- Jun 23, 2004
- 13,506
- 38
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
Ripped off the geelong board, but the gist remains the same - list your top ten favourite/most memorable matches involving your club:
1 - 2002 Grand Final, Collingwood vs Brisbane. The best game i have ever seen. effort and courage of both sides unbelieveable. pies were all heart for the entire day. the wet weather helped make the day what it was.
2 - 2002 Preliminary Final, Collingwood vs Adelaide. Having started following the Pies in 1997, i was yet to see the pies in the finals. this was the day the giant awoke. shivers down the spine just remembering the noise. it was amazing. the third quarter came from somewhere else - goals to neon leon, josh fraser (after steinfort copped a huge hit for the team), rupert betheras (bending it arrrrrouuund the boundary under pressure and setting the mcg into a crazed chant of 'rupe rupe rupe' is shivers down the spine stuff), glenn freeborn (storming out of the centre and drilling a beauty, you could always count on freeza) and then the monster launch from rocca, about 70m from goal, after a long weaving johnson-lonie run just topped it off beautifully. the stands were shaking. no noise has ever been louder, imo. subsequent goals to steinfort, nick davis and didak felt like lifting pots of gold from the end of the rainbow.
will never forget the feeling - WE ARE IN THE GRAND FINAL! and it didn't matter what the odds were, we were there, we had the chance. beautiful.
3 - 2002 Qualifying Final Collingwood vs Port Adelaide. again, 2002, but another amazing performance from an amazing football team. rank outsiders, but we did it. watching on a big screen at the hotel we were staying at was gripping. ben johnson's tackle on burgoyne was akin to the reassuring words 'it'll be ok, it'll be fine' you hear before getting an injection as a child. again, 22 committed and competitive players who worked as one force, all in the absence of bucks.
4 - 2009 Semi-Final Collingwood vs Adelaide. maybe because it's so fresh in my memory, but this was something superb. nearly, nearly down and out at half time, the pies knew they had something left. the crowd reached 2002-prelim proportions in noise in the third quarter. imo it singlehandedly willed brad dick to three contests to chase/tackle/harrass before the ball ended up OOB due to his pressure. felt such spirit and passion, wild, fierce, crazed passion in the crowd. spirit. unbreakable, it felt. just KNEW we were going to win when johnson slammed home his two goals in the third term. typical ben johnson kicks for goal, long, strong and never in doubt. the feeling after our final three goals, to macaffer, leigh brown and finally jack anthony gave such a strength of power and glory in one's self - as if you were the king of the world. unstoppable. eternal power and strength. such is the power of football and emotion. leigh brown's goal was so heartwarming. written off by everyone in footy bar his own, he stood up when it was needed. still feel so proud for him. shows that, if you work hard enough, when your turn comes, and it will come, you, too, can be a hero. his celebration stuck it up the doubters, and the call from huddo was a ripper 'will it be a GOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLL! OF COURSE IT IS!'. yesss! then jack's match winner, unbelieveable stuff. that feeling throughout the second half, where you're hugging all around you as if you've known them forever (maybe you have?), and looking the guy you've struck up a friendship with in the eye with a 'we're gonna win it i know it and you do too we're gonna win it and stick it right up them' look, as well as sharing it with one of your very best mates....i'm sure we all know the feeling. well, most of us. i hope everyone gets to experience this one day, as it is the most powerful, manic, desperately awesome feeling you can experience. the scenes when the siren went and post game confirmed to me all i already knew - collingwood is special. it isn't just a football club. it is a concept. it is believing. it is meaning. it did feel like there was another element to it, as if the likes of rose, coventry, collier, millane and thompson were looking down on the club that night. maybe. i like to dream. but this was one for the memory bank. thinking now, how did this not make it to number one?
5. Semi-Final 2007, Collingwood vs West Coast. a phenominal season, and a truly amazing night. remember thinking during the third term when we were 3-goals down that 'surely, surely this season cannot finish here, like this, in perth, miles away?'. within minutes, trav cloke and roccax2 (aided by guy richards in a 5m purple patch) turned the game on its head. the ensuing final term and extra-time period was enough to make you cry, but love, all at once. had that 'vomit is rising' feeling in my stomach and mind all through the last term. we're in front, daisy has goaled! uh oh, we're up the creek, le cras goals. hold it, hold it, heeeelllp as embley and glass have shots from 50m+ out from goal. they miss, scores are tied. dear God, jimmy clement, that kick is too close to the boundary! thank goodness for o'bree marking it. pies go forward. 1m to go. just score for goodness sake! do it pies hurrrry up. can't look, but can't look away. that horribly wonderful feeling you wouldn't trade for ANYTHING yet hate all at once. if it happens, the horror. 'we're going to overtime!' screams cometti. watnow. i lean on the lexus centre bar, eyes red, glazed over, no voice left, rasping to the bar tender 'canivadrinkawaterplease'. a 2minute breather. back to the house of pain. but, somehow, on the wide subiaco sea, the pies look better. medhurst gathers, steadies, hands off to chrissy bryan and bryzer storms in to give us the lead! yayah! staker misses a crucial goal, thank you thank you thank you. then the young guns work it forward through sheer work. trav cloke, thomas, marty clarke wedges a kick, pendles gathers, runs into goal 'there's nobody up ahead! this could be the ballgame!'. is this it? surely, this is it? braun's handball is intercepted, swanny takes the sherrin, now this IS it! open goal! siren! omgomgomg we're gonna take on geelong!!! what a feeling. the lexus centre was going berserk. singing and chanting with delerium. will never forget that night.
6. Collingwood vs Brisbane, R8 2002. hard and fast and physical footy all night long until three goals from rupert betheras in 10-minutes breaks the deadlock. bucks superb, mcgough copped a hammering from shaun hart but it bought us a chance at goal. wakelin's defensive work was stirring in the last quarter. ditto jason cloke. siren. pies by 3pts. the crowd just so loud through the tv.
7. Preliminary Final 2007, Collingwood vs Geelong. don't need to say much here. just that all sense of normality was sucked from the air/mcg as soon as the national anthem started. was the most violent footy rollarcoaster i've ever ridden. was like being on a flimsy raft in the midst of angry, violant, unpredictable waves. and sounded just like that. crashing against the shore. holding on for dear life. desparately searching for an escape route to paradise. ever so close to doing so. we just kept coming and coming all night. to a man, the pies were gallant and courageous. bryan with seven tackles, and shane o'bree nine typified our effort. did not quit for a second. it's amazing that, even in defeat, you can find out how much you love your club. am glad to see the cats do well atm, they deserve it. they have humility. seeing port dance in such a comedic fashion on the kangaroos body for 3qtrs the next day was a slap in the face. how could they get such a free ride to a chance at glory, when we were locked in such an epic arm wrestle?
8. Collingwood vs Essendon. R5 2002. Anzac Day. mcgough. rain. buckley's celebration. jason cloke's courage. burns' guts and determination. lonie on the burst. mckee's persistance. the pies just didn't give in, and ended up with a 33-pt or so win. really signalled that, hey, we can go places with this side.
9. Collingwood vs Carlton. R18 2002. sweet, sweet victory. by 107-points. buckley's 200th, superb game. three brownlow votes. betheras with two. fraser kicked five. chipper adkins, in his second game back, looked the part. joffa and his wooden spoon. seeing a fight in the southern stand, level three as a pies fan waved his spoons in carlton faces. magical.
10. Collingwood vs St Kilda. R14 2007. solid start in the wet, followed by some shambolic umpiring. probably the worst i have ever, ever seen. gehrig got such a free run vs wakelin. but in the last quarter, we still found a way. burns, licuria and o'bree kept pumping the ball in. thomas was magical, two freakish goals, only one paid, but both were stuff which lifts your spirits skyhigh. that feeling of leaping to my feet alongside 40,000 other fans as thomas slotted that wouldbegoal from the pocket. i won't forget.
plenty of honourable mentions to be made. could really go on forever here, as you no doubt can detect. should be interesting to read everyone's lists. bias is permitted, and encouraged.
1 - 2002 Grand Final, Collingwood vs Brisbane. The best game i have ever seen. effort and courage of both sides unbelieveable. pies were all heart for the entire day. the wet weather helped make the day what it was.
2 - 2002 Preliminary Final, Collingwood vs Adelaide. Having started following the Pies in 1997, i was yet to see the pies in the finals. this was the day the giant awoke. shivers down the spine just remembering the noise. it was amazing. the third quarter came from somewhere else - goals to neon leon, josh fraser (after steinfort copped a huge hit for the team), rupert betheras (bending it arrrrrouuund the boundary under pressure and setting the mcg into a crazed chant of 'rupe rupe rupe' is shivers down the spine stuff), glenn freeborn (storming out of the centre and drilling a beauty, you could always count on freeza) and then the monster launch from rocca, about 70m from goal, after a long weaving johnson-lonie run just topped it off beautifully. the stands were shaking. no noise has ever been louder, imo. subsequent goals to steinfort, nick davis and didak felt like lifting pots of gold from the end of the rainbow.
will never forget the feeling - WE ARE IN THE GRAND FINAL! and it didn't matter what the odds were, we were there, we had the chance. beautiful.3 - 2002 Qualifying Final Collingwood vs Port Adelaide. again, 2002, but another amazing performance from an amazing football team. rank outsiders, but we did it. watching on a big screen at the hotel we were staying at was gripping. ben johnson's tackle on burgoyne was akin to the reassuring words 'it'll be ok, it'll be fine' you hear before getting an injection as a child. again, 22 committed and competitive players who worked as one force, all in the absence of bucks.
4 - 2009 Semi-Final Collingwood vs Adelaide. maybe because it's so fresh in my memory, but this was something superb. nearly, nearly down and out at half time, the pies knew they had something left. the crowd reached 2002-prelim proportions in noise in the third quarter. imo it singlehandedly willed brad dick to three contests to chase/tackle/harrass before the ball ended up OOB due to his pressure. felt such spirit and passion, wild, fierce, crazed passion in the crowd. spirit. unbreakable, it felt. just KNEW we were going to win when johnson slammed home his two goals in the third term. typical ben johnson kicks for goal, long, strong and never in doubt. the feeling after our final three goals, to macaffer, leigh brown and finally jack anthony gave such a strength of power and glory in one's self - as if you were the king of the world. unstoppable. eternal power and strength. such is the power of football and emotion. leigh brown's goal was so heartwarming. written off by everyone in footy bar his own, he stood up when it was needed. still feel so proud for him. shows that, if you work hard enough, when your turn comes, and it will come, you, too, can be a hero. his celebration stuck it up the doubters, and the call from huddo was a ripper 'will it be a GOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLL! OF COURSE IT IS!'. yesss! then jack's match winner, unbelieveable stuff. that feeling throughout the second half, where you're hugging all around you as if you've known them forever (maybe you have?), and looking the guy you've struck up a friendship with in the eye with a 'we're gonna win it i know it and you do too we're gonna win it and stick it right up them' look, as well as sharing it with one of your very best mates....i'm sure we all know the feeling. well, most of us. i hope everyone gets to experience this one day, as it is the most powerful, manic, desperately awesome feeling you can experience. the scenes when the siren went and post game confirmed to me all i already knew - collingwood is special. it isn't just a football club. it is a concept. it is believing. it is meaning. it did feel like there was another element to it, as if the likes of rose, coventry, collier, millane and thompson were looking down on the club that night. maybe. i like to dream. but this was one for the memory bank. thinking now, how did this not make it to number one?
5. Semi-Final 2007, Collingwood vs West Coast. a phenominal season, and a truly amazing night. remember thinking during the third term when we were 3-goals down that 'surely, surely this season cannot finish here, like this, in perth, miles away?'. within minutes, trav cloke and roccax2 (aided by guy richards in a 5m purple patch) turned the game on its head. the ensuing final term and extra-time period was enough to make you cry, but love, all at once. had that 'vomit is rising' feeling in my stomach and mind all through the last term. we're in front, daisy has goaled! uh oh, we're up the creek, le cras goals. hold it, hold it, heeeelllp as embley and glass have shots from 50m+ out from goal. they miss, scores are tied. dear God, jimmy clement, that kick is too close to the boundary! thank goodness for o'bree marking it. pies go forward. 1m to go. just score for goodness sake! do it pies hurrrry up. can't look, but can't look away. that horribly wonderful feeling you wouldn't trade for ANYTHING yet hate all at once. if it happens, the horror. 'we're going to overtime!' screams cometti. watnow. i lean on the lexus centre bar, eyes red, glazed over, no voice left, rasping to the bar tender 'canivadrinkawaterplease'. a 2minute breather. back to the house of pain. but, somehow, on the wide subiaco sea, the pies look better. medhurst gathers, steadies, hands off to chrissy bryan and bryzer storms in to give us the lead! yayah! staker misses a crucial goal, thank you thank you thank you. then the young guns work it forward through sheer work. trav cloke, thomas, marty clarke wedges a kick, pendles gathers, runs into goal 'there's nobody up ahead! this could be the ballgame!'. is this it? surely, this is it? braun's handball is intercepted, swanny takes the sherrin, now this IS it! open goal! siren! omgomgomg we're gonna take on geelong!!! what a feeling. the lexus centre was going berserk. singing and chanting with delerium. will never forget that night.
6. Collingwood vs Brisbane, R8 2002. hard and fast and physical footy all night long until three goals from rupert betheras in 10-minutes breaks the deadlock. bucks superb, mcgough copped a hammering from shaun hart but it bought us a chance at goal. wakelin's defensive work was stirring in the last quarter. ditto jason cloke. siren. pies by 3pts. the crowd just so loud through the tv.
7. Preliminary Final 2007, Collingwood vs Geelong. don't need to say much here. just that all sense of normality was sucked from the air/mcg as soon as the national anthem started. was the most violent footy rollarcoaster i've ever ridden. was like being on a flimsy raft in the midst of angry, violant, unpredictable waves. and sounded just like that. crashing against the shore. holding on for dear life. desparately searching for an escape route to paradise. ever so close to doing so. we just kept coming and coming all night. to a man, the pies were gallant and courageous. bryan with seven tackles, and shane o'bree nine typified our effort. did not quit for a second. it's amazing that, even in defeat, you can find out how much you love your club. am glad to see the cats do well atm, they deserve it. they have humility. seeing port dance in such a comedic fashion on the kangaroos body for 3qtrs the next day was a slap in the face. how could they get such a free ride to a chance at glory, when we were locked in such an epic arm wrestle?
8. Collingwood vs Essendon. R5 2002. Anzac Day. mcgough. rain. buckley's celebration. jason cloke's courage. burns' guts and determination. lonie on the burst. mckee's persistance. the pies just didn't give in, and ended up with a 33-pt or so win. really signalled that, hey, we can go places with this side.
9. Collingwood vs Carlton. R18 2002. sweet, sweet victory. by 107-points. buckley's 200th, superb game. three brownlow votes. betheras with two. fraser kicked five. chipper adkins, in his second game back, looked the part. joffa and his wooden spoon. seeing a fight in the southern stand, level three as a pies fan waved his spoons in carlton faces. magical.
10. Collingwood vs St Kilda. R14 2007. solid start in the wet, followed by some shambolic umpiring. probably the worst i have ever, ever seen. gehrig got such a free run vs wakelin. but in the last quarter, we still found a way. burns, licuria and o'bree kept pumping the ball in. thomas was magical, two freakish goals, only one paid, but both were stuff which lifts your spirits skyhigh. that feeling of leaping to my feet alongside 40,000 other fans as thomas slotted that wouldbegoal from the pocket. i won't forget.
plenty of honourable mentions to be made. could really go on forever here, as you no doubt can detect. should be interesting to read everyone's lists. bias is permitted, and encouraged.
