THE BIG DIPPER

1984 SECOND SEMI FINAL HAWTHORN V ESSENDON MCG, CROWD 76,514

HAWTHORN 16.17 (113) Defeated ESSENDON 15.15 (105) 

BEST (Haw): DiPierdomenico, Lester-Smith, Schwab, Russo, Robertson, O’Halloran, Mew

BEST (Ess): Watson, T.Daniher, Walsh, Dunnell, Heard, Foulds, S.Madden

GOALS (Haw): DiPierdomenico 4, Judge 3, Matthews 3, Brereton 2, Wallace, Eade, Loveridge

GOALS (Ess): Baker 3, T.Daniher 2, S.Madden 2, Watson 2, Neagle 2, Williams, Ezard, Vanderhaar, Weston

If there is a better person in football, or the Australian sporting landscape more broadly than former Hawthorn Football Club Superstar Robert DiPierdominico, then I’m at pains to find them.

And when it comes to acknowledging the career and CV of AFL players past and present, former Hawthorn Football Club Legend, Brownlow Medallist, AFL Hall of Famer and Five time Premiership Superstar Robert DiPierdomenico's credentials are just about as good as it gets, not to mention him being just one of the finest human beings on the planet.

Known for his larger than life character and personality, there isn’t a person - that I can think of anyway - who wouldn’t have a story about Robert DiPierdomenico that would bring a smile to your face, and make your heart sing. 

An incredibly tough, yet beautifully skilled and gifted wingman, his 240 games over 17 seasons at the Hawks were filled with brilliance, courage, reliability and absolute class.

‘Dippers’ importance to the Hawks throughout their premiership dynasty was as significant as it is underrated, and his stunning exploits on the field throughout his illustrious career are matched only by his compassion, charm and charisma off it.

Like a moth to a flame, you can’t help but gravitate to Robert DiPierdomenico. 

An outstanding clubman with a zest for life and selflessness to make those around him happy like no other, his ability to bring people together and walk away with a smile on your face is as profound and empowering as anyone I have ever met.

In simple terms, ‘Dipper’ just makes you feel better as a human being – not only about yourself - but for those around you also, irrespective of how well he knows you as a person.

Along with Hawk legend Dermott Brereton, there wasn’t a former club champion who would come down to training more often during my five years from at the club (1997-2001) than Robert DiPierdomenico himself, to do anything they possibly could to improve our playing group both individually and collectively.

"When some people retire, they get remembered as a far better player, more skillful and infinitely more tougher than they really might have been," Dermott says, when asked about his former Premiership teammate.

"There is absolutely no incorrect recollection of 'Dipper' when people say he was a Champion - an all time great, a brilliant kick of the footy and quite possibly the toughest player ever to pull on a Hawthorn jumper," he adds.

Profound words indeed from a Hawthorn club legend in Dermott Brereton - himself widely regarded as one of, if not the all-time toughest player ever to wear the Brown and Gold.

As a younger player, when 'Dipper' spoke you simply listened and followed, such was the presence and influence he had, inadvertently or otherwise.

I can vividly recall a game at Waverley Park against Port Adelaide in my first year for the Hawks in 1997. 

Dipper was doing the boundary riding for Channel 7, and sat with us in the dugout as we prepared for the game in the usual fashion, watching the first half of the reserves game as the curtain raiser to the main event.

It was a perfect day for footy on the immaculate playing surface at Waverley, and as a dozen or so of us sat there watching the seconds strut their stuff, Dipper (with no official capacity with the club on the day) took a step out of the dugout, turned to us all and simply said;

“What a beautiful day to play footy boys – just get out there and run today.”

“If you get out there and are prepared to run, you’ll get a kick – mark my words,” he added.

They were simple but profound words from an absolute superstar and former club legend in Robert DiPierdomenico, and consistent with 'Dippers' direct style of just saying things how they should be said.

Needless to say we went out and wiped the floor with Port Adelaide, en-route to a comfortable 32-point win and cementing ourselves in 5th position on the AFL ladder.

Robert Dipierdomenico's one-club playing career with Hawthorn simply speaks for itself;

240 games, 130 goals, 5 x VFL premiership (1978, 1983, 1986, 1988-1989), Brownlow Medal 1986, 3 x VFL Team of the Year (1984, 1986-1987), Australian Football Hall of Fame, VFL/AFL Italian Team of the Century, 4 x VFL Night Series Premiership (1985-1986, 1988, 1991), Victorian State of Origin Representative.

Simply Brilliant.

So which game of ‘Dipper’s stellar VFL/AFL career would he Totally Recall as his absolute finest?

Incredibly, he would amass 30 disposals or more 17 times throughout his illustrious career with a personal best of 41, and boast individual career highs of 26 kicks, 17 handballs, 12 marks, 7 tackles, 10 clearances and 5 goals.

The Hawks Premiership year of 1986 is flushed with brilliant individual Robert DiPierdomenico performances, culminating of course with him tying with former Geelong/Sydney/Carlton legend Greg Williams for the Brownlow Medal, both players respectively finishing with 17 votes apiece.

His performance in perhaps the greatest Grand Final of all time in 1989 against Geelong is widely recognised as one of the most courageous of his generation, playing practically the entire game with broken ribs and a punctured lung after being famously felled by Gary Ablett Senior and being rushed to hospital immediately after the game - unbelievably even before being able to receive his Premiership medallion.

He would also light it up on multiple occasions against several fellow brave and courageous wingmen of his generation in Darren Millane, Doug Hawkins and Merv Neagle.

But it would be the 1984 Second Semi Final at the MCG against the arch enemy in Essendon, in a game broadly described by most football experts as one of the greatest finals matches ever played, that ‘Dipper’ would Totally Recall as one of his absolute finest.

Hawthorn had thrashed Essendon by a then record margin of 83 points in the 1983 Grand Final and then again twice during the 1984 home and away season. 

The Bombers had finished top of the ladder, but after a comfortable win by the Hawks over Carlton in the qualifying final, more than 76,000 expectant fans gathered on a cool and overcast Sunday afternoon for this clash of the two heavyweights who would dominate the competition for the best part of the entire decade.

'Dipper' saved many of his brilliant individual performances for the big stage in massive games, and inadvertently or otherwise seemed to rise to the occasion against the old foe in Essendon, with this semi-final in question certainly no exception.

Starting slowly, even by his own admission, it wouldn’t take long for 'Dipper' to get going and practically singlehandedly take the game by the proverbial scruff of the neck in a completely dominant performance in one of the greatest finals ever played.

“I have so many great memories of my career playing in such a great side and along so many Hawthorn champions,” Dipper says.

“Our rivalry with the Bombers is obviously well recognized, and this game was no exception - a Sunday afternoon at the MCG with a massive crowd, it was a great game of footy to be a part of - and from memory we may have even seen Leigh Matthews actually handball!!” he adds.

“I remember playing on Merv Neagle and him getting away from me a bit in the first quarter before I started to get going.”

Get going indeed he did, arm wrestling the game back in Hawthorn’s favor en-route to a classic Robert DiPierdomenico performance and best on ground honors at precisely the same time.

17 kicks, 7 handballs, 24 disposals, 7 marks, 13 contested possessions, 6 clearances, 4 goals, and best on ground by the length of Glenferrie Road.

It was classic Robert DiPierdomenico – beautifully skilled, as tough and reliable as they come, and who like true bona-fide champions saved some of his absolute finest performances for the biggest stage.

Thank you ‘Dipper’ for Totally Recalling one of the greatest games you ever played.

Aaron Lord