The 10 greatest AFL games of all time

What amazed me when watching the 1984 State of Origin game between South Australia and Victoria at Football Park (now AAMI Stadium) was that the game was played at a very high standard, with the players from both teams going at it 100% from the wod go. Even more remarkably, was that the players from both teams-SA and Victoria-had to play a club game for their respective comps (SANFL and VFL) on the weekend (Saturday for the SANFL, Saturday/Sunday for the VFL players, with the Sydney Swans and Richmond playing their game on the Sunday at the SCG, with a State game on Tuesday night).

You've selected some terrific games but incontestably, the 1973 SANFL Grand Final was the greatest. If you can stomach watching the game in black and white and apparently filmed with a couple of cameras, it's worth it. A hard, fast game of high quality all day, with a "heart-failure finish".

Thanks S.T. - I saw that replay and some other crackers on Youtube are the last qtr Hawks saints 1971 2nd semi (not the GF so much) and there's a Saints cats at Junction oval 1963 whichg is amazing quality and pretty high standard footy. You are right that this game pretty much ushered in a period of bleakness unequalled and, somewhat ironically I went to more games in this period than any since. I still have so many fond memories despite the drubbings though - when inevitably the deficit blew out to an unmanageable margin it became a contest of one-liners and cracks from the crowd easily worth the price of admission. I remember Keith Greig charging full tilt at the ball until he noticed R Muir hurtling toward him from the other direction causing him to momentarily take his eye off the ball - right in front of the animal enclosure. He of course became "Mrs Greig" for the rest of the day.

Polly, I discovered about three weejks ago that that game is available on youtube. Looking at the history of St Kilda Football Club, I would argue that it was their last great victory before their descent into football purgatory. Ten years of utter failure resultign in 7 wooden spoons.

Hawthorn v st.kilda, Round 12, 1976 Hawks were on top of the ladder while saints were middling. Saints are roughly 40 points down early in third when Paul Callery is flattened and reportedly started swallowing his tongue. From that moment Saints took control, erased the deficit and won by 4 goals. It was the ony time I ever Robbie "Mad dog" Muir play to his potential. Of course the following week they faced fitzroy (last) at Moorabbin and lost.

2005 Semi Final Sydney v Geelong. The longest drought in premiership history was coming to an end. Bomber Thompson and the emerging Cats stars like Gary Ablett jnr were well on their way to premiership glory, but it took something special to stop them. 4 final quarter goals from Nick Davis, the last coming with 3 seconds left on the clock making the come from behind win even more amazing. Who could forget Anthony Hudson, the passionate Geelong supporter calling "I see it, but I don't believe it!!". A classic match for the ages and part of an amazing story of the bloods 2005 premiership story.

I can't believe the 1987 preliminary final Hawthorn Melbourne game wasn't mentioned. Goal after the siren after an exhausted Hawthorn were thrashed by the wind changing direction in favour of melbourne thwice at qtr time and half time. Jimmy Steins running over the mark. to give a way a 15 m penalty AFTER the siren. Melbourne were ahead and kicking for goal with 8 seconds left on the clock, and the hawks stoleit. Robbie flower's last game too. Agreed chris, R6 89, best game ever.

Well, it's actually good to see there's plenty of people with memories stretching back further than 2000. It's mentioned a couple of times by some people at the start of this thread, but for mine the most incredible game of football I've ever seen is a long forgotten clash of Round 6, Hawthorn v Geelong, 1989. Check the name a Game Website, it's the only home and away game offered from that year (the rest are finals). Do yourself a favour and get a copy. It has....literally....everything!!! Without giving too much away, there is a goal scored every two minutes FOR THE ENTIRE GAME and the fluctuating fortunes of the game are just unbelievable. It's actually a better game than the 89 Grand Final.

I'm a Collingwood supporter so I'll list some of my favourite matches: 1. Collingwood v Geelong 2007 Preliminary Final: 98,000 deafening fans at the colosseaum that is the MCG. Yes we might have lost by a thrilling 5 points but that did demonstrate that the Cats weren't going to get an easy ride. Well, they did, against Port Adelaide a week after by 119 points! 2. Hawthorn v Geelong 1989 Grand Final: Just can't go past this one! Gary Ablett Snr booting 9 in a titanic epic. Dermie getting pole-axed, Dipper with a punctured lung. Hawks win a thriller by a kick! What an epic! 3. Geelong v Collingwood Round 19 2010: What was supposed to be the Grand Final preview- but more on that as to why it didn't happen- Swan v Ablett. Pendles v Corey. Stevie J, Chapman, Mooney, Podsiadly v Sidebotom, Jolly, Ball, Thomas, Dawes, Beams etc. Classic match between the two best sides of the year in front of 84000 at the MCG. 10 rounds earlier we butchered our shots in front of 88000 fans. And many experts were tipping a Cats v Pies decider at this stage..... 4. Essendon v North Melbourne Round 16 2001: I've got this one on DVD. What a match. Just because a team leads by 12 goals in the 2nd term doesn't automatically mean you'll win the game. And it was such a dominant display by North in the first half; only for it to go begging afterwards. However, it did inspire North to beat Essendon until 2008. 5. Collingwood v St Kilda 2010 Grand Final draw:....Or so we thought, that we underestimated St Kilda throughout 2010. What drama and mayhem was experienced when the Pies led by 26 points only for them to squander oppourtunities in the 3rd term. Then the final term came: Goddard's speccky over O'Brien popped that Saints in front sending the 100016 crowd into raptures. A Cloke goal popped the Pies back in front before the most dramatic finale ever to a grand final- Jolly gets it out of the centre, Hayes scoops up the ball which wobbles towards Ried and Milne. Had it darted left Milne would've placed a dagger in the hearts of Pies supporters. Instead, the ball darted to the right and a point was made. Some more frantic play occured then Thomas kicked the ball which just got out on the full and the siren sounded. What drama. Pies subsequently took home the chocolates the following week. 6. Essendon v Carlton 1999 Preliminary Final: It took just one point from Mark Mercuri and a soliatry goal from Lance Whitnall to put the dagger into Bomber hearts on that fateful day in front of 81000 fans at the MCG. But it was due to Kouta's tireless efforts in the final term that helped get the job done. Type this onto Youtube and I just love watching this one over and over again. 7. Essendon v Geelong Round 6 1993: Classic shootout Ablett kicking 14 goals and Salmon booting 10 of his own. Essendon still found a way to win by 24 points though. Essendon 23.18 = 156 Geelong 19.18 = 132. 8. Essendon v Carlton Round 3 2008: Probably the best game I've seen these two play since the 1999 Preliminary Final. Now exiled Blue Brendan Fevola booted 8 goals in front of 65000 MCG fans. Under Lloyd the Bombers still found a way to win though. It never works out cause whenever a Blues v Bombers game lurks upon I tip the Blues only for the Bombers to win. Until Round 19 2010 that is.... 9. Collingwood v Geelong 2010 Preliminary Final:.....As I mentioned in the Roiund 19 clash this was supposed to the be the 2010 Grand Final; however, a loss to St Kilda meant that the once insurmountable Geelong had to do it the hard way. And what a match. 7 goals by the end of the first quarter to the Pies which blew out to 13 by halftime in front of a monstrous crowd of 95000! Whilst I was expecting a closer game much like the 2007 Prelim, it never was, and what happended was that the once dominant Cats scored junk-time goals and a 41 point defeat, enough to send off Gary Ablett jnr to the Sunshine Coast and place Mark Thompson back to his old pal Hirdy over at Windy Hill. To those who say that Geelong's empire is dead and buried...well its still too early to judge and just waiting for Chirs Scott's new plans....hmmmm Last but not least..... 10. ANZAC Day match Collingwood v Essendon 1995-today: Possibly the biggest match of the home and away season aside from a few notable finals preview, top of the table clashes and the finals and Grand Final. In 1995 over 95000 turned up to witness and eye gouging, heart stopping spectacle at the 'G when now Philadelphia Eagles NFL gridiron punter Saverio Rocca punted 9 monsters to tie up at 111 all at the end. A tradition was born and this is a match that I hold close to my heart. Its even better when the Pies win as is the case in Round 5 2010 when we massacred the hapless Bombers by 65 in front of 90000- but even more painful when we lose ala 2009 when David Zaharakis snatched it away from us to which that we really let ourselves and the ANZAC's down and did not display the spirit on that day. Always great to see that people love to complain about Collingwood getting more games at the MCG. Well the clubs request for our every cent so- just suck it to 'em!!! Go Pies 2011!!!

2009 and 2010 grand finals. mainly 2009

Wow those mentioned are some amazing games but when i think of games that had me on the edge of my seat even when my team (the dons) werent playing i think of the swans vs eagles where two years in a row it came down to the wire! Another spine tingling game was 2009 ANZAC day clash with the rain and that goal in the final seconds that won it for the boys in red and black. those are great games. Impressive lists above though

How did you dig up this old thread???

what about anzac day this year (im a pies fan but it was a good game) and the collingwood vs adelaide semi final

Well as a croweater I can say that the 1973 grand final between North Adelaide and Glenelg was the greatest game of football of all time. It was last grand final to be played at Adelaide Oval. North Adelaide had been premiers the previous two years and were donned champions of Australia in 1972 after defeating Carlton. Glenelg had not won a premiership since 1934. Glenelg went through the 1973 season only losing the one game which was to North Adelaide in Round 7. Glenelg was in front from the 5 minute mark of the second quarter and were never headed until the 27 minute mark of the last quarter when North Adelaide converted from a mark 20 metres out from goal. North Adelaide in front by 5 points. At the 29 minute mark Peter Anderson from Glenelg totally exhausted takes three bounces from centre half back and sends the ball deep into the forward line. Full Back Bob Hammond from North Adelaide who has repelled numerous attacks all day trys to play the ball to the boundary line but in his attempt Peter Marriot from Glenelg who has just come off the bench picks up the ball and snaps over his head. Graham Cornes who has been quiet all day launces himself over a pack of players and takes a sensational mark and then lines up for goal 40 metres out on an acute angle. He kicks truly to give Glenelg a 1 point lead with no time remaining. With only seconds remaining Fred Phillis from Glenelg takes a mark 60 metres out from goal. His shot for goal falls short but is marked by John Sandland from Glenelg only 20 metres out in front of goal. As he lines up for goal the siren sounds. His kick is true and Glenelg win their first premiersip in 39 years by 7 points. I have never seen and never will see a better game of football.

What about Geelong v Essendon in 1993? Salmon kicked a bag and Ablett kicked 14 in a losing side! Now that was a good game of football. Some great comebacks include Essendon v Melbourne in 1992 (8 goals down with approximately 20 minutes left in the game and they got up), St.Kilda v Hawthorn @ Waverley (Hawks gone at half time & then turn the game around) and Essendon v North Melbourne in 2001 (North start quickly and lead by 70 points at the end of the first quarter - Bombers make up this margin to have an amazing win).

are u all blooming kidding me!!! the best afl game ever has to be sydney vs geelong semi final 2005 were nick davis single handedly put sydney in prelim final and probably the afl grand final. sydney swans won the 2005 afl premiership because of 2 people NICK DAVIS and LEO BARRY. i see it but i dont believe it

1.Melbourne Grammar Vs. Scotch College (1958) 2.Carlton Vs. Collingwood 3.Hawthorn Vs. Geelong (1989 Grand Final) 4.Essendon Vs. North Melb. (Round 16 2001) Just the top four.

AS a vivid armchair collingwood supporter i just cant wait to watch the game today carlton and collingwood i listened to the game in 1970 but forgot who one best wishes joani live in tassie one day i hope to get to a match

Add the time tasmania beat victoria in the early 60's

Yep Ian, I am. btw I loved both those games and effectively every game those two teams played over that period of 2004-2006 - - brilliant, the GFs stand out as being GFs, but, within that, a couple of the other games were possibly, in a 'pure' sense, better watching - - - (subjectively of course).