Chelsea was still fielding a very good team come the 1988 season. With only one loss during the season, there were sound reasons for confidence with the finals approaching. On paper, the Seagulls were the best team in the competition and many regarded them as a certainty to make it three in a row. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance as Chelsea discovered very quickly during their semi-final match when the less performed Dales presented themselves as a team who were prepared to work hard for each other while the Seagulls waited for team mates to take command. Inevitably the game slipped away.
Still retaining an inflated opinion of their abilities, the Gulls believed that that they would reverse the result come Grand Final day. We’ll never know if that may have occurred as mother nature decided that she’d seen enough.
Very few outdoor sports are improved by the advent of wet weather. In the case of Australian Rules football, wet conditions have a real blunting effect on the skills associated with the game. The oval ball, usually so unpredictable in its bounce, tends to skid straight through and players who have quick reflexes and are fleet of foot and able to baulk and turn, are condemned to simple hard slog if they wish to get their hands on the ball. High flyers are unable to hold their marks and must resort to man to man combat in order to get a kick, whilst attempts at handball and foot passing become futile.
Umpiring becomes a lottery, with free kicks often being picked at random simply to break up the packs that invariably form around the ball. In all, the game then favours the physically strong who are able to gouge the ball out of the mud and force it forward. The game becomes more suited to rugby players than footballers.
The Preliminary Final against Pines was played in very wet conditions and Pines through their superior physicality were justifiable and predictable winners.
KEY PERSONNEL
PRESIDENT
Tommy Williams
VICE PRESIDENT
Laurie Owens, Ned Travaskis, Noel Hopgood
SECRETARY
Ray Stuart
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
Frank Parsons
TREASURER
Mike Weissenfeld
ASSISTANT TREASURER
Mick Thompson
COMMITTEE
Stan Kourelas, J O'Neill, Kevin Kneiss, Dot Young, Quinton Hildebrand, Peter Boyd, Gordon McLaren, David Patterson, T McCann, W Doyle, J Barnett, W Ryan, Kevin Seers, Ozzie Porter, J Barnett.
COACH
Chris Bull
CAPTAIN
Chris Bull
BEST & FAIREST
Rob Parks
GOAL KICKING
Dave Baker - 81 Goals
TRAINERS
"Wagga" McDonald, Frank Rowe, Michael Troup
SEASON OVERVIEW
SENIORS
Team W L D Points %
Chelsea 16 1 1 66 143
Edi/Asp 15 3 60 162
Seaford 12 5 1 50 106
Pines 11 5 2 48 124
Mornington 8 10 32 88
Rye 7 11 28 93
Mt Eliza 7 11 28 91
Somerville 6 12 24 78
Hastings 4 14 16 84
Crib Point 2 16 8 60
GRAND FINAL
Pines 14 - 10 - 94 def Edi-Asp 12 - 13 - 85
M. P. N. F. L.
BEST & FAIREST
| Brett Wright |
Edi/Asp |
20 |
| Richard Howlett |
Chelsea |
18 |
| Alan Barnes |
Rye |
16 |
| Greg Coyne |
Somerville |
16 |
| Glen Klenjans |
Mornington |
13 |
| Robert Jackson |
Pines |
13 |
| Mick Bartholomew |
Edi/Asp |
13 |
1ST XV111
SECOND SEMI FINAL
| CHELSEA |
|
|
|
15.12 |
102 pts |
| EDI/ASP |
|
|
|
21.5 |
131 pts |
BEST PLAYERS
CHELSEA:D Ritchie, Bull, Cathcart, Howlett, Savage.
EDI/ASP:Midolo, Dale, Conlon,Wright, Nankivell, Healy.
GOAL KICKERS
CHELSEA:Baker 6, Savage 4, M Ritchie 2, Duff, Aitcheson, Barnett.
EDI/ASP:Midolo 7, Hart 2, Smith 2, Mullen 2, Bardoel, Walker, Turner, Wright, Nankivell, Healy.
PRELIMINARY FINAL
| CHELSEA |
|
|
|
7.7 |
49 pts |
| PINES |
|
|
|
12.7 |
79 pts |
BEST PLAYERS
CHELSEA:Bull, Cathcart, Barnett, Park
PINES:R Jackson, Hamling, Hustwaite, Sutton, S Jackson, Johnston, Marsh.
GOAL KICKERS
CHELSEA:Baker 2, Sinclair 2, O'Hanlon, Bull, Barnett.
PINES:McPherson 4, Neal 2, Hamling 2, Marsh 2, Green, Hustwaite.
SEASON OVERVIEW
SECONDS
Team W L D Points %
Pines 16 2 64 217
Edi/Asp 16 2 64 186
Chelsea 12 6 48 152
Mt Eliza 11 7 44 127
Mornington 9 9 36 91
Seaford 8 10 32 104
Hastings 7 11 28 77
Rye 5 13 20 71
Somerville 3 15 12 50
Crib Point 2 16 8 43
GRAND FINAL
Edi/Asp 16 - 15 - 111 def Pines 14 - 10 - 94
M. P. N. F. L.
BEST & FAIREST
| Deiner James |
Seaford |
15 |
| Wayne Bowes |
Mt Eliza |
11 |
| Adam Kane |
Pines |
11 |
| Martin Hayes |
Edi/Asp |
11 |
| Alan Glanville |
Edi/Asp |
11 |
1ST SEMI FINAL
| CHELSEA |
|
|
|
9.11 |
65 pts |
| MT ELIZA |
|
|
|
13.12 |
90 pts |
BEST PLAYERS
CHELSEA:Ryan, Burns, Smith, O'Hanlon, Russell.
MT ELIZA:Rooney, Chiswell, Philip, Hughes, Lacy, Grimmond.
GOAL KICKERS
CHELSEA:Clark 3, O'Hanlon 2, S Knowles, Smith, Corcoran, McDonald.
EDI/ASP:Webb 4, Bowes 2, Hughes 2, Owens, Simmonds, Knight, McDonald, Philp.
SEASON OVERVIEW
THIRDS
Team W L B Points %
Seaford 16 2 64 514
Edi/Asp 16 2 64 407
Mornington 14 4 56 207
Pines 14 4 66 188
Hastings 9 8 1 38 64
Mt Eliza 8 9 1 34 136
Chelsea 4 14 16 36
Crib Point 3 15 12 34
Somerville 3 15 12 33
Rye 2 16 8 13
GRAND FINAL
Edi/Asp 12 - 12 - 84 def Seaford 10 -11 - 71
M. P. N. F. L.
BEST & FAIREST
| Matthew Quinn |
Mornington |
21 |
| Sandy Cortese |
Edi/Asp |
20 |
| Paul Poulios |
Seaford |
18 |
| Craig Ridout |
Seaford |
15 |