I was just watching a documentary called "The '90s: The Decade That Delivered", which is basically like the "That Was The Season That Was ..." annual documentaries that ran until the mid-90s, but instead covered the whole decade instead of a single season
I loved this decade because it was more of an "introductory" phase for me, I'd been following and supporting since maybe 1991 but it wasn't until 1994 that I started really remembering and "barracking". Between 1994 and 1999 I was 8-13 years old, so a lot of the things that happened in that period really stick with me because it was part of "growing up".
It would be great to hear some stories and memories from "90s kids" that grew up during this era and started following AFL then. I was born in '86 so the 90s and early 2000s were my schooling years, and I was obviously very influenced and inspired by this time in my life.
Looking back over the years and thinking of AFL in the 2000s and 2010s, the 90s really stand out for me, but again I can't quite tell if it's because I'm biased or because it genuinely was a fantastic decade.
Part of the reason why I think the 90s stands out is because it was when the league made the transition from amateur to pro league. The addition of interstate teams here was obviously very important. You could tell that the quality of talent and everything about the sport was growing.
On that point, I loved the interstate rivalry that existed in the 90s, and I wish that passion returned. It arguably died with Teddy Whitten. These days it's kind of "My club is better than yours" or "My city is better than yours" and it's very bitter and petty in comparison.
The obvious standout from this decade was the "pure" full forward. Lockett, Dunstall, Ablett, Modra,. You'd often see guys like Salmon, Lyon, Kernahan, Longmire kick massive bags of 6+. And of course, Carey. I try to explain to friends and my girlfriend what it was like going to football in the 90s. The best modern day example is probably Buddy, but he wasn't a rarity in the 90s, there was so much pure, perfect talent running around then, guys that could do no wrong and always hit a target, brush off tackles, kick it post high from 60 out. To me Buddy Franklin is the closest thing we get to a 90s forward. That kind of player that puts bums on seats.
The 90s was an okay decade for me Demons, I don't remember much of the 1990 and 1991 finals, but I fondly remembering the ANZAC Day game vs Essendon in 1992, when we led by 8 goals at 3 1/4 time and still lost, and when Sydney won its one and only game of the year against us in 1993. The merger game was massive but I remember not quite understanding the severity of it. I was just thinking of the potential of a Melbourne-Hawks merger and what the team would look like, but I also remember my dead having a "NO MERGEr" banner, which I think is still at home. I was at the merger game -- it's on YouTube here -- and I remember Dunstall kicking his 100th for the year.
I saw Lockett, Ablett and Dunstall kick their 100th goal. I saw Carey go on tears and kick 11 goals against us. I remember a game against Geelong in 1993, Melbourne won by 14 points, but Ablett kicked 11.0 lol
Anyway, enough of my memories. What did you love about the 90s? Your fondest memories?
I loved this decade because it was more of an "introductory" phase for me, I'd been following and supporting since maybe 1991 but it wasn't until 1994 that I started really remembering and "barracking". Between 1994 and 1999 I was 8-13 years old, so a lot of the things that happened in that period really stick with me because it was part of "growing up".
It would be great to hear some stories and memories from "90s kids" that grew up during this era and started following AFL then. I was born in '86 so the 90s and early 2000s were my schooling years, and I was obviously very influenced and inspired by this time in my life.
Looking back over the years and thinking of AFL in the 2000s and 2010s, the 90s really stand out for me, but again I can't quite tell if it's because I'm biased or because it genuinely was a fantastic decade.
Part of the reason why I think the 90s stands out is because it was when the league made the transition from amateur to pro league. The addition of interstate teams here was obviously very important. You could tell that the quality of talent and everything about the sport was growing.
On that point, I loved the interstate rivalry that existed in the 90s, and I wish that passion returned. It arguably died with Teddy Whitten. These days it's kind of "My club is better than yours" or "My city is better than yours" and it's very bitter and petty in comparison.
The obvious standout from this decade was the "pure" full forward. Lockett, Dunstall, Ablett, Modra,. You'd often see guys like Salmon, Lyon, Kernahan, Longmire kick massive bags of 6+. And of course, Carey. I try to explain to friends and my girlfriend what it was like going to football in the 90s. The best modern day example is probably Buddy, but he wasn't a rarity in the 90s, there was so much pure, perfect talent running around then, guys that could do no wrong and always hit a target, brush off tackles, kick it post high from 60 out. To me Buddy Franklin is the closest thing we get to a 90s forward. That kind of player that puts bums on seats.
The 90s was an okay decade for me Demons, I don't remember much of the 1990 and 1991 finals, but I fondly remembering the ANZAC Day game vs Essendon in 1992, when we led by 8 goals at 3 1/4 time and still lost, and when Sydney won its one and only game of the year against us in 1993. The merger game was massive but I remember not quite understanding the severity of it. I was just thinking of the potential of a Melbourne-Hawks merger and what the team would look like, but I also remember my dead having a "NO MERGEr" banner, which I think is still at home. I was at the merger game -- it's on YouTube here -- and I remember Dunstall kicking his 100th for the year.
I saw Lockett, Ablett and Dunstall kick their 100th goal. I saw Carey go on tears and kick 11 goals against us. I remember a game against Geelong in 1993, Melbourne won by 14 points, but Ablett kicked 11.0 lol
Anyway, enough of my memories. What did you love about the 90s? Your fondest memories?
