Brent Harvey has been my favourite player in the AFL for as long as I’ve had a favourite player.
He made his debut when I was in my first year of school – almost 20 years later I’m a grown man and he’s about to break the games record.
You don’t play 427 games of AFL without producing some memorable moments and Boomer is the kind of player who produces more than most. I’ve long since lost track of the number of times I’ve seen him gather the ball while running full speed into forward 50 and felt my heart skip a beat. May there be many more to come.
However my favourite memory of Harvey, what will probable define him in my memory when his career comes to an end (whether by him retiring, or the sun exploding, whichever happens first), is one to which only a few thousand were privy, and which you won’t find on any recording or highlights reel – something of a rarity in the football world these days.
It was at last year’s elimination final against Richmond, a famous win for the NMFC that will live in my memory for a very long time to come. In his 407th AFL game, Boomer had a casual 29 disposals and two goals and was best on ground – well, possibly splitting the honours with Jarrad Waite.
The balance of the 90,000 fans in attendance surely swung a fair bit in the favour of the Tigers, but the roar when the final siren blew would’ve made you think the ground was packed to the rafters solely with royal blue and white.
I’d been lucky enough to score tickets in the bay directly behind the goals and immediately hopped down to fence, high-fiving and hugging North fans I’d never before met on the way, relishing the shared experience of success in September.
North’s 22 were understandably exhausted by the end of the game, but as always after a win they came to greet the fans and hand out a few small momentos to the lucky few who received them. The vast majority of them gradually trickled down into the change rooms.
Not so, my man Brent Harvey. He must have been the last soul left on MCG that afternoon. Where other players were happy to toss the crowd a thumbs up and get some cheers for their trouble, he was lost in the joy of the moment, pumping up the crowd of a couple thousand or so that had gathered behind the goals with a few double fist pumps, and boy did we respond in kind. If the MCG had a roof, we would have blown it off.
When the club staff managed to drag Boomer way from the ecstasy of victory and the passion of the crowd, he was going down the races to the tune of our hastily-begun rendition of the club song.
That memory sums up Boomer for me. The bloke wears his heart on his sleeve when it comes to the NMFC, and it’s a heart that would certainly bleed blue and white. He’s a player, sure, he’s an employee, yes, but more deeply than any of that, I reckon he must be the biggest, most passionate, most rusted-on North Melbourne fan on earth.
Boomer has always had his critics, as the greats do, this week more than most. I doubt I’ve seen a comments section all week that didn’t have a strong representation of haters, those folks who blindly label him selfish or floggish.
Of course, what it always boils down to – every single time – is an opposition fan who has seen this little legend tear apart their team just a few times too many. There isn’t an opposition fanbase in the competition that Boomer hasn’t left crying into their pillows half a dozen times or more.
Simply put, we Shinboners couldn’t give a stuff if the rest of you don’t like him. You don’t have to! We love the man so much that he will never in his lifetime find himself lacking support and adoration.
In his book, released this week, Boomer talked about how he received offers to join other clubs at various stages through his career. He said: “I swear on my kids: no offer would have swayed me because what I was earning was more than fair and North meant the world to me.”
Speaking on behalf of NMFC fans everywhere, Boomer – you mean the world to us.
Round 5 of the AFL provided plenty of action, from big scorelines to upset wins and pressure starting to build on some clubs and coaches already.
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Footy Classified's Matthew Lloyd believes that in hindsight North Melbourne should've lost their final game last season if it meant getting Harley Reid, given…
North Melbourne will wear black armbands in Sunday afternoon's clash with Geelong in honour of former player and club director Kerry Good's daughter Ashlee,…
Geelong has been crafty and creative in its list management and has quietly assembled a very exciting young group of midfielders and half-forwards.
Brisbane co-captain Lachie Neale will be looking to lead his team to a victory against Melbourne in what will be his 250th AFL game.
