Today marks the culmination of our three-part series into the on-field memories of 2014.
We’ve ran the first and second parts earlier in the week, so let’s round it off.
Do you have a memory of your own for your team, or another AFL team? Would love to hear it from all the Roarers out there.
Port Adelaide: Best individual half of the season
The second half performance of Robbie Gray and Ollie Wines is the thing that legacies are made of. The duo combined for seven goals, carrying Port Adelaide from what looked like defeat to a remarkable victory. Gray’s performance was one of opportunity, making the most of every chance, while Wines’ was a reward for hard work. Together it was two match-winning performances in the one game.
Richmond: The culmination of an incredible run
No team had ever done what Richmond did in the second half of the 2014 season as they won nine straight games to go from equal last place at 3-10 to finalist with a 12-10 record. The final win of that run was the most memorable though. In a must-win scenario Richmond upset Sydney away from home with a nail biting three-point win.
Rightfully on that night, Richmond’s three best players were Ivan Maric, Brett Deledio and Alex Rance, the three players who were the biggest difference from Richmond at the start of the year and at the end. Maric, Deledio and Rance may not be household AFL names, but in 2014 they proved they are among the most valuable to Richmond.
St Kilda: Give us Fremantle 22 times a year
In what was the biggest upset of the season, St Kilda did not just defeat, but thrashed a near full strength Fremantle. While the Dockers were injury hit, this was not like the year previous where St Kilda feasted on the carcass of Fremantle’s leftovers. This was St Kilda’s young players taking it up to their fancied rivals. With the veterans leading from the front and the youth smelling victory, the buzz around Etihad Stadium was unlike any other during the year. It was one of the truly joyous days for St Kilda fans in 2014.
Sydney: Buddy, Buddy, Buddy
It is near impossible to think of a big moment in 2014 that did not revolve around Lance Franklin. Whether it was on or off the field, everything Sydney revolved around Franklin in 2014. In terms of on-field moments none were as memorable as his last-quarter heroics at home against Port Adelaide as he carried his new team to a memorable win. Playing a close second and third were Franklin’s first enigmatic performance against his former Hawthorn team and his grand final kiss from Luke Hodge. If it was red and white in 2014 chances are it was glazed with Franklin.
West Coast: Josh Kennedy’s 11 straight
In the four weeks leading up to Round 8 West Coast had kicked a combined 30.51. Few could then have imagined that they would put in a goal kicking master class as they routed Greater Western Sydney with a score of 30.8. The chief architect of that goal kicking spree was key forward Kennedy who kicked 11 goals without a miss. It did not matter where he kicked them from, or how he kicked them, the Sherrin just seemed to find its way through the big sticks on that day.
Western Bulldogs: Marcus Bontempelli’s freak goal
Bontempelli represents the greatest hope to Bulldogs fans going into 2015 and no moment highlighted that hope then his match-winning goal against Melbourne. It was a goal that was the best individual effort across the season. Bontempelli’s willingness to not give up on the ball stood out the most. That he could then kick a freak snap goal just added to the memory of the moment.
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