Greatest AFL Comebacks - ALPHA

[RoosterLad]

This is a DVD attached to the new ALPHA and comes in a plastic sleeve thing, unfortunately it's not like the other magazines which come in plastic sleeves.

Anyway, it features 12 matches, is titled "Greatest AFL Comebacks" and is a bit of a joke.

A lot of these I wouldn't really know if they were great or the greatest without doing research. To begin with there are a lot of games from pre-1990 which isn't AFL.. but there are plenty of idiots who call 1897-present "AFL" as well as the sport of Aussie Rules "AFL". That annoys me but that's not why I made this topic.

They included ROUND 1 2008. Dogs vs Crows. How is this a "great" comeback???? When I first saw it, I thought it was that game many years ago when they came from 8 goals down or something and destroyed our hopes of making finals. What a joke.

Of course, they didn't include the 1997 Prelim which is definitely a 'great' comeback considering the carrot at the end of it.

They were either so desperate that they had to squeeze in one last game (it is listed at No. 12), or the monkey who designed this DVD is a Bulldogs fan and he wants to try and get one back on us.

I might even write a letter and try and get that printed in the next ALPHA.

 

[Cap]

Its probably meant to be "the greatest combacks of all time, that we could get the rights to show vision for"

its probably made by Rugby League Fans who have no idea what Football is about.

 

[aNty]

Its probably meant to be "the greatest combacks of all time, that we could get the rights to show vision for"

its probably made by Rugby League Fans who have no idea what Football is about.

The mag is published/edited in Sydney but the AFL articles are done by writers that newspapers in the AFL states. Then again, what do you expect for the price. But generally all their stuff is pretty good.

 

[RoosterLad]

Yes I am a fan of ALPHA. It's a cheap mag but has good value, it also has stories about sports I never read about/watch and they are usually interesting.

Stuff like this DVD though make me vomit in my mouth.

 

[aNty]

Yeah I get ya, but I don't really like how the editor adds comments to letters, especially the negative ones, makes him seem like a total smart arse.

 

[NSWCROW]

The NRL one is a cracker

 

[guitar god]

if they wanted "good" comebacks, then this years first showdown. Of course we wern't down in scoreboard but we were down four men

 

[Vader]

If they wanted an anti-Crows comeback, there's one obvious one which springs to mind - our 1993 finals loss to Essendon.

Beats me why they'd pick the dogs R1 win over us.

 

[Geoffa32]

Are the Carlton and Brisbane come backs against the Power this year in there?

Regardless of being against the Power they were both great comebacks, particularly the Brisbane one in the wet. I was there with a mate and his 10 year old Brisbane supporting son. A great night to see his team beat Port after having to put up with the Port supporters rubbish his team for the best part of three quarters.

 

[KingsCrow]

My case had a sticker on it, with all the games that were on it 1-12.

I peeled off the sticker, and it was the same games except for number 12. Which was Rnd 11 2008- Adelaide Vs Carlton?

 

[brucetiki]

There are some great comebacks on there though - like the Hawthorn v St Kilda game in 1999 and the famous Essendon v North Melbourne game in 2001

 

[The Dice Man]

Are they full games?

 

[RoosterLad]

Are they full games?

Well I haven't checked but they are on one DVD so extremely doubtful!!

Would only be highlights.

There are some great comebacks there but still...

Sydney are only non-Victorian team to win a comeback game.

Should have had Brisbane vs Hawthorn at Gabba the year they made their first finals.

 

[Mismatched]

How about Showdown Round 7 2000, we were almost 7 goals down I think in the 3rd quarter, its a disgrace that the '97 prelim didn't make it, that was a massive come back, where only some individual brilliance from Jarman probably won us the match and to go along with that, it was a Prelim, not some match early on in the season with little importance.

 

[Elder van Berlo]

Top 12 Crows comebacks (in my humble opinion). I can't remember many other games in the rest of the AFL, at least pre about 2000 - but here is my pick of the Crows ones. I have tried to weight them in terms of how good the comeback itself was, memorable moments, and significance of the comeback to the club:

1. Preliminary Final 1997
Adelaide 12. 21. 93
Western Bulldogs 13. 13. 91

31 points down at half time, 22 at three quarter time. No serious inroads by halfway through the last quarter, and then... Who could forget Libba's celebration, Jarman's magic in the forward line, Goodwin's goal from the boundary, K Johnson's bullet pass, Edwards' goal line smother in the dying seconds, Rohan Smith pounding the ground... Easily the best comeback in the Crows' history.

2. Round 7 2000
Adelaide 14. 14. 98
Port Adelaide 13. 13. 91

Ayres' first Showdown, and we found ourselves fully 7 goals down during the third quarter. It was back to 25 points at three quarter time and then the Ricciuto show started. Epic stuff. Ayres' reaction was great as well.

3. Semi Final 2002
Adelaide 20. 10. 130
Melbourne 17. 16. 118

What a game. Crows fans had watched a 40 point quarter time lead become a 22 point deficit by the final break. When Melbourne kicked the first in the last quarter, all looked lost. Then Peter Vardy missed a gettable shot, the momentum turned, and Matty Clarke had an absolutely epic last quarter.

4. Round 19 1997
Adelaide 9. 11. 65
Port Adelaide 9. 4. 58

The Crows claimed local bragging rights for the first time... and how! Down by 30 points at quarter time and 23 points at the last change in the wet, the Crows looked finished. We seemed intent on ruining our chances of a comeback with poor kicking early in the final term, but got on a roll with goals to Andrew McLeod and Troy Bond sealing the game.

5. Grand Final 1998
Adelaide 15. 15. 105
North Melbourne 8. 22. 70

At half time all looked lost as the Crows found themselves 24 points and 14 scoring shots behind. It was as if the teams swapped guernseys at half time, and when the Crows kicked the first couple of the third quarter, the comeback was on. By halfway through the last quarter, there was only one winner, and we were going back to back.

6. Round 9 1995
Adelaide 9. 6. 60
Hawthorn 7. 16. 58

On a miserable night at Footy Park, the Crows had kicked 1.1 to half time, and were behind by 34 points. It would have been more if not for the Hawks’ wastefulness in front of goal. 5 unanswered third quarter goals later, and the gap was within a goal. In a tense final term, the Crows hit the front for the first time when a 2nd gamer by the name of McLeod won a contested ball and dribbled through from the north-western pocket.

7. Round 8 1993
Adelaide 19. 9. 123
North Melbourne 18. 13. 121

North Melbourne turned it on in the 3rd quarter, kicking 8 goals to 3 to turn a 9 point half time deficit into a 26 point lead at the final change. In a game that will be better remembered for Tony Modra’s mark of the year, the Crows stormed back to claim the points on the back of Modra’s 10 goals.

8. Round 22 1993
Adelaide 19. 21. 135
Collingwood 17. 9. 111

In a game that forever lives on in Crows’ history as the day we made the finals for the first time, Collingwood got the jump with a 6 goal to 1 first quarter. Once again, it was Modra who inspired the Crows into action with 5 goals, ensuring the chant of “We’re in the finals” went up around Footy Park long before the final siren.

9. Qualifying Final 2006
Adelaide 10. 16. 76
Fremantle 7. 4. 46

More of a courageous, slowly edging our way back game than most others on this list, which consisted of lots of goals being kicked in a hurry. After being jumped by Freo, the depleted Crows were inspired by Rhett Biglands’ outrageous checkside. Little did we know then it would be his second last game for the club. We hit the front for the first time in the last quarter, and Porplyzia’s solo effort down the outer wing will not soon be forgotten by Crows faithful.

10. Round 14 1994
St Kilda 12. 7. 79
Adelaide 11. 13. 79

Although we didn’t win the game (and I was overseas so never saw the game), to come from 29 points down at the final change, keeping the Saints scoreless in the last quarter, to record the club’s only ever draw was a mighty effort. An interesting piece of trivia which would be inconceivable now – the 2 ruckmen were awarded 3 and 2 Brownlow votes for this game. Shaun Rehn’s 30 possession effort was outshone only by opposite number Lazar Vidovic.

11. Round 18 2007
Adelaide 9. 19. 73
Port Adelaide 10. 5. 65

On another horrible night at AAMI, the Crows revived their season against a Port team which was rampant at the time. Although only down by 2-3 goals for most of the night, the Crows never really seemed in the game. A last quarter burst, led by Simon Goodwin who had 39 possessions, got the Crows over the line.

12. Round 9 2000
Kangaroos 19. 14. 128
Adelaide 19. 11. 125

The only game in this list that we lost, it was nonetheless an amazing comeback. A Wayne Carey inspired Roos were 50 points ahead midway through the last quarter, and with the points seemingly in the bag, the star man was rested. Although the Crows fightback initially had a ring of too little too late about it, the Kangas were forced to endure some nervous moments when the margin was brought back to 2 points. No doubt had the Crows managed one more goal, this game would be number 1 on the list.

 

[relapse]

I loved our comeback in 92 against Hawthorn at Waverley, trailed all game and Darrel Hart put through a goal for us to hit the front for the first time in the game with only a few seconds left.

 

[brucetiki]

Watched it - totals about 30 mins. Pretty much highlights of each game with a bit of commentary from Dennis.

Still have NFI how the Bulldogs v Adelaide game got in there, but the others are great comebacks.

 

[James23]

I loved our comeback in 92 against Hawthorn at Waverley, trailed all game and Darrel Hart put through a goal for us to hit the front for the first time in the game with only a few seconds left.

I agree, I would have this second on our all time best come back behind the preliminary final in 1997. I still remember this game and i was 7 at the time

 

[Quinz]

Intruding on your board here, but I bought the ALPHA mag the other day with the DVD in it, and I agree it was pretty poor. Still, you can't expect anything brilliant from something you get free in a $2.50 magazine, but I think there were plenty of better comebacks than some of the ones they chose, especially the round 1 game as you mentioned.

I though from an Eagles POV that our game against Geelong in 06 (54 points down with 8 mins to play in the third) should have been included.

 

[Elder van Berlo]

I loved our comeback in 92 against Hawthorn at Waverley, trailed all game and Darrel Hart put through a goal for us to hit the front for the first time in the game with only a few seconds left.

I was 5 at the time - I don't remember much before about 94-96, so I mainly picked the early years' comebacks based on quarter by quarter scores. If you reckon the Hawthorn one was up there, I'm happy to stand corrected. All I remember from that game is Darel Hart kicking the winning goal. Was wet IIRC, but the scores 15.13 to 15.12 tell a different story