The Blues were not to appear on Grand Final day again for six years, but in the interim, Sticks enhanced his standing as one of football’s elite. He won his second club Best & Fairest in 1989 and his third in 1992, while continuing his unbroken run of club goal-kicking awards. His decision to stay with Carlton bore fruit when the Blues marched into the 1993 Grand Final as warm favourites against a young but talented Essendon*. However, alarm bells were sounded on the eve of the game, when Carlton’s champion centreman Craig Bradley couldn’t recover from a leg injury in time to take his place. This late change unbalanced the Blues, who had no answer to the sheer pace and tenacity of the Bombers. Carlton lost by 44 points, with only one saving grace – the superb, gutsy performance of their captain, who booted seven of Carlton’s thirteen goals.