VGFL 1988
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| Vic Bowl IV | ||||
| 28.08.1988 | Brighton Outlaws | 20 | Melbourne Hornets | 17 |
VGFL 1989
| P | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pct | |
| Northern Conference | |||||||
| *Doncaster Devils | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 388 | 120 | 90.9 |
| *Berwick Miners | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 146 | 133 | 54.5 |
| Brighton Outlaws | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 186 | 141 | 45.4 |
| Croydon Rangers | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 86 | 216 | 27.3 |
| Southern Conference | |||||||
| *Peninsular Sweathogs | 12 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 322 | 104 | 91.7 |
| *Melbourne Hornets | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 234 | 116 | 66.7 |
| Prima Holiday Sharks | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 108 | 220 | 41.7 |
| Nunawading Warriors | 12 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 107 | 285 | .125 |
| Geelong Warriors | 12 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 101 | 346 | .125 |
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| Semi-Finals | ||||
| 17.09.1989 | Doncaster Wildcats | 27 | Berwick Miners | 12 |
| 17.09.1989 | Peninsular Sweathogs | 32 | Melbourne Hornets | 7 |
| Vic Bowl V | ||||
| 24.09.1989 | Doncaster Devils | 14 | Peninsular Sweathogs | 8 |
Report
The Brighton Outlaws won their third straight Vic Bowl for the Victorian Gridiron Football League title in 1988, triumphing 20-17 in a closely fought encounter with the Melbourne Hornets. Melbourne led 17-6 at half time, through touchdowns from Running Backs Peter Dionysion and George Makis, but the Outlaws hit back through a TD from Bruce Ayles.
The turning point in the game came in the last 30 seconds as Dionysion fumbled the ball and the Outlaws recovered on the Hornets 25 yard line. On a 4th-and-10 with 11 seconds left Outlaws QB Jim Borta found Treye Jackson for the winning score.
In the 1989 Vic Bowl the Peninsular Sweathogs came into the game as odds on favourites, but five timely interceptions by the Doncaster Devils defense kept them in the game in the first half in front of 1,500 fans. The Sweathogs had 18 first downs in the third quarter to the Devils 7, but just as it seemed the Devils were about to give up, QB Peter Busch, scrambled for a 56 yard touchdown on a broken play in a third-and-five at their own 44 yard line.
Gerard Hoskins levelled matters for the Sweathogs on a short-yard run and the Sweathogs forced a safety on the next series, but on another broken play – the Devils designated Offensive player did not work all day – Busch broke out again for a 64-yard rushing TD. The Extra-Point was kicked and the Devils were Vic Bowl V Champions. Gerard Hoskins won the game MVP Award, for his rushing, six receptions and numerous kick returns.
References
Newspapers
[1] Rowe, Peter (1989) “The Australia Connection” American Football News. 1 September 1988. pg. 18.
[2] Rowe, Peter (1989) “Down Under” World American Football. 27 September 1989.
[3] Rowe, Peter (1989) “Ne Balls in Oz?” World American Football. 4 October 1989.
Images
[4] Gridiron Victoria (2019) GV-Logo-with-Stroke [Internet] Available from: http://www.gridironvictoria.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/GV-Logo-with-Stroke.png [Accessed 4 July 2020]
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Richard Conville
About this document
Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the
Eirball | Irish North American & World Sports Archive
Last Updated: 20 June 2020
(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020
You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.