Review "1989 - The Great Grand Final"

[foschini]

Hi BF Hawks. This is Tony Wilson, hidden behind Silvio Foschini's head. A big thank you to so many of you for saying kind things about my book. I'm a very rare visitor to Big Footy, but did try to post something about a podcast a made with the audio from the interviews. I plan to make a much longer series, a 10 parter, but this episode here is just on the Pay the Price speech and Allan Jeans, for a speeches podcast I make called Speakola. On a desktop, it's probably easier to listen here.

The books going great guns, thanks for so many nice words. My lockdown industry has been selling them for $35, so if you email me I'll post you one. Or you can gift it to someone and I'll tell whoever gets it at the front that you PAID THE PRICE! (plus postage)

And book is available at Hawks Nest.

 

[spotthedot]

such a good read, Tony Wilson...brings back so many memories, so its time to watch it again!

 

[offtherails9]

Mate great job with the book. I've never gone through a book so quickly! Loved all the stories. Was too young to experience live but I remember watching a VHS copy with ads and all as a young tacker that my dad actually recorded because he had a game on the same day. Thanks once again, I wanted to buy the signed copy but I wanted to read it straight away!

 

[Cotchins Hair Piece]

Recently read the book, it was great reading and found it hard to put down. Certainly not just for Hawks fans.

 

[hawk65]

Hi BF Hawks. This is Tony Wilson, hidden behind Silvio Foschini's head. A big thank you to so many of you for saying kind things about my book. I'm a very rare visitor to Big Footy, but did try to post something about a podcast a made with the audio from the interviews. I plan to make a much longer series, a 10 parter, but this episode here is just on the Pay the Price speech and Allan Jeans, for a speeches podcast I make called Speakola. On a desktop, it's probably easier to listen here.

The books going great guns, thanks for so many nice words. My lockdown industry has been selling them for $35, so if you email me I'll post you one. Or you can gift it to someone and I'll tell whoever gets it at the front that you PAID THE PRICE! (plus postage)

Been planning on buying the book and can't see any better time than now to get it.Was lucky enough to be in the Olympic stand watching this Grand Final. Tried the email link but not having much luck but will try again. Cheers

 

[Furn2]

What a game that was. It has it all.

As much as I despise the Cats that side deserved a flag

Not that year though.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Essendon and Geelong were formidable teams that year, so it was definitely a most hard-earned premiership.

Bombres really took it to us early. Thought we were in trouble until Dermie started throwing his weight around.

Greg Dear virtually rucked one out all day against Madden and (occasionally) Salmon, and had the better of it.

My DVD copy of the game is missing the first two goals (to Salmon and Dean Anderson). Starts with both teams on 1.0(6).

Essendon had us cold early, but Sheedy decided to shift Salmon from Full Forward, where he was creating all sorts of problems for Langford, onto the ball and the game turned around almost instantaneously. When the siren went, I turned to a mate who said, "Another bloody Grand Final" and I laughed.

 

[MightyHawks]

What a game that was. It has it all.

As much as I despise the Cats that side deserved a flag

Not that year though.

The problem is after the 89 GF, they thought they deserved it too

Turned up for Round 1, 1990 thinking they were going to be the team of the 90s

 

[Agent Smith]

The problem is after the 89 GF, they thought they deserved it too

Turned up for Round 1, 1990 thinking they were going to be the team of the 90s

They would have got a huge reality check after their Round 1 game that year.

 

[MightyHawks]

They would have got a huge reality check after their Round 1 game that year.

Only after half time

 

[Ram-Man]

And book is available at Hawks Nest.

Great book Tony. Like others I couldn't put it down.

I found myself getting very emotional at the end reading the chapter on the death of Allan Jeans. He meant so much to so many. To feel he owed much to Dipper, Ayres and Dermie says much about the man. I used to religiously watch him on Sunday morning talk about the game on World of Sport. Win, lose or draw he didn't say much but he was our coach and I had so much admiration for him - even as a child.

I look forward to listening to the podcast as I drive around today.

I had the good fortune to hear him speak on a few occasions and he always held the crowd in the palm of his hand.

On one occasion he was speaking to the audience at a function prior to a game and Hawthorn weren't travelling too well. Must have been between 2003-2006 and he started slowly talking about the current game and then he shifted gears "The competition is designed so that you go to the bottom collect the better players and then build a cohesive team around the best players in the game - GREAT PLAYERS MAKE GREAT COACHES NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!"

After he finished there was much reminiscing about the eighties and I remember saying to the bloke I was sitting next to that I was ready to run out and put my body on the line for him. I can only imagine how the players felt.

Following the talk a friend who was actually sitting on Yabby's table came up to me and he was as white as a sheet. I asked him what was wrong. He said hesitantly that he had just spoken to Yabby. "After his talk I asked him - so Allan what are we going to do? - Yabby turned quickly and glared at me and boomed WEREN'T YOU LISTENING TO WHAT I WAS SAYING?" The group I was with all started laughing. My friend said he couldn't get off the table fast enough he was petrified.

 

[Davo23]

Great book Tony. Like others I couldn't put it down.

I found myself getting very emotional at the end reading the chapter on the death of Allan Jeans. He meant so much to so many. To feel he owed much to Dipper, Ayres and Dermie says much about the man. I used to religiously watch him on Sunday morning talk about the game on World of Sport. Win, lose or draw he didn't say much but he was our coach and I had so much admiration for him - even as a child.

I look forward to listening to the podcast as I drive around today.

I had the good fortune to hear him speak on a few occasions and he always held the crowd in the palm of his hand.

On one occasion he was speaking to the audience at a function prior to a game and Hawthorn weren't travelling too well. Must have been between 2003-2006 and he started slowly talking about the current game and then he shifted gears "The competition is designed so that you go to the bottom collect the better players and then build a cohesive team around the best players in the game - GREAT PLAYERS MAKE GREAT COACHES NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!"

After he finished there was much reminiscing about the eighties and I remember saying to the bloke I was sitting next to that I was ready to run out and put my body on the line for him. I can only imagine how the players felt.

Following the talk a friend who was actually sitting on Yabby's table came up to me and he was as white as a sheet. I asked him what was wrong. He said hesitantly that he had just spoken to Yabby. "After his talk I asked him - so Allan what are we going to do? - Yabby turned quickly and glared at me and boomed WEREN'T YOU LISTENING TO WHAT I WAS SAYING?" The group I was with all started laughing. My friend said he couldn't get off the table fast enough he was petrified.

I was only able to give your post one "like" when I want to give you 10!

A couple of points about the great man:

1. When he was first appointed, I remember speaking with other supporters, and we were all questioning why they appointed such an old man to be a coach, particularly following David Parkin. Little did we know!

2. If not for illness he would have had 5 Premierships at Hawthorn - Alan Joyce was the lucky recipient. And he may have achieved a lot more if he had been able to continue into the 1990's

3. He had a reputation as a defensive coach at St Kilda: I never followed the Saints closely and really have no idea. But when he came to us, he developed an attacking running game which took us (and the game) to another level.

4. He took a whole group of young players and turned them into absolute champions: Dermie, Ayres, Langford, Mew, Dipper, Dunstall, Buckenara etc. And the great Russell Greene, who was a nightclub champion and became a premiership champion!

Such a great, great man!

 

[Crock]

Long time ago I was lucky enough to get invited to a St Kilda locker room lunch put on by a company that sponsred St Kilda.
The friend who invited me new I was a Hawks fan so arranged for me to sit next to Yabby.

Thought all my Christmases had come at once!!!!

Had a good chat with him, but my mistake was that the red wine was plentiful.....and Yabby was drinking tea.
Can’t remember much of what he said but do remember a few things:

Said the W.A.recruits (Bucky, B Allan, etc) always took a year to adjust because they were not used to the Victorian muddy grounds. W.A. grounds are sand based and drained well!

Was highly offended by Sheedy’s drug sniffing accusations

Asked him why he went to Richmond after his time at Hawthorn. His response:
Ah well, poverty does strange things to a man.
Had to laugh at this response but also felt a bit sad that maybe Hawthorn didn't look after him as well as we should have at that time