Finals Week 3 – Brisbane v Geelong: Put to the Sword

 

 

 

Put to the Sword

By Sasha Lennon

 

By Stanley Street we arrived amongst the throng. Gate 5, Section 9.

 

October in Brisbane. It was warm, but not Brisbane warm, and while the sun was setting quickly as it does here, it felt quite like Melbourne one day in September.

 

Full-strength and arty, hoppy, ice-cold beer, hot pies and chips and merchandise stalls flat out; kids of all ages excited. This was a new gig for many.

 

Perfect turf. Damp maybe but certainly not wet. And there was the mildest of breeze.

 

Two rows off the fence on the wing. No-one in front. The perks of COVID!

 

 

 

 

Charlie gave us reason to hope, his early kicking was on song (but then he went missing).

 

But we don’t blame him. We all love him.

 

Others in the maroon and blue (and gold) all around looked as if they were ready to capitulate, was it not for the Brownlow medallist-in-waiting, who by foot willed them on.

 

Subdued by the occasion, and the poise of Geelong, Fagan’s boys fumbled and couldn’t find fourth gear.

 

What if Hodgey had played on just one more year? He would have known what to do. Then they’d all have known what to do, how to win.

 

The highly-expectant supporters – and at home you know! – they got restless, some got rowdy and that throng became more of a horde.

 

Others kept their chins up. Its footy after all and we live in Queensland. Twenty years living north of the Barassi line and I finally feel at home.

 

I thought of some old Fitzroy friends, or were they Footscray? In any case, that was at VFL Park and we had to make a dash to the car and get out of there, the siren was about to sound!

 

But I digress.

 

The Cats were simply better, more composed, and in the know; and led by G. Ablett, any hope that the Lions were about to make history at the Gabba were put to the sword.

 

There’s always next year. Until then, there’s grass to mow and the pool needs a good clean.

 

 

BRISBANE    2.0    4.3    5.5    6.6 (42)
GEELONG     2.5    4.8    7.11    11.16 (82)

 

GOALS
Brisbane: Cameron 2, Neale 2, Hipwood, Rayner
Geelong: Rohan 3, Ablett 2, Hawkins 2, Miers, Tuohy, Parfitt, Henry

 

BEST
Brisbane: Neale, Rich, Lyons, Lester, Zorko
Geelong: Duncan, Stewart, Dangerfield, Ablett, Hawkins, Rohan

 

INJURIES
Brisbane: Darcy Gardiner (knee) replaced in selected side by Jack Payne, Birchall (hamstring)
Geelong: Nil

 

 

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They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

 

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