Universal Love The most exhilarating win in recent memory?

[Camnstell]

The Prelim this year is the first game I can remember having lost complete control. The image of Shaun Burgoyne will be living in the memory forever.
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I spent most of the last quarter nearly in tears, so much tension. The noise was like nothing I've experienced. No idea the siren had sounded until Hawks started falling to the ground in celebration. Completely lost my mind at that point, curse broken, redemption and pure elation.
Burgoynes goal will be the iconic moment of the game but Bruests pressure and effort resulted in that turnover which saw the ball end up in Burgers hands sticks in my mind.
During the last quarter and after the game of my mates was taking photos of me and my reactions, I had no idea, he dead set took about 50 - devastation and elation fought on film.....

 

[JustKickIt]

I always remember the game against Carlton in 2009 when Fevola hit the post with seconds to go. With the rubbish that Lane and Walls were serving up all day it was priceless to hear their pain through the commentary. I agree with all of the above but for some reason I've always loved this one!

I think there was an early celebration from Fev as well, just to add a bit of icing

 

[La Vache]

If we are talking exhilaration then the third quarter in '08 beats everything hands down for me. Every minute, from the the realisation that we weren't going away, then throwing down the gauntlet, and finally shattering their tortured souls and practically blowing them off the park.

The building excitement during that stanza amongst Hawthorn supporters was palpable, as was the growing despair of Geelong. And the noise was something else. I'll never forget that.

No one saw it coming I reckon, and what topped it off was that it was against one of the best sides you will ever see. Geelong were a juggernaut that year, I still reckon that was their best team of their era. To roll them was head in the clouds stuff.

The Prelim was something else. They haven't invented an emotion that accurately describes that night. Makes me laugh just thinking about it.

 

[madhawkboy]

I want to live them all again! The 2013 Prelim gets it for me.

 

[Flukey!]

I voted for the prelim, but on retrospect I think the 08 flag takes the cake.
Yes, the Geelong game was super important and was the catalyst to this years win, but for sheer joy, I think nothing beats a GF win.
I stayed in the ground for quite a while in 08 celebrating and can remember hanging out around M8 or close to it and singing the song many times with the hawk faithful that had gathered there. I still have some video of it as well somewhere.

'08 was number 10 of 11. That is the true definition of "limited edition".
We can beat Geelong any old time.

 

[killerspud]

For me it was the game against Collingwas early this year - I had to watch it for work (first week at new job) and do the highlights for it. It had that goal of the year (guerra to Stratton to buddy hurdle goal) but it was the clinical precise nature of how the team played. This wasn't just my team beating a hated oppoenent. This was MY team playing the most brilliant attractive style of game that you could hope to see. The kind that gives commentators orgasms, the kind of play that makes neutral fans go - "I'm glad I watched that" and the type that makes bomber, pies, cats and carltank fans want to find another code to follow. One Geelong supporting colleague at a different place of employ said "You know I hate you guys more than you could imagine but gee I could have watched you carve up Collingwood like that all day - " We pretty much ended Collingwood's year right there in round 3 or 4 and we made the most emphatic statement possible to say we want 2013 to be our year and nothing will stop us

 

[moginie]

I picked 2007 because that really heralded our arrival. I'd also sat in the pissing rain & biting wind in the members section of AAMI earlier that year & watched us kick an incredibly poor 4.7 against the crows.

We had been hammered by Sydney the week before. No-one really gave us a chance. We were over 6 goals down. We won.

I screamed with delight.

And I've done a lot of screaming with delight since. What a great team to support.

 

[Milang_Panthers]

So hard to pick between 07 and 13. Was going nuts after both games but if I had to pick one I'd say last years prelim because I was in a pub here in Perth where everyone wanted the hawks to lose. They were giving me shit all game especially when we were down late in the game, that moment when the siren went was amazing

 

[pacman]

Has to be the 2013 Prelim.

I was in the Pineapple Hotel in Brisbane with about 100 Hawk fans and when Burgoyne kicked that goal the place went ballistic.
Was similar to when Buckenara kicked that goal in the 87 Prelim!

 

[Glacier]

This years GF for me
Yes the prelim was awesome but I wasn't there, this is the first winning GF I've been to and my feeling of relief, joy and satisfaction at the end was something to treasure
Also the big FU that the Hawthorn Football Club dished out to the AFL and the media on GF day this year is a beautiful and priceless thing

 

[hawk86]

I'm not sure if it has been mentioned.

For those who want a little reminder, or a guaranteed pick me up.
The AFL website has the final series available to stream at your convenience.

Go to the smart replay tab, if you a pressed for time head the the start of the 4th Qtr, Prelim.

You will immediately be relieved of any stress or negative feelings. You will also be reminded as to the serious quality of that final 30 mins.

Please note for those watching in an office or library, hysterical laughter and high fiving is encouraged but not recommended.

 

[PayThePrice]

I voted the 2013 prelim - although to be honest its a bit like trying to pick your favourite child! I was lucky enough to have gone to all 3 and each has its own warm and fuzzy place in my heart and mind. I think winning the big one this year makes the prelim such a special moment, with out that we would have been labelled chokers and underachievers, to beat the "curse" and to go on will mean that 2013 will be filled with so many great memories, all the great wins this year make up ultimate story of a GF victory.

I say soak it up all summer!

 

[Cynic]

All. Such. Good. Choices.

I think the prelim...as maijar said that de ja vu feeling was just so immense...but that made it oh so sweet

 

[amos]

Damn, what an insanely difficult task. I remember fist pumping and spinning my left arm Trevor Chappel underarm style at a rate of knots so hard after Buddy sank the Crows that I did something to my shoulder that still remains today. I've gotta go that.

 

[Mr Chuckles]

I've never experienced anything like this year's prelim. I watched the game alone in a bar overseas, and two hours after the game my heart was still racing. It's the only game I've seen that left me genuinely concerned for my health!

 

[Dixie Flatline]

I've been to all three games. I had no hesitation in choosing the 2013 preliminary final. It was the most exhilarating game I've ever attended. It had the full gamut of emotions, from crushing feeling of despair at the thought of another loss to the Cats, through to a magnificent high at the sight of Varcoe missing and the sight of the ball travelling down the wing to Cyril as the siren sounded.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Great thread.

Although the stakes were a lot lower, another game that I remember for sheer adrenaline was against Essendon in 2005 when we beat them by 1 point. Mark Williams had a set shot with about a minute to play, and kicked his 8th goal from just outside 50, with a wet heavy ball. I was sitting right behind the goal and it was just a great moment. Then we had to pray for the siren, and the feeling when it sounded was awesome.

The three wins mentioned by Echols are all much more significant, but back in the dark days of 2005 any win was good, and this one was particularly memorable for me.

Willo was so confident about kicking the goal he told the Essendon players to go back to their positions before he kicked for goal.

 

[Halcon]

Willo was so confident about kicking the goal he told the Essendon players to go back to their positions before he kicked for goal.

How good was Willo?!! The fact he's being mentioned for 2 separate games says a lot. His heroics with Dew in 2008 GF still get me up off the couch punching he air . Like others, I'm finding it hard to choose: the 2007 EF ( and by extension, Buddy, notwithstanding recent events) will always be magical for me, as I was this crazy 36 week-pregnant woman scaring strangers with my frenzied barracking . I wasn't at the 08 GF but watched at home in awe and delight (whereas this year I pretty much held my breath from the first bounce and exhaled on the final siren - less joy but still bloody good ). I think Dixie sums it up beautifully though - the 2013 PF had it all. It was such an emotional roller coaster and when Burger kicked that goal the tears started to flow and didn't stop until well after the siren. Pure exhilaration.

 

[Hawkhead#2]

What a question!

My initial thought was the '13 Prelim against Geelong. I didn't sit down for the last qtr as we steadily came back and i thought, "could we win this one"? I wallowed in that win for ages (and secretly worried we had played our 'GF' that night.

However, I picked the '07 Elimination Final. The Hawks had been in the doldrums for a while and here was this bunch of inexperienced but talented kids that just gave me a sense that maybe this team is going somewhere!

Little did I know that the '08 season would be so good!

Fond memories

 

[diggydig]

The Prelim was the most important - just watched it again. No reputations riding on '07 or '08 because we had a young developing team.
In '13 we are approaching the end of our window and we had not beaten Geelong since 2008; we go in with a superior team on paper (yet again) and find ourselves behind (yet again) after choking in front of goal. On the things we can't control, nothing is going our way. And we still stuck with it and came through. (Should have won by six goals though).
If we lost the Prelim, this generation of Hawthorn players would have been forever marked as having under-achieved; they would have been forever labelled as mentally weak.

 

[market]

I got along to all 3 as well...and the 2007 prelim wins for me...the massive elation felt as firstly bud put that goal thru which set everyone mental was only just surpassed less than a minute later when the final siren sounded.

Hawks fans were so loud and I can remember that it took ages to come down from the high that everyone was on.

Can totally understand why people pick the other games, but for me in 07, we were just starting the journey and it was this game that got the belief going.

 

[cryptor]

Was at the game for the prelim. Watched 08 GF live on TV. Watched 07 EF on replay and had heard the result.

Those things may skew my feelings about each game but for me the prelim pips the 08 GF.

I think it might be because there was no real expectations on us winning 08 and when we were on our way to doing so it was over well before the end of the game.

The prelim on the other hand had sooo much history leading up to it. We also had a crazy amount of pressure and expectation on us. Lose and we would've been labelled and remembered as "downhill skiers" and "chokers" forever. Win and... well this!! And just the way we won was truly exhilarating! The script seemed to be a photocopy of the previous however many losses to the Cats and it was at some point after 3 quarter time that guys like Burgoyne and Mitchell were like "NOT TONIGHT!" and willed us on to win!

 

[Hawkas1988]

The Prelim was the most important - just watched it again. No reputations riding on '07 or '08 because we had a young developing team.
In '13 we are approaching the end of our window and we had not beaten Geelong since 2008; we go in with a superior team on paper (yet again) and find ourselves behind (yet again) after choking in front of goal. On the things we can't control, nothing is going our way. And we still stuck with it and came through. (Should have won by six goals though).
If we lost the Prelim, this generation of Hawthorn players would have been forever marked as having under-achieved; they would have been forever labelled as mentally weak.

This is what would've hurt the most. We knew our players were good enough but at the start of that last quarter I thought how can we come back now? Nothing is going right. I sat their thinking this group will be gutted if they lose this, they would've underachieved and been given that dreaded label of mentally weak.

This is why the 2013 PF is the best game I've ever been to live.

Everything seemed to be against us, bad kicking, geelong kicking goals out of their a*se (Taylor, Murdoch) and decisions going against us unfairly such as the out of the full 20 seconds before the 3/4 time siren. Geelong also had never lost a final from that margin up at 3/4 time before and they are no mug side.

That last quarter we saw the boys lift to another gear and will themselves to prove everyone wrong and win the game that looked out of our reach at 3/4 time. Burgoyne and Mitchell simply didn't let us lose that match, both were magnificent but it wasn't just them.

The gibbo 1 on 1 with Bartel, Stratton's 2 massive marks, Hales hip and shoulder in the middle saving a certain goal, Hill's clean pick up and snap etc.

I have never been more prouder and ecstatic after a game. Was on my chair fist pumping, hugging strangers telling them I love them and finding out the feelings were mutual

I think I will have to watch the last quarter again now!

 

[MC_9]

Great thread.

Thinking about each of those games just bring a huge smile to my face. Very hard to pick, as each game had a completely different feel and meaning.

07 Elimination Final

This was our arrival. After so many years of being so ordinary, we were right back where we belonged in September action. We were a young team of potential superstars, led by Buddy who truly announced himself to the football world that day. 7 goals in an elimination final, including the game winning goal is the stuff of legends. On top of that, Adelaide were a team that had tortured us for years.

08 Grand Final

At the start of the year, even the most ardent Hawthorn supporter couldn't have predicted how this year would turn out. Geelong were the superpower, they looked simply unstoppable. Hawthorn had powered through September, yet no-one could look past Geelong's dominant season. The game was a classic. Then that 5 minutes in the 3rd quarter happened. That 5 minutes is without question the most memorable 5 minutes of my football watching life. Dew, Rioli, Williams. Amazing. Just pure elation after the game, as it was a win that I never expected.

13 Preliminary Final

Pressure. The word the best describes that game. I cant remember a team having so much pressure on them, as us leading into that game. The Kennet Curse, the fashion that we had lost all those games, the disappointment of last years GF, the tag of forever being remembered as underachievers. We just simply had to win. When Caddy kicked that goal in the last quarter, I had almost lost all faith. It was happening again. But the boys just stood up, Hill's goal, Bruest's goal and of course Burgoyne's goal. As soon as Poppy marked the ball on the wing, I just lost my shit. Never been so relieved after a game in my life. That was our Grand Final. After that game, I knew that nothing was going to stop us from winning flag number 11.

 

[Davo23]

This is what would've hurt the most. We knew our players were good enough but at the start of that last quarter I thought how can we come back now? Nothing is going right. I sat their thinking this group will be gutted if they lose this, they would've underachieved and been given that dreaded label of mentally weak.

This is why the 2013 PF is the best game I've ever been to live.

Everything seemed to be against us, bad kicking, geelong kicking goals out of their a*se (Taylor, Murdoch) and decisions going against us unfairly such as the out of the full 20 seconds before the 3/4 time siren. Geelong also had never lost a final from that margin up at 3/4 time before and they are no mug side.

That last quarter we saw the boys lift to another gear and will themselves to prove everyone wrong and win the game that looked out of our reach at 3/4 time. Burgoyne and Mitchell simply didn't let us lose that match, both were magnificent but it wasn't just them.

The gibbo 1 on 1 with Bartel, Stratton's 2 massive marks, Hales hip and shoulder in the middle saving a certain goal, Hill's clean pick up and snap etc.

I have never been more prouder and ecstatic after a game. Was on my chair fist pumping, hugging strangers telling them I love them and finding out the feelings were mutual

I think I will have to watch the last quarter again now!

Very nice post, Hawkas1988.

But I have to say this: we were never going to lose.
The faces of Hodgey, Mitch & Burgoyne during the Last Quarter said everything.

This was to be redemption and losing was not an option.


And of course: Geelong choked!

Again!