The 1990 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football

Australian rules football

Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...

 game contested between the Collingwood Football Club

Collingwood Football Club

The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...

 and the Essendon Football Club

Essendon Football Club

The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...

, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

Melbourne Cricket Ground

The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...

 in Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

 on 6 October 1990. It was the 94th annual Grand Final

AFL Grand Final

The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...

 of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League

Australian Football League

The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...

, staged to determine the premiers for the 1990 AFL season

1990 AFL season

Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 1990.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-Ladder:All teams played 22 games during the home and away season, for a total of 154...

. The match, attended by 98,944 spectators, was won by Collingwood by a margin of 48 points, marking that club's 14th premiership victory.

Background

Collingwood had made nine unsuccessful Grand Final attempts (including the famous draw in the 1977 VFL Grand Final

1977 VFL Grand Final

The 1977 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the North Melbourne Football Club and the Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 24 September 1977...

 against North Melbourne), in the previous 32 years, not having won a premiership since the 1958 VFL Grand Final

1958 VFL Grand Final

The 1958 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Melbourne Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 20 September 1958. It was the 62nd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the...

. Essendon had last played a Grand Final in 1985

1985 VFL Grand Final

The 1985 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and Hawthorn Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 28 September 1985. It was the 89th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...

, which it had won against Hawthorn

Hawthorn Football Club

The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...

 (which was ironically Collingwood coach Leigh Matthews

Leigh Matthews

Leigh Raymond "Lethal Leigh" Matthews AM is a former player and coach of Australian rules football. He played for Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League from 1969 to 1985, coached Collingwood from 1986–1995, and coached the Brisbane Lions from 1999 to 2008...

' final game of VFL football).

At the conclusion of the home and away season, Essendon had finished first on the AFL ladder with 17 wins and 5 losses. Collingwood had finished second with 16 wins and 6 losses.

In the lead-up to the game, Collingwood and West Coast

West Coast Eagles

The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...

 played a draw in the Qualifying Final at Waverley Park

Waverley Park

Waverley Park was an Australian rules football stadium in Mulgrave, Victoria, Australia. For most of its history, its purpose was as a neutral venue and used by all Victorian based Victorian Football League/Australian Football League clubs. However, during the 1990s it became the home ground of...

, with the Magpies convincingly winning the Qualifying Final replay the following week. They then defeated Essendon by 63 points in the Second Semi-Final to advance to the Grand Final. Meanwhile the Bombers, after its defeat by the Magpies in the Second Semi-Final, advanced to the Grand Final by beating West Coast in the Preliminary Final.

Collingwood's drawn game with West Coast caused the Grand Final to be delayed by a week from its originally-scheduled date. The system at the time, whereby any draw in the finals was to be replayed the following week, was changed in later years by the introduction of extra time in finals games (with the exception of the Grand Final) where scores were level at the end of the fourth quarter.

First quarter

The match began with Essendon starting strongly, as the Bombers' beanpole full-forward Paul Salmon

Paul Salmon

Paul Salmon is a former Australian rules footballer. Recruited from North Ringwood, the 206 cm Salmon was, at the time, along with Carlton's Justin Madden, the tallest man to play AFL football...

 kicked two early goals from strong marks. The signs looked ominous for Collingwood who were unable to penetrate before a classic goal by Peter Daicos

Peter Daicos

Peter Daicos is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played his entire 250 game career with the Collingwood Football Club in the VFL/AFL....

 from the boundary followed by a late goal by Gavin Brown from an Essendon turnover gave the inaccurate Magpies a three point lead, and considerable momentum, at the first change.

Quarter time brawl

At the sounding of the quarter time siren, Gavin Brown was felled by Terry Daniher

Terry Daniher

Terrence "Terry" John Daniher is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the South Melbourne and Essendon Football Clubs in the Australian Football League . Terry was also an Assistant Coach to the Essendon, Collingwood, St Kilda and Carlton Football Clubs. Terry's brothers, Neale,...

, one of three Daniher brothers to represent the Bombers that afternoon, starting the wildest Grand Final brawl since 1945

1945 VFL Grand Final

The 1945 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the South Melbourne Football Club and Carlton Football Club, held at Princes Park in Melbourne on 29 September 1945. It was the 49th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers...

, a 10 minute bench-clearing brawl which involved 37 of the 40 players and team officials. After the umpires, police, stadium security and Channel Seven boundary rider Bernie Quinlan

Bernie Quinlan

Bernie Quinlan , was a former Australian rules footballer and coach, who enjoyed a lengthy career with Footscray and Fitzroy in the VFL. He played 366 league games in total.- Playing career :...

 restored order, ten players and officials were reported (see below for details).

Second quarter

Perhaps spooked by the intensity of the brawl, the umpires took a hard line on any indiscretions and Collingwood, playing in front in the contests, benefitted by being awarded several free kicks and fifty metre penalties as they slammed on five goals in the first nine minutes. This broke the game open and the Bombers never really recovered. Collingwood kicked six goals to Essendon's one for the second term and headed into the rooms with a 34 point half time lead.

Third quarter

Collingwood continued on where they had left off after half time. Craig Starcevich

Craig Starcevich

Craig Starcevich is a former Australian rules footballer in the VFL/AFL and currently a fitness trainer.He was recruited from East Perth whom he played 37 games for after he won the 1986 F. D. Book Medal for being judged their best and fairest player...

 was knocked out by Terry Daniher after taking a mark, with Mick McGuane taking his kick and goalling from the resultant 50 metre penalty. The mercurial Daicos bobbed up to score spectacularly from near the behind post to extend Collingwood's margin to 46 points.

Essendon mounted a brief rally midway through the third quarter with two quick goals. Then Brown bravely returned to the field late in the third quarter and kicked his second goal of the match to steady the ship.

Fourth quarter

Essendon attacked the goals early in the last quarter but could only manage behinds. As the quarter dragged on without any goals it became obvious that Collingwood couldn't lose, but the ground became eerily quiet as long-suffering Magpie fans waited for something to happen to confirm what they now knew in their hearts. The moment came after twenty minutes, when a chain of desperate possessions ended in the hands of Doug Barwick

Doug Barwick

Doug Barwick is a former Australian rules footballer who represented Fitzroy and Collingwood in the Australian Football League....

, who snapped truly from 25 metres. The siren sounded soon after Damian Monkhorst

Damian Monkhorst

Damian Monkhorst is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL/AFL.'Monkey' came to Collingwood from Woori Yallock and made his debut in 1988. The 202cm, 116kg big man was classed as a no.1 ruckman as soon as he got to Victoria Park, and his early career headed him to become a...

 goalled to make the margin 48 points.

The Norm Smith Medal

Norm Smith Medal

The Norm Smith Medal is the award given in the AFL Grand Final to the player adjudged by an independent panel of experts to have been the best player in the match.-History:The Norm Smith Medal is named after former Melbourne player and coach, Norm Smith...

 was awarded to Collingwood's Tony Shaw for being judged the best player afield, with 24 possessions. He was the first team captain to be awarded the medal.

This win represented the first for Leigh Matthews as coach. He had previously captained Hawthorn to Grand Finals in the 1980s, and later went on to coach the Brisbane Lions

Brisbane Lions

The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...

 to premierships in the 2000s.

Essendon's next Grand Final appearance came three years later, when they won the 1993 AFL Grand Final

1993 AFL Grand Final

The 1993 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and Carlton Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 25 September 1993. It was the 97th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...

 against Carlton

Carlton Football Club

The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...

. Collingwood did not win another premiership for 20 years, until they defeated St. Kilda in 2010.

The same two coaches would meet on the Grand Final stage exactly 11 years later, with Leigh Matthews victorious over Sheedy once again, his Brisbane Lions

Brisbane Lions

The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...

 defeating the Bombers in their first of three consecutive flags. Matthews would coach the Lions to two further flags against, ironically, Collingwood.

Teams

Scorecard

Statistics

Collingwood Magpies	89–41	Essendon Bombers
(13.11)		(5.11)

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
Position	Player	Pos'ns	Goals
Back	Shane Kerrison Shane Kerrison Shane Kerrison is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood in the Australian Football League. He was a late inclusion in Collingwood's team for the 1990 Grand Final, replacing Alan Richardson, and was one of the best afield in the Pies victory over Essendon...	17
Back	Michael Christian Michael Christian Michael Christian is a former Australian rules footballer and media personality from Busselton, Western Australia.Christian played 82 games for East Perth in the WAFL from 1981 to 1986 and then crossed to Collingwood in the VFL/AFL to play out his football career. Christian would play full-back...	19
Back	Michael Gayfer Michael Gayfer Michael Gayfer is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood in the Australian Football League ....	9
Half-back	Shane Morwood Shane Morwood Shane Morwood is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL/AFL.From Noble Park, Morwood played alongside his brother Paul at South Melbourne, but in 1982 he quit the club, refusing to move to Sydney with the re-location of South Melbourne into the Sydney Swans...	18
Half-back	Craig Kelly Craig Kelly (footballer) Craig Kelly was an Australian rules football player with Collingwood Football Club and is now a successful player manager. He is the grandson of famous free marketeer and former Government Minister, C.R. "Bert" Kelly.-Pre VFL/AFL:...	16
Half-back	Gavin Crosisca Gavin Crosisca Gavin Crosisca is a former Australian rules footballer in the VFL/AFL.Debuting in the VFL 1987 with the Collingwood Football Club, Crosisca was recruited from Western Districts Australian Football Club in Queensland...	5	2
Centre	Darren Millane Darren Millane Darren "Pants" Millane was an Australian rules football player in the VFL/AFL for the Collingwood Football Club between 1984 and 1991.-AFL career:...	26
Centre	Tony Shaw Tony Shaw Anthony 'Tony' Shaw is a former Australian rules footballer, coach and media personality.-Playing career:Shaw was recruited to Collingwood from Reservoir-Lakeside to make his debut in 1977 alongside brother Ray...	24
Centre	Graham Wright Graham Wright (footballer) Graham Wright is a former Australian rules footballer, in the Australian Football League.Wright was selected by Collingwood in the 1987 National Draft with their first round pick as a quick wingman, having shown great courage for Tasmanian side East Devonport...	15
Half-forward	Dennis Banks Dennis Banks Dennis Banks , a Native American leader, teacher, lecturer, activist and author, is an Anishinaabe born on Leech Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota. Banks is also known as Nowa Cumig...	11
Half-forward	James Manson James Manson James Manson is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL/AFL.From North Hobart, Tasmania, Manson provided some great assets to a fighting Collingwood Magpies. Manson stood at 194 cm and was solidly built with a great overhead mark thanks to his great hands...	5
Half-forward	Doug Barwick Doug Barwick Doug Barwick is a former Australian rules footballer who represented Fitzroy and Collingwood in the Australian Football League....	13	2
Forward	Scott Russell Scott Russell (footballer) Scott Russell is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood and Sydney in the Australian Football League. He played all possible 26 games in his debut season in 1990, winning a premiership medalion at the end of the year....	26	2
Forward	Gavin Brown	7	2
Forward	Peter Daicos Peter Daicos Peter Daicos is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played his entire 250 game career with the Collingwood Football Club in the VFL/AFL....	7	2
Ruck	Damian Monkhorst Damian Monkhorst Damian Monkhorst is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL/AFL.'Monkey' came to Collingwood from Woori Yallock and made his debut in 1988. The 202cm, 116kg big man was classed as a no.1 ruckman as soon as he got to Victoria Park, and his early career headed him to become a...	17	1
Ruck-rover	Mick McGuane	23	1
Rover	Tony Francis Tony Francis Anthony "Tony" Francis is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.Francis attended Campbelltown High School and first played senior football in the SANFL with the Norwood Football Club, debuting in 1988...	25
Interchange:
Interchange	Jamie Turner Jamie Turner Jamie Turner is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League .Son of Collingwood premiership player Ken, Jamie would also play with the Magpies, making his debut in 1984 coming across from Montmorency. Turner would establish himself as a top wingman, but had...	12
Interchange	Craig Starcevich Craig Starcevich Craig Starcevich is a former Australian rules footballer in the VFL/AFL and currently a fitness trainer.He was recruited from East Perth whom he played 37 games for after he won the 1986 F. D. Book Medal for being judged their best and fairest player...	14	1
Coach:
Leigh Matthews Leigh Matthews Leigh Raymond "Lethal Leigh" Matthews AM is a former player and coach of Australian rules football. He played for Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League from 1969 to 1985, coached Collingwood from 1986–1995, and coached the Brisbane Lions from 1999 to 2008...

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> Position Player Pos'ns Goals Back Mark Thompson - Back Anthony Daniher

Anthony Daniher

Anthony Joseph Daniher is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the South Melbourne/Sydney and Essendon Football Clubs in the Australian Football League . Anthony's brothers, Terry, Neale and Chris, also played for Essendon in the AFL...

- Back Paul Hamilton

Paul Hamilton (Australian footballer)

Paul Hamilton is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the VFL/AFL during the late 1980s and early 1990s....

- Half-back David Grenvold

David Grenvold

David Grenvold is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the AFL during the 1990s.Grenvold played in the backline for Essendon and appeared 122 times for the club, including in their 1993 Grand Final win. He also represented South Australia in 1993.-External links:...

- 1 Half-back Terry Daniher

Terry Daniher

Terrence "Terry" John Daniher is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the South Melbourne and Essendon Football Clubs in the Australian Football League . Terry was also an Assistant Coach to the Essendon, Collingwood, St Kilda and Carlton Football Clubs. Terry's brothers, Neale,...

- Half-back Gary O'Donnell - Centre Greg Anderson

Greg Anderson (footballer)

Greg Anderson is a former Australian rules football player who played for Port Adelaide in the SANFL as well as and in the VFL/AFL.-Playing Career:...

- Centre Derek Kickett

Derek Kickett

Derek Thomas Kickett is a former Australian rules footballer. A journeyman, Kickett played with seven different VFL/AFL, WAFL and SANFL clubs through his career....

- 1 Centre Michael Long - Half-forward Mark Harvey

Mark Harvey

Mark Harvey is a former Australian rules football player who played for the Essendon Football Club. He played 206 games from 1984 to 1997, kicking 190 goals, and was assistant coach at Essendon from 1998 to 2005...

- Half-forward Paul Van Der Haar

Paul Van Der Haar

Paul Vander Haar is a former Australian rules footballer who played 201 games with Essendon in the Victorian Football League . As a boy he attended Whitefriars College in Donvale...

- Half-forward Peter Cransberg

Peter Cransberg

Peter Cransberg is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon in the Australian Football League during the 1990s....

- Forward Alan Ezard

Alan Ezard

Alan Ezard is a former Australian rules footballer in the VFL/AFL.Originally from Broadford, Victoria, Ezard made his debut with the Essendon Football Club in 1983 and made a name for himself as a very strong mark for a 173 cm man, playing mostly in the back pocket or as a rover...

- Forward Paul Salmon

Paul Salmon

Paul Salmon is a former Australian rules footballer. Recruited from North Ringwood, the 206 cm Salmon was, at the time, along with Carlton's Justin Madden, the tallest man to play AFL football...

- 2 Forward Kieran Sporn

Kieran Sporn

Kieran Sporn is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the AFL during the early 1990s.Sporn played in 19 consecutive games for Essendon during his debut season in 1989, a knee injury ending the streak. He was originally from South Australia where he played for West...

- Ruck Simon Madden

Simon Madden

Simon Madden was an Australian rules footballer for the Essendon Football Club from 1974 until 1992. He was also president of the AFL Players Association from 1985 until 1989....

- Ruck-rover Tim Watson

Tim Watson

Timothy Michael "Tim" Watson is a former Australian rules footballer and coach, sports journalist and media personality.He is notable for his long career at the Essendon Football Club as a player where he participated in several premiership teams...

 (c) - Rover Darren Bewick

Darren Bewick

Darren Bewick is a former dual premiership Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club in the AFL. Bewick was known for his game breaking pace and goal sense in the forward 50. His ability to take high flying marks was a spectacle amongst Bomber fans, not to mention his...

- Interchange: Interchange Chris Daniher

Chris Daniher

Christopher "Chris" James Daniher is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League . His brothers Terry, Neale and Anthony also played for Essendon in the AFL...

- Interchange Peter Somerville

Peter Somerville

Peter Somerville is a former Australian rules footballer who appeared 160 times for Essendon in the AFL throughout the 1990s.A ruckman, and son of John Somerville, he shared rucking duties with Paul Salmon for much of his career...

- 1 Coach: Kevin Sheedy