AS the year comes to a close, it’s time to look back on the season that was.

It was a remarkable year of footy for a multitude of reasons with incredible moments and big disappointments for every club.

From some Round 1 stunners to the incredible ending on Grand Final day, there was never a dull moment.

So let’s re-live both ends of the spectrum as foxfooty.com.au looks back at your team’s best win and worst loss for 2016.

Finals Week 1

ADELAIDE

Best Win: Round 4 v Sydney (113-103)

Adelaide ended Sydney’s unbeaten start to the season with a pulsating 10-point win on a Saturday night at the Adelaide Oval. In a match that was in the balance from start to finish, the Crows kicked five goals to three in the final term to see off a gallant Crows outfit. Eddie Betts kicked four in the win.

Worst Loss: Round 23 v West Coast (71-100)

In a loss that perhaps derailed Adelaide’s finals chances, the Crows threw away a top-two finish with a disappointing loss to West Coast in the final round of the home and away season. Outplayed on their home turf in the second half, the Crows would subsequently miss the top four as a result of the defeat.

Adelaide celebrates victory over Sydney. Picture: Sarah Reed. Source: News Corp Australia

BRISBANE

Best Win: Round 21 v Carlton (99-95)

It was a match that nearly slipped away from Brisbane, but one that was incredibly satisfying. Following a difficult week for the Lions, who had just suffered a demoralising loss to the Crows, they responded to lead by 25 points going into the final term. Carlton consistently narrowed the margin, but Brisbane held on in a thriller with captain Tom Rockliff leading the way.

Worst Loss: Round 20 v Adelaide (39-177)

This one was demoralising. Only kicking one goal in the second half, Brisbane fell to a 138-point defeat at the hands of Adelaide. The Lions were simply never in the contest, conceding 27 goals across the match. The less said about this the better.

CARLTON

Best Win: Round 10 v Geelong (104-85)

This was a gutsy victory for Carlton, who overcame a rampant Geelong side despite the fact they were down to only two on the bench inside the first half. The Blues built an early lead and dug deep to hold off the Cats after the main break, ultimately winning by 19 points. Bryce Gibbs was the star of the show with 34 disposals and two goals.

Worst Loss: Round 20 v St Kilda (51-122)

This was a disappointing way for Andrew Walker to sign off on his 202-game career with Carlton. Held to only one goal in the first term, the match was as good as over by half time. The Saints then put their foot to the floor after the interval, winning by 71 points on a dark day for the Blues.

COLLINGWOOD

Best Win: Round 2 v Richmond (87-86)

The drama alone puts this one up there as one of the great games of the 2016 season. Trailing late in the match, Collingwood kicked four of the last five goals to win by a point over Richmond on a Friday night at the MCG. Brodie Grundy kicked the sealer, miraculously snapping a shot through with just four seconds left on the clock to steal the points for the Pies.

Worst Loss: Round 11 v Port Adelaide (58-125)

Looking to steady after a faltering start to the season, Collingwood never got going in a disappointing outing at home to Port Adelaide. Killed on the counter by the Power’s free flowing ball movement, the Pies would lose by 67 points to pile the pressure on coach Nathan Buckley.

Brodie Grundy secured victory for Collingwood over Richmond. Picture: Wayne Ludbey. Source: News Corp Australia

ESSENDON

Best Win: Round 2 v Melbourne (80-67)

Many didn’t think Essendon would win a single game in 2016, but they proved that theory wrong in just their second game for the year. This young and exciting Bombers outfit broke away from the Demons in a pulsating final term, showing plenty of guts to win by 13 points. It’s one supporters will remember for a long time.

Worst Loss: Round 15 v West Coast (52-130)

If fans thought that Melbourne clash was memorable, they couldn’t have forgotten this one quickly enough. On a Thursday evening at Subiaco, the Bombers went down to the Eagles by 78 points in a stinker. Despite leading at quarter time, Essendon kicked only two goals in the second half to be well and truly beaten by a better team.

FREMANTLE

Best Win: Round 23 v Western Bulldogs (69-49)

Their season was well and truly done by this point, but Fremantle bid farewell to club legend Matthew Pavlich in style with a 20-point win over the eventual premiers. The Dockers did well in stifling the Dogs’ run, choking the opposition with some good pressure and making it count at the other end. It might have been a disappointing year, but this was a satisfying way to finish.

Worst Loss: Round 5 v Carlton (68-72)

Early in the season, this was when Fremantle coach Ross Lyon really knew he had some problems on his hands. Hosting a Carlton side yet to secure a victory under Brendon Bolton, the Dockers gave up a fourth-quarter lead to lose to the Blues by four points. It sent Fremantle to 0-5 and all but confirmed their fate for the year.

GEELONG

Best Win: Qualifying Final v Hawthorn (85-83)

A victory over Hawthorn is always sweet for Geelong fans — it’s even better in circumstances like these. In a back and forth epic, the Cats led by three points when Hawks midfielder Isaac Smith marked 45m out. The siren sounded, but his kick drifted through for a point. Geelong was through to a preliminary final and its arch rivals was on its way to a straight sets finals exit.

Worst Loss: Round 10 v Carlton (85-104)

Hoping to respond from a disappointing defeat to Collingwood the week prior, Geelong couldn’t have mustered a more unenthusiastic display against Carlton. Trailing from start to finish, the Cats just couldn’t find an answer to the Blues’ constant pressure around the ball.

GOLD COAST

Best Win: Round 15 v St Kilda (108-68)

Having endured yet another demoralising season, Gold Coast enjoyed this victory over St Kilda. Playing with a sense of urgency not seen throughout most of their campaign, the Suns led from start to finish to see off the Saints by 40 points. Peter Wright began to show signs of the type of player he might soon become, booting three goals in a dominant display.

Worst Loss: Round 4 v Brisbane (94-107)

Having won three straight games to start the year, Gold Coast had a real chance to make it four in a row and confirm its status as a finals challenger in a Q-Clash against Brisbane. But despite leading for most of the first half, the Suns threw the game away in a spiteful clash.

GWS GIANTS

Best Win: Qualifying Final v Sydney (91-55)

This was a coming-of-age performance for the Giants. In the club’s first ever final, they beat up on their big brothers to secure a spot in the final four with a 36-point win. Dominating the physical side of the game from the outset, the Giants simply had too much run and dash for their opponents in what was a landmark moment in the club’s history.

Worst Loss: Round 16 v Collingwood (93-125)

An off-day for Greater Western Sydney, who fell to a 32-point defeat at the hands of Collingwood following a disastrous third term. The Giants conceded six goals to two immediately after half time, with Travis Cloke and Jesse White having a field day up forward for the Magpies.

HAWTHORN

Best Win: Round 17 v Sydney (75-70)

With top spot on the ladder at stake, the Hawks found themselves seven points down at the SCG against the Swans with minutes to play. So, of course, they found a way to win, thanks to Shaun Burgoyne and then a stunning piece of play which ended in a Cyril Rioli goal from outside 50.

Worst Loss: Round 6 v GWS Giants (83-158)

It was a performance that saw some pushing the Giants as the Hawks’ replacement at the top of the league. While that hasn’t happened — yet — Hawthorn lost at Spotless Stadium for the second year in a row in an astonishing demolition. It was GWS’ highest score ever as a club and Hawthorn’s biggest loss in almost seven years.

MELBOURNE

Best Win: Round 20 v Hawthorn (110-81)

In the ten seasons previous to this game, Melbourne had played Hawthorn, North Melbourne and St Kilda a combined 42 times for zero wins. Few would have thought a win over the Hawks would break that drought. And yet a remarkable performance on a Saturday afternoon at the MCG saw the dawn of a new day for the Demons — and this time it may be for real.

Worst Loss: Round 22 v Carlton (58-78)

Carlton had not won in almost three months; Melbourne needed to win to keep its finals hopes alive. And yet the Demons put in one of its worst showings of the season to dash the rising hopes of their fans. Honourable mention goes to Round 2’s loss to Essendon, but this was more important.

A disaster for Melbourne. Picture: Wayne Ludbey. Source: News Corp Australia

NORTH MELBOURNE

Best Win: Round 6 v Western Bulldogs (61-45)

This win is particularly impressive in retrospect; but at the time, it showed that North Melbourne didn’t just need to blow away opponents offensively. Following five straight games scoring 107 points or more to start the year, the Kangaroos scored just 61 points but restricted the Bulldogs to just 45 under the bright lights of Friday night.

Worst Loss: Round 17 v Port Adelaide (77-105)

After four straight losses, the Kangaroos were provided with a chance to right the ship and put an end to those suggesting they could be caught for eighth. And yet a surprise loss to the Power at home, in which they were down by 34 points at quarter-time, meant their season went down to the wire and forced them into vital contests over the next fortnight.

PORT ADELAIDE

Best Win: Round 17 v North Melbourne (105-77)

Port Adelaide looked like the side so many thought they would be in 2016 against North Melbourne in their only victory for the season over an eventual finals side. The Roos were kept goalless in the first quarter as Robbie Gray and Travis Boak dominated the contest.

Worst Loss: Round 4 v GWS Giants (65-151)

After two wins from three to start the season, the Power were still looking solid; but a trip to the nation’s capital changed that. GWS kicked what was then its biggest ever score against Port Adelaide despite being without Jeremy Cameron while three Power players were fined after being reported.

RICHMOND

Best Win: Round 8 v Sydney (101-100)

The Tigers were in a tailspin following six straight losses and needed something to spark their season. Enter Sam Lloyd. His incredible goal after the siren produced one of the best finishes of the season and combined with five goals from Ben Griffiths saw Richmond stun eventual grand finalists Sydney.

Worst Loss: Round 23 v Sydney (51-164)

And yet, just a few months later as their incredibly disappointing season came to a close, Richmond recorded its worst loss of the year against the very same side. The loss saw the eighth-biggest margin at three quarter time of any VFL/AFL game in history (123 points). At least the Tigers won the fourth quarter?

Who could forget Sam Lloyd’s matchwinning goal? Picture: Wayne Ludbey. Source: News Corp Australia

ST KILDA

Best Win: Round 18 v Western Bulldogs (75-60)

After a 2-6 start, St Kilda won 10 of their last 14 games; arguably none more impressive than the victory over the eventual premiers in Round 18. The 15-point win is even better when you consider that in the very same fixture back in Round 2, the Saints looked uncompetitive, losing by 57 points.

Worst Loss: Round 8 v West Coast (29-132)

A trip to Subiaco to face the Eagles is difficult, yes; but for a team that won 12 games it should not have been this difficult. The Saints kicked three goals for the match, a feat the Eagles achieved within the first four minutes. It was St Kilda’s lowest score since 2002.

SYDNEY

Best Win: Round 16 v Geelong (98-60)

After a week of turmoil off the field relating to Kieren Jack’s family life, of course it would be Jack who kicked the first goal as Sydney travelled down the highway and proved much too good for Geelong. It proved particularly important as a game that showed how the Swans would do the same thing in the preliminary final a few months later.

Worst Loss: Qualifying Final v GWS Giants (55-91)

The Swans had the chance to earn a week off and stop its little brother from a successful finals debut; instead, the Giants dominated Sydney physically and ran all over them in the second half. In the end the 36-point margin gave GWS the most successful finals debut in VFL/AFL history.

WEST COAST

Best Win: Round 23 v Adelaide (100-71)

You could point to any of West Coast’s wins from the final three rounds of the season here — the heart-stopping win over GWS or the triumph over Hawthorn the other contenders. But with a home final on the line and travelling against a Crows side that needed to win to finish in the top two, the Eagles were most impressive in the final game of the home and away season.

Worst Loss: Elimination Final v Western Bulldogs (52-99)

It doesn’t look as bad now, but cast your mind back to before this game. The Eagles were clear favourites playing at home against a Bulldogs side that had never won a final interstate and even with the bye was still nursing injury concerns. But West Coast never looked likely as the Dogs’ magical run to the flag began.

WESTERN BULLDOGS

Best Win: Grand Final v Sydney (89-67)

Do we really need to explain?

Worst Loss: Round 13 v Geelong (43-100)

Round 23’s loss to Fremantle was bad but it meant little if anything. This was just poor. The Dogs were run over by Patrick Dangerfield and the Cats on their home deck, trailing by 48 points at half-time with just one goal to their name.