- Jan 13, 2004
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Yes, yes it is.
This is my post on the greatest day in the history on the game day thread:
This is my post on the greatest day in the history on the game day thread:
My memories of this game:
- We flew up on the Friday, we booked literally as soon as the Hawthorn Final was over.
- Tried everything the night before to get my mind off the game - hotel pool, walk, gym, nothing worked.
- The morning of the game I was so nervous I couldn’t even eat. A few of my traveling party went to a pub beforehand but I was already in the midst of a nervous breakdown. Another prelim, against those ****ing assholes, the knowledge of what was on the line...I just couldn’t take it
- Arrived to the ground well early and chatting to other supporters and hearing their stories, driving up from Melbourne, flying in on the day
- The tension during this game was worse than any other game I’ve ever seen. I was on edge the whole time, roaring our goals with every ounce of energy and panicking like crazy at every one of there’s
- Strangely enough at 3 quarter time I saw Mitch Hahn in the crowd. I was tense and on edge and exchanged glances with him, we both kind of nodded at each other, as in, “Yes, this is tense, unbearable, I can’t stand it either, please may we win”
- When they got their second goal in the last quarter and were 14 up, I was so distraught and felt so sick I went to the bathroom, so I actually missed Dickson’s goal. Came back and had my parents and GF tell me we’re right back in it and not to worry, bless them
- The 3 or 4 minutes from when Bont’s goal to Cordy’s goal were insane. The bay I was in - all Bulldogs fans - going absolutely ape s**t when JJ burst free. Screaming their lungs out “BONT! BONT!!!” when we saw him marauding forward. Going bananas again when Bonti slotted it, and the Bulldogs chant that went up after Bonti’s goal was the loudest Bulldogs/Footscray chant I’ve ever heard.
After Cordy’s goal, I remember thinking clearly a very dangerous thought “One more, and I think we’re home”. Of course as soon as I think that they went up and Patton scored a goal and then thought to myself “Yeah, right”
- After Cordy’s goal I was messaging about 3-4 people back home watching for time updates, and bless them, they provided one for me which I checked at every available bounce or throw in
- When Macrae marked, i went through so many emotions. Much though I love him, I wasn’t sure he’d nailed it, so at first I reassured myself that surely he’d at least put us in front. I almost had to turn away when he was running in - but the GF had my hand in hers and squeezed it tight and made me watch, and then us all jumping up and down when it sailed through.
- How I actually managed to watch the best passages of play I’ll never know but I did. When they kicked that point to bring it to 5 points I had that fatalistic Bulldogs thought of that’s it, they’ll get a goal and we’ll lose by a point. There was a tackle by McLean on one of their players near the interchange where I yelled Ball so hard my throat was in pure agony. Then when they launched that final inside 50 - again, no idea how I watched - but this was the one time in our history where our defence simply had to stand firm, and they did.
- When McLean got the free for too high it was the first time I thought we probably were going to win, then when we kicked backwards I nearly had yet another heart attack. When Stringer began running towards goal, the whole bay and crowd yelling themselves hoarse, and then Dickson marked we all began jumping up and down like crazy. Then a quick check of my phone “You’ve got it!” “You’ve won - 30 seconds!” I then told my family who all asked for reassurances, as did the fans in the row behind me and behind. When that siren went, I let out out the fiercest, most primal roar of my life - and the four of us were jumping up and down in the most chaotic and wonderful group hug ever, then we were hugging the strangers in the row behind and in front. Parents both in tears, me just jumping up and down hugging everyone and anything
- We raced around to the players race - I basically sprinted, I was on that much of an adrenaline high - and saw the players off and were still hugging every single Bulldogs fan we saw. The scene was the same when we left the ground - everyone still on a high and just wanting to release some emotion by embracing
- We also went over to the other side of the ground where our extended extended family were all watching and celebrated, plenty of old timers in that bunch all who’d waited a long time to see it happen
- We then caught an Uber from the ground - my choice, stupidly - which was ridiculously expensive, but we didn’t care, we were all on our phones messaging and watching highlights.
- As mentioned earlier, I was too nervous to eat during and before the game, so when we arrived at the airport and had checked in, I found a Hungry Jacks and burst in almost like Homer Simpson demanding 700 Krusty Burgers.
- We arrived home close to midnight, girlfriend is too tired emotionally and retires to bed, I decide to flick on the TV and you little ripper, the replay is starting in 10 minutes. Re-watched again, and have re-watched nearly 1000 times (at least) since then.
A magic night.