Swooper1987

He did. He finished equal 4th with 15 votes. Libba 18, Wright 17 and Silvagni 16. Brett tied with David Bain from the Bears and Andy Collins from Hawthorn. He was a an excellent player, cool, calm and composed. Disposal and vision was outstanding. One of the stars of our best era since the 50's and 60's, and certainly the most consistent.

Gawn is an absolute elite ruck. That's all he can be judged on. He's only ever played ruck and since 2016 he's been the best or equal best in that position ( remembering that he missed half a season in 2017 which certainly cost us a spot in the 8). By any measure Gawn is an elite player. Three AA's, 2 Club B&F's and the AFLCA Player of the Year in that time. He seems to get judged very harshly at times. I'd love to see him spend a few minute forward each quarter like he did against North in the last game last season. As for the rest of the side - some potential elites - Oliver, May, Lever, Petracca but nobody has been ranked among the absolute top end of their position like Gawn has for an extended period of time.

Peter Patrick Pius Paul Crackers Keenan - 1970-1975 101 games; 1981-82 - 30 games

Prelim was always played at Waverley in those days. In 1987 we played the first 2 finals at the G, and in 88 we played the 1st Semi v Collingwood at the G.

Warren Dean was outstanding in 1987. Three Brownlow votes in Round 22 out at Footscray from memory, and played a great first couple of finals. Could have been anything but for his wonky knees. He, Viney and Spalding were the big three interstate recruits funded by the "Give Robbie one last chance to play finals" campaign.

Moore had a history of hamstring injuries from his time at Collingwood. He foolishly played the 1981 GF with a hamstring injury sustained the week before. Management at Melbourne had nothing to do with his history of injuries.

1998 we really struggled through the middle of the season. Had heaps of injuries and then when the senior men came back in we strung a few together towards seasons end and the final game of the season we were comfortably in the 8 but a chance for 4th if we could beat the Tigers, who were playing for a spot in the finals. We smoked them, the Bombers got 8th, the Tigers finished in their then usual spot of 9th and we ended up 4th. Unfortunately under that finals system it didn't carry the same advantages as the present system. We were stiff in 98 - we were the only team to beat the eventual Premiers in that finals series. 1990 was our year and really the one we let slip. We won 16 games - a very high number to finish only 4th (in the final year of the old final five) and but for a terrible hiding we got against North Melbourne we would have been outright second. We beat Essendon (top) twice; we beat the Eagles in Perth; we beat Hawthorn in successive weeks including the Elimination Final, to end their run of successive GF's (1983-1989, then back in 1991) and we had ended Collingwood's finals series in 1988 and 1989. We really were probably the best side in the comp in 1990 but a shocking performance in the semi final against the Eagles, after the enforced week off because of the Collingwood/Eagles draw and an injury during training to our 1990 Band F G.Lyon, ended any hopes of the breakthrough. Northey was a great coach but I reckon he'd think 1990 was really the one that got away. Of our 5 consecutive years of finals under him, I think we maxed ourselves out in all of them but 1990.

We finished 5th and should have worn the white shorts. That was in the days when all finals had to be played in Victoria.

He was at AFL level. He was very talented at country level as I said.

Was a very talented country player. Came up through the under 19's, originally number 46 then moved to 15. Followed Swooper Northey to the Tigers. He ended up a legend at Beaconsfield where he coached them to a number of flags and kicked the ton a few times. He was actually three years behind me in school and ended up at Rusden College with me for a year or so. I remember in our school footy teams he was the only Year 9 amongst all of the Year 12's!

Most others would, including Scott Pendlebury. I'll back his view against Jay Clark's any day!

A Demon fan as a young bloke was Pendles. He'd have a fair idea.

Cannot believe James McDonald is not on this list. He'd surely be top 10. Inspirational skipper, AA midfielder and probably the most courageous player I've seen in red and blue. A definite for this list if ever there was one. And also happy to see Lyon at 1. He was a sensational player.

Sadly for us the 87 prelim is definitely a top 50. It was an outstanding game of finals footy and it is rare that a team can lead an entire game and still not be the winner. A genuine last man standing affair and I'll make sure I'm not watching when it gets replayed. Once was enough and I still remember it like it was yesterday.

Eddie Jackson would be somewhere near the top of this list.

Just a wonderful player. None better in the red and blue in my life time.

Langdon and Tomlinson were excellent today. I think Tomlinson took 6 or 8 marks today simply by holding his position. I love that he doesn't get sucked into the contest and has the discipline to play his role. He will consistently provide us with an option and his team mates will have confidence in him because they'll know he's where he is supposed to be. Langdon's run was very impressive.

Tom Chadwick reported that Viney was not amongst the top vote getters in the players vote. Specifically mentioned Gawn, Lever and May as leading that. Said that it was possible the players could be overruled, but unlikely. Apparently Viney was very disappointed according to Tom. That was about it.

That's right. Lyon only played three quarters. Balme took him off with a tight hammy; Schwarta stayed on and got injured near the end of the game. Both played the next week in Perth to no avail. Was an exciting finals series that one! The first win against Carlton was an exceptional performance.

What an outstanding player he was! Hard to believe he still isn't a Hall of Fame member after retiring 20 years ago! Probably the best all round Demon player since Flower.

It was the last game we lost before we went on our run of consecutive wins. It was also round 17 played a week before our round 16 game against Geelong. In an interesting fixturing event we played round 17 on July 18 and round 16 on July 25!! We beat Geelong comprehensively at VFL Park, the first of 6 consecutive wins. In that run we beat not only the Cats, but also the Eagles and the Dogs - the three sides who ended up finishing directly below us. We definitely earned 5th place. Our other wins in that run were against also rans Richmond, Collingwood and Brisbane. We were in white hot form by the time we hit September.

They were. Moore tore a hammy mid way through the season and that was the end of him. Cordner was sent to the Swans with Adrian Battiston in 1988. It's definitely the 1987 team.

1987 - managed to lose to North Melbourne during the season when Alistair Clarkson, in his first season kicked the winner after the siren. Then the one no Demon will ever forget - the Prelim final.

As our most successful coach since Norm Smith I think it would be fitting if Swooper was made a life member at the club. He coached 167 games for 90 wins and five finals series including our first in 24 years, as well as 2 night flags when that was actually a real competition. I know 10 years service is the mark, although Brian Wilson was admitted on the basis of 150 games played after falling short of the 10 years service. I think Swooper's contribution was enormous and it'd be nice to see him acknowledged now he's well into his mid-late seventies.

It was a very exciting finals series but geez did we nearly blow it before the finals. We were comfortably second for most of the year and actually beat Hawthorn during the season. Then we dropped 5 games straight from round 17-21. We had to beat second placed Carlton in the last game of the season to hold 5th. We did and then put those 3 finals wins together. We were fortunate to beat the Eagles in the wet at VFL Park, thanks to a great Lyon snap and a Murray Wrensted miss basically on the siren and we always had the Pies under control in the first semi. We beat the Blues on a rainy, windy day and lost O'Dwyer to suspension after that game. Hawthorn were a great team but we should have been more competitive on the big day. Still it was a great week in the lead up and all the neutrals were cheering us on. Still, 1990 was the one that got away. If ever there was a flag there for the taking for us it was that one.