<p>What is the biggest comeback in AFL history?</p> <p>As football has evolved and the game has changed, it has become routine that big in-game margins have been continuously run down and overtaken.</p> <p>Watching it unfold live is transfixing. Seeing one side gather a head of steam and run down a massive deficit, while another side crumbles under the weight of momentum and pressure against it. It often produces the best spectacle and display of AFL footy.&nbsp;</p> <p>We’ve delved deep into the history books to find just what are some of the biggest comebacks in AFL history. Some of them will leave you shaking your head as to how such a big advantage can be lost.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>1. Essendon completes the biggest AFL Comeback ever - Round 16, 2001</h2> <p>The premiers of the previous two years and two of the best teams of the era,&nbsp; clashing at the G mid-year. It’s a blockbuster anyway you look at it.</p> <p>Very few teams had been able to lay a glove on Essendon during the early 2000s, but the Roos looked like they had landed some heavy, heavy blows when they found themselves ahead by 69 points at the 10-minute mark of the second quarter.&nbsp;</p> <p>The Dons proceeded to kick nine unanswered goals in a 20-minute burst to narrow the margin to 15 points at the main break.&nbsp;</p> <p>They closed the gap further after half-time with the first two goals to draw the margin to just single figures before the Roos steadied with some goals to re-establish a 14-point lead at the final change.</p> <p>Essendon sharpshooter Matthew Lloyd kicked his ninth goal for the game in the opening minute of the final term, which was followed by a flurry of final quarter Essendon goals to see them claim the lead for the first time in the contest.&nbsp;</p> <p>The Roos kept attacking but were off-target, only managing 3.5 in the final quarter. It saw them fall short by 12 points, 27.9 (171) - 25.9 (159)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>2. Hawthorn’s lasting Waverley Park AFL Comeback - Round 12, 1999</h2> <p>St Kilda sure does feature a bit on this list. More times as the bridesmaids than the victors.</p> <p>As the AFL prepared to bring the curtain down at Waverley Park, Hawthorn was hellbent on not leaving the venue without a special on-field memory.</p> <p>A dominant nine-goal to one first quarter from St Kilda saw them hold a commanding 51-point quarter-time lead. They kicked the first two goals of the second quarter too to open up a 63-point lead just five minutes into the second quarter.&nbsp;</p> <p>But the Hawks started clawing their way back. They kicked three goals on the run into the main break to reduce the margin to a still sizeable 44 points. But the run was only just beginning.&nbsp;</p> <p>A barnstorming 10-goal to three-quarter followed from the Hawks to reduce the margin to just three points at the final change.&nbsp;</p> <p>With momentum firmly on the home team's side, the Hawks held the Saints goalless in the last quarter, while kicking three goals of their own to come away with a 13-point victory.</p> <p>Forward Nick Holland pipped eventual Brownlow Medal winner Shane Crawford for the three votes with his five-goal haul.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>3. Collingwood’s spiritual home AFL Comeback - Round 10, 1970</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>What’s the best way to make yourself at home in an intimidating place? Keeping the home side goalless for the first quarter would be a good start!</p> <p>That’s what St Kilda did on their visit to Victoria Park in Round 10, 1970, kicking six goals to zero in the first quarter to hold a 39-point lead at the opening change.</p> <p>The Saints kept piling on the goals in the second quarter, stretching the lead to as many as 60 points at the 27-minute mark of the second quarter before Collingwood eventually found the middle of the goals.&nbsp;</p> <p>Speaheads Peter McKenna and Wayne Richardson would lead the revival for the home side, kicking 12 of the next 6 goals of the game to keep whittling away at the Saints' lead.</p> <p>After trailing by 35 points at the final change, a seven-goal to one final quarter saw Collingwood hit the front deep into time on before the game was made safe, completing the comeback and securing a seven-point victory by the time the siren went.&nbsp;</p> <p>How the Pies would love to give this comeback back if they knew there would be one to bite them on the biggest day of the year, just three months later?</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>4. Hawthorn’s massive AFL Comeback in a high-scoring thriller, Round 6, 1989</h2> <p>Oh, the magic in the name of football these two sides brought us in 1989.</p> <p>In one of the <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/afl/news/highest-scoring-afl-games">highest-scoring AFL games of all time</a>, the Cats travelled to meet the Hawks and produced an all-time display of goalkicking (which you’d expect with the likes of Ablett, Brownless, Yeates, Excel, Brereton, Buckenara, and Dunstall all on the park).</p> <p>The Cats burst out of the blocks in the first quarter, slamming on eight goals to five. The Cats made their big move in the second quarter, kicking nine goals to four to open up a 56-point lead at the 28-minute mark of the second quarter. A late goal to the Hawks saw them go in 49 points in arrears at the main change.&nbsp;</p> <p>It was then that the Hawks put the hammer down, and their all-star forward line started motoring.&nbsp;</p> <p>A 17-goal to eight second half saw the Hawks slowly but surely match the Cats' scoring power of their own, but run down their gigantic tally and steal an eight-point win.</p> <p>A remarkable combined 51-goal game. And somehow, it wasn’t the most ridiculous game that those two sides played that year…<br /> &nbsp;</p> <h2>5. Saints spring almighty AFL Comeback on Bulldogs - Round 6, 2015</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>At last, some joy in this list, Saints fans! You’re actually on the other end of one of these results for a change.</p> <p>It was looking mighty grim, though.. As the Dogs were in the early throws of life under Luke Beveridge, and playing some fast and breathtaking footy under the roof at the Docklands.</p> <p>After a modest opening quarter, the Dogs went bang in the second quarter, kicking seven goals of their own and restricting the Saints to one solitary behind for the quarter to open up a 49-point lead at the main break.&nbsp;</p> <p>A Jake Stringer goal just two minutes into the third quarter stretched the Dogs' lead to 55 points before the Saints began their march.&nbsp;</p> <p>They kicked the last seven goals of the third term to trim the deficit to just 12 points at the final change.&nbsp;</p> <p>They conceded the opening two goals of the final quarter before they kicked the last five goals of the game to run over the top of the Dogs and record a seven-point win.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p><br /> So, that’s the top five biggest AFL Comebacks of all time. Do you think this list is impressive? If you want to read more cool stats and lists like this, check out our list of <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/afl/news/highest-scoring-afl-games">Highest scoring AFL games ever </a>or our list of the <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/afl/news/oldest-ever-afl-players">Oldest AFL players of all time</a>.</p>