Words cannot express the joy I get reading this article

I'm pretty sure Jones and Higgins in particular are feeling exactly the same. I don't even want to consider what Griffen is feeling.

Winning the flag this year is massive, and will get more massiver as the years roll on.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/33148659...l-santo/#page1

With the bulk of the Bulldogs team tasting glory this year after only a handful of finals matches each, the former North Melbourne and St Kilda star was left wondering what he'd done wrong to narrowly miss out on a flag on multiple occasions.

"That Saturday was a tough one," Dal Santo told Melbourne radio station RSN on Wednesday, a day after announcing his retirement.

"I was a little bit emotional that day knowing I never got that."

Dal Santo retired on 322 games after being part of the shock Kangaroos cull that also saw Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie and Michael Firrito depart Arden Street at the end of the season.

The three-time All Australian midfielder played in two losing grand finals with St Kilda.

In 2009, the Saints were beaten by 12 points by Geelong before drawing the 2010 decider with Collingwood and being soundly beaten in the sequel.

He also played in preliminary finals with North Melbourne in 2014 and 2015 after joining the club at the end of the 2013 season.

"I've put in 15 years' work to try and get one of those and you feel like we've missed out so many times," Dal Santo said.

"Jeez, we did everything we could and we just missed out twice."

Nonetheless, Dal Santo was full of praise for the premiers, who won the club's first flag in 62 years after finishing seventh on the ladder, hailing his "amazing" cousin and Bulldogs star Marcus Bontempelli.

"I'm absolutely rapt for him that he's been able to achieve and he had an amazing year and deserves everything he gets," he said.

"That's the thing I love about our game as well and I think the competition becoming so more at an even level, it's fantastic the Bulldogs can come from where they did.

"I just love the idea that anyone can win at any particular game during the year, let alone finals."

Dal Santo said he was always a long shot to extend his playing career at a third club after North Melbourne's elimination in week one of the finals, receiving a "couple of little nibbles" of interest for his services.

"(But) it got to the point where there wasn't enough (interest) to be able to weigh it up anyway," he said.

I smiled too. At one stage this morning I wasn't sure if I should be smiling because I thought maybe I was being a prick but then I thought 'ah who cares, I love it!'

I can remember feeling that similiar frustration that Nicky dal must still feel of thinking that I might go my entire barracking career without tasting premiership glory. But I don't have to worry about that any more.

It tastes good Nicky. Succulent.

Pfft. He was damn lucky that his team even made it to the 2009 GF.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Twodogs

I can remember feeling that similiar frustration that Nicky dal must still feel of thinking that I might go my entire barracking career without tasting premiership glory. But I don't have to worry about that any more.

It tastes good Nicky. Succulent.

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Early this year I turned 60 (I was at the game against Hawks when Bob did his knee), my wife asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I said Bulldogs Memorabilia. I looked in the Bulldog shop and also online and sporting shops that carry that sort of thing, but there was nothing much I wanted. I said to her, save the money for when we win a premiership. :) She thought, gee he has turned 60 and I think he will never see one, I was starting to think the same.

I got my memorabilia but never did I think (but always hoped) it would come this year.

It can't be the same, but the flat feeling Dal describes may be in some way at least similar to how I felt watching Brian Lake win his first flag at Hawthorn.

Yeh I think Del Santo's and others attitude that "anyone can win a game on the day, even a final" undersells our premiership. We won four magnificent final victories all against serious finals contenders, most away from home. Our victory was unique, not something anyone else has done or could have done. We did it not anyone else. I don't expect to see it happen again in my lifetime. This was the premiership we made happen but also I feel one we were destined to have. Not anyone else.