GEELONG completed a masterful season with a legacy-sealing premiership, while Sydney champion Lance Franklin created history with a goalkicking milestone we may never see again. 

There were off-field controversies impacting multiple clubs, a shock coach sacking that stunned the industry, and a player movement period that included the most complex trade in the AFL's history. 

On the field we were treated to a thrilling finals series, while young stars announced themselves and champions of the game bid farewell.  

In a six-part series, AFL.com.au will count down the biggest football stories of 2022 and the season's most memorable moments, starting with 50-41. 

50. Swans' epic comeback ends with Warner controversy

It was a Friday night special in round 11 at the SCG, with Sydney fighting its way back from a 33-point deficit against Richmond to get its nose in front during time-on of the final quarter. That's when Chad Warner almost let it slip, however, giving away a free kick to Dion Prestia 60m from goal and then, oblivious to the umpire's whistle, booting the ball into the crowd after the final siren sounded. A 50m penalty would have led to a near certain goal and a draw, but umpire Matt Stevic gave Warner the benefit of the doubt, leaving Prestia out of range as he launched an unsuccessful shot on goal. Controversy aside, Lance Franklin was sensational, leading the fightback with five goals.  

49. Nightmare season forces West Coast into rebuild

The Eagles have been reluctant to commit fully to a rebuild, but the club's worst season on record meant the next step was inevitable. Impacted by an availability crisis that at stages left them calling on top-up players from the WAFL, the Eagles won just two games in 2022 and were thumped on multiple occasions, including nine straight losses by an average of 67.4 points. Jack Darling's choice not to meet the AFL's COVID-19 protocols during the pre-season made for a rocky start to the year but replenishing with youth in an excellent NAB AFL Draft was an encouraging way to close. The Eagles ultimately accepted what was needed.

48. Phillips joins rival in biggest AFLW move

It was the biggest player move in AFLW history, with the competition's greatest player, Erin Phillips, leaving Adelaide to join the club's bitter rival. Phillips described it as a "dream come true" to join Port Adelaide after six seasons and three premierships with the Crows, with her family's connection to the Power, where her father Greg played 343 games and won eight premierships, proving too strong. "Port Adelaide feels like home to me," the dual AFLW best and fairest winner said. With Phillips as their inaugural captain and the club's official player signing, the Power's first AFLW season saw them win one game and draw another. 

47. Zorko's sledge crosses the line

"If I could take it back, there's no doubt I would," Brisbane captain Dayne Zorko said in the days that followed a deeply personal sledge aimed at Melbourne defender Harrison Petty. Zorko's words had left Petty visibly upset at three-quarter time of the Demons' round 23 win at the Gabba. It was an intense, top-of-the-ladder clash that, in Zorko's words, had both teams "stepping up to the line" from the outset. The midfielder made it clear that his sledge was "not unprovoked" but expressed remorse. Demons skipper Max Gawn hoped the incident would be a line in the sand for players to avoid such nasty comments on-field in the future.

46. Dockers' big plays bring purple back into fashion

They were two of the defensive plays of the season, separated by four months but equally important in the context of Fremantle's year. The first came in the opening round against Adelaide after Ben Keays launched the ball towards goal. That's when Heath Chapman produced what his coach described as "the best spoil I've ever seen", getting a hand free on the goal line to punch the ball towards a teammate and save the game. In round 19, speedster Michael Frederick used his game sense in a similar way against Richmond, sprinting in to smother Noah Balta's set shot after his 30 seconds expired and helping his team hang on for a draw and two points that proved valuable. Both examples highlighted the maturity and focus of the Dockers' young players under Justin Longmuir. 

45. Rise of the mega-deal

It will be 2030 before star Melbourne midfielder Clayton Oliver and Carlton Coleman medallist Harry McKay next come out of contract. For fellow leading goalkicker Charlie Curnow it will be 2029, with Sydney midfielder Callum Mills (2029) and Collingwood defender Darcy Moore (2028) also among those penning long-term extensions this season. While it has backfired on some clubs, the 'mega-deal' became more common in 2022 as a list management tool, with more than 20 players inking extensions that last more than five years. Reasons behind the rise include players chasing more security, clubs looking for more power at the trade table, and the potential of a new Tasmanian team, which could lure stars coming out of contract. 

44. The arrival of Jack Ginnivan

Collingwood forward Jack Ginnivan became one of the most talked about and debated players in the AFL in 2022. His confidence divided critics after celebrating a round one win passionately with a GoPro, and his ability to draw high contact from opponents infuriated rival fans, with the 19-year-old seemingly penalised in the end when the free kicks dried up. His ability was undoubted though, and his five-goal performance in the Anzac Day clash against Essendon was a highlight, winning the Anzac Day Medal. The 19-year-old finished the season with 40 goals and bleached blond hair, announcing his arrival not just as a character in the League but a significant talent. 

43. Noah Anderson sinks Tigers

A semi-final miss from under-13s was going through Gold Coast youngster Noah Anderson's head as he lined up after the siren to win the game against Richmond in round 17. Trailing by 40 points in the third quarter, Anderson had the opportunity to seal a remarkable comeback for the Suns, and he delivered, banishing the demons from his junior footy days and etching his name into Gold Coast folklore after coolly slotting the shot from just inside 50m on an angle. The two-point win was significant for the Suns, coming after narrow back-to-back losses and keeping them in the finals hunt. 

42. Mitchell takes charge and resets Hawthorn

The Hawks' decision to trade senior midfielders Tom Mitchell and Jaeger O'Meara represented in some ways the final transition from former coach Alastair Clarkson to Sam Mitchell as the latter went all in on a youth-led rebuild. With Ben McEvoy, Jack Gunston and Liam Shiels also departing for different reasons, the Hawks are now stripped of senior players and embarking on an incredibly ambitious rebuild. Where it leads, nobody knows, but Mitchell showed his coaching wares during some early-season wins in 2022 and appears intent on doing things his way.

41. Henry's match-winner seals classic Cats win

It was immediately declared the best game of the season, and Jack Henry was the hero after flying high for a memorable mark and kicking the goal that sealed an instant classic against Richmond. The Cats had led by 35 points midway through the second quarter after kicking seven of the first nine goals, but they found themselves trailing by 17 points early in the final term. After several more lead changes, Maurice Rioli jnr looked to have got the Tigers home when he slotted his set shot with two minutes remaining. Enter Henry, who soared to mark Tyson Stengle's excellent forward entry and give the Cats a three-point lead they then protected for the final minute in an epic.