Weavils do feel threatened.

[Ripper]

Surfing the web I found this article.

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2003/12/18/1071337090127.html

Bombers reigned on Fremantle's parade

By Peter Ker
My favourite moment 2003
December 19, 2003

Damian Cupido and Matthew Lloyd enjoy the moment.

There was an eerie feel in the evening air when Essendon touched down at Perth airport on that first Wednesday in September.

A week of sunshine and brilliant weather was suddenly broken by wind and rain, which swept the city at the very moment of the Bombers' arrival. The downpour lasted all of 20 minutes and then passed as if it had never happened.

The Bombers had flown into a storm - in more ways than one. An entire state had rediscovered the joys of football hysteria that week, as Fremantle tasted September action for the first time.

The last time Sandgropers were this interested in football, Craig Turley had his face printed on 50,000 masks for the Eagles' first home final against Hawthorn in 1991.

Although the atmosphere among the 10,000 people who watched the Dockers train that week was intoxicating and the local media saturation inescapable, there were occasions when I felt like reminding the locals that this elimination final would be a contest involving two teams, not one.

By the morning of the game, the local media had written every possible ending to the Fremantle fairytale. If the Dockers weren't going to win by running the Bombers off their feet, it would happen because of Essendon's supposed inability to play well outside Victoria.

Others were convinced Fremantle veterans such as Shaun McManus and Shane Parker had endured too much pain at the wrong end of the ladder to let the opportunity slip. Failing that, the Dockers were going to win the match for Troy Cook, who after 88 consecutive and mostly miserable games, was now, in a rare moment of Fremantle success, sidelined with a broken ankle.

Sadly, for the authors of those happy endings, someone else was writing the script.

What the Bombers did that night was awesome.

After the predictable, crowd-igniting early goal to the Dockers, it was an inspiring display from an Essendon side that literally sneered at an opponent that had become too happy with itself, and a state that had shown zero respect to a traditional power.

The sell-out crowd, dressed almost without exception in purple, watched in disbelief as names such as Hird, Lloyd, Misiti, Lucas, Hille and Peverill ran riot.

The Bombers claim to be a young side on the up and, without doubt, do boast some impressive young talent.

But the drive behind the Essendon side that made the Dockers look like schoolboys that night is still a closer relative to the 2000 premiership side than the combination that will claim the Bombers' next flag - whenever that might be.

What we saw was an ageing champion belting a young aspirant into submission against all odds. A champion outfit that although past its best, and faced with a four-hour flight to the competition's most hostile venue, still had enough in the tank to make a major statement.

Watching the Essendon officials who were seated in the media box that night was also fascinating.

Knowing that a vocal display of fist-pumping would be out of place, they respectfully muffled their elation as goal after goal was piled on.

The melancholy mood in the press box became even darker when jubilant text messages from West Coast officials - watching the game in Adelaide where they were preparing to meet the Crows the following day - started to filter through.

The Eagles have had a mortgage on the back page in Perth for the past 17 years and, like the Bombers, did not enjoy their week of anonymity caused by the Fremantle circus.

In the change rooms after the match - so often a place of cliches and stage-managed answers from tired footballers - we found refreshing candour from the Essendon players.

James Hird looked reporters in the eye and told of how his pride, and that of his teammates, had been stung by their lack of attention and respect during the previous week.

Not only was this honesty a rare treat, it contradicted the traditional party line from footballers that they do not pay any attention to what is written in the newspapers.

Even Kevin Sheedy's dealings with a young boy after the match suggested a feeling of master triumphing over apprentice.

The boy - the son of a member of the ground staff - wandered up to Sheedy in the Essendon rooms looking particularly sullen in his Dockers scarf. Sheedy ignored everyone around him, knelt down and told the boy that he knew what it was like to lose finals, and that the boy's team would win one day.

Make no mistake, the Dockers are going places. Their era of success is in the post and will be upon us soon. But that night in Perth, an ageing champion reminded them that it had not arrived just yet.

You've got to know your place, and that night - after a week of being rock stars - the Dockers were well and truly aware of theirs.

Very interesting ! I will never feel bad about bagging them again.

 

[Milkman]

Nice gesture by Sheedy, but I fail to see how this very subjective article brings you to the conclusion that we feel threatened.

 

[Kenny_01]

Eagles fans also are happy we copped a couple of injuries.

 

[Ripper]

Originally posted by Milkman
Nice gesture by Sheedy, but I fail to see how this very subjective article brings you to the conclusion that we feel threatened.

"The melancholy mood in the press box became even darker when jubilant text messages from West Coast officials - watching the game in Adelaide where they were preparing to meet the Crows the following day - started to filter through."

So forget all the bull**** about great rivalries with the Bombres etc Milko, They were jubilant about the bombres beating Freo.

And Whoosa is supposed to be mates with CC. I would hate to see how he treats his enemies.

 

[Milkman]

Originally posted by Kenny_01
Eagles fans also are happy we copped a couple of injuries.

That was one Eagles fan thank you very much, and I think his point was, that it's about time you copped a few injuries, as opposed to us getting them all.

Did I just take the bait?

 

[Kenny_01]

Originally posted by Milkman
That was one Eagles fan thank you very much, and I think his point was, that it's about time you copped a few injuries, as opposed to us getting them all.

I think it is pretty clear that we have a better injury management/ conditioning program down at Freo. It's not all good luck.

 

[Milkman]

Originally posted by Kenny_01
I think it is pretty clear that we have a better injury management/ conditioning program down at Freo. It's not all good luck.

That wouldn't surprise me, and I wouldn't be the 1st WC supporter to question our injury management system. That doesn't mean you get to go injury free though.

 

[Milkman]

Originally posted by RIPPER_46
"The melancholy mood in the press box became even darker when jubilant text messages from West Coast officials - watching the game in Adelaide where they were preparing to meet the Crows the following day - started to filter through."

Sounds like typical footy banter to me, besides it's all heresy.

 

[The Mission Man]

Heresy? Are you Torquemada by any chance? I think you mean hearsay and I think someone sitting in the pressbox when the dullards from Fleagleland began their text messaging is entitled to pass on what he experienced in there.

Of course, the Wet Toast honchos in Adelaide were about to witness an even bigger pantsing. I'll wager their phone bills weren't added to then. Arrogant swine.

It goes without saying that the two WAFC footy clubs are more closely allied than most supporters would like - except those flossy little gayguys who "like both teams" - but when it comes down to it, they are competitive beings, in competition.

Why else would Brian Sierakowski vow to stand down from the Weagles board if Freo ever beat the Toast? (He didn't, of course).

Why else would the Weavils of 1994/95 make a vow to never be beaten by the Dockers?

Of course the honchos down there are feeling the pinch. They know how flighty their "membership" is.

 

[Milkman]

Originally posted by The Mission Man
I think you mean hearsay

That's what I meant. Don't know how I came up with heresy, but it's about my 6th ****ed up typo for the day. (In my defence, i'm supposed to be working).

I urge you to check the latest membership figures mission, the dockers don't seem to be inflicting much of a pinch, depsite the purple banwagon rolling into town. No doubt they are lapping up some of the unseasoned bandwagoners, but our numbers sure as hell aren't dropping.

 

[Captain Random]

Originally posted by The Mission Man
Heresy? Are you Torquemada by any chance? I think you mean hearsay and I think someone sitting in the pressbox when the dullards from Fleagleland began their text messaging is entitled to pass on what he experienced in there.

MM, no doubt you missed Mr Ker's little column the other week when he described Read as "the monster Worsfold created". After that slackarsed effort, I wouldn't trust the guy to read the Lotto numbers without embellishment.

I like heresy better. After all, nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.

And Kenny, why do all Dockers supporters have to generalise all the bloody time?

 

[The Mission Man]

He was being a little inventive there. I guess he put 2 and 2 together and came up with 24.

Of course, the "monster" didn't do much either. I expected so much more from the little mutant...

Milko, the latest membership figures are as rubbery as Phil Matera's "girlfriend" - we'll have to wait till the AFL release the real deal.

 

[spring6]

Originally posted by The Mission Man


It goes without saying that the two WAFC footy clubs are more closely allied than most supporters would like - except those flossy little gayguys who "like both teams"

Or maybe through and through loyal western australians who are smart enough to know who the real enemy is?

 

[Ripper]

Originally posted by spring6
Or maybe through and through loyal western australians who are smart enough to know who the real enemy is?

That obviously excludes Weavils Officials from being smart.

 

[The Mission Man]

Civic pride is often used as a replacement for talent.