One great finals game is all it can take see your name etched amongst the greatest to pull on the boots.
Max Gawn’s performance last Friday against Geelong is one of these performances. Honestly, I was shocked he didn’t crack the double ton on Supercoach.
19 disposals, five goals, six tackles 33 hit-outs and five clearances is a stat line any ruckman would give their left leg for.
'Big Maxy’s prelim' performance left me pondering some of the greatest acts seen over the last 50 years.
Excluding Grand Finals and brilliant quarters such as Nick Davis ‘Come to Savis’ and Anthony Koutoufidies' efforts in '99, I have narrowed down a top 10 of individual games that will go down in the annals of Australian rules history.
3. Lance Franklin - 2007 Elimination Final
12 disposals, 11 kicks, seven marks, one handball and 7.2
This was the moment that catapulted Lance Franklin's career into superstardom.
At just 20, Franklin, who had kicked his sixth goal in the 13th minute mark of the final term, watched on as the Hawks kicked 0.5 to Adelaide's 2.0 into the time on.
Close to the 29th minute mark and still down by three points, Ricky Ladson marked a short kick from stalwart Shane Crawford and sized up his options. It was a heart in your mouth moment when Ladson drilled a laser pass to Franklin, who would have the shot to win the game from just outside 50. With what is now famously known as the 'Buddy Arc', Franklin, who kicked 2.11 two weeks previously on the same ground, calmly went back and slotted the memorable sealer.
The young Hawks, who had not won a final since 2001, went on to famously win the 2008 Premiership with Franklin becoming the last player to kick 100 goals in a season. 'Buddy' would go on to play another 263-games and kick 873-goals after this famous kick. What a career!
