Top 10 AFL/VFL finals of the 1990s

[SportsNut2017]

Countdown list (10 to 1) of the best AFL/VFL finals from the 1990s: http://bit.ly/2vrwoiX

Will never forget #1. Brilliant day for any Blues and/or non-Bomber fan. A terrible day for the faithful from Windy Hill.

Agree/disagree? Discuss...

 

[SportsNut2017]

We continue our look this week at the best finals (excluding Grand Finals) played in the modern era. Last week we looked back on some of the great finals from the 80’s. This week we look at the best of the 90’s and from the very start, right to the very end of the decade, there were some absolutely classic finals played and the decade in which we saw the number of teams making finals increase, firstly to six and then to eight.

We’d love to hear your most memorable finals moments of the 90’s and there are plenty of memorable finals and finals moments that haven’t made the cut in our top 10 to choose from!

10: 1991 2nd Elimination Final: Geelong 104 def St.Kilda 97
An epic Elimination Final that pitted two of the game’s best forwards, in the prime of their careers in a titanic shootout. Down one end of Waverley, for the Cats, was Billy Brownless, who took 9 marks and kicked 8.3, down the other end, for the Saints, was Tony Lockett, who hauled in 11 marks and booted 9.5. Try as he might, Lockett’s heroics weren’t enough as the sensational game fell the Cats way by just seven points.



9: 1995 2nd Semi Final: Richmond 86 def Essendon 73
The Tigers had been in the football final wilderness for well over a decade, with their last appearance in September way back in 1982. A devastating home and away campaign, where they ended the season in third looked wasted as they lost their opening finals encounter and then were five goals behind in a cut-throat final against the Bombers. Few will forget Matty Knights’ three goals, where he bounced his way down the MCG as if on his own and Richmond fans won’t forget the contribution of Scott Turner, who flattened Gary O’Donnell in a game-changing incident. The Tigers roared back in the second half to win a classic by 13 points.



8: 1994 2nd Qualifying Final: Nth Melbourne 114 def Hawthorn 91
Earlier in the season, Nth Melbourne destroyed the Hawks by 127 points, so when the two teams lined up to open the 1994 Finals Series not many gave Hawthorn much hope. But the wily old Hawks were up for the challenge and matched it all day with the Kangaroos. Sensationally, the ball was in the hands of rookie David King about 70 metres from goal with the scores level, after some indecision he eventually wound up but his kick fell short sending the game into overtime, the first time ever this had occurred in VFL/AFL history. Nth Melbourne dominated the extra-time period to advance.



7: 1994 1st Qualifying Final: Geelong 106 def Footscray 101
The game that coined the phrase ‘Billy you are King of Geelong!’. A blistering opening term from Geelong and from Gary Ablett saw them establish a big quarter-time advantage. But Footscray kept coming and coming and with less than a minute to go a Richard Osborne snap put the delighted Doggies in front. But a clean centre break saw Billy Brownless on the end of a pass and he lined up after the siren to win the game for Geelong. Of course, we know he kicked truly in one of the many heart-stopping finals finishes in the 1990’s.



6: 1990 Qualifying Final: Collingwood 90 drew West Coast 90
Chronologically, the first final of the decade and what a cracker it was. A vastly improved West Coast travelled to Melbourne to take on the high-flying Collingwood. It was tough and tense and tight all day, just what you’d expect from a final. The Eagles started to get on top, but that infamous Peter Daicos banana goal from the ‘wrong’ forward pocket kick started a Pies revival. With seconds remaining Eagles spearhead Peter Sumich had the chance to goal to put West Coast into the lead. He missed and a point levelled the scores. The match was sensationally drawn and everyone returned again the next week.



5: 1997 1st Preliminary Final: Adelaide 93 def Western Bulldogs 91
Just over 70,000 people flocked to a sunny MCG to see whether the newly re-branded Western Bulldogs could make their first Grand Final since 1961 or whether the Adelaide Crows would make their first ever Grand Final appearance. The Dogs were well on top at both half-time and still led the inaccurate Crows by 22 points at the final change. A Tony Liberatore snap on goal, which looked for all the money in the world to him and his teammates like a goal, was judged a behind and that left the door ajar for the Crows. Led by Darren Jarman they stormed home in the final term to pinch a two point victory from the devastated Bulldogs.



4: 1993 Preliminary Final: Essendon 111 def Adelaide 100
Things were bleak inside the Essendon rooms at half-time as they stared down a seven goal deficit. The Crows had been irresistible in the first half but hadn’t quite put away the Bombers. What happened after the main break will live long in the memories of Bomber fans both at the MCG and tuning in from wherever they were. A stirring fightback led by Michael Long and Darren Bewick saw Essendon overturn the margin and win by 11 points in the greatest Preliminary Final comeback in history.



3: 1994 1st Preliminary Final: Geelong 109 def Nth Melbourne 103
Put simply, one of the best games of football ever played between two sides so evenly matched. Little separated Geelong and Nth Melbourne during the season and so it was again in the Preliminary Final. Wayne Carey was on fire for the Kangaroos who’d whittled away Geelong’s three goal lead at the final break to draw level with seconds remaining. Enter Gary Ablett. To that point, Ablett had been completely outplayed by Nth Melbourne’s Mick Martyn who’d kept him to just four kicks for two goals. From a boundary throw-in, a Leigh Tudor left-foot floater somehow sailed, as if in slow motion, over Martyn’s head and into the waiting arms of Ablett, only ten metres from goal dead in front. History tells us the siren goes as Ablett walks back to take his kick, knowing any score puts his side into a Grand Final. Wild scenes ensued as he kicked truly.



2: 1996 2nd Preliminary Final: Sydney 70 def Essendon 69
Rookie Swans coach Rodney Eade inherited a Sydney side on the cusp of the finals and in 1996 he took them all the way to the top of the table. They hosted Essendon at a pulsating SCG for a Grand Final spot and with four minutes remaining it looked like an injury ravaged Bombers side would triumph as they held a two goal lead. But the Swans responded and kicked two goals to tie things up. With seconds remaining Tony Lockett, under a slight injury cloud, took a mark right on the 50-metre line and with the siren sounding he knew a point would be good enough to send the Swans into the big dance. It wasn’t his straightest kick but it was his most important as it sailed through the points and Swans fans went delirious.



1: 1999 2nd Preliminary Final: Carlton 104 def Essendon 103
The greatest finals upset of the 90’s and one of the biggest ever was saved for the last final of the decade. The Bombers had lost just four games for the season and thrashed the Swans in week one of the finals to set up a date with their arch foes. A side just two months earlier they beat by 13 goals. But it was evident this day was different. Essendon were slightly off and Carlton jumped them. The Blues took a four goal lead into half-time and despite that, many still expected Essendon to hit their straps and reel in the deficit. They did and once they did many expected them to run away with the contest. But the Blues staged a stirring comeback of their own to take the lead and with a minute remaining Fraser Brown laid that tackle on Dean Wallis to deny a shot on goal and Carlton pulled off one of the biggest shocks ever witnessed.