The year will end the way it started in the AFL, with everyone desperate for a resolution to the Essendon supplements scandal.
As the saga lurched from one courtroom session to another ugly media leak, there were plenty of other big stories coming out of more routine footy matters.
Hawthorn have a dynasty, Lance Franklin shone after a rocky start in Sydney, Port Adelaide lit up the new-look Adelaide Oval and three senior coaches were sacked.
ANOTHER HORRENDOUS YEAR FOR THE BOMBERS
We’ve had an unsuccessful Federal Court challenge from Essendon and their coach James Hird, then Hird appealing that verdict and Hird seemingly on the brink of being sacked for his appeal, but staying in charge.
Essendon players somehow maintained their focus for a second season and made the finals, only for Paddy Ryder to break ranks with a massive defection to Port Adelaide.
ASADA stunningly has launched Supreme Court action in a bid to make two witnesses testify, only days before the AFL anti-doping tribunal hearing involving 34 current and past Bombers players is finally due to start.
Behind the scenes it’s a vicious, unedifying barfight where the stakes are massive for some very powerful people.
Who knows what year three of this mess will bring.
BUT BOMBER WAS FUN WHILE IT LASTED
Curiously, the greatest crisis in the game’s history led to one of 2014’s highlights – Mark Thompson.
The interim Essendon coach was a breath of fresh air with his quirky outlook and compelling media appearances.
His tenure was originally just for 12 months and he conducted himself accordingly, with no pressure.
Sadly for everyone, it quickly went south in October once it seemed like he might stay in senior coaching.
Within weeks, Thompson somehow was on the nose and was gone from Essendon.
Other than media work – and what outlet wouldn’t want him on board? – he will have no AFL involvement next year.
THE HAWKS TURN A TESTING SEASON INTO A TRIUMPH
Hawthorn have now made the last three grand finals and won the last two premierships.
Couple those with the unexpected 2008 flag and it is another legendary era for the game’s modern powerhouse.
Remember, they’d lost Lance Franklin to Sydney, were riddled with injuries for much of the season and coach Alastair Clarkson had five weeks off with a serious illness.
Their physical and mental demolition of Sydney in the first 40 minutes of the grand final was unsociable football par excellence.
PORT POWER ALONG, TIGERS BELATEDLY FIND THEIR BITE AND ADELAIDE OVAL IS A WINNER
Three of the season’s best stories converged in one elimination final, when Port Adelaide hosted Richmond at Adelaide Oval.
In a season where crowds generally came off the boil, Power and Crows fans regularly filled the redeveloped ground.
In Ken Hinkley’s second season as coach, the Power motored to within a kick of the grand final.
The Port fans belting out the INXS hit Never Tear Us Apart before the opening bounce at home games was a marketing master stroke.
And Richmond made history, rallying from a horrid first half of the season and winning their last nine games to storm into September.
But the Tigers were no match for the Power at the Portress.
MATT PRIDDIS HASN’T MADE AN ALL-AUSTRALIAN TEAM, BUT WHO CARES
Priddis is the classic rags-to-riches AFL story.
The West Coast onballer is a rookie draft selection who rarely attracts the spotlight for the way he plays.
But for such a low-profile footballer, he’s also mightily effective and rarely beaten.
He’s also the reigning Brownlow Medallist. And for all the shock of his win, it was also a very popular result.
The look on his face was priceless during the Brownlow count when it became clear he was a contender.
SEE YA BOYS
Jonathan Brown and Lenny Hayes were out-and-out champions.
By the end of his career, people had stopped comparing Luke Ball with fellow top 2001 draft picks Chris Judd and Luke Hodge. They’re all stars.
Dean Cox and Darren Glass were giants in a tumultuous decade for West Coast.
And Nick Maxwell captained Collingwood to their most recent premiership.
Enough said.
BUDDY’S GOING WELL, BUT …
Remember how Lance Franklin’s huge-money move to Sydney was going to destroy the Swans’ celebrated culture and ruin the fabric of the game? So far, it’s working pretty well.
Still, for the long-term deal to work he needs to be part of at least one premiership team. Probably a couple.
And the challenges keep coming for Sydney.
Their grand final capitulation raises obvious questions, plus the AFL effectively banned them from taking part in the most recent trade period.
SO MUCH FOR THE CLASS OF 2011
Five senior coaches were appointed at the end of 2011. Only Nathan Buckley remains.
And he must show next season that he has Collingwood on the right track.
Brendan McCartney (Western Bulldogs) and Brenton Sanderson (Adelaide) lost their jobs at the end of this season, following last year’s demises of Scott Watters and Mark Neeld.
GOLD COAST GETS A ROCKET
Foundation Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna also lost his job once the season ended.
McKenna was always in big trouble once Gary Ablett went down with a shoulder injury and the Suns’s season followed suit.
There was initial speculation that Mark Thompson would take over, but Rodney Eade emerged as the man who has the task of making the Suns rise.
Gold Coast players want to be worked harder and Eade is just the man for the job.
They will be a fascinating story next year.
TOM BOYD. NO PRESSURE.
McCartney’s sacking came in the midst of an extraordinary few days at the Western Bulldogs.
Captain Ryan Griffen declared he wanted out and a day later, the coach was gone.
Then Boyd, the Giants’ No.1 draft pick last year, and Griffen swapped clubs in a monster trade.
The Bulldogs can say whatever they like about Boyd needing time to develop as a key forward.
But he’s now their multi-million dollar franchise player.
