There were no shortage of twists and turns in 2023, but ultimately it ended with the premiership favourite coming through in an all-time classic.
For some, however, the journey is more interesting than the destination, and that’s reflected in the top-rating stories of the season, with one other moment involving the Pies standing out among the rest.
Below are the 10 most-read stories from the 2023 season.
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Clayton takes personal leave from Dees | 00:45
10. Daicos’ ‘selfish’ acts under fire
The focus on Nick Daicos was significant in 2023, as he established himself as one of the game’s best players in just his second season. It was an extraordinary rise, but also came with criticisms to go with the considerable praise. The glare on Collingwood was large all year and so on the rare occasions they lost, focus was intense. Some moments of “selfish” play from Daicos were highlighted after the Pies’ loss to Carlton, with the youngster urged to be more team-oriented.
9. Dees ‘filthy’ over Maynard house visit
So big was the focus on Brayden Maynard’s pending Tribunal hearing for his collision with Angus Brayshaw that ‘flowergate’ emerged, with Maynard’s house visit to Brayshaw the source of much debate. A group of Melbourne players there were reportedly agitated by Maynard’s presence, with one recount suggesting the flowers Maynard delivered never made it to a vase. Dees skipper Max Gawn insisted they did, but it was another element of a footy story that burned as brightly as any other in 2023.
Brayshaw KNOCKED OUT after Maynard hit | 00:40
8. AFL Draft tracker – every pick, trade and bid
Like the Brownlow Medal tracker, the draft tracker gets plenty of interest every year. This year the interest was at fever pitch around what West Coast would do with the number one pick: Take Victorian top prospect Harley Reid or trade it for a suite of picks. The Eagles landed on the former despite many predicting they’d do the latter, which made for a lot of intrigue as to how the rest of the top order would play out. That, plus the ability to trade and bid with picks, meant there was plenty of reasons to keep checking what was taking place on a night that shapes the future of the game.
Jeremy Howe’s season was thrown into turmoil before it ever really got going, with a gruesome broken forearm sending him in for surgery. Such was the nature of the injury that it wasn’t replayed on broadcast. It started a lengthy recovery period that Howe has since admitted had him questioning whether he could get back to the top level. He would ultimately return in round 15 and spoke at length about the journey on AFL 360. He capped off the year with a premiership, but it was a rollercoaster ride for Howe more than most.
It was a decider for the ages and ended with Collingwood holding the premiership cup aloft, confirming their status as the best side of 2023. In true Collingwood fashion it was a nail biter, with the Brisbane Lions nearly pinching victory. Some controversy came late with a contentious advantage call, but ultimately it was a match that will be remembered for far more than that. After the procession of the 2022 decider, 2023 was a welcome change.
Flagpies becomes a reality in 2023! | 12:00
5. Darcy Moore’s brilliant Anzac Day speech
It has been a new-look Collingwood under the pairing of Craig McRae and Darcy Moore and rarely was that on display more than after the club’s Anzac Day win over Essendon. Moore’s speech paid tribute to all veterans as well as their families, before acknowledging the pain of war. It was a speech that went deeper than the usual post-match formalities and one that left a mark.
4. Brownlow tracker – every vote from every game
The Brownlow Medal is only as good as the count, and every year the foxfooty.com.au tracker is a staple. This year’s edition was one of the most engrossing given how many contenders there were in footy’s night of nights. Lachie Neale’s run to the top came from left field and added to the intrigue. It was ultimately a count that reflected the season itself, with plenty of possible winners and a very tight race at the top.
Like Lachie Neale’s Brownlow Medal hopes, there wasn’t a lot of optimism heading into the event itself, but most were pleasantly surprised by what unfolded with KISS on Grand Final day. The band was quite literally on its last legs, with its ‘End of the Road’ tour having concluded, but with age comes experience and the quartet proved they know how to handle a stadium crowd. It was a line and length performance from them playing the hits, but that’s all they needed to do and it was a good prelude to an epic decider.
Pies’ nest program spreading Xmas spirit | 01:16
2. Neale wins Brownlow in boilover
It was all about the likes of Nick Daicos and Marcus Bontempelli heading into Brownlow Medal night this year, so when Lachie Neale edged home in a thrilling count it was somewhat of a shock. Neale’s numbers had been down compared to his maiden Brownlow Medal season and in a year full of contenders he hadn’t been given much hope of a second medal. He’d quickly trade it for a premiership medallion, but his latest individual accolade cemented him as one of the most consistent and high performing midfielders of the modern era.
1.Maynard escapes ban after marathon tribunal hearing
A concussion in a cutthroat final, two big clubs colliding, controversial flower deliveries… Brayden Maynard and Angus Brayshaw’s collision led to one of the most intense periods of the season, culminating in a marathon AFL Tribunal hearing that had fans from all sides enthralled. It was a period of sustained drama quite unlike anything else in 2023 and the focus on it was extraordinary. It eventually ended in Maynard being cleared, but it was a saga that won’t be forgotten any time soon.
