Round 17, 1988
Melbourne vs Hawthorn
Saturday 23 July
Venue: Waverley
Attendance: 37,307
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 1.0 | 2.2 | 4.4 | 10.8.68 |
| Hawthorn | 8.3 | 15.6 | 18.9 | 21.11.137 |
Hawthorn win by 69 points
Goalkickers: Andy Lovell 3, Greg Healy 1, Ricky Jackson 1, Alan Johnson 1, Garry Lyon 1, Stephen Newport 1, Earl Spalding 1, Jim Stynes 1
Brownlow Votes:
Nil
Milestones:
50 Games
Rod Grinter
On a grey afternoon, the tone was set early when Hawthorn centre half-forward Dermott Brereton - returning from six weeks suspension - charged off the centre square to collide with Demon tagger Dean Chiron, and by quarter time the Hawks had done similar to the Demons and all but sewn up top spot on the league ladder, leaving Melbourne grimly battling for the double chance and with no promise that they would even make it to September.
Hawthorn had suffered a shock loss to the Swans a week earlier and came out determined not to suffer the same fate against the Demons. Brereton's hit on Chiron set up Jason Dunstall's first goal and they were away. Between Dermie and Dunstall they had five goals in the first seven minutes and the score was 30 points to nil.
Brian Wilson was beaten comfortably and John Northey continually shuffled his team around to try and find a winning formula but there was none in the face of the onslaught from the Hawks on the wide Waverley surface. Northey described it as his team's worst performance of the year.
Best were Lovett, Johnson and Healy. Danny Hughes was reported for striking and suspended for four matches.
Reserves
Hawthorn 15.20.110 d. Melbourne 14.14.98
Goals - Bailey 4, Fidge 3, Comi 2, Farrell 1, Flintoff 1, Rennie 1, Turner 1, Graham 1
Best - Bailey, J. Viney, Rohde
Under 19s
Melbourne 17.9.111 d. Hawthorn 5.7.37
Goals - Beveridge 4, Mihan 3, Putamorsi 2, Dent 2, Partrington 2, Hanlon 1, Peck 1, Bourke 1, Kennedy 1
Best - Beveridge, Bourke, O'Hearn
Lists
Tribunal
Media
Canberra Times - 23/07/1988
Football Record R18 1988
Age - 25/07/1988