ONE OF the great skills of AFL players is their ability to run at speed while bouncing an egg-shaped ball along the way.
Adelaide’s Patrick Dangerfield’s brilliant effort against Fremantle got us thinking about our 10 greatest running goals in League history. These goals are so wonderful, it seems wrong to put them in any order, but then a list wouldn't be a list without an opinion.
10. Daniel Kerr - West Coast v Fremantle, 2003
The West Australian derby has provided footy fans with the spectacular, showcasing the best and the worst of AFL football. Heading the best category is Daniel Kerr’s superb near field-length run and goal that won him goal of the year in 2003. He bounced the ball five times on the way to the forward line before kicking truly in front of a full house at Subiaco.
9. Michael Long - Essendon v Carlton, 1993 Grand Final
It’s no surprise that four of the 10 nominations on this list occurred in Grand Finals given the importance given to every goal kicked in ‘the big one’. Michael Long’s iconic goal remains the single most replayed highlight from Essendon’s 1993 premiership win, Long’s running goal was not without controversy, as it was possibly touched on the line by Carlton full-back Stephen Silvagni, who to this day claims he got a hand on the ball before it went through for a goal.
8. Michael McGuane - Collingwood v Carlton, 1994
In one of the most famous running goals of all time, McGuane had a total of seven bounces from the centre square, baulking two tackle attempts before kicking truly from 30m at the MCG against Carlton on Easter Monday.
7. Austinn Jones - St.Kilda v Adelaide, 1997 Grand Final
Austinn Jones was one of the Saints' best in their loss to Adelaide in 1997 in the third quarter, tried to lift his team with a piece of individual brilliance. The little wingman was on the receiving end of a kick from Robert Harvey, and after four bounces and a give and get handball exchange with Andrew Thompson, used his deadly left foot to kick truly from just inside the 50m line.
6. Ray Gabelich - Collingwood v Melbourne, 1964 Grand Final
With Collingwood trailing by three points with four minutes to play in the 1964 decider, Collingwood’s Des Tuddenham sent a long kick to an unlikely target in hulking ruckman Ray Gabelich. Big 'Gabo' gathered the ball and with no-one between himself and the goals went on one of football’s most famous runs. As he lumbered towards the goal he almost lost the ball on his fourth bounce. Gabelich finally kicked the goal from inside the goal square to put the Pies in front, but just as it seemed that the Magpies had secured their 14th flag, an equally unlikely event occurred. Melbourne back pocket Neil Crompton drifted forward and kicked a late match-winning goal to deny Gabelich and his side the premiership.
5. David Twomey - Collingwood v North Melbourne, 1981
This list suggests that the Woodsmen enjoy going for a gallop, but one of the greatest running goals of all by a Pie was kicked by a member of Collingwood’s famous Twomey family. David is a nephew of premiership players Bill, Pat and Mick and was a fair footballer in his own right. In 1981 against North Melbourne at Arden Street when he grabbed the ball on the half-back flank and set sail for goal. It was a rainy day and bouncing the ball on the sodden surface was as difficult as it was risky. With great skill, Twomey negotiated both bouncing the ball and avoiding the opposition before kicking a magnificent goal from the boundary.
4. Patrick Dangerfield - Adelaide v Fremantle, 2011
The youngster dubbed the new Mark Ricciuto lived up to the title with a breath-taking goal early in the 2011 season. Winning a free kick across his own half-back line, Dangerfield ran away from one of the fastest players in the competition in Fremantle’s Stephen Hill. Never breaking stride he capped off his run with a scything kick from 50 metres that split the big sticks.
3. Lance Franklin - Hawthorn v Essendon, 2010
The 2010 goal of the year was the performance of a maestro, the man they call Buddy. Supremely confident in his own ability, the Hawk star ran the boundary line at the MCG, taking three bounces before kicking accurately from 40 metres out. If that wasn’t already enough, the deed was executed at full speed with Essendon’s Cale Hooker in hot pursuit. Adding to the magic was that he had kicked an almost identical goal, this time with Mark McVeigh doing the chasing, only a few minutes before.
2. Phil Manassa - Collingwood v North Melbourne, 1977 Grand Final replay
Manassa was a fine servant for Collingwood, playing 122 games between 1973 and 1979. For all his hard work, he is remembered for one moment of sheer brilliance, his running goal in the last quarter of the 1977 Grand Final replay. The wingman grabbed the ball on the members’ wing at the MCG and combined four bounces with one dummy, one baulk and one beautiful kick for outside the (not yet marked) 50, to record a goal for the ages, and to give the Pies some hope.
1. Michael Mitchell - Richmond v Sydney Swans, 1990, round 22
Mitchell was a speedster from Western Australia who had a penchant for the spectacular. He won both mark and goal of the year in 1990, with his goal earning top-billing as the greatest running goal the game has seen. Playing for Richmond at the SCG he grabbed the ball from a spillage across the half-back line. Seven bounces later and with countless Swans players left in his wake, he calmly slotted home a goal from deep within his own 50m arc.
Mark Fine is the evening presenter on SEN 1116 and the author of The Book of Footy Lists, to be published by The Slattery Media Group in August.
You can follow The Book of Footy Lists at www.footylists.com.au or on Twitter @footylists.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
