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Andrew Sutherland has previously been employed as a secondary school teacher, a public servant, an insurance consultant, a Telstra employee, a toga-wearing barman in a theatre restaurant, and an Australian Rules footballer with Collingwood and Oakleigh.
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As this season progressed, the more certain I became of the outcome: Melbourne and Penrith, the dominant and most exhilarating teams of the past two years, to again take their rightful places in the grand final.
These are strange times. The pandemic, while ushering in fear and uncertainty, has also had a hand in fomenting unrest.
Two years ago the words “A star is born at AAMI Park!” were heard as the gushing accolade for a teenager who in just his second NRL game, coolly as you like, sunk the match winning Golden Point field goal.
For a Storm fan, last year’s grand final loss – the second in three years – was hard to take.
At the time of its conception the Melbourne Storm was deemed – and some still subscribe to this notion – to be a heartless moneyed construct in a city indifferent to the game of rugby league.
Immediately after Brisbane claimed their third consecutive premiership in 2003, Anthony Hudson proclaimed that they had become “the greatest side of the modern era”. Robert Walls, who had seen some mighty sides in his time, declared them to be “the best team that I’ve seen”.
In most instances the opinions of the players are worthy of serious consideration. Tribunal testimonies are an obvious exception as are, strangely, issues concerning their own on-field safety.
I was reading Darren Jolly’s Age column on sledging this week when I came across a reference to his former Collingwood teammate Josh Fraser: “I’m sure if he’d had a better attitude, we could have had a good ruck combination and he would have continued at the Pies for a bit longer.”
It is unfair that the fate of the Essendon players – the real victims of the whole supplement saga – now reside in the hands of ASADA.
If AFL was about the spectacle, Hawthorn – the cool aesthetes of the competition – would be the reigning premiers.
On ANZAC Day, James Hird was smiling and Nathan Buckley was frowning. The former is the subject of a drug investigation but the latter has real problems.
It was three-quarter time and Mark Neeld was on the verge of losing to GWS and the precipice of dying in early childhood as an AFL coach. He told his players to “do it for the supporters”.
It took twelve years as a highly successful assistant for Brendan McCartney to be seriously considered for the position of senior AFL coach. What hope then does a woman have?
In light of the important role played by the local community in the success of the Wanderers, it’s hard not to wince a little when Andrew Demetriou talks about GWS “building a culture and connecting with the community”.
The Carlton and United brewery is next door to Victoria Park. Traditional rivals Carlton and Collingwood have more in common than they think.
With all the righteous wrath sent raining down upon the Melbourne Football Club this week, it was a pleasant surprise to find some rare words of compassion glittering like polished diamonds in the sludge.
The supposed 2013 dog’s breakfast of a football team, the Western Bulldogs, feasted on the reigning NAB Cup Champions, Brisbane yesterday.
Yes ZC,
Souths and Manly have had two opportunities to beat the Storm and come up short. The Storm are a class above but little things in big moments can change everything.
An obituary for the Storm-Panthers grand final we can't have
That’s some compliment qwetzen, thanks.
Are the Storm in decline and does the game want them dead?
Thanks TB. Sorry about the game last night.
Are the Storm in decline and does the game want them dead?
Thank you everyone for your generous comments.
It was great to hear from Storm and non-Storm supporters about your thoughts and experiences.
Cheers, Andrew
Are the Storm in decline and does the game want them dead?
Before 9.55pm I received a text that it was time to take a peek.
And this wonderful vision appeared:-
MEL 30
BRI 0
COMPLETE
Commiserations to the Broncos.
As wonderful as it – and despite knowing there are many many people who will never see their team play in a grand final – I have an unbearable week ahead trying not to think or hear about the game that REALLY matters.
Confessions of a grand final coward
Thank you everyone for the positive comments and for understanding my condition. Particularly the Sharks fans Paddy and Dogs Boddy. It was good for the game of course for you to win your first premiership. Doesn’t make our loss any easier though.
Confessions of a grand final coward
You have enough material there to still write your article john 🙂
Jolly's cheap shots are poor form
Yes Terry, if Fraser had been given more ruck support he would have made a dangerous forward. As it was he kicked over 150 goals.
Jolly's cheap shots are poor form
Agree vocans. The overwhelming amount of supplements coming on to legitimate and black markets to service mainly amateur bodybuilders and vain women, as well as athletes is proving too much for WADA hence the “including but not restricted to” and “other substances with similar chemical structure or similar biological effects” lines used on its prohibited list.
Out of interest, I did what a wary Essendon player may have done when told by Dank that AOD 9604 was not on the prohibited substance list by visiting WADA online. AOD 9604 produces “no results” which is b/c it has not yet been given govt approval, but they advise you to check with your local anti doping authority. So I keyed in AOD 9604 on the ASADA Check Your Substances section and guess what: APPROVED for: in competition, out of competition, via all routes!
Turns out it confuses AOD 9604 for an ADT Booster which is, as far as I can tell, a vaccine for diphtheria and tetanus!
I think the Essendon players could have been forgiven for not researching further.
Players the victim in Bombers' ASADA saga
No need to apologise Shmick.
Yes, nothing brings a teenage boy down to earth quicker than a comment from a teenage girl:-
Boy: “I kicked ten goals!”
Girl: “Yeah but who was that hot guy you were playing on?!”
Hoping the good looking Hawks stay that way
Sean, she may have had a chance if she’d dressed like Thatcher – or John Kennedy snr.
How long until we see the first female AFL coach?
That’s an interesting one Alfred. Perhaps Sportsbet will take it up!
How long until we see the first female AFL coach?
“There does seem to generally be [a belief] , and yes there are exceptions, that in order to understand what the players go through you need to have played at that level”
Excellent point Timmuh..
How long until we see the first female AFL coach?
I’ve just been advised that Peta Searle, a multiple premiership winning coach with the Darebin Falcons in the VWFL, is now an assistant at Port Melbourne.
How long until we see the first female AFL coach?
Anthony,
Mostyn described the reaction to her appointment a couple of years ago: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/footys-first-female-still-making-her-mark/story-e6frg8zx-1226032270155. Not all were happy about it.
Hopefully since the second woman Linda Dessau was appointed in 2007 some of the mail senders have changed their mind.
How long until we see the first female AFL coach?
Cam, I must admit I didn’t see myself ever quoting Shaw but there we go! 🙂
The Demons not sinful, just lost
Red, a very good point about the reluctance to appoint non ex-AFL players as senior coaches.
Bulldogs, you bldy beauties!
This is the original slightly more macabre version of the article:
The Death Of A Grand Final
An obituary for the Storm-Panthers grand final we can't have