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NRL Grand Final - View from a sparkly eyed lady

Roar Guru
8th October, 2014
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Sam Burgess produced a heroic performance in the 2014 NRL grand final. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
Roar Guru
8th October, 2014
3
1054 Reads

This is the moment we’ll remember, Every day for the rest of our lives. As a little girl, I always dreamed of this type of sporting happiness.

I always envisaged this day… Where I would be, who I’d be with, what I’d be saying, how many tears I’d shed.

And honestly, Sunday night couldn’t have went any differently from what I imagined. I was at ANZ Stadium, in the midst of it all.

I was in AISLE 105, and right on the sidelines, on the 10m line. I was there with seven of my family members, and my best mate. I was an anxious wreck leading up to it. I hadn’t slept a proper night since the preliminary final win, and I’d lash out at anyone when they tried to tell me how to feel.

Walking up to ANZ was surreal, there were people everywhere, jubilant humans, in all shapes, sizes, and ethnicities. It was a gorgeous sight, especially after the recent uproar around religion and war. It was a sight to behold, and a sight that will be a point of reference for this beautiful game for years to come.

When we finally got to our seats one and a half hours prior to kick off, honestly and unbiasedly Souths fans were outnumbering Canterbury supporters at a ration of 3:1.. Cardinal and myrtle were everywhere, and it felt like one big family gathering. People were sharing food, exchanging stories, photo bombing selfie moments.

It was an incredible atmosphere, and even better view. I shall skip the pre-game entertainment, cause it was a bit, bland, but the tribute to all those players leaving our game was quite special. It was a great moment for us fans to say thank you to those that did our game proud.

ANZ Stadium before kick off (Photo: Zee) ANZ Stadium before kick off (Photo: Zee)

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Then it was the moment where that glorious South Sydney song started echoing through the speakers of Homebush. Goosebumps erupted on every inch of my body, my heart began pumping like a possessed organ, tears began streaming down my cheeks, my boys had finally arrived on the big stage, and on this day we had arrived.

The game went on. The first try was celebrating by hugging everyone in sight. I almost fell out of the stands, I was that into that moment. When the Bulldogs equalised at 6-6 early in the second half, doubts began creeping back, all those years of hurt, and failure began screening into my mind, and I thought the Dogs would go on from there.

Throughout the game though, I had no idea Sam Burgess was playing through. What he was playing through. No one did, for that matter.

I was very critical of him following his decision to leave to rugby earlier in the season, and it was all due to hurt, but he has sutured up ,y wounds, and I will love this bloke forever.

Then his brother, George, Georgie B, the man I refer to as Drago, scored that try, with that barging run, which will go down in rugby league folkore. I lost it, then the confidence began creeping back.

We slowly closed the game down, and went on that riot late on. I just couldn’t fathom what was about to happen, it didn’t hit me until the 73rd minute, when I saw our sparkly-eyed man crouching on the field, in tears. I lost it, then I saw GI in tears, and I became violently emotional.

I couldn’t hold it back anymore, and I as I looked around I saw, woman with hands over their mouths, red faces, and thick layers of mascara running down their cheeks, young lads jumping while trying to hold back the oncoming waterfall.

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Old man, old hard men, who have been through it all, on their knees, sobbing uncontrollably, and then I see the next generation, children, sobbing like you just took away their favourite toy. If only there was a camera for every single Souths fan to capture, the level of emotion that occurred at ANZ stadium.

As the full time whistle blew, I stood still, and just cried, again.

I could not stop crying, my make up, red lipstick and eye liner, vanished and I looked like I had just ran 10km, I looked that exhausted, relieved, and overwhelmed. I just began hugging people, screaming “Yeah the boys”, “We did it Sutto.”

Then the Souths boys came our way, and John Sutton, fist pumping his chest, tears strolling down his cheek, and screamed “We did it!” with utter jubilation.

The twins were dancing like stooges, Lote was urging us to celebrate that little bit harder, everywhere I looked some player, somewhere, was visibly overwhelmed by the crowd, or situation. The most surprising was seeing hard man, Ben Te’o in tears. two years of utter media domination had got to him, he is an absolute champ, and it was so relieving to see that pressure lifted off his shoulders.

The trophy presentation, came, and Sutto’s speech was exactly what he is all about. He did us all proud up there, and it wasn’t until he lifted that delicious bronze piece that the heartache of the last 17 years of my life (I am 21, but my first Souths memory was at the age of four) finally vanished. My demons were gone, my doubt disappeared, my boys had showed the doubters, the NRL community, just who the pride of the league were.

We’d been labeled losers, unfashionable, the lol@Souffs had infiltrated the new age of social media, but in those moment, our dues were paid. Our fight from the ground up had all been for this moment.

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The boys made their way around the stadium in their lap of honour, as I mentioned I was lucky enough to be pitch side, and I couldn’t even begin to imagine what was to happen next.

As the boys approached our section, I felt sick to my core, with excitement and jubilation of course. I got fist pumped by GI, hand slapped by K.Turner, I got bear hugged by Luke Keary, hand shaken by John Sutton, even got a gorgeous smile and wave by his beautiful daughter Pippi. I got a wave and a wink from the Burgess twins, high fived by Dylan Walker, cheered on by Sammy B and Isaac Luke, and the best moment of the night, when I got to crazily cheer on Michael Maguire with his beautiful family, which in return got a glorious wave by the great man.

John Sutton at the NRL Grand Final (Photo: Zee) John Sutton at the NRL Grand Final (Photo: Zee)

It was so surreal that I got to be threand share that moment. Not only with Souths fans, but my heroes. These memories will last an eternity, this story of that night will be passed down through generations. On Sunday night I witnessed Madge and company reach the holy grail. On Monday I witnessed what it truly meant when we were celebrating into the wee hours at Souths Juniors, then at Redfern at the fan day, it truly is more than just Rugby League.

I will take a long, long time to recover for this one. God bless South Sydney.

“Looking back on all the times
We felt downcast
Didn’t think we were going anywhere
Just living in the past
But in that desperation
You get inspiration

You’re a winner
I’m a winner”

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Celebrating at the NRL Grand Final (Photo: Zee)

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