I remember this so well.....The Pre Game '88

[Sir Why You Little 34,615]

1.

2.

3.

I was so proud and Nervous.....After 24 years

The game was a nightmare, but we can all get into the Pre Game....!

The Best Version of Waltzing Matilda ever performed at the MCG by far.

Edited October 19, 2010 by why you little

[Red Sox 2]

1.

2.

3.

I was so proud and Nervous.....After 24 years

The game was a nightmare, but we can all get into the Pre Game....!

The Best Version of Waltzing Matilda ever performed at the MCG by far.

WYL, thankfully I don't have access to You Tube at work as I am a little scared this is vision from the 1988 Grand Final??? I was an 11 yr old boy in tears by half time of this game. Not seen a snippet since, nor do I want to.

I'll trust you on the great version of Waltzing Matilda, if my memory is correct it was performed by Noel Watson.

[Sir Why You Little 34,615]

WYL, thankfully I don't have access to You Tube at work as I am a little scared this is vision from the 1988 Grand Final??? I was an 11 yr old boy in tears by half time of this game. Not seen a snippet since, nor do I want to.

I'll trust you on the great version of Waltzing Matilda, if my memory is correct it was performed by Noel Watson.

correct, don't worry it is all the pre game before we got thumped by those bastards i assure you!!

[DemonDave 1,078]

Agh, I havent watched them yet but that was the most interminable pre-game Id ever known. I hated it, it seemed to go on forever, I just wanted the game to start. My memories are of the great downpour, being soaked to the bone and then having to put up with the monotoned drearieness of that bushie. And that turned out to be the good part of the day

[Whispering_Jack 28,010]

My only memory of the pre game from the 1988 grand final (in fact my only memory of that day) was watching the final of the mens 100m from the Seoul Olympic Games on the big screen at the G. To see Canada's Ben Johnson absolutely blow everybody's hero Carl Lewis off the track in what was for a very short period of time, a world record, was mind boggling. The game that followed was very forgettable and then came the Ben Johnson drugs furore with Lewis getting the gold medal and his world record back. It turned out to be a very bad week for sport.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

My only memory of the pre game from the 1988 grand final (in fact my only memory of that day) was watching the final of the mens 100m from the Seoul Olympic Games on the big screen at the G. To see Canada's Ben Johnson absolutely blow everybody's hero Carl Lewis off the track in what was for a very short period of time, a world record, was mind boggling. The game that followed was very forgettable and then came the Ben Johnson drugs furore with Lewis getting the gold medal and his world record back. It turned out to be a very bad week for sport.

Mine too. Seeing Ben Johnson's drug induced bulging shoulders and biceps was ominous of the sporting disasters to happen on that day

I have blotted out most of the rest. A complete let down. Not surprising given the opposition and the heavy PF game the week before.

It rained before the start of the game and I was soaked. That didn't help either.

[Red Sox 2]

Mine too. Seeing Ben Johnson's drug induced bulging shoulders and biceps was ominous of the sporting disasters to happen on that day

I have blotted out most of the rest. A complete let down. Not surprising given the opposition and the heavy PF game the week before.

It rained before the start of the game and I was soaked. That didn't help either.

Can we not direct this thread to that PF game the previous week? Much better pre-game to that GF and my fond memories of that day are still vivid.

Just as soaking wet out at Waverley. A day made for the likes of Jamie Dursma etc.

[John Crow Batty 8,266]

I was there and the I what I remember the most was the bone crunching physical presence and attack on the ball by Hawthorn in the first quarter. Greg Dear's play made me wince. The rest of the game was a dull blur punctuated by piercing cheers from the Hawthorn fans. On the way home I walked past Glenferrie Oval and felt terrible.

Edited October 21, 2010 by america de cali

[45HG 1,539]

My only memory of the pre game from the 1988 grand final (in fact my only memory of that day) was watching the final of the mens 100m from the Seoul Olympic Games on the big screen at the G. To see Canada's Ben Johnson absolutely blow everybody's hero Carl Lewis off the track in what was for a very short period of time, a world record, was mind boggling. The game that followed was very forgettable and then came the Ben Johnson drugs furore with Lewis getting the gold medal and his world record back. It turned out to be a very bad week for sport.

No chance that the Hawks would be done for drugs and we'd end up with the Premiership?

[Whispering_Jack 28,010]

No chance that the Hawks would be done for drugs and we'd end up with the Premiership?

That's a tough one but a year earlier I reckon it would have been worth a crack at getting a declaration from the Supreme Court ruling the 15 metre penalty imposed against Jimmy by umpire Howlett invalid on the very valid legal ground that the decision sucked.

[Whispering_Jack 28,010]

Mine too. Seeing Ben Johnson's drug induced bulging shoulders and biceps was ominous of the sporting disasters to happen on that day

I have blotted out most of the rest. A complete let down. Not surprising given the opposition and the heavy PF game the week before.

It rained before the start of the game and I was soaked. That didn't help either.

The funny thing is that while Johnson's physique is pretty unforgettable, the thing I remember most about him was that his eyes looked yellow. I don't know if that was the vision being beamed from Seoul, his normal eye colour or symptomatic of substance abuse but he was one scary looking dude (and a complete idiot as well).

[Sir Why You Little 34,615]

The funny thing is that while Johnson's physique is pretty unforgettable, the thing I remember most about him was that his eyes looked yellow. I don't know if that was the vision being beamed from Seoul, his normal eye colour or symptomatic of substance abuse but he was one scary looking dude (and a complete idiot as well).

The Yellow Eyes was/is always a give away towards drug taking of that nature. I don't remember the Run at all, i was too nervous. The whole day is a blur-I can only recall the Demons running onto the ground, and how much Bigger Hawthorn Looked!!!! B)

[Fork 'em 6,538]

I remember the Melbourne fans being in their element until the game started .

Who could forget Batgirl .

I remember the Ben Johnson race and a couple of peices of play .

Our first goal by Healey late in the 1st and a display of power football by the Dawks that forced the ball from the backline into their forwardline resulting in a goal to Platten . I knew our day was over at that moment .

I also remember the relentless cry by a toothless Dawk supporter , " Carn ... the ... Horrible ... HAAAWWWKS ! " , drove me insane he did .

I think I've managed to surpress 98% of the actual game .

Edited October 22, 2010 by Fork 'em

[Demonic Ascent 0]

My main memory of that horrible day was waking up as a 6 year old early in the morning and catching the end of the footy marathon. I was so excited I was actually going to see the Mighty Dee's play in a Grand Final that day. Then a couple of hours later I came to the realisation that my dad had not been able to get a ticket for me to the game and he and my uncle would be going without me.

After that I don't remember anything other than disappointment until at half time my then Hawthorn supporting cousin (who was previously and is now a Richmond supporter) came over and started giving me [censored]. I don't think I watched the second half I just stayed outside kicking the footy with him.

I do remember the PF the week before though sitting high up in the stands at Waverley with even my Collingwood supporting uncle going for the Demons that day. The thing that sticks out in my mind is Garry Lyon's torpedo goal from the centre square and the realisation that we would be playing in the GF.

EDIT: I actually watched the '88 GF a couple of months ago for the first time and was surprised how well we actually played in the first quarter. Trouble is we were unable to put the score on the board and the rest is history. I was also surprised that at the first bounce we started with our FB Danny Hughes in the ruck instead of Jimmy, however it would have been hard for Jimmy to ruck all day with big Strawbs O'Dwyer sidelined due to suspension from the week before.

Edited October 22, 2010 by Demonic Ascent

[Fork 'em 6,538]

EDIT: I actually watched the '88 GF a couple of months ago for the first time and was surprised how well we actually played in the first quarter. Trouble is we were unable to put the score on the board and the rest is history. I was also surprised that at the first bounce we started with our FB Danny Hughes in the ruck instead of Jimmy, however it would have been hard for Jimmy to ruck all day with big Strawbs O'Dwyer sidelined due to suspension from the week before.

I also remember that the feeling I couldn't fault their endeavor but just weren't good enough .

Like in the power play that I refered to earlier , there were hard contests from our player throughout but the ball was just forced forward by the Dawks to finally pop out loose to Platten .