I would have went with Lachie Neale by a whisker over Ashcroft last year.
I would have also went with Bailey this year, Andrews, Zorko, Ashcroft and Fletcher were great as well.
Ashcroft was very good in both, definitely top 3-4 in both GFs IMO.
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Which Was The Best Norm Smith Performance?
- Thread starter abchawk
- Start date
- Tagged users None
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I would have also went with Bailey this year, Andrews, Zorko, Ashcroft and Fletcher were great as well.
Ashcroft was very good in both, definitely top 3-4 in both GFs IMO.
Senior.
Rabish Binney
Left out overnight
That finals series has to be the best ever by a player IMHO....
- Thread starter
- #79
It would be hard to top, although Bartlett had a great 1980 final series in 3 games kicked 6, 8, and 7 (Norm Smith).
Ablett kicked 3, 7, 8, 9 (Norm Smith) in his 4 finals that year.
For those that saw them both as a sequence of 3 successive finals games was Bartlett's 21 goals in 3 games in 1980 better than Ablett's 24 goals in 3 games (not inc. the first qualifying final) in 1989?
Both remarkable as non key forwards for a majority of those games. Ablett basically played like a key forward in the Grand Final but certainly in the Preliminary Final he played more up ground.
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Few people mentioning Dusty's 2020, that was a great game at reduced game time, would be really interesting to see how those stats might have extrapolated to a full game, could have been a 25+ /5 goal game or something.
I've never watched the two performances below but Bartlett 1980 and Ablett 1989 are both folklore performances in Grand Finals and have to be up there.
I've never watched the two performances below but Bartlett 1980 and Ablett 1989 are both folklore performances in Grand Finals and have to be up there.
Easily gaz snr 1989.
9 goals in a losing grand final and almost dragged his side singe handedly from 10 goals down to within a kick of a grand final win.
One of the goals during junk time in the last few minutes wasn’t too impactful.
Not up there really compared to others
- Apr 24, 2020
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Kicks straight and it isn't even an argument. Could've been one of the all time performances if not for going 1.6 until late in the game.
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I picked him pre game. You would have been filthy if you backed him for the Norm Smith.
Dustin Martin 2020. Keep in mind games were 25% shorter.
21 disposals. 4 goals straight. 1 goal assist. 10 Contested possessions. 5 clearances. 5 inside-50's. 457m gained. 9 x score involvements. Player rating 25.7
Full-length equivalent:
26 disposals
5 goals
12 score involvements
6 clearances
6 inside-50's
570m gained
32.1 player rating (Will Ashcroft was 20.6 in 2025)
Tigers kicked the first 2 x goals in that match, then Geelong the next 5.....Cats were absolutely dominant. Then Dusty kicked a late goal just before half-time, and the rest is history.
21 disposals. 4 goals straight. 1 goal assist. 10 Contested possessions. 5 clearances. 5 inside-50's. 457m gained. 9 x score involvements. Player rating 25.7
Full-length equivalent:
26 disposals
5 goals
12 score involvements
6 clearances
6 inside-50's
570m gained
32.1 player rating (Will Ashcroft was 20.6 in 2025)
Tigers kicked the first 2 x goals in that match, then Geelong the next 5.....Cats were absolutely dominant. Then Dusty kicked a late goal just before half-time, and the rest is history.
Quinten Kennedy
Team Captain
Stats aside, it was an immense game. Although not going to argue the best of all time.
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Awesome. Him and Richmond's footy sublime. 3 out of 4 flags up there with the best of them.
Goddard 2010 my favourite grand final performance ever, but Dusty 2020 is a good shout.
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Jamara Ugle Hagan
6 goals in the 2026 Grand Final in a losing side to the Brisbane Lions.
6 goals in the 2026 Grand Final in a losing side to the Brisbane Lions.
- Thread starter
- #90
I agree it is probably the best of the best, but the greatest margin of the day I think was at quarter time at 40 points
- Thread starter
- #91
I don’t think you can extrapolate performance linearly like that for extended time. However it was a great performance, and up there with the best. And as I said earlier, eerily similar in so many ways to Matera 1992 v Geelong.
- Aug 18, 2009
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just watched highlights of the 92 grand final & f**k me 2020 was a complete clone of that game
- Jun 23, 2020
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Petracca/Shuey/Martin 2020 in some order.
Go watch ablett senior 89 gf then get back to me
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Quinten Kennedy
Team Captain
With what info?
Except Matera literally kicked the goals which brought his side back into the contest during the third quarter.
Richmond started off the second half with goals to Riewoldt, Castagna, Lambert to bridge the margin to 3 points.
Martin put you in front before a bevvy of goals from his teammates ensured the flood gates had well and truly opened.
Martin was excellent no doubt but Matera's performance was much better.
Electronic_Renaissance
I ain't sayin' nothin'!
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The first one that comes to mind is Matera 92. Too young to see Ablett 89.
Thoughts Matera92?
One from (maybe) left field was Clark Keating 2001. Didn't they do the votes before the match had actually finished back then?
Thoughts Matera92?
One from (maybe) left field was Clark Keating 2001. Didn't they do the votes before the match had actually finished back then?
if his gf is the best.
Cool, now do the best Leon Davis performance
- Aug 18, 2009
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lol it was a comment about the parallels in how the matches progressed, bookmarked by a highly influential individual performance
I am happy to concede Matera had a better game, but your response is clearly taking an opportunity to denigrate Martin's influence
1. Martin kicked the freak goal that kept us alive
2. Martin delivered the ball to Riewoldt who got the ball rolling in Q3
3. Martin kicked the goal that put us in front
4. Martin kicked the goal that put the game to bed
5. Martin kicked the goal to embarrass his peer Danger
