Seemingly unperturbed by 18-metre goal squares, the footballing gods have delivered a preliminary final weekend for the ages.
Hawthorn and Greater Western Sydney now vanquished, and the AFL’s final four ready to do battle.
The ‘blockbuster’ tag for Friday night’s Tigers-Magpies clash somehow perfectly apt and an under-sell at the same time.
In Richmond, we have the – surely soon to be lost – combination of dynasty-chasing incumbent and people’s champion.
Their long-time black and white foe looms as the perfect underdog, with Collingwood light on expectation yet justifiably heavy on self-belief.
Together at the home of football, a neighbourly spat playing out under street lights.
In the background – faint but resolute – can be heard the sound of Nathan Buckley’s own ‘redemption song’.
This season’s beard and spreading-grin a hint of hard-earned joie de vivre for the Pies coach.
Buckley – like his adversary, Damien Hardwick, before him – enjoying that rare form of liberation derived from confronting your own coaching mortality and surviving to tell the tale.
At peace, and yet still covered in invisible scars that only a premiership will ever properly heal.
Magpies coach Nathan Buckley (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
And then the Demons head west, sprinkled in fairy dust.
An interstate circuit-breaker that offers Melbourne the chance to reflect on two hugely significant finals wins, but more importantly the two that remain.
After all, premiership droughts are funny beasts.
Sometimes your best chance to break them is when you are seemingly not ready to.
Wait a year or two and you risk the curse seeing you coming.
It was the Demons I had to thank for finding myself in near-freezing conditions at North Port Oval on Saturday afternoon.
The VFL preliminary final between my Bombers seconds and the Casey Demons representing an outlet for the mix of AFL finals bonhomie and envy which gripped me after being ringside for Melbourne’s stirring win over the Hawks.
The sea of colourful VB and Carlton Draught cans that greeted me on entry to the Port Melbourne ground lending a Christmas in September-like festivity to proceedings.
Hooded senior Melbourne players doing their best take on paparazzi-shy Hollywood celebrities, all the while struggling to conceal the excitement from the previous night’s heroics written large on their faces.
Bitterly cold, raining and only a solitary, old maxed-out grandstand for shelter, and yet smiles all round.
Fans revelling in a viable contemporary old-school footy experience.
But I digress.
Back to Perth and a relatively muted Eagles outfit standing very much on the outside looking in.
Of course, much of that owes to Victorian football navel-gazing.
But there is also the lingering stain of its 2015 grand final no-show, coupled with Nic Naitanui’s latest knee injury and Andrew Gaffe’s pre-free agency whack, which has conspired to let the air out of West Coast’s tyres.
Yet, while they may not enjoy the same level of outside interest, the Eagles arguably possess the joker in the finals pack.
In fit-again Josh Kennedy, Jack Darling and swingman Jeremy McGovern, West Coast boasts a cast of throwback, blue-chip gorillas capable of challenging the in vogue small-forward set-up.
Telling perhaps that Richmond, that has done most to debunk the ‘tall forwards win finals’ theory, still feels the need to acquire marquee big man Tom Lynch this off-season.
And now we must wait for these two preliminary finals that promise so much.
Reminding ourselves to savour a penultimate weekend of football that so often surpasses the one that it spawns.
Fat Toad
Roar Rookie
Does Moore really have hamstrings or just ham-elastic-bands?
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
We will do you a favour Matti and avoid you needing to face the Tigers at all in the finals.
Nigel Dias
Guest
I know I love Nic Nat man. But he has played 15 games in two years. gaff and shepp are massive losses
User
Roar Rookie
That is a safe bet but I'd prefer wce to face Richmond in the gf Believe your boy Ed said to be the best you must beat the best earlier this week, something I've said all year. Homeground advantage is a fallacy In finals Pete, the best team always wins
Klompy
Roar Rookie
Yes go the Mighty Eagles. Make it is a history making Grand Final First Ever WCE vs Richmond Grand Final. Lets pack out the MCG With Black and Gold and Blue and Gold fans. Go Eagles.
Fat Toad
Roar Rookie
One of the things I really miss about the VFL was that all the clubs (Geelong excluded) were pretty much neighbours. Most of the original suburban grounds were within walking distance of each other and Windy Hill easy by train. It is harder to get angry with teams from South Australia, Western Australia, NSW and Queensland they ae just names on a map. If you want real passion there is nothing like fights between neighbours!!! And, that is why the Pies and the Tigers is going to be special.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Sadly Matti only an MCG tenant club stands a chance against the tigers, so the safest bet for you is for the Pies to win and for you to get past the Demons.
User
Roar Rookie
Lol Healy is well off there seeing as he forgot jako, hunter and gov.
User
Roar Rookie
Said to true tiger before the start of the year nothing would make me happier than tearing the cup from Richmond's hand and here we are both teams one win away of giving the Aussie rules public the gf they deserve. C'mon wce and Richmond no one deserves a yawn fest next week.
User
Roar Rookie
Nigel C'mon man NICs mum had passed away only weeks before, fact he was there in 2015 was bloody huge.
Klompy
Roar Rookie
Actually Peter the Scribe. I agree with you. Who is going about the Teams injuries and missing players in the finals. The only ones I believe is doing it the Media. I do not think it is any one else. I know some supporters go on about it but I think it is mainly the Media do it. If teams are good enough to make the finals and grand finals with out the stars, then so be it. If not it is disappointing then let the teams move on to next year and make the finals and grand final next year and do not carry on about missing players.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
You know who Hungry Jack.
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
Who are they, Samson?
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Well Richie there is a certain type who give Richmond fans a bad name. You know the squeaky voice types who no one even knows supports the club until the finals of 2017? Suddenly they are gong to work with a shiny new scarf and claiming themselves as the greatest fans the club has ever seen. You know the type. It's not you I;m sure but it is some in here.
RT
Roar Rookie
More like TTF sounds a tad over confident, but rightly so. Rounds 20 and 22? Careful Scribe you are in danger of becoming a parody of yourself like a certain Freo supporter donning the same hat.
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
Nice try, dude, but we can all see how rattled you are, Samson!
Nigel Dias
Guest
People seriously overrating Nic Nat. Has not played a final for 3 years and the last one he played in he had a massive 4 possession game. Yes Sheppard and gaff are big losses they are too proven finals performees who didn’t go to water in the grand Final. Everyone is missing players Melbourne with lever and hogan.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Greenwood will certainly put some time into testing Dusty's 5% .
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Oh boy is TTF sounding a tad nervous! You know don't you that for the Pies to end the Tigers streak in a prelim will fuel fans for the next 37 years! Of course Moore is a best 22 player as are the others. You only judge your players when on the field not off it. Gerard Healy said Moore could become the greatest centre half back the game has seen since Peter Knights if fit and he is only 22. That "old discard" from Melbourne came to the Pies at bargain basement base payment and every media writer lauded the recruitment as astute with most Demons fans lamenting the loss. Dunny has also been brilliant in leadership to a young group. He deserved a final poor fella. As for kicking 15 golas? Nah, rounds 20 and 22 you only kicked about 80 points.
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
Give it a rest, Scribe. Wells and Elliot haven't been on the park for years and you wanna' claim them as best 22 players. You're happy for Moore to take his hammy problems to Sydney yet he's a best 22 player? Lol. Perhaps we can claim Benny Griffiths as a best 22 player! Retired, but still on our list 'cause we weren't allowed to replace him! And Bucks has had , what, 5-6 years to recruit key backs and all the Pies have come up with is an old discard from Melbourne! You're going to have to kick 14, 15, maybe 16 goals to win. Can you? I can't see it on recent form considering you're averaging around 10 in the past month or so. Carna Tigers. Eat 'em Alive!