Grinter on Mew in the 1987 Prelim for me.

Neitz is twice the size of McCabe, and while it was an awesome hip and shoulder, I rate the Grinters bump on Mew just ahead of it.

Of the non-Melbourne bumps, Earl Spalding on Guy McKenna late in the 1995 season at Subiaco was an absolute bone rattler.

This is pissweak.

There are rules designed to prevent the contact sport from collapsing into a pathetic brawl. There is an honour code to the same effect.

Yes, they turn up in legit play in a contest, and yes it's great to see people going in hard. But a bump intended to do nothing but take out the opponent is a dog act.

Some people in this thread are celebrating exactly those dog acts.

I have a problem with that, and if anyone thinks that's being unfair then they need to pause and take a good hard look at themselves.

Yes, they turn up in legit play in a contest, and yes it's great to see people going in hard. But a bump intended to do nothing but take out the opponent is a dog act.

Depends how you define "take out". Two players running for the ball, one bumps the other to knock him over and hence win possession is fine. Same if its a legitimate shepherd.

You seem to be implying that most big hits in the AFL are intended purely to inflict pain on their opponent. This is not true, generally only the ones that get reported are outside the legitimate tactics and hence spirit of the game.

For example, Neita's hit on McCabe was an absolute corker as he had eyes for the football the entire time.

The hit on Kosi a while back (the shepherd when he wasn't looking) was borderline as although it was a legal shepherd it wasn't necessary, he wasn't going to run down the player he was chasing.

If you take out the physicality of AFL we may as well save watering the ovals in winter and play basketball.