Shane Heard
Brownlow Medallist
- Mar 11, 2018
- 10,284
- 17,286
- AFL Club
- Essendon
I’ve been meaning to do this for a long time and in the spirit of Grand Final week and on the eve of our great club’s 150th anniversary next year….and just for the fun of it ..here is my blow by blow (goal by goal) account of how we tore apart HFC in the last qrt of the 84’ GF and the 1% efforts that made it happen.
Dons 21 points down @ qrt time
Dons 25 points down @ half time
And Essendon 23 points down at 3qrt time.
Important note: Umpire Glen James was one of the worst umpires ever. His obsession with blowing the whistle and stopping play for no good reason for a ball up was infuriating. However, in this qrt the moron actually helped us out in important moments by stopping play plus awarding ridiculous frees to us that actually helped propelled us to victory. Umpire Rowan Sawyers was good in this match. He just let it go and didn’t award bullshit frees to either side.
First bounce:
30 secs- Simon wins the tap without much advantage but Daisy Williams (god bless his soul) collects and quickly pumps it straight down the guts.
(1%er) ..Vanders puts his body in front of his opponent and double hand taps down to Baker because he knew he was out of position. Leon swoops, gathers and quickly gets it on to his left boot at pace and slams it through for a goal.
Bombers 17 points down
1.30- next bounce Simon wins tap again. Watson in the centre gets held going for the ball- umpire James calls advantage. Bomber swoops and fires out a handpass to Bradbury who dishes off the Shane Heard who pumps it forward. Harvs gets caught but umpire James instantly calls for a ball up at half forward.
2mins- Terry Wallace drives a long clearing bomb down the ground to Hawks F50. Paul Weston (I think) double hand tap down to Merv (1%er) who runs down the wing, bounces and drives it long on his glorious left foot to FF. Ball goes over pack ..Bradbury swoops ..goal.
Dons 11 points down
3.20 mins- Simon floats down to full back and takes a one grab mark (1%er) from a Peter Curran kick
4 mins- Merv Neagle crunches the Hawk player beautifully in the pocket forcing the ball out of play (1%er)
4.30 - Kevin Walsh smothers and keeps going paddling the ball along forward. (1%er) umpire James ridiculously stops play. Simon wins tap in the ball up. Hawks can’t buy a stoppage clearance.
5 mins - Simon wins next tap but another ball up ensues. Simon wins another tap, TD paddles off ground …Hawks can’t win the ball off ground ..somehow Walsh is awarded a free kick.
Walshy Kicks and Shane Heard brilliantly beats his man (1%er) and gives off to Hawker who drives it forward to Weston who marks but doesn’t score.
6.50- Walsh spoils from behind a Brereton attempted mark at CHB (1%er)…Shane Heard swoops on the loose ball, handpasses to Watson who drills a pass to Duckworth in the pocket who then plays on quick and short passes to Bomber Thompson in his 22nd game for EFC. Bomber has a shot from 35 and nails the goal with raking drop punt.
EFC 5 points down.
7.30- centre bounce neutral but Daisy gathers and pumps it straight down the guts once again..the ball bounces at CHF and Leon Baker gathers, twists away from defender and quickly straightens up (1%er) and hammers home a glorious 6 pointer.
Bombers in front by one point.
8.30- Hawks go forward with a long kick deep forward…Nobby Clarke wins a contested ball and handpasses out (1%er) …Shane Heard gathers and punches a long handpass out to Watson who brilliantly evades tackle (1%er) and clears it.
9 mins - Frank Dunell comes from behind and aggressively punches ball from Hawk forward (1%er) …ball gets kicked down wing…Weston fumbles but umpire James incorrectly gives him a free kick for being held . Kicks long to Duckworth who shoots for goal but it’s touched on the line and rushed through for a behind.
Hawks still haven’t scored 10 minutes in.
Rod Lester-Smith gets dragged by Jeans…Dipper comes off the bench into the play.
10.30 - Bomber Thompson tackle (1%er) stops Hawk attack. Umpire James calls another ridiculous ball up.
11 mins- Simon wins another tap. Ball goes out near Hawks CHF. Brereton wins ball, slips and two Bomber players pile on on top of him. Umpire James incorrectly pings Dermy for holding the ball.
11.30- Kick goes down to an unmarked Weston who passes to Vanders. Vanders has a long shot at goal but it’s rushed through for a point.
12 mins- Hawks kick out…Watson interception (1%er) and fires at goal but misses.
12.30- Hawk kick out goes to wing. Walsh again beats Brereton in a marking contest (1%er).. Derm cracks the shits and gives away 15 mtr penalty.
13.30- TD spoils mark at CHB (1%er) …seconds later Walsh bends down to gather and Dipper comes through with an elbow and deliberately aims for Walshy’s head. Hits him straight on the jaw and Kevin is out like a light unconscious on the ground.
15 mins- with Walsh still on the ground and about to be loaded onto a stretcher…Captain Terry Daniher approaches umpire James to ask if they can bring the interchange man off the bench before Walsh is off. (1%er moment and great leadership by the great man)
17 mins - Play has stopped anyway so Roger waits until Walsh is brought to the boundary interchange area. Roger runs onto ground and sprints to full forward.
18 mins - Curran scores a set shot goal ..Hawks back in front by 2 points
18.30- Bomber Thompson clears deep in Hawks zone and drills a pass to Watson (1%er)…Timmy passes to Shane Heard on wing who is on his own ..kicks a nice pass to Weston at HFF. Weston kicks long to square and it’s rushed through. Hawks by 1 point.
19 mins - rain starts to fall on the MCG
20 mins - Simon wins another tap from boundary throw in. Nobby Clarke gathers and kicks across goal to other flank. Ball comes back and Clarke spoils a Leigh Matthews mark forcing the ball over the line (1%er)
20.50- TD spoil at CHB (1%er)
21.30- Harvey kicks out of halfback to Watson on wing who then passes to Weston down the line. Umpire James gives a bullshit free to Weston for high something. Weston drives it long to forward pocket to Vander who takes a wonderful juggling mark by double handed trapping in front of himself with the wet ball (1%er)
Vanders decides to go the torp and launches a long high kick to the square. Roger takes a strong, contested one grab mark just mtrs from the line. Drills it through from 10 out.
Dons 5 points up.
22.30- Simon wins yet another centre bounce tap.
23.20- Duckworth takes a strong contested mark at CHB with Hawk forwards all around him (1%er)
23.50- Billy kicks to Bradbury in Hawks half forward zone flank…he kicks to Roger who brilliantly gathers under pressure (1%er) and gives off to Harvey who kicks a beautiful drop punt on the run to CHF. You swear that Vanders deliberately taps again the incoming high ball (1%er) onto Weston who gathers loose ball and drills home a 6 pointer.
Dons 11 points up
24.30 - Madden wins another centre tap…ball goes forward..Roger taps onto Weston (1%er) who handpasses to Tim Watson who has steamed forward from the bounce. Timmy charges towards goal and in true Watson form, he doesn’t panic (1%er) and carefully executes a nice solid drop punt straight through the big sticks.
Essendon 17 points up.
25.30- Madden wins another centre bounce denying Hawthorn any chance of a centre clearance yet again (1%er)
25.50- Simon catches Dipper on the wing with a great tackle and brings him to ground. (1%er) ..somehow umpire James awards free kick to Shane Heard who was also in the tackle. Heard drives a long kick to CHF..Watson pump out a sublime bullet handpass to Harvey who snaps but misses.
Dons 18 up
26.20 …Hawks kick out straight down the middle …Frank Dunell smashes the ball forward 20 mtrs (Roger puts his body in to shepherd the Hawk defender away from the ball -1%er) and Watson is there to pick it up, turn in an arc instantly with all the balance in the world on two steps and drop the hammer to kick through the most beautifully sublime goal you’d ever want to dream about in a Grand Final. The sealer.
This is the moment Bomber fans knew we were home. A glorious moment for everyone at the ground that day. Watson kicking it only made it more special because he was the golden boy…the elite superstar we had all been cheering on every time he touched the ball since he was 17 years old.
I can remember grown adults crying around me and hugging each other with joy. Me and the old man were high up the other city end stand directly behind the goals and you just knew as soon as he picked it up it was going to be a goal.
The roar from the Essendon crowd at that goal is something I’ll never ever forget. Thunderous…ear splitting. Years of frustration and pain pouring out from thousands of Bomber fans jumping up and down like deranged lunatics. Every single one with a massive smile.
24 points up. Hawk players finally give up. We wait for the siren.
But wait …there’s more…
27.30 - centre bounce.. Brereton starts fighting with Bill Duckworth at CHF …Billy keeps it up and gives the idiot more hell. Aggressive to the end.
28.50…Bradbury has a running shot at goal. It bounces in the square and a Hawk defender touches it on the line.
25 points up.
30 mins- strong tackle by Van Der Haar at CHF (1%er) …Hawk player clearly drops ball with one hand. Umpire James awards free kick seconds later to Hawk player because he falls over.
30.40 mins Hawthorn get a rushed point over the line
Dons by 24
31.30- Matthews takes a set shot from 20 out and goals
Bombers by 18
32.10- Roger wins centre bounce and smashes ball forward. Hawk player gathers and drives ball deep in front of their goals. Terry Daniher smashes ball in pack (1%er) and grabs his own spoil and in a flash and handpasses to Frank Dunell who takes off down the flank and passes to Bradbury who kicks…ball goes out of bounds in pocket. Madden wins boundary throw-in tap
33.20 - Hawks go forward again but Bomber defenders win ball.. Hawker on the half back flank delivers a pinpoint 50 mtr pass down the line to Merv Neagle ..who keeps running and drills a long 50 mtr bomb straight through the big sticks.
This goal is the icing on the cake for Dons fans. Merv was the other golden boy with Watson and had joined EFC as a recruit in 1977. Those boys were the difference.
But then you have local Essendon boys in Bomber(Airport West) and Harvs(Keilor) ..Simon ..Foulds ..Essendon district Ezard (Broadford)
Watching all these blokes grow from skinny 18 year olds that come from the middle of nowhere in northern and just plain Victorian country boys (Watson, Neagle, Roger, Hawker) then ..Shane Heard / Horsham and suburban lads (Ringwood - Vander, Walsh, Nobby Clarke ..and Melbourne boy Bradbury …Paul Weston(SA) and Victorian boy Leon Baker who made his mark in (WA) along with Vic boy Daisy ..and full WA lad Bill Duckworth. (west Perth)
all developed into fully built league players ..and it was a long journey of 6 or 7 years. Now finally we have the flag that we all dreamt about and the humiliation of 83’ was forgotten.
Merv the galloping wingman. Merv the enforcer. Tough as hell and highly skilled.
Dons 24 points up
34.20 - after the bounce the ball goes deep into Hawk pocket …Captain Terry Daniher gets it in his hands and handpasses …and the siren sounds.
Essendon are Premiers.
a 9 goal- 6 point qrt
And all is well in the world… ❤
Dons 21 points down @ qrt time
Dons 25 points down @ half time
And Essendon 23 points down at 3qrt time.
Important note: Umpire Glen James was one of the worst umpires ever. His obsession with blowing the whistle and stopping play for no good reason for a ball up was infuriating. However, in this qrt the moron actually helped us out in important moments by stopping play plus awarding ridiculous frees to us that actually helped propelled us to victory. Umpire Rowan Sawyers was good in this match. He just let it go and didn’t award bullshit frees to either side.
First bounce:
30 secs- Simon wins the tap without much advantage but Daisy Williams (god bless his soul) collects and quickly pumps it straight down the guts.
(1%er) ..Vanders puts his body in front of his opponent and double hand taps down to Baker because he knew he was out of position. Leon swoops, gathers and quickly gets it on to his left boot at pace and slams it through for a goal.
Bombers 17 points down
1.30- next bounce Simon wins tap again. Watson in the centre gets held going for the ball- umpire James calls advantage. Bomber swoops and fires out a handpass to Bradbury who dishes off the Shane Heard who pumps it forward. Harvs gets caught but umpire James instantly calls for a ball up at half forward.
2mins- Terry Wallace drives a long clearing bomb down the ground to Hawks F50. Paul Weston (I think) double hand tap down to Merv (1%er) who runs down the wing, bounces and drives it long on his glorious left foot to FF. Ball goes over pack ..Bradbury swoops ..goal.
Dons 11 points down
3.20 mins- Simon floats down to full back and takes a one grab mark (1%er) from a Peter Curran kick
4 mins- Merv Neagle crunches the Hawk player beautifully in the pocket forcing the ball out of play (1%er)
4.30 - Kevin Walsh smothers and keeps going paddling the ball along forward. (1%er) umpire James ridiculously stops play. Simon wins tap in the ball up. Hawks can’t buy a stoppage clearance.
5 mins - Simon wins next tap but another ball up ensues. Simon wins another tap, TD paddles off ground …Hawks can’t win the ball off ground ..somehow Walsh is awarded a free kick.
Walshy Kicks and Shane Heard brilliantly beats his man (1%er) and gives off to Hawker who drives it forward to Weston who marks but doesn’t score.
6.50- Walsh spoils from behind a Brereton attempted mark at CHB (1%er)…Shane Heard swoops on the loose ball, handpasses to Watson who drills a pass to Duckworth in the pocket who then plays on quick and short passes to Bomber Thompson in his 22nd game for EFC. Bomber has a shot from 35 and nails the goal with raking drop punt.
EFC 5 points down.
7.30- centre bounce neutral but Daisy gathers and pumps it straight down the guts once again..the ball bounces at CHF and Leon Baker gathers, twists away from defender and quickly straightens up (1%er) and hammers home a glorious 6 pointer.
Bombers in front by one point.
8.30- Hawks go forward with a long kick deep forward…Nobby Clarke wins a contested ball and handpasses out (1%er) …Shane Heard gathers and punches a long handpass out to Watson who brilliantly evades tackle (1%er) and clears it.
9 mins - Frank Dunell comes from behind and aggressively punches ball from Hawk forward (1%er) …ball gets kicked down wing…Weston fumbles but umpire James incorrectly gives him a free kick for being held . Kicks long to Duckworth who shoots for goal but it’s touched on the line and rushed through for a behind.
Hawks still haven’t scored 10 minutes in.
Rod Lester-Smith gets dragged by Jeans…Dipper comes off the bench into the play.
10.30 - Bomber Thompson tackle (1%er) stops Hawk attack. Umpire James calls another ridiculous ball up.
11 mins- Simon wins another tap. Ball goes out near Hawks CHF. Brereton wins ball, slips and two Bomber players pile on on top of him. Umpire James incorrectly pings Dermy for holding the ball.
11.30- Kick goes down to an unmarked Weston who passes to Vanders. Vanders has a long shot at goal but it’s rushed through for a point.
12 mins- Hawks kick out…Watson interception (1%er) and fires at goal but misses.
12.30- Hawk kick out goes to wing. Walsh again beats Brereton in a marking contest (1%er).. Derm cracks the shits and gives away 15 mtr penalty.
13.30- TD spoils mark at CHB (1%er) …seconds later Walsh bends down to gather and Dipper comes through with an elbow and deliberately aims for Walshy’s head. Hits him straight on the jaw and Kevin is out like a light unconscious on the ground.
15 mins- with Walsh still on the ground and about to be loaded onto a stretcher…Captain Terry Daniher approaches umpire James to ask if they can bring the interchange man off the bench before Walsh is off. (1%er moment and great leadership by the great man)
17 mins - Play has stopped anyway so Roger waits until Walsh is brought to the boundary interchange area. Roger runs onto ground and sprints to full forward.
18 mins - Curran scores a set shot goal ..Hawks back in front by 2 points
18.30- Bomber Thompson clears deep in Hawks zone and drills a pass to Watson (1%er)…Timmy passes to Shane Heard on wing who is on his own ..kicks a nice pass to Weston at HFF. Weston kicks long to square and it’s rushed through. Hawks by 1 point.
19 mins - rain starts to fall on the MCG
20 mins - Simon wins another tap from boundary throw in. Nobby Clarke gathers and kicks across goal to other flank. Ball comes back and Clarke spoils a Leigh Matthews mark forcing the ball over the line (1%er)
20.50- TD spoil at CHB (1%er)
21.30- Harvey kicks out of halfback to Watson on wing who then passes to Weston down the line. Umpire James gives a bullshit free to Weston for high something. Weston drives it long to forward pocket to Vander who takes a wonderful juggling mark by double handed trapping in front of himself with the wet ball (1%er)
Vanders decides to go the torp and launches a long high kick to the square. Roger takes a strong, contested one grab mark just mtrs from the line. Drills it through from 10 out.
Dons 5 points up.
22.30- Simon wins yet another centre bounce tap.
23.20- Duckworth takes a strong contested mark at CHB with Hawk forwards all around him (1%er)
23.50- Billy kicks to Bradbury in Hawks half forward zone flank…he kicks to Roger who brilliantly gathers under pressure (1%er) and gives off to Harvey who kicks a beautiful drop punt on the run to CHF. You swear that Vanders deliberately taps again the incoming high ball (1%er) onto Weston who gathers loose ball and drills home a 6 pointer.
Dons 11 points up
24.30 - Madden wins another centre tap…ball goes forward..Roger taps onto Weston (1%er) who handpasses to Tim Watson who has steamed forward from the bounce. Timmy charges towards goal and in true Watson form, he doesn’t panic (1%er) and carefully executes a nice solid drop punt straight through the big sticks.
Essendon 17 points up.
25.30- Madden wins another centre bounce denying Hawthorn any chance of a centre clearance yet again (1%er)
25.50- Simon catches Dipper on the wing with a great tackle and brings him to ground. (1%er) ..somehow umpire James awards free kick to Shane Heard who was also in the tackle. Heard drives a long kick to CHF..Watson pump out a sublime bullet handpass to Harvey who snaps but misses.
Dons 18 up
26.20 …Hawks kick out straight down the middle …Frank Dunell smashes the ball forward 20 mtrs (Roger puts his body in to shepherd the Hawk defender away from the ball -1%er) and Watson is there to pick it up, turn in an arc instantly with all the balance in the world on two steps and drop the hammer to kick through the most beautifully sublime goal you’d ever want to dream about in a Grand Final. The sealer.
This is the moment Bomber fans knew we were home. A glorious moment for everyone at the ground that day. Watson kicking it only made it more special because he was the golden boy…the elite superstar we had all been cheering on every time he touched the ball since he was 17 years old.
I can remember grown adults crying around me and hugging each other with joy. Me and the old man were high up the other city end stand directly behind the goals and you just knew as soon as he picked it up it was going to be a goal.
The roar from the Essendon crowd at that goal is something I’ll never ever forget. Thunderous…ear splitting. Years of frustration and pain pouring out from thousands of Bomber fans jumping up and down like deranged lunatics. Every single one with a massive smile.
24 points up. Hawk players finally give up. We wait for the siren.
But wait …there’s more…
27.30 - centre bounce.. Brereton starts fighting with Bill Duckworth at CHF …Billy keeps it up and gives the idiot more hell. Aggressive to the end.
28.50…Bradbury has a running shot at goal. It bounces in the square and a Hawk defender touches it on the line.
25 points up.
30 mins- strong tackle by Van Der Haar at CHF (1%er) …Hawk player clearly drops ball with one hand. Umpire James awards free kick seconds later to Hawk player because he falls over.
30.40 mins Hawthorn get a rushed point over the line
Dons by 24
31.30- Matthews takes a set shot from 20 out and goals
Bombers by 18
32.10- Roger wins centre bounce and smashes ball forward. Hawk player gathers and drives ball deep in front of their goals. Terry Daniher smashes ball in pack (1%er) and grabs his own spoil and in a flash and handpasses to Frank Dunell who takes off down the flank and passes to Bradbury who kicks…ball goes out of bounds in pocket. Madden wins boundary throw-in tap
33.20 - Hawks go forward again but Bomber defenders win ball.. Hawker on the half back flank delivers a pinpoint 50 mtr pass down the line to Merv Neagle ..who keeps running and drills a long 50 mtr bomb straight through the big sticks.
This goal is the icing on the cake for Dons fans. Merv was the other golden boy with Watson and had joined EFC as a recruit in 1977. Those boys were the difference.
But then you have local Essendon boys in Bomber(Airport West) and Harvs(Keilor) ..Simon ..Foulds ..Essendon district Ezard (Broadford)
Watching all these blokes grow from skinny 18 year olds that come from the middle of nowhere in northern and just plain Victorian country boys (Watson, Neagle, Roger, Hawker) then ..Shane Heard / Horsham and suburban lads (Ringwood - Vander, Walsh, Nobby Clarke ..and Melbourne boy Bradbury …Paul Weston(SA) and Victorian boy Leon Baker who made his mark in (WA) along with Vic boy Daisy ..and full WA lad Bill Duckworth. (west Perth)
all developed into fully built league players ..and it was a long journey of 6 or 7 years. Now finally we have the flag that we all dreamt about and the humiliation of 83’ was forgotten.
Merv the galloping wingman. Merv the enforcer. Tough as hell and highly skilled.
Dons 24 points up
34.20 - after the bounce the ball goes deep into Hawk pocket …Captain Terry Daniher gets it in his hands and handpasses …and the siren sounds.
Essendon are Premiers.
a 9 goal- 6 point qrt
And all is well in the world… ❤
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