How many of you are too young to remember the 'glory days'?

[OneEyedHawk]

I attended again in 1988 and watched the '89 Granny from behind a pillow...

Don't worry, FR. I won't judge you mate.

 

[tinnman]

got to say this has been a great thread,even though i was in my teens for most of the Eighties I have only been to the 91 grand final,remember being right behind the goals when the freak morrissey kicked a torp on the run for a goal.

the next day at Glennferrie oval was one of the best days i have had.

 

[Gary Shadforth]

You'd be a good person to compare Brendan Edwards, Who would you say he is most like to, compared to a recent player.
Graham Arthur once said he likened him to Robert Harvey.
Was he as consistent as his myth would suggest, he won the best & Fairest in 1960.

I’m not sure I can compare Brendan to Harves, Old School. Robert is a great but is not as fleet of foot as Edwards was. Hmmm, modern day player? Well, I would need to think about a player who is a midfielder, called a centerman in his era. Maybe the Cat’s Chapman although I feel the latter is more rugged than Brendan was. Maybe Daisy at Collingwood as far as speed goes but Thompson hasn’t the multi-skills Bren had. And the Pie has lost it as far as I’m concerned. Some ordinary performances of late.

Brendan was a type of player before his time, polished in skills, sleek in running, a great mark on the run, and a terrific drop-kick stab passer to forwards on the lead. and an absolute fitness fanatic (he became a gymnasium chain operator after leaving Swinburne Tech as a sports-master). Unfortunately a debilitating injury prematurely ended his career

Brendan is one of my all time favorite players. He was always in the news as Hawthorn emerged and became a power. But, however, was seen as a bit of a show-pony. I rather saw him as having a great deal of flare on and off the paddock - and in those days Glenferrie was just that with lots of mud.

He was at Swinnie when the great JK Snr was principal, So both had only a short walk/run to training.

I had the pleasure to have a long talk to Brendan at the Gabba in Brisbane about four years ago after the Lions had thrashed us in the last vestiges of the Schwab coaching era. He was operating a fitness farm here on the Gold Coast and also started up a Gold Coast supporters group.

A great question, Old School, I hope the answer is adequate.

 

[Mervyn Beasley]

Can anyone remember how weird it was in 1990 to not be in the GF.
I was so bored and p'd off I put my hand up to work for the day.

Then the scum went and allowed the Pies their only flag in 50 years in the most boring GF ever.

Any hawk around 40yrs of age such as myself is so so lucky. Despite not being in, let alone winning a GF for 16 years, my average is still a flag every 5 years of my life. Only a 15(and under)yr old Lion supporter can compete with this.

Hopefully my average will improve and you younger hawks can begin to bring yours down as well (Actually i think you need a flag to start an average).

Gary. In 30yrs I want my scarf to look like yours

 

[stoner]

Born in 67, the 80's were great, (1) Premierships, (2) alcohol, (3) girls, it was the party decade for me.

Amen Brother!!!!!!

Did struggle with point 3 though, due in large part to the effects of point 2.

First live Hawks grand final was in '83 - $1.00 standing room tickets in the old Southern Stand - best day at the footy ever!!!!!!!

Was lucky enough to also see us in '86, '88 and '89.

Wont be there this year if we are lucky enough to make it, but from what I've seen on tele so far this year, there are more than enough mad Hawks around to get us over the line.

GO HAWKS!!!!

 

[moginie]

Born in 65 but didn't see a VFL game until 74 or so.
Funnily enough, I can't remember much of the 75 or 76 GFs but I remember being bitterly disappointed with the losses in the final in 77 & (especially) 82 (& so began my deep hatred of anything & everything Carlton). I remember storming into school after winning the 83 GF & sticking it up the Richmond supporters who had paid me out for years reminding them ever so subtly that it was MY team that had just comprehensively won the premiership.
I had to go to work halfway through the 84 GF & thought the game was in the bag. I swore after that day that a GF with Hawthorn in it would be a day of no work & plenty of football watching.
Because I spent the next few years travelling around Australia I have some great memories of sticking it up the Carlton supporters in a pub in Adelaide during the 86 GF, skulling after every goal we kicked in the 88 GF,
sitting in a motel room in Newcastle with a mate who was a Geelong supporter watching the 89 GF & trying to watch the 91 GF in a crowded pub in Sydney & ignoring all the jibes about how Australian Rules was a fairy's game.
I can't wait to see us in another Grand Final.

 

[Old school Hawk]

I’m not sure I can compare Brendan to Harves, Old School. Robert is a great but is not as fleet of foot as Edwards was. Hmmm, modern day player? Well, I would need to think about a player who is a midfielder, called a centerman in his era. Maybe the Cat’s Chapman although I feel the latter is more rugged than Brendan was. Maybe Daisy at Collingwood as far as speed goes but Thompson hasn’t the multi-skills Bren had. And the Pie has lost it as far as I’m concerned. Some ordinary performances of late.

Brendan was a type of player before his time, polished in skills, sleek in running, a great mark on the run, and a terrific drop-kick stab passer to forwards on the lead. and an absolute fitness fanatic (he became a gymnasium chain operator after leaving Swinburne Tech as a sports-master). Unfortunately a debilitating injury prematurely ended his career

Brendan is one of my all time favorite players. He was always in the news as Hawthorn emerged and became a power. But, however, was seen as a bit of a show-pony. I rather saw him as having a great deal of flare on and off the paddock - and in those days Glenferrie was just that with lots of mud.

He was at Swinnie when the great JK Snr was principal, So both had only a short walk/run to training.

I had the pleasure to have a long talk to Brendan at the Gabba in Brisbane about four years ago after the Lions had thrashed us in the last vestiges of the Schwab coaching era. He was operating a fitness farm here on the Gold Coast and also started up a Gold Coast supporters group.

A great question, Old School, I hope the answer is adequate.

What an awesome description, Garry.
May his legend build.

 

[Hawks1523]

For those who remember the glory years, what's it like having a side like that dominate, and winning so many premierships?.. I've seen sides I follow in other sports win premierships (Storm, Victory, Arsenal, Spurs) but I'm about 10 times as passionate about Hawthorn as I am about any of those teams and can't even begin to think how good it must feel to see the Hawks win a flag.

 

[Ugottabjokin]

Born in 71 in australia but was living overseas in the Hawks glory years so actaully have never been to a grand final.

Hope to see a few in the next few years and five2fifty comes to fruition.

 

[Off The Couch]

I remember the glory years vividly but living in country WA meant I never got to attend a grandfinal, in fact the closest I got was watching "The Winners" on the ABC.

When I finally did get to move to the big smoke, those days had started to fade but I have continued to pay for my membership through those "hazy horrible" days and now it seems the glory days may be amongst us again and this time around NOTHING on this planet will make me miss being there in person

 

[QuietB]

I was born in 73'. Until last year 89' was the only GF I had ever been too and I didn't really see the need to ever go to another one.

Used to love watching games from the terraces at Princess park as a kid. One single row of seating around the fence and then just a swathe of old men in the concrete terraces standing on beer cans!

My worst memory is being 11 in 84, both my brothers had just switched to the bombers and they smashed the hawks in the 2nd half. Can still remember going out the front of the house half way through the last and just kicking the footy to myself.

2 years later the hawks started a run of 4 premierships in 6 years. Plenty to dine out on through High School and into Uni.

I got a little bit excited in 2001, but no where near as excited as I am now. I believe that this group is going to do something really special - lets hope its this year.

 

[Hodgie15]

I havent seen any grandfinals with us in it, as i was too young

i was born 1989, but i was born after the grandfinal, in october, few weeks later.
As for 1991, i was still in nappies... litrally.
i was 1, almost 2 the following month

so this is all now very exceiting for me.

 

[Hawk-in-syd]

Remember them well.
< thatss me getting drunk from the 91 cup in my avatar. Also had a drink from the 89. Didn't even worry me when they told me dermie had pissed in it a couple of nights earlier. Ha the glory days.

 

[Juza]

Born in 92'

Don't remember any GF's and haven't been to any.
Hopefully it will all change this year!
Well... We'll know Saturday Night won't we?

 

[Hawka_de_Haven]

Geez, how old do I feel.

Heard the 71 GF on Radio and have seen the Hawks win the big dance in 76,78,83,86,88,89,91.

I remember being in my prime in the 80s and being drunk all the time while bathing in the glory of the Mighty Hawks Machine.

It's been a long time between drinks for this poor old 45yo.

Was hoping I'd come across a gen X. Wasn't sure if I should post given my young years. Born in 1966, I let you do the math. Started following the Hawks in 78, late bloomer I know, In fact I first took note of our fine game when upon noticing Peter McKenna of Collingwood wearing No.6. I soon discovered tha Micheal Moncrief's No 6 looked better coupled with the bird like ability of Peter Knights and the sublime skills of Lethal, my love 4 the Hawks evolved. I was fortunate enough to attend the 86 and 91 GF's but unfortunate enough to also attend the 87 to see the blues who bought the premiership that year convincing winners over the Hawks. My only real regret over the years is my inability not to appreciate how simple it was to go to semis and prelims and sit in prime seats all for the cost of a couple of pots and a parma (today's prices).

 

[Blasé]

i remember 88,89 and 91 pretty well. 87 was pretty hazy but it's good to forget sometimes. thankfully i remember little about the bomber losses, yet still have a firm dislike of essendon.

89 is very interesting should we line up against them next week. the shoe is very much on the other foot. they will be going for the elusive back to back, we will have the mercurial match winner, they will be the champ and us the under dog and we will be the young hungry team while they with the beginning to age warriors.

hopefully we break the pattern and win though! if we can give them as good a match as they gave us then, then i'll be proud and happy.

glory days seems to be a very dangerous word. we should not expect anything like that to happen again and must be willing to scrap and fight for whatever we can get in a far more difficult and highly competitive environment.

 

[d3rm13]

IF the Hawks made the GF, it'd be my first ever GF with the Hawks in it.

I was 9 months old when we won in 89 and a tad under 3 years of age when we won in 91 - so it's fair to say I don't remember those grand finals.

So how about you? Were you fortunate enough to be old enough to enjoy the glory days of the 70's and 80's, or are you like myself - not quite old enough, but hoping to see for yourself a 'revival' during the next decade?

Same boat as you mate.
i was named after Bereton, was born in 89 month after the grand final and Father decided to name me after 'Dermie'. Only lived to see the video's, hence why im over the moon that we're two hours of game play away from being on the big stage

Go Hawthorn

 

[Mr Chuckles]

I was born in '77, just old enough to be around for the golden years! What a team, so many quality players all over the field. My favourites growing up were Tuck, Brereton, Platten and Dunstall.

Mind you, you kinda get spoiled at that age if your team dominates for years on end. My earliest footy memories are from 1983 when I was five, and by the time we won in 1991 I was thirteen and had seen us win five flags from eight Grand Finals in nine seasons. It was brilliant, but in hindsight I couldn't appreciate it fully at the time because I'd never known bad times as a supporter, and had no comprehension of just how rarely premierships, and even Grand Final appearances, tend to occur in normal circumstances.

Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined I'd still be waiting to see our next flag at the age of 30!

 

[garygee]

I was born in '62.
Peter Hudson was my boyhood hero. Later Leigh Matthews.
Seen lots of ups and downs.

 

[Birchustar]

i watch the 1991 granny on my dads lap, although i was only 11 days old, i was born on the 17th of sep . Luckily my old man tapped the 80's grand finals and 91

 

[JoeHawk]

Born in 68, I vividly remember watching the 78 Grand Final on TV and seeing Peter Knights come back from being decked and finishing off the Roos. Inspirational stuff. That's when it all began for me.

Then going through High School and Swinburne Uni, which was even better being right next to Glenferrie Oval.

Unfortunately only managed to see the 91 GF live, but what a memorable era. And now some think Geelong are arrogant. They had nothing on the Hawks back then after playing in 9 GF's in row. Going to a game wasn't about "will we win?" but "by how much?"

I recall when playing some lowly sides like Richmond, St Kilda or Fitzroy, if they were say within 10 points at half time, the Hawks supporters were notably upset, whilst the oppostion team were getting a standing ovation from their supporters.

That's why it was so hard for me to get used to the "losing concept" that followed during the late 90's and early 00's.

So at last, I get the feeling we are onto something special. If not this year, it won't be too far off. So I'm just going to enjoy the ride for the next few years or so.

Go Hawks.

 

[JohnPeckNo23]

I saw every Peter Hudson game and every Leigh Matthews game - except when they played at Kardinia Park because it was too hard to get there. That good enough?

 

[PoidaCat]

I thought you were older.

Good post!

This is why I don't care about arguments like "How many Flags have you won!" that Carlton/Essendon types say when we are smashing them by 15 goals.

 

[B&YBlood]

I was born in 80 so the only one I don't remember was 83, but I remember the heartbreak of 84, 85, 87 and even though I was a kid its not something that you ever forget. But the joy of 86, 88, 89, and 91 is amazing.

I remember the ones we won fondly and am ready to feel that again.

 

[B&YBlood]

Born in 68, I vividly remember watching the 78 Grand Final on TV and seeing Peter Knights come back from being decked and finishing off the Roos. Inspirational stuff. That's when it all began for me.

Then going through High School and Swinburne Uni, which was even better being right next to Glenferrie Oval.

Unfortunately only managed to see the 91 GF live, but what a memorable era. And now some think Geelong are arrogant. They had nothing on the Hawks back then after playing in 9 GF's in row. Going to a game wasn't about "will we win?" but "by how much?"

I recall when playing some lowly sides like Richmond, St Kilda or Fitzroy, if they were say within 10 points at half time, the Hawks supporters were notably upset, whilst the oppostion team were getting a standing ovation from their supporters.

That's why it was so hard for me to get used to the "losing concept" that followed during the late 90's and early 00's.

So at last, I get the feeling we are onto something special. If not this year, it won't be too far off. So I'm just going to enjoy the ride for the next few years or so.

Go Hawks.

Best post I've read in a long long long time!