AFL Round 2 – Essendon v Hawthorn: Post Game Kick to Kick

 

If you would like to know what happened during the Essendon v Hawthorn game, you should check out the excellent match reports.

This is about what happened afterwards….

Despite being on my own and lacking a Sherrin, I took what was both the most direct and scenic route and moseyed across the turf and towards the city end. After bumping into a few of former local footy teammates for a ‘stop and chat’ on the members wing, I soon found myself about 30 metres out (and a bit to the right) from the City End goal.Though my mind was wandering, I was quickly alerted to a pack forming between two young Hawks fans, one boy and one girl. As their nitid blonde hair, dazzling blue eyes and radiating olive skin meshed under the light tower, their shiny new yellow Sherrin spilled out towards me.

Without thinking (and forgetting I was a full-back the last time I played) I threw the ball onto my right boot and over my left shoulder.

As I gazed into the glow of the evening, the shrieks of the crowd surrounding soon became muted as all I could hear was the ball spinning (occasionally) and the wind under my wings evaporating as my arms depicted ‘a quarter to three’.

With the nearby Bomber fans erupting, I stole a backward glance at the young Hawthorn pair. Their eyes were glazed with the disappointment of defeat and the disappearance of their prized possession.

I’m ashamed to say that I just kept on sprinting. My fists were pumping. I had been boorish and classless, but my feet didn’t touch the ground.

Yet as I took my first stride, I’m sure I heard the ‘Family Club’ parents console their little ones.

“Don’t worry kids. We’ll get you another one.”

About Andrew Else

Andrew has self-reported to this site as a lifetime Essendon supporter. He also played local footy for Lara and Melbourne Uni Blacks.

Comments

  1. Gold

  2. Before we took off for Queensland in 2002 (kick on the ground just what you did back then of course), I went to the G with a couple of mates. Sozzled at the end, I borrowed a footy and stood on the boundary, probably 20 metres out. With my blundstones on, I threaded the footy through the middle. Arms raised much as yours would have been. I still remember it vividly.

  3. “I taught Cale Hooker everything he knows”. Well played.

  4. Peter Fuller says

    My reaction was: typical Essendon supporter; appropriates children’s football in his narrowly-focussed, self-interested pursuit of his dream.
    I’m also particularly concerned that the representatives of that despicable institution Essendon FC will very likely do something similar to some poor youngsters kitted out in dark blue jumpers on the same field next Saturday.
    Well played your team, Andrew, you (along with Steve Baker, Trevor Blainey, Pam Sherpa and others) have been rewarded for staying true to the Sash

  5. Rod Oaten is another. Bob Speechley, too.

  6. Pamela Sherpa says

    Savour the moment Andrew , and let those Hawthorn kids ponder the meaning of life.

  7. Rick Kane says

    Love it AE, in all its shameless expression of victory! Cheers

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