1987 VFL finals series

Last updated

1987 premiership season
Date5–26 September 1987
Teams5
Premiers Carlton (15th premiership)
Runners-up Hawthorn (11th grand final)
Minor premiers Carlton (16th minor premiership)
Attendance
Matches played6
Total attendance429,057 (71,510 per match)
Highest92,754 (Grand Final, Carlton vs. Hawthorn)
  1986
1988  

The 1987 Victorian Football League finals series was the 91st annual edition of the VFL/AFL final series, the Australian rules football tournament staged to determine the winner of the 1987 VFL Premiership season. The series ran over four weekends in September 1987, culminating with the 1987 VFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 26 September 1987.

Contents

Qualification

Matches

The 1987 VFL finals series was contested using the McIntyre final five system, which had been in use since 1972.

Week one (Qualifying and Elimination finals)

Elimination final (North Melbourne v Melbourne)

Melbourne were making their first VFL finals appearance since 1964, while North Melbourne had last appeared in 1985. This was the second final between the two sides, having previously met in the first semi-final in 1954 which was won by Melbourne. [1]

Teams

This shows the teams as listed in The Football Record. [2] Melbourne centreman Brian Wilson was a late withdrawal and was replaced by Russell Richards, while for North Melbourne Jim Krakouer was replaced by Shaun Smith.

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North Melbourne
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Melbourne
B:27 Darren Crocker 26 Darren Harris 10 David Ackerly
HB:07 Darren Steele 13 John Law (c)15 Ross Smith
C:28 Andrew Demetriou 29 Peter German 46 Jeff Chandler
HF:08 Phil Krakouer 34 Mark Hepburn 31 Paul Spargo
F:57 Alastair Clarkson 16 Stephen McCann 25 Donald McDonald
Foll:04 John Mossop 09 Matthew Larkin 03 Jim Krakouer
Int:39 Jason Love 45 Peter Jonas
Coach: John Kennedy
B:27 Sean Wight 10 Danny Hughes 29 Dean Chiron
HB:17 Brett Lovett 35 Earl Spalding 34 Stephen Newport
C:18 Steven Stretch 07 Brian Wilson 08 Graeme Yeats
HF:12 Todd Viney 23 Warren Dean 02 Robert Flower (c)
F:45 Ricky Jackson 15 David Williams 40 Tony Campbell
Foll:37 Jim Stynes 24 Bret Bailey 33 Greg Healy
Int:39 Doug Koop 25 Simon Eishold
Coach: John Northey
Scorecard
Elimination Final
Sunday, 6 September (2:30pm) North Melbourne def. by Melbourne MCG (crowd: 72628) Report
3.2 (20)
4.4 (28)
4.8 (32)
 5.10 (40)
Q1
Q2
Q3
 Final
3.6 (24)
9.11 (65)
16.16 (112)
 22.26 (158)
Umpires: Clayton, Robinson
Television broadcast: ABC TV
2: P Krakouer
1: Smith, Steele, Hepburn
Goals5: Flower
3: Dean, Jackson, Williams, Campbell
2: Stynes
1: Richards, Bailey, Viney
P Krakouer, Steele, Law Best Wight, Spalding, Dean, Bailey, Newport, Stynes, Jackson, Flower
Ackerly (ankle), Jonas (hamstring)Injuries
Reports Chiron (striking)

Qualifying Final (Hawthorn v Sydney)

The Qualifying Final saw second-placed Hawthorn host third-placed Sydney at VFL Park. The game was significant for Sydney coach Tom Hafey as he reached 500 games as coach. In what was a crushing victory for Hawthorn, Warwick Capper booted four goals to become the second player after Tony Lockett to reach 100 goals for the season, but suffered a hamstring injury which ruled him out of the semi-final. Wingman Merv Neagle also suffered a knee injury.

Scorecard
Qualifying Final
Saturday, 7 September (7:25pm) Hawthorn def. Sydney VFL Park (crowd: 47,752) Report
5.7 (37)
9.10 (64)
16.13 (109)
 23.18 (156)
Q1
Q2
Q3
 Final
2.4 (16)
5.7 (37)
7.9 (51)
 8.9 (57)
Umpires: Sawers, Dore
Television broadcast: ABC TV
6: Brereton
5: Dunstall, Buckenara
2: DiPierdomenico, Russo
1: Schwab, Kennedy, Tuck
Goals4: Capper
1: Bayes, Healy, Wright, Mitchell
Buckenara, Morris, DiPierdomenico, Tuck, Kennedy, Brereton, Collins Best Capper, Mitchell, Williams
Robinson (hamstring)Injuries Capper (hamstring), Neagle (knee)
NilReportsNil

Week two (semi-finals)

First Semi-final (Sydney vs Melbourne)

The First Semi-final saw Melbourne host Sydney at the MCG. This was the second VFL final contested between the two clubs, having met for the first time back in the 1936 Preliminary Final, when Sydney were formerly based in South Melbourne. South Melbourne won that encounter 13.11 (89) to 8.15 (63).

Scorecard
First semi-final
Saturday, 13 September (2:30pm) Sydney def. by Melbourne MCG (crowd: 80,292) Report
3.3 (21)
6.6 (42)
8.12 (60)
 10.13 (73)
Q1
Q2
Q3
 Final
2.4 (16)
10.13 (73)
17.18 (120)
 21.23 (149)
Umpires: Cameron, Howlett
Television broadcast: ABC TV
Gerard Healy, Carroll, Morwood 2
Williams, Scott, Coleman, Wright 1
Goals4 Flower
3 Greg Healy, Campbell
2 Gaff
1: Petruccelle, Ryan, Hickey, Masten, Kennedy
Gerard Healy, Mitchell, Williams, Bolton, Carter, Browning Best Stretch, Lovett, Yeats, Flower, Jackson, Greg Healy, Eishold, Dean, O'Dwyer
NilInjuriesNil
NilReportsNil

Second Semi-final (Carlton vs Hawthorn)

The Second Semi-final saw minor premier Carlton play Hawthorn at VFL Park. This marked the seventh VFL final contested between the two clubs, having previously met in the 1986 VFL Grand Final which was won by Hawthorn. The two teams met twice during the 1987 home-and-away season in Rounds 1 and 14, with the Hawks winning both encounters.

Scorecard
Second semi-final
Saturday, 12 September (2:30pm) Carlton def. Hawthorn VFL Park (crowd: 64,333) Report
1.2 (8)
2.11 (23)
6.12 (48)
 11.14 (80)
Q1
Q2
Q3
 Final
3.2 (20)
6.2 (38)
9.3 (57)
 10.5 (65)
Umpires: Clayton, Sawers
Television broadcast: ABC TV
Kernahan 3
Evans 2
Johnston, Hunter, Naley, Sartori, Madden, McKenzie 1
Goals2 Dunstall, Platten
1 Curran, Buckenara, Loveridge, DiPierdomenico, Brereton, Kennedy
Naley, Johnston, Hunter, Bradley, Alvin, Madden, Aitken, Silvagni Best Platten, Tuck, Langford, Kennedy, Ayres, Schwab
Injuries Dunstall (ankle)
NilReportsNil

Week three (Preliminary Final)

Preliminary final (Hawthorn vs Melbourne)

The Preliminary Final saw Hawthorn play Melbourne at VFL Park on Saturday 19 September for the right to contest the grand final against Carlton. Among the spectators was Wimbledon champion and Hawks fan Pat Cash, who had interrupted a holiday in Queensland with family to attend the match. [3]

Teams

The line-ups as announced on the Thursday before the game were as published in The Football Record . [4]

Hawthorn
B:39 Paul Abbott 24 Chris Langford 07 Gary Ayres (vc)
HB:17 Michael Tuck (c)02 Chris Mew 01 Ray Jencke
C:04 Peter Russo 30 Peter Schwab 09 Robert DiPierdomenico
HF:11 Gary Buckenara 15 Russell Morris 34 John Kennedy Jr.
F:25 Peter Curran 23 Dermott Brereton 22 Richard Loveridge
Foll:14 Greg Dear 29 Russell Greene 44 John Platten
Int:13 Paul Dear 41 Darrin Pritchard
Coach: Allan Jeans
Melbourne
B:29 Dean Chiron 10 Danny Hughes 27 Sean Wight
HB:17 Brett Lovett 35 Earl Spalding 34 Stephen Newport
C:18 Steven Stretch 07 Brian Wilson 08 Graeme Yeats
HF:12 Todd Viney 23 Warren Dean 02 Robert Flower (c)
F:45 Ricky Jackson 40 Tony Campbell 37 Jim Stynes
Foll:32 Steven O'Dwyer 24 Bret Bailey 33 Greg Healy (vc)
Int:25 Simon Eishold 14 Rod Grinter
Coach: John Northey

There were no late changes for either side.

Match Summary

Although kicking against the wind, it was Hawthorn who controlled most of the play early in the game until Demons took the lead. The lead for most of the many until the frenetic final minutes, Hawthon’s Gary Bukenara marks just before the final siren. A 15-meter penalty, due to Melbourne’s Jim Stynes running over the mark, helped him kick a goal, with Hawthorn winning by 2 points. [5]

Scorecard
Preliminary Final
Saturday, 19 September (2:30pm) Hawthorn def. Melbourne VFL Park (crowd: 71,298) Report
1.4 (10)
3.6 (24)
7.8 (50)
 11.14 (80)
Q1
Q2
Q3
 Final
2.3 (15)
6.10 (46)
10.12 (72)
 10.18 (78)
Umpires: Robinson, Howlett
Television broadcast: ABC TV
Buckenara 5
Jencke, Morris, Curran, Brereton, Pritchard, Kennedy 1
Goals3 Jackson
2 Wilson, Grinter
1 Viney, Stynes, Dean
Schwab, Buckenara, Tuck, Russo, Langford, Ayres Best Jackson, Wight, Viney, Hughes, Spalding, Healy, Chiron
DiPierdomenico (bruised shoulder), Kennedy (bruised thigh), Mew (slight concussion)Injuries Wilson (dislocated shoulder), Flower (bruised shoulder)
Morris (striking)ReportsNil

Week four (Grand Final)

This was the second consecutive Grand Final involving Carlton, who were chasing a League record 15th VFL premiership, and Hawthorn, who were chasing their 7th premiership and aiming for their first set of back-to-back flags.

Grand Final
26 September (2:50 pm) Carlton def. Hawthorn MCG (crowd: 92,754) Report
3.5 (23)
6.8 (44)
10.11 (71)
 15.14 (104)
Q1
Q2
Q3
 Final
4.2 (26)
4.9 (33)
7.13 (55)
 9.17 (71)
Umpires: Robinson, Sawers
Norm Smith Medal: David Rhys-Jones
Television broadcast: ABC
National anthem: Daryl Somers
Kernahan, Bradley 3
Johnston 2
Dorotich, Gleeson, Murphy, Hunter, Naley, McKenzie, Meldrum 1
Goals3: Kennedy
1: Curran, Collins, Pritchard, Platten, DiPierdomenico, G Dear
Rhys-Jones, Johnston, Glascott, Aitken, Madden, Alvin Best Langford, DiPierdomenico, Tuck, Collins, Ayres, Greene
NilInjuriesNil
Johnston (striking), Madden (striking)ReportsNil

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References

  1. Iles, Geoff (5 September 1987). "The Game in Figures". The Football Record. p. 39.
  2. "Teams As Selected on Thursday Night". The Football Record . Victorian Football League. 5 September 1987. p. 32 via State Library of Victoria.
  3. "Cash on the Edge of Seat". The Canberra Times . Vol. 62, no. 18, 979. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 20 September 1987. p. 6 (Sunday Sport). Retrieved 4 October 2021 via National Library of Australia.
  4. "Teams As Selected on Thursday Night". The Football Record . Vol. 76, no. 25. Victorian Football League. 19 September 1987. p. 33 via State Library of Victoria.
  5. Final Minute of Hawthorn v Melbourne 1987 VFL Preliminary Final - WITH COUNTDOWN CLOCK, 4 December 2020, retrieved 9 September 2021

Bibliography