Game Day Top 10 AFL finals of the 2000s

[Yippy Yi Yeo]

Surely 06 GF could be squeezed in, the momentum was see sawing the entire last quarter with some huge moments thrown in, and after the previous 4 or 5 games between the sides that were decided by less than a goal you always knew it was going down to the wire.

 

[bradrowe#32]

I don't think it's just bias when I say the 2002 semi final between Adelaide v Melbourne is surely a better final then some in this list

One of the most under-rated finals. I wrote about that in another thread a few months ago. The momentum swings in that game were crazy good.

Adelaide kicked 8 goals to 1 in the first, Melbourne kicked 7 goals to 4 in the second and 8 goals to 2 in the third. Adelaide kicked 6 goals to 1 in the last to win by 12 points, 130 to 118. Travis Johnstone was insane with 25 disposals and 4 goals. Adem Yze, Jeff White, Cameron Bruce, David Neitz and Russell Robertson were great. Adelaide's midfield was brilliant; Tyson Edwards, Kane Johnson, Simon Goodwin and Andrew McLeod. Just a brilliant game.

The whole game is available;

 

[Donakebab]

Surely 06 GF could be squeezed in, the momentum was see sawing the entire last quarter with some huge moments thrown in, and after the previous 4 or 5 games between the sides that were decided by less than a goal you always knew it was going down to the wire.

No it couldn't be squeezed in as the very first sentence explicitly states that Grand Finals are excluded.

 

[McCrann]

https://downtheguts.com/2017/08/31/top-10-afl-finals-of-the-2000s/

This week we continue our look at the best finals (excluding Grand Finals) played in the modern era. In the last fortnight, we have looked back on some of the great finals from the 1980’s and 1990’s. This week we look at the best of the finals from the first decade of this century.

We’d love to hear your most memorable finals moments of the 2000’s and there certainly were some epic clashes that took place in a decade where the footy played became faster as clubs became more and more professional off-field.

10: 2000 1st Qualifying Final: Essendon 198 def Nth Melbourne 73
Arguably the most perfect football ever played in a final. Essendon were unstoppable from start to end and had winners everywhere. Joe Misiti had 41 possessions and 4 goals, Matthew Lloyd kicked 7, James Hird 5 in the opening half to help the Bombers compile what still stands as the highest ever score in any final and the second biggest winning margin in any final.



9: 2009 2nd Elimination Final: Brisbane 111 def Carlton 104
It had been eight years since the Blues had played in the finals and between 2002 and 2008 they’d occupied one of the bottom two positions on the ladder five times. Their long awaited return to September looked like being a success too as they had Brisbane on the canvas at the Gabba at three-quarter time with a four goal advantage. A Cameron Cloke goal early in the final term saw the margin blow out to five goals and Carlton looked home. But the Lions, led by twin towers Jon Brown and Dan Bradshaw rocketed home to kick the final six goals and steal the win by seven points in what remains as the greatest ever comeback at three-quarter time in an Elimination Final.



8: 2002 1st Qualifying Final: Collingwood 108 def Port Adelaide 95
After exiting the finals the season before in straight sets the Power were determined to capitalise on finishing 2002 on top of the ladder. Against a Collingwood side minus Nathan Buckley, they were expected to win and win well. Nobody told the Pies though as Paul Licuria played one of the all-time great finals games with 40 inspirational possessions to lead the Magpies to a stirring victory against the odds.



7: 2007 2nd Semi Final: Collingwood 72 drew West Coast 72
In their quest for back to back premierships, the Eagles ended the home and away season in third. They coughed up a three quarter time lead in the first week and lost to the Power, so hosted the Pies in a cut throat clash in week two. Nothing separated the sides all night in a tight, dogged affair. Once again though the West Coast gave up a three quarter time lead but this time, as the siren sounded, scores were level and for only the second time in history, a final went to extra time, where Collingwood powered away from the tired Eagles, who exited in straight sets.



6: 2009 1st Semi Final: Collingwood 83 def Adelaide 78
As the siren sounded for quarter time between Collingwood and Adelaide an anxious hush came over the MCG as the scoreboard showed the visitors five goals ahead. Despite outscoring the Crows in the second term Collingwood still trailed by four goals at the main break. But the Magpie army lifted their side in the second half and they poured on six goals to none in the third quarter to send Pie fans in the stands delirious. Adelaide again fought back in a titanic struggle and a Kurt Tippett goal at the 27-minute mark looked to seal it for Adelaide. But a free kick to Collingwood’s Jack Anthony with under a minute remaining saw the big man kick truly to send the Pies into the Preliminary Final.



5: 2001 2nd Semi Final: Hawthorn 72 def Port Adelaide 69
Port Adelaide had rocketed up the table in season 2001 climbing from 14th the previous season to finish the home and away campaign in third. Losing their first final away in Brisbane they ventured home to take on a young Hawks side they were expected to beat. Three goals ahead at home at three-quarter time it looked as though they would. But Hawthorn stormed home against all the odds in a hostile environment to pinch the win by just three points to become just the second Victorian team to venture interstate to win a final.



4: 2007 1st Elimination Final: Hawthorn 105 def Adelaide 102
This game signalled the arrival of Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin. He’d had a breakout season, but in his first final, Buddy was electric and dominant. Two months earlier, Adelaide thrashed the Hawks so despite the final being in Melbourne and despite Hawthorn finishing 5th and Adelaide 8th many expected a close game. They got it too as the Crows led at every change by 19, 12 and 14 points. But the fast finishing Hawks, led by Franklin, rattled home to win by three points. Buddy showed nerves of steel as his 50-metre bomb from the boundary in the closing stages sailed through to put Hawthorn in front. His salute to the ecstatic Hawks fans iconic.



3: 2007 1st Preliminary Final: Geelong 92 def Collingwood 87
The all-conquering Cats of 2007 entered the Preliminary Final fresh off belting Nth Melbourne in the Qualifying Final. Many expected them to easily take care of a Collingwood side who’d prevailed in extra-time just seven days earlier in the West. But the Pies were relentless all night and their small forward brigade of Alan Didak, Paul Medhurst and Sean Rusling caused problems for the Cats. Deep into the final term the Pies were still nipping at Geelong’s heels but with skipper Nathan Buckley sitting watching helplessly on the bench injured, Gary Ablett snapped the sealer to get Geelong home in a thriller by just five points.



2: 2004 1st Preliminary Final: Port Adelaide 94 def St.Kilda 88
For the third straight season, the Power finished the year as minor premiers. It was now or never for a side rapidly gaining a reputation as a finals choker. After winning their Qualifying Final and earning a week off, the Preliminary Final against the Saints was the biggest match in their short history. Nothing separated the sides all night in a tight, pulsating contest, but with the game on the line Gavin Wanganeen, who’d done little all match, kicked two final quarter goals including the one to put the Power in front and that’s where they stayed, by six points.



1: 2005 2nd Semi Final: Sydney 56 def Geelong 53
‘I see it, but I don’t believe it!’ was the cry from Anthony Hudson as Nick Davis somehow slotted the ball through the goals, despite a crowded Sydney forward 50 and being off balance. It was one of the greatest finals cameos ever witnessed as Davis kicked four final quarter goals to drag the Swans, who were four goals down at the final change, over the line.

The Top 4 were the first 4 that came to mind for me - in that order as well. They stand above the redt.

1. Sydney d Geelong in 2005 2nd Semi-Final. Sydney 56 d Geelong 53 (Turgid game before then, but unbelievably tense last quarter)

2. Port Adelaide d St. Kilda in 2004 1st Preliminary Final. Port Adelaide 94 d St. Kilda 88 (Look at the stats - the Saints dominated this game and somehow contrived to lose - 16 or so more Inside 50s for a start - this was the Flag that got away for the Saints).

3. Geelong d Collingwood in 2007 1st Preliminary Final. Geelong 92 d Collingwood 87. Wow. An average Pies side with echoes of 2002-03 nearly pulls off the impossible.

4. Hawthorn d Adelaide in 1st Elimination Final. Hawthorn 105 d Adelaide 102. Hello BUDDY!!

The rest, plenty of good finals, but yeah - definitely the Top 4 of this category.

 

[McCrann]

The Nick Davis last quarter was crazy but the game was a shocker from memory.

Maybe, but as a neutral that last quarter was intense, and amazing. As a neutral.

What added to it was 2 teams with huge Premiership droughts playing each other. And for the winner? A match against another huge Premiership drought - St. Kilda.

As a Saints man - we wanted Geelong to win as we believed we had Geelong's measure at that time. Sydney were more worrisome - as it turned out! Thankyou Big Bad Bustling and your tremendous right hook to Matty's ribcage! Off the bloody ball by a mile!!

 

[Yippy Yi Yeo]

No it couldn't be squeezed in as the very first sentence explicitly states that Grand Finals are excluded.

Lmao fair call, must've skim read it

 

[McCrann]

******* lol!

Vs the crows and saints in 98 and blues and roos in 2000 were good for you guys.

Enjoyed 2004 game vs dons too. Wicked bump on Hird then Johnstone nailed a pearler from about 50 in from the boundary.

Good come back in 2006 vs saints too. Upset win from behind. I think you were down 23 at ht, could have been 17, and some campaigner plonked 20k at $1.20 on the saints. Unlucky bastard. I recall thinking what a stupid campaigner at the time, looking back at it seemed a good bet.

Melbourne won that game, but in truth the Saints had half a dozen of our best players (Best 22 - Best Midfielder, Ruckman, 2 Key Defenders, Wingman, Tagger) sitting in the stands, and even more than that during the game we had half a dozen injured players playing! Sure some took injuries in, but Gehrig injuring himself doing something stupid was very costly and spurred the Melbourne comeback.

It's amazing we were in that game at all.
http://finalsiren.com/MatchDetails.asp?GameID=4497&Code=aa0611c900c74bb09695163b3abbf663

Best 22 OUTS (By games played)
Lenny Hayes (best player) - OUT.
14. Cain Ackland - OUT (19 games)
15. Matt Maguire - OUT (18 games)
17. Aaron Fiora - OUT (17 games)
19. Jason Blake - OUT (17 games)

Borderline
23. Troy Schwarze - OUT (11 games)
25. Andrew McQualter - OUT (10 games)

Even more than the outs was the players playing injured and under-done
Robert Harvey
Justin Koschitzke
Aaron Hamill
Xavier Clarke
Raphael Clarke
Max Hudghton
Fraser Gehrig (in-game)

None of those guys would have played with a healthy list (except Gehrig), but they played underdone because they needed a run leading into finals and with the 5 key outs, Thomas rolled the dice and came up short.

Harvey did alright, he's Rob Harvey afterall, but the rest of them contributed very very little. Unsurprisingly, it was surprising how close the game was and how we almost got up except for being overrun in the last quarter!

 

[STFU Donnie]

10: 2000 1st Qualifying Final: Essendon 198 def Nth Melbourne 73
Arguably the most perfect football ever played in a final. Essendon were unstoppable from start to end and had winners everywhere. Joe Misiti had 41 possessions and 4 goals, Matthew Lloyd kicked 7, James Hird 5 in the opening half to help the Bombers compile what still stands as the highest ever score in any final and the second biggest winning margin in any final.

Not quite. I was at that game and can report that North dominated for the first 5 minutes. Thereafter, however ...

 

[TheFVK]

Scrolled down to find the 2004 Port v St Kilda PF, was not disappointed. Amazing game and best I've ever been to.

 

[Hellgood]

Long way from the best, but one of the more entertaining I can remember was Brisbane v Carlton 2009. Great comeback, high scoring, key forwards (peak Brown, Bradshaw & Fevola), packed crowd at the Gabba, young guns making their mark on finals football (Rich, Redden, Clark, Kreuzer & Gibbs) and it was the peak pantomime villain period for the superstar Judd (post the whole pressure point thing) adding another edge to the game.

Came away from that thinking the Lions looked pretty well set for the years to come in the comp but obviously didn't work out. 8 years ago to the day tomorrow.

 

[Dank You Steven]

https://downtheguts.com/2017/08/31/top-10-afl-finals-of-the-2000s/
5: 2001 2nd Semi Final: Hawthorn 72 def Port Adelaide 69
Port Adelaide had rocketed up the table in season 2001 climbing from 14th the previous season to finish the home and away campaign in third. Losing their first final away in Brisbane they ventured home to take on a young Hawks side they were expected to beat. Three goals ahead at home at three-quarter time it looked as though they would. But Hawthorn stormed home against all the odds in a hostile environment to pinch the win by just three points to become just the second Victorian team to venture interstate to win a final.

Actually, we were the first to venture interstate to in a final - QF v West Coast ant Subi in 1991.

 

[StillAtLarge]

Very hard to split 2004 port saints pf and 2007 cats pies pf

 

[JRyan23]

Adelaide v West Coast Prelim Final 2006, was an absolute classic, as well as the Qualifying Final between West Coast v Sydney.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

The 05 Prelim between the Saints and Bloods was a great game. The latter came back from a 3/4 time deficit and won. Thomas had the more talented side but was out-coached when Roos told his players to put on the afterburners.

ps - the Hall incident was a fond love tap following many McGuire scragging and thumpings.

Admit to bias but 12 years later, I still find the Nick Bloody Davis last Q four goals extraordinary. That win was as bizarre as the Bloods win over the Bombers this year when Goddard had his hubris moment.

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

Dogs v Crows 2 years ago was an all time classic

Yup. Open attacking football worth watching. None of the Saints finals under Lyon should be mentioned really.

 

[JRyan23]

1. Port v Saints 2004
2. Hawthorn v Adelaide 2007
3. Collingwood v Geelong 2007
4. Adelaide v Melbourne 2002
5. Sydney v Geelong 2005
6. Collingwood v Adelaide 2009
7. West Coast v Collingwood 2007
8. West Coast v Sydney 2006
9. Brisbane v Carlton 2009
10. Adelaide v West Coast 2006