2016 Grand Final Revisited

[Eastdog]

Following on from BR thread on the 2016 prelim revisited what were our memories/stories as Western Bulldogs supporters on Grand Final day itself?

What a day it was! The best premiership ever! From 7th position to the summit!

Was sitting up Level 4 Olympic Stand near the front and the atmosphere was just amazing all game. Fellow supporters in tears at the end, high fiving, hugging each other. Just a great moment in our clubs history.

Tom Boyd was outstanding. Picko goal in the end to seal it and Zaine's goal to start us. Dale Morris = legend

Watching the players carry the cup around the ground = etched in my memory forever!

Go Dogs!!

[Twodogs]

That was one intense day. The celebrations in Footscray that night were amazing.

[Jam Donuts]

That was a hell of a day, even a hell of a week, my better half and I were lucky enough to have the week off work so we took advantage of cramming in as much Doggies stuff as we could, from going to the club for lunch and that was great watching the players walking around and seemingly very relaxed to the Friday parade and then of course the biggest day of all, 55 years I have followed this team and they are the years I can remember.

To see what those boys achieved that day was like a dream to me I still have trouble remembering the day, so to rectify that I watch the tape again and again and again. Funnily enough after the Friday parade we thought that the Swannies boys looked a bit uptight and nervous and that our boys were appearing to be relaxed and smiling and enjoying the experience, this made the grand final a special day because I wasn't really nervous, I thought we could actually win the thing, what a day, just the best, it made the 55 years of disappointments worthwhile.

[Go_Dogs]

What a week.

Enjoyed the parade on Friday with a few friends, nervous and anxious the morning of the game. Had a coffee, met up with a mate at the ground early, did a lap and checked out everything out that was going on. Went into Haydn Bunton bar and slowly nursed my way through a beer and took my seat early.

Can't really remember much after that, lots of little moments that stand out. The JJ overturned goal and then Boyd slamming one home from distance and being out of my seat yelling "overturn that one!!!!". Plenty of hugging, and a few tears when Bob got up on stage. Never thought I'd see us play a GF - one of the greatest days of my life.

[Bulldog Revolution]

I've rewatched the game this week as well as the into the fury 11 minute afl season launch doco

It is a day that filled me with joy

I did make the mistake of leaving the ground and not seeing the players come back into the ground later that night

I'll never make that mistake again

I'm so keen to do it all again - it's made me even hungrier - I'm certain Beveridge is stung by the season and will rectify our 2017

[dadsgirl16]

That day was the exclamation mark on the BEST month of my life EVER!!!!!!!

[Rocket Science]

Sigh. They were such innocent times.

[bornadog]

I did make the mistake of leaving the ground and not seeing the players come back into the ground later that night

Me too. I didn't even know they would do that.

In the past I said to my wife, if we win the premiership I probably won't come home for a few days and you will find me passed out somewhere , what I meant was I would go out and have a big celebration and get drunk.

After the grand final, all I wanted to do was go home and watch the replay. My wife was shocked I got home just after 6pm.

[FrediKanoute]

I still tear up when I tell people about the day. I flew in from the UK the day before, so made it to the GF parade and caught up with some mates. GF day I caught the train in with my cousin and uncle. Great to see all the colour. We walked to the G and I just couldn't believe the amount of people. I sat in the top deck of the Olympic stand, row B. Surrounded by Bulldogs fans. The game itself was riveting, it ebbed and flowed and wasn't until we broke it apart in the last that we held any ascendency. I remember though the guy next to me had his ear tuned to a radio station And he just said 2 minutes to go. I think we were 3 goals up and I remember thinking, shit, we've won it. I duly told the guy next to me and the whisper just seemed to permeate through the crowd! I didn't hear the siren, just the collective roar and crowd leaping to their feet. Magic

[Twodogs]

When did you think we had it won? Stringer had Bont on long late in the last quarter. All the Swans players were running to cover Bont when Stringer almost smiled and just dinked the ball sideways to Hunter. You could see the Swans players physically slump when they realised we were icing the clock, then Bevo appears in the interchange area. Firstdog said "*!*!*!*! me dead, we are icing the clock in a Grand Final. We've done it, we've done it!" Then the high fives and stranger hugging startwe.

[bornadog]

When did you think we had it won? Stringer had Bont on long late in the last quarter. All the Swans players were running to cover Bont when Stringer almost smiled and just dinked the ball sideways to Hunter. You could see the Swans players physically slump when they realised we were icing the clock, then Bevo appears in the interchange area. Firstdog said "*!*!*!*! me dead, we are icing the clock in a Grand Final. We've done it, we've done it!" Then the high fives and stranger hugging startwe.

When Tom Boyd kicked that goal I knew we had it.`

[AndrewP6]

I spent the week simply enjoying the lead up. For the first time in my life, we were at the big dance. I read every article, watched every TV show on us, and lapped it all up. By the Thursday, nerves were kicking in. I didn't go to the parade, too nervous! Went to lunch with friends instead. Got there on the day at about 11 or so. Spent a good while just roaming around, trying to take it all in. Went in, and on the way to my seat, caught up with an old mate who is an MCC member. Chatted with him, before making my way to my seat. Got myself a drink, which meant I missed most of the pregame entertainment. Jake's (then) missus, Jack Redpath and Will Minson were all at the same bar. I had the same attitude as the week before - we're here, we will give this everything, or as Bont said "Why not us". Level 2, directly behind the Swans cheer squad. Had my headphones but in that noise, didn't hear more than half the game. An atmosphere I'll never forget. I couldn't accept we would win, just had too many heartbreakers over the years. Two minutes to go, I turned to the guy in the next seat and said "We're going to win this game!!!", almost trying to force myself to believe it. Then that siren, and the whole world changed. We had actually done it. I stayed on to see the post game show and the boys come back out. John Schultz walked by, and I had the pleasure of a brief chat with him - true gentleman is the phrase often used. I phoned mum about 30 mins later and even then could barely speak. About 10 Swans fans on their way out, shook my hand and told me to enjoy it all - classy act from them, I appreciated that. I didn't go out afterwards, simply went home to soak it all up. Had a ton of messages from friends too. God I miss that week.

[Twodogs]

One funny thing I saw in the next bay which was mostly Swans fans. There were a swans couple and he was obviously a lot more invested and I kind of got the feeling she saw a swannie by association. She was wearing a swans cap and scarf and remembering to clap in all the right places. Anyway as the excitement mounted toward end of the game I could see that she was almost involuntarily punching the air at vital moments that broke our way until she took off the cap and scarf and handed them to her companion and shrugged her shoulders as if to say "sorry, go dogs" He didn't know whether to look at her or the game!

[G-Mo77]

I was a nervous and emotional wreck all week. I actually tried to avoid a lot of footy news, reports and shows over the 7 days. The week was long!!!! Friday I did give into the footy programs and watched with a box of tissues.

Game day. Saying goodbye to my wife and son and I burst into tears. I cried on and off through the entire drive down to the G. Once I arrived I was a bit more calm but just anxious and wanted the game to start. Now being a guy that always thinks the worst will happen, my car was going to break down, or I was going to have an accident I made sure I had time to spare if something did go wrong, nothing did and I had close to 4hrs to kill.

I was going to meet my brother as he had something on outside the ground, he was still an hour away so just wandered around. I met him at the kicking contest and watched that. It killed some time. In the end I couldn't take it anymore, I had to get in there, said my goodbyes and off I went.

I think it was about 1 when I entered the ground. Packed a lunch for the first time this season. Couldn't eat it, felt sick. My god these nerves are killing me. I think I got onto Woof via phone for a bit but mostly just waited. Surprisingly it went by so quick and all of a sudden a game was starting. I couldn't even tell you if we had someone playing music pre game.

Gametime and everything is a blur right up until the final siren and remember very little. I remember putting my arm around the guy next to me when JJ kicked that goal (which still infuriates me it was overturned) thinking we've got it. Boyd then kicks a bomb after Morris' tackle on Franklin' BAAAAAAALLLL!!!! "TAKE THAT $^&*$*# GOAL OFF US!!!" (Yes I dropped the F bomb) My voice is gone and thinking we've got this right up until Buddy gets a clearance and sets up a shot on goal, fortunately he misses. "HOW MUCH TIME LEFT" I yell, no answer. Picken kicks a goal! We've got it! Hang on "HOW MUCH TIME LEFT" I yell again, no answer. Play goes on, I'm still thinking we'll find a way to lose. Fortunately the Tissot sign eases my mind and shows how long is left and I start soaking it up. Plenty of tears and hugs for people I've never met and will probably never see again, we're all family on this day. I got so much joy in seeing other supporters faces, we all traveled this long hard road and this is our reward. What a day it was, I'll never forget it. If I make it to a very old age these moments I talk about now will be fresh in my memory. Maybe 2018 we can do it all again?

[ledge]

How awesome it is to see us finally in highlights of a premiership before this years grand final.
We finally have an entity in premiership highlights of the past in colour and can watch us win one in full on grand final eve.