Footy fans are more blessed than any other in the world of sport.

No sport combines such astonishing physical feats with the chills of euphoria, heartbreak, and everything in between the way Aussie Rules does.

A simple kick through the big sticks can swing the mood of fanbases around the country for an entire week, while an Anzac Day speccy can drop the jaws of a nation for a fleeting moment.

The 2024 home & campaign was a season like no other, providing more thrilling plays, profound performances and memorable matches than the public could keep up with.

This list will go through the best matches, using the full tapestry of context, build-up, importance, shock factor, four-quarter quality and thrilling climaxes to carve out the 10 best and decide on number one.

This task is easier said than done, especially in a year littered with a mind-bogglingly high number of close finishes and September shaping battles.

The following list of honourable mentions outlines just how lucky footy fans have been to bear witness to our code over the last six months, with too many contenders to remember.

Honourable Mentions:

  • Port Adelaide (80 vs 79) Hawthorn, Round 1
  • GWS (116 vs 104) Carlton, Round 17
  • Geelong (118 vs 105) Carlton, Round 7
  • Essendon (85 vs 85) Collingwood, ANZAC Day
  • Brisbane (86 vs 81) Melbourne, Round 16
  • Sydney (89 vs 86) Collingwood, Round 22
  • Essendon (86 vs 87) Gold Coast, Round 22
  • Western Bulldogs (91 vs 95) Geelong, Gather Round
  • Carlton (98 vs 100) Adelaide, Round 6
  • Gold Coast (101 vs 90) Collingwood, Round 16
  • St Kilda (84 vs 82) Sydney, Round 17
  • Melbourne (74 vs 66) Geelong, Round 8
  • Port Adelaide (89 vs 96) Melbourne, Round 3
  • Port Adelaide (66 vs 63) Fremantle, Round 5
  • Collingwood (77 vs 72) Hawthorn, Gather Round
  • Geelong (74 vs 78) GWS, Round 11
  • Collingwood (78 vs 74) Adelaide, Round 10
  • Carlton (77 vs 76) Melbourne, Round 9

10Sydney vs Fremantle, Round 16 (SCG)

 2024-06-29T03:45:00Z 
 
 
 
SCG
SYD   
98
FT
99
   FRE
    #AFLSwansFreo
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   

This was the beginning of Sydney's six-week downfall from Round 16 to Round 22.

Until this clash at the SCG, the 2024 season narrative was clear; the premiership was Sydney's to lose, barring some miraculous collapse.

By Round 22, the club had lost five of it's past six matches and were fresh off a 112-point Port Adelaide belting.

That all followed this upset, one of the most unlikely results of the season, which could have been flipped or tied if not for a sprayed set-shot on the siren by Logan McDonald from outside 50.

Sydney, led by an inspirational showing from 'the Lizard' Nick Blakey, clawed back a near-six goal margin during the third term, eventually tying the score late.

But the Dockers, led by a number of troops including Caleb Serong, Jeremy Sharp, Luke Ryan and Jye Amiss, rushed through some critical behinds and grounded out their best victory of 2024.

9Brisbane vs Carlton, O-Round (Gabba)

 2024-03-08T08:40:00Z 
 
 
 
Gabba
BL   
85
FT
86
   CARL
    #AFLLionsBlues
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   

Many may have forgotten this classic from six months ago, it was just the second match of the season and a thrilling advertisement for Opening Round.

Harry McKay silenced his mental demons with the big mark and goal to take the lead with under a minute remaining, but the build-up to this moment was just as riveting.

The 2023 preliminary final rematch started in polar opposite fashion to the original, Brisbane jumping to a convincing early lead before being whittled away through the second and third quarters.

The Blues blitzed away their 46-point defecit half-way through the second, to a lead half-way through the third, before both sides played out a war of attrition for the final quarter.

Multiple lead changes culminated in the climax, as a Harry McKay set-shot secured a famous Carlton victory to kick off 2024.

8Carlton vs Collingwood, Round 8 (MCG)

 2024-05-03T09:40:00Z 
 
 
 
MCG
CARL   
79
FT
85
   COLL
    #AFLBluesPies
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   

The precursor to Pendlebury's 400th was nearly as thrilling and just as devastating for Carlton fans.

Footy fans knew they were in for a classic and the margin never reached 20-points either way throughout the four quarters. But with five lead-changes in the decisive fourth, all expectations for the blockbuster battle were exceeded.

The hero on the night was none other than Nick Daicos, who took home the Richard Pratt Medal with 32 disposals and two goals, including the go-ahead snap on the run from the boundary in the dying stages.

The moment came much to the delight of the Magpie army, however, their next meeting with Carlton provided even more to celebrate.

7Collingwood vs Brisbane, Round 23 (MCG)

 2024-08-17T06:35:00Z 
 
 
 
MCG
COLL   
79
FT
78
   BL
    #AFLPiesLions
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   

This one sits fresh in the minds of most and had critical ramifications for the eventual top eight.

Brisbane's MCG hoodoo may be mythical, but they keep allowing it to linger with collapses like these.

The Lions shot out to a five goal lead in the opening term, but allowed Nick Daicos to right the ship by himself with one of the best individual quarters of the year, collecting 14 touches and two goals, including a contender running through the middle of the 'G.

Still, Brisbane held their lead for nearly the entirety of play, before Lachie Schultz's heroics put them within reach and a Beau McReery go-ahead check-side sent the Magpie Army wild.

Collingwood claimed a one-point victory and the Lions' supposed lack of adequate team play surfaced the media landscape, with their top four hopes squandered.

6North Melbourne vs Collingwood, Round 14 (Marvel Stadium)

 2024-06-16T03:00:00Z 
 
 
 
Marvel Stadium
NMFC   
118
FT
119
   COLL
    #AFLNorthPies
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   

Only 2024 could produce a game-of-the-year contender featuring a bottom two team, as North Melbourne's clash with Collingwood in Round 14 proved to be.

Fly's Pies produced one of the greatest comebacks this century at Marvel Stadium, clawing back a 54-point defecit to snag a controversial victory at the death.

The match was littered with costly moments and profound performances from Cam Zurhaar, George Wardlaw, Nick Daicos and Bobby Hill, who leapt for a mark-of-the-year contender from the top shelf during the second quarter.

A brave young squad of shinboners played out of their skin for most of the day and were stiff not to secure a memorable scalp, but failed to finish some critical chances in front of goal and found themselves on the wrong side of a controversial call late.

However, the game will forever be remembered for the miracle Collingwood comeback, somehow clawing a one-point win from the clouds.

5Brisbane vs Sydney, Round 19 (Gabba)

 2024-07-21T03:10:00Z 
 
 
 
Gabba
BL   
79
FT
77
   SYD
    #AFLLionsSwans
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   

Touted as the potential Grand Final precursor, this match was played out with the intensity, atmosphere and skill level of September footy, leaving both sides with battered and bruised bodies by the end.

Brisbane, having proved to be the in-form side for the second half of the season, and Sydney, having lost some form but still secure at the top of the table, both needed a statement scalp to send to the rest of the comp. It was the home side who had the last laugh.

Again, the margin was close throughout, though Sydney looked to have taken control in the third, maintaining a near three-goal lead ahead of a thrilling last term.

Led by best-on-ground Hugh McCluggage, explosive Cam Rayner and match-winner Callum Ah Chee, the Lions scraped out a two-point win to keep their spot in the top four.

4GWS vs Hawthorn, Round 13 (UTAS Stadium)

 2024-08-04T03:10:00Z 
 
 
 
Manuka Oval
GWS   
84
FT
82
   HAW
    #AFLGiantsHawks
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   

Few would've expected this to be a clash-of-the-titans battle ahead of the season, but in 2024, it doesn't get much more exciting than when the Orange Tsunami meets Hok-Ball.

These sides would meet again in Round 21 and produce another thrilling display of fast-paced footy with a different winner by the end, but the first meeting just gets the nod in this list.

A three goal lead at the half was always going to be challenged by Sam Mitchell's young Hawks, but after taking the lead ahead of three-quarter time, no one could have foreseen the fourth quarter thrill we were in for.

Six lead changes, a controversial umpiring call and a match-winning goal all transpired in the decisive term, with a Tom Green bump and down field free kick headlining the match and leading to Luke Breust's boundary-line snap to seal it.

3Essendon vs Adelaide, Round 19 (Marvel Stadium)

 2024-07-19T09:40:00Z 
 
 
 
Marvel Stadium
ESS   
113
FT
115
   ADEL
    #AFLDonsCrows
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   

While it was one of the more unexpected thrillers of the season, featuring two non-finalists, this Friday night clash saw some of the best footy produced all season.

Adelaide's scintillating eight-goal second term easily holds up as their best quarter in season 2024, though the Bombers' third quarter response was just as good, clawing back to lead at three-quarter time.

But it was the fourth quarter where this game went to another level, with Ben Keays and Darcy Fogarty almost single-handedly keeping the Crows within touching distance, as Zach Merrett and Kyle Langford looked to ease Essendon's concern the other way.

But the Bombers had no answer for Ben Keays on the night, who put up one of the performances of the season, booting five goals from the most impactful 22 disposals we've seen in a single match this season, even winning the clearance to set up Josh Rachele's match winner.

A last second burst from centre stoppage by Zach Merrett provided one last thrill before the siren sounded on yet another Bomber heartbreaker.

2Carlton vs St Kilda, Round 24 (Marvel Stadium)

 2024-08-25T05:20:00Z 
 
 
 
Marvel Stadium
CARL   
74
FT
76
   STK
    #AFLBluesSaints
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   

This one's still fresh in the minds and potentially benefitting from some recency bias, but the shockwaves this match sent through the competition are still being felt ahead of finals.

An severely undermanned Carlton outfit, led by heroic skipper Patrick Cripps, needed a win over the bottom eight Saints to secure their spot in September.

The catch; the Saints have been relishing their role of the grinch throughout the final stretch of the season and are playing the footy of a top four contender, let alone a mere finalist.

This match featured the ugly bottle-throwing scenes of the second quarter, when a Carlton member drew blood from a blindsided goal umpire after striking him with a water bottle. In hindsight, the footy gods may have punished Carlton accordingly.

The Saints had led for most of the day but the Blues were coming, an iconic third-quarter performance from Cripps' dragging his side back in it.

The final quarter was footy at it's thrilling best.

Slowly, Carlton edged back, second-gamer Ashton Moir cutting the margin to within a kick before a Jesse Motlop check-side nearly brought the Marvel Stadium roof down.

The Saints continued their surge mentality, however, and after being kept alive by a sprayed set-shot from Brodie Kemp, had one final chance to steal a famous victory.

Queue Jack Higgins, who with a clean take inside 50, curled the footy with a snap off his right boot that sailed all the way through the big sticks, sending Carlton fans to their knees with 12 seconds remaining.

The final siren sounded deja vu devastation for Carlton, and end-of-season jubilation for the Saints in the second-best game of the year.

1Collingwood vs Carlton, Round 21 (MCG)

 2024-08-03T09:30:00Z 
 
 
 
MCG
COLL   
84
FT
81
   CARL
    #AFLPiesBlues
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   

Collingwood & Carlton. Pendlebury's 400th. Decided with a kick on the siren. Blockbuster home & away matches don't get more riveting than this.

The comeback kings in Collingwood got a taste of their own medicine in the fourth quarter of this clash, allowing a five-goal lead early in the fourth to be whittled away by a rampaging Carlton, led by captain Cripps' 30 and a goal, beside Elijah Hollands' 21 and two.

Nick Daicos was typically prolific, collecting 28 with a goal himself, while Will Hoskin-Elliot played out the best game of his 2024 campaign with two goals, 20 touches and 10 marks.

But the hero of the night, the composed fourth quarter conductor in Scott Pendlebury, was yet again Collingwood's final term saviour, crucially poised when others were panicked in the dying stages of the match.

Indeed, the panic set in when Carlton nailed three consecutive goals in the space of three minutes, cutting the lead to two in time-on.

The nation was glued to the screen at the boundary throw-in outside Carlton's 50 with 30 seconds to play, when Marc Pittonet snatched the ball and hacked it inside 50 to a lone Mitch McGovern, who marked with a chance to spoil Pendlebury's party on the siren.

The defender sprayed the kick right, sparking Magpie army delirium as the Collingwood legend celebrated the most memorable milestone game in history.