Contenders for the game of the year began on the opening night of the season when a Tom Lynch contested clunk and goal tied up the Richmond vs Carlton opener, setting the scene for one of the greatest home & away seasons in the AFL era.

Nearly every round after produced thrillers, comebacks, upsets and big crowds that make our game so special and have led us to yet another premiership race to not miss a second of.

Last season's Round 23 Carlton vs Collingwood clash saw the home & away season reach heights never before seen in our sport, as the grim reaper in Collingwood stormed home to secure a top four spot, eliminating the Blues in the clear-cut game of the year.

This season saw one side eliminated from contention in even more heartbreaking fashion, while others claimed statement wins throughout the season via comebacks, individual brilliance and close-game artistry.

With a plethora of thrilling battles to choose from, here is the list of the 10 best matches of the 2023 home & away season.

Honourable mentions

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1. Port Adelaide (83 vs 85) Collingwood - Round 19

Adelaide Oval
Crowd: 47,965

For both sides, this match was the most important of the season; for the Power to validate their premiership credentials and for Collingwood to solidify strong premiership favouritism.

These two sides had sat 1st and 2nd on the ladder from Round 11, creating one of the most anticipated top-of-the-table blockbusters in recent memory.

Still, expectations were exceeded, as both teams over-delivered with a slick display of class and skill amid a preliminary final-like intensity and atmosphere.

As is often the case on their home deck, Port Adelaide broke out of the gates with power from Sam Powell-Pepper, who kicked the first goal of the match with an explosive loose ball gather, fend and banana.

A crowd-lifting effort like this from their freight train forward typically indicates a lively Port Adelaide. This feeling was soon amplified by two first-quarter goals for Connor Rozee, who looked on early, as did his fellow midfield maestro Zak Butters.

Collingwood's trademark run, surge and skill soon clicked into gear, with Beau McCreery and Jamie Elliott each finishing off some clinical Collingwood dash to square up the contest.

The Pies continued into the second term and were quickly uplifted by a selfless give from Elliott to Taylor Adams, who booted home a memorable major in his 200th game.

Port were under pressure to respond with their own string of momentum before half-time.

They did just that through some lethal skill of their own, as Charlie Dixon and Xavier Duursma got on the end of some damaging disposals up the field from Kane Farrell, Dan Houston and the like.

The Power led by seven at the main break, but the intensity was about to lift dramatically.

After young Francis Evans extended Port Adelaide's lead, the Pies came clawing back once again, streaming through the corridor with emphasis and putting Power defenders to the sword. In a matter of minutes we were back to near-on level-pegging and it was Port Adelaide's turn to respond.

Both sides exchanged momentum with thrilling efforts going both ways, but the Power were becoming irrepressible as the tension lifted.

They dominated territory in the back end of the third term, and separated themselves to a 15-point buffer after an enthralling chasedown tackle on Brayden Maynard by young star Jason Horne-Francis.

The 20-year-old went back and slotted a crucial set-shot to send Port Adelaide to three-quarter time with a near three-goal lead.

The entire nation was on edge, waiting to witness what we thought we might; the grim reaper in Collingwood.

One minute into the last, a no-look Nick Daicos handpass inside 50 created space for Steele Sidebottom to receive the footy and strike a stunning non-preferred drop punt off one step.

This kick sailed through the big sticks as teammates swarmed to celebrate the start of another classic Collingwood closer.

The pressure infected the psyche of Port Adelaide and the Magpies smelt blood.

They approached every contest and passage of play with a high level of creativity and capitalised on every opportunity that came their way, including a 50-metre set-shot from Josh Daicos standing on the fence.

A Willie Rioli slap on Nathan Murphy separated the forward for an uncontested mark inside 50. Rioli broke Collingwood's momentum briefly with a clutch goal, but the Pies were coming.

Nick Daicos, having been quelled all night by the resilient Willem Drew, was the next player to step up in the comeback, cutting the margin to six with a pivotal free kick and goal from deep.

As we approached time-on in the final term, the intensity lifted again and it was time for impact players to inflict damage.

McCreery stormed through a contest on the wing and emerged with the footy at full-pace, before lacing out Bobby Hill with an exquisite inside kick to advantage side. Hill finished off the play and the game was tied.

Five minutes later, a carbon copy effort from Sam Powell-Pepper saw him explode through a pack inside 50 and put the Power back in front with a brilliant crumb and goal.

With six minutes still to play, all eyes were glued to the footy, ready to see what the Pies had in store for their response.

Fans witnessed an incredible moment of deja vu when a long kick inside 50 found the chest of Elliott for a potential match-winning shot.

The mark could not have been taken any closer on the field to his heroic goal on the siren against Essendon last season, roughly 45 metres out on the fence.

Cool as ice, Elliott calmly poised himself, ran off his mark and slotted it as jaws dropped around the country.

The Power worked desperately but the Magpies closed out the remaining three minutes with a professional display of contest work, fumbling around with the footy and stealing precious seconds to create stoppage after stoppage.

Fittingly, it was Taylor Adams who cleared the ball in the dying seconds of his milestone match to rule out a late Power miracle before the siren sounded on the best game of the 2023 home & away season.

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