Best year as a Dees fan

[s-t-i-n-g-a 439]

The offseason is slow...and the tread on our top 10 favourite players was a good one.

So I thought I would kick another one off with our best year as a Dees fan.

Mine was 1998. Our big names were up and about that year, Tingay, Lyon, Viney, Stynes, febey brothers...etc. it was an up and down season but we hit a superb run of form coming into the finals and were just running over teams in the final quarters and smashed the eventual premier in a final before bowing our to the Roos. It was one hell of a ride and we really could beat any team on our day.

2000 was hard to top making the GF and going to see it live but we were always up against it to get over a very dominant bombers side that year. I just felt a real buzz in 98 and thought we were a real chance with many of my favourite players burning it up.

[Macca 16,965]

'87 . We came from the clouds to make the finals for the first time in 23 years ,

Was at the Western oval when we finally "made it" and it remains one of the happiest days of my life . I've followed our Club since the mid sixties and the joy we Demons felt that day was incredible .

We were underdogs going into an elimination final against North but proceeded to smash them by over 100 points . We buttered up and gave Sydney a hiding and then there was that day at Waverley when we shouda , couda , wouda .

'87 is still full of great memories however and taught me and many others that you shouldn't give up on a season too early . Such a young side as well that year .

Edited December 25, 2011 by Macca

[Striker475 696]

I don't have a best. Most shattering is still 2004 though.

[Sir Why You Little 37,034]

87 without a doubt. The wester oval was surreal as were the following 3 weeks.

98 & 2000 were great but we were never going to win the cup.

90 was a year we coulda won but the september draw killed us.

[Wilson7 2,670]

I'm with WYL, 1987 easily...followed by 2000. WYL, we blew it in 1990 mate. We beat Hawthorn in the Elim and a had a weeks break when the Pies drew with WCE...the lost to WCE at Waverley, We had a tough draw in 94, we wre never going to beat the Eagles in WA....imagine if Jakovich was fit that year!!!

[Wilson7 2,670]

I don't have a best. Most shattering is still 2004 though.

1987 Prelim for me

[DEELIRIOUS 156]

Most shattering for me was between Semi 2002-Elim 2004. Can't choose which one because I went home both times empty feeling like we shudda had more, just our luck of course

[Sir Why You Little 37,034]

I'm with WYL, 1987 easily...followed by 2000. WYL, we blew it in 1990 mate. We beat Hawthorn in the Elim and a had a weeks break when the Pies drew with WCE...the lost to WCE at Waverley, We had a tough draw in 94, we wre never going to beat the Eagles in WA....imagine if Jakovich was fit that year!!!

By draw in 1990 i mean the tied game between Wet Coke and the Filth.

[Barney Rubble 1,576]

Aaahh Nostalgia time.

Sept 1960 GF Melb v Filth.

8:14 to 2:2. It was just a superb effort of grinding football in atrocious conditions.

I was just a young tacker then, but already understood the hate we had with the Filth, especially after 1958

[Dr. Gonzo 24,214]

2004 was great right up to the R18 game against Hawthorn when we were top of the ladder. After that the wheels fell off and the bus rode over a cliff, the less said the better.

Oviously 1998 & 2000 were good as well but I'd also have to go with 1990. We didn't stuff up the finals we stuffed up the H&A. We beat Essendon twice (MCG & Windy HIll), WCE twice (MCG & Subiaco), Hawthorn twince (R22 & EF) but got smashed by Collingwood in the H&A. Even though we beat 3 of the other 4 finalists twice we still only managed to finish 4th or 5th when really we should have been top 2 or 3 that year. Although we got smashed by Collingwood we did the year before as well and still beat them in the finals. We also beat them in 88 in the finals and there is just something about September and beating Collingwood that is so Melbourne (6-1) so I have no doubt that had we met them in the finals we would have got over them but we stuffed it up by giving away the double chance during the H&A season (geez this is all starting to sound familiar!)

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

2004 was awesome until as Dr. Gonzo said, the wheels fell off. I remember the sense of excitement when we climbed to the top of the ladder for the first time in years, but it was all for nought.

1998 would have to be my favourite though. Sitting in the members watching us destroy the Crows was something special. What made it all the more exciting was that going into the season my expectations weren't high, as the previous season (my first as a supporter), we'd only won 4 games. It was also the first year of what was the Neale Daniher roller-coaster.

[warren dean 193]

Definitely '87. We were 6 wins 10 losses with 6 games to play and just got on a great roll. We beat Geelong Richomond, Collingwood, Brisbane, West Coast and Footscray, which was a fair achievement in itself as three of those sides were well and truly in the running for the top 5. The Round 22 game lives in my memory as my greatest footy watching moment. I was in Year 12 at school and didn't do a lot of school wor over that period of time.

The next week was so exciting, all the conjecture over Brian Wilson's injury, Spalding had been reported (but got cleared), we still had O'Dwyer and Grinter serving suspensions and Garry Lyon had just broken his leg in the famous stretcher incident. We then came out and absolutely towelled North. The Swans game was nearly as good, and then the shocking disbelief of the Prelim. I doubt I'll ever see another season like it. Northey was a fantastic coach - I don't think anyone could have got more out of that group of players that year.

[mauriesy 7,287]

1964.

[loges 6,767]

1990 could've beaten anyone that year but as dr. gonzo says, stuffed up the double chance & then stuffed up the final against west coast

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Have not had a best year yet.

1987 was the closest by a long shot.

[Demonator 93]

2012...

[jabberwocky 2,301]

1987 was a great ride

[Pates 9,660]

Definitely 98 for me, the combo of Neitz, Farmer, Lyon, and Schwartz was unstoppable. I actually think we could've won it that year with a bit of luck, and had Adelaide not weaseled themselves into a better position during the finals.

Getting to the granny in 2000 was a great experience, but the match is something i try to forget!

[Bimbo 940]

The run up to make the finals in 1987 was sensational.

The last home and away game was the only time I went to the Western Oval and we were huddled round someone elses radio listenening to the game at Kardinia Park. When Dunstall kicked the last goal that put Melbourne in the finals the roar round the ground was so great that Flower thought the local game was over and started walking off. Then the trip home in the train and then stopping in at Young and Jacksons to refill and watch the end of the Roos Carlton game which was also in the balance.

Then those two fantastic wins at the G. Being a 9 year old in the bush I missed the '64 Grand Final so these were the first Melbourne finals I saw.

Memories that may be rose tinted and alcohol fueled but still seem very fresh. My enthusaism has been seriously rekindled over the last month

[H_T 3,043]

1987 was a great ride

^ This. Unbelievable ride which unfortunately ended just short of the fairytale finish.

Special mentions to '90,'94,'98,'00

[The Chazz 4,077]

1998. Easily the best "one that got away" in my time. We won our last 7 or 8 games (including smashing Adelaid and St Kilda in the finals), the had to play a Friday night Prelim, when we hadn't played a night game all year (IIRC), against the "night specialists". I walked out of the MCG after that Prelim thinking that we had been beaten by the AFL that night - the scheduling (6 day break compared to North having the week off) and the umpires just crippled us.

I was at the Western Oval in 1987, but I was also at VFL Park. the emotions of losing a Prelim Final after the siren will never be forgotten with me, and there is no way I can say that was the best year as a Dees supporter.

[H_T 3,043]

1998 - Beaten by a better team. Kangaroos (then) should have won the Premiership that year. We had an up and running potent forward line, but their backline were too good that night. It was a great effort coming back from a pathetic 1997. We had an ageing warrior in Stynes with a young colt in White in the ruck. McKernan was at his best then. The likes of Simpson, Stevens, King etc were hot to trot.

[Very Old Demon 8]

1948 WHEN WE BEAT THE BOMERS IN THE FIRST REPLAY GRAND FINAL J MUELLER F/F BILL BRITINGHAM,I THINK F/B FOR THE BOMBERS

[H_T 3,043]

1948 WHEN WE BEAT THE BOMERS IN THE FIRST REPLAY GRAND FINAL J MUELLER F/F BILL BRITINGHAM,I THINK F/B FOR THE BOMBERS

Welcome V.O.D. ! Did you attend the drawn grand final ?

[The Chazz 4,077]

1998 - Beaten by a better team. Kangaroos (then) should have won the Premiership that year. We had an up and running potent forward line, but their backline were too good that night. It was a great effort coming back from a pathetic 1997. We had an ageing warrior in Stynes with a young colt in White in the ruck. McKernan was at his best then. The likes of Simpson, Stevens, King etc were hot to trot.

McKernan was always at his best against Melbourne. Between he and Kent Kingsley, they always saved their best footy for us.

Pretty sure Carey played in that final, but, as always, Neitz had his measure. Our forwardline wasn't that potent - sure it had big names in it, but they were toward the end of their careers.

North were the better team, but I do clearly remember the umpires played a significant part in the win, and there was a hint of controversy around the scheduling. When the Wiz took a screamer within the first couple of minutes, I thought it might be his (and our) night.