Round 13, 1987
Hawthorn vs Melbourne
Saturday 20 June
Venue: Princes Park
Attendance: 7,631
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Hawthorn | 3.2 | 4.4 | 5.6 | 6.8.44 |
| Melbourne | 0.1 | 3.4 | 6.6 | 8.9.57 |
Melbourne win by 13 points
Goalkickers: David Williams 3, Peter Giles 2, Russell Richards 2, Brian Wilson 1
Brownlow Votes:
3 - Adrian Battiston
2 - Brian Wilson
Milestones:
Nil
After two losses in a row, the Demons sat two games out of the five with their season hanging by a thread. A clash against Hawthorn in a sparsely occupied, wet Princes Park with quagmire surface was the last thing they needed. When they went into the first change 19 points down with just a solitary behind on the board it looked like the tiny crowd would see the favourites run away to an easy victory.
Led by the dominant John Platten and Michael Tuck the Hawks were dominant in the first quarter. Up front for Melbourne David Williams was being mauled by defenders whenever he got the ball and looked desperately out of touch. That was as good as it got for the Hawks. Williams bounced back to kick three more goals, Sean Wight held Jason Dunstall to one and Hawthorn managed just three for the entire match. Adrian Battiston was switched onto Platten and beat him handily, and even Brian Wilson, ill in the rooms at half time due to a viral infection won his battle.
Still on one goal in the last quarter it was Williams who won the Demons the game. He marked strongly and goalled to put the side ten points in front, and three minutes later booted the winning goal after recovering from a fumble and snapping truly.
Yeats, Wilson and Williams were the Demons best. Spalding hurt his knee and O'Dwyer his back.
Reserves
Hawthorn 11.3.69 d. Melbourne 8.7.55
Goals - Moore 4, Eishold 2, McCarthy 1, Normington 1
Best - Stynes, Campbell, Moore
Under 19's
Hawthorn 9.9.63 d. Melbourne 7.9.51
Goals - NOT AVAILABLE
Best - NOT AVAILABLE
Media
Age - 22/06/1987
Football Record R14 1987