Favourite Finals Memories

[PIEWITHSAUCE]

1990 - watched on a crappy old telly at my grandma's place and can remember literally shaking with nerves at the start. I was only 16yo but had seen enough of Collingwood finals disasters to know how much it meant. Plenty of action out on the roads on the way home too

2010 - nuff said

Daics goal vs WCE

And the times when we just clicked and blew a couple of highly fancied opponents off the park - 2010 and 2018 prelims.

 

[magpies42]

Heath Shaw the librarian as it turned out. I knew the game was over at that point.

Rowdy coming back on after being knocked out.

I have made a decision not to attend anymore grand finals...I feel like I am cursed, the ratios aren’t good.

 

[5_Flockhart]

The first half of the 2010 Prelim. We still haven't clicked like that since.

 

[Doc1763]

Dougie Barwick's goal in the last quarter in 1990 - I didnt dare to believe until then.

Swanny's goal in the third in 2010 #2.

 

[Go Woods]

Daicos’s 1st quarter goal on the boundary in 1990 GF.
Heath Shaw goal line smother on Nick Riewoldt in 2010 GF replay.
Daisy Thomas run down tackle on Cyril Rioli in 2011 Prelim.

 

[Go Woods]

The 1990 semifinal against Essendon.
Bought a standing room ticket from a scalper. Was exactly how i always dreamed a Collingwood grand final win would be.
Until the day i die, will never forget the sight of Collingwood supporters going nuts giving the team a standing ovation as they left the field.

Yep I was their, amazing atmosphere......

 

[AD2010]

The strong pack mark (against about ten Hawks players) that Travis Cloke took in the dying minutes of the 2011 preliminary final to secure the game and get to the GF.

The comeback against Adelaide in the 2009 semi final, especially as our seats were in the middle of the Crows cheer squad. (Right in front of me!)

The 2010 GF replay where there were no corporates, just true footy fans, to witness that great Premiership, with all my friends. (All night long!)

 

[whiteside35]

My first pie final....1977 second semi final that sent us straight into the grand final,with Ronnie Wearmouth marking at the end to stop any thought that the Hawks could pinch it.
The 81 premlim when Daics ran around nankervis and goaled.
And of course the 90 GF,to finally break the drought,only wished that Ronnie Mck could have squeezed into the line up,but what a great day

 

[Chameleon75]

The 1990 semifinal against Essendon.
Bought a standing room ticket from a scalper. Was exactly how i always dreamed a Collingwood grand final win would be.
Until the day i die, will never forget the sight of Collingwood supporters going nuts giving the team a standing ovation as they left the field.

I was lucky enough to attend the whole final series that year, in terms of how we played the 2nd semi was the pick of the bunch, particularly the second half.

 

[Pie eyed]

The Siren 1990 followed by the siren, 2nd GF 2010.
The last three month of 1990 and 2010 are the only 6 months I have been able to grow finger nails in my life.

 

[esc0bar]

Not my most memorable but definitely my proudest was standing behind a bay packed with arrogant Richmond supporters and making sure they heard my roar when Collingwood kicked a goal. Ohh the twisted angry faces was something to behold when they turned their heads to meet my smile. I hope I have the pleasure to do it again this year.

 

[Primetime Pricey]

2010 Prelim vs Geelong. Flew over and that 1st quarter was probably the best time i have had at the footy knowing you were going to make the GF and blokes hugging each other 15 mins into a prelim hahaha

 

[kallangur pie]

Millane in the back pocket 1990,finally it was over then F------- UP 91,and 92 I don,t even want think about,the 90 team should have won more than 1 flag as should the 2010 team.We are there again and in with a good chance,just bring it friday night. Go the Pies

 

[manicpie]

Twiggy Dunn's mark and goal in the 1977 grand final that levelled the score, he used to use torpedos when shooting for goal as a lot of players did back then

 

[Dead Eye Didak]

Obviously the 90 and 2010 premierships.
Luke Ball's goal to put us in front in the 2011Prelim final against the Hawks.
Millane with the ball at the end of the 90 GF.
Heaters smother on Riewoldt in 2010 GF.
Daicos's goal against WC at Waverley in 1990.
Watching Richmond supporters leave halfway through the last quarter of the 2018 Preliminary final...

 

[ThePhantom777]

The premierships.
The prelim win over Richmond in 2018.
The 2007 semi-final against West Coast in Perth where we won in overtime (losing to Cats the following week by 5 points was devastating - we would have smashed Port).
The opening 15 minutes of the 2019 grand final and the first 5 minutes of the last quarter.

 

[raymond35]

My first pie final....1977 second semi final that sent us straight into the grand final,with Ronnie Wearmouth marking at the end to stop any thought that the Hawks could pinch it.
The 81 premlim when Daics ran around nankervis and goaled.
And of course the 90 GF,to finally break the drought,only wished that Ronnie Mck could have squeezed into the line up,but what a great day

Yes, i went to all these games, the 1977 final may have been my first too, can't quite remember. This game cemented in my mind that Len Thompson was indeed the greatest ruckman of them all. He was magnificent.

 

[The Magnificent Seven]

Anthony Rocca and the loudest noise I've ever heard a crowd make.

 

[BoxMatrix]

2011 prelim was pretty lit.

 

[Johno9911]

Being a younger fella most of my finals memories come from from mid 2000's-recent:

1. The Smother of the Millennium
2. "Hope in his heart, Dreams in his head"
3. The Texan putting the tigers to the sword

Hopefully we have some cracking memories on the way this year!

 

[domus]

The second semi against St Kilda in 1966 when I saw Tuddy kick seven goals as a young eight year old.
The 1970 second semi when we beat Carton by ten points.
The two prelims against Geelong in 1980 and 81 were sensational.
The famous Ross Brewer snap over his shoulder to put us in front against Fitzroy in the 1981 semi final-we won by one point.
The 1979 prelim against a cocky North Melbourne-brilliant atmosphere and lots of banter and tension in the crowd which made victory all the sweeter.
The 2002 qualifying final against Port Adelaide when we were huge underdogs and without Bucks. It was a famous win.
The 2002 prelim against Adelaide-loudest Collingwood crowd I've ever heard. The 2010 prelim-another unforgettable night with the Collingwood chant echoing around the ground.
The 2011 prelim against the Hawks-it appeared Buddy had beaten us with a moment of magic but Ball struck back with some magic of his own!
The 2018 prelim final was a dream from beginning to end. I have watched that game at least six or seven times already!
The 2010 GF replay and 1990 were memorable but only cause we won flags. I have seen far better and more compelling games.

 

[Pie eyed]

Twiggy Dunn's mark and goal in the 1977 grand final that levelled the score, he used to use torpedos when shooting for goal as a lot of players did back then

I was there too.
My first game of VFL live.

 

[Mkcaptain]

Coxy's domination of the Prelim last year is up there for me

 

[barrackers]

The first half of the 2010 Prelim. We still haven't clicked like that since.

The 2010 prelim had a more celebratory feeling compared to the nervous tension of the 2019 prelim. The performances weren't much different, but the expectation certainly was and no doubt that played a big part in the mood of the crowd. In 2010 I was confident after we defeated the saints whereas 2019 every finals game was a bonus and I couldn't believe what was unfolding.

 

[Apples]

10 minutes to go . . . final quarter of the '90 GF . . my sister and I were at the '70 GF and carried the grief of that harrowing day deep within us . . .my son is holding my hand and almost exploding with joy . . sis and I wait a little longer . . from long experience we know what can happen . . . pants now has the ball and the siren blasts . . .

Sis and I look at each other over my son's head, there were no words possible to express what we were feeling. Contrary to popular opinion we didn't want to tear the roof off or scream our lungs out. It was a quiet time for us, deep within something released - something suddenly cold and invasive was washing away. Leaving a warm and contented feeling behind . . one of completion and long journeys end.

Travelling home on the train to Seddon, the stations going by without count or note my mind freewheeling with snapshots of that wonderful day, release from the purgatory of unrealized dreams and cruel disappointments for decades.

Over - it was FINALLY OVER.

9:30pm Dinner over and the kitchen tidied, son Robert at 6 years old was utterly exhausted and asleep on the couch. I carried my little magpie into his nest and snuggled him down.

10 pm sitting on the back patio and thinking back to those early days when dad took me to my early games I looked up to the stars and drank a toast to dad in his heavenly pub with one of the 30 year old bottles of Laphroaig he left me in his will with just this occasion in mind.

After another I closed up and went inside, sweeping my laughing wife inside I proceeded to share a fraction of my bursting joy with her.

What a beautiful post.
I remember the day/night very well and like you, my family just hugged quietly on the top of the Western (now Ponsford) Stand; we were too exhausted and overcome to do much else.
Thanks for posting.