WHEN the AFL planned to introduce a final eight in 1994, the move was widely panned.

Some regarded it as little more than a grab for extra cash by playing two more finals. Others decried it as a reward for mediocrity, with eight of the then 16 clubs qualifying for the finals.

But there was nothing mediocre about the first weekend of the final eight. It was an epic slate of football played in Melbourne and Perth: the first extra time final in AFL history, two other games decided by less than a goal and a monumental upset. It’s yet to be surpassed as the best opening to a finals series ever.

And with the first final not starting until the traditional time of 2.30pm on the Saturday, all four games were done and dusted within 30 hours.

All four games were qualifying finals. First played eighth, second played seventh, third played sixth and fourth played fifth. The two lowest ranked teams to lose over the weekend would be eliminated.

North Melbourne (third) and Hawthorn (sixth) opened the finals series on a bright afternoon at Waverley Park. North had won the two games between the clubs that year by a combined 27 goals, but the Hawks, with established champions such as Jason Dunstall, Chris Langford, John Platten and Darren Jarman, hung tough all afternoon. Dunstall would kick his 100th goal for the season in the game.

But what the Hawks didn't have was Wayne Carey, by then just about the best player in the game. Scores were level at the final siren, but Carey dominated the 10 minutes of extra time, during which the Kangaroos kicked 3.5 and kept the Hawks scoreless to win by 23 points.

Carey finished with 32 possessions, took 10 marks and kicked four goals, singlehandedly getting his team over the line. 

Three hours later at the MCG, Geelong (fourth) took on Footscray (fifth) and again, the result was in doubt to the death. 

The Cats led by five goals early, but the Bulldogs pegged them back, bit by bit over the next three quarters and appeared set for a famous win when Richard Osborne snapped truly inside the last minute to put his team one point in front.

The Cats had one centre bounce possession to get it right, and they did. John Barnes tapped the ball to Garry Hocking, who got it to David Mensch. His quick kick forward looped through the air and straight into the chest of the fast (yes, fast!) leading Bill Brownless.

With the siren blaring, Brownless went back and kicked the goal from 35 metres out to give the Cats a five-point win. 

Any football fan of the time can recite the accompanying Channel Seven television commentary by heart. Sandy Roberts forecasts Brownless to be the "King of Geelong" while more tellingly, Gerard Healy declares, "The monkey's off the back, Billy!"

The drama continued at the MCG the following afternoon. Carlton (second) was the warm favourite to beat Melbourne (seventh).

But this was a good Melbourne team, perhaps the best the club had fielded in 30 years and the Demons led the Blues all day to win by 27 points. Key forward David Schwarz was at the peak of his powers by then and after kicking nine goals the previous week, he booted another four against the Blues.

Garry Lyon, Martin Pike and Sean Charles combined with Schwarz and the Blues had no match for Melbourne's firepower.

The other loser that day was Hawthorn, which by virtue of Melbourne's surprise win, was eliminated from the finals. 

The weekend finished in Perth at the WACA ground with West Coast (first) hosting Collingwood (eighth). This one appeared straightforward with the premiership-favourite Eagles leading by four goals at three-quarter time. 

But with legendary skipper Tony Shaw about to retire, the Pies hit back hard and twice got to within a kick of the lead. 

They were charging forward again in the final seconds, but Magpie Mick McGuane fumbled a difficult mark close to goal just as the siren went with the Eagles holding on to win by two points. There were ugly scenes immediately afterwards when West Coast skipper John Worsfold confronted McGuane with a choking gesture and the two teams had to be separated on their way back to the rooms.

The Eagles played under great strain given a slew of their players had faced the tribunal on melee charges the week before and the outcomes were only finalised only days before the game. 

In terms of drama, the opening weekend last year’s finals certainly delivered, with upset wins by Fremantle (over Geelong) and Port Adelaide (Collingwood) and Richmond's collapse against Carlton, but the very first weekend of the final eight, 20 years ago this weekend, has yet to be beaten. 

Bill Brownless, Wayne Carey, David Schwarz and Glen Jakovich share their memories of the 1994 qualifying final in this week's edition of the AFL Record, available at all grounds.