Robert Murphy and Easton Wood of the Bulldogs hold up the the premiership cup during the 2016 Toyota AFL Grand Final match between the Sydney Swans and the Western Bulldogs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 01, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Images)
The grand final is the most anticipated game of the year and more often than not is the best game of the season. A combination of tension and history make for must-see viewing and these 10 represent those values best.
A tight contest that at times was not the prettiest of viewing as the Hawks won an arm-wrestle in 2013. The Dockers kicked one goal in the first half and appeared overwhelmed by the occasion, playing in the clubs first grand final. A stirring third quarter from Fremantle meant it was all to play for in the final quarter. In the end, the Hawks held their nerve and won the first of their three-peat of flags.
Another grand final that started a dynasty, with the Lions taking the mantle from Essendon as the best team in the competition with a 26-point victory. After trailing at the main break, the Lions kicked 10 goals to four in the second half to lead them to victory with midfielder Shaun Hart named best on ground.
If pre-match entertainment counted, this would be nowhere near the top ten, however the Pies and Cats produced a high quality back and forth encounter to close the 2011 season. Both teams traded blows for three quarters before the Cats dominated the last term to win by 38 points as Jimmy Bartel and Tom Hawkins starred for Geelong who won their third premiership in four years.
The Bulldogs ended a 62-year premiership drought in 2016 beating Sydney by 22 points in an emotional grand final. A four goal to two final term was enough for the Dogs as Tom Boyd broke the game open in the second half. Rebounding defender Jason Johannisen took home the Norm Smith medal.
Only the third drawn grand final in history came after a tight tussle between these two sides as the Saints tried to end their premiership drought. Collingwood were well favoured before the game and held a 24-point lead at half time before the Saints fought back. An errant bounce of the ball in St. Kilda's forward line tied the game at 68 and the deadlock could not be broken from there.
Another low-scoring but tight encounter comes in at five as the two sides began one of the great footballing rivalries in the 2005 Grand Final. The Swans ended a 72-year premiership drought in this contest, with the game having arguably the greatest grand final moment in history as Leo Barry floated across the front of a giant pack to take a contested mark and save the game in the last few seconds.
Another great modern rivalry met in the last game of the season in 2012 as the Swans upset a favoured Hawthorn team by 10 points in 2012. Inaccuracy cost Hawthorn in the final term as Nick Malceski kicked the sealing goal from a stoppage with only 40 seconds remaining, crowning the Swans premiers in a remarkable game.
On a cold and wet September afternoon, the Cats and Saints produced a fierce contest to decide the 2009 premiership. St. Kilda held a seven point lead at the final change and were the first side in 25 years to lose a grand final when holding a three quarter time lead as Paul Chapman's best on ground effort helped the Cats gain retribution for their shock grand final loss the year before.
The Eagles got their revenge on Sydney in the sequel to their 2005 classic and were somehow able to top the performance of the previous year. The Swans fought back from a 25-point half time deficit to cut it to under a goal for much of the final quarter as the two sides traded blows. In the end the siren sounded as the ball was thrown in right on the spot where Leo Barry took that famous mark and it was the Eagles to had their noses in front.
Perhaps not an indicator of the pure skill needed to play the game but the 2002 certainly showed how tough the players are as Collingwood and Brisbane contested maybe the grittiest game of the century. Both teams went blow for blow the entire game with neither having more than a three goal lead all day. The Lions did just enough to beat Collingwood and claim their second premiership on the trot.