Great Grand Finals?

[demondavey]

I love it when a truly good team flogs their opponent. We see their skill.

Unlike 2005 and 2006 which so many claim to be good but I rate as the worst Ive seen.

And Ive been watching since the 1970s.

Were there many floggings in the seventies?

 

[carloss]

1984, 1989, 1997, 2009, 2010, 2016

 

[HairyO]

Were there many floggings in the seventies?

I was a very little kid back then so it was far more about cheering us winning. Much like going to the football I dont really remember the scores so much as being happy about winning or sad about losing.

I do remember watching Leigh Matthews though. My God he could play.

1984, 1989, 1997, 2009, 2010, 2016

1984 was the first Grand Final I went to. With a close friend who is an Essendon supporter. At three quarter time Dad was consoling him because he was really sad...

 

[demondavey]

I was a very little kid back then so it was far more about cheering us winning. Much like going to the football I dont really remember the scores so much as being happy about winning or sad about losing.

I do remember watching Leigh Matthews though. My God he could play.



1984 was the first Grand Final I went to. With a close friend who is an Essendon supporter. At three quarter time Dad was consoling him because he was really sad...

Just googled that GF, man, I couldn't believe it. 23 points up at 3/4 time and Essendon piled on 9.6 to 2.1 in the last quarter. Certainly no signs of that scoring for the first three quarters from Essendon. That would've been brutal for Hawks fans to watch.

 

[Noobz0r]

2010 WAFL grand final

 

[HairyO]

Just googled that GF, man, I couldn't believe it. 23 points up at 3/4 time and Essendon piled on 9.6 to 2.1 in the last quarter. Certainly no signs of that scoring for the first three quarters from Essendon. That would've been brutal for Hawks fans to watch.

And we got smashed the following year. Luckily Ive seen about a dozen GF wins so Im comfortable with footy

 

[gavaniacono]

66
67
70
71
72
77
84
89
90
01
02
06
08
09
10
12
16

 

[2006_Eagles]

2006 BREHS

 

[gavaniacono]

Just googled that GF, man, I couldn't believe it. 23 points up at 3/4 time and Essendon piled on 9.6 to 2.1 in the last quarter. Certainly no signs of that scoring for the first three quarters from Essendon. That would've been brutal for Hawks fans to watch.

Sheeds.
At his greatest.

 

[Duskfire]

Surprised there isn't more love for 09. The game is simply exhausting to watch, let alone play in it. Two teams at the height of their power basically tackling the shit out of each other and refusing to budge. There were like three players who were able to run by the end.

2011 2012 and 2016 were also great. Not as big a fan of the 05 06 grand finals; they are close but eh

 

[Baird]

2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2016.

I think 2011 has to be the best quality of football in a grand final that I've witnessed. Both teams were very good, but Geelong rose to another level in the last quarter. Collingwood were such a dominant team that year, but even they couldn't keep up with Geelong

Came here to post this. It was like the 44 best players in the league were playing in that match

 

[Demon13304]

2012 is probably my favourite. Plenty of lead changes, great goals, moments, skills and was close all day - wasn't decided until the last 30

Also just love the Malceski snap with Cometti's commentary "Is that the Grandfinal?!! Sydney are premiers!"

I feel like it's an underrated grandfinal.

 

[STFU Donnie]

I've always been quite fond of:
1976, 1978, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Not so keen on 1975, 1984, 1985, 1987 and 2012.

 

[HR Roughnstuf]

Ps. 2007 was the best team performance ever in a GF. The final margin reflects that.

The final margin reflects the quality of the opposition

 

[Tigers_fan24]

LEO BARRY YOU STAR

 

[Xtreme]

91
92
94
96
97
98
2001
02
03
04
08
13
14
15
16

Neutral would have hated it but 2014 was football perfection, not to mention all the sub plots involved. It was the best team performance I have seen in a grand final.

The greatest grand final in VFL/AFL history. The underdog beat the media favourite!

You can bet that if Sydney or Fremantle had won the 14/13 grand finals neutrals would have rated them better, but because Hawthorn won "oh no boring boring".

 

[HR Roughnstuf]

As a neutral I was pretty engrossed in the 2009 GF. Amazingly tense and much better skills than the dark days of 05/06

 

[Xtreme]

As a neutral I was pretty engrossed in the 2009 GF. Amazingly tense and much better skills than the dark days of 05/06

I don't see it as being as special as many others do. Always felt Geelong were destined to win that game.

 

[Ancient Tiger]

1967 was generally thought of as the best until 1989.

Quite interesting as the two teams play tomorrow night.

 

[Roobs321]

Just revisited the 1992 Grand Final. Wow that was a great game, particularly the pulsating contest of the first half. All the way up to Wilson's "cork in the ocean" goal is classic decider football. Cometti gives one of his greatest calls, Sandy Roberts in good form, even the pre-match and post-match has a real vibrancy about it (despite the oddness of the occasion, the announcer repeatedly feeling the need to rev up congrats from the Victorians in the MCG crowd). Only 4 Eagles goalscorers funnily enough, but memorably so (Matera, Sumich, Evans and Wilson), and Geelong give a good show, much better than they would in 1994/1995, couple of sliding doors moments like a few Garry Hocking misses in the first half and the like which along with their record-breaking attack makes this feel like the one that got away (even if the Eagles were slight favourites on the day and just got the better of them in the end).

Had basically everything you want from a first flag, coming from behind after an excellent contest in first half, applying the premiership quarter, and then partying with a couple goals distance in the last. Nearly three quarters with vintage Grand Final, and a club's first. One for the vault.

Obviously it has to contend in-house with the 2006 flag, but still most charming a quarter century on. The only other 90s Grand Final in the same category is probably 1997 thanks to the Jarman last quarter.

 

[kriles76]

lol at all you hawkers thinking a 10 goal win is the greatest football has been played in a grand final. its nothing compared to 119.

But the 2014 Swans were the best assembled team of all time.

I don't think 2007 was any better than 1988. Two champion teams demolished mediocre opposition.

Particularly the 2008 Power (13th); and to a lesser extent the 1989 Demons (4th) couldn't fight back to that same level reached the previous year after those demolitions.

Alternatively, Hawthorn's demolition of a fledgling Essendon in 1983 is considerable in comparison to 1988/2007, given that Essendon were good enough to return the favour with interest in the following two years. It still hurts to this day but 1984 was a cracking game.

I've been to the last 20 GF and taking the Hawthorn glasses off, the best GFs in that time were 98, 02, 05, 06, 08, 09, 10, 12, 13 and 16.

I enjoyed 01, 05, 07, 08 and 16 mainly due to clubs winning for the first time of breaking significant premiership droughts. I particularly enjoyed 2008, 2014 and 1986 because they fell on my birthday.

 

[AG]

2014 getting lots of mentions. Horrible game and humanity has never recovered.

Excluding Swans' grand finals, my favourite games are the 2009 and 1997 GF's (started watching football from 1995).

2009 was a tough slog but a great match. Clearly the two best sides that season and the match delivered as best it could, considering the conditions.

1997 was all about Jarman. I'll never forget his performance and one of the few GF's I've attended which didn't involve the Swans'. Great game.

For the Swans:

2005 was pretty boring as a spectacle. Close games aren't always good games. I would have watched the entire replay of 2012 about 20? times, 2005 maybe 3 times. I generally just watch highlights for 2005 if I want to relive it. 1996, 2006 and 2016 (Swans are due in 2026?) would have been ok as a neutral. 2014 can **** off.

 

[BK Eaglesfan]

You can bet that if Sydney or Fremantle had won the 14/13 grand finals neutrals would have rated them better, but because Hawthorn won "oh no boring boring".

Must admit I rate 2014 as one of the better ones in recent memory despite the one sided scoreline. Just thought it was the epitomy of a powerful Grand Final performance and I normally hate the season finishing with a lopsided game.

 

[BK Eaglesfan]

Just revisited the 1992 Grand Final. Wow that was a great game, particularly the pulsating contest of the first half. All the way up to Wilson's "cork in the ocean" goal is classic decider football. Cometti gives one of his greatest calls, Sandy Roberts in good form, even the pre-match and post-match has a real vibrancy about it (despite the oddness of the occasion, the announcer repeatedly feeling the need to rev up congrats from the Victorians in the MCG crowd). Only 4 Eagles goalscorers funnily enough, but memorably so (Matera, Sumich, Evans and Wilson), and Geelong give a good show, much better than they would in 1994/1995, couple of sliding doors moments like a few Garry Hocking misses in the first half and the like which along with their record-breaking attack makes this feel like the one that got away (even if the Eagles were slight favourites on the day and just got the better of them in the end).

Had basically everything you want from a first flag, coming from behind after an excellent contest in first half, applying the premiership quarter, and then partying with a couple goals distance in the last. Nearly three quarters with vintage Grand Final, and a club's first. One for the vault.

Obviously it has to contend in-house with the 2006 flag, but still most charming a quarter century on. The only other 90s Grand Final in the same category is probably 1997 thanks to the Jarman last quarter.

Love the 1992 flag. When Geelong jumped us early and Pyke got ironed out, it was all looking like going pear shaped. But that momentum shift in the second, followed by the 3rd quarter surge was fantastic. Right off the top of my head can think of several 'moment's from that game (and yes - backed by superb commentary), where as 2006 I usually just come back to smother, handball, shepherd, goal when I think of highlights. 14 years between them but far more vivid memories from 92'.

 

[Wojcinski]

Of the non-Geelong grand finals, 2001, 2002, 2010 drawn game, 2012, 2016 have been my favourites