THE Western Bulldogs' one-point semi-final win over Brisbane at the Gabba has been voted as the best game of 2021 by AFL.com.au readers.
Almost one-third of voters selected the thriller from 13 options, comfortably beating out Max Gawn's goal-after-the-siren winner in round 23 against Geelong to pilot Melbourne to the minor premiership.
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The Bulldogs-Lions match had just about everything.
Each team lost a player – Cody Weightman for the Dogs and Jarrod Berry for the Lions – to concussion in the first half, before a pulsating final quarter bought the packed crowd to their feet.
With scores level and two minutes remaining, Bailey Smith kicked his third goal, a freakish effort on the run from the left forward pocket, to spark his 'ice in his veins' celebration and give the Bulldogs the lead.
Brisbane wasn't done though, with its own star Zac Bailey levelling up with 75 seconds to go via a cool finish in general play to rock the Lions' home ground.
THE BEST GAMES OF 2021 The 13 matches in contention for the title
Laitham Vandermeer scrubbed through the winning point in the final minute, and when Taylor Duryea won a critical one-on-one with Charlie Cameron in the dying seconds, the Bulldogs were through to the preliminary final.
Melbourne's remarkable second-half comeback against Geelong, capped off by Gawn's matchwinner, was good enough for second place, while Adelaide's shock round 10 win over the eventual premier snuck into third.
