It was the 92nd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers for the 1988 VFL season.

The match, attended by 93,754 spectators, was won by Hawthorn by a margin of 96 points, marking that club's seventh premiership victory.

The Norm Smith Medal was awarded to Hawthorn defender Gary Ayres for being judged the best player afield, with 22 disposals despite sustaining a fractured cheek bone in the first quarter.

Ayres nullified dangerous Melbourne player Greg Healy and set up many of the Hawks attacks from the defensive line.

[1] Hawks coach Alan Joyce, who replaced an ill Allan Jeans for the 1988 season, said: "I have never seen a more awesome, more inspiring passage of play than the 15-minute mark of the second quarter.