The 2018 AFL Grand Final remains one of the greatest games in league history
In short: When the West Coast Eagles met the Collingwood Magpies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2018, spectators witnessed a tactical thriller. A late, boundary-line goal by Dom Sheed sealed a five-point victory for the Eagles, capping a comeback that fans and analysts still rank among the sport's finest matches.
The 2018 AFL Grand Final, the 123rd in league history, was a contest of contrasting trajectories. West Coast entered the match after a strong season, finishing second on the ladder. In contrast, Collingwood had missed the finals for four consecutive years and was not initially considered a premiership contender. Despite this, both teams fought through a grueling finals series to reach the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 29 September 2018, where 100,022 fans watched the match.
Collingwood dominated the opening quarter, establishing a 29-point lead at one stage. However, West Coast gradually eroded the deficit through disciplined play and key contributions from players like Luke Shuey, who earned the Norm Smith Medal for his 34 disposals and eight clearances. A pivotal, albeit controversial, moment occurred in the third quarter when a Collingwood runner accidentally impeded a teammate, allowing West Coast to intercept and take the lead for the first time since the opening minutes.
The final term was a frantic exchange of goals, but West Coast eventually seized control. With less than two minutes remaining, Dom Sheed kicked a decisive goal from a difficult angle near the boundary line. Although Collingwood attempted to rebound, the Eagles held firm to win by five points. The match was so highly regarded that a 2020 public poll ranked it as the greatest game in AFL history from the previous 50 years, and its presentation ceremony was Australia's most-watched television program that year.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: 2018 AFL Grand Final
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