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29 Years Ago: Dancing on the Big Stage Again

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Preliminary Final, 1988
Melbourne vs Carlton
Saturday 17 September
Venue: Waverley
Attendance: 68,516

 
1st
2nd
3rd
Final
Melbourne 6.3 9.4 16.5 19.6.120
Carlton 1.3 9.6 10.8 14.14.98

Goalkickers: Ricky Jackson 5, Sean Wight 4, Garry Lyon 3, David Flintoff 1, Greg Healy 1, Andy Lovell 1, Steven O'Dwyer 1, David Williams 1, Brian Wilson 1, Graeme Yeats 1

from: http://demonwiki.org/Preliminary+Final+1988

With the heartache of 1987's corresponding game still fresh in everybody's minds there were plenty of questions about how the Demons, who had barely scraped into the five and past West Coast in the Elimination Final would cope with the Blues. It was the first time the sides had met in a final since the 1962 Semi Final.

Melbourne dropped Todd Viney - who had barely left the interchange in the Semi Final against Collingwood - and Doug Koop, replacing them with David Flintoff who had impressed against Carlton in Round 13 and first year player Steven Febey.

Carlton, fresh off a demoralising defeat against Hawthorn on the same ground a week earlier, were missing key midfielder Wayne Johnston but had a raft of other dangerous players, not least Stephen Kernahan. Jamie Duursma, who had been on the football scrapheap before being rescued by John Northey was given the job of stopping "Sticks". Kernahan got away from his opponent for three goals in the first half and four for the game but didn't have enough teammates to help kick a winning score.

In similar slippery conditions to those which caused the Blues to come unstuck a week earlier, the Demons kicked with the wind in the first quarter and ran away to what would ultimately become a match winning five goal lead. The Blues fought back in the second quarter with more disciplined football, and took a meagre lead into half time before the Demons once again used the wind to perfection in the third term, where they piled on seven goals to one despite the heavens opening. The most memorable of all the goals was Garry Lyon kicking a 75m torpedo.

Brawls were the order of the day, and continued to break out all over the ground. Andy Lovell was decked after a third-quarter goal to spark one melee, and Steven O'Dwyer was reported for striking Steven Da Rui in another. He was outed for three weeks and missed the Grand Final through suspension.

The lead was set up, but Melbourne still had to contend with the Blues kicking with a breeze. They managed to hold on, the backline, repelling repeated thrusts forward. Despite their resilience the Blues got to within 14 points at the 20 minute mark.

Ricky Jackson kicked a controversial goal that Blues fans claim hit the post (and to be fair Jackson was cursing his miss as the goal umpire signalled full points) to steady his side. At the other end Duursma continued his war with Kernahan, and frustrated the Carlton spearhead so comprehensively that he gave away a 50m penalty which allowed Duursma a shot on goal and the Demons were into the Grand Final.

Best for the Demons were Garry Lyon, Ricky Jackson and Jamie Duursma. David Flintoff also won praise for his second half tagging role on the dangerous Mark Naley. Lyon suffered a cut ear.

 

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    Kernahan was pure shite that day.

    missed some sitters.

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    Always nice to win a final at this time of year! Gee how many goals were kicked off the ground? We were a good wet weather side. Carlton were sniping thugs, and what with the emergency ump making reports! (and running backwards in his tracky daks!) LOL

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    Ricky hit the post and the Carlscum supporter next to me went feral. 

    I was ecstatic, but i also thought i was going to die  

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    Was there any tribunal footage of the Strawbs report I wonder? He seemed to be shaking his head after the incident like he couldnt believe it.

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    1 hour ago, Wadda We Sing said:

    Was there any tribunal footage of the Strawbs report I wonder? He seemed to be shaking his head after the incident like he couldnt believe it.

    Haha, i've see that, as it's one of the only photographs of him on google.

     

    130510odwyer.jpg?w=640

     

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    Great shot of Robbie Flower and Todd Viney in the stands in the last q.....Todd looking very eighties with the black jacket and dyed hair.....Robbie looking just like....well Robbie.

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    4 hours ago, Biffen said:

    Kernahan was pure shite that day.

    missed some sitters.

    Rhys Jones wasn't much better......a truly shocking human.

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    5 hours ago, Wadda We Sing said:

    Rhys Jones wasn't much better......a truly shocking human.

    Your opinion is sub human.He simply played the game as it was played that wayback then.

    It was called Winners are Grinners and could you name me one MFC player who plays the game that way today apart from 2 and 7 ?

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    What was with so many finals being played at Waverley in the 80s? Was the ground being primed to replace the MCG?

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    12 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

    Ricky hit the post and the Carlscum supporter next to me went feral. 

    I was ecstatic, but i also thought i was going to die  

    I remember the ball actually crossing over the goal line from Ricky's shot and the wind swung the ball onto the back of the post.  

    Gosh, I was only a little fella back then but that's how I remember the debate on it from the post match discussion. 

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    11 hours ago, praha said:

    What was with so many finals being played at Waverley in the 80s? Was the ground being primed to replace the MCG?

    Pretty much. The VFL had decided to hold the 1984 GF at VFL Park and had plans to increase capacity to 104,000. Premier Cain cracked the shits, wouldn't approve it or upgrade transport to the stadium. Don't forget VFL Park had its own membership base which didn't have any facilities or reciprocal rights  at the MCG, so finals were like gold to them. Wasn't until the old Southern Stand was found to be falling apart that the VFL got on board with redevelopment of the MCG. From 1992 the pendulum swung towards the MCG for big games and finals. 

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    14 hours ago, puntkick said:

    Your opinion is sub human.He simply played the game as it was played that wayback then.

    It was called Winners are Grinners and could you name me one MFC player who plays the game that way today apart from 2 and 7 ?

    Your right! I am sub human!! haha.....Im not sure i understand your question tho?  Can i name any MFC players who play like DRJ? Um... how about none??  A 30 pack a day smoker,  wouldnt be able to run out a single quarter. Average player and a thug, who played in some good sides. Viney and Jones are nothing like him.

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