1998 AFL finals series

The Australian Football League's 1998 finals series began on Friday, 4 September 1998 and culminated with the 102nd AFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, 26 September 1998. The Grand Final saw the Adelaide Crows (5th placed after the minor premiership, 13-9) looking for back-to-back premierships after winning in 1997 and North Melbourne (minor premiers, 16-6) playing in their second Grand Final in three years (after winning in 1996). Adelaide triumphed over North Melbourne by 35 points.

The 1998 Finals System

The AFL used a McIntyre Final Eight System for the Grand Final series 1994-1999. This system was ultimately abandoned as it was felt the system gave undue advantage to 1) teams which played finals football well and 2) came into the final series with form, and 3) did not give top four teams receive sufficient advantage from their minor round placings. The AFL currently uses a revised system. In both systems the top eight teams on the home and away rounds (regular season) ladder qualify for the Finals Series.

Final Ladder

Week One

Qualifying Finals

Adelaide lost their qualifying final encounter against Melbourne at the MCG by 48 points, while North Melbourne won their qualifying final against Essendon by 22 points at the MCG, earning them a weeks rest and a home preliminary final against Melbourne. The Western Bulldogs easily accounted for West Coast, while the Sydney Swans had a hard fought 2 point victory of 1997 Grand Finalists St Kilda.

Week Two

Semi finals

Despite their Qualifying Final loss, Adelaide progressed to play a semi-final against Sydney at the SCG, which they won by 27 points. Melbourne trounced St Kilda to earn a preliminary final appearance.

Week Three

Preliminary Finals

North Melbourne won against Melbourne by 30 points to send them into the Grand Final on the back of with 11 straight wins. Adelaide played at the MCG and for the second year in a row faced the Western Bulldogs in a preliminary final. Once again they eliminated the Dogs with a compelling 68 points victory.

Grand final

Match Summary

North Melbourne were red-hot favourites and put the Crows to the sword in the first half, attacking constantly. However, due to nerves and Adelaide's tackling pressure, North returned a wasteful 6.15 for the first half to Adelaide's 4.3. In the second half Adelaide came back strongly and overcame a 24 point deficit to record a memorable 35 point victory. Darren Jarman was sensational with 5 goals and Andrew McLeod was awarded the Norm Smith Medal for the second straight year. He was only the second player (after Gary Ayres) to win the medal twice, and the first player to do so in successive years. Adelaide became back-to-back premiership winners, and the first club in modern times^[1] to have won the premiership after finishing lower than fourth on the premiership ladder after the home-and-away season.

Grand Final entertainment

The 1998 Grand Final was particularly notable for the appearance of former World Heavyweight Boxing champion Muhammad Ali, who was awarded a lap of honour around the ground.

Team List

References

External links

• AFL official website