Almanac (Local) Footy – AFL Sydney Grand Final: The pain is real, but the pride lasts forever

 

North Shore v UNSW-ES

4:15pm, Saturday, September 9

Blacktown international Sportspark

 

 

While the heart of the game is in the big AFL stadiums, with their massive crowds and enormous broadcast dollars; its soul is in the suburbs and the country, where our weekend warriors battle the odds. Where the clubs run on the smell of an oily rag, tireless volunteers juggle multiple roles while the players juggle their footy around work and/or study.

 

Here in Sydney, we’re far from the game’s heartland. But the flame of our game burns bright. And our game is growing.

 

I’ve seen it at my club, North Shore Bombers. When I first joined, we had a Seniors, Reserves and an Under 19s. That’s all we had. It’s all any club had.

 

Now we have 12 teams. Six mens teams, four womens teams and two U19s. Other clubs have also grown strongly.

 

There’s been headwinds. Covid-19 restrictions nearly killed us. Money’s always tight. And as always, too much is left to too few. But we grow and prosper.

 

Growth has brought success. North Shore have won premierships of some sort in most years. But the Mens Premier Division premiership, the seniors, has eluded us since 2007.

 

Not for a want of effort, and plenty of close calls.

 

From 2017 to 2020, four years in a row, we finished in the top three, were minor premiers twice. But in all four years, we went out with back-to-back finals losses without winning a final.

 

In 2021 we were undefeated, two games clear on top of the ladder, when covid lockdown saw the season cut short.

 

In 2022 the finals hoodoo was finally broken. We got to the Grand Final, but were no match for a very strong University of NSW-Eastern Suburbs side and didn’t score a goal until after three quarter time.

 

But 2023 looked different. North Shore looked stronger. They had beaten the Bulldogs twice in the regular season, only dropped one game in finishing top. And got over the Bulldogs in the Major Semi-Final; only having to play one final to make it through while the Bulldogs had to play three.

 

The Bulldogs still had a strong side, including former Swans Brandon Jack and Jordan Foote. None of our players have played in the AFL; but we had our own heroes. Captain courageous Ned Campbell, prolific midfielder Sam Barkley, defender Jack Woodman, Mitch Crisafulli who had come up through lower divisions to make the ruck role his own.

 

The sun was shining on Saturday and Blacktown International Sportspark was looking a treat. Our reserves had won the premiership earlier in the day; and East Coast had got up over UTS in the Womens Grand Final. And now it was show-time.

 

It was tight and tough early on. We were expecting that. The Bulldogs scored the first goal, but Ned Campbell put us in front and Tom Meacham got a 50 metre penalty for our second goal.

 

Seven points up at quarter time, and Josh Rayner added another early in the second. But scores were hard to come by, and the Bulldogs would score the only other goal for the quarter. But, eight points ahead at half time, it was looking good.

 

But then it came unstuck. It looked too easy for the Bulldogs as their key forward Emery led and marked. Then a Bulldog goal on the run midway through the quarter put them in front. Day was turning into night, the lights were taking over, and the sun looked to be setting on the Bombers’ premiership hopes as the Bulldogs added their third for the quarter in time on.

 

In the huddle at three quarter time, coach Andrew Rogers pleaded with his charges for one last effort. He’s been there before; he played in a Grand Final at Geelong and a few at Woodville-West Torrens. We were only nine points down. But the Bulldogs burst out of the blocks in the last term, two goals in the first three minutes extending their lead to 21 points.

 

The Bombers weren’t done yet. Quick goals to Mitch Rogers and Max Thomas and it was back to seven points; and still plenty of time. But that was as close as the Bombers could go as the Bulldogs steadied; Emery’s mark and goal stinging like a blow to the midriff. The dream was not to be, the premiership drought continues.

 

The siren sounded, and the Bulldogs’ premiership was confirmed.

 

On the field, the agony and the ecstasy was there for all too see. Bomber players slumped to the ground, unable to stand through the empty feeling of their dream being shattered. Sitting silently alone. While nearby, the Bulldogs celebrated. And the 22 people embracing became hundreds; they were joined by injured players, players from other grades, volunteers, past players, families – they’re all part of it. Metres apart in space, but a million miles apart in emotion.

 

Everyone stayed on the field for the presentation. Back in the North Shore rooms, you could hear a pin drop. I’d been down there earlier in the day when the reserves were celebrating. Now it was stunned silence. In time, pride will be felt in what had been a good season. But in the moment, the disappointment was evident. Eventually Andrew Rogers spoke, Ned Campbell spoke, club president John Goode spoke. But nothing anyone could say would heal what we were feeling.

 

By then we could hear the partying from the Bulldogs’ rooms. The contrast of agony and ecstasy in stark relief.

 

For the Bulldogs, it’s a golden era. They’ve played in the last five Grand Finals and won four of them.

 

Both clubs acknowledged each other at the presentation. These are two clubs that respect each other, who bring out the best in each other and who raise the bar for the footy we play.

 

Losing a Senior Grand Final when hot favourites hurts. The pain is real. But the pride of the club lasts forever.

 

Twelve North Shore teams took the field this year. Nine made finals, four made Grand Finals, three won premierships. Hundreds played, coached, volunteered and supported with our teams. Friendships were made. So many people became better versions of themselves through the club.

 

The difference between a good club and a great club is the people in it. At North Shore, we’re fortunate to have several exceptional people. That keeps us coming back. And so I’ll be doing timekeeping, game day paperwork, social media and web content, attending committee meetings, and whatever else it is that I do, again in 2024.

 

Because some you win, some you lose. But the love of the club, and the love of the game, go on.

 

 

 

UNSW-EASTERN SUBURBS             1.2         2.2         5.5         10.6 (66)

NORTH SHORE                                     2.3        3.4         3.8         6.10 (46)

 

GOALS

UNSW-ES –  K Emery 5, B Jack, T Baxter, W Foster, W Spencer, M Rider
North Shore – N Campbell, T Meacham, J Rayner, M Rogers, M Thomas, W Hopkins

 

BEST

UNSW-ES – S Thorne, W Spencer, J Foote, T Baxter, T Unger, N Hawkins

North Shore – M Crisafulli, N Brewer, N Campbell, J Dillon, J Veale, F Chalmers

 

 

 

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