The Final Story - 1991 Grand Final

[Agent Smith]

Same here, West Coast in 1991 were pretty much an unstoppable force from my point of view, and I was surprised we won in the end.

I thought their aura of invincibility was destroyed in the Qualifying Final. Even in the first quarter when they got a few goals up I wasn't too worried as we always used to get off to a slow start and then build momentum... well, in quite a number of games during that era. As a Carlton mate said to me after the game, the last minute of the first quarter probably decided the win. Might be some truth in that.

 

[Agent Smith]

I like Malthouse, but I do admit I find him amusing at times. I recall when he was with West Coast, all he did was whinge about the advantages Melbourne based clubs had, but the moment he switched to Collingwood, he started whinging about the advantages teams from other states had. He's a beauty is Mick, has a reading intelligence, but obviously doesn't think a lot before commenting

Reminds me a lot of one K. Sheedy...

Have I insulted Mick too far just then?

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Reminds me a lot of one K. Sheedy...

Have I insulted Mick too far just then?

Yes, a little. I think Malthouse would pull up short of accusing an opposition club of drug taking on the eve of a 2nd semi final. That was a low act by Sheedy, and I've never paid attention to anything he's had to say since.

 

[Tassieboy]

That was brilliant from an outsiders perspective! Amazing how ruthless Hawthorn were sacking Joyce 2 years later.

 

[Arc1]

Very good viewing in the end. Just some random thoughts...

Interesting listening to Dermie's comments as opposed to other players' - he came across as very smug for most of the doco, though I wonder if that is just reflective of the confidence he played with. Certainly to listen to him, Hawthorn knew all along they would win. Whereas like others above, I remember West Coast that year being pretty much a steamroller, and was shocked when we beat them in the first final. When Langers gave those two 50m I had an awful sinking feeling.

Amazing to see all those players again, gosh that was a fantastic lineup. Although the game has moved on enormously in speed and tactics, when you watch Ben Allan putting it on Dunstall's chest, you'd reckon quite a few of those players would have done just fine if they were running around now.

Sad stuff on Chris Mainwaring. I disliked that they dodged the issue - that was poor journalism that would leave the uninformed watcher just scratching their head - but watching Guy McKenna getting teared-up about it, I did a little bit also. I loved watching Chris play - he and Craig Turley were awesome players at the time who I'd have loved to have had in our team. Liked them almost as much as I detested Brett Heady.

Per others here, I thought the Mick Malthouse stuff just came off as hypocritical. Wasn't he in the media just recently saying it's not the coach's role to be helping stamp out vilification? And yet it's tragic they didn't do more about Chris Lewis' situation? Clearly learned a lot in 20 years, Mick - zero points. What I did think was sad though was his comment that footy wore Chris down over time - it appeared the implication was that the racism and abuse were at the heart of that.

The other thing I really noticed - where the hell did 20 years go, and all those great players, and all the ones that came since. Wow. Life just flies past you.

Dunstall's closing comment was a good one, but I thought Dermie's was more interesting - there's a guy who's genuinely done well for himself post-footy, but what's the one thing he wishes for? Just to be able to play again.

Good stuff. I barely watch TV these days, but that was worth the time.

 

[71" GF]

Does make you realise how old you're getting ,What stood out to me about that team was the importance of experience and leadership.If you look at that team ,contrary to popular opinion, they weren't that old ,names like Gowers ,Hudson ,P .Dear ,Lawrence, Pritchard ,Morrisey,Benny Allen ,Condon ,Dean Anderson ,you would 've thought that we were going to be still on top for a few more years ,but it was all downhill after that.Tuck ,Ayres ,Langford retired Dermie was permanently injured and a lot of those young guys never really reached great heights again.I remember waiting and waiting for Paul Dear to play another blinder for us in season's after that but it just never came and as for guys like Lawrence ,Condon and Morrisey they seemed to just disappear.I always knew West Coast were destined to become a power but i'm just glad it didn't happen on that day not against us that's for sure.

 

[Scream]

Anyone feel for Huddo Jnr. Loved him as a player, was disappointing when he left but I understood.

Seems to live his life in his old mans shadow.

 

[mullumbimbyhawk]

Just finished watching it. Really well made doco. Dermie will always come off as a bit of a w***er but on the field he definately had the moves and skills to go with the swagger.

As I was watching it i couldn't help thinking that Hawthorn maybe had the greatest mullets of any side to ever play AFL. Gary Ayres is un****withable. Glad they mentioned that as well

 

[cam975]

Paul Dear reminds me of watching Roughy. Similar body shape (maybe minus the pumpkin head!).

What a superb time to play the game of his life.

 

[Pessimistic]

Proves that dagginess survived well past the seventies in australia


And malthouses comments about waverley being '30k east of alice springs'

I guess hes not on our possible coaches list then ? stick to being a seat warmer for the south yarra magies

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

And malthouses comments about waverley being '30k east of alice springs'

As I've said earlier, I quite like Malthouse, but he lets himself down with irrelevant comments such as this. He said it as if it had some bearing on the result. Oh, I forgot .. Malthouse isn't used to travelling much further than to the MCG.

 

[dermie52]

Anyone know if they are replaying The Final Story - 1991 Grand Final
Sounds great from all the comments. Unfortuneately missed it on the day.

 

[dermie52]

anyone know if they are replaying the Final Story 1991??

 

[tahitian]

I was at the H&A game at Subi in round 22, 1991, standing in the old outer.

In the 3rd quarter (I think), there was a pack at CHF at the City end (left of TV screen), Chris Mew went to ground,
the ball moved towards the stand (TV) side and Lewis hurdled Mew following the ball, leading with his left leg. As he did so, he
scissor-kicked Mew with his right foot, toe-first, to the middle of Mew's thigh.

It was not a full-on piece of bastardry, but it was more solid than the toe-poke that Tony Francis got 8 or 10 weeks for in 1990.
I remember that Mew's head snapped around, that his face blazed with anger and that he was in time to see who had done it.

(I've never seen a replay of the game and the pack may have masked the incident from the camera. Please put it on YouTube, if you can find it)

I am sure from what I saw that the Hawks, in 91 at least, had taken Lewis' number.

 

[bak2bak8889]

1991 will always be remembered in my family as a premiership we were destined to win, My niece was born in 87 with severe heart complications, she was in and out of hospital for 5 years until july 1991,when she tragically lost her battle.. The doctors had told us she would be lucky to survive 6 months let alone 5 years, She loved the Hawks cos of her uncle and so the monday before the Qualifying Final and the odds stacked up against us I wrote a letter to Alan Joyce and told him the story of this brave little girl who never gave up the fight even though it kept getting harder and harder, Anyways God love the bloke cos He actually rang my house and spoke to me , I wished him luck and asked him to relay the story to the boys, Well we all know the RESULT of that game and The Grand Final, To this day I don't know if he actually used My Niece as inspiration BUT she sure watched over them and helped a little. So cheers to you ,Alan and the boys for a memorable result and keeping the Family Spirit alive and well,>>>How good would it be to see the underdogs get up this year , Hawthorn & West Coast and we can relive this Granny 20 years later!!! cheers (In Loving Memory of my Niece)

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Very nice story bak2bak8889.

 

[EasternTiger]

Just watched this after stumbling across it on youtube. Amazing era of domination, and a great doco.

 

[Brown Blood]

Paul Dear reminds me of watching Roughy. Similar body shape (maybe minus the pumpkin head!).

What a superb time to play the game of his life.

Rough is far more talented so (I hope) has a greater than equal chance to play an equally good game in a GF.

 

[The Jet From Poowong]

Rough is far more talented so (I hope) has a greater than equal chance to play an equally good game in a GF.

agree he is more talented but he doesn't quite have the same level of mongrel. When Paul hit someone they stayed hit. Brick shithouse

 

[Hawkers]

Just watched this after stumbling across it on youtube. Amazing era of domination, and a great doco.

Awesome bump and post. Thanks EasternTiger

I loved watching that, can you get it from anywhere? Any one know?

It reminded me of the first time I saw a live game

I think it was 93 or 94 against North on a Friday night.
Dunstall kicked a goal late in the game to give us the lead and Gowers got the ball deep from the restart and dribbled it along the boundary line just before the siren.

Those blokes were a great football team. So many unsung heros

I loved Dermott's determination, win at all costs
I loved Langford's cool, calm exterior yet burning desire
Some many not mentioned, Hudson, Gower, Collins.....

To me it shows what is important about football. No remembers unsuccessful teams and they don't do documentaries about the team that game 4th, 5th, or 10th.
All current players should watch that and understand what it means to be part of Hawthorn and the extended family

 

[The BIG X]

At the 30min mark of this doco - Joyce says 'winning is not expected at Hawthorn it is demanded

 

[Pessimistic]

Does make you realise how old you're getting ,What stood out to me about that team was the importance of experience and leadership.If you look at that team ,contrary to popular opinion, they weren't that old ,names like Gowers ,Hudson ,P .Dear ,Lawrence, Pritchard ,Morrisey,Benny Allen ,Condon ,Dean Anderson ,you would 've thought that we were going to be still on top for a few more years ,but it was all downhill after that.Tuck ,Ayres ,Langford retired Dermie was permanently injured and a lot of those young guys never really reached great heights again.I remember waiting and waiting for Paul Dear to play another blinder for us in season's after that but it just never came and as for guys like Lawrence ,Condon and Morrisey they seemed to just disappear.I always knew West Coast were destined to become a power but i'm just glad it didn't happen on that day not against us that's for sure.

Its fairly well known after we pissed off our champions in 1993 not many players wanted to come to us

Losing jars then benny allan was the pits

 

[Agent Smith]

Its fairly well known after we pissed off our champions in 1993 not many players wanted to come to us

Losing jars then benny allan was the pits

True, though I think at the time we were trying to remain solvent so the cheque books were put away. Amazing how such a dark period could occur so soon after what we'd call the 'glory years'.

 

[Argy]

Just watched this after stumbling across it on youtube. Amazing era of domination, and a great doco.

Watching that, and hearing JD talk about the significance of winning premierships to each individual player makes me think Buddy would be foolish to leave for a few extra bucks.

 

[Ram-Man]

Just watched this after stumbling across it on youtube. Amazing era of domination, and a great doco.

Thanks ET !! Missed it on Sunday. That final goal by Jason was so fitting of the era -- " Tuck to Brereton to Mew to Dunstall some of the most famous names at this famous club "

Its fairly well known after we pissed off our champions in 1993 not many players wanted to come to us

Losing jars then benny allan was the pits

At least with Darren Jarman we received Paul Salmon in return but we got nothing for Allan - uncontracted player selection when Fremantle were introduced into the league.