1986 VFL Grand Final — Hawthorn Launch The Late-1980s Dynasty

The 1986 VFL Grand Final saw Hawthorn defeat Carlton 16.14 (110) to 9.14 (68) at the MCG — a 42-point margin that launched the Hawks’ late-1980s dynasty under Allan Jeans. Played on 27 September 1986 in front of 101,861 fans, Hawthorn’s premiership was Allan Jeans’s first as Hawks coach. Gary Ayres won the Norm Smith Medal — his first.

The Build-Up: Jeans’s Hawthorn Era

Allan Jeans had crossed from St Kilda to coach Hawthorn in 1981 (well, taken over after Hawthorn’s 1976 and 1978 flags under different coaches). The 1983 flag had been Jeans’s first at Hawks — but Cookson had coached the 1983 flag. Allan Jeans’s actual 1986 was his first as Hawks coach. The 1986 home-and-away campaign was strong.

Carlton, under Robert Walls, had reached the Grand Final after a strong season. Stephen Kernahan was the spearhead.

The Match: Hawks’ Coronation

Hawthorn started fast. Gary Ayres’s defensive heroics, Dermott Brereton’s contested marking, and Robert DiPierdomenico’s pressure work all contributed. Brereton kicked 3 goals; DiPierdomenico won 25 disposals; Ayres was outstanding.

Final score: Hawthorn 16.14 (110) defeated Carlton 9.14 (68) — a 42-point margin.

The Norm Smith Medal: Gary Ayres (First)

The 1986 Norm Smith went to Gary Ayres of Hawthorn — his first of two Norm Smith Medals (also 1988). The Gary Ayres Award (VFL Grand Final BOG) is named after him.

The Premiership Coach: Allan Jeans (First at Hawthorn)

Allan Jeans collected his first Hawthorn Jock McHale Medal in 1986. He’d add 1988, 1989, 1991 — making four flags at Hawthorn (after his 1966 St Kilda flag).

Famous Moments

• Gary Ayres’s defensive masterclass — first Norm Smith.
• Dermott Brereton’s 3 goals.
• Robert DiPierdomenico’s pressure.
• Russell Greene’s class.
• Stephen Kernahan’s defiant 4 goals — Carlton spearhead.
• Mark Maclure’s 24 disposals — Blues midfielder.
• The 42-point Hawthorn winning margin.
• Allan Jeans’s emotional first Hawks Cup lift.
• The crowd of 101,861 — among the largest of the era.
• The launch of the late-1980s Hawks dynasty.

Trivia for the Pub

• Date: 27 September 1986, MCG.
• Final: Hawthorn 16.14 (110) defeated Carlton 9.14 (68).
• Margin: 42 points.
• Crowd: 101,861.
• Norm Smith: Gary Ayres (first).
• Jock McHale: Allan Jeans (first at Hawks).
• Hawthorn’s 6th VFL/AFL premiership.
• Allan Jeans had previously coached St Kilda to their 1966 flag.
• Gary Ayres’s name was later attached to the VFL Grand Final BOG award.
• The crowd of 101,861 was among the largest of the 1980s.

The Verdict

The 1986 VFL Grand Final launched Hawthorn’s late-1980s dynasty. Gary Ayres’s first Norm Smith, Allan Jeans’s first Hawks flag, and the 42-point Hawthorn margin — all combined for a landmark Grand Final. Long live the 1986 Hawks.

The 1986 result also confirmed Allan Jeans’s coaching evolution. Jeans had won the 1966 St Kilda flag (their only one) but spent years rebuilding before joining Hawthorn. The 1986 win was vindication; the subsequent four flags (1988, 1989, 1991, plus 1986) established Jeans as one of the most-decorated modern coaches.

For Carlton, the 1986 loss was painful but bookended the 1987 redemption (Carlton over Hawthorn). The two clubs’ rivalry of the mid-1980s produced multiple consequential matches.