Perfect way to reflect on the most entertaining H&A season by any team in the history of the VFL/AFL.
Be interesting to see what order everyone ranks the 11 nail-biting wins.
11. GWS Rd 15 - 11.22 v 12.5 was painful. Absolutely hated this game. This just felt like absolute relief as we would of been kicking ourselves if we lost this one.
10. Port Rd 20 - Of all these games this was a bit of a non event for a 1 goal margain. We seemed to have the game in control throughout the last, a late goal to port gave us a bit of a scare but they didn't end up posing a threat of levelling in the concluding minute or so.
9. Adelaide Rd 18 - Thought we had the W next to this game locked in when we got out by 16 points late. Within 2 minutes it was back to 5 and had to anxiously sit through another 7 minutes hoping we didn't choke.
8. North Rd 17 - if you told me that we would only beat them by 7 points pre-game I would of been livid (especially after losing to WCE earlier in the season) But I don't care who you beat turning a 26 point 3qtr time deficit into a 7 point win is a huge result. Another game that no doubt have us belief that we can overcome a deficit in the last qtr.
7. Hawthorn Rd 12 - Was a strange last qtr, where we found ourselves behind, only one goal in the last ~20 minutes of game time.
6. Carlton Rd 11 - A 4 point win vs. Carlton is always sweet, but nearly coughing up a 4 goal lead in the last and a completely rediculous chopping the arms free not paid inside our 50 late (to Cameron I think?) The blues cleared the ball as a result and Curnow drilled a belter from 50. That free would of most likely iced the game.
5. Essendon Anzac Day - Ginn kicking 5 and an incredible 15.3 kicked for the day by the pies was the perfect way to rub salt into the wounds of one of our biggest rivals in the biggest H&A fixture of the year
4. Gold Coast Rd 16 - This was our sliding doors game. Around Rd 15/16 Gold Coast were actually better odds than us to make the 8. 2 early last qtr goals to Rankine had us looking shaky.
This win typifies how we have dug in this season and really setup our assault on not only the 8 but in the end the top 4. Ended up a massive 6 games clear of the Gold Coast, good chance this result broke them.
Had we dropped this one it could of been a completely different story for us this season.
3. Melbourne Rd 21 - Was incredible to dig so deep to pull back the margain and hold off the reigning premiers. We somehow had them absolutely knackered but their midfield class kept them in the game with some quick centre clearance goals. Easily could of been the type of game that a class team like Melbourne could of escaped from with a win.
2. Essendon Rd 19 - Who would of thought we won because of a chain of events that started from Howe slipping over 35m out from essendons goal result in a free to the bombers.
Probably would of dropped to number 3 but that final play and the Elliot kick was one of the most beautiful things I've ever watched our boys do.
1. Rd 23 v Carlton - The fact the Essendon win got bumped to second on my rankings absolutely blows my mind. The significance of this win was absolutely phenomenal
Be interesting to see what order everyone ranks the 11 nail-biting wins.
11. GWS Rd 15 - 11.22 v 12.5 was painful. Absolutely hated this game. This just felt like absolute relief as we would of been kicking ourselves if we lost this one.
10. Port Rd 20 - Of all these games this was a bit of a non event for a 1 goal margain. We seemed to have the game in control throughout the last, a late goal to port gave us a bit of a scare but they didn't end up posing a threat of levelling in the concluding minute or so.
9. Adelaide Rd 18 - Thought we had the W next to this game locked in when we got out by 16 points late. Within 2 minutes it was back to 5 and had to anxiously sit through another 7 minutes hoping we didn't choke.
8. North Rd 17 - if you told me that we would only beat them by 7 points pre-game I would of been livid (especially after losing to WCE earlier in the season) But I don't care who you beat turning a 26 point 3qtr time deficit into a 7 point win is a huge result. Another game that no doubt have us belief that we can overcome a deficit in the last qtr.
7. Hawthorn Rd 12 - Was a strange last qtr, where we found ourselves behind, only one goal in the last ~20 minutes of game time.
6. Carlton Rd 11 - A 4 point win vs. Carlton is always sweet, but nearly coughing up a 4 goal lead in the last and a completely rediculous chopping the arms free not paid inside our 50 late (to Cameron I think?) The blues cleared the ball as a result and Curnow drilled a belter from 50. That free would of most likely iced the game.
5. Essendon Anzac Day - Ginn kicking 5 and an incredible 15.3 kicked for the day by the pies was the perfect way to rub salt into the wounds of one of our biggest rivals in the biggest H&A fixture of the year
4. Gold Coast Rd 16 - This was our sliding doors game. Around Rd 15/16 Gold Coast were actually better odds than us to make the 8. 2 early last qtr goals to Rankine had us looking shaky.
This win typifies how we have dug in this season and really setup our assault on not only the 8 but in the end the top 4. Ended up a massive 6 games clear of the Gold Coast, good chance this result broke them.
Had we dropped this one it could of been a completely different story for us this season.
3. Melbourne Rd 21 - Was incredible to dig so deep to pull back the margain and hold off the reigning premiers. We somehow had them absolutely knackered but their midfield class kept them in the game with some quick centre clearance goals. Easily could of been the type of game that a class team like Melbourne could of escaped from with a win.
2. Essendon Rd 19 - Who would of thought we won because of a chain of events that started from Howe slipping over 35m out from essendons goal result in a free to the bombers.
Probably would of dropped to number 3 but that final play and the Elliot kick was one of the most beautiful things I've ever watched our boys do.
1. Rd 23 v Carlton - The fact the Essendon win got bumped to second on my rankings absolutely blows my mind. The significance of this win was absolutely phenomenal
