The 50 Best Games of the Last 50 Years

[Demonland 73,161]

 Dees feature in 4 of the Top 100. 

THE 100 GAMES IN CONTENTION

Round 6, 1970: Hawthorn v Richmond

Round 10, 1970: Collingwood v St Kilda

Round 11, 1970: South Melbourne v Collingwood

Grand Final, 1970: Carlton v Collingwood

Grand Final, 1971: Hawthorn v St Kilda

Round 9, 1971: North Melbourne v Geelong

Round 21, 1971: Collingwood v St Kilda

Grand Final, 1972: Carlton v Richmond

Round 21, 1973: Hawthorn v Collingwood

Grand Final, 1973: Carlton v Richmond

Grand Final, 1974: Richmond v North Melbourne

Grand Final, 1975: North Melbourne v Hawthorn

Round 1, 1976: South Melbourne v Geelong

Round 9, 1976: North Melbourne v Essendon

Round 10, 1976: Carlton v North Melbourne

Round 12, 1977: North Melbourne v Hawthorn

Grand Final, 1977: North Melbourne v Collingwood

Round 11, 1978: Essendon v Hawthorn

Round 13, 1978: Footscray v St Kilda

Grand Final, 1979: Carlton v Collingwood

Round 4, 1980: St Kilda v Essendon

Grand Final, 1980: Richmond v Collingwood

Semi Final, 1981: Collingwood v Fitzroy

Grand Final, 1981: Carlton v Collingwood

Qualifying Final, 1983: Hawthorn v Fitzroy

Semi Final, 1984: Essendon v Hawthorn

Grand Final, 1984: Essendon v Hawthorn

State of Origin, 1984: Western Australia v Victoria

Preliminary Final, 1985: Hawthorn v Footscray

Elimination Final, 1986: Fitzroy v Essendon

Semi Final, 1986: Fitzroy v Sydney

State of Origin, 1986: Western Australia v Victoria

Round 10, 1987: North Melbourne v Sydney

Round 22, 1987: Carlton v North Melbourne

State of Origin, 1987: South Australia v Victoria

Preliminary Final, 1987: Hawthorn v Melbourne

Elimination Final, 1988: Melbourne v West Coast Eagles

Preliminary Final, 1988: Carlton v Melbourne

Round 6, 1989: Hawthorn v Geelong

Grand Final, 1989: Geelong v Hawthorn

Qualifying Final, 1990: Collingwood v West Coast Eagles

Elimination Final, 1991: St Kilda v Geelong

Round 2, 1993: Essendon v Carlton

Round 6, 1993: Essendon v Geelong

State of Origin, 1993: South Australia v Victoria

Qualifying Final, 1993: Carlton v Essendon

Preliminary Final, 1993: Essendon v Adelaide Crows

Round 7, 1994: Sydney v St Kilda

Qualifying Final, 1994: Geelong v Footscray

Preliminary Final, 1994: Geelong v North Melbourne

Round 4, 1995: Collingwood v Essendon

Round 21, 1995: West Coast Eagles v Carlton

Qualifying Final, 1996: Brisbane Bears v Essendon

Preliminary Final, 1996: Sydney Swans v Essendon

Preliminary Final, 1997: Western Bulldogs v Adelaide Crows

Round 10, 1998: West Coast Eagles v Western Bulldogs

Round 22, 1998: North Melbourne v Western Bulldogs

Round 1, 1999: Geelong v North Melbourne

Round 12, 1999: Hawthorn v St Kilda

Preliminary Final, 1999: Essendon v Carlton

Round 21, 2000: Western Bulldogs v Essendon

Round 21, 2000: Fremantle v West Coast Eagles

Round 16, 2001: North Melbourne v Essendon

Semi Final, 2002: Adelaide Crows v Melbourne

Grand Final, 2002: Brisbane Lions v Collingwood

Round 6, 2003: Adelaide Crows v North Melbourne

Round 11, 2003: North Melbourne v Richmond

Round 17, 2003: Brisbane Lions v Port Adelaide

Round 3, 2004: Essendon v West Coast Eagles

Round 11, 2004: Essendon v Hawthorn

Preliminary Final, 2004: Port Adelaide v St Kilda

Semi Final, 2005: Sydney Swans v Geelong

Grand Final, 2005: Sydney Swans v West Coast Eagles

Round 5, 2006: St Kilda v Fremantle

Grand Final, 2006: Sydney Swans v West Coast Eagles

Elimination Final, 2007: Hawthorn v Adelaide Crows

Grand Final, 2008: Hawthorn v Geelong

Round 5, 2009: Essendon v Collingwood

Round 14, 2009: St Kilda v Geelong

Grand Final, 2009: Geelong v St Kilda

Qualifying Final, 2010: Geelong v St Kilda

Grand Final, 2010: Collingwood v St Kilda

Preliminary Final, 2011: Collingwood v Hawthorn

Round 5, 2012: Collingwood v Essendon

Round 10, 2012: Hawthorn v North Melbourne

Round 16, 2012: Gold Coast Suns v Richmond

Grand Final, 2012: Hawthorn v Sydney Swans

Round 13, 2013: Brisbane Lions v Geelong

Round 19, 2013: Port Adelaide v Adelaide Crows

Elimination Final, 2013: Richmond v Carlton

Qualifying Final, 2013: Geelong v Fremantle

Preliminary Final, 2013: Geelong v Hawthorn

Preliminary Final, 2014: Hawthorn v Port Adelaide

Round 16, 2015: Adelaide Crows v Port Adelaide

Qualifying Final, 2016: Hawthorn v Geelong

Preliminary Final, 2016: GWS Giants v Western Bulldogs

Grand Final, 2016: Western Bulldogs v Sydney Swans

Elimination Final, 2017: Port Adelaide v West Coast Eagles

Grand Final, 2018: Collingwood v West Coast Eagles

Preliminary Final, 2019: GWS Giants v Collingwood

[Swooper1987 3,322]

Sadly for us the 87 prelim is definitely a top 50.  It was an outstanding game of finals footy and it is rare that a team can lead an entire game and still not be the winner. A genuine last man standing affair and I'll make sure I'm not watching when it gets replayed.  Once was enough and I still remember it like it was yesterday.

[TeamPlayedFine39 8,510]

Best match I’ve ever attended was the ‘Merger Match’ against Hawthorn Round 22 1996.

Hawthorn by a point, Dunstall kicks 10 (including 100th), Neitz kick 6, Farmer 4.

Hawthorn needed a win to play finals, a Melbourne win could mean it was the last time either team played in the AFL.  Incredibly vocal, passionate and emotional crowd.

[Call Me What You Will 751]

Last round 1987 vs Footscray - symbolised that crazy last round. What more could you want?

[Wells 11 5,422]

Sounds strange to say but one of my all time favorite games was round 9;1971. We beat St Kilda,  who were runners up that year ,  by 3 points to go 8-1 in the season. It was my first year barracking ( 11) and I was crazily waving my crepe paper flogger . I Sat with my friend 2nd story up behind the goals leaning over the railings and,  in our rocking and shouting  etc,   I remember the people behind us were worried we were going to fall off! 
I was strangely disappointed this game didn’t make it to the top 100.  Wells, Parke, Hardeman, Alves , Keenan , Barry Bourke , Biffen etc.  The names of that era still remain my favorite even after all this time. 

The dees went on a big and gruelling pre season camp that year ( ahead of the times at that point) players took time off work and at the start of 71we were fitter than everyone else. But critically and  unfortunately only 22 or so went , or could afford to go , on that camp . Mid season we got hit hard by injuries and, with poor depth as well as the new players coming into the team not  having  the same conditioning base,  we went from 8-1 to finish with only 3 wins from the next 13 games. Still, round 9 1971 sits high in my all time favorite game memories . 

[Dr. Gonzo 24,305]

I just watched a Saturday night replay of the round 7 1988 game Melbourne vs Hawthorn. Albeit a condensed version that game would crap on anything from the last 10 years. There were hardly any ballups around the ground and the skills on display were quite good. No chipping the ball around, no flooding, no scrums, great marks, great tackles, great goals, one on one play around the ground and players on their last legs in the last quarter.

[Fork 'em 6,991]

17 hours ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

Best match I’ve ever attended was the ‘Merger Match’ against Hawthorn Round 22 1996.

Hawthorn by a point, Dunstall kicks 10 (including 100th), Neitz kick 6, Farmer 4.

Hawthorn needed a win to play finals, a Melbourne win could mean it was the last time either team played in the AFL.  Incredibly vocal, passionate and emotional crowd.

Though we lost.
Have to agree.
 

 

[tiers 2,843]

Robbie's first final in 1987. The 118 point demolition of roos.

[Fork 'em 6,991]

16 hours ago, tiers said:

Robbie's first final in 1987. The 118 point demolition of roos.

 

[Demonland 73,161]

[jumbo returns 6,741]

Boring

[Demonland 73,161]

[Pates 9,660]

On 4/4/2020 at 9:50 AM, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

Best match I’ve ever attended was the ‘Merger Match’ against Hawthorn Round 22 1996.

Hawthorn by a point, Dunstall kicks 10 (including 100th), Neitz kick 6, Farmer 4.

Hawthorn needed a win to play finals, a Melbourne win could mean it was the last time either team played in the AFL.  Incredibly vocal, passionate and emotional crowd.

His 100th goal turned the momentum, I was young but I definitely remember Hawthorn responded the better from it. I also remember the emotions coming from a lot of people, as I said I was young so I don't think I fully understood what was happening but I could feel it for sure.

Best Melbourne games I can remember are the 2000 Carlton prelim final and the 2002 Adelaide final (which I still have trouble figuring out how we lost).

EDIT I just had a quick flick through the youtube video turns out our boys came back a bit after it! Ah the memories of a 10 year old back then! ?

Edited April 10, 2020 by Pates

[Demonland 73,161]

[Demonland 73,161]

Not one Demons game in the Top 50. With only 3 games left  I can't see any of the 4 that were nominated in the Top 100 getting a gig.

[Demonstone 22,820]

Our magnificent win over the Suns last year could be one of the three by my reckoning.

[Demonland 73,161]

Full list of games revealed

1. 2018, Grand Final: Collingwood v West Coast

2. 2016, Preliminary Final: GWS Giants v Western Bulldogs

3. 1989, Grand Final: Hawthorn v Geelong

4. 2016, Grand Final: Western Bulldogs v Sydney

5. 2005, Grand Final: Sydney v West Coast Eagles

6. 2010, Grand Final: Collingwood v St Kilda

7. 2006, Grand Final: Sydney v West Coast Eagles

8. 1999, Preliminary Final: Essendon v Carlton

9. 2013, Preliminary Final: Geelong v Hawthorn

10. 2009, Round 14: St Kilda v Geelong

11. 2012, Grand Final: Hawthorn v Sydney

12. 2009, Grand Final: Geelong v St Kilda

13. 2009, Round 5: Essendon v Collingwood

14. 2008, Grand Final: Hawthorn v Geelong

15. 2017, Elimination Final: Port Adelaide v West Coast Eagles

16. 2005, Semi Final: Sydney v Geelong

17. 2002, Grand Final: Brisbane Lions v Collingwood

18. 2001, Round 16: North Melbourne v Essendon

19. 2013, Round 13: Brisbane Lions v Geelong

20. 1993, Preliminary Final: Essendon v Adelaide Crows

21. 2011, Preliminary Final: Collingwood v Hawthorn

22. 2013, Elimination Final: Richmond v Carlton

23. 2014, Preliminary Final: Hawthorn v Port Adelaide

24. 1984, Grand Final: Essendon v Hawthorn

25. 1970, Grand Final: Carlton v Collingwood

26. 2000, Round 21, Western Bulldogs v Essendon

27. 1995, Round 4: Collingwood v Essendon

28. 1987, Preliminary Final: Western Bulldogs v Adelaide

29. 2004, Round 3: Essendon v West Coast Eagles

30. 2013, Qualifying Final: Geelong v Fremantle

31. 2019, Preliminary Final: Collingwood v GWS Giants

32. 2007, Elimination Final: Hawthorn v Adelaide

33. 2004, Preliminary Final: Port Adelaide v St Kilda

34. 2012, Round 5: Collingwood v Essendon

35. 1990, Qualifying Final: Collingwood v West Coast Eagles

36. 2015, Round 16 Adelaide v Port Adelaide

37. 1993, Round 6: Essendon v Hawthorn

38. 1980 Grand Final: Richmond v Collingwood

39. 2016, Qualifying Final: Hawthorn v Geelong

40. 1993, State of Origin: South Australia v Victoria

41. 2000, Round 21: Fremantle v West Coast

42. 1979, Grand Final: Carlton v Collingwood

43. 2013, Round 19: Port Adelaide v Adelaide

44. 1998, Round 22: North Melbourne v Western Bulldogs

45. 1977, Grand Final: North Melbourne v Collingwood

46. 2004, Round 11: Essendon v Hawthorn

47. 1986, Elimination Final: Fitzroy v Essendon

48. 1996, Preliminary Final: Sydney v Essendon

49. 1994, Round 7: Sydney v St Kilda

50. 1994, Preliminary Final: Geelong v North Melbourne

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,939]

Not surprised we didn’t feature in the top 50 games.

Over the off season , Fox Footy showed loads and loads of classic games for a good 4-5 months but didn’t even show one Melbourne win. One of the two featured Melbourne games they showed included a 106 point to loss to North in the mid 90’s.

Even GC and Fitzroy wins were shown, the latter of whom is dead!

[Supermercado 2,802]

If we're honest, it was very kind of them not to include 186 - the win in league history where footage is available.

I take it they only put on games they have four quarters of, and that's why Round 22, 1987 doesn't make it and the whole thing is tilted massively towards the 2000s. It would be interesting to see a similar list with all games of the last 50 years regardless of whether there's four quarters of vision available.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,305]

9 hours ago, Supermercado said:

If we're honest, it was very kind of them not to include 186 - the win in league history where footage is available.

I take it they only put on games they have four quarters of, and that's why Round 22, 1987 doesn't make it and the whole thing is tilted massively towards the 2000s. It would be interesting to see a similar list with all games of the last 50 years regardless of whether there's four quarters of vision available.

I have a full copy of round 22 1987 - granted it's not broadcast quality but still, it exists ?

[Old Bear 388]

On 4/5/2020 at 8:44 PM, tiers said:

Robbie's first final in 1987. The 118 point demolition of roos.

Yep was there we were unbelievable that day everything went right

[Supermercado 2,802]

23 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

I have a full copy of round 22 1987 - granted it's not broadcast quality but still, it exists ?

You should preserve it appropriately, some Channel 7 goose probably threw the master tape in the bin.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,305]

22 hours ago, Supermercado said:

You should preserve it appropriately, some Channel 7 goose probably threw the master tape in the bin.

Will definitely upload to YouTube one day when I get around to converting it

Would love to blame it on channel 7 but the ABC had the rights that year. I have a feeling the copy I have was recorded by someone from country/interstate where they broadcast the entire game as it was only the 2nd half shown in Melbourne

[MyFavouriteMartian 572]

5 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Will definitely upload to YouTube one day when I get around to converting it

Would love to blame it on channel 7 but the ABC had the rights that year. I have a feeling the copy I have was recorded by someone from country/interstate where they broadcast the entire game as it was only the 2nd half shown in Melbourne

Don't have a fire Dr, will you.?