Essendon in 1989

1989 was the muddiest year of footy I can recall. The MCG centre square was a mess during winter and so were many other grounds

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We just had one of those days against Geelong Qualifying Final where we couldn’t put a foot wrong.
I probably considered them a slightly better side.
The reversal of margin was extraordinary though, but when you have a guy like Gary Ablett Snr turning it on against a deadset plodder like Hamilton, well…you saw the result.

Hawthorn, and in particular Brereton, knocked the stuffing out of us the previous week in what was a decent game.

We had a good side, and given another time we may have won a Flag with that side.
Hawthorn and Geelong were better at the time though, which they proved in the Grand Final.

I never felt we were a real threat that year. Geelong were just so unstoppable in the middle of the year, and trounced us, that I never gave us a chance against them.

The first finals win against the cats surprised and we were having a real dip against the Hawks the following week until Derm killed vanda. That was it really, right then. Even as an 11 year old I knew, I felt it in the pit of my stomach.

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Wasn’t this the game where he ran through our huddle at quarter time and he was praised in the media for being so tough afterwards?

I think that was the mid year game where they embarrassed us

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An Underwood disappointing you. Get in line. I have been crueled by an Underwood too. It’s like a house of cards mixed with a Keyser Soze

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Was that match where Derm ironed out Vanda where Vanda got reported for striking after that incident, went to the tribunal, pleaded not guilty due to going back on the ground and not knowing what he was doing due to concussion, and got cleared?

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4 I think :grinning:

Round 7, June 1989. I was a few days short of turning eight and this was the only top level game I ever went to at Windy Hill. Stood behind the goals with my dad (no longer with us) and his mate Vince and we lost a low-scoring slog against the Swans. Neale Daniher played in this match (making it a bit of a rarity) and Merv Neagle got two Brownlow votes - for the Swans (just looked it up). I also went to the QF win against Geelong, we had really good seats and won big. I have a vague a memory of one of our guys taking a big forward 50 hanger in this match, can anyone verify? Some of my earliest footy memories…

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The forward who took a big hangar in the 89 QF I think was Van Der Haar. He had a big day that day I recall.

Do you really want to count 1990?

I didn’t think so.

Certainly was. Hawthorn was publicly seething that vanders got off and appealed Schwab’s suspension from the same game (can’t remember who he hit). Schwab failed and missed the grand final.

From recollection in the first half against Hawthorn in the second semi Bewick got injured, Daisy got smashed, Vanders got knocked out and that was the end of our season.

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Knew there had to be some explanation.

I’m with you.

Doesn’t count because of the draw.

Crim supporters hate it when I explain it to them.

I love explaining it to them. :laughing:

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As others have already pointed out, that was indeed the game. Vanda had is head over the ball and Dermie ran straight through him, he made no attempt to play the ball, he was intent only in taking the player out. Gutsy stuff, not! Dermie spun Vanda around, like a helicopter. Not long after he tackled Daisy, and l saw Daisy visibly slump, from over 100 m away. Dermie admitted to driving his shoulder into the back of Daisy’s head. Both of them were concussed. Dermie wasn’t reported for either incident, but Vanda was reported later and it has all been explained above.

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That was entertaining, thanks for posting. I was to young for this season. Went onto watch the YouTube highlights of the first final against Geelong. How good are Long and Bewick are they first year players.?

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Yeah I think my dad took me to the mid-season game v Geelong. When the ball hit the ground in the center square it didn’t bounce, just stuck.

We were lid off about Bradley Plain as well.

Schwab suspended for striking Andrew Manning. Another random name from that era!

I know we belted West Coke at Windy Hill. They kicked one goal for the whole game. Most enjoyable it was, too.
We lost a few finals that year, too.

I remember reading it in the paper on the flight back to Australia after living in the USA for four years. Missed it by that much!

We got home, dropped our bags at home, and went straight to the footy. Sadly it was Hawthorn-Collingwood, Dad’s choice; Dunstall kicked 11 goals. I spent most of the time watching the round-the-ground scores and our 99-66 score versus Richmond is burned forever into my mind.