There are rarely certainties in sport.
A rollercoaster of emotions, wins, draws, losses, injuries – so many facets of sport are out of a player or coach’s control.
And when it comes to grand finals, there’s no greater uncertainty, with two teams facing very different narratives.
For the winning side, it’s the peak of one’s career, an unrivalled reward– a lasting memory that can never be taken away.
For the other team, the only certainty is knowing that it is the beginning of a long journey to get back there again.
MCC Hockey Men’s Premier League coach Sam Weller has started to lead his team through the latter narrative, but according to him, winning is the easy part of sport - losing, that is what builds true character.
At the core of the Melbourne Cricket Club is a unique and cohesive sporting community.
13 sports, 14 different sporting sections, thousands of representatives who wear the MCC logo with pride. Players, coaches, volunteers who honour the Club’s rich history, commitment, and dedication to cherishing the power of sport in all forms.
Sam Weller embodies what MCC Club Sport is about – an admirable leader who joined the Club’s hockey section as an 18-year-old and has now returned in a coaching capacity.
It was Sam who led this hockey side to a grand final last year after a formidable season, becoming minor premiers for the first time at that level in the Club’s history.
Now leading from the sidelines, Sam’s goal remains the same – experiencing the ultimate team success.
On grand final day, so much of the preparation and performance was to be applauded, effort that the coach couldn’t fault.
But despite feeling in control for the first half, the result didn’t go in their favour.
The emotion that followed was raw, with the coach conceding no words could provide much comfort after a close loss in a grand final.
But his words about the 2026 season are hard to forget.
When it comes to the team’s determination to become premiers in 2026, there’s no room for uncertainty.
