In the annals of the Melbourne Football Club history, few players are as beloved as Robert Flower.
Wearing red and blue from the age of 17 up until his retirement at age 32, Flower gave everything he had to the Dees – a star in the age where every team seemed to have one or two players that legitimately belonged in the Hall of Fame.
However, the Melbourne team Robert Flower played in was a far cry from the dominant teams of the fifties and sixties. When Flower debuted in 1973, the Demons were already without a flag for the past nine seasons after winning five in six years from 1955-1960, and adding another in 1964.
And despite his continued brilliance, Flower was unable to lift this one mighty team back into the premiership window.
Essendon fans will bristle at the mention of their recent drought when it comes to finals wins, but over the course of Flower’s tenure with the Dees, they didn’t just fail to win a final for 14 years, they didn’t even make the finals, at all. In fact, 1964, the year of their last flag at that stage, was the last time they competed in finals.
It was termed the ‘Norm Smith Curse’ and lasted 22 years before they graced September with their presence, it puts Essendon’s current woes to shame.
22 years without playing a final.
And so, it was that the 1987 season changed everything.
Flower played more forward that season, kicking a career-high 47 goals, including nine in the two weeks prior to the Preliminary Final. His five goals against the Kangaroos in the Elimination Final set the Dees alight as they romped home by 80 points in his long-awaited first finals appearance.
Had there been any doubts that Flower was a big-game player, that performance erased them. Until then, he’d just never had the chance to strut his stuff on the biggest stage.
It’d only be another week until he could do it all again.
The Sydney Swans visited the MCG in the semi-final and Robbie was at it again, snagging four goals as an encore performance to his first final. Whilst the Swans got their regular contributions from Greg Williams, and former Demon, Gerard Healy, Flower again stole the show, with his ageing legs carrying him to 4.4 from 15 touches.
At this point, there was a feeling of destiny about this Melbourne team. “Do it for Robbie” became the catch cry, as Flower had already announced he’d be retiring after that year and the Dees faithful wanted to send their star out in a blaze of glory.
It worked, too. They’d touched up the Roos by 80 points, and followed with a 76-point trouncing of the Swans. Next up were the Hawks – the reigning premiers, and both Flower and their coach John Northey knew they’d have to do something special to advance to the Grand Final.
And they almost did.
The memory most will possess from this game is Jim Stynes running across the mark and gifting Gary Buckenara a 15-metre penalty after the siren. Always a great kick for goal, Buckenara went back and slotted the shot from 40 metres out to ice the game and send the Hawks to their fifth-straight Grand Final. Others may remember the costly misses from Graham Yeats and Simon Eishold in the last quarter, either of which would have put the result beyond doubt.
However, there was one more infamous incident earlier in the game that is far too often glossed over in terms of the impact it had on the result. It was the moment that sent Robbie Flower to the sidelines, courtesy of Robert DiPierdimenico.
Flower was always a player that seemed to have time, very similar to Scott Pendlebury in the modern era. Great footwork, composure, and the ability to make those around them better are qualities the two shared. However, on this occasion, it caught up with Robbie.
After selling some candy to Hawks defender, Ray Jencke, with about 14.30 gone in the second quarter, Flower stepped back inboard after looking as though he’d dispensed with Jencke, but a charging DiPierdomenico met him with a bone-crunching, and in this case, a bone-breaking hip and shoulder.
Earlier in the game, Dipper had been put down by Earl Spalding with a nice bump. It was all above board, but such is the way Dipper played the game, he appeared to be on a bit of a mission to even things up that day. Flower was the one who got caught in his sights.
It was a standard shirtfront from Dipper at face value – the type that he dished out more often than not back in the day, but the sheer force he hit Flower with dislocated the Melbourne legend’s shoulder and damaged his collarbone in that crunching contest.
And just like that, the inspirational leader and genuine x-factor of the Demons’ finals push was clutching at his shoulder on the deck.
Flower looked as though he was going to attempt to play on, but soon jogged off to have his injury assessed. It was not great news.
With the result in the balance until after the final siren, you have to wonder just how much that bump changed the trajectory of that game. Yes, the lasting memory is of Stynes, Buckenara, the copious amounts of wasted chances by the Dees, and a mistake that cost them their chance at facing Carlton in the decider, but one hip and shoulder in the second quarter not only took one of the biggest threats out of the contest, but ended the career of a legend of the game.
In the last quarter, with the game tight and stakes so high, the courageous Flower returned to the game after receiving painkilling injections in the shoulder – I repeat – he returned to the game barely able to lift his arm. I am sure some these days would label him and the club all manner of things, but that was the environment in 1987 – you put your body on the line and you did whatever you could to aid your team.
Sadly, for Melbourne supporters, even going above and beyond the call of duty, as Flower did, it was not enough to get them over the line.
The career of the great Robert Flower ended that day, and would have ended win, lose, or draw. With a broken collarbone, he would not have been able to take his place in the Grand Final side.
Sitting and watching this game this weekend, witnessing the courage of Flower, the power of DiPierdomenico, and the incredible finish to deny the Dees their first Grand Final since ‘64… it makes me remember why I fell in love with footy.
And why it’ll probably never let me go.
Here at The Mongrel Punt, we are incredibly proud of our relationship with the Flower Family, and of the privilege of being able to name our Wingman of the Year Award after the great Demon champion.
Even all these years later, this game and the myriad moments contained within never ceases to get a response from supporters of the teams. Melbourne fans wince – 38 years later, it still stings. Hawthorn fans smile – they got out of jail that day.
But for one bump, the 1987 Grand Final may have featured the Dees and Blues. Who knows what Robbie could have produced on the grandest stage of them all?
Even as a Hawks supporter, I wish I could’ve seen it.
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