The Greatest Grand Finals Of All Time
Grand Final Day holds a special place in Australian sporting culture. For generations, the AFL Grand Final and NRL Grand Final have delivered unforgettable moments that have shaped the history of both codes and created memories that live on long after the final siren.
While every season builds towards crowning a new champion, some Grand Finals stand apart from the rest. They are remembered not simply because of who won, but because of extraordinary performances, dramatic finishes, historic comebacks and moments that became part of Australia's sporting folklore.
Across decades of Australian Rules Football and Rugby League, these are the Grand Finals that continue to define what makes the biggest day on the sporting calendar so special.
The 1970 VFL Grand Final - Carlton v Collingwood
Few Grand Finals in Australian sporting history are spoken about with the same reverence as the famous 1970 VFL Grand Final between Carlton and Collingwood.
In front of more than 121,000 spectators at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Collingwood appeared to have one hand on the premiership after building a commanding 44-point lead at halftime.
What followed remains one of the greatest comebacks Australian sport has ever seen.
Carlton stormed back in the second half with relentless attacking football, eventually securing a dramatic 10-point victory and producing a match that permanently cemented itself in AFL folklore.
For many supporters, this remains the benchmark for Grand Final drama.
The 1989 VFL Grand Final - Hawthorn v Geelong
The 1989 VFL Grand Final is widely regarded as one of the toughest and most physically brutal games ever played.
The contest featured enormous physical pressure from the opening minutes, none more memorable than Geelong's Mark Yeates flattening Hawthorn star Dermott Brereton with one of the most talked about collisions in Grand Final history.
Despite suffering serious injuries, Brereton famously continued playing and helped inspire Hawthorn to a hard fought victory.
The final scoreline of 21.18 to 21.12 reflected the extraordinary intensity of a game that many still regard as the greatest AFL Grand Final ever played.
The 2005 AFL Grand Final - Sydney v West Coast
The 2005 AFL Grand Final delivered one of the closest and most emotional finishes the modern era has seen.
Sydney entered the game chasing its first premiership in more than seven decades, while West Coast looked poised to complete a remarkable season.
The game remained tense throughout all four quarters before Sydney defender Leo Barry produced one of the most iconic moments in AFL history with a famous match-saving mark deep in defence during the final seconds.
Sydney held on to win by just four points.
For an entire generation of AFL fans, the phrase "Leo Barry, you star" remains permanently connected to Grand Final Day.
The 2018 AFL Grand Final - West Coast v Collingwood
The 2018 AFL Grand Final delivered another finish that instantly entered football folklore.
Collingwood led deep into the final quarter and appeared set to secure the premiership before West Coast launched a late comeback.
With just minutes remaining, Dom Sheed produced one of the most clutch moments in AFL history, kicking an extraordinary goal from the boundary under immense pressure.
West Coast held on to win by five points, completing one of the most memorable late-game turnarounds seen on Grand Final Day.
It remains one of the defining modern AFL Grand Finals.
The 1989 NSWRL Grand Final - Canberra Raiders v Balmain Tigers
In Rugby League history, few Grand Finals carry the same legendary status as the 1989 decider between Canberra and Balmain.
Played at the Sydney Football Stadium, Balmain controlled much of the match and looked destined to secure victory before Canberra launched a late comeback that stunned the rugby league world.
The Raiders forced extra time, becoming the first team in premiership history to do so in a Grand Final.
John Ferguson's late try and Steve Jackson's famous match-winning effort secured Canberra an unforgettable 19-14 victory.
Many league fans still consider this the greatest NRL or NSWRL Grand Final ever played.
The 2015 NRL Grand Final - Cowboys v Broncos
The 2015 NRL Grand Final between North Queensland and Brisbane delivered one of the most dramatic finishes Rugby League fans have ever witnessed.
With seconds remaining, Brisbane appeared certain to claim the premiership before Cowboys winger Kyle Feldt scored in the corner after the final siren to level the match.
Johnathan Thurston then missed the sideline conversion, sending the Grand Final into golden point extra time.
Moments later, Ben Hunt spilled the kickoff and Thurston calmly kicked the winning field goal to secure North Queensland's first premiership.
It was pure sporting drama.
The 2022 NRL Grand Final - Panthers v Eels
The Penrith Panthers cemented themselves as one of Rugby League's modern powerhouse clubs with a dominant victory over Parramatta in the 2022 NRL Grand Final.
While not the closest contest on this list, the occasion carried enormous significance as Penrith secured back to back premierships and confirmed the beginning of one of the most successful eras seen in the modern NRL competition.
Grand Finals are not always remembered for dramatic finishes. Sometimes they mark the beginning of sporting dynasties.
Grand Finals Create Sporting Folklore
What makes Grand Finals so powerful is that every supporter remembers exactly where they were when iconic moments unfolded.
A desperate tackle. A match saving mark. A boundary line goal under pressure. A try after the siren.
These moments transcend sport itself and become part of Australia's shared cultural identity.
Every AFL and NRL season builds anticipation around the possibility of witnessing history, because Grand Final Day has a way of producing moments unlike anything else in sport.
The Next Great Grand Final Is Always Waiting
Part of the magic of Grand Final Day is knowing that the next unforgettable moment could be just around the corner.
Each September and October, millions of Australians gather around televisions, pack into pubs, attend live venues or host backyard celebrations hoping to witness another game that will join the history books.
The greatest Grand Finals of all time remind us why these occasions matter so much.
Because long after the celebrations end and the confetti settles, the stories of Grand Final Day continue to be passed from one generation of fans to the next.
And somewhere in the future, another classic Grand Final is waiting to be written.