In Australian rules football, if a player takes a mark or is awarded a free kick before the siren sounds to end a quarter, and the siren sounds before the player takes a set shot, the player is allowed to take the kick after the siren. Often, the result of this kick is of little consequence, but if the player is within range of goal, any score will count towards the final result.
The right to take a set shot after the final bell was enshrined in the Laws of the Game prior to the 1889 season; prior to this, the ball was declared dead (and any opportunity for a set shot lost) once the bell sounded. In years past, when it was still common for spectators to run onto the field as soon as matches were over, it was not uncommon for players to have to take these shots from within the flood of incoming spectators. The kick after the siren has often been said to be one of the great spectacles of Australian rules football, alongside the high mark and on-field crowd celebrations after a player kicks 100 goals for a season.
Below is a list of occasions in the Australian Football League (known as the Victorian Football League until 1990) where game results have been decided by set shots taken after the final siren, a play similar to the buzzer-beater in basketball. These are highly memorable and often go down in football folklore.
Goal to win
+Players to have kicked a goal to win a match after the final sirenPlayerClubOpponent Rd.YearFinal scoreRef. Billy Schmidt 15 1913 10.10 (70) d. 11.3 (69)Jimmy Gordon 16 1913 9.8 (62) d. 8.12 (60)Eric Fleming 12 1924 9.14 (68) d. 9.11 (65)Doug Strang 14 1932 13.13 (91) d. 12.14 (86)Terry Brain 14 1933 13.11 (89) d. 12.11 (83)Ron Cooper 7 1939 10.18 (78) d. 10.12 (72)Jack Wrout 14 1939 11.13 (79) d. 10.13 (73)Bill Wood 15 1946 14.15 (99) d. 12.21 (93)Jock Spencer 7 1949 8.13 (61) d. 8.7 (55)Bill Nolan 13 1952 6.8 (44) d. 5.8 (38)John Peck 13 1960 7.16 (58) d. 7.15 (57)Blair Campbell 17 1966 10.12 (72) d. 10.11 (71)Bill Ryan 1 1967 13.13 (91) d. 13.12 (90)Doug Wade 16 1973 11.10 (76) d. 10.11 (71)Malcolm Blight 10 1976 11.15 (81) d. 11.10 (76)Alan Stoneham 21 1976 4.11 (35) d. 3.16 (34)Robert Elliott 14 1978 18.16 (124) d. 19.7 (121)John Roberts 1 1980 13.10 (88) d. 12.13 (85)Paul Sarah 19 1981 10.11 (71) d. 9.11 (65)Alastair Clarkson 15 1987 16.16 (112) d. 15.20 (110)Stephen Kernahan 22 1987 20.9 (129) d. 19.11 (125)Gary Buckenara 1987 11.14 (80) d. 10.18 (78)Rod Jameson 12 1991 7.8 (50) d. 7.5 (47)Bill Brownless 1994 15.16 (106) d. 15.11 (101)Gary Ablett Sr. 1994 16.13 (109) d. 14.19 (103)Quenton Leach 8 1997 14.14 (98) d. 15.3 (93)Peter Burgoyne 21 2000 12.16 (88) d. 12.11 (83)Ben Dixon 17 2001 15.6 (96) d. 13.15 (93)Barry Hall 22 2001 13.11 (89) d. 13.9 (87)Daryn Cresswell 4 2002 15.13 (103) d. 14.16 (100)Jeff Farmer 8 2002 14.10 (94) d. 13.11 (89)Peter Riccardi 11 2002 15.10 (100) d. 14.12 (96)Jared Poulton 15 2002 14.10 (94) d. 13.14 (92)Chris Tarrant 7 2003 18.6 (114) d. 16.13 (109)Barry Hall (2) 3 2005 13.9 (87) d. 11.15 (81)Justin Longmuir 21 2005 12.8 (80) d. 11.9 (75)Jordan McMahon 18 2009 12.14 (86) d. 12.10 (82)Karmichael Hunt 16 2012 13.12 (90) d. 13.10 (88)Tom Hawkins 19 2012 18.10 (118) d. 17.14 (116)Nic Naitanui 8 2013 12.18 (90) d. 13.10 (88)Ashley McGrath 13 2013 15.13 (103) d. 14.14 (98)Sam Lloyd 8 2016 14.17 (101) d. 15.10 (100)David Mundy 8 2017 10.12 (72) d. 10.10 (70)Gary Rohan 14 2017 11.20 (86) d. 12.13 (85)Luke Shuey 2017 12.6 (78) d. 10.16 (76)Zach Tuohy 18 2018 16.4 (100) d. 14.14 (98)Jeremy McGovern 21 2018 9.8 (62) d. 9.4 (58)Robbie Gray 7 2020 9.10 (64) d. 9.7 (61)Jack Newnes 12 2020 5.10 (40) d. 5.6 (36)Zac Bailey 3 2021 11.7 (73) d. 11.6 (72)Gary Rohan (2) 14 2021 12.11 (83) d. 11.12 (78)Max Gawn 23 2021 12.9 (81) d. 12.5 (77)Jordan Dawson 3 2022 15.6 (96) d. 13.14 (92)Noah Anderson17202214.10 (94) d. 13.14 (92)Jamie ElliottCollingwoodEssendon19202212.8 (80) d. 11.10 (76)Dan HoustonPort AdelaideEssendon16202311.12 (78) d. 10.14 (74)Mac AndrewGold CoastEssendon22202413.9 (87) d. 12.14 (86)Nasiah Wanganeen-MileraSt KildaMelbourne20202515.6 (96) d. 13.12 (90)Cameron ZurhaarNorth MelbourneGold Coast11202617.9 (111) d. 16.9 (105)
Goal to draw +Players to have kicked a goal to draw a match after the final sirenPlayerClubOpponent Rd.YearFinal scoreRef. Alan Ryan 2 1935 14.9 (93) drew 14.9 (93)Ron Baggott 16 1935 10.19 (79) drew 11.13 (79)Stephen MacPherson 20 1987 18.17 (125) drew 18.17 (125)Ray Windsor 5 1992 14.8 (92) drew 13.14 (92)Ashley Sampi 11 2003 19.10 (124) drew 19.10 (124)Daniel Bradshaw 19 2009 12.15 (87) drew 13.9 (87)Mitch McGovern 19 2017 16.7 (103) drew 15.13 (103)Dylan MooreHawthorn8202613.15 (93) drew 15.3 (93)
Behind to win +Players to have kicked a behind to win a match after the final sirenPlayerClubOpponent Rd.YearFinal scoreRef. Harry Hickey 18 1944 12.7 (89) d. 13.10 (88)Ken Newland 20 1972 17.10 (112) d. 17.9 (111)Tony Lockett 1996 10.10 (70) d. 10.9 (69)Jimmy Bartel 17 2009 15.9 (99) d. 14.14 (98)Michael Walters 10 2019 10.13 (73) d. 10.12 (72)
Behind to draw +Players to have kicked a behind to draw a match after the final sirenPlayerClubOpponent Rd.YearFinal scoreRef. Gerry Donnelly 13 1926 10.10 (70) drew 10.10 (70)Matthew Lloyd 14 2002 17.16 (118) drew 18.10 (118)Tom Hawkins 15 2017 10.8 (68) drew 10.8 (68)
Missed opportunities A list of instances where a player had a shot at goal after the siren to win or draw the game but missed, resulting in a loss, or instances where a player has had a kick after the siren with scores level but failed to score. This list does not include instances where an opportunity for a set-shot after the siren is passed up in favour of playing on.
+Players to have missed an opportunity to win or draw a match after the final sirenPlayerTeamOpponentRd.YearFinal scoreOutcomeRef.George Holden 17 1915 8.11 (59) lost to 8.13 (61) Behind Fred Metcalf 3 1927 8.5 (53) lost to 7.13 (55) No score (out on the full) Ron Barassi Sr. 10 1940 22.19 (151) lost to 24.10 (154) Behind Col Williamson2194111.19 (85) lost to 13.9 (87)No score (fell short)Jack Pimm 15 1948 10.13 (73) lost to 10.18 (78) Behind Fred FlanaganGeelongRichmond719509.20 (74) lost to 12.7 (79)No score (fell short)Harvey StevensFootscrayRichmond1319546.9 (45) lost to 6.13 (49)No score (out on the full)Ralph RogersonFitzroyCarlton719648.11 (59) lost to 8.12 (60)No score (fell short)Alex JesaulenkoCarltonRichmondSF19728.13 (61) drew 8.13 (61)No score (fell short)Malcolm Blight 12 1977 6.11 (47) lost to 6.12 (48) No score (out on the full) Warren Ralph 5 1984 9.17 (71) lost to 10.16 (76) Behind Robert Scott 6 1988 16.15 (111) lost to 17.12 (114) Behind (hit the goal post) Simon Beasley 7 1988 9.17 (71) lost to 10.12 (72) Behind Steven Clark 11 1991 12.8 (80) lost to 12.14 (86) No score (fell short) Stephen Kernahan 2 1993 19.18 (132) drew 20.12 (132) No score (out on the full) David King 1994 15.24 (114) d. 13.13 (91) No score (fell short) Ben Allan 5 1995 14.12 (96) lost to 14.14 (98) No score (fell short) Marcus Picken 9 2001 18.14 (122) lost to 19.13 (127) No score (fell short) Nick Dal Santo 5 2002 8.8 (56) drew 8.8 (56) No score (fell short) Jarrad Waite 4 2005 16.13 (109) drew 15.19 (109) No score (fell short) Matthew Egan 20 2005 15.9 (99) lost to 14.16 (100) Behind Daniel Motlop 16 2006 8.12 (60) lost to 8.16 (64) Behind Brad Johnson 9 2008 16.14 (110) lost to 16.17 (113) Behind Jack Riewoldt 7 2008 16.11 (107) lost to 17.8 (110) No score (fell short) Brad Johnson 9 2009 17.12 (114) lost to 17.14 (116) Behind Nick Riewoldt 20 2009 16.12 (108) lost to 16.14 (110) Behind Justin Westhoff 5 2011 15.11 (101) lost to 15.14 (104) Behind Hayden Ballantyne 18 2011 9.10 (64) lost to 8.17 (65) Behind (hit the goal post) Adam Goodes 20 2011 14.15 (99) lost to 15.10 (100) Behind Hamish McIntosh 1 2012 15.12 (102) lost to 14.20 (104) Behind David Mundy 20 2014 11.13 (79) lost to 12.9 (81) Behind Tom Lynch 19 2016 9.10 (64) lost to 9.12 (66) No score (fell short) Isaac Smith 2016 12.11 (83) lost to 12.13 (85) Behind Jayden Hunt 1 2018 13.16 (94) lost to 14.13 (97) No score (fell short) Harry Taylor 15 2018 15.11 (101) lost to 16.7 (103) Behind David Myers 8 2019 10.12 (72) lost to 11.11 (77) No score (fell short) Tom McCartin 5 2021 10.9 (69) lost to 9.17 (71) No score (fell short) Adam Kennedy 13 2021 14.10 (94) drew 14.10 (94) No score (fell short) Dion PrestiaRichmondSydney11202215.10 (100) lost to 16.10 (106)No score (fell short)Oliver Florent 4 2023 9.10 (64) lost to 9.12 (66) No score (fell short) Logan McDonald 16 2024 14.14 (98) lost to 15.9 (99) No score (fell short) Mitch McGovern 21 2024 11.15 (81) lost to 12.12 (84) No score (out on the full) Jack Crisp 8 2025 12.15 (87) lost to 13.12 (90) Behind Talor Byrne 6 2026 12.11 (83) lost to 13.10 (88) Behind Dylan MooreHawthorn 23 2026 13.14 (92) drew 13.14 (92) No score (fell short) Tim MembreyCollingwoodWestern Bulldogs202614.9 (93) lost to 14.12 (96)Behind
Non-premiership matches
Goal to win +Players to have kicked a goal to win a match after the final sirenPlayerClubOpponent CompetitionRd.YearFinal scoreRef. Kerry Good Escort ChampionshipsGF 1980 8.9 (57) d. 7.12 (54)Jack Riewoldt NAB Cup 3 2013 0.13.7 (85) d. 0.13.6 (84)Ed LangdonJLT Community Series320171.11.12 (87) d. 1.12.4 (85)
Goal to draw +Players to have kicked a goal to draw a match after the final sirenPlayerClubOpponent CompetitionRd.YearFinal scoreRef.Mark Williams NAB Cup 1 2011 0.5.8 (38) drew 0.6.2 (38)
Behind to win +Players to have kicked a behind to win a match after the final sirenPlayerClubOpponent CompetitionRd.YearFinal scoreRef.Luke Russell NAB Cup 1 2013 0.4.6 (30) d. 0.4.5 (29)
Miscellany There are at least four instances in the elite competition where kicks were taken after the final siren cannot be categorised into the above lists.
In round 2 of the 1911 VFL season, Geelong's Bert Whittington was awarded a free kick moments before the bell was rung in his team's clash against Melbourne. His after-the-bell set shot was touched over the line, which, under the rules of the time, would have resulted in no score as the ball was considered 'dead' as soon as it touched another player's hands. However, as field umpire Lardie Tulloch had not heard the bell, he gave the 'all clear' signal to the goal umpire to signal one behind, resulting in a 54-apiece drawn match. Melbourne protested the result, but it was dismissed by the league.
In round 17 of the 1928 VFL season, St Kilda's Bert Smedley had possession of the ball when timekeepers rang the final bell. However, field umpire Reginald Devine had not yet heard the bell, which allowed Smedley to continue his dash and kick an on-the-run goal that put the Saints one point ahead of opponents Melbourne. After a pitch invasion and minutes of deliberation between match officials and timekeepers, St Kilda was ultimately declared the victor. Melbourne opted to protest the result, recognising that while they had little chance of the protest being upheld, the very notion of challenging the decision would emphasise to the league the importance of louder sounding bells at venues. Following two hours of evidence, the league decided to dismiss the protest, in spite of all witnesses admitting the goal was kicked after the bell, and boundary umpire James Blair describing St Kilda's bell as "putrid".
In the 1990 Foster's Cup – the AFL's pre-season competition – Essendon's Paul Salmon goaled after the siren in his side's quarter-final match against Fitzroy to level the scores at 46-apiece. Seemingly unaware that the fixture was a knockout match, many of the 8,000-strong crowd at Waverley Park invaded the playing surface after Salmon's kick, assuming the match had finished. Rather, the match was to be decided in extra time via two halves of five minutes. Essendon added one goal in the overtime period to win the match by six points and progress to the next round of the tournament.