This marks the last of Leigh Matthews' 20 Moment of Greatness from the finals, a series that has helped to celebrate the 2011 Toyota AFL Finals Series. Today: moment No. 1 when Wayne Harmes made his frantic lunge to keep the ball in play in the 1979 Grand Final.

The moment came in ahead of Leo Barry's match-saving mark in the 2005 Grand Final, Matthew Scarlett's toe-poke in 2009, Alex Jesaulenko's screamer in 1970 and Michael Long's brilliant running goal in 1993.

Carlton led by four points 12 minutes into the final quarter of the 1979 Grand Final against Collingwood when Wayne Harmes brilliantly scooped up the ball at pace on the members' wing.

Harmes ran and steadied before lining up to kick long to the goalsquare at the city end. The ground was wet and muddy. Harmes's kick slewed in the direction of the boundary line in the forward pocket.

Seeking to make amends for his errant kick, Harmes sprinted after the ball, which sat up for a second after hitting a muddy area.

The delay was just enough for Harmes to hurl himself at the ball in an attempt to keep it in play. The boundary umpire was behind him.

With the umpire's view obscured, Harmes reached out with his right arm and fisted the ball back over his left shoulder towards the goalsquare, where teammate Ken Sheldon was somehow on his own.

A delighted Sheldon gathered the ball and popped it through from a few metres out. His goal proved enough to spur Carlton to a five-point victory over its arch rival.

While Harmes was rightfully lauded for his effort and improvisation, there's always been a controversy over whether the ball was out of the boundary line when he thumped it.

"Was it out of bounds?" asked Leigh Matthews. "It is one of the most discussed moments in Grand Final history."