Die Hards,
The premature end to the Swans season was so cherry ripe for nostalgia it was sweet & juicy. As the Stats Guru was quick to point out, a 300 gamer and no less than three 200 gamers all bowing out on the same weekend, with two of them playing their last games in another bloke's 300th. A promoter's dream. It's not every day of the week that you see a hero's chair-off, let alone a double chair-off, or a triple, and in this case a quintuple chair-off. Yep... Jarred McVeigh, Kieren Jack, Heath Grundy, Nick Smith and Lance Franklin; all five hoisted on shoulders before the emotion-charged laps of honour.
Of course, Buddy batted away his 300th as if it was just like any other game. He's now an automatic AFL Life Member, entitling him to enter the Members Enclosure at any ground, and never having to pay for his lunch for the rest of his born days. Amid the richly deserved accolades, Lance quickly forgot that he'd spent half the season in Sick Bay after doing himself various mischief's, declaring that he's more than willing and able to play on until he's 85. And who could blame him? He really starts to hit pay-dirt next year when his massively backloaded contract money starts to kick in, with three years left on the nine-year $10M something deal. What's not to like about that? Brings 'em in through the gates, and he'll kick a thousand goals standing on his head.
The Great Jarred "Odd Head" McVeigh was probably the lynch-pin in the rightly famous "Sydney brick wall" style defence that got them to the flag in 2012. At the height of his illustrious career, Odd Head's ability as a stopper was impeccable and impenetrable and he looked as if he was born to it. Staunch comes close as a word to describe his feats. Back in the day when the game revolved around the idea of stopping the opposition from getting on the scoreboard, McVeigh was in his element as every forward he ever played on knew they were in for a hard day at the office. And he did all 300+ games as one of the cleanest players going around; hardly every gave away a free kick and never appeared down at The Tribunal, while going clean through the toilet in the Brownlow voting because Umpires only like pretty boys, not the hard working domestique. He reserved himself a pedestal in the Pantheon a long time ago now - only a very good opponent could get around him and right to the end he was still outfoxing the clever younger ones despite having lost a yard or two in pace. But eventually his body gave out on him and at the end of his last game he appeared like he had nothing; completely-fucked, buggered, rooted and a hot mess of tears, completely overcome by the moment, after a game of footy that must have been hell for him to play in. A world of pain right there. But the look of sheer joy on his odd face when he scored a very rare goal after being told to push forward in his bowing-out match and try for one, was priceless. You couldn't feel happier for a bloke if you tried. One for the ages. And it looks like J.McVeigh is going to lurk around in the shadows at the back of the box learning how to be a backs coach at the Swans. And why not? Makes sense. He's seen it all. It aint over yet.
The Great Kieren Jack was always a highly improbable success story. Spawned as he was by rugby league royalty and Balmain champion, The Great Gary Jack [undoubtedly the best rugby league full-back in the world at the time and the best Balmain No.1 in living memory], soon enough, Jack Jnr realised that he wasn't much good at this league caper. Then someone worked out that his eye-hand coordination might be better off in the Rules, to which he bought the fleet footedness and rugged defence of his father. Who'd have thought that on debut K.Jack would go on to play 264 first grade games, all of them for his home town? Sadly, he played on for a year too long, got hurt, and ended up not being picked for the Seniors in the back half of this season, and along with McVeigh, was only selected because it was to be his final game with the season gone. But, back in the day when the mid-fielder was King and reigned supreme, Jack Jnr had it all; the world at his feet with that great go forward from the scrimmages, darting in and out all over the shop with his lightning turn of pace, a ripping mark who took his fair share of screamers, whilst loving bringing down opposition mid-fielders like sacks of potatoes, again, just like his father. Although you'd expect that he's broken his nose far fewer times than Dad Gary, who now boasts a conker of super-substantial proportions. It must've been tough to play in that very long parental shadow, let alone in a "different game", never mind getting admired by those of us who follow both codes. And he's got smarts, having done an MBA while playing, and now professes "I'd really love to run a footy club one day". K.Jack, Salut! Admitted to the Swans Pantheon, forthwith. It aint over yet.
The Great Reg Grundy has already been covered to bits in these pages over the years as Odd Head's partner in crime during the Glory Days. The love child of a man who was among the chosen few and a good Norwood boy, Heefy became a superstar backman with a uniquely languid old-fashioned style and ended up as one of the club's elite champions, for which there is a special corner reserved in the Pantheon. Sadly, his glittering career also petered out in Sick Bay and he appeared at the ground in a regulation Swans suit and tie, along with the "forgotten man"...
The Great Nick Smith. As far as is known, no-one ever wrote a single word about Nick Smith in any of the Melbourne papers, ever. He was just never the kind of player to attract any attention; he had a job to to do and he got on with it. A distinction he holds in high regard is the fact that he's the only player in history to play 200 games without scoring a single Brownlow vote, but it's difficult to recall if Smiffy ever played bad game. One of the best back-pockets to grace a football ground in history - Mr Reliable personified - and by all accounts, a champion club-man, loved by all. It's just so easy to forget he was integral part of the "brick wall" that played in that pennant winning side of 2012.
Then there were two - just a pair of survivors from that '12 Grand Final side now, who will play on next year - JPK and Beanpole Reid. [Not counting Parker, who was picked as the reserve for that game, but didn't play].
Well, that's more than enough nostalgia for a year - nay, a decade - which has now come to an end...not in harsh words and bitter recriminations that some other clubs that failed to make the finals went on with, oh no. They were in the mood to warm the cockles of the hearts of the die-hard rusted-on; a fairytale finish to the season, not going out with no whimper, but with a genuine dead-set End of an Era. Those blokes over there with the binoculars looking out at the horizon with those far away eyes are realistically thinking about 2022, and what sweet timing that would be - a decade between premierships.
And it'd be a safe bet that Mad Monday was one of the better ones in years.
SYDNEY: 6.2, 6.3, 11.4, 17.7 (109). Goals: Franklin 4, McCartin 3, Kennedy 2, Papley 2, Parker 2, Blakey, Rowbottom, McVeigh, Jack.
ST KILDA: 2.5, 5.9, 7.12, 8.16 (64). Goals: Bruce 2, Ross 2, Membrey, Long, Steven, Steele.
At Sydney Cricket Ground.
Crowd: 33,722.
Meantime, over in Tigerville, the rugby league season continues to blunder on, starting earlier and finishing later than the AFL. And, as if by some miracle, The Mighty Tiges chances of reaching the finals remain alive. The meagre crowd of faithful who turned out at the Cambelltown Sports Ground were going absolutely apeshit at half time, after some routine Benji Marshall magic had them leading the hapless Knights 30-0. And they continued with the steamroller treatment after the break, toying with the Knights before taking the foot off the pedal. That said, if you can't beat Newcastle at Campbelltown, then you might as well pick up your ball and go home. As everyone knows, it's been a long time between drinks for the Tiges, and if they make the Top 8 it will be the first time they've got there in eight long years. How long have you been hearing that Balmain are a goddamn hard team to follow? The Miracle Year of 2005 is now in clear & present danger of being lost in the mists of time. There's two matches to go, both eminently winnable, and they really must keep on winning, for a change, to be in with a shot at just sneaking in at the pointy end of the season. Then, all bets are off and anything could happen.
You can't buy tickets to the last match of the regular season against Scummo's Sharks at the Spiritual Home - Leichhardt Oval - for love nor money. With the Best Leb in the Game appearing in his final game in prospect, the joint sold out mid-week. Hope still springs eternal, for those of us who should know better.
WESTS TIGERS 46. Tries: Nofoaluma (3), Matterson, Jennings, Marsters, Garner, Chee-Kam. Goals: Momirovski (7).
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 4. Tries: Guerra.
At Campbelltown Sports Ground.
Crowd: 11,107.
