1985 VFL grand final

Grand final of the 1985 Victorian Football League season December 2017 December 2017 1985 VFL Grand Final 50px ESS 50px HAW 6.4 (40) 11.9 (75) 15.11 (101) 26.14 (170) 5.1 (31) 9.3 (57) 11.5 (71) 14.8 (92) 26.14 (170) 14.8 (92) 28 September 1985 Melbourne Cricket Ground 100,042 Cameron & Robinson Simon Madden (Essendon) Kevin Sheedy Seven Network Peter LandyLou RichardsBob Skilton 1984 1986 The 1985 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and Hawthorn Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 28 September 1985. It was the 89th annual grand final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers for the 1985 VFL season. The match, attended by 100,042 spectators, was won by Essendon by a margin of 78 points, marking that club's 14th premiership victory. Background 1985 VFL finals series 1985 VFL season It was the third consecutive year in which the two clubs met in the premiership decider, with Hawthorn having won the 1983 VFL Grand Final and Essendon having won the 1984 VFL Grand Final At the conclusion of the home and away season, Essendon had finished first on the VFL ladder with 19 wins and 3 losses. Hawthorn had finished third (behind Footscray) with 15 wins, 6 losses and a draw. In the finals series in the lead-up to the game, Hawthorn defeated Footscray in the Qualifying Final before meeting the Bombers in the second semi-final, which Essendon convincingly won by 40 points. The Hawks then met Footscray again in the preliminary final, which they won by 10 points to advance to the grand final. The Bombers advanced straight to the grand final on the back of their second semi-final win. Teams Hawthorn defender Peter Schwab was available to take his place in the Hawthorn lineup after he was cleared by the VFL Tribunal after he was reported for allegedly willfully wasting time in the club's preliminary final win against Foo.VFL clears Hawthorn player https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/128257318 18 July 2025 Canberra Times 25 September 1985 Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 44 _redrightsash _redsides _hoops_black 000000 000000 FB0000 Essendon _brown_stripes_copia _goldsides _hoops_gold FBBF15 823f00 823f00 Hawthorn #CC2031 Essendon Essendon Football Club #000000 26 Mark Thompson 28 Paul Weston 22 Billy Duckworth 10 Garry Foulds 30 Kevin Walsh 33 Glenn Hawker 2 Bryan Wood 32 Tim Watson 8 Neil Clarke 5 Terry Daniher (c) 25 Roger Merrett 38 Mark Harvey 4 Leon Baker 3 Paul Salmon 18 Paul Van Der Haar 27 Simon Madden 13 Darren Williams 14 Tony Elshaug 17 Stephen Carey 15 Alan Ezard Kevin Sheedy #4D2004 Hawthorn Hawthorn Football Club #FBBF15 7 Gary Ayres 2 Chris Mew 30 Peter Schwab 15 Russell Morris 6 Rod Lester-Smith 29 Russell Greene 9 Robert DiPierdomenico 16 Terry Wallace 4 Peter Russo 34 John Kennedy 23 Dermott Brereton 1 Ken Judge 20 Michael McCarthy 19 Jason Dunstall 3 Leigh Matthews (c) 28 Chris Langford 37 Robert Handley 22 Richard Loveridge 17 Michael Tuck 8 David O'Halloran Allan Jeans Match summary The grand final is often remembered for a wild bench-clearing brawl which broke out on the wing soon after the opening bounce. Essendon edged ahead early and increased its margin slightly at each of the changes, leading by nine points at quarter time, 18 points at half time and 30 points at three quarter time. The Bombers then scored a record 11.3 (69) in the final quarter to completely blow the game open. Paul Salmon kicked six goals for Essendon and Roger Merrett five. Forward Dermott Brereton starred for the Hawks with eight goals, the most ever in a losing grand final side (a record that stood until Gary Ablett's current record of nine goals in Gee's losing 1989 VFL Grand Final against Hawthorn). Brereton was also reported three times in the game — he later received a three match suspension for striking arising from the first quarter brawl. The Norm Smith Medal was awarded to Essendon's Simon Madden for being judged the best player afield. At the conclusion of the game, the 332nd and final game of Hawks great Leigh Matthews' 16-year career, Matthews then wiping away tears was chaired off the ground by his teammates. Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy said after the game to his players "It took you five years to play four quarters of football, but I'm patient. It was a wonderful effort of football, the way football should be played." Hawthorn would play in five of the next six grand finals, including winning the 1986 VFL Grand Final, while Essendon would have to wait until the 1993 AFL Grand Final before their next premiership success. Scoreboard 1985 VFL Grand Final Saturday, 28 September (14:30 (UTC+10)) Ess 6.4 (40) 11.9 (75) 15.11 (101) 26.14 (170) Salmon 6, Merrett 5, Harvey 4, Watson 3, Baker 2, Ezard 2, Williams 2, Duckworth, Thompson Madden, Salmon, Baker, Thompson, Clarke Hawker (striking) H Haw 5.1 (31) 9.3 (57) 11.5 (71) 14.8 (92) Brereton 8, DiPierdomenico, Judge, Lester-Smith, Loveridge, Matthews, McCarthy Brereton, O'Halloran, Morris, Lester-Smith, Wallace Brereton (rough conduct; striking (twice)) MCG, Melbourne 100,042 ReportWilson George Bombers blaze in by 13 goals The Sydney Morning Herald 29 September 1985 Sydney, New South Wales 88 P Cameron & I Robinson Norm Smith Medal Simon Madden (Essendon) Seven Network Dermott Brereton's eight goals set a new VFL Grand Final record, which stood until 1989. The match was the final played by Haw's Leigh Matthews who retired following 332 matches for the club. Tribunal Brereton (Hawthorn) by field umpire Robinson for unduly rough play against Van Der Haar (Essendon) in the first quarter.Bombers blitz it https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/13761652 18 July 2025 Canberra Times 29 September 1985 Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Sport 1 Charge not sustained.Smithers Patrick Brereton out three, but may still start season The Age 2 October 1985 Melbourne, Victoria 40 Brereton (Hawthorn) by goal umpire Andrews for allegedly striking Daniher (Essendon) in the first quarter. Brereton was suspended for three matches. Brereton (Hawthorn) by field umpire Robinson and boundary umpire Sporton for allegedly striking Harvey (Essendon) in the final quarter. Charge not sustained. Hawker (Essendon) by boundary umpire Sporton for allegedly striking DiPierdomenico in the first quarter. Charge not sustained. See also 1985 VFL season References Bibliography The Official statistical history of the AFL 2004 Ross, J. (ed), 100 Years of Australian Football 1897–1996: The Complete Story of the AFL, All the Big Stories, All the Great Pictures, All the Champions, Every AFL Season Reported, Viking, (Ringwood), 1996. 0-670-86814-0 External links UZ8OgqJDSOw 1985 VFL Grand Final - Essendon Vs Hawthorn (Extended Highlights) 1985 VFL Grand Final Souvenir The Football Record State Library of Victoria Victorian Football League 28 September 1985 74 27 http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/127565 Grand final Category:VFL/AFL Grand Finals Category:Essendon Football Club Category:Hawthorn Football Club Category:September 1985 sports events in Australia