WATCH: GFL’s 10 greatest finals in 21st century
With the GFL gearing up for its first finals campaign in three years, the Addy counted down the top 10 greatest finals of the 21st century in the competition. TAKE OUR POLL
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The GFL is set to begin its first finals campaign in three years on Saturday, with St Mary’s still the reigning premiers through Covid’s cancelled seasons.
As the best time of year ramps up, the Addy has looked at the league’s most thrilling finals from this century.
Watch the vision from some of the league’s best games below, and have your say on the best game below.
10. 2015 Grand Final - St Joseph’s 13.15 (93) def Newtown & Chilwell 11.9 (75)
The benefit of having a key position utility is being able to place them at either end of the ground, but St Joseph’s fans would not have expected such a rollercoaster on grand final day.
Joey’s full back Dale Carson was moved to from full back to full forward after Eagle Luke Forbes slotted five goals by the second minute of the third term.
Carson had been moved back and forward throughout the course of the season, kicking 46 goals in 2015 but had been tasked with Forbes on grand final day.
Forbes’ dominance in the first term was obvious, but Carson’s was just as impressive in the second half as he slotted five majors in the third quarter to pull Joeys back into the game.
9. 2003 Grand Final – St Mary’s 8.11 (59) drew Bell Park 8.11 (59)
The only drawn grand final in GFL history, Bell Park had the ball locked in its forward line as the siren sounded, confirming a rematch the following week.
The Dragons were unlucky not to be paid a mark on the goal line to Sam Talarico, with the umpires instead calling play on and a rushed behind was scored to draw the sides level.
St Mary’s cleared the ball from defensive 50 only for it return, with the umpires putting the whistle away in the frantic final seconds.
Bell Park returned the next week to win the 2003 premiership by 19 points.
8. 2009 Semi Final – St Joseph’s 9.10 (64) def South Barwon 8.15 (63)
The Swans could not complete a memorable comeback, with goalkicking woes costing them a famous victory against St Joseph’s.
Joeys held an 11-point buffer at the final break after South Barwon had kicked 5.11 to that point, but eventually held on by one point after a 1.6 to 3.4 final term.
7. 2011 Semi Final – Bell Park 7.10 (52) def South Barwon 6.7 (43)
In what turned out to be a grand final preview, Bell Park battled hard to take the semi-final chocolates against South Barwon.
The Dragons held a first quarter lead before the Swans claimed ascendancy back for the next two terms.
But a 2.1 last quarter, while also keeping South Barwon scoreless, gave Bell Park enough of a scoring differential to take back the advantage and hold onto a win.
Midfielder Tom Maas had an influence for the Swans, going forward and kicking three goals, but his fantastic performance could not drag his side over the line.
6. 2016 Semi Final – St Mary’s 15.6 (96) def Leopold 13.7 (85)
Leopold was a sure-fire favourite to progress deep into 2016’s finals campaign after finishing the season with just one loss to its name, but St Mary’s ran red hot in the final term to hand the Lions’ their second loss of the season.
The Lions slotted the first four goals of the game and led by three majors at the final break, but was kept scoreless in the last quarter while St Mary’s piled on 4.5 to run out winners.
5. 2015 Qualifying Final – Colac 14.7 (91) def Bell Park 12.16 (88)
Bell Park was a kick away from completing one of the most memorable comebacks in GFL finals history when the Dragons hosted the Tigers at West Oval.
The two sides were separated by just 20 per cent on the ladder, but Colac jumped out to a five-goal lead by half time.
The Dragons had their moments in the third term but went into the final quarter still trailing by 29 points.
In the last term, Bell Park kicked 5.4 to get within a kick of Colac, but a wayward shot at goal from a streaming Tyler Stack kept the Tigers ahead by three points when the siren sounded about 20 seconds later.
4. 2018 Grand Final – St Joseph’s 13.8 (86) def St Mary’s 11.11 (77)
It was more heartbreak for St Mary’s players, coaches and fans as a three-goal lead evaporated in the second half of 2018’s grand final.
The Saints had the week off leading into the big dance and looked the fresher team in the first half, jumping out to an early lead.
But a four-goal-to-one last quarter gave St Joseph’s a late lead to hold onto, handing St Mary’s its third consecutive grand final loss.
3. 2018 Preliminary Final – St Joseph’s 6.13 (49) def Leopold 7.6 (48)
It was four seasons in four quarters for 2018’s preliminary final, with the rain coming heavy in the final quarter.
The conditions were not ideal for football, with players struggling to control or deliver the ball in the frantic few minutes of the game.
Leopold had a shot to take the lead with minutes remaining, but a missed kick from directly in front by Lion Sam Scott meant St Joseph’s held the one-point advantage.
The Lions looked like they would have one last chance at securing a spot in the grand final, but the siren sounded as the ball entered the forward 50.
St Joseph’s went on to win the grand final the following week, defeating St Mary’s.
2. 2011 Grand Final – Bell Park 11.12 (78) def South Barwon 11.6 (72)
Bell Park stopped a potential South Barwon three-peat in spectacular fashion, coming from five goals behind in the final quarter to snatch the premiership from the Swans’ grasp.
The Dragons trailed by five goals at three quarter time and looked completely out of the contest, but a quick flurry of goals shifted momentum in Bell Park’s favour as the side looked to storm home.
Dragon Lachlan Kennedy took three big pack marks and slotted two goals in the final term as Bell Park kicked six goals in 20 minutes of football after only managing five majors in the previous three quarters.
1. 2019 Grand Final – St Mary’s 10.14 (74) def Colac 10.12 (72)
A bounce of the ball, an ill-positioned umpire and an amazingly clutch kick is the difference between agony and ecstasy for St Mary’s in 2019.
The Saints had the run of momentum in the last few minutes of the season decider, with missed opportunities leaving the underdogs down by five points with about a minute remaining.
As the ball entered Colac’s defensive 50, Colac’s Dean Felekos tried to clear the danger but his kick hit the umpire, bouncing back to Saint Jarryd Garner.
His handball found forward Doug Bond, who’s kick at goal was touched on the line by Tiger Lachlan Simpkin.
Simpkin’s kick out from goals was long and onto the back flank, but the Saints found a hero for the day in Nick Connors, who collected the ball at the front of the back, kicking truly from 40 metres out and putting the Saints up with just seconds to spare.
Originally published as WATCH: GFL’s 10 greatest finals in 21st century
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