One great finals game is all it can take see your name etched amongst the greatest to pull on the boots.
Max Gawnโs performance last Friday against Geelong is one of these performances. Honestly, I was shocked he didnโt crack the double ton on Supercoach.
19 disposals, five goals, six tackles 33 hit-outs and five clearances is a stat line any ruckman would give their left leg for.
'Big Maxyโs prelim' performance left me pondering some of the greatest acts seen over the last 50 years.
Excluding Grand Finals and brilliant quarters such as Nick Davis โCome to Savisโ and Anthony Koutoufidies' efforts in '99, I have narrowed down a top 10 of individual games that will go down in the annals of Australian rules history.
7. Wayne Carey - 1994 Qualifying Final
32 disposals, 22 kicks, 10 marks, 10 handballs and 4.4
It's practically impossible to choose which is the greatest finals display by the 'King', Wayne Carey. However, I landed on the the 1994 Qualifying Final, as he was at his scintillating best.
The contest was fought between two clubs at different stages, Hawthorn, the older campaigner against a younger Kangaroos side hungry for success.
Wasteful in the second quarter, kicking 4.9, North were ruing their chances when down by five points at three-quarter time. A tight last quarter saw this remarkable game fall into extra-time with Carey kicking a late goal from 50m to level the scores. The extra period saw two quarters worth five minutes each, North kicking 3.5 to 0.0ย and Carey collecting nine disposals and slotting the sealer.
