Favourite Regular Season Games of the past 10 years

[kneecapper]

Sorry if this has already been done, but I thought it would be fun to reflect on some of your favourite (perhaps forgotten) regular season games since 2005. Some of my favourites might be burnished by the atmosphere of watching them live (as an example, against the Crows this year - the game wasn't the greatest but the crowd was incredible and something I'll never forget). I'm going to try and limit myself to 1 per year. Here's my attempt based on memory:

2015: Hawthorn (Rd 8). Really felt like the team responded to what happened in the GF. Honorable mentions: both Power games (clinical in Rd 2 and backs against the wall in Rd 14), comeback against the Bombers (Rd 1)

2014: Power (Rd 13 - Win 98-94). Buddy with 5. Honorable mention: ruthless demolition of the Cats in Rd 11.

2013: Hawthorn (Rd 23 - Loss 100-112). Pretty dour season in hindsight. The draw against Freo was just frustrating. The emergence of Luke Parker was probably the highlight of the season.

2012: Hawthorn (Rd 22 - Loss 95-102). Good contest. Obviously burnished by what happened 5 weeks later.

2011: Cats (Rd 23 - Win 99-86). Geelong were on fire at the time. Broke a 12 year losing streak at Simmonds. Win dedicated to McVeigh's daughter.

2010: Dockers (Rd 20 - Win 96-87). See-saw game away from home. Both teams fighting for ladder position. Hannebery was awesome.

2009: Saints (Rd 18 - Loss 93-94). Painful as it was, hard to go past a brave 1 point loss to the eventual minor premiers. Came back from a ~20 point deficit at 3/4 time. I remember that we also gave the Cats a good run for their money a few rounds later.

2008: Dockers (Rd 19 - Win 112-108). Another incredible see-saw contest. Watched this live and mostly remember Adam Goodes being on fire. Can't remember how many goals he kicked but it must have been at least 6 (fact check - it was 8!)

2007: Hawks (Rd 22 - Win 141-69) You have to enjoy the occasional drubbing. Goodes was running amok in this game. Most might say the 1 point loss to the Weagles in Rd 1 but that was just frustrating after 2006.

2006: Eagles (Rd 15 Loss 65-67) Just can't go past this period of WC versus Sydney. It felt like every game was a hard-fought nailbiter. Honorable mention: North (Rd 10)

2005: Eagles (Rd 17 - Win 88-67). I remember this game and the close loss against the Crows a week later made me think we were a sneaky chance for the flag.

Feel free to go back further to some forgotten classics.

 

[Banyo Bloods]

V Collingwood when Schwass was playing late 90's we were the walking wounded with players on the field just plugging holes but injured. Hung on to win a classic.

 

[Troystenvic]

Any win against Dawks

 

[Klim]

Any win against Dawks

and #lolnorf

 

[miggs]

Round 7 2006 when we pumped the tiges at etihad. Great all round team performance won by about 20 goals i think.

Or the cats a couple years back when we won by over 100 at the scg

 

[GotTheGoodes]

2015

Adelaide (Rd 18): There were so many other "better" games (in terms of actual game) during the year but I'd put this one not just up the top of 2015 games but all games I've attended, ever. I just got chills thinking about it! I thought Jetta was sensational that game and our club really stood up together with an amazing show of solidarity & strength. It was a true testament to our club & the people that are part of it. We joined as one, as bloods, to support a pillar and loyal servant of our club & I think we helped give Adam strength in doing so. It's honestly something I will never ever forget.

Hawthorn (Rd 8): What a way to come out of the blocks! In their faces, aggressive, not backing down... If only we managed to play like that in the 2014GF *sigh*

Essendon (Rd 1): Everyone was talking like we'd demolish an underprepared Dons side but they came our firing like we should have! Not only is one half of my family mad Dons supporters but they were rubbing it in at the start of the 4th that night... What a comeback and what karma for the early call by some bogans from the other side of the family divide....

Power games: Went to both and was solidly impressed. We match up well with Port and like Geelong, I respect Port more-so than most clubs.


Prior years

2011: Cats (Rd 23): Not only breaking the drought over there but doing it for Macca. The tears were flowing that day... What a memorable game.

2005 & 2006: All the Eagles games: Probably my favourite period in our history thus far. It was a true rivalry based on mutual respect and some absolute crackers of close, hardly fought contests between two polar opposite clubs (star-studded/blue collar - Attacking/defensive etc)

 

[miggs]

Forgot to mention the swans beating the cats at kardinya park a a few years back, doing it for macca. Was in melbourne on holidays from perth and i remember tearing up watching it at a TAB in the cbd surrounded by feral geelong supporters

 

[robbieando]

Geelong in Geelong in 2011 can't be topped

Any win over Carlton and St Kilda is always nice

 

[GotTheGoodes]

Geelong in Geelong in 2011 can't be topped

Any win over Carlton and St Kilda is always nice

Didn't the karma bus (driven by MM) just completely plow through Carltank?? Do unto others I say ... We should try take over their licence.......

 

[robbieando]

Didn't the karma bus (driven by MM) just completely plow through Carltank?? Do unto others I say ... We should try take over their licence.......

Don't worry I've made the offer

 

[doona]

My favourite was the west coast game 06 (I can't include finals).

The game, was amazing as we created a rivalry. Our teams matched up so well together.

I'm hoping we get that kind of atmosphere with GWS.

Honorable mentions were the games when Roos took over after eade got fired and chalked up a few W's

 

[GotTheGoodes]

My favourite was the west coast game 06 (I can't include finals).

The game, was amazing as we created a rivalry. Our teams matched up so well together.

I'm hoping we get that kind of atmosphere with GWS.

Honorable mentions were the games when Roos took over after eade got fired and chalked up a few W's

The problem is, no matter how hard the AFL try, you can't manufacture a rivalry. The WCE rivalry came about unexpectedly. Two sides very different but still both fighting for the same glory.

I think this is the last 10 yrs so that Roos era is out of it but yeah, fantastic part ofour history. Where the players stood up & started to have a voice (leading into the leading teams/bloods culture era that culminated in 2005)...

 

[GoTheSwannies]

Forgot to mention the swans beating the cats at kardinya park a a few years back, doing it for macca. Was in melbourne on holidays from perth and i remember tearing up watching it at a TAB in the cbd surrounded by feral geelong supporters

This game for me. Finally signalled we were a threat after constantly getting belted by them. They were pretty clinical against us over that stretch.

Also the 100 point win against the cats. Was a massive win against a team having a dip, it was great seeing us thrash them.

The game against Essendon where we were absolutely clinical for the first half and nearly lost it when the dons peptides kicked in. That first half was amazing to watch

 

[Borough Blood]

The game against the Crows in 2013 was one of the most dominant performances I've seen.

 

[RUNVS]

I may have watched this game a few times. Always makes me feel good

 

[Jack2Jack]

Round 13 2014 Syd. 14.14 (98) d Port. 13.16 (94) - Just a great game from both sides that had everything you wanted, played in finals intensity. Buddy's last 2 goals were epic.

Round 8 2014 Syd. 15.17 (107) d Haw. 13.10 (88) - Even though the hawks were seriously undermanned it was/is enjoyable to beat them, the 1-2 punch midfielders stared (Hannebery gets 41 touches, Kennedy 39) + Buddy and Tippett combine for the 1st time. Tippett was rag-dolling defenders every-time he got into a marking contest to kick 4, Buddy dominates but kicks 7 behinds before kicking 2 crucial ones in the last. Unfortunately despite some good very matches together, we probably still haven't seen it to this level since.

Round 11 2013 Syd. 19.13 (127) d Ade. 6.14 (50) - Near on perfection performance despite being a bit undermanned (even if the crows weren't that great a side anyway). Made better by pleb David King saying right before the bounce "if Goodes is kept quiet, Adelaide will win this", Goodes goes on to have one of the worst days of his career (11 touches, 1 goal..most junk time stats, late in the game) and Adelaide still fall 99 points down before some junk time respectability.

Round 5 2012 Syd. 16.10 (106) d Haw. 10.9 (69) - Goodes' game record breaking day down in Tassie. 20 points down at half-time we completely run all over them in the 2nd half winning ironically by 37. A sign of things to come that season, plenty of 2012 games could make the list though, was a great season where we played very enjoyable football.

Round 23 2011 Syd. 15.9 (99) d Gee. 12.14 (86) - Enough said. Although the Geelong newspaper going with the "30 wins in row at skilled" before the game had even been played added something to it, as well as the obvious emotion behind the game.