The 1989 Premiers become only the third Australian Football team to receive the award.
Team Captain Michael Tuck and Coach Allan Jeans along with 15 premiership teammates were present to receive the award on Wednesday at the Melbourne Lunch held at the MCG.
The Sport Australia Hall of Fame determined in 2002 that it would recognise the increasingly important role that teams play in our sporting history along with that of individuals.
The 1989 Hawthorn side finished the regular season with 19 wins achieving back-to-back Premierships, but only after playing out one of the hardest fought victories in the history of the game against a fast-finishing Geelong in the Grand Final.
The game will be long remembered for its physical nature which saw Dermott Brereton flattened in the opening minutes. Hawthorn had only a dozen fit players by the conclusion of play. John Platten and Gary Ayres were on the bench unable to return, while Robert Dipierdomenico’s punctured lung was the most serious of the injuries afflicting the players remaining on the ground.
The team had truly followed coach, Allan Jeans’ mantra to “pay the price” for victory.
Stay tuned for a HawksTV Report from the event including exclusive interviews with 1989 Premiership players and Coach Allan Jeans.
