1989 VFL Grand Final

The 1989 Victorian Football League Grand Final was held on 30 September 1989 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It was contested between Hawthorn and Geelong and is regarded as one of the greatest Grand Finals of all time. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/sport/features/2006/s1699513.htm?afl The sweet agony of brave, gallant, heroic defeat :: ABC Sport ] ]

Match Summary

It was a physical game right from the start when Geelong's Mark Yeates ran through Dermott Brereton at the opening bounce, bruising Brereton's kidney, and causing him internal bleeding and broken ribs. Brereton threw up on the ground after getting up. In a courageous display, Brereton refused to leave the ground and marked and goaled several minutes later to stem Geelong's attempt to establish superiority. Later heavy clashes would see John Platten concussed and Robert DiPierdomenico suffer broken ribs and a punctured lung. [Jim Main, "Aussie Rules: For Dummies" (2nd edition, 2008) p 10.] Despite a Grand Final record nine goals from Geelong champion Gary Ablett, Hawthorn held on to win by six points to take back-to-back flags and ensure their place as the team of the 1980's.

Teams

Aussie rules team | title = 1989 Hawthorn Grand Final Team
backpocket1 = Andrew Collins
fullback = Chris Langford
backpocket2 = Gary Ayres
halfbackflank1 = Scott Maginness
centrehalfback = Chris Mew
halfbackflank2 = John Kennedy
wing1 = Darrin Pritchard
centre = Anthony Condon
wing2 = Robert DiPierdomenico
halfforwardflank1 = Gary Buckenara
centrehalfforward = Dermott Brereton
halfforwardflank2 = Peter Curran
forwardpocket1 = Chris Wittman
fullforward = Jason Dunstall
forwardpocket2 = Dean Anderson
ruck = Greg Dear
ruckrover = Michael Tuck (c)
rover = John Platten
interchange1 = James Morrissey
interchange2 = Greg Madigan
interchange3 =
interchange4 =
interchange5 =
interchange6 =
coach = Allan JeansAussie rules team | title = 1989 Geelong Grand Final Team
backpocket1 = Spiro Malakellis
fullback = Tim Darcy
backpocket2 = Mark Bos
halfbackflank1 = Bruce Lindner
centrehalfback = Michael Schulze
halfbackflank2 = Steven Hocking
wing1 = Garry Hocking
centre = Paul Couch
wing2 = Neville Bruns
halfforwardflank1 = Gary Ablett
centrehalfforward = Barry Stoneham
halfforwardflank2 = Mark Yeates
forwardpocket1 = Robert Scott
fullforward = Bill Brownless
forwardpocket2 = David Cameron
ruck = Damian Bourke (c)
ruckrover = Mark Bairstow
rover = Andrew Bews
interchange1 = Darren Flanigan
interchange2 = Shane Hamilton
interchange3 =
interchange4 =
interchange5 =
interchange6 =
coach = Malcolm Blight

Result

AFLScorecardGF2006
team1 = AFL Haw
team1 abbr = Hawthorn
team1 q1 = 8.4 (52)
team1 q2 = 12.9 (81)
team1 q3 = 18.13 (121)
team1 total = 21.18 (144)
team2 = AFL Gee
team2 abbr = Geelong
team2 q1 = 2.0 (12)
team2 q2 = 7.2 (44)
team2 q3 = 13.7 (85)
team2 total = 21.12 (138)
venue = Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
date = September 30, 1989 – 2:30PM AEST
attendance = 94,796
umpires = Sheehan, Carey
team1 goals = 4: Dunstall, Anderson, Buckenara
3: Brereton, Curran
1: DiPierdomenico, Wittman, Morrissey.
team2 goals = 9: Ablett
2: Brownless, Stoneham, Hamilton, Cameron
1: Bews, Bairstow, Bruns, Flanigan.
team1 best = Pritchard, Anderson, Collins, Buckenara, Mew, Brereton, Tuck.
team2 best = Ablett, Lindner, Flanigan, Hamilton, Yeates, Bews, Couch.
reports = Robert Dipierdomenico
injuries = Brereton(concussion), DiPierdomenico(broken ribs), Ayres, Platten(concussion), Tuck, Pritchard, Maginness.
coin toss = Damian Bourke
nsm = Gary Ablett, Geelong
tv = Seven Network
national anthem = John Farnham and a children's choir
time =

References

External links

* [http://stats.rleague.com/afl/seas/1989.html#fin Final scores from AFL Tables]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqO1Bo52r6w Video footage]
* [http://hawthornfc.com.au/Hawks/TheClub/History/Premierships/tabid/4820/Default.aspx Hawthorn Website]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Zh-e6tBhm8 Dermott Brereton Toyota Commercial]
* [http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/Hawthorn_part_2.htm Summary on fullpointsfooty.net]
* [http://www.afl.com.au AFL Website]