1987 VFL Grand Final
Home TeamHawthorn
Away TeamCarlton
Date26 September 1987
StadiumMelbourne Cricket Ground
CityMelbourne
TV in Australia
NetworkABC
 < 1986  AFL Grand Final  1988 > 

The 1987 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Hawthorn Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 26 September 1987. It was the the 91st annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers for the 1987 VFL season. The match, attended by 92,754 spectators, was won by Carlton by a margin of 33 points, marking that club's 15th premiership win.

Background

It was Hawthorn's fifth successive Grand Final and they had beaten Carlton in the previous season's Grand Final. Carlton had not won a flag since winning the 1982 VFL Grand Final.

At the conclusion of the home and away season, Carlton had finished first on the VFL ladder with 18 wins and 4 losses. Hawthorn had finished second with 15 wins and 5 losses.

Carlton had only beaten Hawthorn in two of the last twelve games in which the two teams had met, although they had defeated them most recently in the Qualifying Final leading up to the Grand Final.

Match summary

The game was played on a very hot day, with temperatures hovering above 30 degrees Celsius, which was thought to favour Carlton after Hawthorn had finished a very tough finals campaign. Hawthorn were also without Jason Dunstall who had kicked 94 goals for the year and 6 against the Blues in the previous year's Grand Final but was out of the game with an ankle injury. Instead they played Paul Dear at full-forward.

The Norm Smith Medal was awarded to Carlton defender David Rhys-Jones for being judged the best player afield. Rhys-Jones kept dangerous Hawthorn forward Dermott Brereton goalless for the game.

Teams

Carlton
B: Tom Alvin Stephen Silvagni David Glascott
HB: Ian Aitkin David Rhys-Jones Peter Dean
C: Michael Kennedy Craig Bradley Shane Robertson
HF: Richard Dennis Stephen Kernahan (c) Ken Hunter
F: Paul Meldrum Jon Dorotich Mark Naley
Foll: Justin Madden Wayne Johnston Fraser Murphy
Int: Adrian Gleeson Warren McKenzie
Coach: Robert Walls
Hawthorn
B: Gary Ayres Chris Mew Andrew Collins
HB: Ray Jencke Chris Langford John Kennedy
C: Russell Greene Michael Tuck (c) Robert DiPierdomenico
HF: Peter Curran Dermott Brereton Russell Morris
F: Gary Buckenara Paul Dear Peter Russo
Foll: Greg Dear Peter Schwab John Platten
Int: Paul Abbott Darrin Pritchard
Coach: Allan Jeans

Statistics

Score

Team 1 2 3 Final
Carlton 3.5 6.8 10.11 15.14 (104)
Hawthorn 4.2 4.9 7.13 9.17 (71)

Goal kickers

Carlton

  • Bradley 3
  • Kernahan 3
  • Johnston 2
  • Dorotich 1
  • Gleeson 1
  • Hunter 1
  • McKenzie 1
  • Meldrum 1
  • Murphy 1
  • Naley 1

Hawthorn

  • Kennedy 3
  • Collins 1
  • Curran 1
  • G.Dear 1
  • DiPierdomenico 1
  • Platten 1
  • Pritchard 1

See also