Lance Franklin kicks his 1000th goal against Geelong in Round 2 at the SCG. Photo: GETTY IMAGES
Footy fans have been treated to high-octane and skilled matches full of twists and turns this season.
In-game momentum has never been more prevalent due to rules such as stand on the mark and 6-6-6. Whatever your opinion is on those rules, they have created an opportunity whereby if it clicks perfectly for a team, a lead as great as 30 points can be entirely eroded.
This has led to hope all the way until the final siren, with countless nail-biting finishes across the season.
The excitement and passion is palpable, highlighted by these incredible moments of the 2022 season. Engagement is paramount for fans, and the best way to remain saturated within the sport is keeping tabs on expert AFL tips for insights.
Lance Franklin kicking 1000 goals
It is completely necessary to start this list with a remarkable event that will take decades to be repeated – if ever. The exhilaration leading into the season for Lance “Buddy” Franklin to kick his 1000th goal in the AFL was immense. The countdown to “Buddy watch” was well and truly the main focus but it didn’t take long to eventuate. In only round two, Franklin kicked his fourth for the night and pushed his overall tally to 1000 late in the win against Geelong. Chaos ensued, as nearly all of the 36,000 fans in attendance kept the tradition alive and jumped the fence to run on to the ground. Footage of the Sydney forward being surrounded by adoring fans was unbelievable and the stories that resulted from the 36-minute delay were even more so. Zach Tuohy unintentionally knocking over a fan, Chad Warner and Ollie Florent outside the stadium, and the lucky spectator who marked the 1000th goal briskly exiting the SCG to ensure its safe-keeping. That night in Sydney will be forever enshrined in the rich tapestry of AFL history.
Jordan Dawson goal after the siren
It is the classic scenario that everyone dreams of as a child – to kick the winning goal for your team after the siren. Not only did Jordan Dawson achieve that holy grail, but he did so in only his third game for his new club Adelaide. The raking left-footer moved from Sydney in the previous off-season after requesting a trade to the Crows. There was immediate pressure on the big move and this incredible goal went a long way to quash that. Add on top of that, this match was the “Showdown” against bitter local rival Port Adelaide. And to make the moment even more memorable is the fact that the kick itself defied the laws of physics to swing back and through the goals. If you are an Adelaide fan, you would be forgiven for immediately thinking Dawson had missed by a long way. But the ball went right to left and arced in to only enhance the jubilant scenes.
Geelong v Richmond
In what has been dubbed the best match of the 2022 season, Geelong against Richmond had everything: high level of skill, controversy, extreme momentum swings, and engrossing play. Instantly from the first bounce, you could tell that it was going to be a classic encounter as both teams started piling the pressure on. The controversy occurred midway through the first quarter as Tom Stewart ran past the ball and knocked out Dion Prestia in a brutal hit, leaving the Richmond on-baller scrambling on the ground. The blow, which would subsequently ban Stewart for four matches, ignited the crowd, who sent vitriol over the fence for the remaining quarters. Geelong, however, gained an ascendency, carving out a 35-point lead. Richmond then fought back and disintegrated that lead to form a tight arm wrestle to finish the game. The spectators were on the edge of their seats as a goal-for-goal final few minutes led to a three-point Cat victory in a very hard-fought game.
Depleted West Coast wins over Collingwood
With the Western Australia government being the last state to wind back Covid restrictions, the WA teams pre-seasons were hampered by rules and illness. West Coast was particularly affected as Covid and injuries ripped through the Eagles’ squad and left them several players short of a full line-up. State league players were on back-up and had to be called upon for their match against Collingwood. In what was essentially a WAFL team with a few premiership players playing away in Melbourne against the Pies, their effort and tenacity did not go astray as they managed to beat a much more fancied Collingwood. What made the endeavour even more impressive is the fact that Collingwood is now cemented in the top eight and looks like threatening for the premiership – might this be the loss which costs the Pies a double chance?
