In the lead-up to Sunday’s clash against Hawthorn at the MCG, melbournefc.com.au looks back on 12 memorable moments between the two teams
1 - Greatest winning margin: In round nine, 1926 - Melbourne’s second premiership year - it smashes Hawthorn by 141 points, which to this day remains the red and blue’s biggest victory. The final score sees Melbourne 21.28 (154) defeats Hawthorn 1.7 (13) at the MCG. Harry Moyes kicks six goals for the winners; Ivor Warne-Smith, who wins the first of his two Brownlow Medals in 1926, boots three majors.
2 - Bob Johnson’s 12 goals: Johnson boots 12.2 in round 11, 1933, falling one short of Harry Davie’s 13 goals against Carlton in round 14, 1925 (at that stage a club record), while equaling George Margitich’s dozen as the next best. Johnson helps Melbourne to a 38-point win at the MCG.
3 - Fred Fanning’s 11 goals: From a remarkable 22 registered scores, Fanning kicks 11.11 in round 11, 1944. His effort helps Melbourne to a 105-point win. It is the third time he kicks 10 or more goals in a match (he ends up kicking 10 or more goals in a game six times).
4 - First final between both clubs: The 1957 preliminary final is the first time the two sides meet in a final. They have now met six times in the finals, with Melbourne winning just twice - the first and most recent (1990 elimination final). The Demons win by 68 points, with club great Ian Ridley named best.
5 - Demons end 22-game losing streak: In round 13, 1984, Melbourne halts a terrible record, when it upsets the eventual grand finalist that year by 17 points at Princes Park. Ruckman Peter Moore, who wins his second Brownlow Medal that year, shines and receives three Brownlow votes, while Kelvin Templeton and David Williams kick four goals each. This match is widely regarded as the best win under Ron Barassi’s coaching tenure at Melbourne. The Demons also climb to fourth on the ladder.
6 - 1987 preliminary final: Melbourne’s outstanding season, when it rises from 11th to third is shattered in the penultimate match of the season. The Demons make the finals for the first time since 1964, and achieve massive wins over North Melbourne (118 points) and Sydney Swans (76) in the first two weeks of the finals. But Melbourne’s campaign comes to a half when Hawk star Gary Buckenara’s kick after the siren - after receiving a 15-metre penalty due to Melbourne great Jimmy Stynes running across the mark - breaks the heart of the red and blue faithful.
7 - 1988: The two teams meet three times in ‘88. On the first occasion, in round 7, Melbourne defeats Hawthorn by 21 points, with 1982 Brownlow Medallist Brian Wilson gaining the three votes, following 22 disposals and three goals. But the next two encounters are vastly different. The Hawks win by 69 points in round 17, before they meet again in the grand final. But Melbourne’s first grand final since 1964 turns into a nightmare when it loses by a record (at that stage) 96 points.
8 - The original, round 22, 1990: As Hawthorn’s Michael Tuck breaks the league record for the most games, Melbourne defenders Tony Campbell and Peter Rohde curb the influence of dynamic Hawthorn duo Jason Dunstall and Dermott Brereton respectively, as Melbourne wins by 12 points. Garry Lyon stars with 26 disposals, along with Darren Bennett (five goals) and Ricky Jackson (four). The Demons win by 12 points.
9 - The sequel, elimination Final, 1990: Many pundits wonder if the Dees can back up their round 22 performance the following week - and they do, recording a nine-point win to end Hawthorn’s finals campaign. Campbell and Rohde again restrict Dunstall and Brereton to two goals each, as Bennett kicks goals for the Dees.
10 - Allen Jakovich’s last game in the red and blue: The super-talented full-forward boots eight goals in Melbourne’s 38-point win at Princes Park in round 17, 1994. This effort is his last for Melbourne, after a back injury forces him out of the side the following week and for the rest of the season. He never plays again for the Demons, finishing with 201 goals from 47 matches for the club. He does return to the game in 1996 to play one season with the Bulldogs.
11 - Merger game, 1996: Melbourne’s final match of the season also has the potential to be the club’s last - remarkably against its prospective merger partner: Hawthorn. Although the Demons are well and truly out of the finals race, the match is an epic. Dunstall kicks 10 goals for the Hawks, as David Neitz (six) and Jeff Farmer (four) combine for the Demons. The Demons go down by the narrowest of margins and don’t find out until after their season finishes, if they will remain as the Melbourne Demons or the Melbourne Hawks.
12 - Neitz’s bump on Luke McCabe: One of the great Melbourne images from the 2000s was the bone-jarring crunch made by the Melbourne skipper in the opening round of the 2002 season. As Neitz attacked the ball with gusto and made the bump on McCabe, he gathered the ball and snapped a beauty. The Demons won by 26 points.
1 - Greatest winning margin: In round nine, 1926 - Melbourne’s second premiership year - it smashes Hawthorn by 141 points, which to this day remains the red and blue’s biggest victory. The final score sees Melbourne 21.28 (154) defeats Hawthorn 1.7 (13) at the MCG. Harry Moyes kicks six goals for the winners; Ivor Warne-Smith, who wins the first of his two Brownlow Medals in 1926, boots three majors.
2 - Bob Johnson’s 12 goals: Johnson boots 12.2 in round 11, 1933, falling one short of Harry Davie’s 13 goals against Carlton in round 14, 1925 (at that stage a club record), while equaling George Margitich’s dozen as the next best. Johnson helps Melbourne to a 38-point win at the MCG.
3 - Fred Fanning’s 11 goals: From a remarkable 22 registered scores, Fanning kicks 11.11 in round 11, 1944. His effort helps Melbourne to a 105-point win. It is the third time he kicks 10 or more goals in a match (he ends up kicking 10 or more goals in a game six times).
4 - First final between both clubs: The 1957 preliminary final is the first time the two sides meet in a final. They have now met six times in the finals, with Melbourne winning just twice - the first and most recent (1990 elimination final). The Demons win by 68 points, with club great Ian Ridley named best.
5 - Demons end 22-game losing streak: In round 13, 1984, Melbourne halts a terrible record, when it upsets the eventual grand finalist that year by 17 points at Princes Park. Ruckman Peter Moore, who wins his second Brownlow Medal that year, shines and receives three Brownlow votes, while Kelvin Templeton and David Williams kick four goals each. This match is widely regarded as the best win under Ron Barassi’s coaching tenure at Melbourne. The Demons also climb to fourth on the ladder.
6 - 1987 preliminary final: Melbourne’s outstanding season, when it rises from 11th to third is shattered in the penultimate match of the season. The Demons make the finals for the first time since 1964, and achieve massive wins over North Melbourne (118 points) and Sydney Swans (76) in the first two weeks of the finals. But Melbourne’s campaign comes to a half when Hawk star Gary Buckenara’s kick after the siren - after receiving a 15-metre penalty due to Melbourne great Jimmy Stynes running across the mark - breaks the heart of the red and blue faithful.
7 - 1988: The two teams meet three times in ‘88. On the first occasion, in round 7, Melbourne defeats Hawthorn by 21 points, with 1982 Brownlow Medallist Brian Wilson gaining the three votes, following 22 disposals and three goals. But the next two encounters are vastly different. The Hawks win by 69 points in round 17, before they meet again in the grand final. But Melbourne’s first grand final since 1964 turns into a nightmare when it loses by a record (at that stage) 96 points.
8 - The original, round 22, 1990: As Hawthorn’s Michael Tuck breaks the league record for the most games, Melbourne defenders Tony Campbell and Peter Rohde curb the influence of dynamic Hawthorn duo Jason Dunstall and Dermott Brereton respectively, as Melbourne wins by 12 points. Garry Lyon stars with 26 disposals, along with Darren Bennett (five goals) and Ricky Jackson (four). The Demons win by 12 points.
9 - The sequel, elimination Final, 1990: Many pundits wonder if the Dees can back up their round 22 performance the following week - and they do, recording a nine-point win to end Hawthorn’s finals campaign. Campbell and Rohde again restrict Dunstall and Brereton to two goals each, as Bennett kicks goals for the Dees.
10 - Allen Jakovich’s last game in the red and blue: The super-talented full-forward boots eight goals in Melbourne’s 38-point win at Princes Park in round 17, 1994. This effort is his last for Melbourne, after a back injury forces him out of the side the following week and for the rest of the season. He never plays again for the Demons, finishing with 201 goals from 47 matches for the club. He does return to the game in 1996 to play one season with the Bulldogs.
11 - Merger game, 1996: Melbourne’s final match of the season also has the potential to be the club’s last - remarkably against its prospective merger partner: Hawthorn. Although the Demons are well and truly out of the finals race, the match is an epic. Dunstall kicks 10 goals for the Hawks, as David Neitz (six) and Jeff Farmer (four) combine for the Demons. The Demons go down by the narrowest of margins and don’t find out until after their season finishes, if they will remain as the Melbourne Demons or the Melbourne Hawks.
12 - Neitz’s bump on Luke McCabe: One of the great Melbourne images from the 2000s was the bone-jarring crunch made by the Melbourne skipper in the opening round of the 2002 season. As Neitz attacked the ball with gusto and made the bump on McCabe, he gathered the ball and snapped a beauty. The Demons won by 26 points.
