It’s a pleasure and pain to write about the five best sporting events you have seen.
It’s a pleasure because I get to wax lyrical on sporting contests I got a birdseye of, as I usually had the best seats in the house – the commentary box.
But there were so many I bore witness to and that’s why it’s a pain as I have to narrow them down to just five.
There are many unlucky events, such as the 2006 AFL elimination final at the MCG when a young Western Bulldogs outfit in their first finals appearance for six years shocked everyone by thrashing Collingwood.
There’s the opening ceremony of the 2000 Olympics, because it was on home soil and we got the chance as a nation to strut our stuff and show what we are made of and we did it wonderfully well.
There was the Australian men’s hockey team finally breaking the drought in winning that elusive Olympic gold medal in Athens in 2004 after being favourites in the previous eight Olympics.
And who could forget the emotion of the late Kerryn McCann winning gold in the women’s marathon at the MCG in the 2006 Commonwealth Games, when there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
However, I had to choose five, and this is what I have come up with.
5. The last quarter of the 1984 VFL grand final between Essendon and Hawthorn
I was 15 at the time and I still remember it like it was yesterday; the Bombers producing the best quarter of footy I had ever seen up to that stage of my young life, booting nine goals to nil.
It had been a tough grand final for the first three quarters, with the Hawks four goals up. Essendon would have been much closer but for poor kicking.
However, the Dons turned it on straight away in the final term, with Leon Baker, Paul Weston, Billy Duckworth and Tim Watson outstanding to win their first flag since 1965. It was breathtaking to watch.
4. Kieran Perkins at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics
The reigning gold medallist and favourite was poor in the heats of his pet event, the 1500 metres freestyle, and just scraped into the final in lane 8.
He was written off going into the battle for gold, but all eyes were on lane 8 as Perkins blitzed the field and won easily.
Who could forget this line from Dennis Cometti’s commentary, “Perkins! A heart of a lion in the heart of Dixie! Gold!”
3. Cathy Freeman at the 2000 Olympics
Another special Olympic moment. It was Sydney 2000 and that race. Cathy Freeman had the weight of a nation on her shoulders in the women’s 400 metres.
Cathy made a slow start in her racing suit, but had reined the field in with just over 100 metres to go and got the job done with style.
Even if you didn’t like sport, no matter where you were in this great country of ours, everyone was either glued to a TV or radio, or watching Freeman intently if lucky enough to be at Homebush. She more than lived up to expectations.
The top two in my top five both belong to tennis.
2. 2005 Australian Open semi-final between Marat Safin and Roger Federer
Safin, the unpredictable but highly talented Russian taking on the world number one Federer at the peak of his incredible powers.
Federer got on top and had a match point in the fourth set to advance to another final, but was unRoger-like in playing a shot between his legs. He missed it, and Safin fought back and won the fourth and took what was already an epic into a pulsating fifth set.
The Russian was able to prevail as one got away for Federer, when they rarely did in those days.
Safin then took on Leyton Hewitt in the final, the only year the Australian ever had much success at his home Grand Slam, with big Marat winning.
Leyton had had his fair share of epics to get to the final and despite his never-say-die attitude, big Marat was too good.
Talking of Hewitt, he features at the top of the tree for my five best sporting events ever.
1. 2003 Davis Cup semi-final
Australia was playing Switzerland at the Rod Laver Arena – or as it was known then, Melbourne Park.
Going into the reverse singles on Sunday, Australia led the tie 2-1, after a young Federer beat Mark Philippoussis and Hewitt was too good for a very, very youthful Stan Wawrinka. Then on Saturday, Todd Woodbridge and Wayne Arthurs came from two sets to one down to beat Marc Rosset and Federer in the doubles.
Roger was 22 at the time and had won his first major singles title Wimbledon, but Hewitt was still world number one. However Federer was superb in the first two sets, dominating Leyton, with the second set from the Swiss superstar almost perfect.
Switzerland was just a set away from taking the tie to a decider, but although Federer through his brilliance would soon overtake Hewitt, the Australian was mentally stronger than Roger, who was still a bit suspect in that area.
Hewitt had to fight hard to get back in the match and being two sets to love behind was just what he needed – he always performs magnificently when his back is cemented to the wall.
In a tight third set he got over the line and you could see Federer was wilting after a long doubles match the previous day, coupled with the first singles encounter on Friday.
Both players took a break as the momentum had shifted, and gee it was a long break for Federer. He seemed to be gone from the court for ages and despite probably having a shower, among other things, to freshen up and change his gear, he still looked spent as Hewitt did what he does best: feasted on the crowd for support, with the noise out of control.
It was edge-of-your-seat stuff as both players went toe to toe in the fourth, with Hewitt again prevailing.
His fitness was too much for Federer, who had to rely on those spectacular winners. The Swiss maestro was playing well enough for Philippoussis to start preparing for the last rubber on an outside court, but again Hewitt found a way to get off the canvas, land the killer blow and take Australia into another Davis Cup final.
For excitement, tension and drama, this match has never been bettered. If it is in my lifetime, I hope I am there to see it, because it will be something!
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Rob G
Guest
That is the best tennis match I have ever seen. Lleyton was on fire in the 5th with c'mons every 2nd point. A bit of random trivia for you regarding Kieran Perkins in 1996.....that was also the day Ivan milat was found guilty of the backpacker murders. A great day for Aus.
Johnno
Guest
Jrod Shades of John Sattler playing with a broken jaw, in a souths GF win in the 60's, or Burgess with a fractured cheekbone last year. Tennis you really need both arms. He tore one of his pectoral muscles, how he could serve properly or backhand i'll never know. What's even more impressive is he lost both the 3rd and 4th sets and somehow, found the pain thresholds to win 6-0 in the 5th wow, Rocky stuff.
Jrod
Guest
Got to agree with that number one, it's the sporting event that I have been to that I always still talk about and it made me a Hewitt fan for life - the man has his detractors but I will always defend him and rate him our best athlete over the past 20 years. Philippoussis winning the match against Juan Carlos Ferrero in the 2003 Davis Cup final was also a great memory. The guy had one arm working by the fifth set but summoned everything to beat the then world number 1 and claim the title with Hewitt, (plus Woodbridge and Wayne Arthur's in doubles) for Australia. This is real tennis and I hope Lleyton hangs around long enough to let the young guys know that Davis Cup is still the biggest trophy of the year in world tennis.
Johnno
Guest
Kooyong is awesome when full and packed, maybe best place in World to watch tennis, after wimbledon centre court. A real cauldron, white city used to have the same intimate feel. Loved also reading about the 1983 Davis cup win vs Sweden at Kooyong, a 18 yr old Cashy beat Joakim Nyström to seal the tie, was great memories.
H. E. Pennypacker
Guest
The 'fast 4' was a joke. Sydney and Ch. 9 like hand in glove are about 40 years behind the rest of the nation. Do not see the point in fast 4, the normal format of tennis is perfectly fine.
Champ Kind
Guest
1. Cathy Freeman Sydney 2000 400m Gold 2. John Aloisi - Australia vs Uruguay Penalty Shoot Out 3. Australian Vs Japan (3-1) in Germany at FIFA WC 2008 4. Men's 4 x 400m Silver medal at Athens Olympics 5. Newcastle Vs Manly, 1997 ARL GF
Dan
Guest
The mighty Knights beating the silvertail Manly 1997 ARL Grand Final Steve Waughs Perfect Day Aus vs SA 1999 World Cup Semi final Tie John Eales Bledisloe Conversion Amazing Adelaide Test Match They are some of my favorites
Oh the memories
Guest
Mine too is a tennis match, Davis Cup final of 1986, Aussies at home to Sweden at Kooyong. Somehow my old man procured some tickets to the 1st day and what a blinder it was. I have often spoken to people about the electricity in the air as Pat Cash and Stefan Edberg wen toe to toe. 2 great grass court players, neither giving an inch. Cash won the match 13-11, 13-11 6-4 to the approval of a wildly cheering crowd, who were silenced shortly thereafter as Pernfors came out and wiped the floor with Paul McNamee. With the doubles secured the fans were willing Cash to victory in the 1st of the reverse singles. Pernfors again came out all guns blazing and Cashy was down 2 sets to love quite quickly. But the Aussie determination shone through as he swept the next 3 sets to clinch the title. Kooyong was a great venue with an atmosphere second to none, always enjoyed the tennis there more than at Flinders park.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
For me, one of the great Tennis Matches was the 2001 Davis Cup Final between Australia and France. It came down to the final match between Wayne Arthurs and Nicolas Escude. Talk about high tension. The first two sets both went to tie breakers and it seemed no man was going to be able to break the other. The momentum switched in the third when Escude finally got the break he needed and Arthurs never really recovered. That match made me a Tennis fan.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
Agreed. Closest I've come to crying during sport.
Benjamin Conkey
Editor
Federer actually won 7 more points in that match! Unbelievable tennis by Safin when Federer was at his absolute best.
Cameron Rose
Expert
Safin v Federer is the best tennis match I've seen, and it will struggle to be surpassed in my mind. It was just incredible. Great to see it rate so highly with Dan. And that Perkins final. Who could forget it. Great list!
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Jarryd Hayne going over his in goal to be with the blues fans. Not a pretty game. But a special moment for me
D mo
Guest
Hi guys, Loved the Hewitt fed match. It took Hewitt nearly 10 years to beat him again after that. Reminds me of how Australia beat Japan 3-1 in the 2006 world cup and we haven't beaten them since. But for me the best sporting moment was the Australia Uruguay and world cup qualifier in 2005 in Sydney. Rembering we hadn't made a world cup in 32 years. I was there. Maybe beating Japan in the Asian cup might beat it this year.
David Hayward
Roar Pro
Very minor correction, Stan Wawrinka didn't play in the 2003 Davis Cup semi, it was some guy called Michel Kratochvil who Hewitt defeated in the opening tie, and you would've hoped Philippoussis would have defeated anyway in the 5th tie to send Australia through to the final.
Johnno
Guest
1984 VFL GF sounds wonderful, but for the masses for whatever reason the 89 VFL GF was so special it was exciting that's for sure. Ablett a man team almost trying to get Geelong over the line. That seems to be the most famous footy match just about in any of the codes in OZ. rugby world cups no, as in 91 Union was an amatuer game and largely a private school game, and in 99 it had only been pro for 4 years. Alan Jones 1984 grand slam and the 86 bledisloe win, seem more etched in rugby folklore here. Whatever else I lvoed the NBL 1992 GF series between the Melbourne Tigers and South East Melbourne Magic, great series, and riding the basketball wave, sold out 3 games at rod laver arena, was great.
Winston
Guest
Dan's list and everyone else's lists are all incredible events! I want to b a party pooper though. For some reason I never really rated the Cathy Freeman run that highly. Don't get me wrong, any Olympic gold medal is hard, but when I compare that to say Michael Phelps going for 7 gold medals at 1 Olympics, I don't know why there's so much fuss about Cathy Freeman. The Davis Cup win was good to watch, but now in hindsight that was at a time when Federer had not reached his peak. At his peak he would never lose after 2 sets to 0 and 1 break up against Hewitt. I know it's a bit unfair, because Hewitt could only beat who's on the other side on the day, but from my armchair's perspective in hindsight, it makes the win less special. That 2000 Olympics men's 4x100 swim was fantastic though. And so was John Aloisi's goal in 2005!
Brian
Guest
That Davis Cup win was also a big break through for the fanatics, they had been formed the year prior and had been notable that day which got a lot of attention. As for a top 5 its obviously colcoured by what sports you love and teams you support. Personally. Football - 2005 Australia beat Uruguay, in those days making the World Cup seemed the panacea of the Socceroos AFL - 1989 VFL Grand Final, game of the century and the thugs lost in the end. Cricket - 1999 World Cup Semi Tennis - Federer v Safin 2005 beats Nadal v Djokovic final a few year back Olympics - Swimming 4x100m Mens in Sydney
Sam Brown
Roar Guru
Men's 4x100m relay at the 2000 Olympics is special for me. Thorpie chasing down Gary Hall jnr on the first night if the Sydney Olympics for a historic win. Steve Waugh's perfect day has to be up there too. I remember the whole family, most of whom weren't into cricket gathered around the TV to watch and cheer Steve on. Like many you have up there both are moments when on the biggest stage, with impossibly high stakes and with their back against the wall a champion mustered together all their talent, skill and guile and just refused to be denied, willing the selves to victory.
Johnno
Guest
Dan what a moment that was, but what's so funny about this one, I like tennis and love sport, but can't believe this slipped by my radar, wow. I didn't even know about this one. I blame that on the fade and decline of Davis Cup in the 2000's to tennis and the masses of mainstream Australia, like ODI cricket has slipped away from mainstream Australia's radar. But what Hewitt did, was one of sports best comebacks the last 20 years. Fed was in his prime, to do that what ticker Hewitt showed, and I reckon many aussies wouldn't even of known or remembered this one, talk about slipping under the radar. Where as Perkins 96 gold, we all knew about it. For me Cathy Freeman's gold was no 1, talk about weight of the nation, that pressure I don't know if it went beyond sport, but that was just about as much sports pressure as you get eg like the AB'S saturated pressure in the final vs France RWC 2011 weight of the nation stuff. For whatever some may say, I still reckon Daniel Geale V the man mundine World title fight 2013 was right up there. Alot was riding on it, Geale was the world champ, had lost to Mundine before in highly controversial circumstances, i think he appealed the result. Geale got better after that fight, while the man didn't get better or worse. This fight was very tense this world title, no love lost in that local derby. Socceroos 2005 of course. Australian women's water polo gold medal at sydney 2000 was always a highlight for me, as were not remotely a strong water polo nation and to get gold, was really special. Where as field-hockey, the kookaburra men's team despite, choking many times until they got gold, were already an established top team. Where as water polo men's and women's, Aussies are 2nd tier, not 1st-tier unlike the strong Euro sides. Aaron Baddley in the 90's winning the Australian open golf aged just 18, and still and amatuer was a special aussie sports moment. That win was massive at the time.