Hey, Legends, welcome back to The Mason Cox Show. Massive Grand final episode CAESU is done and we're premieres.
Baby, there's two parts to this thing.
It's so big, and the first part we're gonna talk about everything. We talk about nerves, we talk about the adrenaline beforehand the parade, Kiss goes on to the stage and just rocks the joint. And then we get into the actual game, the big moments, the key players, everything that happens. There's so much to cover in this episode. You're gonna have to settle amps. It is a massive one before we even get into the second part of
the celebrations and everything else that goes on. So thank you so much for getting into this, but we're starting right now. Okay, Legends, there is a ton to go through. Let's be honest, without further ado, Welcome Brandon Cox.
We made to the finish line the football season.
Oh my god, man, this is the first time I've seen you and really heard from you. I tried to like give you your space and let you have your time in the sun. But it's time to dissect. We got questions that we need answered. We want to know who's the best one who got the drunkest. We want all the dirty details. We want to know all about the game. We want to know about that smother from
Zach Bailey should have been fifty meters. I'm telling you, I almost lost another TV may so I got to get a sponsorship for TVs because I'm almost running out of them every other week. There's plenty to go through on this one. So I want to start by saying congratulations Mason Cox premiership player.
Sounds good.
How's it for?
Yeah, it feels. It feels interesting. I don't know, like there's like a word to really encapsulate it. There's I think, like my mother asked me after the game. She was like, you know, like how do you feel? I was like, I kind of feel and we'll talk about more about kind of this. I guess the emotions after the game a little bit later. But there's a sense of like
complete less completness to it. It's not fully complete, but like to be able to go from zero to now being a premiership player and experiencing AFL through the highs and lows and everything it has to give, there's a bit of like full circle kind of wholeness to it.
If that makes sense.
Yeah, one hundred percent. I felt it after and like watching you through every moment that it was like you get your metal like post Siren, post Game, all of that.
And it just.
And it is lucky. Not a lot of people in their AFL career get to have a neat finish. Not that you're done, but it's been a crazy movie like experience highs and lows all the way through, and to get a premiership towards the end, it just felt like it meant like so much and it rounds out this amazing,
like incredible journey that you've had. And I can only imagine we'll get into it, but it must have been just overwhelming in that moment of just you took a massive fucking risk doing everything that you did and coming over here and a moment of like it's all been for something, like it's complete. It's the journey is complete with the result that you got, there's.
Still more to come. Look, I'd like to do it again. Already we're like sitting a week or while or like a week after it happened, I'm already sitting there thinking about twenty twenty four.
We got two more years, may as well go the three pep.
Yeah, that's I mean, that's the goal, right, got to get to Justin Leappich and Craig McCray area kind of things, you.
Know, Yeah, when you got those two just sitting there talking to you every week like smug bus.
But now we'll get into it. There's quite a bit to cover.
As you can imagine, there's it's a pretty massive, I guess moment in my life, pretty amazing experience for everyone involved, fans and everything else, and the intensity of the game and everything that happened. It's there's a lot of dice acting go through, and like even now sitting here, I still don't feel like I've fully had the chance to really understand everything that happened. Like I haven't really had a chance to look back through the whole vision of
the game and listen to it and all that. You kind of get little bits here and there from people of what happened and what they were going through their heads at certain times, but I haven't really had the quiet moments myself to kind of look back on it all yet, which I'm kind of looking forward to.
Well, you will have what an eighteen hour flight back home.
To just sit download it loaded.
Well, let's jump into it, and we won't start with the game. We'll start with the lead up because it is a big week. And last week, well, in the prelim week, you were talking about how it is just a normal week and everything's the same and you're all fine grand finals not like that Grand final. You got like the training where tens of thousands of rock up to see you just train sick, and then you've got the parade talk us through the week that was.
We thought, well, it was quite stressful, if I'm being honest with you. There's a lot of people that come out of the woodworks. I think there was people texting me and this was a sign where someone texted me at one point and you know how you can see the last time someone texted you was like whatever date, it was like six years ago, and they were asking for Grand Final tickets and I was like, yo, homie, great to hear from you. First of all, let's just
go back to that. Besides you just asking me for Grand Final tickets right away, and I was like, you're not going to get tickets over my family, Like, I mean, I'm talking to you.
In six years, bro.
Yeah, So there's that many people I guess that I came out of the woodwork and there's a lot of people that came there and said, like, you know, good
luck on the weekend. Like there's just a lot of influx of messages and stuff that you know, I've been able to meet so many incredible people over my experience here that you know, big moments like that in your career, in your life, a lot of people reach out, which is awesome, don't get me wrong, but it can feel overwhelming and you kind of have to get to that point where.
I got to.
It was like Thursday or Wednesday, and I just shut the phone off because it was just like I felt like I was just spending my whole day answering back to people on my phone and I'm saying thanks, thank you for all the kind words. So yeah, that was it was kind of full on, a lot of commitments, a lot of things come your way. I think I did the puck drop for the hockey, which was awesome to have an American teams over here, you know, and and be able to have the NHL here, which was sick.
It was so cool to have that representation here and they loved it. All the NHL guys went to the prelim game, and even after the Granny, they were like
messaging on Instagram. We're like, dude, unreal, congratulations. We watched like the game all while it was f and sick, like loving yet watch like yeah, and it's cool because like these people don't know what it is and they're kind of it's it's awesome to have them share an experience of kind of what I went through in the beginning of like learning what IFL is, finding out it's an incredible sport, and then kind of like getting stuck
into it and becoming a fan. Like it's that kind of coming to understanding of what it is and that's exciting for people, and it was cool for the NHL guys and then to do that, and then there's a million other things. I try to keep it as normal as possible and you say no it to a lot of things which might upset people, but like you have to. You have to try to make time for yourself and that's kind of that's very hard in a grand final week where you feel like you're getting pulled from one
thing to another. But you know, I took that time. I guess back towards the back end, or I was like sleep deprived still from the game, you know, on the weekend and I'll just spent a day to myself, which was quite nice and just got to relax, took a nap while like jazz and that kind of reset me, which is good. And then we went into the parade, which is the weirdest thing in the world. Did you a parade before you win? And like before you play a granny?
Very odd? You have to admit Australians.
It is weird.
And yeah, it looked like celebrating the game, not the winner.
It was a real stretched out looking one down past the Yarra this year.
I fan of that, by the way.
And you did get the oldest looking car out of the lot. It was weird that they just chucked in this old thing that they found on the phone.
I know it was.
It was an old school to highks, I want to say. And I I got to ask, like who do you want to be in the car with. I said like, I'm happy with whatever. I'm happy to go on my own. If there's an extra, which that was the case, is like there was a odd number, so it was like I'm happy to go on my own. A stress so I got my own car, which is like an old school one, which.
Is just very me.
I feel like it was very much like okay, that makes sense, right, and we went through it and like it's just kind of cast. We got like a bus from the club to John Kine Arena, which is literally across the street. Like it's absurd stuff like that, because it was just that many people and that much chaos.
And then you go in there and you get prepped, you get into the truck and it's just it was cool because it was a different it was a different route you take, so you went through kind of like the park and you went up and then over a bridge.
And yeah, like wasn't through the city or anything.
It wasn't like they shut off a lot of roads, which I think was maybe a bit of a Cashi's.
For the boats.
Yeah, I went for the boats, which is a real cutback on the on the budget to now cutting back
a little bit for the walk through the park. But it was awesome because there's more people I could come right, So, like you get a street and there's only like maybe three or four rows of people can have deep where this was like tons and tons of people and it went through the activation area next to the MCG which was really cool, and it just kind of went through that iconic area where all the sporting precinct is and that was awesome, and there's people all.
Over the place. Got a Taylor Swift bracelet, huge show. Someone threw on that. I didn't see.
It was on the ground next to me, and I was like, halfway through the parade, I looked at I was like, Taylor Swift bracelet, whoever.
You gave me that.
I also got some Taylor Swift bracelets shipped into me from California this week, so I'm getting him from everywhere. Huge fan excited for February, not from Taylor. Yeah, not stoked about her and Travis Kelcey, don't get me wrong, but it's still a Taylor fan.
But now the parade was insane. It was so hot though.
I was like, i'll talk about this later kind of how that I feel like affected me on Grand Final day, but going for like two or hours plus whoever was on the back of the truck with nothing, it cooked me for a bit, Like it was a bit wild.
But there were so many people there and it was obviously like a majority Callingwood fans, which is awesome and you feel that love and energy and everything else, and every once in a while you get that Brisbane fan that just you know, and because Brisbane went first to
the parade, Yeah, so I can imagine. We love Callingwood supporters obviously, but they can be a bit ruthless at times, you could say, and I don't know what was said to them, but once we got to that stage, I felt like they had just been through a trial.
It was a bit of rough. I felt like the Callingwood fans might have been like you gotta.
Get that's crazy to think of because you wouldn't like I haven't ever thought of that, but it's like an away team and it's just it's like Game of Thrones, like this shame like they would have been like thrown to us.
It was like a ninety percent calling it at least. And then like the funny thing is, remember I went through. Every once in a while, you see a few Brisbane supporters and they give it to you, and I was like, if they're giving it to me as a one in ten, like the nine out of ten would have been given it to all the Brisbane players coming through beforehand, so that would have been rough. It wouldn't have been an
ideal situation. It wouldn't been as enjoyable. That's probably I enjoyed it on your head.
You're probably like, oh see the praise is.
Going to be found. Great.
They're just berating you like game. Like you said, just through the streets.
It was wild.
And I don't know if that's true or not, whether that they did do that, I'm not here to confirm and deny, but given them circumstances of what I heard from some Brisbane supporters, I could only imagine what was coming to them before us.
Yeah, that's you're just sitting in the back of the yet in they hate going through, just people yelling at.
It, raiding you.
This is so good.
Can't confirmed Andy in the comments let us know if that's true or not, or maybe if you were one of those people. But yeah, that was insane. It was like a thirty degree day. I feel like it was so hot, no shelter whatsoever. And we got up on stage. It was cool, like to be able to experience the whole thing. Like I didn't see my family as we went through, but I had one of my best friends out of all the people I randomly saw them at the very end, like smash through a crowd, and that
was awesome to see them. They've been there through my whole journey, which was cool. But we got up to the stage and the same thing happened in twenty eighteen that happened here, and I look down the into the audience, you know, and I see my dad who's already wearing Cockzilla shirt, full Collingwood kit from head to toe. And then he's got this iconic like full like mohawk hat thing he had on, and his smile was just beaming from ear to ear. It was the greatest thing to say.
And like all the boys are like, oh, Mason's dad can't miss it, just bang right in front of their stage.
Just helps like it's strategic the hat, Like you got miss.
That's for sure. They're not missing that, man.
So I want to talk us through because you're up on stage with all the boys. There's a little backstory with the cup, so we all know the captain's presented the cup, they hold it up in front of the crowd for the photo opportunity. Then there's word that Fly has given some instruction to Darcy about holding onto the cup as long as possible.
I'm not.
Maybe hopefully we get Fly on I can talk a little bit further on this, because there was some there were some things that were said and that we're done on that stage that you know, rep up right.
Maybe we'll bring Craig on at some point.
We've been talking about getting them on for a while, so we'll get on and tell them that. But I think there's even in twenty eighteen, there was a thing and on stage right it's like whoever has their hand on the cup last? You know, it's a bit of like a power statement, right, like we're gonna be the ones that win this, you know, And before you get on, it's like it's kind of a it's a known thing by both clubs, I feel like, and our club is really well aware of it. So as soon as you
lifted up, we're all sitting there going look. And then they stood there for like ten seconds and they wouldn't put it down, and they're just having a stare off between the two of them, I feel like him and Harris. And then eventually I think the first was taking the photographers just kind of like this is getting super awkward.
Can we move it on?
We got yeah, like you you could stop, you can stop pozy, right, So they turned around and it's kind of like they're both like stop lifting it up. They're both handy, like hand on the handle like next to their hip, just looking at each other. And then eventually Harris gave it up first, and then we all were like, ah.
That was because they showed they were talking about it on the TV and it was like, oh, you can see the trophy shift, which must have meant like Darcy Moore held it last. Meanwhile, like if you just looked at fly flies doing double fist pumps.
Eating up, he was like he was turning over.
He was like, enjoy it, guys, like this doesn't come around every single year, Like you have to enjoy, you know, this this moment in life, like some people might be the only time they get to experience this, you know. Or so I'm like, you know, you might be fortunate to experience a few times, but every time it's different and for different reasons, So like, soak it all up while you can't, like and he's always been like that,
you know, enjoy the experienced kind of person. And yeah, it was so funny up there, like everyone's going around Darcy and there's no chance Darcy.
Was gonna I mean he would have took that thing home. I feel like if you had a chance to.
It's like a box face off when you're like staring them down, and like some people think like I've got them in this moment, like I won the stair down.
I wonder to do that, like Captain should do that.
Screw the cup hold, let's just go straight face off and then one pushes the other and then both teams getting a massive scuffle and then it's on for film.
I think young and old Fly would be at the front and giving his celebrations.
Now the ninety thousand calling supporters probably wouldn't up the stage and.
Just walk their ass.
Now you talk about like some people don't get to enjoy it. One person that did get to enjoy it late call up Billy Frampton franchise all well, I was going to say all week it was discussed who comes in, who comes in? But Fly kind of did it everyone in the favor, including Billy himself, which I'm sure he
would have appreciated the most. But announced it early, said look you're in the team, You're going to play early in the week, so took all those like questions out of it and like who like to talk through the media all week? And I guess he really got to enjoy the moments as much, if not more than most. How was that within the group, When did you guys
find out what was kind of that moment? Because at the same time as you have that moment, you've got two three teammates that have unfortunately missed out on the opportunity.
Yeah, it was I think like our first training session, the question was always going to be there, right because whenever Dan went down, we found out would be like six to eight weeks PCL whatever it was with the knee, and there's obviously a void to be filled. And we knew Harris Andrews is a massive threat of there, so we couldn't just leave that open. So we'd have to put someone in that position that would be able to
handle his ability. So that first training session I kind of thought like, well, I might just play forward DC plays full time rock. We just shift things around that way and we maybe don't feel that gap or I'm the one that feels like gap and I just take play less rock. Time we were in training, I sat there and the first thing you see the board of everyone on the board in what position they're playing, and Billy Franmftin was in the Ford line.
I was like, I guess this is happening, k big bf, let's go.
He had such a trial by fire because obviously filled your role in the ruck when you were.
Down Darcy Camera's out, I was out. He played like six weeks in the rock.
Plays back obviously, and now I've been launched forward for the Grand Final.
He's played more games out of position than actually in position, which is quite funny, Like I don't think he would have played one or two games in defense probably the whole year, and played like ten games throughout the season.
I didn't realize that he's a big boy.
He's massive, dude, He's he's only he might be the strongest sky of the club.
Really is huge.
It looks unassuming him and bel.
Can like definitely bitch more than me, no doubt, and it's like he's just a beast. He's impossible to move. So yeah, whenever he was put in that position, it was it was called early, which is awesome because then Billy doesn't have like the anxiety around it.
He knows he's playing.
He can mentally get ready for the experience and the you know, like the craziness that comes with it. So for him to get that early is like, you know, the coach showing confidence in him to be able to fill that role in that position, and knowing what he would have to do on the weekend early allows him
to prep for that with proper time. So it was cool and Billy, you know, obviously we'll probably talk about a bit more during the game, but like you know, he didn't have the most touches, but probably was one of the most important people on the ground for us. So it was incredible what he was able to do.
And he's a journeyman. You know, he's been to Adelaide and Portolaide number here, and he's a person that's probably been tossed around, never really known exactly where he's going to fit in the side, and he's always filled roles and that's what we did throughout the year. And then you know, has this amazing opportunity to play in a Grand Final and he made the most of it.
And then unfortunately early week Taylor Adams was trying to get up through his hamstring injury. Unfortunately didn't get there.
And did it again yeah, trying to get back for it.
What are the boys do? What can you do? You're trying to focus on your game going into the week you got the heartache of like one of the leaders of the club going down was almost best one in the twenty eighteen Grand Finals, so it would have been pretty much hard ache to get back to this situation. How do you reach out to someone and what do you feel that you can say?
And that's situation. There's nothing you can say that can fix the problem? Right?
Can you there for support for him and all that? It's a terrible situation. Tays like he was because he's obviously gone to Sydney now, Like he he's a leader of the club, someone who it would have hurt so much for him not to be a part of that like and not to have him at all at the end of it, and it hurts everyone that he's not able to have that fulfilled because he's been such an integral part for our club for so long and creating the culture and holding upholding the culture a lot too.
And he did his hamstring like he was every day he was in the club. That that little sliver of hope that he could get back he made the most up and he's doing all the rehab, all the running in there every day, like spending as much time as he could, doing everything possible to make sure it was all right. And then it was maybe like a couple of training sessions before he had I don't know if he pined it again or something happened where he simply
was ruled out. So you look at that if someone who's been the journey since he's been here since like what twenty fourteen and twenty thirteen, where it's been he's been here throughout that long period and not being able to get the ultimate success, and then sees all the other people he's gone through that journey with be able to have that like it's a shot to the guard
for sure. You look on the other side, you look at John o. Will played every single game, didn't get to play in the final series, like he won probably two games off his boot, you know, So like who's
to say we're in that position with at him? And then you look at the last person, damn Stay, who was the reasoning Essentially he kicked two goals in a prelim like without him, we don't even win the prelim and he does an injury towards the back of it and can't play to Granny, like those three people and I've talked about before. He's like, I'm not sure how
we acknowledge them. I don't know if we do medals for the twenty three and then like rings for the rest of the people on the team that you know we're a part of it or played a game, whatever it. Maybe there's got to be some way that they can have some kind of acknowledgment after winning a Granny, And like, that's always always a topic after it happens, right because there's always some amazing, beautiful store and there's some heartbreak
story from mc granny. I feel like, and those guys were kind of those stories for us this year, unfortunately. But there's got to be some way in the future for us to be able to acknowledge them with something because I feel like a lot of times you finish and you go, man, I was just as more. I was just as much a part of this, Like dam probably played more games than I did throughout the year. Yeah, like all the like John played more games than I.
Did throughout the year.
So today, like they're the reason we're in this position to be able to have this success, but they don't get, you know, the ultimate kind of prize of a medal at the end of this. It's just it doesn't seem right, doesn't sit with you, right, Yeah, I know that's like the Australian way and the Australian culture of like the twenty three on the day wherever it is. But it's just like a mentality I guess of mine, it's like, well,
that's that's great. Twenty three performed on the day, don't get me wrong, but there's so many other people that helped you get those twenty three in that position, and now it's it's sad not to see them be able to have the same I guess acknowledgment that the rest of them do.
Yeah, I think it shouldn't. Then I reckon you get the Premiership medals for the player that played on the day. But then I reckon it should just carry over to the club, like you're doing it all for the club anyway, So I feel like it should just be club's best and fairest. You get awarded with something on that night, every player that played or played the X amount of games or contributed to the season celebrate them in some way reward them with something.
I know something of the coaches get like a miniature like cup, a n Enture Premiership Cup that has like a plaque on it says that you're part of the program for that year.
Because the coaches don't even get medals at the end of the.
Game, Craig gut one that was like different from the rest of ours, which is pretty cool. I thought it was like we all of us got the same one, but he got there's like a special coaches medal that looks kind of similar but different.
Yeah, it's I don't know if they're almost harder to get, rare and to gain.
They're rare for sure. Yeah, but it's got an idea that exists. There's a lot of things I learned from the Grand Vibrated learning while it was happening, figuring it.
Out on the fly. Well, let's get into the actual game or the final stages of the lead up. So the night before, Yeah, how did you fare the night before? Did you stay by yourself or were you surrounded by a friend's family? How did all that go?
Dow.
I'm pretty ruthless in my prep and stuff, so that just when you're a prick. Yeah, I was, which was a prick to my family's traveled half a world away. I was like, yeah, now I won't see you tonight.
I wouldn't.
So even like two nights before the game is whenever I start my prep two nights four her my own dinner night for herme own dinner. Had lunch with all of my friends the day before and that was good just to have a bit of normalcy around it, you know, like it kind of chaos around everything that was going on for the weekend, but it was good to have
a bit of time just to relax. And then the rest of the afternoon on Friday, had to myself, had a dinner by myself, and then yeah, I walk up Saturday and it was We've been playing so many night games that usually have like a nap beforehand, but like this was obviously a day game, which we'll go into
day versus night Grand Final later in this podcast. But I kind of walk up and you're kind of just like banks straight away going and doing it, so it's not like you kind of have a lot of time to chill out and think about it.
Yeah, is that good?
It's kind of good.
I liked to take a nap on the day because I don't sleep well before game days because you're kind of thinking of all the things that might happen and this this you know, and like you know this ruckman does this. I need to make sure that you're like you're going through all the scenarios in your head before the game, right, it's like the day of the game, the night before the game, I would have max slept
eight hours and it would have been super interrupted. And you're also hydrating, so you're up taking a piss every two hours, I feel like, because you're sitting there and smash the whole hydra light and there's all this stuff out to right, So I didn't get the best sleep. I didn't have the best prep going into it. I
was a bit exhausted. The parade was a bit hot, like all this kind of stuff, and I got to the game day and I was kind of like walk up and I was like, I don't I don't feel great, like and I don't think you ever do, because you're like you're excited. The energy is like pumping into you, but you're sitting there going like let's let's conserve this adrenaline, like you're trying not to think about it, and you're trying to say, Okay, I need this to hit me
whenever the game starts. I don't need this to hit me for like four hours before the game. So you're constantly trying to bring back this energy from like being exposed, which is a weird feeling because it's like the whole whole day. You're like, it's happening today's day day. It might be the greatest day of my life, might be the worst day of my life. Like we'll find out, and like you're like I'll come home in eight hours and like this would be a great time, or I'll
be fucking depressed. Like like you're thinking of all these things, right, a million miles a million miles in your mind, just playing your mind, just going over and over and over again. And yeah, now you kind of like get to the ground. So you get to the club, we do our prep and you see some of the other boys. That kind of calms you down because it's back to normal normously.
And then yeah, we get to the ground and you go through your prep and you kind of there's a different vibe on a Grand Final, right, there's a lot more security, there's a lot of people around, there's a lot more attention trying to people, there's like cameras.
It's just a different experience.
And yeah, we go into the game and I probably didn't feel hundred percent, and then.
We'll go into it.
I guess like the next thing is probably like the the coach's addressed beforehand. Yeah, so that's kind of like the first time the whole team's in the same room.
Right.
So there was a moment where the cameras on the broadcast cut to the rooms Brisbane looking all serious and kind of switched on, And in the moment it cuts to the Collingwood rooms and Fly is revving everyone up. Everyone's laughing, cheering, smiling, and he's waving a towel over his head, and alls we could think of is like, what's his like angle, what's his story? How's he hyping up the game? What's he doing in there? But he had a bit of an announcement.
It was a huge announcement, and it was I was like emotional before the game because I was like, there's this whole thing, right. So there's a few partners that were pregos, right, you got Christie's missus. Michayla was pregnant,
very heavily. And then Gabby who's Craig's wife, that's also very heavily pregnant, and there do I think, like a week apart from each other, and Gab was doing Grand Final day he's Craig's partner, and we get in there and he's kind of like pacing around and I'm like, is he right?
Like something's up.
I know it's Grand Final, so it's like a big occasion, don't get it wrong, but I was like, some something's happened, like something's going on. Maybe he's really amp for this or something. I feel a different energy from him.
And it was the first thing he was like saying, is oh, you know such and such and blah bah blah. And then he announced that they had the baby girl that morning, Maggie, and I was like, holy shit. I was like, that is insane.
He's like it's the greatest day in life and like blah blah blah, and like I'm so happy because he's such a loving, like emotionally amazing human, right and to have that kid on that morning, it was.
Just like, holy crap.
There is probably so much going through this guy's mind right now, Like he's here coaching. He's literally probably working up at like six am this morning to like go see his kid be born and then comes straight into a Grand Final and preps for that, and then now he's about to go into his battlefield. Like it's just such a crazy day for him and like it will be the most emotional roller coaster day of his life guaranteed, Like there's nothing I mean, like, how do you how
do you top that? From a career and like personal side of things, Like there's not many things I feel like that can happen on the same day. They're going to have the same emotional stress and up and down that he would have had on.
The day every anniversary, every year, every birthday. It's just going to bring it all back up for him as well. Oh it's going to be insane. So what did that do for the playing group? Like I can only imagine that it kind of puts stuff into perspective that it's like, oh, yeah, we're going we've got a game to play, but like life.
Is pretty big celebration, right, And that's Craig.
Craig I always kind of he'd always have a joke before the games, you know, and it was never like a super serious like we were serious on the aspects of footy and whatnot we had to cover for the game, but he would always kind of have a joke or a laugh about something outside of it, just to break
the eyes. Because everyone goes in there and everyone's like hyped up, extremely nervous to go play wherever game is, and he kind of is able to calm everyone down and then have a laugh and then get into the specifics, right, So for him to kind of start off with that, everyone was so stoked and he's probably waving the towel around then, you know, just like everyone was just so excited, and like that just took her mind completely off the
fact that we're about to play a Grand Final. We would just so hyped for him to have a baby girl and everyone be okay and happy and healthy, and then you go into the footy side of things, like oh shit, now get back to work. But that's kind of like that moment. I feel like you talk about the dress and everything else, but like that was the one that stuck out that everyone was just so excited
for him. That's a sign of the culture and how much of the family it is, and like how amazing it was for everyone to go to be a part of that, and how excited he was to tell everyone, Like he didn't really tell anyone, so it was like the first time being somewhat public about it, and everyone was just so stoked for him. So like the day started off perfect essentially, and going into that meeting was just another sign that it was going to be a pretty special day.
Before you get into your rant about day night Grand Final. Could you hear Kiss from the room?
No?
I couldn't. I heard Black Eyed Peas in twenty eighteen. I was thinking I'd hear the same thing, but I couldn't hear Kiss.
They were good. I will say that they could. In my head. I was thinking, imagine all the kids watching this, going like, who the fuck are these.
There was kids on the ground, though, weren't they, So they're trying to make it, you know. Yeah, both people like you know, I'd be happy with it.
It was actually great. Like I I was never a big Kiss fan, but like they rolled out like three or four songs.
A song like word for word, whether you're a fan or not.
Yeah, and then yeah. There was some moments where players slipped over in the middle of the field and kind of looking at this Kiss performance. They were spraying a lot of petrol all over the place with this like the fire they had flame, and I was like the ground keeper. Normally, if you step on the ground in shoes, the groundskeeper wants to take your head off. I'm thinking looking at Kiss spray and petrol and fire and like everything everywhere, I'm like, God, this guy's going to have
an aneurysm. But talk me through those final moments, because I want to know what it's like if you can take me there. First of all, you come out, I imagine that it's a big booming chant and we've heard that. We live through the prelim and all of that kind of stuff. Grand final day, arm in arm with all your teammates. They played the national anthem, She kills it, and then there's always that moment of silence and then the big booming cheer of the crowd. Are you present
in that moment? You're looking around every seat to the rafter. Is this full everything's going on? Are you there in that moment or are you just floating around?
You're kind of like it's kind of like this weird euphoric state, right of like the adrenaline's about to hit you, and once that crowd roars, it's like bang and all of a sudden, this rush just hits your body and you're like it's go time, you know. Like it's a
weird thing to explain. Probably not many people understand it that haven't been there, but it's amazing to do the welcome to country pretty awesome, like experience that, done that three times of it throughout finals and amazing kind of the words to do that into the Australian national anthem,
which I found interesting because most people don't actually sing it. Yeah, I was like the only one singing it and I was like, because you're looking at the TV that's rolling through every player right going through a player by player by player to the coach and think goes by player by player by player. No one was singing it and I was like, am I the proudest Australian here?
I always keep an eye out for who the singers are. I think it's important.
It's important, it's important stand it's like the manly macho we're going to take you on.
But it's the national anthem. I think.
Proud hand on heart.
You don't do the hand on heart. I found out very quickly this year.
I didn't know that you take the hat off, that's about that's abouts patriarch as you get you a bit upset.
They didn't do the US nationally.
National anthem after Now there's plenty of USADA.
But there was one more moment before I forget it, Darcy Moore beaming smiling. I thought he was like smiling at the singer, but obviously his dad, Peter Moore presented the cup post game, but he was their pregame. Darcy walked over and gave him a big hug. It must be a pretty crazy experience to like have big captain of the team but also be going through all of those emotions and stay present in what's going on.
You can imagine like how much Doarcy would analyze his dad growing up and being in the Collingwood rooms and all that.
So and I know, like Darcy pretty well.
It's like so special for him to be captaining the club now and like following his father's footsteps and doing it in his own way, and it's it's incredible, And like to have his dad there was cool because I've known his dad throughout the years too and be like family to me, and it was awesome to see that moment cause I was like, I mean, like after the game, whenever he handed it, before he hinded the cup, I saw like Peter on the field and I was like, mate,
like just enjoy this next ten minutes because it's going to be something special you'll never forget, like giving the cup to your son who's now the captain of the club and now like just want a premiership.
Like it's it's fairy tale stuff. And I remember just sitting there and be like my congratulations, like just to just soak it up, like just enjoy it. Man, it's gonna be insane. But yeah, that was cool to see him there and you know he's he's just much of a calling with fans anyone. Come on boys those boys. Yeah, you got those boys?
Yeah, which is pretty epic, and that's kind of it's just a beautiful, like family moment, you know, Like you know, they had Lee Matthews obviously part of a massive premiership era for them, being part of the like the cup represented for Brisbane and then Darcy's dad who played two hundred and forty nine games like one away from two fifty, being our representative it was just oh at aither way right, and it was awesome to see then be able to
share that family moment together and like for someone who's seen them throughout the years and seeing kind of him develop as a person and how much of an incredible human being he's become, it's cool to see them share that moment of somewhat of transferring of like the legacy, you know, like onto the sun another part of it.
So obviously they've kind of both had their own legacy, but yeah, you kind of do that, and then you have the national anthems and the last thing I do before I go on out as a fist pump Abby Holmes. Oh yeah, so I did it like before the Melbourne game.
Jana.
She's like, she's been an awesome support for me and like a really good friend in the industry and stuff like that. So I did it before the Melbourne game.
Then we won.
I was like, I'll do it again in the Grand Final again. So we won three for three. So I don't know if Abby can make it to every game next year. She can, that'd be appreciated. But now she's an absolute legend and one of the best in the biz and someone as a female who's absolutely killing it in the very male dominated industry, which is great to see. So fist bump and then roll out and essentially get into game time.
And you've been entrusted with the first bounce for the since you run through Max Gorn at least share sirn goes first bounce, massive anti climax. Come on, guds, we've done this.
We know.
So funny because you know the umpires and I go to before lumpos, I go, are you going to do the first bounce?
So you know who's going to do it right And you.
Just sit there and you can tell they're just as nervous as anyone else out there.
Imagine how huge those nerves would be, because it's like, you've got your role to play. Everyone's got their role to play. He has to start the whole thing. Millions of people watching around Australia and you've got hundreds of thousand in attendance, and it's on you to bounce this oval shaped freaking ball dead straight in the air. They've picked you out, They're gone, mate, You're the best bouncer. Thanks more pressure, great, heap it on and then you
stuff it up and everyone groans the whole thing. You gotta restart it. No one wants it, no one likes it, even.
Though he's still a fan.
First center bounce of every quarter is a bounce, and then everything else is a ball. That's that's my opinion on it. I will consistently take that side of it, but I will say this, before the first bounce, you can always hear the umpire. He goes down, gets both hands on both nubs of the ball, right and you get.
And it is literally in his mind going, don't fuck this all right? Here we go fuck.
Yeah, And it's the it's the awkward Rai's hand from the umpire. I've dune stuffed up. Could someone go retrieve the ball for me and give it back? And it's probably the most embarrassing thing you can possibly have on a football field that's round. You can shank a goal from fifteen meters out, and I still think fucking up the center bounce is worse.
Yeah, well, first bounce fun, but that's what I reckon. I've heard this argument like, let's just keep it the first bounce for the opening quarters or whatever, but that's when it's you don't want that anti climax moment. The most like that's when it's like the most painful. If you stuff up a bounce at the ten minute mark of the second quarter, people just go right big shit, like bring it back. It's the first one. That's the most pivotal one.
And so I think you go see because there's not many umpires that can bounce well, right, and they're dwindling by the moment. We've got guys out there that are sixty years old bouncing the ball because there's no one that's coming through. But if you designated like there was like six umpires, right, oh, you need avoid there's eighteen teams, so you need nine umpires that can bounce the ball and they got to bounce the ball four times a game,
and that's it. You get one umpire just to be the bouncer and he does the beginning of every single inning, sorry, every single quarter to start to throw this out and then he just umpires the rest of the game. Right, So you only need nine people in all of Australia to be able to bounce the ball on a center bounce.
He's still making concessions for this stupid bounce that is it's it.
Well, because the traditionalists are never going to want to see it go. So I'm trying to find a middle ground for.
Wrap the bounce and bring back the jumping and handstands on the mark and stuff.
The handstands on the mark. We should have brought that back now, that should have never gone. That is absurd. That makes this game hilarious and we should be all for it.
We need to move on because like out we digress. But so opening quarter, Yeah, actually got a mini jump on him, and what turns out to be like your biggest leader of the game.
The twelve is the only quarter we actually won.
Yeah, twelve point margin, which is great. Good start grow. So you had a little moment that we will talk about, which I wholeheartedly believe was a fifty mint penalty. But you take a nice little was it a mark on the defensive fifty ish?
Yeah? I think a free kick? Yeah, micro free kick, I can't remember now.
But you turn to take your kick, step off your line and Zach Bailey is there, mate? What protected zone? It doesn't matter, but he's there. What's what's happened in that moment? In your head? Did you hear everything that was playing out? What did you just shit yourself going? I need to fix this, like what happened in that circumstance going.
Back another one?
Right, So you know I talked about like the parade and not feeling one hundred percent probably going into this game. I did the first balance, I did the first sprint, and I was like, holy shit, this is going to be a long day. I was cooked after one sprint and I'm sitting there going like what's wrong with me? And I think I'd managed my adrenaline wrong and then also hadn't like properly recovered from being in the sun for like four hours a day before. So I don't
know if anyone's been like this. You're out in the sun. The next day, you try to go for a run, you're just cooked. Like that was me on Grand Final day and I was like, holy shit, I'm going to be in for a long day.
So did you did that actually set into your mind of like fuck, like panic moment, like oh.
Yeah for a little bit, yeah, And it was like okay, And this was my mindset going into this game was like I need to wear down Oscar Macnoni in every possible way, and Darcy Cameron and myself need to be able to like have an influence by making sure he does not do what he's used to be doing right and him being able to. He got like ten clearances in the day, so he actually played pretty well, but him as far as hitouts and stuff, we dominated him
in that sense. So any chance I got to like take energy out of him, I made sure I did, because I knew I was pretty cooked. I don't know how Darcy stand felt at the time, but I was like, if he tries to run off on me, any chances are I'm probably not going to be able to catch him. So I was like, any chance tries to run on me, chest bang hit that, make sure you bump or by
it right. So I took that marker where the free kicker, wherever it was, and all mates, just because in the moment, right like the crowd is so like loud you can't hear anything. Usually in a game you can hear the umpire go moving on, play on, right, In this game, it's so loud you can't hear an umpire's voice. You can only hear his whistle. So I kind of thinking like, oh,
it's about that time. I'll just move it on and play on whoever it is, and I'll go to kick it, and I it was literally like Pikachu came out of the grass, like I had no idea he was even there. And the Pokemon appears out of nowhere and he just
smothers it, and I'm already fucking exhausted. He smothers it, I think like Q tries to hit him because C's the one that was he was on, and he ran by me, which got him into the projector zone, which there's a whole question mark around that, and then and then Murphy tries to tackle him on the boundary and then I'm kind of like corked behind him, trying to like catch up, like a just a slow like hippopotamus, staring gutty with no idea of what I'm doing, and
and he snaps an incredible goal, like incredible goal, and then I was so exhausted. I didn't even see the fight that happened after, because usually I'm all about it, right, but I was so cooked. I'm just sitting there staring at the sideline, going please to God put my number up so I can get subbed off. That was my mindset after it happened, and I apologized Tom, I apologize
to cure and everyone else is in that scuff. I think Will Hoskin and I it was there too that I didn't get in it, But I just I didn't even I did. What was like my mindset was so focused getting off the ground.
You weren't going to help.
I wanted to.
In my mind looking back, is a poor, poor decision by me played to play on and also to do that.
But yeah, it was. It was a question marker whether that's legal or not, but.
I feel like it was the I had flagged it earlier in the year. The Petrarca did it a number of times, keeping more of an eye on the person with the ball and kind of meandering through the protected zone waiting for the smother probably needs to be called. You had one foot on the paint. He was like fifteen meters away. He's they're not Amanda. But you know it doesn't matter now. But at the moment, oh boy, big moment for you in front of a quiet crowd. No,
not many people watching it. Yep, there was a moment on the broadcast where they say the big Fellow's going downstairs. I started bit of panic sets in Mason Cops going down into the rooms. They're saying things are getting bad to worse on the bench, it's all crumbling down. What happened because you came back out and you were you played out the game.
Yeah, well it was kind of a weird scenario.
So I took a mark and like as I took the mark, like clench hamstring, calf, both cramp, same time, left side see you later, not working. So I'm sitting up gone. I knew it was about my rotation to come off. So I was sitting there and I've kicked the ball along said stuff that don't need that pill anymore.
You guys, hit it away, get it away from me. I'm not being able to do anything more. So I turned around.
I think my name might have been up on the So I just came off and as soon as I touched the line the doc everyone else was like bang right on it.
And I'm like what's going on? And they're like, are you're right? You're right? I'm like, yeah, I'm fine.
They're like come down to the rooms, and I was like, gosh, just really turned into panic stations very quickly. What is happening? Like did I do something? Is my like left finger hanging off or like what.
The fuck's going on?
Like what did they see that?
I'm not feeling it from this adrenaline, and I go down to the like it was literally like five steps down. I'm sitting there where Jack Reewalt kind of climbs up, you know, to creep up the stairs. And I was like, they're like, oh, you're right, yeah, just like cramping, like I can't stop, Like it's just and this is like a third quarter. I saw have another like quarter and a half to play, and they're like, oh okay. I was like, yeah, let's go up. It was just like
went back up the stairs. And then they're like pickle juice, hodge, you like, whatever it is, cramp like monsieur gets into it, whatever it might be. And that was that was it. So I was like third quarter. You know, I said the first quarter was cook. Third quarter My body was actually physically telling me that was cook, Like I have another quarter and a half plus to play this game out, so yeah, go and then got some water into being all that kind of stuff. And even in the first quarter,
I felt exhausted. I went to the bench. I sit there and looked behind and there's our Jared Wade, who's are kind of my performance managers behind me, and I look at myself. I'm pretty pretty exhausted here, like I'm not feeling like one hundred percent. I said, do you have anything to eat? So he's like, oh, I'll sort something. I didn't know what would come out of the rooms. I didn't know if he'd be full a vocado toast, but it fed on top of you a nice little experience.
I was like, I'm sure this, I'm prepared.
And they come back like a couple of minutes later and he has this toppleware box and it's Jam sandwiches. I think I would ate three Jam sandwiches within thirty seconds. I just hoofed it down, one thing after another, just trying to get some kind of energy into me, and I felt so much better after it. But it was quite funny that Jam sandwiches maybe got me through a Grand Final in Jay.
I should have yeah, I should have requested it.
Imagine the panic stations downstairs where they're like, we need some food, we need.
You.
Did play with a couple of injured players throughout the game, none bigger at the time than Murph obviously copped another head clash, putting his head where you know other players fear to tread. Yeah, and kind of saved the day there for a bit, went off past his Hia, came back out a bit dazed and confused and then got subbed out of the game. Did everyone realize what was going on in those moments? Like what happens to the rejig?
Who moves around? Who's communicating that? Is it something that like Pendals is saying or or is it all coaches off the bench? Like what was happening during that kind of pivotal time because Brisbane had a little moment.
Oh, I think like me personally, I don't see it too much because I'm pretty like simplified in my role. Like it's the if the Rockman goes down, I definitely know, or like the top four goes down, I definitely know. They were big back. But he went down and I kind of was aware that he looked a bit woozy. Whenever it happens, I was like, Oh, there's going to be a bit of question marks in the five minutes where it is to be on the sideline all that, But as soon as I saw Patti Lepinski in, I
was like, Oh, it's the decision has been made. Right, and he's got to be on the bench. So all those decisions get made by the coaching staff, right, So you got to think in the moment. So we pulled Billy Frampton back, take him off Harris Andrews. Do we move someone else into that position, which was Jeremy how I Think into playing on Hip or whoever it was.
So a lot of that stuff happens, but if it's not in your direct line, you don't notice it as much because it's like there's not a change in personnel. So I didn't really I didn't really notice it too much until I saw Patty on. I was like, okay, we've made the move. Wherever the magnets fall as far as moving things around, they fall, and we just sort it out. We'll just figure it out, you know, because we've got options.
Right.
That was the beauty of having Billy Frampton come in. He's played multiple, multiple roles for us in different positions, so luckily enough we had how I think, moved roles into someone else and we just kind of made it up from what we had already and he played an
incredible game. So I didn't really notice it too much, I would say, until you probably see him on the bench on the on the bench behind the bench where he's got the coat on, and he's essentially you know, you've been subbed at that point.
And then in the wrap up it's very selfless of him to kind of go out there and say, look, I'm not right, hand up. Yeah, still not dealing with it, not feeling well. I pull myself out of the game.
That is going to beget concussion. You can't drink.
Oh really, So he was sober for all the celebrations.
Geez, that's rough. That's real rough, isn't it.
And when you find out, because I'm sure your reaction was the same as mine and most Collingwood players as soon as you see Murph go down or someone with the history of concussion, yeah, definitely, it's more concerning. And in that moment, it was like straight away I was like, I know, like, yeah, does that hit you? Does that affect you? Or it'd be such an overwhelming thing in the moment.
It is like there's so many things that are going through your head as far as the game right. So to see that he wasn't like out cold was a good sign. You know, like you see the ones that go out cold and are gone for a bit and you're really worried. But to see him still like walking around and stuff, it's like, okay, like he's he's still functioning. Yeah, obviously he's had a concussion to not ideal and we
feel from in that sense. But I don't know if he would remember any of the game, if I'm being honest with you, I don't know, Like I haven't talked to him about it, but seeing him go down, he's been such an integral part to the back line. He's one of the most underrated players as far as a back line. Like he's kind of a goofy, gangly dude, you know, and he's a bit funny and whatnot.
I started the game on fire, yeah, and he's kind of.
Come out of nowhere, like no, no, nowhere.
But like, I don't think a lot of people three years ago would have thought Murph would be in the position he's in now Yeah, and being such an integral part to that defense. So it's a credit to him. It's pretty incredible he's been able to do. And to see him go out it was of a moment of like, oh, we definitely have a role in a hole that needs
to be filled. Because it's a key player that we have, and they have, you know, Charlie Cameron, they've always got, They've got Eric Hipwood, and they've got joe Danaher, which is like the Big three. So you have to play someone into that position. You can't just leave it empty. So him going down was probably a bit of a worry.
But then, like I said, we had plenty of players that have played different positions throughout the year, and I mean you could put Jeremy how forward and then then Billy Franton back and swap by the player, but like wee.
It floats back at times. He was one out with Joey Danner.
Like, well I can there's just people I just we just get it done. They just go, yep, no stress, I'll sort it like I'll play that position, no questions, no, no, nothing asked. So yeah, him going down not ideal, But.
Luckily enough we were able to fill the role and be able to get done.
And there was a moment later in the game Jeremy Howe taking a kick out of defensive fifty and just got lined up from Charlie Cameron, who got under his arms up into the rib cage and shattered his ribs to a million pieces. You could tell he's a pretty tough blow, how he And he's laying on the ground gasping for air. Someone came over to help him up, and he's like, just just give me a sack, Just give me a moment, because this sucks.
This sucks.
And it's another one that's the courage of someone like that to go on in that moment knowing that they've got some pretty bad damage and when he's really needed because Murph is off to play through that. People have their views on the incident itself and how that can be okay when someone else can get suspended or fined
for a lesser incident. Yeah, how do you kind of look at that as just a teammate and as a bloken like the amount of respect that you have for Howie and kind of playing through that and still doing a great job. He outmarked Hipwood with broken ribs.
With broken ribs.
He's a freak drumw Like, Yeah, he's a bit of a heart and soul player as you do have to you know, like him. He's always he would never be a person that would pull himself off in a granny you know, it's like, you know, why I wasn't aware he actually broke his ribs until after like the game. Really, I'm pretty sure he probably would have known there was something wrong right away. And I don't know if we need to, I guess like get that out of the game.
We talked about picket leaving the ground and hitting people are vulnerable.
And stuff like that.
It's like the shorter guys like trying to throw their weight into someone to like inflict pain.
Yeah, well you look at that incident and it was like no doubt in my mind, from my opinion, he is tackling someone like he's going to inflict the pain, Like he's not going to do anything else than inflict pain. Because it was And you can talk about microseconds, but players know when they're not going to get there in time, and.
You know he's not. He's not tackling them. His arms are on out.
He's literally put a chicken wing in his arm to make sure he's going to get full like momentum into.
Elected to bump and knew that there's a fair chance he was going this year.
I'm like, you're like picking out the scenario, but like it's something I think the AFL should definitely look at as well.
That's loud.
Yeah, because at the moment, you just go, I can do this because I know it's just going to be down the field, free kick the balls, already going. We're in defensive fifty even like you know, even less of a repercussion from the incident. So yeah, I feel like there's got to be something we're moving towards in every facet protecting the player. Yeah, I feel like it's a no brainer to add that one to the list.
Yeah, no, I think it will in the next little chunk. True. The AFIL listens to this podcast and takes notes, right.
Yeah, well they listen to just line up your fines. Now we're talking about your talk about your fines, because we'll say that you landed one of the craziest knockout blows of all time, this ruthless, ruthless bump that you landed somehow posing.
Like this, but the min just the hands up.
In a glass box. But Brisbane player unfortunately ducked his head and ran straight into you. From what I could tell, when did you find out that you got a fine?
I think I was in mad Monday about probably five shots deep, three beers deep. I'm going I get this kind of like text from the guy who deals with the fines and suspensions, and he's like, oh, it's going to be a fine of two thousand dollars and I facetim and Baker sent him a video message back and go, and I'm pretty I'm pretty loose at this point, right, I'm like, mate, let's take it to court. I'm taking it to the IFL. Let's see if we get this thing to nothing.
Card Lawyer's done, they finished in the finals. That he's got time.
Oh I know, I think it would have been hilarious for me to show up absolutely smammered to the AFL like tribunal and just make a mockery of the whole thing.
Well, I think the one good thing is you probably made up the two thousand dollars in free drinks, So.
Yeah, for sure, Yeah, there's no doubt about that.
Over that week, Oh now, we got to keep going through all these players because there were so many impressive performances, none more because he got the award on the day. Norm Smith medalist, Bobby Hill amazing game, four goals, could have had seven passed off, one dependals missed, a couple, was everywhere eighteen disposals I think thirteen in the front half, which is mind blowing. So many assists, score involvement, setups, pressure, tackles, bumps.
He was doing it all. Not to mention one big specky scene looking right into the sun that.
Was ridiculous watching talk.
To us about Bobby Hills, not only his game and how he played on the day, but his journey leading up to that, leaving gw Wes. You beat them in a pre limb. He recovers from having cancer to play in the Grand Final and have an amazing final series, and then to be best on in a Grand Final, a winning Grand Final, and insight like, how do you sum.
Up all of that?
He's more for people of the club, Like he's just the nicest, quietest guy, not quite like fully liked and doesn't talk to people, but he's just like a very kind of humble nature of person.
And he's a beautiful missus who's you know, heavily pregnant at the moment.
He's got a kid already, and you got to think, like he went through testicular cancer, he's traded, like you said, he's traded teams. He's been through quite a bit in the last year and for that to accumulate into the final series that he had was pretty special. And he's a player that you know, you sit there and you go, well, what's he gonna do? And you just have this excitement
around him whenever gets the ball. And there was a moment I think where he sits there and he kind of like got the ball, faked one way, turned the other way, snap goal. I'm still looking at him like, mate, you're just a freak. Like you're just a freak dude. Like it's insane what he can do on the football field, and he's the nicest human off it. So it's awesome to see those people who are just genuinely good people like have that kind of acknowledgment and recognition on the
biggest stage and stuff like that. And the Norman Smith like it is such an incredible on. I don't think he probably realized. He's like, Oh, it's you, And I'm like, mate, you like want a Norm Smith? Like this changes your life? And he's like, oh really, yeah, it's a big deal.
Well, he said he was watching Cyril really highlights pre game, which inspired his like little marking effort.
Yeah, it was insane, and he's just He's just a zippy forward that you just you know he can make something out of the smallest window of opportunity.
Speak about you didn't sleep the night before. I imagine his opponent that would be the scariest prospect.
Like trial, the camera's the same like he I mean, like whenever he had I think he was playing eyes that corner, taps the ball, one dribbles and then snaps one from.
The top of the goal square like just freak stuff.
And you're like, how do you You can't teach that, Like it's just comes somehow naturally and just figure it out in the moment. But yeah, Bobby to kick the four, like I said, he was unselfish in the end, gives one off the Pendles, which is a massive moment for him as obviously a huge person at the club to kick an important goal in the moment.
And a steadier because you always were missing a lot, so like for him to get that go back put it through, big moment for both of them. But big man for the cloud.
Oh it's cool and it kind of shows I guess a bit of you know, the unselfish nature of our football club of like we don't care who scores as long as we score. And Peddles is obviously a great set shot and it was a better opportunity, I guess in a better angle. But that would have been a great moment for Pendles, I know that, and like Bobby was able to gift that to him, which is pretty cool. He could have quicked seven on the day. I think
God's insane. Like on the day, it's just as like kick it where he's at, just kicking that vicinity.
He's quick enough.
Or if you just kick at the space in front of him, he'll beat the guy next to him and he'll go another fifty meters and then just kick it goal. Like it was just he just couldn't go wrong on the day, and it's it would have been the best feeling ever to like take that specky over him and like the ultimate Bobbie Hill type freaking specky yeah, and just one two grabs and then bring it in then kick then slot the goal after to like finish off
the experience would have been absolutely incredible. We were cell hyped for him after the game, like you can see us. Whenever they announced in as normal Smith, everyone just like lost their mine because it was it probably wasn't a person you would place a.
Bet on being an orst before the game, if it makes sense.
But I think we all knew his value at the team, what he could do, and like for him to be able to show that and prove that on the biggest stage is pretty pretty eppic.
Well, the best game of his career and the and the absolute game to pull it out too, But he was.
He was killing them, like Melbourne game and the GS game, so like it was it was coming, you know, like he had good he had a good kind of momentum into that game, and we.
Have spoken about like you want to be playing well in finals, and now he's put himself up there as he's a finals player, and like, without doubt we will talk about Scott Pendlebury because there's been a lot made. You know, he's obviously had a shining career, but there's been a lot made about his Grand Final. He was out there conducting the orchestra and so you talked about
you can't hear the umpires, you can't hear this. There's a adrenaline the crowds pumping Scott Pendlebury in those middle stoppages to reset even like pointing out people's positions, where they need to go, what they need to do. Yeah, can you hear him in those moments? And how much does he say when he's out there and how much does he kind of like lead in those moments? Is he like another coach out there?
Oh? For sure? Is now?
I think I noticed that the most. And we got to center bounce right, you have your moment to take a breath. He sets everything up, He goes, we're doing this this play to this person, this this area right, And those are the moments you kind of you really see his leadership shine. Like obviously around the ground, he gets people in position, does all that kind of stuff. And obviously, you know, his ability stands up in the you know, the biggest stressful moments.
So I do see that in him.
And he's an incredible leader and incredible human, incredible player like most dispuzzles in NFL VFL history, and he's had all these accolades come his way, you know, and he's still killing it. Like it's not like he's going and subsiding off into the sunset. You know, He's like he's still somehow like continually getting better.
I feel like hiding him in the big moments, they're not putting him in the back pocket.
Or like I mean, out of anyone in that last quarter, he would have had the best last quarter anyone.
Yeah, eleven disposals in the last and everyone was important, pivotal, spoiled too. But like you look behind the goals and he's set himself up to be there for that moment, Like he's behind the play in the hole in the spamman, pointing others as where to go. In the dying moments, he's telling you know, players to go wide, to get into space, to get the kick, to take time off the clock. Like I think it's underrated and probably not spoken about it. That's why I ask it so often,
is like are you present in those moments? Are you in that time and space and you're thinking clearly where.
Not a lot of players are.
Oh, you ask players about the game and their memories of it and stuff, and it sounds like it's just
a big fog. But he's there in those moments, looking at what they're doing, looking at the bench for the times, he's telling people to get in positions, he's setting up the next play, he's looking at time management, like to be doing all of that stuff in that moment on the Grand Final, one hundred thousand people like chanting, screaming, like all of that, Like as good a player as he is with the eleven touches and all of that stuff, Like that's massive to have someone like that in your
team in those moments, because when it comes down to the Grand Final and there's one kick in it, it's who can set up better?
Who can you know, who can handle the moment?
Yeah, who can handle the moment better? And he just puts you in the best position to handle that moment.
Yeah, And I think you see you definitely see it on the ground, like we've been in so many close games throughout the year and throughout the final series really, and it's those people that give you that calmness in the storm you kind of talk about, you know of like, you know, the chaos of the situation can overwhelm people, and there's some people that just you know, they see
it from a very like just clear perspective. And he's one of those, Like it's never I've never seen him kind of fluster to the points we should do this, we should usually goes boys like look, this is what's happened, this is what we're going to do.
This is gonna work. This is what we're going to do.
And he's one of those people you just have extreme confidence that whatever he says will work.
Because there's no questions though it's like, cool, all right, that's what we're doing, you know, it's not like, oh, I kind of think this is a better idea.
Pendles would fbably look at you and go, you could shut the fuck up, But no, it's he's an incredible, like kind of leveler for our team, I feel like in some of the most stressful moments. So he's a
huge reason why we've been successful. Lock him and his ability to yet be another voice on the field for the coaches and know the game plan from front to back and every position like we do our walkthroughs before games and he's telling forwards and midfielders and backs where they should be even though he doesn't even play those positions. And so it's pretty incredible his ability and what he
brings to the club. And he's been a massive reason for us to be able to win games and those you know, those dire circumstances at the end of it, and it was.
Probably at his hottest Brisbane kicked a couple of consecutive goals. They got out to about thirteen points was there biggest margin.
But every time they seem to get a goal, Collingwood had a quick reply, and more often than not it was coming from the center stoppage, and there was a moment that you know, all these moments are great throughout the course of the game, but people remember the last five minutes more than any Sena bounce, Pendals yourself, Nick Dacos, Jordan Degoie, the awesome force them they put him in there.
Probably the terrific three soome and some idiot looking over their shoulder.
Talk us through that center bounce. What was said and then you know, obviously led to an amazing Jordan Degey goal that now will go down in history.
Just kind of up to the moment.
We all kind of sit there and everyone has that breath of us in that kind of miniature huddle of the four of us, and he changes to him, he goes, look, don't stress, we've got time. Like, there's plenty of time. There's at least five minutes. We'll be guy like, we don't need to get a goal right away. We don't need to do anything. That's like two out of it's going to cost us, right, we don't need to take
too much of a risk here. So we just had the idea of, like I think it was, you know, a bit of a get it forward, you know, get it going our way and try to get inside our fifty.
And yeah, I think we went the head out and then bang bang, one person to another Nick with the handball off that like jumps up and then handballs off to Jordy why he's in the air, and Jordy finishes one from fifty, and I think in the background, I'm just like I'm bowlown away because I'm sitting here looking I've got three of the best players that might ever play the game for Collingwood, right, and then my dumb
ass in there. I'm like, I'll get the hit out and I'm like, they're so good they'll sort the rest out. Like I don't need to be in the handball chain, nor do I really want to be at times, right, So it goes from bang to bang bang. I'm still kind of like at the I kind of towards the center circle, and I'm just watching this whole thing kind
of like play out in front of me. And I remember just like Jordi getting the ball, having like just that slimmer, a slim bit of space hitting the shot from fifty and I just put my hands up like you're a freak and think the Lord, you're on my team.
Like it was such a cool.
Moment for him, Like I know, talking to him before, we had talked about twenty eighteen and what this. You know, the opportunity has missed and being able to be in another Grand Final and taken advantage of it, and like in the dire moments that matter the most, for that player to stand up would have been it's so incredible to have his journey, you know, be able to have that moment, I mean, would have meant so much to him.
I'm super proud of, you know, the person he's become and the human he is, and it's it's it's pretty incredible for him to be able to perform, like we said, with a lot of people in those moments, that moments that matter most, and you look to those big time players to make a big time statement and he did in that moment, and I was just like.
Blown awhile I was like, how good is this? Like you wouldn't want anyone else in the center bounce with you. But these three guys, there's.
A classic Jordan to Goy goal, you know, the power goal, a couple of steps through, just the big seal. Later it was great. Nick's handball over his shoulder, like while in mid air kind of changes his you know, thought pattern because Bucks mentioned that he said to him post game that he was just going to go the big thump forward. Yeah, and while he's in air, his Jordan call out for him, so instead of punching it forward, decides the handball out to Jordan in space. So yeah,
it's pretty crazy. And up until that point, Jordy obviously had had a massive Final Series, huge game against GWS going into that one, said he would just do whatever it took to just win the game. And Josh Dunkley played on him and was towered to play on him all week and did a very good job on him, kept him to eighteen disposals. But it was just two
tiny moments, and it was he took those moments. So the first goal outside fifty he would have kicked it from fifty five to sixty to the first one at the end of the quarter after the Sirene bang goal, and it just sets up for another massive quarter, and I.
Think we kick goals on the siren three times on two times, Crispy and his And that's a that's a bit of like a momentum crazy, a killer for someone who's got a few golds and put some momentum back into our sides. Like him kicking that one, Crispy kicking the other one on the on the fifty from the angle, Like those are big kind of shifters in momentum.
Two massive ones. When you think of I guess we'll touch on it a little bit. The any accuracies that were happening in the game. Thirty scoring shots, does that start to creep in?
I definitely didn't help.
You took the market. That's a stock standard Mason cock set shot go. You mark it down every day of the week. The other one the diving, throw your big flipper at it.
We can understand that one missing.
That one looked like it was going to go through.
Oh no, that was I was the first one's at the mark and it was like I'd got like bashed and like lost my breath and I was, like I said before, so I was exhausted in the games. The market, I'm like just trying to catch my breath and I'm looking out and I'm going, oh my god, we have ten seconds, so I have to kick this off, to just kick going. I remember being like so exhausted, I'm kind of like swaying as I'm like running up and I missed it, and that would have been so cool.
I know I've kicked one in a granny and it was a great feeling. Fortunately didn't get to do it at this time. Hopefully the next one. But and then the other one was the I think it was out of a stoppage and kind of to me Jill, I handle it out and I got it, and I was falling away and try to kick one, and of course this is I haven't actually told Hi about this, but
it was like I kick, I miss it. Of course, as soon as I get up, I see who else but the best player in the league sitting there could have handball received too.
Probably stop and Nick's going give me the ball. Yeah, my bad, falling the ground you get in.
That's what I thought. But in all honesty, a better play. Give it to Nick. As always, Mason, that is the play. Give it to Nick.
We can't all just change our thought process mid movement and tackle and all this stuff, and he jumps in.
The air and changes it in hands and enjoying it. At the top of me. He don't have that capacity, mate, don't have that.
But yeah, there's so many amazing moments throughout this whole game. I want to go to almost a flashback to what we said last week. GWS Steele, we joked asking for the handball, said he couldn't kick over a jammed in probably had thirty in him at most. Well, the old dog came out or new tricks gets a fifty and the man on the mark is on the fifty arc.
Yeah, long way out, long way out, long way out, looking of steel strapped up there. You're going, no chance on help.
Yeah, and he's he was cramping when he got the fifty. He's stretching out his leg that's taped back together. And I think everyone on the planet is thinking, top of the goals, do the fake out? Steele has other plans, goes back and drains from fifty five meters, does the little mini arc just to get the extra distance, and it goes through half post height. They don't even try
to touch it. What's going through your mind at that because in the vision, almost poetically, here comes big Mason with his arms out, sprinting through like the square, going he's bloody kicked.
It over me.
He's bloody kicked it over me. And after I gave him shit last week? What was going through your head when the old fella put it through?
Oh he had fifty whenever he mocked. I was like, yeah, this is I know this is going right for sure. And credit to him earning the moment and kicking that and like you said, it was he could have kicked sixty oero and we went above anyone on the on the line. But in my mind, I'm sitting there, I'm exhaust I'm going have to push off here and lead and hopefully we get just nice CHESSI out in front.
You know, big Muments suckstandard Mason cocks classic.
Yeah. I haven't heard the commentators, but I assume the commentators are probably on the same wave talking options. Yeah, they're talking options, they're talking goals. For sure, they're talking this is not going to happen. But as soon as he left his boot, it was like, oh, this is this is a chance, and you're just going are you freaking kidding me?
Straight dead straight straight through the sticks.
And it was just like one of those insane can't believe it moments of like old mate who has just been through the ringer just launches one.
From late in the game, hot day, Old wins.
The game off that kick, and insane to think I was like able to roost it that far incredible, awesome, crazy experience. I was in disbelief whenever it happened. I was just like, holy shit, did that just go through.
It's so funny hearing his teammates go like the whole list is like nah.
Yeah, no one and the audacity to do it too.
I have to give him credit because me probably in that scenario, like I would in a probably gone for goals.
Yeah, I'll be honest with you.
I'm thinking, like, there's nothing more disappointing in front of all those people, everyone, the whole expectation. You kick it and it drops short, short but not short enough for a marking option, and it just gets thumped over.
Just get stumped over and it's real depressing. And he just he launched it there like launched at fifty five. I still can't believe, like, and it was at an angle.
Wasn't that straight? Like at an angle. It was just incredible, like just one of those and it's like like twenty eighteen, Jordi, you got pendles, you got steel and these moments that are so like important standing up and just slotting them like it's so good to see this kind of full circle experience for them, like to be able to stand up in the biggest moments.
And that's what I thought that you know, all the inaccuracies not really like a big day for the like key forwards like Joe Danaher like to his credit, just kept fighting. But for the old dogs on the team plus Jordi probably more senior play now getting there to just stand up and slaughter through the leadership that you
need to stand up on those big occasions. It reminded me very much of like the stories that you hear the folklore of like the mum lifting up the car off her baby and stuff like the adrenaline something just goes through and you can get those extra inches. But it's a miracle on grass territory. But we'll get towards the end of the game because that was the winner. But there was a couple more moments late in the game Joe Danaher gets the ball with a minute thirty left,
plays on and kicks the goal. Takes all the stress out of it because we never know where the ball is going to go from a Joe Danahert said shot and I'm thinking he knew that, so he just takes the quick snap.
The snap from fifteen dead in front goes.
Through the middle, and then everyone kind of has a moment of like, well, every well, I guess fans from both sides would have been thinking, shit, where we're back on, Like it looked dead and buried, and we're back on.
It's looked like a bit of like a cover the we're not going to be able to get over it.
And then I still to this day, I don't believe that was a setup for Joe Danho to mark that. I still think he was going for goals and shake the ship out of it. But yeah, we'll let him answer this.
Because there was another moment earlier in the game. I forget who I think Zorko from the pocket tried to kick it to the top of the square uncontested. Tom Mitchell mark, Yeah, not what you're right up, dumb she corner two? Yeah, oh, flash back, flash lord. But there was yeah, it went his way, kicked the goal, played on chaos in shumes like it's it's back to game on. You don't want to lose this after everything that's happened. Yeah, what's the thought patterns going through your head? Goes back
to the center bounce a little little more chaotic? Are you in the center? Bounce for that dying moments you stayed out there?
You cooked? At this point, I'm sitting there. After every goal, I'm looking looking to the substitute forty my eyes, it's not too good. Is that a forty yet? That looks like it? No, it's a four and six.
Next it's like a mirage, the little wavy lines across the desert.
I send the message hard enough, like matildale will happen.
I was cooked, But like you get back to ciner bounce and I'm like, I can't really remember the exact things of it, but I know what did happen was not what was supposed to happen. So the center bounce happens, and I'm pretty sure I was supposed to hit to the left right. Yeah, and I don't know what happened, but I don't know if I missed hit it wherever it was, but it actually lands to the right and there's no one there and the ball and I hit the ground.
I go, oh fuck, because the only thing you don't want time and space for them. Clear, Senate, Clear, that's exactly what you're going.
That's what happened. And I saw you running on first sprint of the game, fourth quarter.
Minute thirty the gap and I sprint over there and I'm like, and then it gets that point where you kind of face off with someone. The ball's probably ninety ten right and you're like, I'm not going to be able to get to this, and I kind of started stepping and I missed the tackle and thank God cues there to say that, and he hits him as he kicks it. It doesn't really make it into forward fifty as far as they probably want.
It's a real pop up kick to the top of the arc. Lucky Neil gets taken below the knees qu and gets a free kick. Play on, goes out to Zach Bailey kick over his head almost into inside fifty, calls play on advantage, Collingwood mop up kind of escape backs are half forward in that moment. So much you've talked already about can you hear it? Can't you hear it in that moment? Can you hear whistles? Can you hear free kicks? Can you hear advantage? Can you hear what's going on?
You can't hear anything. You can hear the person talking next to you. It was that loud, so like, even in the moment, I didn't even know it was a free kick. In the moment, I had no clue that the whistle was blown.
It was so lad.
He couldn't hear the whistles much less here with I was saying so like whenever he played on, everyone like, there's not a person that stopped on the ground if you look at the vision. Everyone was just like, keep going right. And then I guess he called the play on. And then you know, they punch it and they goes to a stoppage. McNary myself lying up again, hit out, Tom Mitchell gets it. Oscar goes to tackle as a ruckman. Here's a little clue, don't tackle a young fella or
a little fella. He gets the high free kick.
Which would be they were hard to come by all day, so he put his head in there.
And but pretty obviously whenever a ruckman tries to tackle a midfielder, they'll give.
It away, and there was a bit of yeah it was it was a bigger one, like it was a bit more force behind it because he is a big fella guy after a smaller guy.
And Tom's pretty good.
Yeah getting the h Yeah, yeah, put your head in.
Then we chip chip chip down line, and then you're kind of unaware of how much times you laugh, Like you know there's we have a thirty second sign, so we know there's at least they were sorry. Most thirty seconds are around thirty seconds or less. And they kick down line. They I like, tap it down and Will and Will kicks the four of the siren goes right, and then the game's over and it's like a moment that I just I just like was just so exhausted.
I just fell over and I was like, that's it. I get Starne. Thank God, all right, everyone, thank you.
That is Part one, done and dusted, and you best believe things are about to get even more dusty, because we have the celebrations of the Grand Final and all those stories to come here in part two. And here is a little snippet for you to enjoy. You're a Premiership player. It's like, oh god, I snubbed the kid too. I don't think I gave the handshake and I went straight to the double cobras. I just sat there, just soaked all in. I was like, holy shit, like it's happened,
like it's it's actually happened. Well, I came to that realization of like it's it's completed, like you've done it. Everyone starts partying and it's pretty loose, like on the bus, I was chugging beers out.
Of the cop like I was.
I was college drunk, hung sitting there in the fetal position, sweating in the middle of that hospital bed on my own in just areas.
What was I thinking