WATCH: Top 10 Goals of the Year since 2000

Published by
Johaan Forbes-Anthony

As footy fans, we are treated on a weekly basis to some of the country's most athletic and skilled players taking to grounds all over the country to strut their stuff.

So we have looked at every Goal of the Year since 2000 and ranked them from 10-1.

2001 - Mark Merenda

Merenda charged out from the Eagles forward 50 following a 25m Michael Gardner hit out, fumbled his initial attempted pick up before tapping the ball on to his advantage as he entered the forward 50. After getting a strong shepherd, he evaded another attempted tackle before regathering the rolling ball, selling candy before finishing with precision on the left foot from the pocket.

 

2007 - Matthew Lloyd

With just seconds remaining in the third quarter, the ball was pumped deep inside 50 with Lloyd one-on-one with his opponent in the goal square. After getting rid of his opponent (legally or not), the ball bounced into Lloyd's arms after initially dropped the mark before he dropped the ball ever so slightly behind him, only to back heel it through for a goal, leaving Carlton's defenders in disbelief.

 

2006 - Eddie Betts

With half the players on the ground involved in a melee further up the ground, Betts played the ball instead of the man and was rewarded for doing so.

After smothering a handball from Tarkyn Lockyer, Betts picked up the ball just centimetres from the boundary for composing himself and slotting the check-side bender under pressure from two Collingwood players.

2008 - Leon Davis

They didn't call him 'Neon Leon' for no reason.

The fan favourite applied all kinds of pressure on Fremantle's Des Hedland before the Docker slapped it free. Davis then proceeded to pick it up with one hand whilst skipping/spinning through a tackle simultaneously as he looked up and seized up the goals as he split the sticks from just inside the paint.

2014 - Matt White

Receiving the ball at half back, White ran away from Richmond's Brandon Ellis before Steve Morris arrived. It appeared as though the nuggetty defender had corralled White, before the Power speedster found another gear (deep into the fourth quarter, mind you), taking a bounce and evading the diving Morris to finish the passage of play in style.

 

2009 - Cyril Rioli

Cyril's moment in 2009 started with a typical pressure act on Bachar Houli as he trapped the then-Essendon younger with the ball. Upon gathering the ball, Rioli was swarmed upon like he was a hot chip to Essendon's seagulls.

After evading the initial Henry Slattery tackle, a series of quick feet movements saw him skip out of reach of two more Essendon defenders. A quick give-and-go with Chance Bateman saw Rioli in the clear as he finished on the run from 40m out.

 

2015 - Eddie Betts

Hemmed in against the boundary, Betts gathered an originally fumbled handball receive before turning. Naturally, he looked inboard, and with few options inside the corridor, he executed the unthinkable. A left-footed torpedo from boundary from 50m out, bouncing favourable in the goal square in a rain-soaked Adelaide Oval.

Don't try this at home, kids.

 

2004 - Daniel Wells

"The Jackie Chan in mid-air!"

A ball up in the goal square generally ends up with defensive players trying to rush the ball over the line and the side in attack doing it's best to prevent that.

As the umpire bounced the ball, Wells bypassed the ruckman and grabbed the ball at its highest point. Before landing, Wells had already thrown the ball on his boot, giving the Roos a two-goal lead with just over two minutes to play.

2016 - Eddie Betts

With the ball trickling to the boundary line at a slippery Adelaide Oval, Betts trapped the ball on the ground. With the assistance of a Mitch McGovern shepherd, Betts tip-toed the boundary line, "fooled them all" (Thanks Huddo) as he slipped a pair of tackles before bending it home from 40m out under pressure.

Could he complete an unprecedented hat trick in 2017?

2010 - Lance Franklin

One of the most iconic passages of play in the last 20 years is this bit of Buddy brilliance.

As Hooker marginally ran under the ball in the contest on the MCG win, the ball landed in Franklin's hands as he took off down the broadcast side.

Four running bounces and several excruciating looks on the Bombers face later, Franklin was up against the boundary. His famous left boot and right to left arc did the rest.

Maybe this is why Cale Hooker is now a forward?

Published by
Johaan Forbes-Anthony