Club History The best and worst five Essendon games that you've attended

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As the title says, list them. Break them down. Explain why that particular game is either a cherished memory or one that still infests your nightmares to this day.

Here are mine.

Worst

5. v St Kilda R22, 2008. The 'haha, poor Adelaide' might have taken the edge of disgust off it slightly, but this was as purely pathetic a performance as I've seen. Not only did they not give a yelp, they just didn't seem to give a s**t either. Well, Spike aside. http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2008/051520080831.html

4. v Carlton, EF, 2011. Probably not a completely unexpected result, but the manner in which they started promisingly for...about five minutes and then fell in a heap was disappointing. I can still hear the scum fans mockingly singing the Essendon theme song in the third quarter, and then stopping mid stream because Betts had waltzed in for another absurdly easy goal. * Carlton. http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2011/030520110911.html

3. v Geelong, R2, 2008. Probably the manner in which the bubble burst that was most disheartening that day. We'd absolutely steam rolled North in Round 1, everyone was talking about how Knights had been the new blood Essendon so desperately needed, all was good, and then....BANG! 99 point loss. To the reigning premiers, to be fair, but it was still horrible to sit through. http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2008/050920080330.html

2. v Melbourne, R10, 2012. The less said about this night, the better. 8-1 v 0-9. Miserable, rainy, dark, windy and ******* cold. Tayte Pears getting murdered in the goal square by Colin Garland. Everyone bar Jobe not being able to kick over a jam tin. Kicking six goals against a Melbourne defence minus Frawley. Good that you're with us now, eh, Neeldy. http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2012/051120120602.html

1. v Carlton, PF, 1999. Yeah. There is literally no explanation needed here. I'm not even linking to that piece of s**t.

And now for happier times...

Best

5. v Carlton, R18, 1998. We were 25 points down halfway through the final quarter and somehow came back to win by a goal. Lucas took advantage of a rare howler from SOS to kick the winner with about 40 seconds left. http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1998/030519980802.html

4. v Fitzroy, R10, 1993. This is a strange and partly sentimental choice. I was still 4 at the time of this game and it was my first time at the MCG. It's also the night I became an Essendon supporter. The Roys started all over us but we screamed back in the third quarter to trail by a point going into the final stanza. The last quarter was hammer and tongs, goal for goal, and eventually the siren blew with us ahead by 4 points and the score, 129-125. It was a classically 1990s display of attacking, thrilling football by two very exciting sides. http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1993/050619930528.html

3. v Hawthorn, R22, 2009. Probably don't need to say much in justification here. Arch rivals, finals on the line, huge crowd, brutal game, plenty of feeling and a fantastic comeback. * off, Campbell Brown, you slapper you. http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2009/051020090829.html

2. v West Coast, R3, 2004. I think we all remember this gem. Hird was 20k lighter in pocket. We'd started the season 0-2 and were struggling- we all knew the magic of 1999-01 was fading fast by this point. This was one of our last great hurrahs before we properly fell in 2005. And what an amazing ending. Just a brilliant game of attacking footy. http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2004/051820040410.html

1. v Hawthorn, R2, 2015. This might just be recency bias and the fact Hawthorn are my most hated team kicking in here, but given the circumstances of 2013-14, the fact Hawthorn are BTB premiers, and the fact they've been far too good for us in recent seasons (2014's close one excepted), this is honestly as ecstatic as I have ever felt after an Essendon victory. Words can barely describe it. And, I think that was important a win as we've had for a very long term for the psyche of the club. * Hawthorn. http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2015/051020150412.html


Now, post yours people!
 
Jun 6, 2012
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I'll go with only my single most memorable, it was a match between us and Norf, David King had a day out up forward, kicked a whopping 7 goals.

His side also happened to lose by 125 points as Lloyd kicked 7 of his own and brought up his 100th for the year. My man Smokin' Joe also tore it apart, 41 touches and 4 goals.

http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2000/051220000812.html
 
I don't have enough to choose from as I've only lived in Melbourne for about 3 full seasons so far.

I did go to Anzac Day 09 which I notice you didn't list which must mean you weren't there? I also loved the second Carlton game in 2013. That was fun. And obviously Hawthorn two weeks ago. Brisbane 2013 was poo as was the Saints last year.

EDIT: I was over from Perth for that Carlton game in 1998 with my cousins. Was a cracker.
 

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Matthew_Lloyd

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Worst

5. Round 18, 2004 vs Carlton. We belted Port the previous week, only to come out and play some of the worst football I've seen. Was a rainy day, but it doesn't excuse the players from not going in hard enough.

4. Round 2, 2005 vs Carlton. We were up by 5 goals at three quarter time, and dad was pissed off and wanted to go home. Safe to say he regret the decision about 25 minutes later when they hit the front

3. Round 15, 2012 vs St. Kilda. About the time our season fell apart. Belted completely by a s**t team who had the game won by half-time.

2. Round 10, 2012 vs Melbourne. This game NEVER happened

1. Round 16, 2010 vs West Coast. Yeah, * this. The game when Knights' coaching career was finished and LeCras embarrassed every single one of our players. Made worse the following day at under 16's footy when my teammates gave me s**t about it all day

Best

5. Round 20, 2007 vs Carlton. Was a s**t game, and I've been to better wins, but it was Hird and Sheedy's last game against Carlton. We were 5 goals down and made a comeback, and there was a huge roar when Hird outmarked one of their players on the wing in the last quarter. Was also the Lloyd back-heel goal game.

4. Round 11, 2007 vs West Coast. They were killing us in the first half and jumped out to a 6 goal lead. We then make a huge comeback and I think it was Lloyd who kicked a goal to put us infront, which sent the entire stadium off. With about 5 seconds left, Fletcher belted the ball out of bounds deep inside their fifty.

3. Round 20, 2009 vs St. Kilda. We ended their streak as Riewoldt missed the goal on the siren. My footy team came back from 5 goals down in the last 10 minutes of the game to win the preliminary final earlier that day, and this game capped off what was an amazing weekend.

2. Round 21, 2013 vs Carlton. Yeah, the week before the AFL and their BS penalties. They destroyed us the entire night but we somehow end up winning. One of the most emotional wins I've been to. And it was ******* beautiful that their stupid fans were stunned at the end.

1. Round 4, 2012 vs Carlton. Ah yes. This beautiful game. The one that destroyed their club and sent them into a continuous cycle of s**t that they still haven't recovered from today. They were instilled as premiership favourites after belting Collingwood, only for us to come out and humiliate them in the funniest and best way possible. Hearing Ratten crack the shits at how we monstered them, the recorded audio tapes that were "destroyed" when they wanted to enquire about PEDs, and Lonergan smashing Carrazzo into the ground. 10/10
 

Grey Smith Bar

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Worst:

99 PF Nuff said.
01 GF Nuff said

Best:

93 PF - Dat Mercuri Goal
93 vs Geelong - the game Ablett kicked 14.7 and Salmon kicked 10. It was the first sign that year that we were on to something
85 GF
09 ANZAC
 
Jun 11, 2007
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Best
2000 QF win over North. so pleasant
2001 comeback game against North.
2009 Anzac Day. I love that Zaka goal.
93 GF. so many favourites in that team
00 GF. ended up being a massive weekend

Worst
2010 Anzac Day. Never been angrier with the club than that day
2014 EF. close to being just as angry. told myself not to go as well.
1996 PF. Damn lockett :(
1999 PF. **** carlton. missed the opp to beat the roos in a GF
01 GF. Vossy was so good as well, and which was hard to get angry at. beaten by the better team
 
Worst:

Rd 23 2013 v Richmond - The dead rubber. The game that meant nothing. All week I was thinking we'd play our best and show everyone how good we really were and then the game started and it was just...nothing. Nobody cared. Richmond fans didn't care. We didn't really give a stuff. It was just a completely nothing game of football. The players thanking the fans afterwards was pretty good but the game itself? Just dead.
 
Worst:

Rd 23 2013 v Richmond - The dead rubber. The game that meant nothing. All week I was thinking we'd play our best and show everyone how good we really were and then the game started and it was just...nothing. Nobody cared. Richmond fans didn't care. We didn't really give a stuff. It was just a completely nothing game of football. The players thanking the fans afterwards was pretty good but the game itself? Just dead.
Certainly the oddest atmosphere at a game I've been to. Not one I hope to experience again.
 

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Apologies on the dates, I'm at work and can't remember exactly when a lot of them were, some may be a little off.

WORST

I try not to remember all the times this club has frustrated me, but these few in particular stick in my craw.

4. 14 EF vs North. Galling to give up a game we were in control of. Bet Redfoo never pays another game as good as that one, would be typical
3. 11 EF vs Carlton. That was just awful. Less said about it the better.
2. 12 vs Melbourne. Others have explained how terrible it was, no need to go into it further.
1. 11 (?) vs WCE. No one would go to the footy with me that night, so I went alone. Sat by myself on the top deck of Telstra Dome and watched LeCras kick 12. I've never left a match more miserable, I don't think. Even at the EF vs Carlton I had other EFC fans to commiserate with on the way home. That was a lonely, awful night.

BEST

5. 13 vs Melbourne. They'd upset us the past couple of times we'd played, so it was nice to see us win for a change. 148 point margin was nice too.
4. 15 vs Hawthorn - ok, maybe biased due to how recent it was, but it's been a long, shitty couple of years for this club, and that was a sweet way to celebrate the end of it all (hopefully....).
3. 93 vs Geelong - as someone else mentioned, Ablett Sr kicked 14, Fish kicked 10. Dad told me that day "You'll never see anything like this goalkicking again, remember this", and so far he's been right.
2. 09 Anzac Day - Was there with a few Pies fans, who were quite smug at 5 mins to go and the rain tumbling.
1. 93 GF - My only regret is that I was only 9, and I wish I remember more of it than I do.

Honourable mentions - The night at Waverley vs StK where the lights went out; and
95 Anzac Day - less 'best' and more just memorable, perhaps. It was, of course, the first match in what has become a yearly event, and it was 'that' drawn match.
 

Buttsoup_Barnes

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Worst:

5. Round 9 2014 vs Sydney - The season looked like it was starting off grim and going up against Sydney with Buddy was going to be no easy task. Having McVeigh kick 3 goals of all people! With Luke Parker, JPK and Bird practically looking unstoppable and Essendon was shown to be lower than second rate. The result was expected but having a full forward (Daniher I think) as a sub!? Atrocious! The Bye couldn't have come any sooner and it was one of the few games I left early with my friends due to how s**t it was near the end of the 4th. It wasn't even worth it because the train was late anyway.

4. Round 5 2014 vs St. Kilda - Speaking of games being left near the end of the 4th there was this masterpiece. Looked like garbage against the wooden spooners with Jack Billings showing his worth and Riewoldt going into town on Hurley and the other defenders. It took a while for them to double team him but at the end it wasn't even worth it. Stanton all of a sudden tried to spark a comeback but at that point it was too little too late and the match looked to have ended in victory for the Saints.

3. Round 2 2014 vs Hawthorn - This should've been a damn inspirational win! Injured voldermort along with a few others I think. Had Gunston and Breust on lockdown with Ambrose going nuts at his second game and Chapman kicking what looked to be the sealer. The place went bonkers! But then of course Rioli just HAD to kick the actual sealer after looking like he's done * all, typical of him. The Chappy curse was not to be crossed over and we lost a nailbiter. At least it was at the start of the season, but such was the theme of 2014.

2. Elimination Final 2014 vs North Melbourne - This was the biggest match for the team in years and I took my mum to watch footy for the first time. It was a great spectacle to behold and Essendon looked to have finally triumphed their drought until the inevitable happened. Steinberg looked like poo against Ben Brown and everyone was losing their legs. With Judas kicking the late goal there was a thought that things could come out positive here but Petrie got lucky and released himself from Hooker's grasp and kicked his team some well needed goals. Oh and Lindsay Thomas' pathetic dive near the goalsquare made me swear like crazy. It was awkward but nothing made me more angry that day than that little * getting the umpire rub.

1. Round 13 2014 vs Melbourne - Oh boy, 2014 had some really bad pearlers. This one in particular was the worst. Just when I thought the Saints loss was worse this happens. The thing that got me the most about this match was that my favourite player looked to have unleashed some superhuman heroics to get us over the line but Essendon poorly defended in the last few minutes and gave a chance for Christian Salem to kick the sealer. Nobody cares about what was Zaharakis' best game ever because of that plod and Melbourne dragging us to their scraggy level to win that match.

Honourable mentions:
Round 18 2013 vs Hawthorn - got a nosebleed at the nosebleeds seating along with a huge whack of a loss. Usual late season collapse.
Round 8 2013 vs Brisbane - Slightly frustrating loss against a poor side but it wasn't too bad. Gotta lose once against a bad side I suppose.
Round 20 2013 vs West Coast - Wasn't the epics of the last encounter and it was obvious that ASADA killed Essendon's spirits with them knocking around Cripps (even Fletcher did it).
Round 10 2012 vs Melbourne - Probably the most disgusting side of the Dees to beat us but it was my first MCG match with a friend of mine that helped me learn the sport. Got my head on TV and experienced a crazy atmosphere. It sucked but the circumstances made things slightly better.

Best:

5. Round 11 2013 vs Carlton - That Carlisle mark! Along with Melksham suddenly showing signs with his heroics as well made it a great night with the Bombers once again prevailing against the odds by putting Malthouse and his rabble in their place. I thought Simon White was going to kick a sealer but we scrapped through. It was pretty good.

4. Round 21 2014 vs West Coast - Finals was on the line and Essendon had to win. Got level 2 tickets for free from a kind samaritan and went nuts when Zacka kicked the last goal. It was just a huge dogfight struggle to reel in that win but it made it more the sweeter when the Eagles fans behind me got what they deserved muttering with their poorly constructed druggy jokes. They left before I could give it to them though but it was great to celebrate the win.

3. Round 5 2013 vs Collingwood - ANZAC Day with the second highest attendance watching the likes of Jobe Watson and ANZAC Day medallist David Zaharakis make the Essendon faithful give a little payback to Collingwood with their "Eeeeeeeesseeeenddooonn" chants with probably one of the best atmospheres I have ever experienced in a game makes this one a pretty memorable win. Here's hoping that this year will be the same.

2. Round 15 2011 vs Geelong - "Monfries! Melksham! BOMBERS! The Bombers! They've got to be home now!" What an incredible first match this was. Stevie J giving everything he had to take the win for Geelong all for naught as Essendon's young guns helped take out the eventual premier with insurmountable odds stacked against them. Glad that my brother took me to that game, I'll never forget it.

1. Round 2 2015 vs Hawthorn - "What the bloody hell's he doing down there!? HE'S KICKING BLOODY GOALS! CALE HOOKER!" An unforgettable victory that I didn't think would be surpassed but here it is. Some will say it was lucky but that W was super important to achieve. Poor crowd numbers but you wouldn't be able to tell at the ground floor with the red and black folk yelling the song, dancing and taunting the Hawthorn supporters nearby them with a vigour that was pent up for years. Almost went nuts thinking Breust kicked the sealer but time ran out and we all went mental for the right reasons.

Honourable mentions:
Round 17 2014 vs Collingwood - Clinical smashing but moreso amazing defending with a wiltered Swan and tagged out Pendlebury had the Pies on their last legs and Essendon ending their hopes of finals aspirations whilst helping our own.
Round 3 2014 vs Carlton - Absolute demolition against the Blues with the Bombers flying on all cylinders and created such highlights like captain Murph falling flat on his back from vicious Essendon pressure and the birthing of the cyborg.
Round 2 2013 vs Melbourne - This would've felt like sweet revenge if it wasn't so sad. Never been on a train that quiet before, it was a very strange mood to take away from such a thumping win.
 
Jun 8, 2014
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Worst - 2014 EF against lol norf
- Those two goals from Petrie in two minutes that killed us
- Ben Brown having a night out against Steinberg

Best - Round 11 2013 v Carltank
- Big Joe's debut
- That Winderlich intercept mark and pass to Melskam
- That set shot from Melksham to put us in front
- Jake Carlisle doing his best impression of Leo Barry
- (Jarrad Waite's break out game)
 
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Worst:

Elimination final 1986 v Fitzroy. Pissing down with rain with a 60k crowd choosing to try and huddle in under the to tier roof at Waverley. 5 minutes to go, we're up by 5 and as was the game style of the day, the game played out. No kicking backwards then. The ball fluffs around the wing and a holding the ball free kick gets paid. Fitzroy go hammer and tong through the middle to have a loose 'Adonis' Mick Conlon free 30 out. Takes an uncontested mark plays on and slots the goal like the ball was dry. 1 point loss - gutted.

Round 21 2000 v Bulldogs. The flood game. Ugly footy by a team that didn't care how they got the result. Being the superior team of the year, it was disappointing that we couldn't work out a plan B during the 120 minutes to overcome 18 bodies in our F50 arc. Rope a dope was certainly in effect that night. Bulldogs by 11.

Qualifying Final 1993 v Carlton. The first ever night final for the VFL/AFL. A grinding game where the scores see-sawed with a fluctuation no greater than 12 points either way. In the end, with the loss, I felt that the next week would be the end of the road for our brave team of kids and I was totally disappointed for them. A loss to Carlton by 2 points.

Semi Final #1 v Richmond 1995. You all know this one, with Matthew Knights breaking our hearts and running into an open goal with the sun blazing in mid September. 5 goals up at half time and comfortably in the lead. Richmond by 13.

Round 9 2014 v Sydney. Played at Docklands, Friday night special home game - all should be sweet. Right? Poor umpiring and a Swans forward line of Tippett and Buddy didn't make for a good night. The bump on Hurley by Hannebery that was a no decision was a key feature of the night after we were fighting back in the third. Dirty, dirty game. Swans by 50.

Best:

Round 11 1994 v Richmond @ Princess Park. 22,547 attended what I would classify as the last game I saw that had the community feel around the contest. Boutique crowd. No lines for the pisser or a beer. Standing room. A highly enjoyable day. The game was a clear winner to Essendon with the highlight being Gavin Waganeen's no pick up soccer kick goal as the ball was looking to go out of bounds, heading deep into the forward pocket. Standing with my back to the legends stand, I was right behind the kick and the big sticks and I'll say to my grave that it was deliberate kick to goal.
Essendon by 50 with 9 goal last quarter.



Round 20 1981 v Carlton @ Princess Park. 20 minutes gone and Essendon down by 20 points. Enter Neal Daniher. Took the game by the scruff and showed what a champion he would have been for our club, all be it for a dicky knee.
Essendon by 1.



Preliminary Final 1984 v Collingwood @ Waverley. Not a great deal to say about this game. I was a smashing and what we needed as a confidence builder after narrowly going down to Hawthorn in the 2nd Semi. The best thing out of the whole day was, with Collingwood down by 14 goals at half time, the announcement over the loudspeaker asking all the bus drivers to return to their buses as the Collingwood fans wanted to go home.
Essendon by 133.



Preliminary Final 1993 v Adelaide @ MCG. I had plenty of 'mates' in the ground that thought we were gone at half time, so being in the Shirley Strickland Room at the G for a fully catered function - I got on the piss. The second half started and I was pissy enough to watch and keep my lips shut. We came, and came and came again and I became quite alert. It was certainly a sobering experience and by the time we hit the lead in the last, the whole place was jumping.
Essendon by 11.



Obviously, the 1984, 1985, 1993 and 2000 grand finals are special in their own way. The game above are ones that stick in my mind.

** Honourable mention also has to go to the 1981 Escort Cup night grand final - with our first piece of silverware for many a year and the first grand final win I saw the club involved in.
 

OzBomber

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Best 5:
1. 2009 Anzac Day - Many fans left early from this one, I knew it was against all odds but I never gave up hope. From the back row of the top deck of the Southern Stand behind the goals I watched Lovett make a dashing run to start the comeback. Next was an incredible boundary line goal from Dyson that gave everyone belief that we could win. Next was the counterattack from deep in defence long into the forward line into the hands of Jetta. We're gonna win it... Nope Jetta trips over himself. Then the sheer jubilation of Zaka. Being behind Zaka's kick I knew it was a goal straight away. Never been so celebrated a goal and win so much, and don't think I will until we win our next flag.

2. 2015 Round 2 vs Hawthorn - Right at the front of the memory bank as it was only 2 weeks ago, but followed almost the same script as the above finish. Thought we had lost this one, but refused to leave (and always do). Boys never gave up showing the same resilience they've showed the the past 3 years. The fact it came 2 weeks after the not guilty verdict made it that much more sweeter.

3. 2003 Anzac Day - As a 9 year old kid, this was incredibly sweet. Absolutely tore the reigning grand finalists to shreds. Lloyd, Hird and Cupido dominated all day. Still have those Hird celebrations ingrained in my mind and he slots another from 40 in the fading sun.

4. 2009 Round 20 vs St Kilda - We had so many great wins that season with Hawthorn Round 22 another one I had the pleasure of going to but I decided to choose this one instead. The Saints were 19-0 and were almost consigned to not playing finals due to such a tough run (Saints, Freo, Hawks back then to finish the season was a nightmare). 6 or 7 goals up in the 3rd quarter but they never gave up and came flying home. Riewoldt marks on the siren, *. Threw my hat about 10 rows away in anger thinking we'd lost the game. Shot after the siren, misses. Sheer jubilation and halting the Saints and keeping our record.

5. 2006 Round 16 vs Brisbane Lions - This may seem like a weird one and I've been to a lot of better wins but I still remember this game vividly. It was round 16 and we had 1 win and a draw on the board with no Lloyd and Hird for a lot of the season. We were basically consigned to winning our first spoon. It was close with Brisbane for the first 3 quarters but we were pretty certain we'd fade again after losing a number of thrillers and drawing with Carlton in the weeks before. McPhee takes a screamer and that passage of play ends with Hird kicking a goal which sparks a massive final quarter and we end up spanking the Lions. Never sung the song louder after a win in my life.

Honourable mentions: Any thriller or spanking of Carlton and Collingwood since 2009.

Worst 5: I've managed to completely remove some horrific matches from my mind so I'm sure I've missed a few thrashings but these were all pretty bad. I saw quite a few terrible matches in 2006 and 2010 but I genuinely can't remember who they were against or exactly when they occurred.
1. 2012 Anzac Day - Not exactly the 'worst performed' game I've been too by far but easily the most shattered I've been after going to a match. 4 day break and thought we'd completed another '2009' when Stanton kicked the goal to put us in front. Only for that gypsy Blair to knee the ball over the line and win them the game. Sat in silence for a while after the game and actually had to leave because I couldn't deal with the Collingwood chant.

2. 2012 vs Melbourne - Only Essendon can possibly put in these performances. The form team in the comp against the worst side, and we ****ed it up. It was wet, and our skills were terrible and we somehow lost it. Pretty sure we became the first team to lose a game when we were $1.01

3. 2010 vs West Coast - Again, we played a truly terrible team and somehow lost. I don't think West Coast had won a game all season and they absolutely destroyed us. The only interest at the end of the game was seeing how many Lecras could kick.

4. 2014 vs Melbourne - Of all the comeback losses we suffered last year, this was the most angry I've been afterwards. Again, against one of the worst teams in the comp, 6 goals up and coasting we put the cue in the rack and let them come back. A rollercoaster of emotions. From cruising, to being shattered at being behind, to the jubilation of Zaka producing Anzac Day twice in a minute to an Essendon supporter beating up. s**t night.

5. 2014 EF North Melbourne - Giving up a 6 goal lead when at halftime we were talking about the prospect of possibly playing an aging Geelong the next week was just terrible to deal with. Not to mention the amount of abuse North fans dished out after just made it all that more unbearable.

Honourable mentions: Any loss I went to in 2006 and 2010. Just awful years. Also any time we've done an Essendon and given up a lead or come into the game as raging hot favourites and somehow screwed it up.

And I'm going to be different and add 5 Non-GF games I wish I could have attended.
1. North Melbourne Round 16 2001 - The greatest comeback of all time. Enough said.

2. West Coast Round 4 2004 - Hirdy says stuff everyone.

3. Bulldogs Round 14 2001 - Moorcroft's mark, simple.

4. Geelong Round 14 2011 - Was my 18th birthday and I chose to go clubbing instead because I thought we were going to lose by 100+. I've missed about 5 games since 2009 and this was one of them. Big mistake.

5. Sydney Round 3 1999 - Lloyd's 13 goal game. Only time I've ever seen a bag of 10 kicked live was Lecras, this would have been such an amazing match to go to.

Honourable mentions: 2007 vs West Coast and Sydney, 2000 Quali vs North, Freo/West Coast 2013
 

AtomicBlonde

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BEST:

1993 GF - I was 14 and just remember the sheer joy that myself and school mate felt as we cheered every goal. The Scum were favourites and we were a tad nervous because we had been at the Prelim the week before and were worried that that win may have taken too much out of the young lads that largely made up our midfield. Only downer was being a hot day (for that time of year) I had taken off my Nubrick guernsey to wave it around (a'la Sheeds) when the team did their lap in front of us and in all the excitement - I had either left it behind or it was stolen and I had to go home shirtless and the folks weren't happy because they weren't cheap to replace.

2000 GF - A foregone conclusion for all except for the old flog Wallsy who in his pathetic hatred of the Bombers/Sheeds, tipped the Dees for a win. Even thought the result was never in doubt and it was hardly a great game - nothing beats the feeling of being there at the G when your team wins the flag.

1993 Prelim - Again, not a great game but it was highly entertaining and that second half comeback was just awesome. These days, being 44-points down at half-time isn't such a big deal but back then it was pretty rare to come back and win from there. The elation when Timmy sealed the deal with that late goal was one of the loudest roars I have ever heard. My buddy and I were down the other end in the old Ponsford Stand but felt the whole crowd rise as one and strangers were high-fiving and man-hugging like you wouldn't believe.

2009 ANZAC Day - It's all been said before, just a classic encounter between two rival clubs and those last seven or so minutes are etched into my memory forever. Again, the roar of the crowd was deafening, so much so that we didn't even hear the siren sound - it wasn't until we saw our boys jumping up and down in the centre that we realised the game was over and we had won.

2000 QF - We struggled to a 3-goal win over the Pies in the last round following our shock loss to the Doggies the week before. So what better way then to not only bounce back into form but to start to make up for the horror that was the '99 Prelim? Smashed the Roos by 125 points and from that point on - Premiership #16 was in the bag.

WORST:

1999 Prelim - Finish the year a game clear on top of the ladder with an 18/4 win-loss and proceed to capitulate on Prelim day against the old campaigners who had finished in 6th place a staggering 14 points below us.:mad::mad::mad: I actually felt sick leaving the ground that day and didn't leave my pad for the next three days.:(:cry::(

2001 GF - I had a feeling we were not going to finish strongly about half way through the 2nd QTR. Really s**t finish to what had been a great year and although we had carried injuries and underdone players into the game - it still hurt like hell watching it unfold.

2012 R10 - We were on fire, 8/1 (only losing the ANZAC game by 1 point) going into this seemingly innocuous H&A game against the Dees. I have been to some horrible losses but for some reason - it is this one that really got to me for a time. Still can't believe we ended up finishing 11th that year. It all started with this one game IMO.

1996 Prelim - Was staying with an older cousin in Sydney for a couple of weeks and he got us tickets for the game (he was a Swans member at the time). We had finished 6th that year and although I can't remember the particulars surrounding the finals system, we lost the QF to Brisbane by 1 point and ended up with not only a second chance - but a home Semi against the Eagles who we smashed by over 10 goals IIRC. So although I wasn't expecting us to beat Sydney, it turned out to be a scrappy affair in poor conditions with every minute that we stuck with them - my hopes of a freak GF birth increased. We had only played North once that year but it was a close game that they only won by 12 points so who knows what might have been... When Plugger kicked that point after the siren, I exploded inside but was almost 17 then and didn't want my cousin to think I was weak or on the point of tears.

2006 - Any game I attended that year. Our worst season in a long time - Sheeds had lost the plot and we only won 3 games. Carltank finished below us on % and we all know what their MO was at the time. Terrible year of footy.
 
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OzBomber

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 26, 2006
20,554
4,570
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2006 - Any game I attended that year. Our worst season in a long time - Sheeds had lost the plot and we only won 3 games. Carltank finished below us on % and we all know what their MO was at the time. Terrible year of footy.
Yup, such an awful year and probably the first year I started regularly going to the footy rather than just one or two a year. What's crazy though is the year started with so much promise. We absolutely destroyed the Premiers in round 1, Lloyd tore the Grand Final hero to shreds by kicking 8 and there was so much optimism around the club. 2 weeks later Lloyd tears his hammy off the bone and he's never the same again for the rest of his career and everything goes downhill from there. Learnt a lot about loyalty that season going to so many losses.
 

AtomicBlonde

Cancelled
Sep 23, 2010
3,550
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Yup, such an awful year and probably the first year I started regularly going to the footy rather than just one or two a year. What's crazy though is the year started with so much promise. We absolutely destroyed the Premiers in round 1, Lloyd tore the Grand Final hero to shreds by kicking 8 and there was so much optimism around the club. 2 weeks later Lloyd tears his hammy off the bone and he's never the same again for the rest of his career and everything goes downhill from there. Learnt a lot about loyalty that season going to so many losses.

Couldn't agree more. Maybe too many list-cloggers and top-ups that were only playing for their own survival/careers - looking back on the list for that year, it isn't a hard conclusion to make.
 
May 6, 2007
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I'll go with only my single most memorable, it was a match between us and Norf, David King had a day out up forward, kicked a whopping 7 goals.

His side also happened to lose by 125 points as Lloyd kicked 7 of his own and brought up his 100th for the year. My man Smokin' Joe also tore it apart, 41 touches and 4 goals.

http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2000/051220000812.html

Semi final 2001, what a day it happened to be. That side was so freaking good where ALL the stars happened to align.
 
May 6, 2007
39,103
22,791
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How anyone can suggest any other game bar two weeks ago has got me ******.

The unbeatables, the site that would romp in the gf and blitzkrieg anything in sight against an unfit yet hardly proven team of misfits sprinkled with champions, championed a team.

"What the bloody hell's he doing down there?.. He's bloody kicking goals that's what he's doing"
 

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