Toughest AFL GF

Aug 27, 2014
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Carlton
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there are no other teams worthy
found this beauty in a story about the 1945 gf

'ON THE SATURDAY morning before the 1945 VFL grand final, known in football folklore as the Bloodbath, South Melbourne wingman Ted Whitfield kept to his normal routine. He had six beers. This book is worth it for that one detail. Whitfield would be one of nine players reported in the match, although with this distinction. He had run up the ground with his jumper up around his head so the goal umpire couldn't take his number. Whitfield, who didn't bother attending the tribunal, got a year's suspension'.
The more I read about that game, the more I think both teams were nuts that week. What got into them to both lose it so much during the match?
 
Aug 27, 2014
38,196
41,193
spacetime
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Carlton
Other Teams
there are no other teams worthy
I guess after the world events in the 3 decades prior, the filter would be off for most people
I wonder whether some players coming back from War had still not got their head space back into anything like normal civil life.
I suspect there were players from both teams that earlier in the year were still overseas involved in war duties.
 
Apr 22, 2007
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Bentleigh
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Geelong
The 2009 GF is the toughest AFL GF I've seen, it was like a heavyweight bout that went for the full 12 rounds and went right down to the wire.



The 16 min quarters count against last year's GF as being one of the toughest AFL GFs as it lacked the war of attrition you get with full length quarters.
Even though Cats came out on top I find 2009 hard to watch because it's so gruelling
 

Catsace

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Apr 15, 2007
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There's never anything heroic about the biggest guy on the paddock poleaxing the smallest bloke when he's in the air. You can do it anytime you get the opportunity, but you just dont. Only Hawthorn fans described it as tough.
"Tough" was Hannebery getting up.

Roughead had this ability to REALLY hurt blokes big time yet never even seem to be questioned in an MRP sense. He injured Dangerfield in two different collisions in two different games in the late 'teens...perhaps it's simply because he was a big unit. But he was a valuable weapon for the Hawks. It sort of contrasts diametrically with someone like Hawkins who'd get his 1-2 week holiday for a misplaced hand or tummy tap.
 

King Kepler

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Mar 10, 2021
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Thinking AFL era 2002 and 2009 are stand outs. 2004 was a tough game too until the Lions ran out of steam.

The 02 Grand final was the most underrated grand final of all time. Largest margin was 9 points for the whole game and had some huge moments from Voss, Buckley, Lynch etc, hardly gets mentioned though.
 

LeakyValve

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Nov 26, 2015
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Don't have a partisan view, but always considered the 2008 GF a tough game. Not bash and crash, but just utterly relentless and gripping.
 

mr bagcroft

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May 19, 2017
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Just like the R14 H&A game between the Saints and Cats in 2009 - the most stressful H&A game i have seen.
Yeah was at that one too and I agree.
That eclipses even any GF I have seen, any game I have ever seen.
A one off, you had to be there to get it I think .
 

Major Colvin

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May 8, 2006
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the 1971 VFL GF is considered by many of that generation to be the toughest. Don Scott said it was the toughest game he'd ever played in.

the 1989 GF would have to be close - Brereton broken ribs, Dipper punctured lung, Platten severely concussed.

of the modern era - I'd have to agree with other posters on 2009. That was a gruelling slog, high intensity through played in wet and freezing conditions.
 

Fourthawn

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May 2, 2016
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Roughead had this ability to REALLY hurt blokes big time yet never even seem to be questioned in an MRP sense. He injured Dangerfield in two different collisions in two different games in the late 'teens...perhaps it's simply because he was a big unit. But he was a valuable weapon for the Hawks. It sort of contrasts diametrically with someone like Hawkins who'd get his 1-2 week holiday for a misplaced hand or tummy tap.
I actually agree with every word you said. Roughead was a beast but seemed to play it tough between the shoulders and hips without using clenched fists, like the rules dictate. Hawkins too is a beast, but just does some dumb things from time to time and goes above the shoulders. His own fault really.
 
Jun 28, 2013
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AFL Club
Hawthorn
2014 grand final

The defending champions going into the grand final as the underdog. Media and neutral supporters on the Sydney Swans bandwagon. The focus being on Buddy and his "superstar" teammates about to embark on premiership glory.

Nobody expected to see the Hawthorn unit that turned up, tough as nails, executed their game plan with perfection AND ultimately stopped the Swans from executing theirs.

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The best game in the history of the AFL happened on grand final day 2014.
What a bump
 
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