Australian Rules Football is popular for a number of reasons. Whether it’s the high-scoring games or controversial moments, it has a lot to offer fans. This is naturally true for the sport’s premier competition, the AFL. Many people also love to follow this sport because of the suspense and nail-biting moments it throws up.
Many people also love to follow this sport because of the suspense and nail-biting moments it throws in every now and then. This is not surprising for those of us that are adrenaline junkies and love to be entertained in this way. Many people seek out nerve-jangling thrills through avenues such as rollercoaster rides, bungee jumping, skydiving or gambling.
Online casino games, for example, give a similar feeling of suspense and this is actually something that makes them appealing to players. Megaways games are a case in point and they are a very popular type of game to play online as a result.
When it comes to Australian rules football, this love of adrenaline-charged thrills is also important and keeps fans coming back to see what will happen in games. Over time, there have been some truly tense moments in the sport. But which have been the five most famous to know about?
In terms of nerve-racking moments, perhaps the 2018 Grand Final between West Coast Eagles and Collingwood stands out most. Collingwood were hot favourites and seemed to be on course for an easy win after building up a five-goal lead early on.
Although this seemed impossible to overcome, the Eagles were not out of it and set about producing a thrilling comeback. This not only saw them chip away at Collingwood’s lead throughout the game but they ended up going in front during the final two minutes of the match to clinch an unlikely victory!
Although most memorable moments in AFL history usually centre around last-minute goals to secure wins, this is not always true. In 1997, the Bulldogs had made it into the preliminary final and seemed to be in full control of the game against Adelaide. A frenetic last quarter saw Adelaide’s Darren Jarman slot in multiple goals, though, to make it closer.
Following this, Tony Liberatore sent in a kick at goal for the Bulldogs, which seemed to have gone through with no problems. As the Dogs players celebrated, fans endured a stressful wait as the umpires confirmed what had happened. Ultimately, they decided only a point should be awarded and this gave Adelaide the impetus to eventually snatch the match from the Dogs.
The most thrilling moment during the 2017 season was surely in the elimination final between West Coast Eagles and Port Adelaide. Although the Eagles built up a decent lead early on, Port Adelaide went after them and took the game into extra time. With just seconds to go in the last period of extra time, the Eagles’ Luke Shuey produced an astounding after-siren goal kick to take the win for his side.
The 2010 AFL Grand Final was a matchup between St Kilda and Collingwood. The game proved to be a tense, tight affair and one that would have left fans nervously wondering how it would pan out. Eventually, the contest ended in a draw and a replay was set to decide the winner.
This was controversial at the time, as most people would have preferred extra time to decide the outcome. In the end, though, the replay happened and Collingwood won. The draw in the original match was a really unsettling affair for fans and one we will not forget.
The 2005 Grand Final match between Sydney and the West Coast Eagles was a truly nail-biting moment for AFL fans. This is because Sydney hung on to win by just four points! Whether you were a Sydney fan or desperately hoping the Eagles could claw this back as the clock ticked down, it made for a gripping game.
This match also saw a memorable moment when Sydney player Leo Barry took a mark in the middle of a mob of Eagles players to stop them from kicking a winning goal. Due to Barry’s actions, his side hung on to their four-point lead for an exciting victory.
Whether it is goals, tackles or talking points and despite the growing success of soccer in Australia – such as Melbourne City’s recent success – the AFL always delivers. The league has seen some truly enthralling moments down the years for fans to treasure. If you need a reminder about some of the most famous, those discussed here should help.
