But even before that, this year was one replete with  matches full of drama, tremendous individual performances and thrilling finishes. No fewer than 24 games were decided by a kick.

There were great comebacks, neck-and-neck tussles and huge upsets galore, and several kicks to win games, one in a final no less.

Ranking the best of a bumper crop is no simple task, but here is in our view, the 10 best AFL games of 2016.

Some victories seemed to symbolise a coming of age. In time, this could be seen as St Kilda's. Geelong had won 10 of 13 games before this mid-season clash under the roof. But the Saints stunned them from the start with midfielders Jack Steven and Seb Ross in terrific touch, and young gun Jade Gresham all class. St Kilda led by five goals before the Cats woke up,  opening up a nine-point lead close to the finish. The Saints, however, weren't done with. A magnificent sidestep and snap from Gresham gave them hope, and Stevens' kick off the ground clinched deal.

We've long become used to these two turning it on, and this qualifying final was up there with the best Cats-Hawks clashes. With a preliminary final berth the prize, the old foes went hammer and tongs at each other, both leading by up to three goals at stages before a goal-for-goal finish. Geelong led by three points as with the final attack of the game, Luke Breust found Isaac Smith 40 metres out on a the slightest of angles. The siren rang. The Hawks had won  several games by under a goal during  the season. But not this time, Smith hooking to the right, the jubilant Cats toasting the winning of the short road to a grand final berth.

The most dramatic juxtaposition of events in any game this year came in this round three thriller. Hawthorn had led by 32 points early in the second quarter before the Dogs leapt into action, kicking 10 of the next 12 goals  to lead  by 19 points at three-quarter time. Predictably, Hawthorn came again with a seven-goal final term, three of them to young gun James Sicily. His matchwinner came as Bulldog skipper and heartbeat Bob Murphy slumped to the ground with a season-ending knee injury, the Dogs leading and one minute left on the clock. It was a poignant and what seemed a defining moment.

Cometh the last seconds, cometh the NicNat. West Coast's Nic Naitanui stepped up to play the hero as the Eagles, after having trailed nearly all day, pinched a win. Away from home, they'd trailed by four goals early in the last quarter. But West Coast kept coming, three late goals levelling the scores before the Giants' Rory Lobb, with only a minute left to play, appeared to make the game safe for GWS. But a hurried snap from Josh Hill reduced the gap to five points. And from the last stoppage of the match, Naitanui plucked the ball from the ground, threw it on his left boot and split the centre as the siren rang. Unbelievable stuff.

This amazing 41-goal shootout was a real throwback and an absolute pleasure to watch. North slammed on the first seven goals of the game with a strong breeze while keeping Melbourne scoreless. Incredibly, the Demons reversed that to start the second quarter and led by seven points at half-time. The Roos raced away again with a seven-goal third term. But Melbourne fired one last shot, the last 15 minutes goal for goal as North clung on for victory. Ruckmen Max Gawn and Todd Goldstein had an epic battle, and Brent Harvey booted a career-best six goals for North as the goal umpires battled a severe case of RSI.

Richmond looked headed for another miserable loss at three-quarter time of this game, having kicked just seven goals for the evening, the Swans leading comfortably. But for once throwing caution to the winds, the Tigers recaptured the verve missing from their play for so long. They booted five unanswered goals to start the last term. Sydney hit back with the next four and  seemed to take control. But Ben Griffiths' fifth goal game the Tigers  hope, and in the last attack of the game, Sam Lloyd marked just inside 50 on a 45-degree angle. The siren sounded, and under incredible pressure, Lloyd split the middle to win the game.

The Crows announced themselves as the real deal and inflicted the Swans' first defeat in a Saturday night classic that  featured 11 lead changes. Adelaide looked to be edging away late in the third quarter, but three Sydney goals in "red time" then the first of the last gave the Swans the lead again. It was magic man Eddie Betts who got the home side over the line with two late goals after Isaac Heeney's effort had kept Sydney alive. Even defeated coach John Longmire lauded the standard. "It was a ripping pressure game of football from both teams … it was two teams going absolutely flat out."

Hawthorn won three games in a row by three points early in the season. This was the last and also the pick of them, a high-standard, high-scoring contest in which the Hawks again pulled one out of the bag with a flying finish. It was Adelaide who had made the running with a seven-goal first term, Rory Sloane and Scott Thompson dominant midfield. And the Crows were still 15 points up 18 minutes into the last. But Hawthorn small forward Paul Puopolo was on fire, kicking two of the last three goals, the final conversion from a free kick his fifth goal of the night and giving the Hawks the lead one last time with only 18 seconds left.

The storyline was special enough, the Bulldogs winning only their second flag and their first for 62 years. But this was a cracking game in its own right, with five lead changes, and sealed only in the last five minutes when Liam Picken charged into an open goal. It was tough but at times free-flowing, the 11 goals kicked in the second term the most in any quarter of a grand final since 1997. Tom Boyd came of age as an AFL player, Jason Johannisen played a blinder off half-back, and Josh Kennedy outstanding in the Swans midfield. The Dogs' triumph was THE story. But this was also one of the best grand finals of the modern era.

Football doesn't come any better than this. The Bulldogs and Giants slugged it out for a grand final spot in a game in equal measures tough, skilful, but more than anything, unbelievably tense. GWS looked to have it with a 14-point lead and all the momentum early in the last term. But the Dogs rose from the canvas with the next three goals. Jack Macrae eventually gave them a six-point buffer, the last five minutes goalless but with every single possession critical. Jake Stringer's cool-headed centre to Tory Dickson in the final seconds clinched an epic as the entire football world drew breath again. One for the ages.