The 2023 AFL season will go down as one of the all-time greatest years of footy seen in our code, with countless high-profile storylines generated on the field and off the field.

On the field, we saw controversy, comebacks, clutch moments, big games and maybe the greatest Grand Final ever.

Off the field we saw drama, sackings, major acquisitions and a Brownlow Medal count out of a fantasy novel.

With endless headlines to pick from, see below what we picked as the top 10 AFL stories of the 2023 calendar year.

9. Eagles end Bulldogs season

West Coast entered this match having won four of its past 47 games and an established reputation as the worst side to grace an AFL field since the inaugural season's of Gold Coast and GWS in 2011 & 2012.

The Bulldogs, fresh off an upset loss to 16th placed Hawthorn, were expected to respond emphatically with a blow-out victory to entrench their spot in the eight.

Expectations were tempered pre-match, however, when coach Luke Beveridge strangely admitted to a feeling of "trepidation" before the opening bounce, essentially succumbing to the pressure that had pounded the Bulldogs all season long.

That pressure was about to explode as the Eagles piled on three early goals before breaking out beyond a four-goal lead in the first quarter. As play progressed, Beveridge's comments seemed to be manifesting on the football field.

Stars Marcus Bontempelli, Tim English and Adam Treloar were forced to play out of their skin to claw their side back into the contest, eventually taking the lead and extending it to double digits late in the third term.

But the underdog Eagles side sensed the angst of Beveridge's troops and, led by Tim Kelly's 32 disposals, Jamie Cripps' five goals and Oscar Allen's forward presence, shocked the Marvel Stadium crowd with a flurry of fourth quarter majors to steal back a 16-point lead.

By this stage, the morning's headlines were being prepped and Beveridge watched on as the travesty unfolded in front of him.

Bontempelli bravely flew the flag in the dying stages with some astonishing individual efforts, but the damage had been done and the Bulldogs finals hopes were officially out of their hands.