Jump to content

This time of year

Uncle Fester
in Melbourne Demons

Featured Replies

Posted

A bit of a random topic, but as I get older I really like this time of year. You see these kids, just out of school, and all elbows and knee caps, suddenly thrust into the limelight, cameras thrust in their faces, and they ummm and uhhh as they are asked a million and one questions (and you can see them thinking 'Can't I just say "I like footy?').

Fast forward ten years from now and those teenagers are now hardened warriors. They are used to playing in front of thousands of people. They are big and strong, and have mixed it with the toughest the game has to offer. And interviews... they take it in their stride as if having a news crew following you into work is what happens to everyone.

It's fun to sometimes remind myself that the tough guy just won a big game off his own boot was, not that long ago, a nervous teenager that had no idea what life had in store for him.

  • Quote
    • Like 10
     

    What becomes more evident as you get older is just how young 18 is. It gets harder and harder to reconcile how 18 can count as “adult”. The interview with Jackson was one of a kid in a man’s body bouncing off the walls with excitement (which I loved by the way). Unsure at what point I officially became an old fart but it appears to have happened.

  • Quote
    • Like 9
    • Haha 2
    • Shocked 1
    6 minutes ago, Nasher said:

    What becomes more evident as you get older is just how young 18 is. It gets harder and harder to reconcile how 18 can count as “adult”. The interview with Jackson was one of a kid in a man’s body bouncing off the walls with excitement (which I loved by the way). Unsure at what point I officially became an old fart but it appears to have happened.

    For me it was when I realised that if I was good enough to play footy at the highest level I would be retired by now.

  • Quote
    • Like 3
    • Haha 6
     
    • Author

    Got a kid at my work that is going of to join the police force. He is a baby. In 3 years time he will probably be tasering me when I tell the barman when I've had enough.

    But I guess I brought it up just to remind us that they are babies, and we do put a hell of a lot on their shoulders (although maybe the elastic nature of youth helps here), and also to enjoy the journey. They are, in a sense, our kids as well. And it is nice to watch them grow up.

    Edited by Uncle Fester

  • Quote
    • Like 5
    2 hours ago, Uncle Fester said:

    A bit of a random topic, but as I get older I really like this time of year. You see these kids, just out of school, and all elbows and knee caps, suddenly thrust into the limelight, cameras thrust in their faces, and they ummm and uhhh as they are asked a million and one questions (and you can see them thinking 'Can't I just say "I like footy?').

    Fast forward ten years from now and those teenagers are now hardened warriors. They are used to playing in front of thousands of people. They are big and strong, and have mixed it with the toughest the game has to offer. And interviews... they take it in their stride as if having a news crew following you into work is what happens to everyone.

    It's fun to sometimes remind myself that the tough guy just won a big game off his own boot was, not that long ago, a nervous teenager that had no idea what life had in store for him.

    Great post. We should also remember that across the competition not all the 18 year olds who have just been drafted will make it to become hardened warriors in 10 years time. Many will find the dream extinguished in a very short time. Let's hope that our boys make it, but if they don't, that they can be happy that they gave it a red hot go. 

  • Quote
    • Like 3

    26 minutes ago, Demonland said:

    For me it was when I realised that if I was good enough to play footy at the highest level I would be retired by now.

    Yep. Although I’m still young clearly- I’d be the second oldest player in the AFL after Shaun Burgoyne. The prospect of people being able to maintain elite fitness at my ages seems absurd to me, I can’t scrub the toilet without my knees hurting, and I only have to look at a carb to stack on 5kg.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Haha 5
    36 minutes ago, Demonland said:

    For me it was when I realised that if I was good enough to play footy at the highest level I would be retired by now.

    I decided that I was old once I realised that, even if I sudddenly became Haydn Bunton, I still wasn’t going to get drafted.

  • Quote
    1 hour ago, Demonland said:

    For me it was when I realised that if I was good enough to play footy at the highest level I would be retired by now.

    For me it was a bit of a "woah" moment when suddenly my favourite player was younger than me.

    Still find it strange watching players play when I've seen their dad kick a ball etc (AFL & Soccer)

  • Quote
    • Thanks 1
     
    1 hour ago, Demonland said:

    For me it was when I realised that if I was good enough to play footy at the highest level I would be retired by now.

    I've always liked Tom Lehrer's line (in a somewhat different context):   

    It is a sobering thought that when Mozart was my age, he had been dead for two years.

  • Quote
    • Like 7
    15 minutes ago, sue said:

    I've always liked Tom Lehrer's line (in a somewhat different context):   

    It is a sobering thought that when Mozart was my age, he had been dead for two years.

    De-composing ?

  • Quote
    • Like 4
    • Haha 12

    It was a bit of a shock last year when all the draftees DoB were in the 2000s

  • Quote
    • Like 2

    Im never getting old

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    For me it's when the Prime ministers are younger than myself.

    Life is a roll of toilet paper.

    Runs out quicker towards the end.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Haha 1

    13 hours ago, Fifty-5 said:

    It was a bit of a shock last year when all the draftees DoB were in the 2000s

    An even greater shock to me (born in the first half of last century)! ?

  • Quote
    19 hours ago, roy11 said:

    For me it was a bit of a "woah" moment when suddenly my favourite player was younger than me.

    I was the same, and it's happened quite recently; once people were saying Jonesy should give it away, that he was too old (he's about 2 months older than I am).

    That was it for me.

  • Quote
    10 minutes ago, Good Lord George said:

    I was the same, and it's happened quite recently; once people were saying Jonesy should give it away, that he was too old (he's about 2 months older than I am).

    That was it for me.

    dont worry georgey, there's stil a spot for you on the half forward flank of life.

  • Quote
    • Love 1
    21 hours ago, Nasher said:

    Yep. Although I’m still young clearly- I’d be the second oldest player in the AFL after Shaun Burgoyne.

    It's a rite of passage to first note that you can't be THAT old because there's still one active AFL player older than you ... and then see that player retire ... it's your official decent into old fogeyism. You are then allowed to use words like "whippersnapper" and "when I was young(er)" and "these kids today".

  • Quote
    • Haha 1
    12 minutes ago, Mazer Rackham said:

    It's a rite of passage to first note that you can't be THAT old because there's still one active AFL player older than you ... and then see that player retire ... it's your official decent into old fogeyism. You are then allowed to use words like "whippersnapper" and "when I was young(er)" and "these kids today".

    I can’t wait! I’ll definitely notice when Burgoyne retires. Anyway I’m definitely happy to already declare myself an old fogey - knowing the rate of deterioration of the moving parts of my body gives me a serious appreciation for these blokes that kick on in to their mid-late 30s, and mine hasn’t been subject to 20 years of punishment of contact sport at elite level. I don’t reckon the young men and women in their early 20s would truly be able to understand that; I certainly didn’t. 

    The Shaun Burgoynes and Kade Simpsons of this world definitely have a gift.

  • Quote

    37 minutes ago, Mazer Rackham said:

    It's a rite of passage to first note that you can't be THAT old because there's still one active AFL player older than you ... and then see that player retire ... it's your official decent into old fogeyism. You are then allowed to use words like "whippersnapper" and "when I was young(er)" and "these kids today".

    I think the next milestone after that (unless you were a very active teen) is having a kid that is Draft Age. *

    * IF YOU HAVE GRANDKIDS WHO ARE DRAFT AGE YOU PROBABLY CAN'T READ THIS LINE

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Haha 2
    19 minutes ago, Demonland said:

    I think the next milestone after that (unless you were a very active teen) is having a kid that is Draft Age. *

    * IF YOU HAVE GRANDKIDS WHO ARE DRAFT AGE YOU PROBABLY CAN'T READ THIS LINE

    WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN FOR THOSE WHO HAVE GRANDKIDS OF DRAFT AGE? YOU YOUNG WHIPPERSNAPPER

  • Quote
    • Haha 1

    I realised I wasn’t young anymore when I worked out that if I had a kid at the same age my parents were when they had me my kid could be playing AFL next year. 

  • Quote
    •  

    life is way too short .you need to stop and enjoy it once and while , as before you know it your time will be up 

  • Quote

    I’m 50 in March and still believe I could pull on the jumper and have a crack.

    Unfortunately they don’t make the jumpers big enough to fit.

  • Quote

    • Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

    Guest
    Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
    Reply to this topic...
    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • PREVIEW: Carlton

      Good evening, Demon fans and welcome back to the Demonland Podcast ... it’s time to discuss this week’s game against the Blues. Will the Demons celebrate Clayton Oliver’s 200th game with a victory? We have a number of callers waiting on line … Leopold Bloom: Carlton and Melbourne are both out of finals contention with six wins and eleven losses, and are undoubtedly the two most underwhelming and disappointing teams of 2025. Both had high expectations at the start of participating and advancing deep into the finals, but instead, they have consistently underperformed and disappointed themselves and their supporters throughout the year. However, I am inclined to give the Demons the benefit of the doubt, as they have made some progress in addressing their issues after a disastrous start. In contrast, the Blues are struggling across the board and do not appear to be making any notable improvements. They are regressing, and a significant loss is looming on Saturday night. Max Gawn in the ruck will be huge and the Demon midfield have a point to prove after lowering their colours in so many close calls.

      • 0 replies
      Demonland

    • REPORT: North Melbourne

      I suppose that I should apologise for the title of this piece, but the temptation to go with it was far too great. The memory of how North Melbourne tore Melbourne apart at the seams earlier in the season and the way in which it set the scene for the club’s demise so early in the piece has been weighing heavily upon all of us. This game was a must-win from the club’s perspective, and the team’s response was overwhelming. The 36 point win over Alastair Clarkson’s Kangaroos at the MCG on Sunday was indeed — roovenge of the highest order!

      • 4 replies
      Demonland

    • CASEY: Werribee

      The Casey Demons remain in contention for a VFL finals berth following a comprehensive 76-point victory over the Werribee Tigers at Whitten Oval last night. The caveat to the performance is that the once mighty Tigers have been raided of many key players and are now a shadow of the premiership-winning team from last season. The team suffered a blow before the game when veteran Tom McDonald was withdrawn for senior duty to cover for Steven May who is ill.  However, after conceding the first goal of the game, Casey was dominant from ten minutes in until the very end and despite some early errors and inaccuracy, they managed to warm to the task of dismantling the Tigers with precision, particularly after half time when the nominally home side provided them with minimal resistance.

      • 0 replies
      Demonland

    • PREGAME: Carlton

      The Demons return to the MCG as the the visiting team on Saturday night to take on the Blues who are under siege after 4 straight losses. Who comes in and who goes out?

        • Shocked
      • 206 replies
      Demonland

    • PODCAST: North Melbourne

      The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 14th July @ 8:00pm. Join Binman & I as we dissect the Dees glorious win over the Kangaroos at the MCG.
      Your questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show.
      Listen LIVE: https://demonland.com/

        • Like
      • 29 replies
      Demonland

    • POSTGAME: North Melbourne

      The Demons are finally back at the MCG and finally back on the winners list as they continually chipped away at a spirited Kangaroos side eventually breaking their backs and opening the floodgates to run out winners by 6 goals.

        • Angry
        • Sad
        • Shocked
        • Like
      • 253 replies
      Demonland
    View All