Anyone remember 1987?

[picket fence 15,444]

The drugs have done for you Biff - Battison finished years earlier ..... I think.

Nar Adrian was injured that year with a season ending injury so too Chris Connolly so too Peter Moore !! Sheeit we would have given Carltank a nighty shake had these been fit!

Does my memory also entertain that Kelvin Templeton was still around and injured as well!??

Edited May 29, 2015 by picket fence

[John Crow Batty 8,291]

Nar Adrian was injured that year with a season ending injury so too Chris Connolly so too Peter Moore !! Sheeit we would have given Carltank a nighty shake had these been fit!

Does my memory also entertain that Kelvin Templeton was still around and injured as well!??

I think Templeton was long gone by then. May have been on the books but not played for a long while. Most or all of the other guys you mentioned were already out and played no part of our revival. it was a blessing they were not there. I stand to be corrected. It was all based

on youth and vigour and a new order at the club. People forget Rod Grinter. He gave us the hard edge we lacked before and since he retired. We have been soft ever since. One of the most influential players since our premiership days.

Edited May 29, 2015 by america de cali

[Sir Why You Little 34,752]

When the siren went after the bulldogs game, then the Hawks got over the cats - from the walk from the ground to train for next week until the bounce of the ball for our first final in 23 years I had this sense of euphoria that I have only sensed twice since ( birth of my two children). That may sound ridiculous to some but that's how I felt.

On the flip side - we have all had moments that have devastated us, personal tragedies etc. Again this may sound ridiculous to some - but my feelings after the preliminary final loss to Hawthorn and my feelings for weeks after are right up there with the worst I have experienced.

The logical side of me says that it is belittling to compare these trivial high and lows of football to important highs and lows like births and deaths etc but unfortunately this emotional reaction is something I had no control over and I can only feel what I felt !

No you are right Nut

Losing that game to whorethorn was the same as a death in the family

That is how i truly felt. It still hurts today.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

Yes, i do. I was 1 years old and the breast milk was delicious.

[Emerald 1,720]

No you are right Nut

Losing that game to whorethorn was the same as a death in the family

That is how i truly felt. It still hurts today.

I feel the same way,I can handle the wooden spoons and the 186 point thrashings but every time Hawthorn beat us or win another flag it feels like the knife twisting.

[Bitter but optimistic 21,483]

Yes, i do. I was 1 years old and the breast milk was delicious.

Breast milk is delicious no matter what your age!!

[Sir Why You Little 34,752]

I feel the same way,I can handle the wooden spoons and the 186 point thrashings but every time Hawthorn beat us or win another flag it feels like the knife twisting.

Yep. And then they beat us by 96 points the year after.

And people wonder why i f#%£ing hate them so much!!!!

[Demon Dynasty 15,845]

Yep. And then they beat us by 96 points the year after.

And people wonder why i f#%£ing hate them so much!!!!

While the PF result was agony at its worst I also recall the Night premiership with very fond memories, including jumping the fence in disbelief after the siren. Mustve looked like a lame ass but i do recall seeing swooper up there with a goggled eyed flower accepting the cup along with Danny Hughes. I couldn't help but think "Hey... we've actually won some silverware". Even if it was just an NAB cup or wateva it was.

I usually went with bro to almost every home match back then as well but u know I cant recall who I was with that night. Hec It might have only been me myself and I which would have been a tad sad on reflection.

To think thats the sum of all our efforts over so many decades of sweat, toil and committment (by some anyway) It's bloody frightening really.

I still recall to this day heading to a training session in 95 at the junction (a few volunteer mums were still serving soup in the rooms for the boys after training lol). I remember chatting to one of the doormen/trainers there one particular night and I asked him what he thought our chances were for the coming season. He said "I'm not sure how we will do but I think we missed our best opportunity for a premiership last year. I fear the moment has passed us by". His words were certainly prophetic given the merger debacle a year later.

Edited May 29, 2015 by Rusty Nails

[jnrmac 19,245]

The last five minutes of the Footscray game are on youtube. The 4.40 mark is when Hawthorn hit the front. Even now it's electrifying.

The thing that also seems to be forgotten is that Northey told the players at 3/4 time the Hawks were smashing Geelong and all we had to do was beat the Dogs. The players were very confused when the roar went up at the Western Oval. It took them a bit of time to figure out what was going on....

[Dr. Gonzo 22,567]

While the PF result was agony at its worst I also recall the Night premiership with very fond memories, including jumping the fence in disbelief after the siren. Mustve looked like a lame ass but i do recall seeing swooper up there with a goggled eyed flower accepting the cup along with Danny Hughes. I couldn't help but think "Hey... we've actually won some silverware". Even if it was just an NAB cup or wateva it was.

I usually went with bro to almost every home match back then as well but u know I cant recall who I was with that night. Hec It might have only been me myself and I which would have been a tad sad on reflection.

To think thats the sum of all our efforts over so many decades of sweat, toil and committment (by some anyway) It's bloody frightening really.

I still recall to this day heading to a training session in 95 at the junction (a few volunteer mums were still serving soup in the rooms for the boys after training lol). I remember chatting to one of the doormen/trainers there one particular night and I asked him what he thought our chances were for the coming season. He said "I'm not sure how we will do but I think we missed our best opportunity for a premiership last year. I fear the moment has passed us by". His words were certainly prophetic given the merger debacle a year later.

94 was the one that hurt me the most. I was only 5 in 1987 so didn't really comprehend it all but in 1994 I was 12. I still remember watching us get thumped in Perth and going to my bedroom at half time with a tear in my eye.

[Moonshadow 16,363]

Breast milk is delicious no matter what your age!!

Especially when it's your own, eh?

[Demonsone 1,639]

Sure do was 23yo & saw the dark days of the 70s & early 80s & got laughed @ school for being a MFC supporter....

We come close to a flag & actually would say 1990 was the best year to win as it was very eaven but continue to finish 5th & not in the top 4...

Can't compare lists now vs 87 as they were are hard defensive group with more games under their belt... Our time will come...

Edited May 30, 2015 by Hogan2014

[BarnDee 287]

yep was at whitten oval that day down the highway end crowd was goin nuts , took my older dog supporter brother first live game he,d ever been to , snigger snigger

[jane02 3,432]

I feel the same way,I can handle the wooden spoons and the 186 point thrashings but every time Hawthorn beat us or win another flag it feels like the knife twisting.

Couldn't agree more.

[Demon Dynasty 15,845]

94 was the one that hurt me the most. I was only 5 in 1987 so didn't really comprehend it all but in 1994 I was 12. I still remember watching us get thumped in Perth and going to my bedroom at half time with a tear in my eye.

94 was certainly an anti climax to what was, until then, a great season Gonzo. But it paled into comparison to the pain of the 87 prelim so in some ways you got lucky!

The AFL had a large part to play that year in the sense it was the 2nd home finals game for the Weagles. Until then no interstate club had hosted a prelim final as none of the interstate clubs had a ground capable of handling a prelim crowd. And this was still the case in 94 with a max capacity of only 30 odd thousand at the WACA (excluding standing room)

Of course the AFL went against all of that logic and previous history and gave them their 2nd final of the 94 series. In many ways a result of our lack of success over many decades prior. Can you imagine them hosting the Pies/Bombers/Blues back then with a capacity of only 30,000ish !!?

[Anders 14]

I missed '87, it was before my time. But its great hearing some of the memories of long-suffering supporters at the time - (of course, only to have their hearts ripped out again) - but sneaking into to finals for the first time in 22 years must have been a eupohric feeling.

I have never watched the '87 prelim and never will - (nor have I or will watch the 88 GF) I would get too annoyed.

Our last 8 seasons have been putrid - meanwhile I've watched St Kilda and Bulldogs play excellent football and get very close to a premiership for no reward. You might find this off but I would almost rather finish bottom than get [censored]-teased all the way to a prelim or GF and lose. I utterly despise St. Kilda but I honestly felt sorry for them losing getting so close twice and missing out. Seriously, if that happened to us I would walk from the game. I still cannot watch the 2002 semi against Adelaide or the 2004 elimination final - near misses really sting.

I've only followed from 1990 - and fair to say we probably haven't experience an '87 type season since then.

Even during our good years I've never felt we were capable of winning the flag. I guess in hindsight you look at 1998 and think that was as good a chance as we're likely to get. North were a superior team to us and comfortably beat us in the prelim so I was shocked when Adelaide, a team we trounced three weeks earlier ran over the top of them. The vagaries of football -

The trademark of the Daniher years (which seem like fond memories now) was playing attractive and exciting football but getting routinely spanked interstate and against quality opposition (especially away from the MCG) - I remember we were sitting top late in the 2004 season (a season were not expected to do anything) - a got absolutely spanked by eventual premiers Port and lost every game for the rest of the season. 2005 and 2006 were very similar - ultimate flat-trackers.

Since then we haven't fired a shot - I'd take the yoyo-years back now in a heartbeat - frustrating as they were.

Guess, the point is - you would rather experience years like '87 - even when they end badly, than not. Its one of those its better to have loved and lost type scenarios.

Having said that, why to the same crunting teams manage to win premierships all the time? your Hawthorns (just a lazy 6 flags since destroying our best chance in '87) West Coasts, Essendons etc. While the likes us, Dogs, Saints remain traumatised whose best memories are usually also their worst

[John Crow Batty 8,291]

I missed '87, it was before my time. But its great hearing some of the memories of long-suffering supporters at the time - (of course, only to have their hearts ripped out again) - but sneaking into to finals for the first time in 22 years must have been a eupohric feeling.

I have never watched the '87 prelim and never will - (nor have I or will watch the 88 GF) I would get too annoyed.

Our last 8 seasons have been putrid - meanwhile I've watched St Kilda and Bulldogs play excellent football and get very close to a premiership for no reward. You might find this off but I would almost rather finish bottom than get [censored]-teased all the way to a prelim or GF and lose. I utterly despise St. Kilda but I honestly felt sorry for them losing getting so close twice and missing out. Seriously, if that happened to us I would walk from the game. I still cannot watch the 2002 semi against Adelaide or the 2004 elimination final - near misses really sting.

I've only followed from 1990 - and fair to say we probably haven't experience an '87 type season since then.

Even during our good years I've never felt we were capable of winning the flag. I guess in hindsight you look at 1998 and think that was as good a chance as we're likely to get. North were a superior team to us and comfortably beat us in the prelim so I was shocked when Adelaide, a team we trounced three weeks earlier ran over the top of them. The vagaries of football -

The trademark of the Daniher years (which seem like fond memories now) was playing attractive and exciting football but getting routinely spanked interstate and against quality opposition (especially away from the MCG) - I remember we were sitting top late in the 2004 season (a season were not expected to do anything) - a got absolutely spanked by eventual premiers Port and lost every game for the rest of the season. 2005 and 2006 were very similar - ultimate flat-trackers.

Since then we haven't fired a shot - I'd take the yoyo-years back now in a heartbeat - frustrating as they were.

Guess, the point is - you would rather experience years like '87 - even when they end badly, than not. Its one of those its better to have loved and lost type scenarios.

Having said that, why to the same crunting teams manage to win premierships all the time? your Hawthorns (just a lazy 6 flags since destroying our best chance in '87) West Coasts, Essendons etc. While the likes us, Dogs, Saints remain traumatised whose best memories are usually also their worst

No, our best chance was in 1990. We were flag favourites for many in a relatively even finals race. The draw between Collingwood and WC mucked up the whole final series and we lost in an upset against WC at Waverley. We had beat Hawthorn easily and had to wait an extra week to take on WC which took the wind out of our sails. Edited May 31, 2015 by america de cali

[Anders 14]

Sure do was 23yo & saw the dark days of the 70s & early 80s & got laughed @ school for being a MFC supporter....

We come close to a flag & actually would say 1990 was the best year to win as it was very eaven but continue to finish 5th & not in the top 4...

Can't compare lists now vs 87 as they were are hard defensive group with more games under their belt... Our time will come...

1990 was my first season and you're right it was an odd one. We had some great wins (against Essendon at Windy Hill) and deplorable losses - like to North by 21 goals.

What was also interesting about it was how tenuous the performances of the top 5 were. Hawthorn smashed the eventual premiers Collingwood by 80 points at waverley two weeks before finals - but we bundled the Hawks out first week. I always curse Sumich missing that goal against Collingwood in the QF - that may have changed the entire dynamic of the finals - I remember thinking if we could have just gotten to play Essendon that finals series we would have beaten them - they finished top and saved their worst football for the finals.

94 was certainly an anti climax to what was, until then, a great season Gonzo. But it paled into comparison to the pain of the 87 prelim so in some ways you got lucky!

The AFL had a large part to play that year in the sense it was the 2nd home finals game for the Weagles. Until then no interstate club had hosted a prelim final as none of the interstate clubs had a ground capable of handling a prelim crowd. And this was still the case in 94 with a max capacity of only 30 odd thousand at the WACA (excluding standing room)

Of course the AFL went against all of that logic and previous history and gave them their 2nd final of the 94 series. In many ways a result of our lack of success over many decades prior. Can you imagine them hosting the Pies/Bombers/Blues back then with a capacity of only 30,000ish !!?

Rightly so they were awarded the home prelim. Wouldnt have mattered if they'd played it at the G or the Junction oval WC wouldve spanked us. I hated them in the 90's for knocking us out of the finals so many times - a real bogey team -

[Anders 14]

No, our best chance was in 1990. We were flag favourites for many in a relatively even finals race. The draw between Collingwood and WC mucked up the whole final series and we lost in an upset against WC at Waverley. We had beat Hawthorn easily and had to wait an extra week to take on WC which took the wind out of our sails.

I just addressed this in my post. I actually don't think we would have beaten Collingwood in the Semi final either - but I would have rated our chances higher than against WCE - who accounted for us easily. We would have beaten Essendon if we'd gotten to play them. Collingwood lucked out getting them in the Granny

[beelzebub 22,271]

For those of you who remember 1987 AFL season, Melbourne had not been in the finals for 23 years. Out of the first 9 games we won 4. We ended up 12 wins and 10 losses and squeezed into the top five as it was then, winning six out of the last seven games. We had a very young and inexperienced side (including 19 year old jim Stynes in his first year in the senior) under new coach John Northey who tried to drum in unprecedented disciplines into the side's play including at relentless running game,

We eventually won two finals against the Swans and North only to be knocked out of the preliminary final in the last kick of the day by Hawthorn after the inexperienced Stynes ran through the mark after the siren resulting in a 15 metre penalty and Buckanara slotted the goal from 50 metres out.

It is not impossible for us to do this again. I see a growing self belief, with improvement every week as we go through the season with increasing confidence in the coach and his game-plan, just like Northey then. I don't buy that just because we have only won 3 out of 9, that it is impossible to improve greatly on that post bye. Let's hope history will repeat itself.

Go Dees!

Yes I do remember it well

And NO it is not possible. That group had a whole swag who really played for each other and especially for Swooper. I'll put it out there. Swooper is twice the game day coach Roos is. .Paul is a different type of coach for a different purpose in a different time. All that needed to happen was for that group to knit together and believe. They as a lot could also PLAY footy.( granted Eishold's kicking.was....) There really wasnt too many that you would have been looking to 'move on " . Contrast 2015. Half this lot ( edit..currently taking the paddock) are woeful. Question marks hang over about 25% of our list. We cant get the best 22 on the field

No my fellow Demonlanders this is NOT like 1987 no matter how much youd like to think so.The game has moved on. We havent

I stood at Arctic park and watched our dream dive with Bucky's kick.

Edited May 31, 2015 by beelzebub

[Coup Cooper 610]

No! I wad anywhere from 4-14 months old!!

[Dr. Gonzo 22,567]

Sure do was 23yo & saw the dark days of the 70s & early 80s & got laughed @ school for being a MFC supporter....

We come close to a flag & actually would say 1990 was the best year to win as it was very eaven but continue to finish 5th & not in the top 4...

Can't compare lists now vs 87 as they were are hard defensive group with more games under their belt... Our time will come...

I agree mate, 1990 definitely the one that got away with 1998 being a close second. Ironically both years we actually made the GF (88 & 2000) we were further off considering the dominant teams we ran in to.

[Dr. Gonzo 22,567]

94 was certainly an anti climax to what was, until then, a great season Gonzo. But it paled into comparison to the pain of the 87 prelim so in some ways you got lucky!

The AFL had a large part to play that year in the sense it was the 2nd home finals game for the Weagles. Until then no interstate club had hosted a prelim final as none of the interstate clubs had a ground capable of handling a prelim crowd. And this was still the case in 94 with a max capacity of only 30 odd thousand at the WACA (excluding standing room)

Of course the AFL went against all of that logic and previous history and gave them their 2nd final of the 94 series. In many ways a result of our lack of success over many decades prior. Can you imagine them hosting the Pies/Bombers/Blues back then with a capacity of only 30,000ish !!?

I dont think we would've beaten them even at the G but had we got over them we would've done the Cats the next week. Ah well.

Two things I remember about 1987 - listening to the radio for the round 22 game at Western Oval in the study at home - we didn't go to the game because it was my sisters 3rd Bday party!

PF day being at the Royal Melbourne Show and seeing Demons and Hawks stuff up everywhere. My dad was at the game and I was with mum, my aunty and cousin who is a Richmond supporter but had deserted them in the 80's and was going for the Hawks at the time (he loves a bandwagon!) All day we'd be asking people at the stalls who was winning and all day the answer was Melbourne! Then right as we were leaving we asked someone who won and he said "the Hawks" was bloody shattered.

The next year I woke early to watch the footy marathon and get ready to go to my first GF! Had been to the Junction Oval during the week and been to pretty much every game all year. Only found out that morning my old man didn't have a ticket for me (I was 6 at the time so didn't understand why I couldn't just go). So I watched us get demolished in miserable weather and at half time had had enough and went outside o kick the footy - only for my cousin to come for a visit with his mum and gloat about the Hawks winning! Was bloody shattered again and couldn't bring myself to watch the second half. Only watched the game for the first time a couple of years ago.

Edited June 1, 2015 by Dr. Gonzo

[Dr. Gonzo 22,567]

I just addressed this in my post. I actually don't think we would have beaten Collingwood in the Semi final either - but I would have rated our chances higher than against WCE - who accounted for us easily. We would have beaten Essendon if we'd gotten to play them. Collingwood lucked out getting them in the Granny

We knocked Collingwood out of the finals in 88 and 89 and would have done it again in 90 had we played them. They beat us by 10 goals earlier in the year but they did that in 89 also and we did them in the Finals.

We also beat Essendon twice in 1990 (Easter Monday and at Windy Hill), beat WCE twice (Friday night at the G and at Subiaco in round 20 in a spiteful game) and beat Hawks twice in successive weeks (round 22 and the EF). That was our year if we'd played the Pies instead of the Eagles in the finals we would've won and gone on to win the GF.

The thing with the Northey years is, like the Daniher years, we always blew easy H&A games which cost us a double chance. This is what really destroyed our chances for a flag is losses to bottom teams during the season (such as two losses to the Blues in 2006).

[dee-luded 2,958]

For those of you who remember 1987 AFL season, Melbourne had not been in the finals for 23 years. Out of the first 9 games we won 4. We ended up 12 wins and 10 losses and squeezed into the top five as it was then, winning six out of the last seven games. We had a very young and inexperienced side (including 19 year old jim Stynes in his first year in the senior) under new coach John Northey who tried to drum in unprecedented disciplines into the side's play including at relentless running game,

We eventually won two finals against the Swans and North only to be knocked out of the preliminary final in the last kick of the day by Hawthorn after the inexperienced Stynes ran through the mark after the siren resulting in a 15 metre penalty and Buckanara slotted the goal from 50 metres out.

It is not impossible for us to do this again. I see a growing self belief, with improvement every week as we go through the season with increasing confidence in the coach and his game-plan, just like Northey then. I don't buy that just because we have only won 3 out of 9, that it is impossible to improve greatly on that post bye. Let's hope history will repeat itself.

Go Dees!

1987 was built on 6 years of changing a soft underbelly culture of surrender, & of turning up was enough, play the game, then turn attention to the nighttime activities..

the change was gradual (unnoticed) but constant, & totally underpinned by an influx of young talent that was tanned bare with disciplines & pressure to sort the strong. & of mature age recruits who came & took the places of those with the wrong attitudes, or not good enough, or both. the turning of culture was shaping in 1985.

a changing of the guard was taking place, but needed a shock, a defibrillator shock to the heart to jolt things into action. things started to come back to life in 1986.

1987 was the beginning of coming of age, of a realising that they were formidable, & the final corner of this lesson was beating the bummers in the 1987 Night Grand Final. after which the players took all before them. the power & pain they played on was pure energy, but in the end, could not wipe away decades of inexperience at Winning, as a club. we paid a painful price out at Waverley Park that day.

the nemisis's, one was the bummers & we packed them off, the other was the hawks, & still are.

Edited June 1, 2015 by dee-luded