The AFL, like so many other sports, is defined by its rivalries.
For footy fans, winning becomes as much about defeating and demoralising a hated opposition, as it is about receiving four premiership points.
With a mix of modern rivalries and more historic duels, these are the AFL's 10 best current rivalries ranked.
7. Collingwood vs. Essendon
A historic rivalry, crafted mostly from their annual contests on Anzac Day. The occasion certainly heightens the tension between the two teams, who have played some of the most iconic home-and-away encounters in recent memory.
In 2001, Essendon produced one of the most impressive comebacks, storming home in a fiery affair after trailing by 47 points late in the second quarter. One of the rivalry's most memorable moments came in 2009, when David Zaharakis slotted a match-winning goal with just seconds remaining on a wet MCG.
More recently, Collingwood has had the upper hand, with Jamie Elliott's iconic goal after the siren from the boundary line breaking Essendon's hearts in 2022, albeit not on April 25.
Last year's edition of the biggest home and away contest, remarkably its 30th, ended in a draw, which ironically was how the first match between the pair finished in 1995.
With the Anzac Day contest a permanent fixture on the AFL calendar, the hatred between these two teams will only deepen.
Confected garbage used as โcontent-fillerโ.
Carlton v โwobblesโฆ. itโs a โrivalryโ only.. no more โฆ.. thereโs nothing there. Neither club has ever challenged the existence of the other.
The Darby and the Showdown have far more than โrivalryโ both behind the members and the history of each club and the Leagues they came from.
The card games of the vfl donโt come anywhere near whatโs behind these clubs.
The โq clashโ โ if you want to make a confection this is it.
It means nothing, itโs just another game, they might be in the same state but there is no history, in every way, itโs simply another game.
Simply pretending theyโre in WA or SA is indicative of the pretence the afl is pushing.