Geelong speedster Travis Varcoe will always be remembered for his classic 2011 Grand Final goal

GOALS are what ultimately win Grand Finals and some ensure players are never forgotten. See Ando's Top 10.

Geelong speedster Travis Varcoe celebrates his classic goal in the 2011 Grand Final win over Collingwood. Picture: Andrew Tauber

GOALS are what ultimately win Grand Finals and what ensure some players are never forgotten on the biggest day.

Every one of you has a particular favourite, a moment where a particular goal either changed the game or just stood on its own for sheer brilliance. Here are my best 10 in the past 50 years.

GRAND FINAL GOALS (1963-2012)

Travis Varcoe 2011 (Geelong v Collingwood): You needed to witness the beginning of this last quarter goal to fully appreciate how a player could summon such energy at that stage of a gruelling game. With 15 minutes left Varcoe competed for a mark deep in Collingwood’s attacking zone, Paul Chapman picked up and handballed to Andrew Mackie who handballed to Mitch Duncan at half back. Steve Johnson gathered on the wing and kicked to Duncan who had kept running, the marking attempt falling to Varcoe who snapped on his left to put the Cats 21 points up. Game over.

Nathan Buckley

Nathan Buckley 2002 (Collingwood v Brisbane): His side was a point down during the third quarter when Nathan Buckley accepted a Tarkyn Lockyer handpass. Outside 50m and on a sharp angle, Buckley was presented with a choice, kick the goal like great players do or miss at a crucial time. He chose the former as part of an 11-possession quarter that led to the Norm Smith medal but not Premiership glory.

Aussie Jones 1997 (St Kilda v Adelaide): He was having some season when he reached the Grand Final, a day out from his 21st. And he couldn’t have asked for a better present than a Robert Harvey pass that set him free down the MCG wing. Five bounces and a handball to Andrew Thompson before getting the ball back was followed by a long left foot goal that seemed set to lift the Saints to their second AFL Premiership. Sadly for the Saints it didn’t.

Michael Long

Michael Long 1993 (Essendon v Carlton): Arguably the iconic Grand Final goal. Michael Long had already made September his own in three lead-up finals before taking his wizardry to a higher stage in the first quarter of the 1993 GF. Teenager Dustin Fletcher produced a typically booming kick-in, the ball spilling to Sean Denham who set Long on his way. One, two, three bounces were followed by a baulk and a further steadying bounce before his left-foot shot was deemed to have beaten the outstretched hand of a diving Stephen Silvagni.

Peter Matera 1992 (West Coast v Geelong): It just came down to a matter of which of his five goals did you prefer, with three of them true classics. The second came in the second quarter when the ball appeared to be set for a ball-up. But Matera wrenched it free and set off at typically blinding speed, leaving Mark Bairstow in his wake. He straightened up outside 50m and with surprising length bombed it through.

Do you agree with Ando? What's been your favourite Grand Final goal? Leave a comment below

Ando's top 10 Grand Final marks

Peter Daicos 1990 (Collingwood v Essendon): Going into the Grand Final Daicos required five goals to reach the magical 100 and early on he looked a chance. The Bombers jumped the Pies before a loose bouncing ball looked set to go out of bounds. Enter the Macedonian marvel who swooped on it before delivering a drop punt from right on the line to beat the dive of Peter Cransberg and split the middle. He ended with two for 97 but who cared?

Gary Ablett

Gary Ablett 1989 (Geelong v Hawthorn): It was a day when the then 27-year-old decided to conclusively prove he was the most skilled footballer to play the game. Part of his record nine-goal haul was a second quarter party trick where he rose above the competing ruckmen for a boundary throw-in deep in Geelong’s forward pocket, and upon hitting the ground threw boot to ball and snapped it for a goal. It was a moment of sheer genius. 

Leon Baker 1984 (Essendon v Hawthorn): Had a touch of magic about him did Leon Baker as evidenced by four goals in the 1984 Grand Final, two in the crucial last quarter. The second put the Bombers one point ahead after seven minutes and every Bomber supporter can recall it. Darren Williams, so good when it mattered in the centre square, got another clearance. Baker kept his feet while his opponent Gary Ayres went to ground. Baker grabbed the ball, threw in a blind turn and sent the crowd into raptures. 

Phil Manassa 1977 (Collingwood v North Melbourne): The game was just about done and dusted but nobody told Phil Manassa when he pounced on a loose ball across half back and looked upfield to pass. When open space greeted him he pinned the ears back and took off, taking three bounces before selling some candy and then a further bounce followed by a high right foot kick that never looked like missing. His goal is now commemorated by the Phil Manassa medal being annually awarded to Goal of the Year.

Ray Gabelich 1964 (Collingwood v Melbourne): His side was three points down in the dying minutes of a match the Demons were overwhelming favourites to win given they beat Collingwood by 139 points in the second-semi. But the Pies were with them all the way when Gabelich took the ball and set sail for goal, his four-bounce run resembling a drunken elephant as he lost and regained the ball on two occasions before reaching the goalsquare and blasting it through. A Neil Crompton  goal two minutes later stole the match from Gabbo’s grasp.