IT WAS hard getting it down to 10, but we feel like we got there.
When Marc Murphy runs out for the 300th and final time on Saturday, it closes the book on a stunning 16-year career.
Have a watch, have a read: these are 10 of the best from the No.3.
No.10 — ‘That is sensational, from the kid!’
While Madison Prespakis and Sam Walsh completed the NAB Rising Star double in 2019, Marc Murphy could very well have been Carlton’s first-ever winner of the award.
Murphy was putting together the standout debut season of any young player in 2006, with a shoulder injury in Round 13 stopping him in his tracks.
Until that point, Murphy had burst onto the scene as an exciting young midfielder with a penchant for hitting the scoreboard.
The best of those came in his Friday night game on the MCG. Collecting the ball without breaking stride, Murphy burned off his Richmond opponent and slotted a running goal from 50 to announce himself at the home of football.
No.9 — ‘As good as it’s ever got for ‘Murph’!’
It wasn’t even Murphy’s best banana that year.
Really, it might have just scraped into the top three.
However, the surroundings of the full MCG on a Saturday afternoon with Carlton fans going - for lack of a better term - bananas in the stands elevates this into the top 10.
In Patrick Cripps’ 100th AFL game and Dale Thomas’ 100th for the Club, Murphy produced the standout moment to the delight of the adoring fans in the Great Southern Stand.
Tucked into the right forward pocket as the Blues surged against St Kilda, the veteran took a couple of steps before sailing a customary checkside straight through the big sticks and into the Carlton cheersquad.
The snap was good, and the celebration was even better.
No.8 — Setting the tone
After the heartbreak of two consecutive finals in previous seasons, Murphy’s first final at home came against the arch enemy.
And in a year where he stamped himself as one of the premier midfielders in the competition, Murphy got his job done from the outset.
With Alwyn Davey streaming towards goal, Murphy laid a rundown tackle as the Blues went on to dominate the Bombers for the rest of the afternoon.
Murphy had 37 disposals and a goal that day on the MCG, going on to be crowned as Carlton’s best finals player that year to go with his 2011 John Nicholls Medal.
No.7 — Milestone magic
Just like his 300th game will come against Port Adelaide, Murphy celebrated what would ultimately be the halfway mark of his career against the same opponent.
And he capped it off with some customary class from the forward pocket.
Running out for game No.150 under the roof, Murphy was dynamic against the Power that day, and he stamped his authority from the opening minutes.
Stationed deep forward, Murphy collected the ground ball, shook off his opponent with a sidestep and rolled home a dribbler from right on the boundary line.
It wasn’t a banana on this occasion, but the end result was just as sweet.
No.6 — Rising to the occasion
Ryan O’Keefe was a difficult man to shake at the best of times, but especially in finals.
Yet, that’s exactly what Carlton’s No.3 managed to do.
The Blues needed a spark in the 2010 elimination final, essentially trailing the Swans all afternoon up until Murphy’s piece of brilliance in the third term.
Having the strength to shrug off the Sydney tough nut, Murphy instantly turned and snapped on his left foot for the goal of the day.
No.5 — ‘As captains can do!’
Marc Murphy took to the captaincy pretty early, as Tom Bell could attest in Murphy’s second game in the role.
Having been made captain over the off-season, Murphy led the team out on a Sunday afternoon against Collingwood at the MCG.
In a game full of momentum swings, Murphy collected the ball on centre wing and took off.
Taking two bounces and producing the captain’s call for Bell to lay a shepherd, Murphy identified an open goal square and bounced one home against the old enemy to the sheer delight of everyone in Navy Blue.
No.4 — ‘That is as good as you will see’
If things turned out a little differently in 2005, Murphy could’ve been doing his best work on the Gabba in Brisbane colours.
Instead, he went onto become a great of the Carlton Football Club, with one goal in particular rubbing the salt into Lion wounds.
On a Thursday night in Round 2, Murphy retrieved the ball from a contested situation, sold some candy and ran towards the boundary to make life even more difficult for himself — but it didn’t matter.
Punching through a drop punt from the first row, the goal umpire didn’t move an inch as Murphy saluted on the way to a big Carlton win.
No.3 — ‘He couldn’t have, he has!’
The origin of Murphy’s reputation for seemingly nailing every banana he’s ever kicked can be traced back to Round 3, 2017.
Kade Simpson recently raved about Murphy’s ability in the wet, and arguably his best moment in the conditions came against the arch enemy at the home of football.
There was going to be very little between the two sides all afternoon, but it was a moment of magic which would break the stranglehold and swing the contest in Carlton’s favour.
Getting the handball from his good mate Bryce Gibbs, Murphy controlled the wet ball and - hemmed in on the boundary line under pressure from David Zaharakis - bent one back beautifully.
From that moment on, the Blues led for the rest of the afternoon.
No.2 — A true captain’s performance
You know the one.
Round 23, 2013. The Blues need a win for the most unlikely and unprecedented finals berths.
Midway through the third quarter, it looked even more unlikely when Carlton trailed by 38 points.
Enter the skipper.
Bryce Gibbs said that Murphy “put the team on his shoulders” that day, and it’s precisely what happened. With three second-half goals and a clear best-on-ground performance, Murphy produced a fine captain’s game on the way to a stunning one-point win.
No.1 — The sidestep, the banana
Does it really need any introduction?
It’s the Marc Murphy highlight which will live long in the memory.
That’s all there is to it.
