The Final Story 1981

This is the story of the last fifty years from the Premiership of Lou Richards in 1953 through to the days of Nathan Buckley and his men. We relive the triumphs of the fifties through Richards, Rose and Weideman. The Grand Final nightmares of the sixties and early seventies through Tuddenham, Thompson, Gabelich, Waters, and McKenna. We follow the epic struggles of Tom Hafey and his men as they took the Magpies to the top of the ladder only to have that ultimate prize cruelly snatched from their grasp. This is the story of a proud Football Club - there is none prouder.

From the moment Peter Daicos stepped onto the playing fields in a Collingwood guernsey it was obvious that he was different from other players. The Peter Daicos story follows the Macedonian Marvel's rise to football's highest peak and is essential viewing for all lovers of football at it's best.

I 1992, Collingwood had to battle against the most overwhelming odds, but throughout the trials and tribulations, the Magpies stood tall. Before the season began, we lost Darren Millane in a tragic car accident. Doug Barwick, Premiership player in 1990, was ruled out of action when he shattered a knee, then midway through the season, Craig Kelly also injured his knee. Through sheer guts and determination, Collingwood repeatedly shut down opposition big guns, reduced games to tight contests and greeted the final siren triumphant. In the end the well of good fortune would dry up, but not before another stirring fightback. When the book is written about '92, Collingwood will be remembered for two things - its competitiveness and its heart.

It's not until you actually sit down and relive those great ELECTRIFYING '80s year by year that the myriad of memories come flooding back. Trying to work out which was the greatest highlight of the decade is the hardest part, but they're all here. The great Grand Finals, the marks of the decade, the bone jarring stoushes and the Brownlow Medals - one by one, year by year, they're all here, making up the ELECTRIFYING '80s.

September 30, 1981 - the day generally regarded as the greatest day in VFL/AFL Grand Final history. On this day no word other than 'epic' accurately describes the encounter between Geelong and Hawthorn. '1989' The Final Story has been produced to appeal to all football lovers no matter who they support, with its portrayal of the impact - both positive and negative - on the lives of all those directly involved.

Two clubs that hated yet respected each other, the Hawthorn and Essendon rivalry of the 1980's is the stuff of footy legend. The last teams to clash in three consecutive Grand Finals ('83-'85), the Bombers were desperate to avenge a humiliating record loss in the 1983 flag decider when they came up against the Hawks a year later.

"SENSATIONAL" - part of the Oxford Dictionary's explanation for the word suggests 'a stirring of the emotions of many people'. If the '70s didn't arouse and preserve the interest of people throughout our great country, then no decade has, for this chapter in the history of football was indeed sensational.

New decade - new heroes - new villains. It was a decade in which the Grand Final winners told the story. It was a decade of dominance in differing degrees.

Has there ever been a more awesome or imposing footballer than Tony Lockett? Modern football historians would probably say no, for Lockett is peerless, unstoppable and wonderfully skilled.

Through ten years of stellar service to the game's most passionately supported club, Gavin Brown, Mick McGuane, Gavin Crosisca and Alan Richardson have won special places in the hearts and memories of all Magpies fans. The brilliant presentation features highlights of their careers and special moments from the testimonial dinner honoring their service to the Mighty Magpies.

Doug Hawkins IS Footscray! The man who has had an entire wing at the Western Oval lovingly named after him by the loyal Footscray supporters has, for over a decade, been the lifeblood of the Western suburbs club.

Footballs biggest names put together their own personal list of players who have had the greatest impact on the game and their careers.

Through the lens of sport, AFL legend Michael O'Loughlin shines a light on the history and experience of the Indigenous Australian people. Current AFL players, Michael Walters and Tarryn Thomas, join O'Loughlin to unpack racism, discrimination and the unbreakable bond they each share with their indigenous communities.

THE SAINTS FROM 1897 TO 2003 St Kilda – the name alone brings to mind the very passion of the game. This is a club that has tasted just a brief touch of heaven and more than its fair share of hell. From the glory of that famous 1966 premiership through to years in turmoil, Heaven and Hell traces the story of one of the AFL’s great football clubs. On field heroes, off field battles. The great players like Baldock, Stewart, Ditterich, Smith, Barker, Lockett and Harvey playing against a backdrop of political tension. Originally released in 1997, this is an updated version produced for DVD. It now contains Harvey’s Brownlows, the 1997 finals campaign and the coaching crisis that saw Stan Alves, Tim Watson and Malcolm Blight leave the club.

In 1967 a group of Victorian AFL (VFL) stars jetted off to challenge the All-Ireland champions, County Meath, at their own game. The players were, and are, household names – Barassi, Skilton, Jesaulenko, Davis, Hart, Nicholls, Mann, Dugdale, Fraser. Most didn’t own passports. Most had barely been out of Victoria. Ex-umpire and media juggernaut Harry Beitzel was the man who made it happen. He mortgaged his house. He organised the opponent. He flew his team of champions on a milk run to Darwin, Hong Kong, Paris, Dublin, London, New York and beyond to plant the seed of international competition. The Galahs is a rare feature film that reconnects fans with all time greats of both VFL and GAA football.

The Ripple Effect is a powerful documentary primarily centred around St Kilda legend and proud Noongar Nicky Winmar's generation-defining stand against racism at Victoria Park in 1993.

Australian documentary filmmaker Ian Darling re-examines the incidents that marked the final 3 years of Indigenous footballer Adam Goodes' playing career. Made entirely from archival footage, photos and interviews sourced from television, radio and newspapers, the film reviews the national conversation that took place over this period.

AFL legend Adam Goodes shares the story of his life and career to offer a deeper insight into race, identity, and belonging.

It was the decade to change the face of football as we knew it. There would be three new teams: Adelaide, Freemantle and Port Adelaide. We would farewell Fitzroy and watch others like Footscray, Richmond, Melbourne and Hawthorn battle for their existence. For the first time non-Victorian Clubs would take premiership honours. The West Coast winning twice and Malcolm Blight's Adelaide doing the seemingly impossible by winning back-to-back flags against the odds. It was a decade in which the feats of goalkicking maestros Jason Dunstall and Gary Ablett were overshadowed by the record breaker Tony Lockett. We marvelled at the great champions. Robert Harvey sealed his greatness with a pair of Brownlow medals. Wayne Carey was named All Australian captain three times and Carlton's veteran Craig Bradley just got better and better through the nineties.

From the immortal King Richard, Dick Reynolds in the thirties through to Kevin Sheedy in the nineties, this is a visual history of the mighty Essendon Football Club. From the majestic John Colman through to the cool and efficient James Hird. We ride the bumps with Bluey Shelton in the sixties