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The Top-10 biggest comebacks of the AFL era

The ‘Miracle on Grass’ sits comfortably amongst the greatest AFL comebacks. What other come-from-behind wins make the Top-10?

Published by
Michael Georgiou

Comeback wins in AFL make for some of the best footy stories each season, creating feelgood - or feel bad - moments, depending on which side you are on.

Let's take a look at 10 of the biggest comebacks in the AFL era, which means any game played prior to 1990 is not included in this list.

Honourable Mentions

Some notable comebacks that just missed our Top 10 include:

2013 Elimination Final: Carlton defeats Richmond by 20-points after trailing by 32.

The Tigers looked close to their first finals win in 12 years, but a Blues six-goal last quarter wouldn't allow it.

Round 5, 2011: Gold Coast defeats Port Adelaide, after trailing by 40-points in the third quarter, to record their first AFL win.

1993 Preliminary Final: Essendon defeats Adelaide, after the Crows raced to a 42-point lead at half time. The Dons would kick 11 goals to two in the second half to win by 11-points.

RELATED: What if Mark Bickley never farted at half-time of the 1993 Preliminary Final?

Round 7, 2000: Showdown between Adelaide and Port Adelaide. The Crows came back from a 42-point deficit.

2018 Grand Final: West Coast won by five points in what many consider the best AFL Grand Final in recent memory, perhaps even the best overall game. Collingwood kicked the first five goals to lead by 29-points, but the Eagles fought back to win a close one.

So, now we get to our Top-10 comebacks of the AFL era.

Essendon vs Melbourne

Round 6, 1992: Essendon 47-points down

It was Anzac Day of 1992 - before Essendon and Collingwood were given the annual Anzac Day game in 1995 - and the Bombers were struggling against Melbourne all day. The Demons kicked 14 goals in the first half to the Dons six.

Melbourne led at every change.

The Demons would kick the first major of the fourth quarter to set up a game-high, 47-point lead, but it was all downhill from there. The Bombers finally retaliated, providing relentless midfield pressure from Kieran Sporn (29 possessions) and Michael Long (28 possessions), and carried by the great Paul Salmon (24 disposals and seven goals) would kick the last eight goals to win by a solitary point.

Essendon 2.3.15 6.9.45 10.14.74 18.16.124
Melbourne 7.3.45 14.6.90 18.7.115 19.9.123

West Coast vs Western Bulldogs

Round 10, 1998: West Coast 48-points down

West Coast and the Western Bulldogs played in quite the bizarre match. Both teams dominated for a quarter apiece before half-time, and would finish off a closely contested game for the second half.

The Dogs kicked eight unanswered goals in the first quarter to give themselves a 48-point lead.

Remarkably, the Eagles would do the same in the second, kicking eight goals to nothing, to give themselves a one-point lead at half time. Following a tight second half, the Eagles would run away by 13-points.

West Coast 0.4.4 8.6.54 13.12.90 16.17.113
Western Bulldogs 8.4.52 8.5.53 12.7.79 15.10.100

 

Hawthorn vs Richmond

Round 5, 2003: Richmond 51-points down

Richmond came back to win a game that looked all but over 22-minutes into the second quarter. Hawthorn kicked eight goals to two in the first term, to give themselves an early 38-point buffer.

Hawthorn would increase that to 51-points in the second term, but went missing for the rest of the game. From then on, Richmond kicked 14 unanswered goals until halfway into the last quarter.

This was the Tigers biggest comeback ever.

Hawthorn 8.3.51 12.6.78 12.8.80 14.11.95
Richmond 2.1.13 8.3.51 15.5.95 18.7.115

 

Brisbane Bears vs Hawthorn

Round 16, 1995: Brisbane Bears 51-points down

Hawthorn simply dominated this game against the old Brisbane Bears, with a 51-point buffer 25-minutes into the third term.

The Bears trailed at every change, with a 45-point deficit at the final break. It was at this moment where Hawks coach Peter Knights infamously moved his team into the shade for a short reprieve from the Queensland sun.

Knights, being a former Brisbane coach, knew the conditions well.

The move backfired, as the Bears went on to kick nine goals to one in the last quarter, running out winners by seven points. This comeback win provided the Bears with a late-season surge, which resulted in them making the AFL Finals for the first time.

Brisbane Bears 0.6.6 2.12.24 5.13.43 14.20.104
Hawthorn 6.5.41 8.7.55 13.10.88 14.13.97

 

Melbourne vs Fremantle

Round 7, 2008: Melbourne 51-points down

Melbourne's biggest comeback ever. The  Demons trailed by 51-points in the second quarter, and were behind at every change by a significant amount.

This was also the biggest come-from-behind win from a half-time deficit in the AFL era - second all-time - behind the Pies vs Saints in 1970.

It looked almost certain that the Demons would remain winless for the season, but a fantastic final term said otherwise.

Melbourne kicked nine goals to two, to romp home and beat the Dockers by six points.

Melbourne 1.3.9 3.8.26 8.15.63 17.17.119
Fremantle 5.6.36 11.10.76 13.17.95 15.23.113

 

Brisbane vs Geelong

Round 13, 2013: Brisbane 52-points down

'The Miracle on Grass'

Brisbane, 15th on the ladder, hosted second-placed Geelong at the GABBA, in a match that is considered by many, as the best comeback victory ever.

The early game script went how many expected, with the Cats racing out to a 52-point lead. At three-quarter time, the Lions were still down by 38-points, but in the final term, the tide changed.

Brisbane kicked seven goals to one, to trail by just a single point.

A mark on the siren by Ash McGrath, in his 200th game, meant it was up to him to tie or win the game.

McGrath would kick the goal from 55-metres out to give the Lions a five-point win.

Brisbane Lions 3.2.20 5.4.34 7.8.50 15.13.103
Geelong 5.3.33 9.7.61 13.10.88 14.14.98

 

Geelong vs West Coast

Round 10, 2006:  West Coast 54-points down

West Coast trailed at every change by over 30-points, and at one point, by 54-points.

The Eagles didn't give up, though, with Daniel Kerr and Ben Cousins proving instrumental. Swingman Adam Hunter had a poor first half, but redeemed himself with two important goals in the final term.

The Eagles kicked seven goals to one in the last, to win by three points. West Coast proved their premiership credentials and the following week, recorded yet another comeback against Carlton, this time trailing by 44-points.

Geelong 7.2.44 10.4.64 14.8.92 15.8.98
West Coast 2.1.13 4.1.25 9.2.56 16.5.101

 

Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda

Round 6, 2015: St Kilda 55-points down

 

St Kilda equalled the fifth biggest come-from-behind victory in AFL/VFL history with this win, and equalled its own biggest comeback ever, the previous time they had overcome a 55-point deficit was against the Hawks in 1937.

Early in the third term on this evening at Etihad Stadium, the Saints found themselves 55-points down after Jake Stringer had kicked his fourth for the Bulldogs.

It looked all but over, however, the tide changed dramatically, and the Saints would go on to kick 12 goals to the Dogs two, to win by seven points. Second year forward, Jack Billings, kicked four of those goals and finished with 22 disposals and seven inside-50s.

Western Bulldogs 3.3.21 10.4.64 11.6.72 13.9.87
St Kilda 2.2.14 2.3.15 9.6.60 14.10.94

 

Hawthorn vs St Kilda

Round 12, 1999: Hawthorn 63-points down

The second biggest comeback in AFL/VFL history, Hawthorn achieved a whopping 63-point comeback against St Kilda.

Just four minutes into the second quarter the Hawks found themselves 63-points down. The rampaging Saints had kicked nine goals to one in the first term, and 11 of the first 12 majors.

The Hawks still trailed by 44-points at half time but a 10-goal to three third quarter brought them to within a goal at the last break.

In the final quarter, Hawthorn kicked three goals to zero to win by 13-points. It was a 76-point turnaround, off the back of Nick Holland's five majors up forward, and would signal the unravelling of a promising St Kilda season that culminated in the sacking of coach, Tim Watson.

Hawthorn 1.1.7 4.4.28 14.4.88 17.7.109
St Kilda 9.4.58 11.6.72 14.7.91 14.12.96

 

Essendon vs North Melbourne

Round 16, 2001: Essendon 69-points down

The biggest come-from-behind win in league football history

Going into the game, the Bombers were top of the AFL Ladder with only two losses, while the Roos' were sitting precariously in ninth position.

Both teams were two of, if not, the best teams of the era, combining to win three of the previous five premierships. Essendon were also on their way to claim a third consecutive minor premiership.

The Dons had also won their last two encounters with the Roos' by 125- and 85-points.

In the first quarter, the Kangaroos kicked 12 goals to two, giving themselves a 58-point buffer at quarter time. This would extend to 69-points early in second period, and it looked like the Kangaroos were on their way to a massive upset victory.

Essendon had other plans, though, kicking nine unanswered goals in the second term before the Roos managed to steal one back after the half time siren.

It was still 21-points in North Melbourne's favour.

The third quarter was a shootout, and in the last quarter, the Bombers kicked eight goals to three to get the win. It was the likes of Bombers' superstars, Matthew Lloyd (nine goals) and Jason Johnson (31 disposals and four goals) who steadied the ship to bring the Dons home.

Essendon 2.3.15 12.4.76 19.8.122 27.9.171
Kangaroos 12.1.73 16.1.97 22.4.136 25.9.159

 

You can watch the full game on YouTube, but here are the main highlights. Enjoy, Bombers fans!

Published by
Michael Georgiou