The Bombers face the old enemy of the 1980s, Hawthorn, in one of this season’s most important games for our charges. After consecutive losses to Geelong, Brisbane and Melbourne, the Bombers are playing much better football but need wins on the board before their season slips away, and you could be there on Saturday May 7 with Essendon v Hawthorn Medallion Club tickets. You don’t need to wait until the week of the match to secure tickets or an AFL Corporate Box, get in early now.
As Brad Sewell once said: “Hawthorn hate Essendon and Essendon hate Hawthorn.”
The most recent log on the fire of hate between the clubs happened in 2015, when Sam Mitchell gestured to his arm in an injection motion.
Football opinions from people like Dermott Brereton were quite negative about Mitchell’s actions. Sam himself said it wasn’t a good look.
WADA’s verdict on 34 Essendon players taking a banned substance came down about a year later.
One of the bigger eruptions between the clubs happened in 2004 when, in response to Essendon’s physically intimidating game play, Deremott Brereton fired up the Hawks players at half time, urging them to “draw a line in the sand”.
A five-minute brawl broke out in the third quarter, followed by multiple fights and incidents. 18 reports were filed against players, with suspensions handed out for striking, kneeing and headbutting.
Commentators called it “the 1980’s revisited”.
It wasn’t the only time Brereton had fired up the Essendon/Hawthorn rivalry.
Running through the Bomber’s huddle in 1988, didn’t help things, neither did a big hit on Paul Vander Haar in the 1989 semi-final. Vander Haar was knocked out in the massive bump by the Hawks star.
Dermie would have been in a bit of trouble with the “no remonstrating with the umpires” rule if he played today.
Remember the 1984 Grand Final? Hawthorn led the match by four goals at half time, looking certain to get another premiership against Essendon. Sheedy pulled some slick coaching maneuvers and Essendon kicked a record final quarter score of 9.6 to rip the flag out from under the Hawks noses.
From Rioli’s goal of the year in 2009 to last minute match-winning goals in crucial games, these clubs have a long and colourful history against each other. We’re looking forward to their match in round 8.
