The 2017 AFL season produced plenty of highlights, as well as some lows, and reached a stunning climax when newly-crowned Brownlow medallist Dustin Martin led Richmond to a drought-breaking grand final win over Adelaide.
A TIGERISH FINALE
Minor premiers Adelaide were favoured to claim the club’s third premiership, but Don Pyke’s men were no match for Richmond at the MCG. Damien Hardwick’s stifling pressure-based gameplan resulted in a lopsided 16.12 (108) to 8.12 (60) grand final win that secured the Tigers’ 11th flag, sparking wild celebrations from the league’s most passionate fanbase. The Tigers’ rise from 13th to first was the biggest in league history, as they ended a 37-year title drought.
DUSTY DOMINATION
Dustin Martin completed an unprecedented treble when he added a premiership medallion and the Norm Smith Medal to the 2017 Brownlow Medal. It capped a stunning season for the superstar midfielder, who also signed a multi-million dollar, seven-year deal to remain at Punt Road after months of intense speculation.
THE VANQUISHED
Things went from bad to worse for the Crows after their grand final loss. Young star Jake Lever requested a trade and was promptly uninvited from the best-and-fairest count. Speedster Charlie Cameron also looked for the exit, with the club and skipper Taylor Walker criticised for how they handled the departures.
AFLW TAKES OFF
Adelaide’s women fared better, beating Brisbane 4.11 (35) to 4.5 (29) in the grand final on the Gold Coast to cap an inaugural AFL Women’s season that exceeded all expectations.
THE COACHING HOT SEAT
Rodney Eade was the only senior coach to lose his job when he failed to guide Gold Coast to a maiden finals berth. Nathan Buckley’s tenure as Collingwood coach was a major storyline all year, but he eventually signed a two-year contract extension despite the Pies missing finals again.
HOW THE MIGHTY FELL
The Western Bulldogs suffered a thumping premiership hangover and dropped all the way to 10th. Perennial finalists Hawthorn also fell off a cliff, finishing 12th after a run of seven September campaigns. After three successive finals appearances, North Melbourne went into rebuilding mode after they slumped to 15th.
WOODEN LIONS
Brisbane showed some promising signs in Chris Fagan’s first year at the helm. The Lions won four games in the back half of the season, but a nine-game losing streak after a round-one win over Gold Coast was enough to see them collect the wooden spoon.
WHO’S BEEN A NAUGHTY BOY THEN?
Melbourne hothead Tom Bugg was slapped with a season-high six-match suspension for punching Sydney’s Callum Mills. Richmond’s Bachar Houli had a two-game suspension for whacking Carlton’s Jed Lamb increased to four after an AFL appeal. Jumper punches were in the news after Trent Cotchin got away with a beauty, forcing a league crackdown. Geelong’s Tom Hawkins didn’t get the memo and was suspended twice for the act. Reigning Brownlow medallist Patrick Dangerfield was controversially rubbed out for a tackle that concussed Carlton’s Matthew Kreuzer. The match review panel is set for an overhaul after a season of frustration and confusion.
FIRSTS
Port Adelaide hosted Gold Coast in Shanghai in the first-ever game for premiership points played outside Australia and New Zealand. Good Friday footy finally happened, with the Dogs beating North Melbourne in a thriller at Etihad Stadium and the Power beat the Dogs in the first home-and-away game in Ballarat. Sydney were the first club in history to recover from an 0-6 start to play finals.
HOWE DID HE NOT WIN MARK OF THE YEAR?
High-flying Magpie Jeremy Howe’s spectacular Queen’s Birthday grab over Melbourne’s Tom McDonald was widely lauded as the most brilliant mark of the season. But eyebrows were raised when Essendon’s Joe Daniher won the AFL award, which is voted on by the public.
BIG GOODBYES
It was a huge year for big-name retirements, which included Bob Murphy and Matthew Boyd (Bulldogs), Scott Thompson (Adelaide), Jobe Watson (Essendon), Tom Lonergan and Andrew Mackie (Geelong), Steve Johnson (GWS), Josh Gibson (Hawthorn), Nick Riewoldt and Leigh Montagna (St Kilda) and Sam Mitchell, Matt Priddis and Drew Petrie (West Coast). Hawthorn premiership star Luke Hodge retired then performed a shock backflip to sign with Brisbane for two more seasons.
TRADING PLACES
Adelaide begrudgingly sent Lever to Melbourne and Cameron to Brisbane, and a year after their first attempt, the Crows welcomed Carlton star Bryce Gibbs. Gary Ablett finally got his desired switch from the Suns back home to Geelong, Essendon brought in Devon Smith, Adam Saad and Jake Stringer and the Demons shipped Jack Watts to Port Adelaide. The Power’s off-season spending spree also saw them add Tom Rockliff, Steve Motlop and Jack Trengove.
A ROCK STAR FINISH
Many already suspected Jack Riewoldt was a bit of a rock star, and his impromptu appearance with The Killers to belt out Mr Brightside was a fitting way to see off a season where Richmond finally stormed back onto centre stage.
