Description
Hawthorn Hawks – 1988-89 Premiers Team Signed & Framed ‘Born to Play Finals’ Guernsey
They were without a doubt, the team of the decade — and arguably, the team of the century. It’s unlikely that we will ever witness a period of football greatness as what Hawthorn achieved in the 80s, topped off with back-to-back Premierships in 1988-89. They had champions all over the ground — Jason Dunstall (three-time Coleman medal winner), dual Norm Smith Medallist Gary Ayres, along with Hall of Fame inductees John Platten, Robert DiPierdomenico (both Brownlow medallists) and Dermott Brereton — a line-up that proved formidable for even the toughest of opposition. This was no more evident in the 1988 Grand Final, which saw the Hawks seemingly end the game in the first quarter and a half, demolishing Melbourne by a record 96-point margin.
In what will go down as one of the greatest Grand Finals in the modern era, the 1989 decider saw the Hawks call on every last reserve of courage and strength to hold off the rampaging Cats to win by a solitary goal. There were acts of courage and bravery that will never be rivalled — from Brereton being cleaned up at the first bounce only to kick an inspirational goal moments later, to Dipper, battling through a punctured lung, laying a desperate tackle in the dying seconds with his life very much on the line. These acts of courage will go down in football folklore, and typified the make-up of this resilient Hawthorn outfit.
The ultimate tribute to Hawthorn’s back-to-back premierships of 1988 and 1989
An official Hawthorn retrospective woollen guernsey as worn during their 1988-89 campaigns, makes up the centrepiece of this magnificent display, and comes personally signed by all 24 Premiership players from the back-to-back triumphs (Signatures: Jason Dunstall, Dermott Brereton, Gary Ayres, Robert DiPierdomenico, Chris Wittman
Peter Schwab, John Platten, Chris Mew, Greg Madigan, John Kennedy Jnr, Michael Tuck
Darren Pritchard, James Morrissey, Scott Maginness, Tony Hall, Chris Langford
Russell Greene, Peter Curran, Andrew Collins, Dean Anderson, Greg Dear, Anthony Condon
Gary Buckenara, Paul Abbott)
Features two replica VFL Premiership medals, along with a replica Norm Smith Medal and Coleman Medal — complete with the names of the recipients of each distinction — in recognition of Hawthorn’s dominance over the competition at the end of the 1980’s
Stunning display incorporates iconic imagery and key statistics from the back-to-back Premiership triumphs
Strictly limited to just 89 editions worldwide, with each edition accompanied by an individually numbered AFLPA Certificate of Authenticity
Officially licensed and endorsed by the AFL
Approximate framed dimensions are approximately 1000 x 790 mm
****Image is conceptual. Final artwork is subject to change.
