THERE were some cracking games in 2018.

From a couple of thrillers in round one, all the way through to a tense Grand Final, the season was dotted with memorable occasions that left fans both joyful and heartbroken.

But what were the best?

AFL.com.au counts down the 10 most memorable games of last season, beginning with the matches from 10-6.

10.

Round 5: Gold Coast 11.10 (76) defeated Brisbane 10.11 (71)

This Sunday game didn't disappoint, with a QClash for the ages played out in front of 16,000 fans at the Gabba. The Suns led by as much as 27 points during the third term, but the Lions charged home. With under two minutes left on the clock, the Lions launched another attack. As Jacob Allison lined up on the run from 50m, Suns star Touk Miller threw his body into the firing line, heroically smothering the footy. Seconds later, Jarrod Harbrow followed up with a goal-saving tackle on Lion Charlie Cameron. With the final seconds ticking down, the football fell into the hands of No.1 draft pick Cam Rayner. His last kick of the game could have drawn the contest, but he pulled the shot wide. A devastated Rayner rued his missed opportunity, as the Suns survived a frenetic finish to nab a five-point victory.

The Lions and the Suns put on a classic finish!



Enjoy the @AAMI Last Two Minutes from the Gabba. pic.twitter.com/b5xZmDn8CP — AFL (@AFL) April 22, 2018

9.

Round 18: Gold Coast 12.16 (88) defeated Sydney 8.16 (64)

While the game itself might not have been the best spectacle, this was no doubt the upset of the year. Gold Coast had lost 11 consecutive games going into this clash and was without the top five from its best and fairest in the year prior. Things were bleak for the Suns. But the club recorded a massive boilover when it defeated the finals-bound Sydney at the SCG. Trailing by 29 points at quarter-time, Gold Coast piled on 11 of the final 13 goals of the match – holding Sydney goalless for two successive quarters – to claim a 24-point win.

LACHIE WELLER!



That should be enough for the Suns!#AFLSwansSuns pic.twitter.com/lbETb0dYhc — AFL (@AFL) July 21, 2018

8.

Round 17: Sydney 16.8 (104) defeated North Melbourne 15.8 (98)

There are plenty of kids around Australia who grow up dreaming of kicking the winning goal after the siren. But for Aliir Aliir this wasn't the case. Born in a refugee camp in Kenya, he moved to Australia at the age of seven, and it wasn't until his teenage years that he took up football. But it was a case of being in the right place at the right time in round 17. With two minutes left on the clock at Marvel Stadium, and scores level, the Swans defender drifted forward, pouncing on a loose ball at the back of a pack to kick the winning goal. It was a thrilling finish, and an unexpected moment for the backman, who had spent most of the day playing on Roos forward Majak Daw.

It was a nail-biting finish as the Roos and the Swans went head-to-head at Etihad Stadium.



Enjoy the Last Two Minutes, thanks to AAMI. pic.twitter.com/7fr5oKPo5O — AFL (@AFL) July 15, 2018

7.

Round 20: Hawthorn 16.11 (107) defeated Essendon 16.7 (103)

Hawthorn led by 20 points in the second quarter and then trailed by 21 points in the last quarter. But as good teams do, it managed to scrape over the line against Essendon. After a seesawing battle full of unpredictable momentum swings, the match was finally settled by a youngster in his first year. James Worpel kept his feet in a marking contest, ran into an open goal and sealed the win for Hawthorn in the final minute. Tom Mitchell was sensational with 43 disposals and 13 clearances.

6.

Round 2: Hawthorn 17.16 (118) defeated Geelong 18.9 (117)

These two sides have a rich history of close clashes, and once again on Easter Monday the contest lived up to the hype. The added interest of the unveiling of Geelong's newly dubbed 'Holy Trinity' of midfielders for the first time also created an extra buzz heading into the match. The trio of Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood and Gary Ablett started in the centre square for the first bounce, but it was the Hawks who did the damage in the first half, and had etched out a handy 25-point lead early in the final term. But the Cats clawed their way back, with a Brandan Parfitt goal at the 26-minute mark drawing Geelong level. In an epic thriller, nine goals were kicked in the last quarter. But it was a point that clinched the game, Hawks skipper Jarryd Roughead kicking the winning behind with a minute left on to the clock to hand Hawthorn its second win of the season.