- Feb 19, 2020
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What are you talking about we kicked 17 goals
Best and worst grand finals of all time
- Thread starter BigVic
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Ranking the grand finals of the 21st century
2. 2012 - literally the perfect game of footy. Momentum swings galore, an insane final quarter and finish.
2. 2018 - the best finish of all from a neutral's perspective. Only its good but not great first half prevents it from being top dog.
3. 2002 - two incredible performances by sides duking it out in the wet. Margin never blew out to double figures either way.
4. 2009 - pretty complete game by two champion teams, with the finish to cap it off.
5. 2010 draw - remarkably tense with twists and turns all day. The most unique finish of all listed.
6. 2011 - last quarter marks it down but it truly was a special game for three quarters.
7. 2016 - poor officiating at times hurts, but it was incredibly tense from start to finish.
8. 2004 - 2011 was this granny on steroids. Two great sides battling it out for three quarters before one came out very much on top.
9. 2021 - outstanding game for three quarters and even the late blowout was entertaining in itself.
10. 2006 - strong game with an incredible finish.
11. 2001 - shattered to mark this down so low. The first great granny after close to none in the 80's and 90's. Full of momentum shifts.
12. 2008 - strong all game without being remarkable. The result was crazy, but the rushed behinds ploy marks it down.
13. 2005 - great finish, but an eye sore for much of three quarters. Only Sydney fans would watch it over.
14. 2013 - close-ish but very unremarkable game. The only GF in memory that neither team played well.
15. 2017 - ripper first half before a second half onslaught
16. 2020 - good game but not quite right because of the shortened quarters
17. 2014 - shellacking but some very champagne Hawthorn footy made it entertaining
18. 2015 - boring, predictable
19. 2007 - entertaining in the sense of the records that were set, but still shite
20. 2003 - over in a quarter and a half
21. 2019 - inevitable result, but okay first quarter
22. 2010 replay - closed early in the second, only one great moment (smother)
23. 2022 - over in about 15 minutes
2. 2012 - literally the perfect game of footy. Momentum swings galore, an insane final quarter and finish.
2. 2018 - the best finish of all from a neutral's perspective. Only its good but not great first half prevents it from being top dog.
3. 2002 - two incredible performances by sides duking it out in the wet. Margin never blew out to double figures either way.
4. 2009 - pretty complete game by two champion teams, with the finish to cap it off.
5. 2010 draw - remarkably tense with twists and turns all day. The most unique finish of all listed.
6. 2011 - last quarter marks it down but it truly was a special game for three quarters.
7. 2016 - poor officiating at times hurts, but it was incredibly tense from start to finish.
8. 2004 - 2011 was this granny on steroids. Two great sides battling it out for three quarters before one came out very much on top.
9. 2021 - outstanding game for three quarters and even the late blowout was entertaining in itself.
10. 2006 - strong game with an incredible finish.
11. 2001 - shattered to mark this down so low. The first great granny after close to none in the 80's and 90's. Full of momentum shifts.
12. 2008 - strong all game without being remarkable. The result was crazy, but the rushed behinds ploy marks it down.
13. 2005 - great finish, but an eye sore for much of three quarters. Only Sydney fans would watch it over.
14. 2013 - close-ish but very unremarkable game. The only GF in memory that neither team played well.
15. 2017 - ripper first half before a second half onslaught
16. 2020 - good game but not quite right because of the shortened quarters
17. 2014 - shellacking but some very champagne Hawthorn footy made it entertaining
18. 2015 - boring, predictable
19. 2007 - entertaining in the sense of the records that were set, but still shite
20. 2003 - over in a quarter and a half
21. 2019 - inevitable result, but okay first quarter
22. 2010 replay - closed early in the second, only one great moment (smother)
23. 2022 - over in about 15 minutes
- Oct 3, 2008
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Best:
1984 SANFL and VFL
1989
1997
2006
2008
2009
2011
2012
2018
1984 SANFL and VFL
1989
1997
2006
2008
2009
2011
2012
2018
- Oct 3, 2008
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Yeah but the umpires got seduced by the fairytale as well so it will forever be known as the worst umpired Grand Final ever.
- May 5, 2016
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Since 1976, and also games I've watched in full on DVD before that:
Awesome - 77a, 79, 89, 09, 16,
Good - 61, 70, 71, 82, 83, 84, 88, 92, 97, 01, 02, 04, 06, 08, 10a, 11, 12, 18, 20, 21,
It's Still A GF - 65, 76, 77r, 78, 80, 81, 85, 86, 87, 91, 93, 94, 95, 96, 98, 14, 17,
Disappointment - 75, 90, 99, 00, 03, 07, 10r, 13, 15, 19,
Burn The Tape - 05, 22
Tried hard to curb Hawk bias, so there's half a dozen here that would be on the top line otherwise...! 14 especially! I'm all about the quality of the combatants, the standard of the match...the margin isn't necessarily that important. Contentious might be 16 (I really enjoyed that game), the difference between 05-06 (polar opposites in standard if not margins)...61 maybe because I enjoyed the type of play and the coverage...and I really enjoyed 2021, the most absorbing 12 goal thumping ever played...! 11 maybe unlucky, because along with 09 it was the only example of two true titans slugging it out since the 80's Hawks and Bombers and it was a pretty good match. Some will call 18 top shelf, but neither team was even close to being as good as Richmond that year, regardless of upset prelim...
Awesome - 77a, 79, 89, 09, 16,
Good - 61, 70, 71, 82, 83, 84, 88, 92, 97, 01, 02, 04, 06, 08, 10a, 11, 12, 18, 20, 21,
It's Still A GF - 65, 76, 77r, 78, 80, 81, 85, 86, 87, 91, 93, 94, 95, 96, 98, 14, 17,
Disappointment - 75, 90, 99, 00, 03, 07, 10r, 13, 15, 19,
Burn The Tape - 05, 22
Tried hard to curb Hawk bias, so there's half a dozen here that would be on the top line otherwise...! 14 especially! I'm all about the quality of the combatants, the standard of the match...the margin isn't necessarily that important. Contentious might be 16 (I really enjoyed that game), the difference between 05-06 (polar opposites in standard if not margins)...61 maybe because I enjoyed the type of play and the coverage...and I really enjoyed 2021, the most absorbing 12 goal thumping ever played...! 11 maybe unlucky, because along with 09 it was the only example of two true titans slugging it out since the 80's Hawks and Bombers and it was a pretty good match. Some will call 18 top shelf, but neither team was even close to being as good as Richmond that year, regardless of upset prelim...
2002 is always underrated in these threads, never more than a single figure margin and was in doubt until the last minute or so.
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- Thread starter
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Channel 10's first grand final
- May 10, 2008
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Not enough love for 2004 IMO. Great grand final
As a Pies supporter, this is the only losing GF I can rewatch and not feel disappointed. Collingwood’s form line going into the 2002 finals was on par with a bottom 4 team but then pulled out possibly the two best finals I’ve ever seen them play (given the talent of the playing group): the QF against Port (Johnson tackle, Steinfort from outside 50 lol) and then the GF. Yep never got to double digits. Lions should have been further ahead at half time but pies dominated the third Qtr and blew it with Tarrant kicking into man on mark and a critical miss in Red time.
I admit the whole Rocca goal called a behind is overrated in terms of impacting the result. Many have forgotten that in almost the next play Fraser goaled anyway so it was effectively a 7 point play. A classic and one of my favourite GFs
2020 was amazing to see the Grand Final actually played even if it was at night at the Gabba in late October. Brought some normality back to the country after a terrible year.
Good summary but I thought the 2003 GF should be a bit higher. The margin did get back to 30 points early in the third and I’m pretty sure Didak had a shot from 50 that went OTF, which could have made it 24pts. The lions were scintillating for sure but I don’t think it should be in the same company as 2019 and 2022.
I'm going to put 2015 as the worst as I couldn't even remember who Hawthorn played.
Other boring ones that come to mind 2022, 2019, 2007.
I thought 2003 was great, surely it has to get extra points if the underdog wins doesn't it? Pies were red hot favourites.
Other boring ones that come to mind 2022, 2019, 2007.
I thought 2003 was great, surely it has to get extra points if the underdog wins doesn't it? Pies were red hot favourites.
Much like 2015 may have been a sprinkle of hope but as far as I’m concerned, one side was well on top and was never going to lose that one.
- Dec 9, 2015
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2003? Still haven't seen any of the 2nd half
- Feb 5, 2018
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This may sound arrogant, but I went into the 2015 GF with about the same level of nerves I would for a pre-season match. In other words, none. We were never losing that game.
They were about $1.80 so only slight favourites. The suspension of Rocca completely threw out Collingwood’s structure. They would have been hot favs had Rocca been playing. In the QF, lions could only manage 1 more goal from half way thru the second quarter against the pies. Pies had won 11 of 12 going into the GF so deserved favouritism. They were dominant going into the game but you wouldn’t think that after watching the abomination of the GF!
tugga
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Massively overrated.
Geelong never a chance.
- Mar 2, 2015
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That's compete bullshit
Anyone who thinks this about the 89 GF has their head up their backside.
As a Hawks fan who was not only there that day, but had also been to the game in Round 6 when Hawthorn came back from 10 goals down to beat Geelong 26 goals to 25, I was never ever comfortable. I loved our 8 goal first quarter, but I sat there uneasy through the next 2 quarters, as Geelong got the game on their terms and started to build momentum.
The Hawks held onto a 6 goal lead throughout most of the game, but we never ever controlled it. It was Geelong who seemed to hold sway through the 2nd and 3rd quarters... Every time they scored a goal, we seemed to reply with an arsey goal against the run of play.
That Geelong team was one of the most attacking, highest-scoring teams anyone had ever seen. They were capable of kicking of 8 goals in a quick 10 minute burst of footy. They had done just that in virtually every game that season. Being down by 5 or 6 goals meant nothing to them.
Nearly all of their gun players were "on" that day. Gary Ablett was in one of his 'switched on' moods when every time he went near the ball, something good happened. You could tell he was on for a big bag. I was shitting bricks. Bruce Lindner was dominating off half back.. Andrew Bews was cutting the Hawks up through the middle...
Don't forget, Hawthorn had 2 of their best players, Ayres and Platten injured on the bench and out of the game from quarter time. We had nobody else to bring on and our players started to tire. You could see it. The scoreboard said Hawthorn, but everyone at the MCG that day could see Geelong was actually on top and the Hawks were just hanging on.
The last quarter was literally all Geelong... Ablett had the ball on a string. I felt sick. I've never experienced a more stomach-churning last quarter than that day. Just a rising sense of dread and panic which I'm sure every other Hawks fan felt as the roars for Geelong got louder and louder.
I still don't know how Hawthorn hung on to win. I've probably watched the replay 100 times and I still don't know how we managed to score enough in the last quarter to keep our noses in front.
Leaving aside whether or not you thought the Cats were a chance to win it.. The game itself, the quality of football was amazing. End to end stuff. A skills fest with numerous amazing goals, some great high marks and a BRUTAL BRUTAL game. It had everything. One of the toughest Grand Finals I've even seen with fights galore and players from both teams getting pole-axed throughout the afternoon.
21 goals apiece... and the Hawks hanging on to win the match with only 13 fit players at the final siren.
Everything that is good about Australian footy was on display at the MCG that afternoon.
No exaggerating. No hyperbole. Just the stone cold truth.
If you don't think the 89 GF was one of the greatest Grand Finals ever, then you don't know football.
Last edited:
tugga
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Now I am convinced it is even more overrated.
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One of the toughest Grand Finals ever played with 21 goals apiece
"overrated"
But people say the 2005 GF was a "classic" because the scores were close throughout the arvo.
Not one single highlight worth mentioning... except in the final seconds of the match: "Leo Barry!! You star!!"
Best eva!!!
Yeah this.
Some people just look at the score worm and think "meh Geelong were never a chance"
Maybe they weren't a strong chance. Their propensity for very quick scoring that year suggested otherwise, but yes it was always a tough ask.
Neither matters as much though as the football that was played. That's what makes it so great. It was next level stuff, from an effort, skill and brutality and bravery perspective. What both Hawthorn and Geelong produced that day would have easily won any other grand final perhaps a decade either side. (Through sheer effort alone - though with these hypotheticals who is to say other sides wouldn't have lifted to match them).
Alan Jeans implored the Hawks to "pay the price". Both sides gave every cent and the Hawks were just that bit better in the end.
I watched the last qtr of that game the other day
Port really put the foot to the floor last qtr. Was level half way through 3rd
- Sep 18, 2014
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2022 was brilliant 
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