Round 23 – Brisbane Lions v Western Bulldogs: Family and Footscray

 

Round 23
Brisbane versus Western Bulldogs
1:45pm, Saturday 5 September
The Gabba

 

 

AUGUST 2014

 

Family: Dad’s passed away. He lived a long life, with most, if not all, of his hopes and dreams having been fulfilled. The end came quickly and Dad didn’t suffer for long, for which we were all thankful.

 

Footscray: The Bulldogs’ season has passed. It was long and slow, with not many, if any, hopes and dreams fulfilled. The end came in a slow and excruciating fashion, the Dogs teasing and taunting fans with the prospect of a victory against the Giants before throwing it away, leaving us bitter and remorseful.

 

 

SPRING AND SUMMER 2014-15

 

Family: The weeks and months since Dad died have been ones of sadness, confusion and occasional bursts of hope. We have lost a father, a husband, a friend and the best and fairest man we knew as we were growing up. We are learning to live with those losses and we are struggling. We hold out hope that a bright future lies somewhere in the distance. But with so many holes in our heart, we don’t know how far away that bright future is.

 

Footscray: The weeks and months since the Bulldogs’ season ended have been ones of sadness, confusion and occasional bursts of hope. We have lost a captain, a coach, a CEO and the best and fairest player from 2014. We are learning to live with those losses and we are struggling. We hold out hope that a bright future lies somewhere in the distance. But with so many holes in our heart, we don’t know how far away that bright future is.

 

 

SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2015

 

Family: While Dad’s been gone for a year, he is not forgotten. We as a family have come a long way since he died. Mum’s had many happy moments, occasional trips interstate – entailing both happy and sad moments – and until now, she has adapted well and quickly and has had and given us much joy. But on Thursday, we found her in a lost and confused state, not quite knowing where she was going or what she was doing, looking for people that simply weren’t there.

 

This can happen when you’re old (Mum has been diagnosed with the early stages of dementia) but this loss of coordination, cognisance and coherence has been sudden. The doctors thought at first that the cause could be an infection but tests indicate she does not have one. It remains to be seen if her rapid loss of form and function is only temporary. The coming days and weeks will tell. All we can do is wait, our thoughts a mixture of dread and hope.

 

Footscray: While the Bulldog disaster of 2014 and its aftermath are over, they are not forgotten. We as a club have come a long way since then. The Bulldogs and our fans have had many happy moments, occasional trips interstate – entailing both happy and sad moments – and until now, we have adapted well and quickly and given everyone involved much joy. We have performed beyond all expectation and made the finals. But on Thursday, prior to our last home and away game we lost Murphy, Morris and Matthew Boyd, rested in readiness for the finals. Against the Brisbane Lions, we missed them all, with players not quite knowing where they were going, what they were doing, looking for people that simply weren’t there (Murphy, Morris, Boyd).

 

This can happen when you’re young and inexperienced but this loss of coordination, cognisance and coherence has been sudden. After a good start the Pups were blown away before recovering slightly to fall eight points short. It was a ‘dead rubber’ but weaknesses have been exposed. It remains to be seen if their rapid loss of form and function is only temporary. Next Saturday night against the Adelaide Crows will tell. All we can do is wait, thoughts a mixture of dread and hope.

 

 

MATCH DETAILS:

 

BRISBANE LIONS:  2.5  8.12  14.15  19.16 (130)

WESTERN BULLDOGS  8.0  11.2  13.6  19.8 (122)

 

GOALS

Brisbane: Adcock, Green 4; Taylor 3; Hanley, McStay 2; Freeman, Zorko, Evans, Christensen

Western Bulldogs: Stringer 4; Redpath 3; Bontempelli, Macrae 2; Roughead, Honeychurch, Picken, Dahlhaus, Crameri, Dickson, Goodes, Daniel

 

BEST
Brisbane: Martin, Adcock, Rich, Rockliff, Hanley, Green

Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli, Stringer, Macrae, Dahlhaus, Picken

 

Official crowd: 15,434

 

Our Votes: Bontempelli (WB) 3, Martin (Bris) 2, Adcock (Bris) 1

 

 

 

CLICK HERE TO READ GIGS’ TRIBUTE TO HIS DAD FROM AUGUST 2014

 

 

 

 

About Andrew Gigacz

Well, here we are. The Bulldogs have won a flag. What do I do now?

Comments

  1. Lovely Gigs, best wishes for your dear Mum.

  2. Gigs
    You’ve written about circumstances that very much parallel my own (which explains my lack of recent contributions to the Almanac). Not sure about you but I’m finding it hard to write about the frivolity of footy during these tough times. I think when I finally get back to it, I’ll be writing something about perspective, a subject you sound like you know a fair bit about.
    All the best with your mum.
    Sam

  3. Neil Anderson says

    Best wishes for your Mum and I hope the Bulldogs can provide some light relief by winning their first final.
    Losing to Brisbane wasn’t supposed to happen and it’s dented our confidence a bit. They could confuse the Crows by bringing in two ruckmen on Saturday night …but then again, they might confuse themselves.

  4. I too can identify with your circumstances, my mother was exacrly like that as well.

    On the footy front, well I never barrack for a Victorian side, my South Australian origin meaning that I am well balanced, having a chip on both shoulders when it comes to things footy sees to that but I must say that a Bullies win certainly won’t be the end of the world.

    This was a lovely, moving contribution, well done.

  5. Phillip Dimitriadis says

    Wonderful stuff Gigs,
    I hope all goes well for your mum and that the Dogs can knock off the Crows (surely it’s due?) this Saturday night. Good time to be a Bulldog fan I reckon.

  6. Chris Rees @4boat says

    Great piece Gigs, family and footy interweave in so many ways. I wish for more joy in the near future for Mrs Gigs and the Bulldogs.

  7. Peter Fuller says

    Gigs,
    A beautifully-realised meshing of the personal with the greatest game, the trivial focus of our passion.
    Best wishes to your Mum and her children. I’m sure that there will be more phases of joy for you on both dimensions of your life.
    Family is everything, as a fine Australian once said when trying to come to terms with a bereavement of his own.

  8. Thanks for all the kind comments. Pleased to say Mum’s improved dramatically this week. Here’s hoping the Dogs do, too!

  9. Hi Gigs – wishes go out to your mum and family. Loved how you have put this one together and I am hoping for a good ending all round for you.

  10. Gigs,
    A year ago you reminisced in that beautiful tribute…

    ‘On a Saturday night, Dad would never fail to ask, “How did Footscray go today?” or, from 1997, “How did the Bulldogs go today?” ‘

    Give him the thumbs up this week. And love to your Mum and family.

  11. Thanks DJ and Crio. Go Dogs!

  12. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    May the best team win.

    All the best to your mum Gigs.

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