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Welcome to another edition of my weekly column with which we take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the classic AFL matches that correspond with the upcoming round.
Let’s take a look at the ten best games from Round 15 in the past ten years.
10. St Kilda 11.16.82 v Adelaide 12.8.80 (2007)
Sitting two wins outside of the top eight, the Saints were faced with the harsh reality that their season would be all but done if they couldn’t overcome the Adelaide Crows on their home deck of Etihad Stadium on a Friday night.
Adelaide, who were just one win from second spot on the ladder, started with a five goal to two first quarter. But with true grit and determination, St Kilda fought back to lead by three points at half time, and then five points at the last break.
In a tense final quarter, the Crows tried desperately to bridge the gap but ultimately fell short by just two points. Fraser Gehrig was a force up forward for the winners, booting 4.4. The Saints would finish half a game outside of the top eight, just behind Adelaide.
9. Adelaide 9.15.69 v West Coast 11.9.75 (2013)
Both locked on a 6-7 record and sitting outside of the top eight, the Crows and Eagles were gunning for a win when they went head to head on a Saturday night at AAMI Stadium.
Both sides shared a seven point lead at the first two breaks, but it was West Coast who got out to an 11 point lead late in the third term. From there, the Crows kicked three consecutive goals, which proved more than handy in a low-scoring encounter.
Faced with a 13-point deficit in time-on of the last quarter, the Eagles miraculously lifted themselves off the canvas, certainly a brave effort away from home. Goals to Andrew Embley and Bradd Dalziell levelled the scores, before Josh Kennedy kicked the winner with his left foot on the run.
8. Western Bulldogs 14.7.91 v Melbourne 13.7.85 (2014)
In a Sunday afternoon clash between two sides sitting in the bottom six of the ladder, not many would have envisioned such a classic game when the Dogs and Demons locked horns at Etihad Stadium.
It didn’t look like being a memorable match, with the Bulldogs getting out to a 37 point lead in the second term thanks to seven consecutive goals. But with seven goals of their own in the third quarter, Melbourne stormed back into the game to lead by a point at the last break.
In a seesawing final quarter, both sides traded goals, with the Demons finding themselves in front late in the match. Enter Marcus Bontempelli.
At the age of 18 and in just his eighth career match, the budding superstar announced himself with the final two goals of the match, the last of them (also the matchwinner) a sensational solo effort from deep in the forward pocket. For Western Bulldogs’ supporters, they left Docklands that day with not only the four points, but with the knowledge they had a potential Brownlow Medallist on their hands.
(AAP Image/David Crosling)
7. Fremantle 11.12.78 v North Melbourne 12.10.82 (2007)
Sitting equal-second on the ladder, the gritty but unfashionable North Melbourne travelled west to take on Fremantle, who needed a win to keep their finals chances alive.
In an incredibly tight match, the margin at every break in the game never exceeded six points. It was the Kangaroos who led at every change, claiming a memorable four point win thanks to some heroics from veteran Glenn Archer up forward. Surprisingly, in the aftermath of the match the Dockers decided to tear up the contract of coach Chris Connolly.
6. Port Adelaide 9.12.66 v Collingwood 9.9.63 (2015)
Less than a week after the tragic murder of Adelaide coach Phil Walsh, Port Adelaide stepped out for their first match since the news rocked the AFL world. Having spent over ten years working with the Power before his first senior coaching gig with the Crows, emotions were running high during the Thursday night clash between Port and Collingwood.
Spurred on by the significance of the moment, the Power slammed on five of the first six goals of the match to lead by 26 points at quarter time. The Magpies responded well, managing to take back the lead in the second quarter. Port Adelaide regained their composure, getting out to a 22 point advantage in the third term in what was proving to be a low-scoring scrap.
However, with four of the final five goals of the match, the Magpies managed to claw their way back into the contest. With just seconds remaining, they had a chance to earn a kick after the siren with a late mark inside forward 50 but couldn’t do so, sparking emotional scenes as the final siren sounded.
5. Geelong 13.11.89 v Essendon 11.14.80 (2014)
Nestled in the top half of the ladder, Geelong came up against top eight aspirant Essendon on a Friday night at Etihad Stadium. With over 43,000 fans flocking to watch, the Cats looked far superior in the first half, leading by as much as 32 points in the second quarter.
A resurgence from the Bombers in the second half made things much more interesting, with Essendon slamming through six unanswered goals to take a nine point lead early in the last term. With both sides trading goals, it was Geelong’s Steven Motlop who stood tall with two classy snap goals, with both managing to put the Cats in front.
Trying desperately to no avail, the Bombers attempted to get another goal, but their chances were ended when Tom Hawkins found himself running onto a loose ball inside 50 with just seconds remaining on the clock.
(AAP Image/Joe Castro)
4. Geelong 12.13.85 v Hawthorn 11.17.83 (2010)
Sitting clear on top of the table, the reigning premiers went head-to-head with their close rivals Hawthorn on a Saturday afternoon at the MCG. Coming into the match on the back of a seven game winning streak, the Hawks were red hot but had yet to beat the Cats since their 2008 grand final triumph.
Across a brutal and tight opening three quarters, the Hawks led at every change but never by more than seven points. But in a titanic final term, the Cats managed to break out to a nine point advantage. A goal to Hawthorn midfielder Brad Sewell made the margin under a kick, but Geelong held on through gritted teeth to claim a two point win.
3. Sydney 11.13.79 v Western Bulldogs 13.5.83 (2016)
One win away from going on top of the ladder, Sydney hosted the Western Bulldogs on a Saturday evening at the SCG. Having secured a memorable on-the-road victory in the corresponding clash the previous year, the Dogs were hoping history would repeat.
After a low-scoring first half, the Bulldogs broke the game wide open with six goals in the third quarter to take a 13 point advantage into the final break. An early goal in the fourth term to ruckman Will Minson made the margin 17 points, but the Swans responded in style with three consecutive goals, two of those to superstar Lance Franklin.
In the tight and tense final moments, a clever Caleb Daniel kick found Marcus Bontempelli standing on the 50 metre arc. A quick kick closer to goal landed on the chest of Jason Johannisen, who was playing his first game since tearing his hamstring in Round 4. With just seconds remaining, Johannisen thumped through the winning goal, sparking jubilant scenes for the red, white and blue.
These sides would later meet in the big dance at the MCG on the first Saturday in October, which the Bulldogs would win again.
2. Essendon 18.7.115 v Geelong 16.15.111 (2011)
With a historically bad record against Geelong, the odds were stacked against the tenth-placed Essendon, who went head-to-head with the ladder-leading Cats. With seven and a half games separating both sides, Geelong were warm favourites to take home the four points on a Saturday night under the roof at Etihad Stadium.
With the first three goals of the game, things appeared to be going to script for Geelong. However, the Bombers stunned everyone by slamming on the next six majors, taking a 15-point advantage into half time. With three quick goals to start the second half, the lead had all of a sudden ballooned out to 33 points, and the upset of the season was on the cards.
The Cats fought their way back, but still trailed by 17 at three quarter time. That extended to 22 points as it ticked into time on of the final term, but Geelong showed more resilience, kicking three quick goals to reduce the margin to four points.
Essendon managed to sneak a goal through Jake Melksham, all but ending the Cats’ chances of stealing a win, but they came again with a goal to Steve Johnson, his third in under ten minutes.
Not long after, the siren sounded, putting Essendon supporters out of their misery and signalling a landmark win for the club.
1. Western Bulldogs 16.14.110 v Collingwood 17.9.111 (2009)
With both sides sitting inside the top four, all eyes were on the Bulldogs and Collingwood when they clashed at Etihad Stadium in a Friday night blockbuster. In front of 51,382 fans (the sixth highest crowd at Docklands at the time), it was the Magpies with the fast start, kicking seven goals to three in the opening quarter.
Mick Malthouse’s men looked a far superior outfit for most of the night, eventually breaking out to a 41 point advantage late in the third quarter. However, a huge fightback in the last term from the Bulldogs saw them right back in the match. With five consecutive goals, the margin was reduced to just one point, with the crowd at absolute fever pitch.
(AAP Image/Julian Smith)
A goal to Dale Thomas gave Collingwood some relief, but it was short-lived after Ryan Griffen got one back immediately for the Dogs. The Magpies managed to hold on, claiming a memorable one point victory. They would meet again in the final game of the home-and-away season, with the Bulldogs getting their revenge with a 22 point win. The Dogs would finish the season in third position, just 0.3 per cent ahead of the Magpies in fourth.
Thanks for tuning in to another edition, make sure to click back for my Team of the Week early next week!
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