Best VAFA game of all time

[Jascave]

Something to talk about during the off-season (apart from player/coach movements and news)
What was the best game you have seen in your time watching the VAFA?

It can be 1) home & away 2) finals 3) grand finals.

It can be from any section, whether it was Premier/A Section, or Under 19.

Discuss

 

[pazza]

2006 C Grade Grand Final at Sandringham between AJAX and St. Bedes Mentone Tigers.

After umpiring the reserves, I witnessed the most amazing grand final of any description I have ever seen.

It had everything.

Huge crowd. Somewhere in the vicinity of 10000.

Brawl in the first minutes.

High scoring - 20.12.132 to 20.11.131.

Close finish where the final siren was struggling to be heard.

And a perfect day weather wise.

 

[Jascave]

2006 C Grade Grand Final at Sandringham between AJAX and St. Bedes Mentone Tigers.

After umpiring the reserves, I witnessed the most amazing grand final of any description I have ever seen.

It had everything.

Huge crowd. Somewhere in the vicinity of 10000.

Brawl in the first minutes.

High scoring - 20.12.132 to 20.11.131.

Close finish where the final siren was struggling to be heard.

And a perfect day weather wise.

To give you an idea just how good this game was, back in 2008, I made a list of the top 10 games I've seen in my time watching footy at all levels since I was born (1975). This game made it into the 10. In fact, the 2006 C Section GF was at no.3, with the timeless 1989 Hawthorn v Geelong Grand Final at no.1, the epic 1986 State of Origin game between WA and Victoria at number 2.

 

[pazza]

To give you an idea just how good this game was, back in 2008, I made a list of the top 10 games I've seen in my time watching footy at all levels since I was born (1975). This game made it into the 10. In fact, the 2006 C Section GF was at no.3, with the timeless 1989 Hawthorn v Geelong Grand Final at no.1, the epic 1986 State of Origin game between WA and Victoria at number 2.

No surprise.

Massive day.

Current Goal Umpires Boss Bernie Jephson says it was the highlight of his career umpiring the match.

 

[Penski]

Something to talk about during the off-season (apart from player/coach movements and news)
What was the best game you have seen in your time watching the VAFA?

It can be 1) home & away 2) finals 3) grand finals.

It can be from any section, whether it was Premier/A Section, or Under 19.

Discuss

This may be hard to answer, as for mine the best games are the ones that have all of the emotion wrapped up into it, like when we have won premierships. From a neutral perspective they may not have just seen the best game ever, but that's how i remember it from the emotion of the day. Might have to think a bit harder (and more critically) for this one.

 

[DoubleDraw]

Something to talk about during the off-season (apart from player/coach movements and news)
What was the best game you have seen in your time watching the VAFA?

It can be 1) home & away 2) finals 3) grand finals.

It can be from any section, whether it was Premier/A Section, or Under 19.

Discuss

1974 A Grade Second Semi Final between Ormond and Coburg at EP.Great skills and intensity with genuine superstar amateur players like Phil Cleary and Bruce Bourne running around!Even though I have a SBMT connection you have to ask the obvious question:how could 2 sides be so incompetent as to get so far behind in 2 qts of a GF and then for the other to surrender such a lead?????

 

[FWIW]

FWIW - 1991 A Grade GF - De La v NOBs

 

[Jascave]

What about possibly one of the greatest upsets in VAFA history-the 1000/1 long shots Hampton Rovers defeating the team that was if TAB Sportsbet were doing odds on this game, the shortest priced favourites in VAFA history, Beaumaris, by 6 points in the 1998 VAFA C Section Grand Final?

 

[Rooster 24]

FWIW - 1991 A Grade GF - De La v NOBs

Amazing match and as tough as any ammo game I have seen. NOB's warm favourites but De La up by about 9 goals at 1/2 time. If my fading memory serves correct I reckon we might have had a shot on the half time bell to take it beyond 10 goals. NOBS roared home and in the end De La lucky to hang on by less than a kick. Also won the 19s and 2s that year so a great year for the club.

The 2006 C grade granny the best ammo game I have seen by some margin. Huge crowd, fantastic come back by the tigers and plenty of emotion. Really felt for the Jackas that day.

 

[Jascave]

Amazing match and as tough as any ammo game I have seen. NOB's warm favourites but De La up by about 9 goals at 1/2 time. If my fading memory serves correct I reckon we might have had a shot on the half time bell to take it beyond 10 goals. NOBS roared home and in the end De La lucky to hang on by less than a kick. Also won the 19s and 2s that year so a great year for the club.

The 2006 C grade granny the best ammo game I have seen by some margin. Huge crowd, fantastic come back by the tigers and plenty of emotion. Really felt for the Jackas that day.

If the VAFATV service did a 'The Final Story' documentary, there's no doubt the 2006 C Section Grand Final will be mentioned. Would love to hear people from St Bedes Mentone Tigers, AJAX, the umpires who controlled the game that day and even former VAFA Board member who was one of the duty officers that day, Tom Brain recall the game.

 

[les argen]

My fave - 1987 C Grade grand final.

Monash played Kew in the second semi and got spanked by over 100 points. Kew had lost one game only for the season.
Monash then played OMs in the prelim and got out of jail after being 9 points down at the 27 minute mark of the last.

Kew were unbackable favourites going into the grand final (quite rightly given the previous two weeks) and started well, being 5 goals up at half time. In an unforgettable last term at Elsternwick Park the Ashes kicked 8 goals to win a famous victory.

 

[Jascave]

In regards to the massive crowd that was there in 2006 at Sandy, it was like you entered into a time warp, back to the halcyon days of the VFA in the 1970s, Sandringham v Port Melbourne; on the field for Port would be guys like Cook, Swan, Allen and Harland; for Sandy would be Beus, McKenzie, Kennedy; and calling the game for Channel 10 would be Phil Gibbs, Don Hyde and Ted Henrys.

 

[Over The Post]

Definitely the 2006 C GF at Sandy. I've lost my copy of the DVD &^@%&^%$# dammit.

 

[AM]

Hard to pick between the 1985/87/88/89/90 'A' section grand finals.

 

[smudger57]

2006 U19 Red GF. Fitzroy v Bulleen Temp. Fitzroy up by 66 pts at 3/4 time. Bullants pile on 10.8 to a solitary behind in the last to get up by a point.

/thread

 

[pazza]

If the VAFATV service did a 'The Final Story' documentary, there's no doubt the 2006 C Section Grand Final will be mentioned. Would love to hear people from St Bedes Mentone Tigers, AJAX, the umpires who controlled the game that day and even former VAFA Board member who was one of the duty officers that day, Tom Brain recall the game.

Perhaps the comments as I mentioned above from the current Goal Umpires Coach (was actually his final game as an umpire) would be a good start.

 

[AmmoFootball]

If the VAFATV service did a 'The Final Story' documentary, there's no doubt the 2006 C Section Grand Final will be mentioned. Would love to hear people from St Bedes Mentone Tigers, AJAX, the umpires who controlled the game that day and even former VAFA Board member who was one of the duty officers that day, Tom Brain recall the game.

It would be great to hear from the likes of Kinsella, Hayes, Beveridge, Ritterman and Lewski. Probably not enough water has passed under the bridge yet, but a documentary made for the 10 year anniversary would be fantastic. So many subplots to the day, including umpires, spies and the fiery clash in the opening minutes.

 

[justafan]

Great thread...

For mine, it would have to have been the 1994 B Grade 2nd Semi Final between Mazenod and Old Trinity. If Mazenod won they would have been the first team to go from F to A in 7 years. Mazenod rallied the troops and a massive crowd at EP.
Gloves first start to be worn by AFL players but banned by the VAFA but OT's two big forward donned a pair each. Umpires tried to get them to take them off but to no avail. These gloves were like fly paper - everything stuck like glue.
Mazenod down by around 50+pts at half time only to come back and hit the front with about a minute to go. Ball up in the middle and a Maz player knocks over a OT player and gets a controversial free. Kicks to the Stickland (I believe) who pulls down a diving mark at full stretch - with his gloves on mind you. Kicks the goal. OT's win by 3pts.
Amazing game. I can still recall Maz supporters crying all over the ground.
After the game, the VAFA makes a rule that a player who refuses to take the gloves off will be sent off - a week too late for the Nodders unfortunately.

 

[Jascave]

Bit of a shame that the VAFA missed an opportunity together with St Bedes Mentone Tigers to put out a special DVD on the 2006 VAFA C Section Grand Final, titled 'The 2006 VAFA C Section Grand Final-St Bedes Mentone Tigers v AJAX-the greatest grand final ever played in VAFA history.' The only pieces from the game on YouTube are the all-in brawl to start the game a la Essendon v Hawthorn 1985 Grand Final; and the dramatic finish to the match. When you watch the footage, note the massive crowd that went to Sandringham that day. Would love to see a full version of the grand final.

 

[Over The Post]

SBMT sold the DVD over the bar for $25, Jase. I'm sure if you ask around someone will dig out a copy for you to watch.

 

[Half Back Pocket]

It wasn't the 1999 D section GF, that's for sure.

 

[Max Leader]

It wasn't the 1999 D section GF, that's for sure.

Nor the 1998 Grand Final

Max "Still holding a grudge" Leader

 

[sticks96]

I'm biased but the 2010 GF when Beauy came back fom 44 points down at quarter time to defeat Caulfied by a point in an epic finish, sticks in the memory. Big crowd, warm day and an amazing atmosphere.

 

[Jascave]

I'm biased but the 2010 GF when Beauy came back fom 44 points down at quarter time to defeat Caulfied by a point in an epic finish, sticks in the memory. Big crowd, warm day and an amazing atmosphere.

And it was at Trevor Barker Oval, Sandringham too!

 

[Jascave]

One match that should also be a contender for the best VAFA game of all time is the 1995 D Section Preliminary Final between Hampton Rovers and Southbank, with the Rovers victorious by 6 points that paved the way for them to win their first VAFA Senior premiership since 1951 the following week against Thomastown. I rate this game as the most dramatic in my 20 years of doing the interchange for the Rovers.


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