Underrated Finals Moments

TheWoodenSlug

Norm Smith Medallist
Joined
Nov 24, 2008
Posts
5,250
Likes
9,899
AFL Club
Geelong
#26
The first three things that popped into my head when I read the thread title - Ottens' chase down and tackle (my favourite moment in all of Geelong's recent finals), Varcoe's goal and Corey's smother - have all already been mentioned. I guess they can't be that underrated, at least among Geelong fans.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

kylegee28

Club Legend
Joined
Mar 31, 2011
Posts
1,219
Likes
1,880
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
#27
Steven Bakers rushed behind late in the 2009 Grand Final stands out immediately. From the Lions, Matt Austin's tackle on Judd in the 09 elimination final was huge.
 

the_big_sav

Club Legend
Joined
May 29, 2003
Posts
2,874
Likes
628
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
North Melbourne
#28
harry taylor smothered a shot from riewoldt in the 3rd 1/4 of 09 grand final that made a difference.

riewoldt came in not 100% and struggled early and had a big fall in the 1st.

marks and goals in the 3rd to put stk just over 2 goals up (pretty sure) then next bounce comes out and he has a shot that would of made up over 3 goals and got his mojo up and about and that momentum might have made them too far to catch at 3/4 time
 

the_big_sav

Club Legend
Joined
May 29, 2003
Posts
2,874
Likes
628
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
North Melbourne
#31
sidebottoms goal in 2011 just before 3/4 time also goes a bit unrecognized. multiple efforts before kicking from 50m.

I think it happened just after the hawkins poster/goal so there wasn't much focus on the next play
 

catstorm

Club Legend
Joined
Dec 9, 2011
Posts
2,716
Likes
2,801
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Everton, Toronto Raptors
#32
sidebottoms goal in 2011 just before 3/4 time also goes a bit unrecognized. multiple efforts before kicking from 50m.

I think it happened just after the hawkins poster/goal so there wasn't much focus on the next play
Yeah nah the Hawkins poster goal was in 09, the only poster goal that day was sharrod wellingham.
 

Rotayjay

Norm Smith Medallist
Joined
Aug 28, 2014
Posts
7,385
Likes
12,905
Location
Adelaide, South Australia
AFL Club
Adelaide
#35
Tyson Edwards' smother on Chris Grant deep in the 4th quarter of the 1997 prelim:


From that game, people usually remember Modra's knee injury, Jarman's performance up forward to fill Modra's shoes, and (most famously of all) Libba's premature goal celebration. But had Edwards not dived on that ball or even been half a second too late, that would go down in history as the moment Grant snatched victory from the jaws of defeat and put the Bulldogs into their first grand final since 1961.

Either St Kilda or the Western Bulldogs would have won the 1997 flag. The 2009, 2010 and/or 2016 grand finals wouln't have had the same meaning. And it's quite possible that, having missed out in 1997, the Crows wouldn't have had the confidence to win the flag in 1998 and the Adelaide Crows might be without a premiership.

A sliding-doors moment.
 
Last edited:

Scotland

Hall of Famer
Joined
May 5, 2006
Posts
47,256
Likes
48,762
AFL Club
West Coast
#36
I love watching highlights of 2008 Stuart Dew. How can a guy so fat have such an impact? I don't really remember anything from the 2008 GF other than Geelong missing a bunch of set shots, Hodge getting the Norm Smith and Stuart Dew.

There's a couple of moments in the 2006 GF that don't get a lot of recognition. I'm sure there are from 2005 too but aint nobody for time for that. Basically whenever they mention 05/06 it's 'Leo Barry you star', 'Chick. Hunter. Goal!' and they show the final siren of 06 where Cox is rucking at a throw in and the siren goes and Huddo says 'Who would have thought the sequel, would be as good as the original?'.

Rowan Jones' contest in the middle of the ground has already been mentioned. There's some big marks late in the game from Embley (if you watch the season highlights DVD in the box set he always bobs up in big moments) and Waters, one in particular with Waters backing back with no regard for his safety in true Waters style. It was Drew Banfield's 265th and final game and he played on Nick Davis who was the only Swan who looked like kicking a bag. A couple of perfectly timed spoils kept him to 3. Q's goal in the 3rd quarter is pretty underrated too. Fairly low scoring game (12 goals each) and he kicks one from 5m inside the boundary 60 out straight through the middle. Kerr's gather on the bounce and run is pretty good too.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Joined
Apr 5, 2016
Posts
1,115
Likes
2,146
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Boston Celtics
#39
Underrated is probably how well we played against West Coast last year, hadn't won at Subiaco for many years, West Coast didn't give a yelp. The finals series will be remembered for the preliminary final because it was arguably one of the greatest games of football in recent memory, or the drought ending premiership win, but the kickstarter was that elimination final.
 

manicmagpie

A slice of fried gold
Joined
Jul 2, 2003
Posts
3,069
Likes
6,130
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
Collingwood
#43
Just watching the highlights between Port and Collingwood in the 2002 qualifying final, I witnessed a crazy good moment that I hadn't seen in a long time. When the game was truly in the balance, Ben Johnson's heroics saved us from a huge goal to the home team.

What are some of your favourite finals moments that don't get the respect it deserves?


When coaches bring out the cliche of 'It might not be your day, but you can make it your moment' I always think of this from Johnno.

He had been absolutely towelled up all night, had a few goals kicked on him, gave away a silly off the ball free etc, but when the game was in the balance and his moment came, he was able to grab it and become a hero.
 

adammania9

Norm Smith Medallist
Joined
Mar 18, 2013
Posts
9,120
Likes
17,671
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
University
Thread starter #44
When coaches bring out the cliche of 'It might not be your day, but you can make it your moment' I always think of this from Johnno.

He had been absolutely towelled up all night, had a few goals kicked on him, gave away a silly off the ball free etc, but when the game was in the balance and his moment came, he was able to grab it and become a hero.
For me, it's Sam Mitchell's clinching goal in the 2008 grand final - just 13 touches for the day but a captain's goal to seal it makes up for it all.
 

legend166

Premium Platinum
Joined
Apr 21, 2007
Posts
10,297
Likes
8,271
Location
Sydney
AFL Club
Sydney
#46
Trent Denis-Lane with the run down, tackle and goal against Dennis Armfield in the 2010 Elimination Final. One of the more obscure players to have a great finals moment.


That whole game is actually underrated. Judd put on a masterclass until Roos put JPK onto him essentially as a tag. Carlton were leading going into the final quarter but we kicked 3 goals to 1 to win it by 5 points.
 

MaddAdam

Cancelled
Joined
Jun 8, 2011
Posts
25,430
Likes
31,985
Location
In the not so distant future
AFL Club
North Melbourne
#49
Sam Wright intercept mark at the start of the third quarter in the 2014 Elim Final against Essendon.

Bombers were 33 points up and cruising, had the ball out and kicked to half forward where Goddard and Watson were waiting. But Wright backed himself, flew between them and we got a goal as result and the momentum utterly switched.

 

XhazzafootyX

Team Captain
Joined
May 24, 2011
Posts
342
Likes
504
AFL Club
St Kilda
#50
Sam Wright intercept mark at the start of the third quarter in the 2014 Elim Final against Essendon.

Bombers were 33 points up and cruising, had the ball out and kicked to half forward where Goddard and Watson were waiting. But Wright backed himself, flew between them and we got a goal as result and the momentum utterly switched.

how good was brown! in his first season aswell, wowee
 
Top Bottom