The AFL, like so many other sports, is defined by its rivalries.
For footy fans, winning becomes as much about defeating and demoralising a hated opposition, as it is about receiving four premiership points.
With a mix of modern rivalries and more historic duels, these are the AFL's 10 best current rivalries ranked.
6. Essendon vs. Hawthorn
A rivalry built on a historic hatred of each other. Constantly measured by each other's premiership success, particularly throughout the 1980s, when they played in back-to-back Grand Finals in 1984 and 85.
The 2000s was when the rivalry truly ramped up to new levels, with an infamous game in Round 11 2004. At the time, Essendon had won nine of their previous 10 meetings before the game in 2004, with club director Dermott Brereton instructing players to draw a “line in the sand,” against the Bombers. What followed was a five-minute melee in the third quarter, in which eighteen players faced the tribunal.
The rivalry became explosive in 2009 when Bombers star forward Matthew Lloyd laid a brutal hip and shoulder on the Hawks' Brad Sewell, which left the midfielder concussed. Lloyd would later claim he feared for his safety after the incident, with the Essendon star and the Bombers under fire from the Hawks in a brutal second half.
These historic moments have left an indelible impression on both sets of fans, and continue to make it a must-watch.
Confected garbage used as “content-filler”.
Carlton v ‘wobbles…. it’s a “rivalry” only.. no more ….. there’s nothing there. Neither club has ever challenged the existence of the other.
The Darby and the Showdown have far more than “rivalry” both behind the members and the history of each club and the Leagues they came from.
The card games of the vfl don’t come anywhere near what’s behind these clubs.
The “q clash” – if you want to make a confection this is it.
It means nothing, it’s just another game, they might be in the same state but there is no history, in every way, it’s simply another game.
Simply pretending they’re in WA or SA is indicative of the pretence the afl is pushing.