One week to go now, and I must confess - I've got a bit of a numb feeling whereby the Grand Final and its gravity hasn't really sunk in. Maybe it's the pandemic and the lack of city atmosphere; maybe it's the distance between here and Perth; maybe it's the bittersweet end of the Nathan Jones fairytale; maybe it's the two-week bye; maybe it's the unfamiliarity of this whole situation; or maybe it's a whole combination of them all. Whatever it is, I'm yet to fully feel that Grand Final feeling, and I was hoping some Demonlanders might be able to help out, not just for me but for others out there feeling a bit the same way.

So, what does this Grand Final mean to you? And what would a premiership, if you can dare to dream, mean to you?

Umm...................everything

I could tick off one of my remaining bucket list items .... 

I think sport and religion fill a very similar place in people's souls/psychology.

Basically, humans need to belong to a tribe. Melbourne Football Club is my tribe, and with that comes the sense of belonging, family connections, care, investment, and everything else that would go along with the basic human tribal nature.

So what would it mean? It would mean my primitive ape brain has won a great lifelong struggle for dominance against those 17 other tribes just over the hill there, and all the sacrifices my tribemates and ancestors and kin have made to make it happen were worth it.

The sun will rise on Sunday 26 of September and every day after that, just as always. But my tribe will be the best, and that will mean a lot to me.

Edited September 18, 20213 yr by Chook

Everything🥰

A great deal given my 30+ years of support. As someone that's been to just about every game over this period when i've been in Melbourne (aside from when I used to play on the same day), I can't help but feel it won't exactly be the same as being there in person to watch and witness it. That aside, I went to all of the Vic games this season when allowed, which is a great deal more than those that have jumped on the bandwagon in Perth in this past week for a one-off game...

35 minutes ago, Chook said:

I think sport and religion fill a very similar place in people's souls/psychology.

Basically, humans need to belong to a tribe. Melbourne Football Club is my tribe, and with that comes the sense of belonging, family connections, care, investment, and everything else that would go along with the basic human tribal nature.

So what would it mean? It would mean my primitive ape brain has won a great lifelong struggle for dominance against those 17 other tribes just over the hill there, and all the sacrifices my tribemates and ancestors and kin have made to make it happen were worth it.

The sun will rise on Sunday 26 of September and every day after that, just as always. But my tribe will be the best, and that will mean a lot to me.

Yea at its basic level this is exactly how I've always seen it. Though, never heard it put it as beautifully as you did there chook

It would mean I can finally enjoy watching Demons games win lose or draw. Would move all the weight of expectation, would stop all the mindless fools talking about the premierships drought.

It would mean a moment with my late dad, where I can enjoy it, but wish he was here to witness it.. 

I'll have to change a few four number passwords and maybe quit work to watch the replay on loop. 

It would mean i could finally forgive my father for making me a Melbourne supporter some 47 years ago.

It would mean the world to me and my family!

Beneath a mask there would big smiles for no apparent reason.....Premiership smiles :)

For me it means re-claiming part of my childhood. It would also mean MFC returning to its rightful place as a leading club. Success breeds success, and a win may usher in years of enjoying the Dees as a power club.

All of the above👍

Also, have just realised...

Having a reason to watch future pre-GF Grand Final replay marathons.

57 minutes ago, bingers said:

I could tick off one of my remaining bucket list items .... 

My top 1 if I was honest.
Just can't be there in person to see it, hear it .... Feel it.

Edited September 18, 20213 yr by Fork 'em

Nirvana.

17 minutes ago, SPC said:

It would mean I can finally enjoy watching Demons games win lose or draw. Would move all the weight of expectation, would stop all the mindless fools talking about the premierships drought.

It would mean a moment with my late dad, where I can enjoy it, but wish he was here to witness it.. 

Yeah I like to think it will restore my faith and mean I can enjoy going to the football again. I hope it will mean the kids aren't embarrassed to mention they might be aligned to the Demons anymore (they are with he Bulldogs at the moment but I want to get them back!). 

I had pretty much given up on the club a few years back. Unfortunately I could never get it out of my system completely, but I had given up hope that we would ever achieve anything meaningful. The big thing for me was that I felt there was just no pride at any level of the club. I had previously had the usual footy fan arguments with mates about why this MFC player was actually a good player, and that Melbourne player would achieve this and that, and at some point I just couldn't be bothered anymore. I pretty much started to laugh along at the club like everyone outside did.

It wasn't 186 or 148 that had broken me. It was the period where James Frawley had given up on the club and took the liberty to completely check out while still taking the field in our jumper. And it wasn't even him that got me the most...it was the fact that it didn't seem like anyone at the club was going to pull him up and demand he show some pride for the club in general. I know there was stuff at play around holding his trade/FA value, but I didn't care. I thought he should have been told to nick off then and there.

If we don't win next week, we are going to need to see some years of consistently competitive top 4 finishes over the coming years to entrench a changed culture. Winning the big one can drive this change in an instant.

20 minutes ago, SPC said:

It would mean I can finally enjoy watching Demons games win lose or draw. Would move all the weight of expectation, would stop all the mindless fools talking about the premierships drought.

 

Take away that age old retort from the mindless fools.
"When was the last time Melbourne won a flag."



 

Outside of family achievements it will the greatest thrill of our lives.

And football will be much less stressful.

After seeing basically all the other teams winning the premiership, watching them hoist the cup while we’re sitting here mocked for having the longest-continuously-running premiership drought, seeing teams that had no droughts winning yet again. It’s been too long. I’m sick of it. We’ve been scrutinised unfairly because Geelong and Bulldogs had a longer drought but we were seen as the “worst” team with this non-existent “curse” as an excuse people use to demoralise us into thinking we can’t win. It’s time another team faced that. This is our time. I’ve never married, will never have children. It’s number one on my bucket list. 

Edited September 18, 20213 yr by Cassiew

It would mean a mixture of excitement, relief and release. 

I will be happy and excited for myself after watching 07 - 09 every week before I came up here and then coming down for 4 games a year for 10 - 13 was an embarrassment shielded by the fact that I could hide from it in Canberra. 2014 was a triumphant year for my own footy and also for the Demons with Paul Roos setting the stage for a club rebuilt.

I will be relieved for my dad, who 25 years ago did Ian Ridley a favour and lost so much from his friends who adjudged him for over a decade. Still he helped organise the Bentleigh club purchase all those years later that has hopefully set us up for the next two decades…

And the release will be for all of you who have stuck by this club through thin waiting for the thick. Some commentators are arguing that to talk about dynasties is premature as if they don’t realise that they are only responding to their comperes when it comes to that talk. But I would love to be relevant for the next 5-7 years and I think we can. I think we can make the top 4 and have a sustained challenge at the flag - and won’t that be something.

 

I’m an old so and so, who was fortunate enough to live through our Golden Era of the late 1940s, the 1950’s and (obviously) 1964 as well.  
I have my place adorned with Dees flags, as shown in the ‘Flying the Flag’ thread.

I was sitting on my front porch this evening, enjoying a glass of Shiraz, and taking in my attractive garden as the twilight took over.  When the evening breeze began to flutter the flags it caught my attention.

I spontaneously and unashamedly, burst into tears.

That’s what a premiership would mean to me!

Cross my heart, that’s a true story.

17 minutes ago, Cassiew said:

After seeing basically all the other teams winning the premiership, watching them hoist the cup while we’re sitting here mocked for having the longest-continuously-running premiership drought, seeing teams that had no droughts winning yet again. It’s been too long. I’m sick of it. We’ve been scrutinised unfairly because Geelong and Bulldogs had a longer drought but we were seen as the “worst” team with this non-existent “curse” as an excuse people use to demoralise us into thinking we can’t win. It’s time another team faced that. This is our time. I’ve never married, will never have children. It’s number one on my bucket list. 

Go the Demons.

This season has been unbelievable for me and my 3 (adult) kids. 

I was going to say that this will create an incredible bond between us. But thankfully we already have that!!

But this would be an incredibly important and exciting event that we could share. 

The next item on the bucket list would be to become a grandfather !! C'mon kids .... get on with it!! 

4 minutes ago, Deeoldfart said:

I’m an old so and so, who was fortunate enough to live through our Golden Era of the late 1940s, the 1950’s and (obviously) 1964 as well.  
I have my place adorned with Dees flags, as shown in the ‘Flying the Flag’ thread.

I was sitting on my front porch this evening, enjoying a glass of Shiraz, and taking in my attractive garden as the twilight took over.  When the evening breeze began to flutter the flags it caught my attention.

I spontaneously and unashamedly, burst into tears.

That’s what a premiership would mean to me!

Cross my heart, that’s a true story.

I got a tear as soon as Max slammed that one from 55 last week.
Would love them to do similar this week.
Wrap it up nice and early so I can just enjoy it.

Edited September 18, 20213 yr by Fork 'em

Not everything, but a good deal. There’s a hole that needs a-fillin’.

11 minutes ago, Fork 'em said:

I got a tear as soon as Max slammed that one from 55 last week.
Would love them to do similar this week.
Wrap it up nice and early so I can just enjoy it.

I’m similar. I’ve seen a few comments saying they hope it’s a close game. Nothing could be further for me. I want to knock them out of the park. I hope it’s done and dusted in the second quarter. I don’t want it even remotely close. I hope we lead all day. With 57 years and knowing what it will mean to us I don’t think I’d cope with a close game. I think if they’re in front of us in any stage I’ll panic 

Edited September 18, 20213 yr by Cassiew