The best prelim finals since 1995?

[JRyan23]

As it is Prelim Finals week, what prelims do you think were the 5 best since 1995, (before 1995 isn't really my time)
For me, I would go?
5. Western Bulldogs vs Adelaide 1997
4. Pies v Cats 2007.
3. GWS v Bulldogs 2016
2. Port Adelaide v St Kilda 2004
1. Carlton v Essendon 1999

Honourable mentions: Hawks v Crows 2012, Hawks v Pies 2011, Hawks v Cats 2013, Hawks v Port 2014, Crows v Eagles 2006

What are yours?

 

[Jon Snow]

Port V St Kilda 2004.

G Train kicked his 100, close all game. Bit of Wanganeen brilliance at the end to get Port over the line after previous finals struggles.

Close all night and a nuts crowd. Just what you want in a pre lim.

 

[adammania9]

Crows vs Eagles 2006 was pretty awesome

 

[JRyan23]

Port V St Kilda 2004.

G Train kicked his 100, close all game. Bit of Wanganeen brilliance at the end to get Port over the line after previous finals struggles.

Close all night and a nuts crowd. Just what you want in a pre lim.

Yeah that was very close to number one for me, but just the upset Carlton produced, as well as the closeness of the game and the Fraser Brown tackle, just tipped it above Port v Saints

 

[undefined]

Geelong/Collingwood (2007) will always stand out. 98,002 fans at the MCG on a Friday night - compared to the 97,302 eight days later. The atmosphere just about as electrifying as the football.

Gary Ablett was outstanding - his performance evidence as to why he has a place amongst the all-time greats.

 

[iluvparis]

Anyone who doesn't answer 1999 has no clue

Honorable mentions to 07 and 13

 

[Sentinel]

In my completely biased opinion, I've never seen such a high pressure game from both sides as I did in last year's Dogs-Giants prelim, it was the best game of football I've ever seen.

From a neutral perspective, 2013 Cats-Hawks was amazing.

 

[Draft Pick]

Stkilda v Dogs 2009 was a fierce close game until the last min.

 

[adammania9]

Stkilda v Dogs 2009 was a fierce close game until the last min.

It's amazing to think in these close games, the loser led during points in the final quarter. Imagine if they kicked another one or two and finished it off. Would completely change history:
- Bulldogs vs St Kilda 2009 PF
- Collingwood vs Brisbane 2002 GF
- Collingwood vs Geelong 2007 PF
- Adelaide vs Hawthorn 2012 PF
- St Kilda vs Collingwood 2010 GF
- St Kilda vs Port Adelaide 2004 PF
are some examples

 

[Hawkerzz]

I'm gonna cheat and go back to 1994.

5. Hawthorn v Geelong 2013
4. Geelong v Collingwood 2007
3. Collingwood v Hawthorn 2011
2. Essendon v Carlton 1999
1. North Melbourne v Geelong 1994

 

[Whiskers]

Good thread.
Shows just how many absolute classics we have had and is hard to seperate them all.
Taking out my bias, 99 prelim was huge and last year was simply awesome.

 

[ScarlettFever]

As it is Prelim Finals week, what prelims do you think were the 5 best since 1995, (before 1995 isn't really my time)
For me, I would go?
5. Western Bulldogs vs Adelaide 1997
4. Pies v Cats 2007.
3. GWS v Bulldogs 2016
2. Port Adelaide v St Kilda 2004
1. Carlton v Essendon 1999

Honourable mentions: Hawks v Crows 2012, Hawks v Pies 2011, Hawks v Cats 2013, Hawks v Port 2014, Crows v Eagles 2006

What are yours?

Biased, because I was there and I am a cats fan, but that pies v cats game in 2007 was amazing. 98,002. Close all game, good football being played and crowd was electric.

The noise in the last five minutes gave me shivers.

 

[Gydafud]

In no particular order.

Geelong vs Collingwood 2007
Geelong vs Hawthorn 2013
Hawthorn vs Collingwood 2011
Port Adelaide vs Hawthorn 2014
Western Bulldogs vs GWS 2016

 

[STPer18]

 

[TheBrightSide]

Anyone who doesn't answer 1999 has no clue

Sorry, you're wrong.
I was there and didn't enjoy it much at all.

 

[Son_Of_God29]

Commeth the man, The Son of the Man

 

[ep2018]

West Coast vs Adelaide 06 was up there. No one gave WC a chance and all in Adelaide thought at half time they were through to the GF.

We went into the game as favourites iirc. We had beaten them twice that year already and they had injuries. I thought at half time we were a chance to run over them, and then it happened lol. I remember at the time the oddity of being favourite to win the PF yet Adelaide were still favourites for the flag. Winning a prelim final away from home is a great achievement and its one of my favourite footy memories.

 

[demondavey]

I'm gonna cheat and go back to 1994.

5. Hawthorn v Geelong 2013
4. Geelong v Collingwood 2007
3. Collingwood v Hawthorn 2011
2. Essendon v Carlton 1999
1. North Melbourne v Geelong 1994

Agree. North v Geelong was huge. I think we missed out on a potentially great GF between two of the great sides of the 90's. WC v North. For me;

1. WB v Adelaide 97 - never seen a better comeback. Ever.
2. North v Geelong 94
3. Adelaide v Essendon 93
4. Sydney v Essendon 96
5. Adelaide v WC 06
6. Essendon v Carlton 99
7. Hawthorn v Geelong 13
8. Geelong v Collingwood 07
9. Hawthorn v Adelaide 12
10. Brisbane v Sydney 03

There were some stellar comebacks in some of those games, none more than the 97 Preliminary Final. What Adelaide did was unbelievable. What a side.

1993 also gets a mention, the Bombers put together an amazing resurgence to power home. Adelaide were dynamic that day but the baby Bombers were relentless - cue the GF the week later.

In 2003 I watched an amazing comeback by the Lions, again, like Adelaide, what a side. And a great victory to put them in a GF.

 

[iluvparis]

We went into the game as favourites iirc. We had beaten them twice that year already and they had injuries. I thought at half time we were a chance to run over them, and then it happened lol. I remember at the time the oddity of being favourite to win the PF yet Adelaide were still favourites for the flag. Winning a prelim final away from home is a great achievement and its one of my favourite footy memories.

Lol there is zero chance that would have been the case - think about basic probability for a minute.

 

[jwint43]

I love prelims. You basically get 2 Grand finals the week before the big one and at least one is a classic each year. Only have memories from 2000ish onwards so for me the best ones are Coll/Hawk 2011, Coll/Geelong 07, Saints/Dogs 09, Hawks/Geelong 13, Crows/WC 06, Hawks vs Crows and Hawks Port. Now that I look at it, the Hawks had so many crazy prelims. Just shows how impressive it was they went b2b2b.

Hawks v Geelong is probably the best because of the hype leading up to it. Geelong were on that massive win streak which the hawks were desperate to break and the Hawks were seeking vengeance after losing in 2012 and knew another loss against Geelong in such a big game would have been devastating, and they looked cooked going into the last quarter. They may have never won another flag if they lost this game. Only bad thing about it was that it was so loud at the end the players couldn't hear the siren, so it was a bit awkward at the end, but that's nitpicking.

*Also special mention to Freo/Syd 2013, not the closest or highest level of skill but you will never see more relentless pressure and desire than what the Dockers showed that game. I was in shock. That was Ross Lyon's masterpiece.

 

[GreatBradScott]

It's honestly my favourite week of the season. Everything on the line and you're more likely than not to get a belter that goes very close to being a classic.

Carlton v Essendon 99, Cats v Pies 07, Hawks v Cats 13, Dogs v Giants 16.

Bring on the weekend.

 

[Dank You Steven]

Sorry, you're wrong.
I was there and didn't enjoy it much at all.

One of the funniest things I have seen in a long time.

 

[Aphrodite]

 

[ep2018]

Lol there is zero chance that would have been the case - think about basic probability for a minute.

Like I said, I only remember it because it was odd.

 

[Magpie Monopoly]

Pies Vs Hawks 2011.

The Buddy dribble goal, the Luke Ball snap, the Daisy chase down on Cyril.

Insanity.... If you love football you can't not watch this 8 minute vid and appreciate it:





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