What is the worst game you have ever watched?

Sep 13, 2015
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Hillary Step
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Richmond
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76ers
Richmond vs Melbourne rnd 18 2009.

Richmond were horrible and Melbourne were doing everything they can to tank that game. The game was a complete farce.
They were trying to lose. But we couldn’t beat them. All capped off with controversy over whether the McMahon’s mark was before the siren.
One of the weirdest games ever to go with being one of the worst.
 

Fourthawn

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May 2, 2016
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That hawthorn/st.kilda game at the G many years ago, I just remember the entire crowd booing at half time due to the piss poor standard of footy

I was there that night. I still have recurring nightmares. Worst game of footy ever.
 

Yojimbo

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Nov 14, 2012
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The "Elephant" in the room.
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Western Bulldogs
Apart from the peanut telling the GWS player to leave poor Cameron's elbow alone, what was over umpired about it?

I've posted elsewhere, I have no problem having lots of frees paid as long as they're there.

People applaud the umpires for letting it go in a final but for me, the more free that are paid, the less chance there is for rolling mauls to form. Pay them quick and often and it stops extra players running into the contest.

i remember the days of them paying 70+ frees a game, there were a lot less grey areas and interpretations. You were either holding the ball, dropping the ball, pushing someone in the back or grabbing them too high and the umpires paid them as soon as they saw them.
Fair enough Herne Hill Hammer, but I don't think the amount of free kicks constitutes over umpiring, the
umpires went in it to that game with the agenda to control it early after what had happened the week
before, both sides also contributed heavily by the way they approached and reacted to the flow of the
game. I guess in the end it was not a game won by positive football it was decided by mistakes and
maybe I could have phrased it better. Sometimes when you are distracted watching the niggle you miss
the obvious frees that should be payed, I love two sides going at it and may the best team win, but
maybe I am living in the past.
 
Hawks v Melbourne this year would have to be up there. Even with the close finish, the skills (or lack thereof) were deplorable.
 

showemhowtorock

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Jun 18, 2019
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Fremantle
Adelaide v Freo earlier this year. One goal each to halftime. I think there was an A-League final being played at the same time that had more goals.
Just horrid - the clash of two defensive gameplans. Thankfully both coaches involved are now gone.

On LG-K500 using BigFooty.com mobile app
that game was so *ing stupid because Freo had played a really attractive game style to that point and then just shut it down in that game. Hopefully Adelaide doesn't hire Ross Lyon and Freo don't hire Don Pyke.... imagine how atrocious the game would be if it kind of meant something to them
 

ash_1050

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Nov 21, 2009
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Melbourne
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Anything Ross Lyon St Kilda/Freo or Paul Roos Sydney made for bad viewing, too much congestion, flooding back and generally sapping the life out of the game.
 

Virgin Dog

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Oct 29, 2017
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Western Bulldogs
For a more recent example, the Essendon vs Saints game in Round 2 this year was something else. This was the same game where the 2 Essendon players ran past a live ball to the interchange bench, just for context. Skills were absolutely deplorable, there was little intensity. State leagues put on games of a far higher standard than this one. If you asked me back then where I thought these two would finish the year, I would've said 17th and 18th
 
Apr 1, 2008
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NASA
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Coburg
Saints v Swans game some years back. After a particular goal to the Swans, D. Cometti said "Sorry Saints fans, a goal is good for footy" or something like it. Two dour defensive teams out-defending each other.
Round 1 2008, I reckon - it was dank. But then Round 1 2009 came along and was every bit as dour, but a fantastic, brutal game - the first bow of the new St Kilda and the shape of footy to come.

The worst I've seen was the first match between the Essendon VFL team and, allegedly, the Carlton AFL team in 2016. There was a passage of play that summed the whole game up, where Carlton had the ball just outside their forward 50 then managed to panic and fumble it all the way back down the field for an eventual rushed behind.
 
Last edited:
Feb 28, 2007
51,375
66,869
Sydney
AFL Club
Sydney
Round 1, 2008 - Sydney vs St Kilda

I remember watching that game and it was the worst game I have ever seen in my life. I only watched it because the Swans were involved but it was all kinds of awful. Perfect conditions at Telstra Dome or whatever it was called then, but it played like it was in the middle of the pouring rain.
 

situationz

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Apr 9, 2019
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Richmond vs Melbourne on Anzac Day Eve this year had some of the worst football skills I've ever seen, especially on Melbourne's part.
Heck, you'd probably see a higher standard of footy in the average under 8s match.

Shows why Wednesday night games are a terrible idea.
 

Rabman

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Nov 22, 2016
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TRP1996

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Sep 24, 2008
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MuMuLand
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Geelong
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Mid 2004 at Subiaco Oval v the Eagles. A total of something like 9 goals kicked the whole match and James Kelly broke his leg. It also pissed down and I was in the Eagles members area.
 

Credit2thaB0is

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Aug 22, 2019
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Freo vs Swans was pretty atrocious this year. The only exciting bit was the Swans having it I50 for about 30 seconds of the last minute with a chance to win it yet they could not register even a behind to just draw it. Freo wins at home by the slimmest of margins in one of the most boring games ever.
 

Sprout

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Aug 6, 2010
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Melbourne vs Brisbane with the roof open at the then Etihad Stadium in 2014 was a shocker.
We’ve featured in some stinkers (as evidenced by the number of mentions already) but this one was the worst I’ve seen in terms of overall skill level. Pretty sure only both sets of fans would remember it. Unfathomably bad. It was like neither team wanted to retain possession.

There was a period of a few years where Brisbane and Melbourne played some awful games.
 

emuboy

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Dec 17, 2006
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Collingwood
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Fremantle v Brisbane in 2014 or something

There was an absolutely shocking game between Fremantle and Brisbane at Subiaco Oval on a Saturday afternoon in Round 3 2012 where the Dockers defeated the Lions 8.16-64 to 5.5-35. One might think that Perth had gotten an early winter cold front that weekend, or that a late sub-tropical rainstorm lingering from summer had made its presence known. Or perhaps it was just very windy that day.

No. It was a perfect sunny autumn afternoon with the temperatures in the low 20s and hardly a breath of wind.
 

kid_a

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Apr 5, 2010
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West Coast
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The 2nd Western Derby of 2009 was an atrocious game of football.
Freo- 10.11(71)
WCE- 8.18(66)

Sure it was close, but the 'flow' was non-existent and the skills were left at home that day.
 
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