Round 16, 2009

How many Bluebagger supporters at half-time on Saturday wished to flee the ground? How many wanted to head out of the Dome, race across the bridge and run screaming up Burke street, mad, angry and lost; perhaps even form a mad posse, burning scarves and searching for someone to blame?

It was the same old same old. We never looked like scoring and they just edged further and further away. Really it was only nine points at half-time but the dark years have taken their toll. We have grown to expect the tragic. I felt like standing on a table in the Victory Room and, in my worst voice, belt out 'Send In the Clowns'. My brothers and I wanted to hit the highway, take the long road home, pack up all our troubles and shuffle off down the road again.

We had had enough of these losses. And against the Swans. The Bloods! Twelve games straight – against them! Was there no end to the pain, the ignominy, the dark tunnel?

In the old days at Princes Park, standing in the social club, the Blues nine points down and playing as bad as the worst University Blues side, we would have drank happily and laughed, flushed with the sure knowledge we would come out and belt the opposing side. Pat might say. We can't play any worse, and we're still only nine points down' and Brain would say, 'don't worry, we'll win this in a canter' and we would, most times, we would. So many times that those when we didn't didn't count. That's what prosperity does, it secures you. That was the real secret to our arrogance - we'd come back so many times, including in finals and against the worst of our foes, the Magpies, the Tigers, the Don and so forth – we always thought we would win, no matter what.

We Bluebagger supporters were arrogant because history had taught us we would win more often than not. Much more often. So even at half-time when down by a few goals we would expect the lads to come out all guns firing and run away with another blazing win.

Not now though, now the arrogance has been knocked out of us. We sat in the social club, the beers cold against old hands, the blood thin with all the losses piled up in the past few years (and such losses, one hundred points here, seventy points there) the voices around us subdued, brewing with anger and disappointment, with the familiar knot in the guts and the sad little boy in his Bluebagger scarf and beanie whispering, 'not again, not again...'

I hated Ratts, wanted most of the side banished to the bullants, wished we had won some of those other close games so this game wouldn't count so much, wanted Sticks gone as President, wondered whether even the great Judd might soon be dragged down to our base level. I have been poisoned by the past few years, you see, arrogance replaced with a bleak despair that expects the worst far too often.

And then the third quarter began and then, well, then the Bluebaggers of old donned the flesh of our new players and we played as if the past twelve losses were a fantasy. By the last quarter, my head was filled with the distant sound of happy hands banging the signage at the Heatley Stand end. We were on the rampage again, the good times were back – oh come on baby let the good times roll! It may have been a long cold lonely seven or so winters but the sun was back, here comes the bluebagger sun, nine wonderful goals of sunshine and light and glory.

Gibbsey, Carrots, Yarran sublime! Fev – oh yes we were back, we were playing like the Old Dark Navies and the Swannies had no answers to the weight of run, the speed, the skill, the desire.

So I waltzed out of the new ground with the other Bluebaggers, sardines out of the can, swam across the bridge and sang the old theme song, the radio plugged in to my ears and a smile bigger than Texas across my face.

I may not be arrogant, not yet, it will take several great wins – particularly in finals to restore that certainty needed to maintain the swagger, but I felt pride again. The Bluebagger pride in a jumper like no other.

It was a great win and moves us that one step closer to our aim, to smell the sweet grass clipping scent of spring and know, know with a hummingbird buzz in the belly and nightingale song in the heart, that the Blues are back, back playing finals again.

We are not there yet but its getting closer. This week is the big one I think. Win this and I believe we will play finals, win this and we may even see two guaranteed weeks of finals action. But, as the old adage goes, one week at a time. This week its that hated foe, the black and white broken tooth army of twilight, the magpies. Beat them, send them tumbling and drag ourselves a step closer to the September action.

I'll not go this week with a swagger, not with that arrogant certainty from times gone by, for now wins and losses are blowing in the wind, but I will go with the belief that we can win, that if we play to our potential, if the midfield get on top, if Fev is firing and the defence plays to their strengths then I expect to win.

One thing is for sure, if we are nine points down at half time and playing badly I'll not be too worried mammy. This side is capable of turning a game on its head, any game, it'll only take a quarter to bury the Magpies under the weight of their own disbelief – could anything be sweeter?

Go Blues!
Yarran for 3
Carrots B.O.G.

The Bluebagger army to be singing the sweetest of all songs!

There sure were some highlights in that last quarter - and lets not forget wrestling the game back from them in the third - that deserve a mention. Fisher's tap, Hampson's ruckwork, Betts' snap, Gibbs' majors...but lets be honest, Yarran's brilliant gather, bounce and goal not only set the game alight but highlighted the pure talent our Pick #6 possessed. Mike & Dan were lucky to have a chat to Chris in the aftermath of his arrival.

Q. Chris, cracking goal, great highlight. Did you have to think about it or as soon as it hit your hands were you going to play on?

Thanks, no it comes pretty natural, I didn’t really think about it, just summed it up and went.

Q: How many other blokes on the list do you reckon would have taken a bounce when you did in kicking that ?

I don’t know, I suppose you would have to ask them, sometimes you just do it on the field and think about it later, I was happy it worked out.

Q. At times this year, yourself, Eddie Betts and Jeffrey Garlett add some much needed spark and defensive pressure in our forward line. Is there room for all 3 of you in the same side?

I hope so, Eddie has been great for me and Jeff since we have arrived in Melbourne. I think he has taken his game to another level this year. Jeff and I are still a little different as players. There is no reason why it can’t work.

Q. It seemed only a few weeks ago that you had to go down to Geelong for a Bullants game at 9am. Do you prefer 9am starts, 2pm starts or night footy?

Not 9am. Night football is exciting; I am really looking forward to this weeks game. But it doesn’t worry me, I’m just happy being out there.

Q: Overall, you've obviously been in and out of the side a little bit this season. When you have been dropped back to the Bullants, is there anything specific the coaches have asked you to work on?

Always things to work on. There is a big gap between the WAFL and VFL and the AFL. It was good to get a taste of AFL, then go back and work on different aspects of my game. I have been working with Ratts and the Development coaches on a heap of areas.

Q. How does playing in the Bullies compare to playing in the WAFL? Is it a similar standard?

The WAFL is a quicker, open like game, very attacking football, the VFL is probably more like the AFL in that style of play.

Q: We keep hearing that your mate Buddy Franklin is the cousin of your mate Jeff Garlett. Is there any famous AFL blood in the rest of your family?

Haha, not of the class of Buddy.

Q: We know the club hasn't beaten Sydney since 2000. Did you get a sense of how important the win was in the rooms after the game, or did it seem like a 'normal' victory?

I haven’t been involved in too many wins yet so I was pretty happy, after the game we sort of said it was a win that broke a long streak.

Q.Have you felt under pressure to perform in 2009, or do the Club appreciate that first year players are new to this quality of game?

Yes externally and probably a bit from inside the Club. There is a big importance put on the draft and you feel that you have to play well early on. But the people at the club have been good. I still speak to the recruiting staff and they talk about the big picture not just the weekend’s game which players focus on. They say, “We know you can play, keep working on your game with the coaches”, that sort of thing.

Q. Last time we spoke to you, you were hoping to break into the seniors and get some respect from the playing group. You've played a few games now - what are your goals until the end of the year?

I just need to keep working hard I think and that should take care of itself.

Q. How is the AFLPA Apprenticeship going? What kinds of things have you learned over the past few months?

Yeah, it’s pretty good, it’s something we all do along with extra stuff with Rod Ashman. The programs are really helpful.

Q. You mentioned your Mum has come down and is living with you in Melbourne. How are you both adjusting to living in Melbourne, particularly the winter? Between you, have you bought extra woollen jumpers and ugg boots?

It can get pretty cold down here, the worst has been doing the beach sessions, they weren’t too bad back in Perth, but they are terrible here!

Q. Who is the most annoying player down there at the Club?

Haha, I’ll have to say Mitch Robinson! He is always causing trouble!

With the highlights reel being set up for a long career with a ripper goal on the weekend, Mike & Dan are looking forward to a movie night in 2020!