The list and strategy matched, the fitness program works, and everyone had that quiet awareness that this was the case and they had a really good opportunity.

We had a core of absolute gun players who in that moment saw themselves as role models for responsible team play, rather than the focal point to be supported by the 'lesser' players.

Burgess fitness program.

Covid isolation providing insulation from the fugazi.

2 hours ago, John Crow Batty said:

I was at the game and we certainly had home ground advantage after acclimatising for several weeks in Perth and playing the prelim there. The crowd I estimate was 65-70% supporting us. This was the only big game in my life with a packed house that I remember crowd support was clearly in our favour. Never experienced that the MCG. I love Optus Stadium.

Also ,that was the year when we usually played in front of empty stadia.

So for a change we weren’t in “cauldrons of hatred” for the whole season.

Even in our home games at the MCG our supporters are usually out numbered .

This affects the players, and the umpires.

Not in 2021.

2 hours ago, 3KZ is Football said:

Watch Harmes take of the ball in slow motion, it’s finger tip perfect, but that was the moment

We had weathered a very strong pressure from the Dogs and just needed that one piece of play to reset…

Lace out....

https://youtu.be/Yp1i5_YRdw0?si=O5Y7Mj59kXWJ0say&t=68

My very close friend and fanatical supporter, with whom I had attended innumerable matches over 30-40 years, died unexpectedly a few weeks before the finals. My daughter is convinced he was manipulating things from above.

21 hours ago, John Crow Batty said:

I was at the game and we certainly had home ground advantage after acclimatising for several weeks in Perth and playing the prelim there. The crowd I estimate was 65-70% supporting us. This was the only big game in my life with a packed house that I remember crowd support was clearly in our favour. Never experienced that the MCG. I love Optus Stadium.

The two MCG finals in 2018 were massive for crowd support, especially against Geelong. The 23 year finals drought breaking games in 1987 at the G were off the charts.

Edited 22 hours ago22 hr by Witches Hat
Left out the date

19 hours ago, The Panglossian said:

Also ,that was the year when we usually played in front of empty stadia.

So for a change we weren’t in “cauldrons of hatred” for the whole season.

Even in our home games at the MCG our supporters are usually out numbered .

This affects the players, and the umpires.

Not in 2021.

There was only 6 games with no crowd - Dogs x 2, Geelong, Adelaide, Gold Coast and Hawthorn.

51 minutes ago, Witches Hat said:

The 23 year finals drought breaking games in 1987 at the G were off the charts.

I went to both of them with an esky complete with fine wine and delicacies from the David Jones Food Hall. Such memories.

Like others though I also remember wandering dazed around the Waverley carpark the following week. The silence was eerie.

Unlike others I measure our turnaround in the 2021 GF from Hannan's fluffed play on handball at the 13 minute mark. Had he connected and they had goaled things may have been different.

The 2021 GF is a thing of beauty but it's getting harder to watch as I realise how we failed in the following years

3 hours ago, Ollie fan said:

My very close friend and fanatical supporter, with whom I had attended innumerable matches over 30-40 years, died unexpectedly a few weeks before the finals. My daughter is convinced he was manipulating things from above.

Or below?