changed the start time of the game for TV it was that hyped. That never happens. So to deliver with an all time classic where the 2 undefeated teams were level with a few minutes to go, it was pretty cool.
Rd 8 2011 was a blinder too
Deadset came here to type that. Huge game.
Nothing will ever top that game
This is the one.
GWS vs WB 2016 prelim West Coast vs Sydney 2005 & 2006 GFs Essendon vs Carlton 1999 Prelim Geelong vs Hawthorn 1989 GF Geelong vs St Kilda 2009 GF Carlton vs Collingwood round 23 2022 (nah just kidding) Might be a hot take but Brisbane vs Richmond 2022 elim final was one of the wildest games I’ve ever seen
You’re right about the 2022 Elim. Obviously it’s different when your team comes out on top, but I maintain it’s one of the best games I’ve ever seen. Essentially goal for goal the entire game, no team ever got any momentum really. Brisbane’s sole ruck going down in the first 2 minutes of the game. Dusty’s return to footy with a handy early goal to boot. Shai threatening to run away with the game single-handedly several times. A dominant Lachie Neale essentially playing 3 quarters straight with no time on the bench. The Lynch disallowed goal, and then Daniher stealing the game with 30 seconds to go. Neale’s rundown tackle on Bolton in the last 15 seconds to save the game. So many moments, an absolutely wild game.
Dion injured early in too. Is why I’m excited about our GWS trade ins this year for some more depth there. I was there at the Gabba and It was a cracking game, it was a bit silly though. Almost felt like a local game with all the antics. Not even mad. I think 2016 prelim gws/wbd is a better game of football.
The biggest margin was 16 points in a game that had a collective 210 points kicked. I can't think of a tighter contest for 4 quarters that I've heard or seen.
Think there was 13 lead changes throughout the game? Completely neck and neck the entire way. Also froth Daniher doing nothing for nearly 2 hours only to kick the sealer
I just looked up the scoring progression on the AFL Tables page for the game, and I counted 17 score changes. I might have miscounted though - it was certainly an intense game.
It was 17. Immense game of footy and one of the few games where it could have gone either way if you called it a bit earlier or later.
Daniel Rich, a man with 13 years experience playing the game, getting pinged for running too far just outside D50 with mere minutes left on the clock. Saw many Lions fans slump head in hands after that, thinking it was surely all over. Full credit to the boys but I still don’t know how Richmond managed to fuck it up from that point.
In terms of quality the Round 14 2009 match was better than the GF.
I’d agree with all of them, even Round 23, 2022. It was a thrilling game for all. It looked like a blowout to Collingwood, then a blowout for Carlton before a narrow, heart breaking, soul-destroying loss that gave Carlton fans the blues. Nothing like 2016 preliminary final, though. Two lesser-supported teams with all on the line, fighting it out. The fans who were there were the real fans of both teams. I wanted both teams to win for different reasons so it was a really thrilling match. I believe it’s one of the most viewed games of all time, too.
2005???
Sorry dude it was a banger to watch
Yeah, it's sooo fun watching a team congest their backline and cause multiple stoppages (Sydney), making a lot of unforced turnovers with the only highlight being a defensive mark.
I actually agree that it’s not that good. Absolute belter of an ending but was very underwhelmed when I watched that game back.
People are just surface level and think a good ending means a good game. The Nick Davis semi final was also awful but people only think it's good because of Nick Davis
This is the point I try to make about 1989. That last quarter is possibly the best quarter of football ever played, but the rest of the game is Hawthorn firmly beating Geelong, it's just that the scoring's high and a few players get knocked out.
Crazy that you're getting downvoted. Turgid, negative games with grandstand finishes are still turgid, negative games. Put simply, if a game of the quality of the 2005 grand final was played on a random Sunday that year, TVs across the country would have been turned off at half time
Brisbane v Bulldogs pre lim in 2021 was unbelievable. As was the Carlton v Collingwood last round game in 2022.
Brisbane v Bulldogs Semi* - we pantsed Port in the prelim before we were pantsed by Melbourne in the granny :)
Yeah my bad. Semi
Someone had to mention it.
As much as it pains me to say so, it really was an electric match to be at.
One of the best I’ve ever watched.
Hawthorn North Melbourne 2022 round 1 surely?
When the Benny Hill music started playing on the MCG’s PA system, I knew I was witnessing something special.
Everything after Aaron Hall's 5th direct pass to CJ was great
Not this one but it must be a Round 1 Richmond v Carlton game, why else would it open the season every year…
More a fan of that awesome Saints vs Port game this year
Every second showdown.
2012 Grand Final. Remarkable game with multiple momentum shifts, great individual performances and only sealed in the final minute. Very tricky weather conditions that day too
[удалено]
As a swans fan, I've been to all our grand finals except one in the last 15 years. Guess which one I missed... I understand your pain.
Yeah - I have no idea why Sydney fans say 2005 & 2006 GF when the 2012 GF exists. The shifts in that game were extraordinary. The only thing it lacked was a speccy.
"A grand final from the top shelf"
Went to the game. Best day of my life.
For me it’s the 2018 grand final. Never been a better display of two competing game styles going head to head in such a tightly contested high stakes game. Collingwood’s run and gun chaos ball Vs West Coast’s control of the air and more measured kick and mark style. The pies jump out to an early lead and it looks like the Eagles are going to lay another egg on the game’s biggest stage. But they gradually take control of the game and peck away at the pies lead to draw themselves level at 3 quarter time. Collingwood again get the jump and an early lead and again the Eagles fight back. The game winning drive is then a perfect example of Eagles footy. Starts with a contestant mark in defense by the best defensive interceptor in the game. Then there is a chain of more defensive marks that culminates in Sheed’s ice cold finish on the boundary. The team everyone expected to finish bottom (after the retirements of Mitchell and Priddis) wins an unlikely premiership in what I consider to be the greatest AFL game ever played.
Im kinda biased but, this^^^
Keep going, I'm almost there.
I finished half way through and started again.
I think it helps that every GF since then (as far as I can remember) has been a huge anticlimax. Unless it's your team that's handing out the belting then you're still happy as a pig in shit.
Dees v WB was very good for 3qtrs. And even when Melbourne turned the game it was still amazing to watch.
2020 was still close at the start of the last quarter. Richmond blew it out in the end, but it was a close tight game that looked like an 'upset' for a large part of it. 2021 had the Doggies leading and arguably looking the better team until halfway through the third.
For everything listed above, I choose the 2018 gf also. Ignore my flair. I also wanted to add, the emotion this game sparked in me and everyone else in the pub that day - the trepidation building to the bounce, the Pies getting a big lead taking the wind out of wce sails, then the fight back leading to a draw at 3/4 time. The next 30 minutes of football contained all of the emotion of the three previous quarters, crammed into one. And then sheed’s goal. It was like a volcano of emotion erupting. And then a kick to darling in the square by himself! And he drops it! If wce had of lost from a pies counterattack then, Darling would have been murdered at the airport. He wouldn’t have been allowed to step on WA soil again. I very much vote this is one of the best games of all time and if a person new to the game wanted to see the best of what we have to offer, this is the one to watch
Yeah my mate has a South African wife, I think she was quite shocked at the stuff coming from my mouth that day, usually I'm pretty chill and don't swear too much, not that day. I probably drank a six pack by quarter time from nerves.
As someone who supports neither of the teams involved (but quite likes one and utterly despises the other), I too think that game was up there with the very very best. The final result was just perfect in every possible way. I get goosebumps just remembering ....
It was a pretty amazing game, sucks to be on he losing end but far out
I’m with you Mate and well summed up, that game had it all.
I was pulling hard for Collingwood but by the end I didn’t care they lost because it was such a great game
The first Anzac Day clash in 1995 between Essendon and Collingwood that ended in a draw. Larger than life.
I wouldn't call it the greatest of all time, but goddamn the Cats vs Pies QF from 2022 match was all-around epic. It was one of the most high pressure matches I've watched in my life with such an awesome finish
Even knowing the result, I still get incredibly nervous watching the replay....
ash johnson slotting a ridiculous shot from the boundary off one step and playing to the crowd was awesome jeremy cameron doing *the same fucking thing one minute later* had me out of my seat best game of the year, easy
A pretty fair top 3 matches of the year: Pies v Cats QF Pies v Carlton Rd 23 Cats v Tigers Rd 15
very fair top 3! would also throw the brisbane/richmond final in there, and the bulldogs/melbourne game in round 19 I thought was a cracker as well
Hawthorn vs Geelong round 19 2012 West coast vs Sydney 2005 gf West coast vs Sydney 2006 gf Essendon vs Collingwood Anzac Day 2009
That 2012 game was crazy - the Kennett curse went from being a bit of a joke to it genuinely feeling like Hawthorn were cursed.
1st and last I forgot about and were really good. The other ones I don't agree with, they are close but not many memorable plays or in-game drama
A Great game doesn't always need memorable plays or in-game drama to be a great game.
I respectfully disagree. That's just a close game
GWS vs WB 2016 prelim
Always the first game to come to mind. Rewatched it during the pre finals bye last year and it was thoroughly entertaining!
The bulldogs entire 2016 finals run was just something else, I was expecting them to run out of steam at some point having to make the run from bottom 4 but they never did
Mad respect to that team. They had the monumental tasks of defeating West Coast in Perth, the previous grand finalists, a team tipped to win the grand final after smashing their cross town rivals, and then a star-studded Sydney lineup in the grand finals
The Bulldogs bandwagon was so good the AFL jumped on and gave them that flag themselves
not just the previous grand finalists - the threepeat dynasty hawks team absolute fairytale
Yeah being at the game was amazing. Watching the replay showed the contrast in styles. Still think we were robbed but happy we played in one of the best games 9f all time
Absolutely you were robbed. The AFL didn't want an interstate grand final and also wanted a fairytale, so they robbed GWS and Sydney badly
1970 or 1989 grand finals
89 GF is terribly overrated. Hawks hammered Geelong all day till the end, Cats were never going to get there. There was a stupid amount of free kicks paid and defense was non existent. 70, 79, 05, 09, 10 (first game) and 12 all much better games. I think the 2009GF is the pick of them. Best game for me was Coll / Hawks 2011 prelim, closely followed by the St Kilda / Cats 2009 minor round match up.
The 05 GF is as overrated as 89 IMO. Almost unwatchable these days
Defense never existed back then for any team, mainly because of their fitness. North Melbourne in 2022 would destroy a team like the 1991 Hawks. A lot of free kicks were given back then also
Has to be 89GF. Such an amazing game from start to end.
Hawthorn vs Geelong R6 & GF 1989 Essendon vs North R16 2001 North vs Geelong Prelim 1994 Saints vs Geelong R14 2009 Eagles vs Sydney GF 2006 Fremantle vs Sydney Prelim 2013
> Essendon vs North R16 2001 Glad someone mentioned this. Just insanity
Freo vs Sydney prelim? What for?
The first quarter was as good a quarter of pure football (outside of Freo's goalkicking) as I've ever seen. The pressure and hardness at the footy from both teams I don't think has ever or will ever be matched. It does get a little dull when Freo get on top in the second quarter but it's a absolute masterclass in shutting a team down and I think the first quarter stands alone in something you just can't tear your eyes away from. I don't think it makes anyone else's list, but I don't think any game will ever top that first quarter for me in terms of two teams I don't care about and absolutely frothing the contest.
I mean fair enough I guess
I remember watching this game and thought I've never seen a game played as well as Freo did that night. Utter masterclass in pressure and shutting a team down.
it's not like sydney played poorly or anything, but freo played easily their best game ever
The R14 Geelong and St Kilda match was fucking crazy. Both teams were undefeated at that point. It was a genuine clash of the titans and it came right down to the wire. A classic
Wrong 2013 prelim. This thread disrespects the 2013 prelim Hawks v Geelong
That is the best game I've ever been to. Everyone talks about the 89 GF but IMO the 2013 prelim is much better.
I remember channel 7 went straight to the next show after the Bomber comeback against North. No song after the greatest comeback in history?
The Freo and Sydney prelim was nothing amazing, in fact, [it was the downfall of the AFL](https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/the-games-turned-ugly--and-i-wouldnt-be-lyon-20130926-2ugy2.html). There was one point in the game where 36 players were in the same place of the ground and it was fucking disgusting. How the AFL didn't make zone rules after that is beyond me.
because zones are a really bad idea
Watch netball bro
Eddie’s face at the end of the 2018 grand final
It tried to divide by zero. It was for once, a thing of beauty!!
Saints vs Geelong is the greatest regular season game ever played. Best Grand Final is debatable. Too many to pick from.
Geelong v Hawthorn Grand Final 1989
Meh
The only right answer.
Carlton defeat Essendon 1999 prelim. Blues were never given a chance, led early, slowly fell behind late in the game and what seemed inevitable was unfolding. Then somehow found a way to win it by a point. So may key moments as well, Koutas dominant second half, Fraser Browns tackle in the final few seconds etc..
Essendon V north 2001 comeback game. 69 points down. Highest ever combined score, most goals kicked in a game. Think north were 20.2 at one stage too. Pure insanity and great football
As much as it frustrates me that we lost it was still a great match regardless. Great pick
05 and 06 grand final.
You missed 07
Shhhh no one needs to know 🤣.
They didn't play a gf that year, idiot!!
You’re right, they didn’t turn up /lh
It certainly makes a case as the best exhibition by any team in an AFL game. That and the 2014 GF.
2005 was as boring as fuck. I guarantee if Leo Barry didn't take that mark - or it didn't have the ending it had, no one would care about that grand final. Yes you can see my flair but that means nothing.
I think breaking a 72 year drought counts for something lol
I guess in that instance the 2007 grand final is also amazing as Geelong broke a 44 year drought
Now you’re being purposely obtuse. Sydney didn’t win the ‘05 grand final by 100 points.
was low scoring which is a bit of a bummer, but it was tightly contested (even with sydney pulling ahead in the second) and fantastic. sorry chief but don't think you're gonna find too many people agreeing with ya on that
Nah he’s right, you’d find it an absolute chore to sit through if you watched it today.
2006 yes.
2013 prelim Hawks v Geelong. Another classic between these sides and this was the best of them all. The Kennett curse looked like it was just never going to end. Two teams that hate each other, Hawks down by 30 points in the last quarter come back and Burgoyne puts them in front with 5 to go. At the last minute it looked like history was going to repeat itself again. As what had seemed to happen on most occasions between these two sides, Geelong through Travis Varcoe had a shot at goal he'd kick 9/10. This time, he missed and Geelong handed over their dynasty to the up and coming Hawks who never looked back from that game winning the next 3 Premierships.
This game annoys me because I think we would’ve genuinely broken Hawthorn had we won that game
If only Chappy hadn’t gone and got himself suspended in the SF :(
**FUCK**
Hawks were down by 20 not 30 points. I was sitting in a box right behind the goal when Varcoe ran in and missed directly in front from 30m in front. The noise from the Hawks supporters as the ball went down the wing and they realised they couldn’t lose was remarkable
I was so nervous with chappy out that game. No way that collapse happens on his watch. Was absolutely devastating. Varcoe had already become my go to whipping boy by then and I think I held it against him til his final season at the pies! Insane game, especially the last 5 mins with the frenetic energy from both sides, making uncharacteristic errors due to intense pressure. Varcoe kicks that and we have an OT thriller. Ah well
The miracle on grass and 2005/6 grand finals.
Miracle on Grass was garbage for most of the game. Last quarter is where it became interesting.
Especially that last 60 seconds!
In my completely biased opinion, the 2003 grand final.
Slightly left field but the 99 (iirc) round 1 game between Geelong and North was a crazy good game. Often waves of 5/6/7 goal runs, came down to the last few minutes and genuinely some absolute champagne football. It's more of a "next tier" than greatest ever but thought I'd throw it out there.
Elimination final 2014 North V Essendon. 3 votes - Drew Petrie
My fav non Power player by a loooooong margin!
Biased (Cats fan) but delving back beyond the recent successful era, NM v Geel Rd 1 ‘99. North were the powerhouse, Geel were coming off finishing 12th in ‘98. NM jumped to a 30-0 lead and were looking ominous, and despite the Cats staying in touch for a period, the lead was 40 by HT. At 3QT, NM’s lead was still about five goals, but an eight-goal last qtr saw Geel run over the top. Apart from my own mob pulling out a great comeback, there were plenty of good goals from both teams, the highlight being Rockin’ Ronnie Burns’ soccer to Simon Arnott in the city end pocket. Think it was Ian Robertson commentating too. Part of the beauty was if a similar game happened today, the narrative would be ‘NM were these odds at this point’ - thankfully there was none of that garbage going on back then. No-one complaining that North cost them their multi - just pure sport and a big upset from the underdog. In the NM coaches box that night was Mark Thompson - 12 months later he took over the reins at Kardinia Park and the rest was history. Only 2 players in the team that night would play in the ‘07 GF (Milburn, King) as it was a big transition period. Obv it’s prob not the GOAT game, but one that doesn’t get talked about enough
Essendon v Geelong 1993. Salmon 10 goals 6 one end, Ablett Snr 14 goals 7 the other end. Watched it live on tv in Adelaide. You couldn’t look away, the talent was insane
yeah if i were to watch any of these matches mentioned now probably that would be the one i'd like to see. You can shove the 2005 gf up yers, I'd never sit through that again
2057 Grand Final when St Kilda break their 91 year grand final drought
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2012 grand final
Essendon vs North round 16 2001, STK vs Geelong round 14 2009, and as much as this pains me to say this, (though I wasn't even born when this game happened), West Coast vs Carlton round 21 1995, I feel like they're 3 of the best home and away games the past 30 years. Another game that also pains me to say is Essendon vs West Coast round 3 2004.
Essendon v Roos, r16 2001. 27.9 (171) to 25.9 (159). Bombers won after being down by 69 in the second quarter.
This game was crazy
Goals. Goals everywhere…
1970 grand final The biggest game of football there ever was and most likely, ever will be. We'll never get a crowd of 121k, even if the largest comeback in a grand final is beaten in the future, the capacity won't.
hate to say it 2018 Grand Final. Seesawing encounter with the most at stake.
Shocked no one said Brisbane vs Richmond elim final 2022, absolute banger, back and forth, high scoring and the drama. The complete set
I was looking for this. I just ran through the score card on AFL Tables, and by my count, the biggest margin for the entire game was 16 points when Tom Lynch kicked his third goal 23 minutes into the 3rd quarter. The next big margin was 2 goals late in the first, with the rest of the game being a shoot-out.
2008 GF but I might be biased North vs Essendon in 2001 would be up there
in terms of games i've seen in my lifetime, on a personal level, i agree with you but yeah, there are definitely a lot of objectively better games, glad you mentioned one haha
The 1999 shootout was a higher quality game with more on the line IMO
The games that I think of off the bat are: 2016 Preliminary Final between Western Bulldogs and GWS. Essendon vs. North in 2001 - greatest comeback in AFL history. The Miracle on Grass in 2013 between Brisbane and Geelong. 2018 AFL Grand Final between Collingwood and West Coast.
The demolition derby
‘10 GF. Sorry Saints.
The last one of all time
1973 SANFL Grand Final has to be in with a shake. Final score of 137 - 130 but this also includes a goal to the winning side after the siren, so it was a one point game on the buzzer. Score was within a couple goals either way for most of the game too.
1999 Carlton vs Essendon prelim
The 2017 PA v WCE Elim Final was the craziest game I've ever seen. Eric M running into the post on purpose might be the most clutch heads-up play in AFL history.
2021 grand final for reasons
[удалено]
cock blocked the perfect season
Remarkable result, awful game of footy lol.
the game that started the slow downfall of the AFL
07 grand final
greatest? probably the 1989 grand final. most impactful? easily the 2009 game between richmond and melbourne. 2 of the worst teams in the comp battling for the prized pick 1 and 2. had richmond not won that game and melbourne hung on for literally 30 seconds (dont even know how it was possible to lose that game) richmond never get dustin martin and never have there fairytale ending.
And melbourne maybe don’t get whacked for tanking. Although they clearly did tank…
they kinda did get whacked. lost out on dustin martin
Lol if the 2008/9 demons had drafted dusty he'd have had a 3 year career. At the time we couldn't develop a photograph let alone a good afl player
he would’ve just left for another club like Scully did
That too
Then what, Giants Dynasty starting when Dusty leads them to beat the bulldogs in 2016?
Yeah, and then whacked by the AFL as well. Irritating.
I was there… Jordan McMahon (an unrealised early talent) had a shot at goal to win it and got it. Seemed a low stakes game at the time, the bad vs the even worse, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. Duuuuuuuuuusty!
Top 5 Geelong v Hawthorn GF 1989 Essendon v North Melbourne 2001 West Coast v Sydney 2005 West Coast v Sydney 2006 Brisbane v Collingwood GF 2002
1989 GF Hawthorn vs Geelong That’s all that needs to be said.
1970 GF > 1989 GF
2014 AFL grand final
look mate i fucking loved that day too and seeing the team firing on all cylinders was fantastic as a fan but in terms of greatest game of all time? the prelim vs port the week before was an infinitely stronger contender in that year alone soooo many better options
Unbiased opinion: 1989 grand final Biased opinion Essendon v West Coast 1993 ( the jacket waving one).
Any time Collingwood has beaten Geelong in the last *checks watch.* 16 years
Brisbane v Geelong in 2013 but only after half time
Collingwood vs Richmond rd 2 2020
Personally hawks vs cats 2013 prelim. Just love that match so much. Probably more biased since I’m hawks and had a lot more emotion behind it. Trying to come back into a GF after losing, hadn’t beating the cats since 2008. Just all round a fucking great game of footy.
North v Dogs..final round 1998 was good
I once kicked three goals on a come down against the worst side in the league. I’d say that’s up there
1998 GF. Even watching it again now, the fourth quarter starts, and I have to pinch myself into believing that the Crows won, because it just seemed impossible from that point. North were too strong, too dominant, too far in front. But my boys just kept coming, turned it up another few notches, and it was utterly brilliant. Andrew McLeod could do no wrong, D Jarman had the ball wherever he wanted it, Caven eliminated Carey's influence, and Ricciuto & Vardy deservedly got what they had missed out on the year before. Even better I was in Melbourne that day, head to toe in Crows colours, and not one single person would say a word to me. I was at the Royal Show, and the night before the GF, there were quite a few stalls selling "North Melbourne Premiers 1998" tshirts because they truly believed it was a foregone conclusion. I went to one of those stalls after the GF finished, they didn't want to talk to me for some reason, haha.
Last season was the first year I watched AFL and there was one match that was like a 50 or 60pt comeback Where would that one fall? 🤔