In conjunction with Casey-South Melbourne’s sensational underdog win over the St Kilda Cricket Club and the commencement of the AFL season, this edition of Tyler’s Top 10 is one for the little guys.
There have been some unbelievable underdog victories in AFL finals and GAZETTE reporter TYLER LEWIS is taking a look at the best of the modern era.
But as the AFL has been around for over 160 years, the criteria for this one are 1999 onwards…
10. GWS 12.19 (91) def Sydney 7.13 (55) – 2016 qualifying final: Little brother defeating big brother. In the Giants maiden finals campaign, they defeated minor premiers and cross-town rivals Sydney at ANZ Stadium. Few believed the Giants would win a final, let alone knock off the Swans in week one.
9. Hawthorn 10.12 (79) def Port Adelaide 10.9 (69) – 2001 semi final: The sixth-placed Hawks finished 16-points adrift of Port Adelaide which was third in the home and away season. After defeating Sydney week one, the Hawks then travelled to Football Park to defeat the highly touted Power. The beginning of a treacherous run of finals for the Power.
8. Collingwood 12.4 (76) def West Coast 11.9 (75) – 2020 elimination final: The Pies were dubbed ‘making up the numbers’ before heading West, had to be locked in a hotel room for two weeks and then got over the Eagles in some style. Cox kicked a few early ones before Mihocek laced a goal from 50 out on his left to seal it.
7. GWS 8.8 (56) def Collingwood 7.10 (52) – 2019 preliminary final: No Green, no Coniglio, no Whitfield, no problems. The Giants came to the G to play a rested Pies outfit to knock them off in a low-scoring thriller. Denied the Pies v Tigers grand final all Victorian’s wanted in arguably the clubs greatest ever win.
6. Fremantle 12.15 (87) def Geelong 9.18 (72) – 2013 qualifying final: Geelong finally got its chance to play a home final… and butchered it. The Dockers went to Kardinia Park and secured a famous victory. The Fyfe and Hill goals will go down in Docker folklore. The loss cost the Cats a grand final berth, as it was destined to play the Hawks in the grand final if they didn’t face off in the prelim.
5. Western Bulldogs 16.11 (107) def Hawthorn 12.12 (84) – 2016 semi final: The birth of the Bont. The Hawks had missed out on a sixth successive prelim by a solitary kick the week earlier and were bundled out by the rampaging Dogs. 27 and two for the Bont, as he emerged as a player to watch for a further 10 years.
4. Carlton 18.8 (116) def Richmond 14.12 (96) – 2013 elimination final: Serious Juddy nostalgia here! It’s not every year ninth defeats fifth in the first week of finals, but given the circumstances, the Blues definitely conquered the moment. Juddy’s shoulders were fine, there were 95,000 at the ‘G and Covid didn’t exist, what a time to be alive…
3. Collingwood 15.7 (97) def Richmond 8.10 (58) – 2018 preliminary final: This game will go down in eternity as the Mason Cox match. The big American tore the Tigers to shreds in a five goals to one second stanza. He kicked three and Sidebottom had leather poisoning, as the Tigers threw away a crack at another flag.
2. Hawthorn 18.7 (115) def Geelong 11.23 (89) – 2008 grand final: There has been deep debate on whether a grand final can be an upset, or an underdog win, but this grand final win epitomises the power of the underdog. A sizzling six goal to one third term – led by Stewy Dew – sealed the win for the Hawks. For those who don’t mind the odd punt, the Hawks were paying $3.05 heading in, the highest odds in grand final history.
1. Carlton 16.8 (104) def Essendon 14.19 (103) – 1999 preliminary final: It was the Bombers flag to lose and they did so in emphatic fashion. The Dons had dropped just four games all year and came into the penultimate match of the year in divine form. The Blues had lost three of its last five and the Dons were flying, leading by two goals at three-quarter time. Kouta stepped up in the final term and who could forget the tackle by Fraser Brown in the middle of the ground!
