GREAT moments have been a frequent feature of clashes between Hawthorn and Essendon.
It’s undoubtedly one of the fiercest rivalries in AFL/VFL history, built on the back of a decade where the clubs met in three grand finals and had no shortage of emotion-fuelled encounters.
The 1980s provided Hawthorn with four of its 12 AFL/VFL premierships, Essendon with two of its 16 flags and fans of both clubs with a legacy which still lives on today.
Ladder position is irrelevant when these proud clubs meet.
Just four points separated the Hawks from the Bombers in their only meeting last year, and the Bombers returned fire with a two-point triumph earlier this year.
The Hawks led by more than five goals at half time, before the Bombers fought back to claim the lead late in the third quarter – an advantage they maintained until the dying moments, when Cyril Rioli kicked the match-winning goal, sealing a memorable victory.
But the Bombers – celebrating the 30th anniversary of their back-to-back premiership victories in 1984 and 1985 against the Hawks – turned the tables in Round 2.
They led by six goals midway through the second term, before the Hawks wiped out the deficit by the early stages of the final quarter.
It was a goal to Bomber Cale Hooker with less than a minute on the clock that sunk the Hawks.
This week’s clash promises plenty, between a Hawks side desperate to push towards the top four and a Bombers outfit desperate for a win to avoid slipping further away from finals contention.
You’re not likely to see a Hawthorn player run through an opposition huddle as Dermott Brereton did in 1988, or snap a point post as Leigh Matthews famously did in 1982 when the Hawks took on the Bombers.
But there is still a fierce rivalry between these two clubs.
This week, hawthornfc.com.au will take a look at just some of the great moments between Hawthorn and Essendon over the past three and a bit decades, as the clubs prepare to meet on Saturday at the MCG at 1.40pm.
Champion players rise to the challenge on the big stage.
Don’t miss your chance to be involved in the next memorable moment between two fierce rivals.
