Melbourne's emotional drive toward its first premierhsip since 1964 ran into the meanest bunch of football terrorists imaginable in 1988. Hawthorn this year were taking no prisoners. Not a side prepared to indulge in fariytales, the Hawks ripped into Melbourne from the word go and by the long break had alowed the Demons only two goals while booting ten themselves. The contest was over, it was just a matter of how deep Melbourne's wounds would be. Very deep as it turned out. Hawthorn kicked another 12 goals in the second half to Melbourne's 4 - the result was a 96 point thrashing which devaststed Melbourne's success-starved supporters. Hawthorn's forwards had a day to remember with Jason Dunstall booting seven, Paul Abbott six and Dermott Brereton five. The sheer power of the Hawks completely overwhelmed these Demons and for Alan Joyce, stepping in for the ill Alan Jeans throughout '88, it was a triumph he would encounter again a few years down the track.

Estimated despatch 5-10 days after ordering.