11. COMMINS MENAPI on Riki van Steeden, 2007
(Don't worry: they're not all this gutwrenching.)
Most people think New Zealand is a relatively soporific place. Shame nobody told Waitakere United striker Commins Menapi of the Solomon Islands before he unleashed this shocking tackle on Auckland City’s Riki van Steeden.
The Auckland player had been sent off in these two sides’ previous encounter – adding weight to the theory that strikers can't tackle – so there was definitely a feeling of unfinished business lingering in the atmosphere surrounding this New Zealand Football Championship Grand Final.
Menapi was elbowed in the head early in the game, which evidently left him seeing red. Twice, that is, after he was promptly dismissed for this foul and banned for six games. Steeden? A broken leg for his troubles.