My earliest memory of the MCC is sitting in the front row of the upper deck of the Ladies’ Stand for the 1964 Grand Final at 10 years of age - fleeting memories admittedly. Still, as a lifelong Melbourne supporter, memories I’ve clung to over the years.
I’ve witnessed every grand final since becoming a Full member in 1984, including the heartbreak of 1988 and 2000. The best I’ve seen in that time? Like a lot of others I rank the 1989 Geelong and Hawthorn as superior to all others. Of course if the Dees snag one with our current promising team, my opinion will be altered forever!I remember the best half of football by a Melbourne player, Jeff ‘The Wiz’ Farmer in 2000 against the arch enemy Collingwood. Coming off the bench about 10 minutes into the second half, after a miserable first half, he kicked nine goals and had a shot for 10 at the end of the game.
Also many memorable days at the cricket with friends and family, including some days when we spent more time out the back of the Blazer Bar than watching the Test match.
My wife, Margaret, and three daughters, Ali, Jen and Kat, are all members, with thanks to John Cain for opening up membership to women. Unfortunately with two of the girls interstate we rarely get to be at the ‘G together. When we do though, the pre-game drink in the Percy Beames Bar is all the nicer. Otherwise it’s a drink with my two brothers and my ‘MCC mates’, a transient group of a dozen whom I only see at the MCC.
On to the game. Travelling in on the train from Murrumbeena with Margaret we note that there are more Hawthorn supporters than Melbourne in our carriage. In chatting about our prospects we agree that we hope for a very competitive effort that will probably come up short. After all we haven’t beaten Hawthorn since 1996 with the only player having experienced a win being Bernie Vince as a Crow.
We take the well trodden path up the hill to Gate 2 and get a couple of seats on Level 2 nearly on the wing. The crowd seems subdued before the bounce as if the result is a foregone conclusion. The early minutes tell us that the Dees are on song. Who would have thought that the Demon crowd would be on their feet cheering a Weideman taking a great grab and kicking a goal with his first kick in the caper (107th player to do so according to a possibly incomplete Wikipedia list).
The opening stanza is fast tough footy with the Dees making the most of their forward opportunities and reaching quarter time 11 points to the good. Our on-ballers are doing really well with the Viney Mitchell matchup shaping as pivotal – Viney on top so far.
The Hawks have much of the play in the second, though surprisingly miss several gettable shots, the main culprit being the normally reliable Gunston. The game continues at a fast pace. Oh, and how good is Rioli? He’s the main reason the Hawks are closing in. We manage to get to half-time with a slender lead. The chat at the main break is that surely the Hawks will come out all guns blazing and put away the upstarts. Haven’t they done it so many times over the years?
And they do. The pre-Roos Dees would have folded against the onslaught but not these days. Big Maxie is playing as he has all year, brilliantly, Viney is ferocious in close, Tyson incisive and Jonesy inspirational. We stem the flow and actually win the quarter. The Dees have played amazing footy for three quarters, but can they keep it going? Or will the Hawks ascend to greater heights? The mood feels like we’re a better chance than the first round.
When Cyril bobs up with his fourth, we look at each other and think that the Hawks are doing it again… But it doesn’t go at all to script. The Demons are the ones who find another gear and slip into overdrive. We can’t believe it as it unfolds. The 30-something supporter next to us leans across and says ‘it’s surreal, isn’t it?’
We get hoarse with delight as goal after goal flies into the cheer squad at the Punt Road end. The siren blasts, 29 point winners. How good does this feel? Sing the song with gusto. Bursting with pride in the performance today. A high quality game against a high quality opponent. If only we brought that level of desire and intensity each week! Portent of the years ahead perhaps.
Off home to watch the replay. Love listening to the pre-game TV commentary on how Hawthorn will continue steamrolling into the finals. So enjoyable to watch when you know the result.
Peter Vine has been a Demons supporter since in utero, and an MCC member since 1977. He ensured the tradition continues, by converting his wife Margaret from the Tigers (not too hard, she had lapsed), and all three daughters are Demons. They’re all MCC members and really excited about the future.
MATCH SUMMARY
MELBOURNE 5.2 9.2 12.6 17.8 (110)HAWTHORN 3.3 7.9 10.12 11.15 (81)
GOALS
Melbourne: Watts 3, Weideman 2, Bugg 2, Tyson 2, Petracca, Gawn, Hunt, Kent, Brayshaw, Vandenberg, Stretch, Pedersen
Hawthorn: Rioli 4, Gunston 2, Ceglar 2, Smith 2, O'Brien
BEST
Melbourne: Jones, Gawn, Viney, Tyson, Watts, Vince, T. McDonald, Oliver
Hawthorn: Rioli, Smith, Hodge, Lewis, Mitchell
INJURIES
Melbourne: Nil
Hawthorn: Stratton (pectoral muscle)
Reports: Nil