Thoughts from the game...

swoodley · Post by **swoodley** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:56 pm

I've not long got home from Subi and what a rollercoaster of emotions I went through today.

My daughter and I got there about 40 minutes before the bounce and watched the boys go through their warm up. We saw Hille out there and started trying to figure out who was missing. I couldn't see Hirdy anywhere and had the horrible feeling that something had gone wrong and he was out.

Then my daughter said "there's Hirdy" and started cheering, and I felt relieved.

Lloyd won the toss and kicked to the Subiaco end and that was great as it meant we would be kicking to the end where we were sitting in the last quarter.

The Eagles jumped out of the blocks and it looked like getting ugly very quickly. Our skills were terrible as we missed targets again and again and I was getting frustrated and annoyed.

A couple of goals calmed the nerves but we were still three goals down at quarter time and I wasn't feeling very confident.

Two early goals got us back in the game but then the Eagles started putting on a show. Poor disposal again was costing us again as the eagles showed how it should be done...38 points down at half time and I felt we were lucky to be that close.

The third quarter was better and it looked like we were going to claw back some of the deficit only to see the Eagles kick away again.

Three quarter time came and we were now 44 points down...I was talking to another Bomber supporter and we both agreed that we hoped that we wouldn't get blown away in the last.

And then the last quarter, or should I say the Scotty Lucas show? He was f****** awesome as he tried to win the game for us off his own boot. I don't think I've ever seen someone kick 7 goals in the one quarter and the only thing that eventually stopped him was sheer exhaustion. The Eagles were panicking and we were playing some of the best footy I had seen us play for years.

The siren sounded and the fairytale finish was not to be but the best was saved 'til last.

I've always hated the Eagles with a passion but now I have to admit that I have newfound respect for them...the after match testimonial to Sheeds and Hirdy was bloody excellent and done with a lot of class. They showed Hirdy's goal from the game where he hugged the bomber supporter, they showed Sheed's throat slitting gesture and a whole heap of other stuff. Hardly anyone had left the ground as they presented Hirdy with the match ball and Sheeds with a jacket half Essendon and half Eagles.

The tears were flowing behind the sunglasses as it really hit home that this was the last time I would see Hirdy playing and Sheeds coaching.

We have been so lucky to have had the privilege of having these two great icons of the game representing our club for so long. I think I now understand what people used to say about watching Coleman and I will always be able to say that I saw Hirdy's last game.

This was an effort worthy of respect and expunged the sadness of last week's efforts.

Watching Spike looking for Hirdy in the last quarter was fantastic and the bullet like pass the great man did to Gus was just one more entry into the memory back of the great things he did.

As I watched them being chaired off the ground for the last time, I thought to myself that this was the saddest moment in my 40 years of watching The Mighty Bombers...I was there at the GF in 1990, the prelim in '99 and the GF in 2001 but none affected me as much as today.

billyduckworth · Post by **billyduckworth** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:00 pm

Thanks for the fantastic summary, swoodley.
It was great watching it on TV over here, but it must have been even greater being at the ground.
What a shame we couldn't quite pull off the win.

Post by **Megan** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:03 pm

I think the most touching thing to come from after the game, for me, was the number of other bombers crying. Hirdy made no secret of it, Spike didn't really either, there was another one but I forget who... Woosha?

Very emotional. As usual Sheeds wasn't phased, man is made of steel

tonysoprano · Post by **tonysoprano** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:14 pm

can't add any more to swoodleys description - fantastic stuff.

i too was choking up under the sunnies - very proud of our last quarter effort - unfortunately gave them too much of a head start.

yes, well done to the eagles - a great send-off for our legends - very classy effort. but have to add they are absolute c*** faces during the game itself.

anyway...proud to be a bomber - and a sad day for the club.

well done and farewell Jim & Sheeds.

bomberdonnie · Post by **bomberdonnie** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:14 pm

Yeah it was woosha meegs licha was shedding a few too.... Even MM looked like he was choking up.

It is the first time that I have cried since 18th September 1999

jorayme · Post by **jorayme** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 11:50 pm

Great post Swoodley. I was also suprised by the fact that hardly anyone left until Hirdy and Sheeds were chaired off. The other thing was in that last quarter the amount of noise comming from the Essendon supporters was great.The other thing was their supporters were almost mute. Other than the result, I never want to hear eagle rock again as they just kept playing it over and over.

BenDoolan · Post by **BenDoolan** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 8:21 am

Ah what a great read swoods! I envy you being able to experience that emotion in the flesh. I agree, you have to hand it to the WCE and supporters for expressing such respect and honour to our legends. One wonders if the love would have been there had we miraculously won the game?

pear · Post by **pear** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 8:54 am

Thanks Swoods, great post

keri · Post by **keri** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:41 am

You found the words we all want to say, Swoodley.

I have to say I've never enjoyed a quarter that results in a loss more.

And I didn't see a dry Essendon eye from the supporters around us, and even the Richmond supporter we dragged over to Perth shed a few as well.

And it would seem that seven goals from Scotty in a quarter is a fantastic hangover cure!

tony coz · Post by **tony coz** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 12:18 pm

thanks for the match summary....unfortunatly not all of us have the luxury of Foxtel. How channel 7 didnt telecast it, even later that night, really annoyed me. So many eesendon fans only had the radio. Hopefully someone has taped it and posts the last quarter on UTube in due time

tonysoprano · Post by **tonysoprano** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:50 pm

tony coz wrote:thanks for the match summary....unfortunatly not all of us have the luxury of Foxtel. How channel 7 didnt telecast it, even later that night, really annoyed me. So many eesendon fans only had the radio. Hopefully someone has taped it and posts the last quarter on UTube in due time

if you are a member log onto the essendonfc.com.au homepage and go to bombertv where you can get the full match for free ususally added the Monday after a game.

tonysoprano · Post by **tonysoprano** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:50 pm

tony coz wrote:thanks for the match summary....unfortunatly not all of us have the luxury of Foxtel. How channel 7 didnt telecast it, even later that night, really annoyed me. So many eesendon fans only had the radio. Hopefully someone has taped it and posts the last quarter on UTube in due time

if you are a member log onto the essendonfc.com.au homepage and go to bombertv where you can get the full match for free usually added the Monday after a game.

tonysoprano · Post by **tonysoprano** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:50 pm

tony coz wrote:thanks for the match summary....unfortunatly not all of us have the luxury of Foxtel. How channel 7 didnt telecast it, even later that night, really annoyed me. So many eesendon fans only had the radio. Hopefully someone has taped it and posts the last quarter on UTube in due time

if you are a member log onto the essendonfc.com.au homepage and go to bombertv where you can get the full match for free usually added the Monday after a game.

Gyoza · Post by **Gyoza** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:53 pm

Don`t you have to pay for BomberTV?

I know I did.

BenDoolan · Post by **BenDoolan** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:56 pm

BomberinJapan wrote:Don`t you have to pay for BomberTV?

I know I did.

$10

tonysoprano · Post by **tonysoprano** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:56 pm

BomberinJapan wrote:Don`t you have to pay for BomberTV?

I know I did.

you do if you're not a member - if you are a member (even regional / interstate etc) you shouldn't have to - its included in your membership.

BenDoolan · Post by **BenDoolan** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 3:02 pm

tonysoprano wrote:
BomberinJapan wrote:Don`t you have to pay for BomberTV?

I know I did.
you do if you're not a member - if you are a member (even regional / interstate etc) you shouldn't have to - its included in your membership.

It nabbed me and I'm a member. It made me subscribe for $9.95 instead of $19.95 for non-members.

Gyoza · Post by **Gyoza** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 3:11 pm

Yeah that sounds right to me.

If I remember back to when I was a member, I think you could sign up for BomberTV (used to be The Engine Room) when you bought your membership if you wanted to.

That may be why you thought it was automatically included TonyS?

Anyway, doesn`t matter if it`s 10, 20 or 100...jump on and watch the game!

(consider skipping to the last quarter if you want to stay in a good mood)

Mrs Mercuri · Post by **Mrs Mercuri** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 4:13 pm

Everytime a saw footage of McVeigh and Welsh crying along with Hirdy it started me off again. What an emotional day and one that won't be forgotten in a long time.

robrulz5 · Post by **robrulz5** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:48 pm

Great summary swoods. It certainly was a sad day for the Essendon football club but we just have to think back to the good memories that Sheeds and Hirdy made for us and of the improving young side we currently have.