1985 reserves Grand final

[worthy]

I was thinking about a thread on the MB about greatest grand final performances, and I could vaguely remember watching Buckenara have an outstanding reserves game, so I did some research and it was in 1985.

Forget the senior game as we were flogged by the Bombers.

Bucky kicked 8 goals and had an outstanding last Q (I think)

Anyway, when looking for some info I saw a list of the 85 reserves team:

•Hawthorn's players in the Reserves Grand Final:
Malaxos, Greg Dear, Bennett, Knights, Curran, Byrne, Eade, McGrath, Howard, Bailey, Morrissey, Considine, Ellingworth, Abbott, Flintoff, Wittman, Guerts, Buckenara, Robertson, Teal and Sullivan. Emerg Jencke, Collins

Holy sh*t, that's some talented reserves side.

 

[RustyHawk]

memories

The senior side wasnt half bad BUT how guys like Knights and Bucky and Dear left out was a disgrace. Ken Judge managed just 1 goal. Never a high possession getter either.

We got smashed in the ruck. Langford and McCarthy vs Dear, Abbott & Byrne. Salmon kicked 8 and Merrett 5 and Simon Madden won the Norm Smith. They where just too big and strong.

Mind you that result in 1985 was a true result. Essendon 100% better than us and we where 100% better than the rest but the Bombers really where a powerful outfit and deserved winners of the GF.

Thankfully Sheedy stuffed up the next year and moved on some loyal grunt players and replaced with a couple of showboating journey men.

Chris Wittman would have been too young to be considered for the seniors.

Hawthorn
B: 7 Gary Ayres 2 Chris Mew 30 Peter Schwab

HB: 15 Russell Morris 6 Rod Lester-Smith 29 Russell Greene

C: 9 Robert DiPierdomenico 16 Terry Wallace 4 Peter Russo

HF: 34 John Kennedy 23 Dermott Brereton 1 Ken Judge

F: 20 Michael McCarthy 19 Jason Dunstall 3 Leigh Matthews (c)

Foll: 28 Chris Langford 37 Robert Handley 22 Richard Loveridge

Int: 17 Michael Tuck 8 David O'Halloran

 

[worthy]

memories

Can you recall Bucky's reserves GF game, it's pretty vague for me now, but I can remember thinking at the time, i've not seen a player dominate a game like that, even if it was reserves.

 

[RustyHawk]

Can you recall Bucky's reserves GF game, it's pretty vague for me now, but I can remember thinking at the time, i've not seen a player dominate a game like that, even if it was reserves.

The only thing I remember is the celebration at the end of the game. The group shot of the boys together in a huddle celebrating and laughing. While that was going on I and im sure many thousands of Hawks supporters where thinking how much we would all dearly have loved Bucky and few others in the senior team that day.

Pretty sure the whole thing was broadcast live but dont remember Bucky's actual game.

 

[PNess]

I was thinking about a thread on the MB about greatest grand final performances, and I could vaguely remember watching Buckenara have an outstanding reserves game, so I did some research and it was in 1985.

Forget the senior game as we were flogged by the Bombers.

Bucky kicked 8 goals and had an outstanding last Q (I think)

Anyway, when looking for some info I saw a list of the 85 reserves team:

•Hawthorn's players in the Reserves Grand Final:
Malaxos, Greg Dear, Bennett, Knights, Curran, Byrne, Eade, McGrath, Howard, Bailey, Morrissey, Considine, Ellingworth, Abbott, Flintoff, Wittman, Guerts, Buckenara, Robertson, Teal and Sullivan. Emerg Jencke, Collins

Holy sh*t, that's some talented reserves side.

...and James Worthy won a championship months before. Taking it waaay back!

 

[Hannabal]

It's not completely relevant, but my older Brother played in the Hawthorn Reserves 1978 Grand Final team.

As you all know, really good players played lots of reserves footy in those days. He played quite a lot of footy with Dipper, Peter Welsh, Goad, Murnane, Russo, etc.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Best memory of the 1985 Reserves GF: Belting Carlton.

Worst memory: Peter Knights in a Carlton jumper having swapped after the game. My last memory of Knights as a player was in a bloody Carlton jumper!!!

 

[DESTRUKTOR]

Talking to Chris Wittman a couple of months back. He said he was going to drop in and give me a video of the 1985 Grand Final, apparantly it has some pre-game footage with the pre game speech, not sure on exact details, but something like that. He wants me to put it onto DVD for him.

He mentioned that the reserves win was equal to a seniors win as far as highlights in his career. Something like that, don't quote me, but something along these lines.

Decent bloke also, still in contact with Dermie, and Hally and a couple others. Will catch him again soon, I will mention this thread to him.

 

[White Russian]

Witto was a great bloke. Underrated footballer. I think his last quarter in the '89 grand final went a long way to getting us ove r the line. Dennis called him as Collins once or twice.

 

[the walloper]

I have the game on dvd, transferred from video i think. The boys played really well as carlton had a very strong side in too. Bucky dominated.

 

[RustyHawk]

Talking to Chris Wittman a couple of months back. He said he was going to drop in and give me a video of the 1985 Grand Final, apparantly it has some pre-game footage with the pre game speech, not sure on exact details, but something like that. He wants me to put it onto DVD for him.

He mentioned that the reserves win was equal to a seniors win as far as highlights in his career. Something like that, don't quote me, but something along these lines.

Decent bloke also, still in contact with Dermie, and Hally and a couple others. Will catch him again soon, I will mention this thread to him.

Had the pleasure of meeting Chris on my first day at Lewis Constructions in mid, late January 1986. Ron Nalder (1961 Hawthorn Premiership player) was a company director and set Chris and two other Hawks up to work at what was then called the South East Medical Centre site (you know it as the Monash Hospital) Chris was working in the store room. cruisy job. One of the guys might have been and I say might be McGrath who played in the reserves final as well. Not 100% on that.

Seemed pretty laid back sort of guy from memory

Im also pretty sure I helped sack him on the 16th of April 1986 when all 82 BL's at Lewis where terminated. Such is life

 

[grizzlym]

Can you recall Bucky's reserves GF game, it's pretty vague for me now, but I can remember thinking at the time, i've not seen a player dominate a game like that, even if it was reserves.

Yeah, I saw that game as a kid. Also saw him play a state of origin game at Subiaco (I think) where he just tore it up. When Bucky was on, he was incredible, an amazing player.

<Sigh> you don't see his type gracing footy fields anymore.

 

[medusala]

Yeah, I saw that game as a kid. Also saw him play a state of origin game at Subiaco (I think) where he just tore it up. When Bucky was on, he was incredible, an amazing player.

<Sigh> you don't see his type gracing footy fields anymore.

Different game. 15 possessions for him would be more damaging than 35 for most midfielders these days. Dunstall was a gun but the delivery from Bucky, Platten and Pritchard (and later Jarman) was simply outstanding.

Not only that but Buckenara and Jarman were more than capable of taking a great contested mark as well.

Re 85 GF, IIRC Knights played a handy game. Non Hawthorn supporters often forget how good he was. Genuine superstar.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Different game. 15 possessions for him would be more damaging than 35 for most midfielders these days. Dunstall was a gun but the delivery from Bucky, Platten and Pritchard (and later Jarman) was simply outstanding.

Not only that but Buckenara and Jarman were more than capable of taking a great contested mark as well.

Re 85 GF, IIRC Knights played a handy game. Non Hawthorn supporters often forget how good he was. Genuine superstar.

35 possessions from midfielders doesn't impress me. They run around where the ball is all day, if they can't get at least 25-30 possessions, what in hell have they been doing all day? You are so right, 15 possessions from Buckenara and the game was ours.

Buckenara and Jarman were close to complete footballers, they never needed to handball because their kicking skills were devastating. We had a pre-season national competition in 1988 (I think), and Bucky was playing for WA. He took an amazing mark at Football Park I shall never forget, it was breath taking. Thank goodness we never let him return home

As for non-Hawthorn supporters forgetting how good Peter Knights was, now you know why I don't value the opinions of non-Hawthorn people as highly as some others. Players such as Leigh Matthews and Peter Knights were so far ahead of the likes of Judd for pure command of the skills of the game, it is laughable. Someone tried to suggest to me that Gary Ablett Jr is the best player of all time. I told them he wasn't even the best player in his family!!

As you say though ... different game ... unfortunately

 

[Arkadia]

I cannot work out why Buckenara and Knights played in the reserves that day, we could have used them in the seniors, might not have won but would have eased the pain of not losing by a huge margin, terrible day watching as a lad.

Don't care what non Hawthorn people say about Knights and Matthews they were and are my all time heroes.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

I cannot work out why Buckenara and Knights played in the reserves that day

I stand to be corrected as I don't know how much reserves footy either of them played that year, but I seem to recall they both received injuries late in the season and were brought back for the Reserves final. Someone out there will know for sure.

My memory of Peter Knights in 1985 was booting 9 goals on the "full back of the century" Silvagni, even though Knights was virtually playing on one leg.

 

[grizzlym]

I stand to be corrected as I don't know how much reserves footy either of them played that year, but I seem to recall they both received injuries late in the season and were brought back for the Reserves final. Someone out there will know for sure.

My memory of Peter Knights in 1985 was booting 9 goals on the "full back of the century" Silvagni, even though Knights was virtually playing on one leg.

At Princess Park. He took one mark virtually sandwiched between Silvagni and the goalpost where he leaped straight up. Amazing vertical leap.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

At Princess Park. He took one mark virtually sandwiched between Silvagni and the goalpost where he leaped straight up. Amazing vertical leap.

Most people remember Knights for his sensational marking, and that is understandable, but I also have fond memories of a fearlessly courageous player and the way he would break away from packs, leave them all standing in his wake, and then send a booming 60-70 metre torpedo deep into the forward line. Sensational player who should have won the 1975 Brownlow had it not been been for injury.

Injuries cost Peter at least one flag, perhaps a Browlow or two, and the chance for Hawks fans to see him play at least another 70-80 games.

 

[langers1971]

the amazing thing about that 1985 reserves grand final was that at 3/4 time, we trailed 12.10.82 to 9.12.66, then kicked 9 goals in the last qtr - 4 of them to Bucky, 2 of them to Knights to win by 16 points.

 

[mrcurly]

I can recall that season Bucky was pretty much on one leg after injury late in the year, the selectors didn't show any faith in him performing in the seniors GF. I watched that reserves game and thought we were shot early in the final quarter, Carlton were just too good - then Bucky really started firing, he was manufacturing goals out of nothing.

All i can remember of the senior GF was the bombers were far too good, blessed with many talented talls, and that Salmon would have looked nice in a Hawthorn jumper. In the end I don't think Bucky (or Knights) would have made the difference, '84 was the one that got away - not '85.

 

[Dollars Inc]

Been a big Hawk man for years but did not know Langford started in the ruck. Not bad for possibly the best FB we ever produced

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Been a big Hawk man for years but did not know Langford started in the ruck. Not bad for possibly the best FB we ever produced

Actually Langers started on the Wing. Not sure how many games he played there.

 

[mrcurly]

I think i would have Langers in a back pocket and Kel Moore at FB in my team of the last 40 years, he was one ice cool hombre. Peter Knights at CHB..

 

[yeahmate]

My memory could be shaky, but I thought Bucky missed most of 85 after suffering his knee in the 84 grand final, hence in the reserves for the 85 GF. Amazing also to think afterwards he tried to move back to the west and the club and he ended up in court to enforce his contract. He lost the case and went on to play in another 3 premierships...

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

My memory could be shaky, but I thought Bucky missed most of 85 after suffering his knee in the 84 grand final, hence in the reserves for the 85 GF.

Bucky injured his knee early in the '83 GF, and missed all but 1 game late in '84. In '85 he missed the first 4 games but played right up to the Second Semi Final. I'm not sure if he was injured and came back to play in the GF, or if he was dropped. For memory, 1985 wasn't a great year for Bucky by his own standards, kicking 27 goals in 19 games.

1986 saw him back to his best in a premiership year.