This moment is the 19th of a virtual series presenting the Bombers' best 30 moments over 150 years, which fans can vote on for their chance to win prizes. Click here to view and vote, and see the schedule and prizes below.
There have been few more dominant displays in Grand Final history than Simon Madden’s rucking masterclass in the 1985 Grand Final. On that day, the 241-game ruckman controlled the centre bounces from start to finish, opening up the play for Essendon’s midfielders. Against Hawthorn’s make-shift ruckmen Chris Langford and Michael McCarthy, Madden was practically unbeatable, not only influencing clearances, but also out-marking his opponents in the air and providing link-up options between defence and attack. By day’s end, Madden had amassed 22 disposals, 14 marks and 22 hit-outs, helping his team to a 78-point thrashing of the Hawks.
“I have had days where I just couldn’t get near the ball,” Madden said. “But that Grand Final was a day where the ball just seemed to follow me. I was confident enough to back myself to out-ruck and out-mark anybody that day.”
So good was Essendon’s 1985 side, coach Kevin Sheedy admitted on the eve of the Grand Final, “The boys virtually coach themselves now.” Madden recalled, “We got to a stage where we would lose a game and say ‘I don’t want to feel like that anymore’, and, with that attitude, we were good enough to win most of our matches during that period.” They certainly did, winning 19 of 22 in the home and away season, before comfortably defeating the Hawks in the second semi-final.
From the opening bounce of the Grand Final, Madden set the tone for day, clearly winning the hit-out; an early statement that nobody was going to stand in his way. Said Madden: “I joke that I made Chris Langford’s career, because they played him in the ruck and I won the Norm Smith Medal, so they moved him to full-back and he played 300 games! Chris was a very good player, but he was used in the ruck because they had no one else capable of competing against me, and it proved costly on that occasion.”
Unlike the 1984 decider, where the game was in the balance until midway through the last quarter, the 1985 side had the match sewn up well in advance and were able to revel in their glory. So confident were they by the final term, they eclipsed their nine-goal last-quarter effort in 1984 to pile on 11.3, for a total of 26.14 (170) to 14.8 (92).
Said Madden, who, in 1989, overtook Dick Reynolds as Essendon’s games-record holder, “Looking back on it, I think that we, as a group, should be really proud of what we achieved in 1984-85, especially after such a belting in 1983 (Hawthorn won by 83 points). It was a real sign of the character of the group. When people introduce you at an event, they list all your achievements, but they never list the struggles that you also went through along the way. What you achieved is more rewarding because you went through those struggles, whether it be physically, mentally or emotionally. If you don’t understand the struggle, you won’t fully understand the success.”
SCHEDULE OF MOMENTS
Round 1 (launching May 6) - 1872-1939
Round 2 (launching May 10) - 1940-1959
Round 3 (launching May 15) - 1960-1979
Round 4 (launching May 20) - 1980-1989
Round 5 (launching May 25) - 1990-1999
Round 6 (launching May 30) - 2000-2021
Round 7 (launching June 4) - Finals round
PRIZES
Round 1 – One 2022 merchandise pack, including an Essendon New Era Black on Black 9FORTY Snapback cap ($40) and an Essendon Heritage Bar Scarf ($30)
Round 2 – One Essendon Fibre of Football Scarf ($80)
Round 3 - One Essendon Football Club 150-year anniversary commemorative mosaic ($295)
Round 4 – One Essendon Football Club 150-year anniversary commemorative mosaic ($295)
Round 5 – One 2022 team-signed guernsey ($500)
Round 6 – One copy of the Red & Black Collection special 150th anniversary book ($329)
Round 7 – One copy of the Red & Black Collection special 150th anniversary book ($329) and one 2022 team-signed guernsey ($500)
