Dont you just love this sport. That round 22 win was my favorite moment of all time, 3 weeks later, that Prelim loss was the lowest moment of all time. What a ride that season was there hasn't been anything like it since and probably won't be except for the elation of the next Premiership but its not likely to be on the end of such a rollercoaster. Lets hope not anyway. We waited 23 years for that win to put us back into the finals, surely that's never to be repeated.

The only similarity I can think of was when the OX announced himself some years later in a number of big back to back wins.

As far as my contention that we would have beaten Carlton goes, surely it's a reasonable argument that we beat them 3 times the next year. It at least holds some weight. Yes, Carlton beat us easily in the first half of season 1987 on the MCG. But that was before the juggernaut started. We were a different side after round 16.

Whatever happened the following season has no weight as to what happened within 8 days of late September 1987. The Prelim final was an exhausting,draining slugfest where two sides put their all on the table on that day. Neither side could give me. I knew a couple of the Hawks players that day who said that they played their GF at the PF at Waverley. They said they were emotionally and physically drained in the lead up to GF. Its like a boxer having a 15 rounder one Saturday and lining up against a fresh capable opponent the following Saturday and expected to perform. And both Hawks and MFC were different sides after the PF.

I know it's pointless to look back on what might have been. But I can't help but think that one day, the gods will smile on us.(as they did on Collingwood with the Milne bounce, after so many unlucky GF's between 1964 and 2010.)

Soon comes the day.

ps Rhino. My apologies for not realising that you knew a lot more about Flower's condition than the Club doctor.

Its alright JJC. Its plain common sense. You dont play unfit players in a GF. And given Flowers injury was a shoulder injury, painkillers would not have stopped the consistent opposition probing of that injury.

But if you have got the doctor's report JJC I would be more than welcome to receive it.

At the time I thought we'd have beaten Carlton if we had got through that prelim but I now think the second half showed we weren't mentally ready, we needed to hold Hawthorn reasonably well, not go into the Grand having won by a few points after Bucks had the chance to win it for them. As pointed out in a previous post if we had made the 87 GF I doubt we'd have won but by gee the experience would've helped for the 88 GF.

At the time I thought we'd have beaten Carlton if we had got through that prelim but I now think the second half showed we weren't mentally ready, we needed to hold Hawthorn reasonably well, not go into the Grand having won by a few points after Bucks had the chance to win it for them. As pointed out in a previous post if we had made the 87 GF I doubt we'd have won but by gee the experience would've helped for the 88 GF.

IMO that was Less to do with the Prelim or being tired, and everything to do with the fact Hawthorn were our nemesis of recent years.

We were scared of the Hawks footy power. Sort of Idolised them. IMO that is why we butchered many plays throughout the game including miss kicking for goal.

That 'over respect' was not there with Carlton as we showed in the leadup to the prelim. If we had of been more composed playing the Hawks, we would have won it, & then gone on & dealt with the Blues.

At the time I thought we'd have beaten Carlton if we had got through that prelim but I now think the second half showed we weren't mentally ready, we needed to hold Hawthorn reasonably well, not go into the Grand having won by a few points after Bucks had the chance to win it for them. As pointed out in a previous post if we had made the 87 GF I doubt we'd have won but by gee the experience would've helped for the 88 GF.

Two other issues in 1987 which gave the Blues extra incentive to succeed were the loss of two players - Peter Motley to an horrific head on collision in his car and Des English to cancer. The Blues dedicated their finals campaign to these two guys and given our injury worries and the effects of a torrid PF, we would have struggled.

No shame in a few tears Swooper, one of my boys was also in tears after the game - so much expectation after so long in the wilderness.

Mind you we should not have blamed Jimmy for the loss as Yeats, Campbell and Eishold all missed sitters in the last quarter that would have sealed the game. Eishold's effort in particular was a disgrace from close in.

Was it Eishold that had the shot outside the point post with Robbie " Brownlow" waving frantically ,unguarded for a hand pass in the goal in the square in the dying seconds of the game? I reckon the spray Wispy haired Northey gave Jim after the game would make Neelds words to Jack sound like a Sunday School lecture.

Please stop, you are bringing a tear to an old Demon's eyes! That '87 side contained our best player ever (Robert Flower), the best coach of my adult life time (John Northey), and the man who saved this football club (Jim Stynes). I saw all of the finals games in '87. Celebrated in the thrashings of North Melbourne & Sydney. Was at Waverley that fateful day when even God seemed on our side (for those too young or forgetful, the wind changed so we kicked with it for 3 quarters). Absolutely the best year for this old Demon. We never had a chance in the two subsequent GFs.

We now have a hard-nosed coach. We have a young team into which a lot of pre-planning has gone. There are similarities. I hope that the next few years could be even better. I am actually "eye-ing" another anniversary, 2014.

That friendly wind was the one in the prelim against Carlton the following year - everything was going right until Strawbs backhanded that bloke and got rubbed out for the granny

Two other issues in 1987 which gave the Blues extra incentive to succeed were the loss of two players - Peter Motley to an horrific head on collision in his car and Des English to cancer. The Blues dedicated their finals campaign to these two guys and given our injury worries and the effects of a torrid PF, we would have struggled.

Good post. There has been so over optimism about the MFC's chances had we got through the Hawks. The PF really punctured the momentum MFC had built up and doubt had strangled MFC in the 2nd half where confidence had been before. Had we got through the bruising slugfest we would have come up against a committed, rested and dedicated Carlton who had 2 key drivers (Motley and English) and a hot day on GF to achieve their aim. Either MFC or HFC were sitting targets for Carlton that day. FWIW, Des English had leukemia and the best I know is that he recovered after treatment and is still with us.

It's hard to believe, but everyone tipped North in the first final and Sydney in the second. Our combined winning margin was over 200 points.

We were tipped by no-one against Hawthorn, and only a miracle beat us.

Everyone would have tipped Carlton,(back on our home ground, ) in the GF, too.

That Carlton premiership side was one of the ordinary winners.

Nothing like Haw in '88, or Ess in 2000.

It's hard to believe, but everyone tipped North in the first final and Sydney in the second. Our combined winning margin was over 200 points.

We were tipped by no-one against Hawthorn, and only a miracle beat us.

Everyone would have tipped Carlton,(back on our home ground, ) in the GF, too.

That Carlton premiership side was one of the ordinary winners.

Nothing like Haw in '88, or Ess in 2000.

Both North and the Swans were very good sides that year. In the middle of the season the Swans had kicked 30 plus goals in three successive games, including a 163 point demolition of an Essendon side still containing most of it's 1985 Premiership team. They ran out of gas towards the end of the season but still finished a deserved 3rd after the H&A season. Only the week before the finals North had run Carlton to 4 points at Waverley. In fact, it took a Kernahan shot after the siren to beat North, which locked the Roos out of the double chance and guaranteed the Blues top spot and the weeks rest. How valuable that turned out to be!! It was no surprise we started outsiders in the first final in particular.

The names in the Hawthorn team from that Prelim Final are a Hall of Fame in their own right - Ayres, Langford, Mew, Brereton, Tuck, Platten, Buckenara etc etc. Dunstall was injured and couldn't get up for the GF either. I think a full strength and well rested Hawthorn would have taken Carlton - unfortunately for them, the PF and the weather on GF day played right into Carlton's hands. Also don't forget, if it wasn't for Hawthorn rolling the Cats in round 22 (by 3 points) we wouldn't even have been playing finals. That round 22 was the most drama filled round of footy ever played I reckon!

Robbie didn't exactly carry us in the prelim. We still very nearly beat Hawthorn without much input from him,so we still could have beaten Carlton without him.(but the fact remains....the club doctor expected him to play.)

I recently heard him say that he doubted he would have played ,too. In fact it was in answer to a question from me on talk back radio. However his memories of the time seemed rather dim.

Oh dear JJC. Robbie efforts up forward in the finals and his presence on the ground was critical to MFC's success. At the start of the year they had built the push for the finals for Robbie. It is without doubt that Flower was as important to Melbourne at that time, as Voss was to Brisbane at its peak and as Hird was to Essendon. He was MFC's talisman and the unifying reason for them playing September football. He was also a crucial player in the win at Western Oval.

Playing a fresh and rested Carlton after being physically belted by Hawks was not going to augur well. We would have been missing Wilson and Flower for starters. We had no fire power up forward.

Everyone would have tipped Carlton,(back on our home ground, ) in the GF, too.

That Carlton premiership side was one of the ordinary winners.

Nothing like Haw in '88, or Ess in 2000.

For good reason. A team that wins the flag with Bradley, Silvagni, Hunter, Kernahan, Madden, Rhys Jones and the Dominator Johnson is hardly an ordinary winner. The were 18 and 4 from the H&A. They were clearly the best side of the season. Its no disgrace and no smear on them not being ranked with the magninficent Hawks of 88 and Dons of 2000. They are only dimmed by a small margin.

The names in the Hawthorn team from that Prelim Final are a Hall of Fame in their own right - Ayres, Langford, Mew, Brereton, Tuck, Platten, Buckenara etc etc. Dunstall was injured and couldn't get up for the GF either. I think a full strength and well rested Hawthorn would have taken Carlton - unfortunately for them, the PF and the weather on GF day played right into Carlton's hands. Also don't forget, if it wasn't for Hawthorn rolling the Cats in round 22 (by 3 points) we wouldn't even have been playing finals. That round 22 was the most drama filled round of footy ever played I reckon!

Well reasoned.

It's hard to believe, but everyone tipped North in the first final and Sydney in the second. Our combined winning margin was over 200 points.

We were tipped by no-one against Hawthorn, and only a miracle beat us.

Everyone would have tipped Carlton,(back on our home ground, ) in the GF, too.

That Carlton premiership side was one of the ordinary winners.

Nothing like Haw in '88, or Ess in 2000.

With a losing background Mentality, we fight harder when our backs are against the wall. We are not as strong playing from the front.

We are more dangerous coming from behind, as the Hunter.

We've seen it time & again.

Look at '99 Carlscum were spent after the Prelim against Essendon. That was their GF. Nought Melbourne got an easy cup.

We would have been the same in '87 sadly. That Prelim we played was brutal on all of us.

The fact is no one knows what the outcome of a MFC, CFC grannie would have been. Was a great trip down memory lane til the wet blanket killed it.

Look at '99 Carlscum were spent after the Prelim against Essendon. That was their GF. Nought Melbourne got an easy cup.

We would have been the same in '87 sadly. That Prelim we played was brutal on all of us.

WYL, the Prelim was harder on the Hawks than us, they were playing catchup most of the day & Johhny Fidge knocked out Mew I thinkl, nah it was someone else, Fidge got TDaniher in another game. But anyway The hawks were the ones who were tired after their 2nd half comeback onslaught.

We were emotionally tired through the game with one or 2 players with physical injuries.

Wanting to think we couldn't have beaten Carlscum is only emotional selfprotection.

Dare to Win! Dees, learn it. Dare to Win..

We still haven't learnt it since Checker & Smithy.

Edited February 12, 201213 yr by dee-luded

WYL, the Prelim was harder on the Hawks than us, But anyway The hawks were the ones who were tired after their 2nd half comeback onslaught.

We were emotionally tired through the game with one or 2 players with physical injuries.

In the GF, the Hawks replaced a low possession Loveridge in the PF with Andy Collins in the GF. They were basically the same side from the prelim final. We lost Wilson and Flower for the GF and possibly others (we will ever know). MFC were bludgeoned in that prelim final

The Hawks went into their 5 GF in a row as hardened experienced campaigners. WYL is right with his analogy of 1999. Both the Hawks and the Demons spent lot of fuel tickets in that game. If MFC had've won the PF I have no doubt they would have given it there best shot but they would have been easy prey for for a fresher, capable and focussed Carlton on a 31C day in late Sept.

In the GF, the Hawks replaced a low possession Loveridge in the PF with Andy Collins in the GF. They were basically the same side from the prelim final. We lost Wilson and Flower for the GF and possibly others (we will ever know). MFC were bludgeoned in that prelim final

The Hawks went into their 5 GF in a row as hardened experienced campaigners. WYL is right with his analogy of 1999. Both the Hawks and the Demons spent lot of fuel tickets in that game. If MFC had've won the PF I have no doubt they would have given it there best shot but they would have been easy prey for for a fresher, capable and focussed Carlton on a 31C day in late Sept.

From memory Ricky Jackson was injured in the Prelim as well. I tend to forget that a lot of players went down in the course of the Prelim and were missing in that last quarter, including Wilson and Jackson which were major losses in the midfield and Robbie was only out there because we ran out of reserves. He wrote in one of his books that it was pandomonium out there. He was being called off, only to find no one left to go on so he was sent back even though he had one useless arm. Apparently communication between the coaches box and the reserves on the bench was breaking down all day.

Was it Eishold that had the shot outside the point post with Robbie " Brownlow" waving frantically ,unguarded for a hand pass in the goal in the square in the dying seconds of the game? I reckon the spray Wispy haired Northey gave Jim after the game would make Neelds words to Jack sound like a Sunday School lecture.

No, it was Tony Campbell who ran in from half forward and sprayed it when he could have handpassed to Robbie sitting all alone in the goal square. Eishold had the shot on goal on an acute angle but on the edge of the goal square and slipped as he kicked and skewered it for a point.

From memory Ricky Jackson was injured in the Prelim as well. I tend to forget that a lot of players went down in the course of the Prelim and were missing in that last quarter, including Wilson and Jackson which were major losses in the midfield and Robbie was only out there because we ran out of reserves. He wrote in one of his books that it was pandomonium out there. He was being called off, only to find no one left to go on so he was sent back even though he had one useless arm. Apparently communication between the coaches box and the reserves on the bench was breaking down all day.

You are correct on both counts. I forgot about Jackson. Played a ripper game on a big ground, kicked 3 in a low scoring game.

And I re read that section in Robbie's book yesterday. He had multiple pain killing shots in his arm to go back on with his arm limp and he referred to the frustration with Campbell blazing away.

You are correct on both counts. I forgot about Jackson. Played a ripper game on a big ground, kicked 3 in a low scoring game.

And I re read that section in Robbie's book yesterday. He had multiple pain killing shots in his arm to go back on with his arm limp and he referred to the frustration with Campbell blazing away.

Over the years I hadn't really thought about what impact the loss of Wilson, Jackson, Robbie and there was someone else, would have had on their performance in the last quarter. Given the tight finish it probably would have made the difference. But that's footy.

Such a brilliant day! Enjoy it all or if you are pressed for time, fast forward to 4 mins 40 secs.

Yes , I too was there that day . What an exciting time that was . One of my friends had his transistor trained to his ear . There was some drama unfolding down Kardinia Park way .

There was a certain Hawk Full forward that gave us a helping hand that day . 3 weeks later those same Hawks spoilt our party .

Cheers and here's the last 4 minutes of that Cats/Hawks game ..............

But Dunstall was out injured for the PF.

Interesting at Western Oval that day. Full of memories. If I remember correctly the KP game finished before the Foots vs Mel game. I seem to recall when the news broke out over transistors all over WO that the KP siren had gone there was a huge shout and jumping for joy of MFC supporters. It seemed so loud when amongst the crowd. It does not seem so loud on replay but clearing the players were halted momentarily wondering what was going on because the WO siren had not gone. Great day of football I have been too and at an absolute s&!(heap of a ground. The next 2 weeks at the MCG against North and Swans was also unforgettable. The MCG was like a cauldron. The PF at Waverley was like a match at a concrete outer suburban ground with carp access. No atmosphere at that ground (too open).

That last mark Dinstall took was amazing! The video Qual is poor, but how did he get it. Freak player sadly!!

No, it was Tony Campbell who ran in from half forward and sprayed it when he could have handpassed to Robbie sitting all alone in the goal square. Eishold had the shot on goal on an acute angle but on the edge of the goal square and slipped as he kicked and skewered it for a point.

Tony Campbell. Is that the bloke that cost us the game and not Jim when he ran over the mark?. In the dying minutes of the game we had I think about 3 three shots that could have sealed the game. I still feel crook in the guts when I read about . Think I will stop.