Immediately following the disaster of the 1995 grand final, whilst still within the confines of the G, I vowed that I would never ever let my beloved cats break my heart again. After witnessing the heart break of the 89, 92 and 94 finals, 95 was to be our last hope of finally securing the holy grail that had eluded us for so long.
I had spent most of 1995 overseas and had been kept in touch (pre-internet days) by newspaper clippings sent by my family and the odd visit to Australia House where the previous weeks newspapers were housed. I arrived home the week of the preliminary final against the tigers with the hope that my incredible year was only going to continue.
Watching Ablett Snr, Hinkley and our much vaunted midfield destroy Richmond only confirmed that we were only a week away from our natural destiny. The fact that Carlton were almost invincible that year was irrelevent. Besides it would finally be an opportunity to stick it up Greg Williams for bailing out on the club that had given him his opportunity to showcase his considerable talent.
Not being a GFC member that year, obtaining a GF ticket proved to be a challenge. When all opportunities appeared to be exhausted a friend's father called to be my white knight. He new a bloke on the MCC members gate who was lets just say sympathetic to my plight to get into the ground!!!
Anyway within 5 minutes of the ball being bounced we were gone. The sense of loss and numbness that I had experienced only 12 months earlier was with me again. I was convinced that I was indeed destined never to see a premiership.
So here we are 12 years on. We haven't reached our grand final yet but 2007 represents our best opportunity to go all the way. We were teased a little in 2004 and 2005 but in our heart of hearts we all new that our team was not good enough or ready enough to go hold the cup up.
This year is different. Since an unlikely loss to the Kangaroos, we have shown a steely resolve that is very un-Geelong like. Even the supporters have been measured. We must be the most supersticious supporters in the league. When I was younger I paced around the kitchen table listening to Harry Beitzel call the game convinced that if I walked anticlockwise rather than the clockwise direction that I was moving, it would result in the opposition slamming on 6 straight goals. When they slammed on 3 I changed direction.
So try as I might I cannot stop myself starting to feel the same as I did back in the "Ablett snr years". The excitement, the nervousness, the anticipation, the hope. I dare not feel these feelings, but I know that if 2007 is the year, the emotion at 5.00pm on the 29th September will be like nothing before (apologies to my wife and daughter for the wedding and birth).
I had spent most of 1995 overseas and had been kept in touch (pre-internet days) by newspaper clippings sent by my family and the odd visit to Australia House where the previous weeks newspapers were housed. I arrived home the week of the preliminary final against the tigers with the hope that my incredible year was only going to continue.
Watching Ablett Snr, Hinkley and our much vaunted midfield destroy Richmond only confirmed that we were only a week away from our natural destiny. The fact that Carlton were almost invincible that year was irrelevent. Besides it would finally be an opportunity to stick it up Greg Williams for bailing out on the club that had given him his opportunity to showcase his considerable talent.
Not being a GFC member that year, obtaining a GF ticket proved to be a challenge. When all opportunities appeared to be exhausted a friend's father called to be my white knight. He new a bloke on the MCC members gate who was lets just say sympathetic to my plight to get into the ground!!!
Anyway within 5 minutes of the ball being bounced we were gone. The sense of loss and numbness that I had experienced only 12 months earlier was with me again. I was convinced that I was indeed destined never to see a premiership.
So here we are 12 years on. We haven't reached our grand final yet but 2007 represents our best opportunity to go all the way. We were teased a little in 2004 and 2005 but in our heart of hearts we all new that our team was not good enough or ready enough to go hold the cup up.
This year is different. Since an unlikely loss to the Kangaroos, we have shown a steely resolve that is very un-Geelong like. Even the supporters have been measured. We must be the most supersticious supporters in the league. When I was younger I paced around the kitchen table listening to Harry Beitzel call the game convinced that if I walked anticlockwise rather than the clockwise direction that I was moving, it would result in the opposition slamming on 6 straight goals. When they slammed on 3 I changed direction.
So try as I might I cannot stop myself starting to feel the same as I did back in the "Ablett snr years". The excitement, the nervousness, the anticipation, the hope. I dare not feel these feelings, but I know that if 2007 is the year, the emotion at 5.00pm on the 29th September will be like nothing before (apologies to my wife and daughter for the wedding and birth).
