It would be easy to be drawn into the spell of Tigerland. Their theme song is as catchy as they come, arguably the best in the business.
Its mascot is the most popular of animals and the club has enjoyed fresh success - three key ingredients to attract young supporters to board the Tiger train. One hundred thousand plus members at last count attests.
This does not bode well for a Geelong supporter with a four-year-old daughter, a two-year-old son - and a Richmond-supporting wife.
The Geelong bloodlines run strong on my side of the family. A grandson of Western District farmers, raised in North Fitzroy, to a Geelong supporting mum and Fitzroy supporting dad. Many weekends and holidays were spent out west, an hour from Geelong, just north of Camperdown. These lands were - and will forever - remain Cats territory.
I was given those two options in the 1980s - barrack for Geelong or Fitzroy. The sway of family – grandparents, aunts and cousins - all cheering on the blue and white ensured the tradition continued.
It was made easier by the nature of the Cats in the late `80s and early `90’s - Ablett, Brownless, Couch, Stoneham, Bews, the Hockings. They had success on the field, without the ultimate, coming painstakingly close on numerous occasions.
Footy at Princes Park was a highlight of my childhood. Watching Gary Ablett senior kicking countless goals in the early '90s remains etched in memory. The No.5 would be stitched on the back of my woollen blue and white hoops, wearing it proudly to Vickick on the Brunswick Street Oval.
So we were in another Preliminary Final. Friday was an unexpectedly balmy Spring night. There was a cautious optimism on the walk from Jolimont Station to Gate 2, my wife wearing her yellow and black scarf, me in the blue and white. It was clear that Tigers supporters would outnumber Cats four-to-one.
We took to our seats just before the national anthem.
The opening minutes started out well for the Cats. Ablett junior snatched an early goal. I couldn’t help but think it might be the last time I would see a Gary Ablett run onto the MCG.
The first 60 minutes was unlike Richmond. The Cats foiled their trademark bursts. The Tigers seemed panicky, stagnant and without the wave of run and carve that we have become accustom to.
Optimism was high at half-time. Up by 21 points up, we were a chance.
Any thought of the Grand Final chance quickly subsided minutes into the third term. The trademark wave had returned. Five straight goals to begin the ‘premiership quarter,’ sparked by the Tigers boom recruit from the Suns. Tom Lynch’s dominance in the forward line was the difference, ultimately laying the foundation for their 19-point victory.
The bellow of ‘yellow and black’ soon echoed around the stands, on repeat, to the joy of my wife. Tigers supporters now seemed to outnumber Cats 10-to-one.
The form team of the latter half of the year, and the best of the last three seasons, is a deserving entrant to the game on the last Saturday in September.
The Cats will rue a season of ‘what could have been’ given the early dominance of the season and of this game. The potential retirement of stars Gary Ablett and Harry Taylor and the likely return home to Western Australia for Tim Kelly might cut even deeper.
For this Geelong supporter, the loss may resonate well beyond just season 2019. Here’s hoping one of the kids chooses not to board the Tiger train.
Nominated in April 1992 by his Cat-supporting Aunty Janet, Marcus Abbott has been an MCC member since 2002, regularly attending Geelong matches at the MCG with his Cats cousins, mum and brother. He is hopeful that one of his offspring will follow in the family footsteps.
RICHMOND 3.3 4.5 9.7 12.13 (85)
GEELONG 4.3 7.8 8.9 9.12 (66)
GOALS
Richmond: Lynch (5), Martin (2), Castagna (2), Prestia (2), Lambert (1)
Geelong: Kelly (3), Miers (2), Ablett (1), Narkle (1), Henderson (1), Dangerfield (1)
BEST
Richmond: Lynch, Houli, Prestia, Martin
Geelong: Kelly, Selwood, Dangerfield, O’Connor, Stanley
Crowd: 94,423