ONE OF the key storylines entering Thursday night's Richmond-Hawthorn qualifying final is that it is the first time in 93 years they have met in the finals.

But while they have never graced the MCG at the same time in September, it doesn't mean they haven't played at the home of football in front of a large crowd at the pointy end of the season.

The drawn North Melbourne-Collingwood Grand Final in 1977 necessitated a replay the following Saturday, October 1, and needing a curtain-raiser, the VFL turned to the next two teams on the ladder, the Hawks and the Tigers, and asked them to cut short their holidays.

The Hawks had bowed out to North in the preliminary final in embarrassing fashion by 67 points. The Kangaroos had also sent the Tigers packing the week before that, by 47 points in the first semi-final.

To make it more than an exhibition game, the VFL added some prizemoney, with $12,500 to the winners and $7500 to the losers, a fair bit of money given these were semi-professional days in which most players weren't paid particularly well.

And in another twist, the Hawks risked forfeiting third place on the ladder with a loss.

This meant both teams took it seriously, and they each trained three times that week in the lead-up. Champion Hawthorn spearhead Peter Hudson cared enough to fly in from Tasmania for the game. The Tigers picked four players from their reserves team that won the flag the previous Saturday.

Below: The teams page from the Grand Final Replay Record


It ended up being a clinker of a game, with the Hawks winning by three points, 15.15 (105) to 15.12 (102). Hudson kicked seven goals in what would be his last game for the Hawks and it prompted coach David Parkin to tell The Age afterwards, "I have waited 11 years to see Peter Hudson win a game off his own boot like that."

Star forward Peter Hudson ended his time at Hawthorn with a bang. Picture AFL Photos

Leigh Matthews also kicked three goals for the victors, while Kelvin Moore, Peter Knights, David O'Halloran were among the best for Hawthorn. Bruce Monteath kicked six goals for Richmond, whose best players were Bryan Wood, Merv Keane and Graham Gaunt.

There were 98,941 fans at the MCG for the Grand Final rematch and most were in their seats in time for the rousing final quarter. You could mount at the argument that until now, this was the highest-stakes match ever played between Richmond and Hawthorn.