I wrote this poem on May 15, 2007. It was 2 days after a memorable Bulldogs win at Telstra Dome. I lost it and just re-discovered it today when cleaning out the shed. Some of you might remember the game.

JOHNNO PUTS HIS HAND UP

Telstra Dome
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Last stanza, 15 minutes in
We lose the lead

Every contest IS a contest now
The tension's been ratcheted up by a factor of 10
It's goal for goal
There's no respite for the faint-hearted
This is desperate, this is high-drama, this is almost UNBEARABLE!

Every loose ball catapults hearts into mouths
Every entry inside 50 is a heart stopper
We are prisoners trapped on an emotional roller coaster
That see-saws from elation to despair

4.39 pm approx
Deep in red time
A minute left on the clock
Cometh the hour, cometh the man!

Daniel Cross boots forward from the square
Johnno explodes from inside forward 50
A tricoloured blur moving at warp speed
He sucks a desperate defender along in his slipstream

Johnno attacks the bouncing ball, his face etched with fierce intensity
Half a metre clear, he gathers and swivels, 50 metres out
Another frenzied, demented Demon bears down on him
He has a nano second and bare centimetres of space to unleash a kick

The rest is history, glorious history!

Johnno, if you ever kick a better goal
Me and my grandson, Jet, wanna be there to see it
Just as we saw this one!

Your sublime moment unfolded right in front of us
And we'll take the memory of it to our graves!

Thanks mate!
Red, White and Blue flows through our veins
Always has, always will. Go Dogs!