‘Euphoric’: How a footy fan celebrated eight consecutive Grand Final wins on the MCG

After half a century, a Mount Waverley man has revealed how he celebrated eight VFL Grand Final wins at the MCG alongside the greats of the game.

Macca, from Mount Waverley, with Carlton’s John Nicholls and the VFL premiership cup in 1972.

For eight years in a row, a Victorian footy fan did almost the unimaginable.

He celebrated eight Grand Final wins on the MCG’s hallowed turf, rubbing shoulders and shaking hands with the greats of the game.

Rod, from Churchill, first brought our attention to this “mystery man” in 2018, after Rod spotted him in a Grand Final Record that year.

The man was pictured running the lap of honour with the 1975 North Melbourne premiership side.

“I had noticed on the Grand Final replays during the ’70s that this man seemed to run a lap with the premiership side each year, no matter who they were,” Rod said.

“He can be seen to be right in amongst it and would even get his hands on the cup.”

The ‘mystery man’ who was pictured in a Grand Final Record running the lap of honour with the 1975 North Melbourne premiership side

A man who wishes only be known as Macca, from Mount Waverley, has never before shared his story. Until now.

Macca – whose family members barracked for Carlton, Richmond and Fitzroy – first started running out after the Grand Final in 1969, when children would take to the MCG to celebrate.

“I was just one of them,” Macca recalls.

In 1972, the teenager ran alongside Carlton great John Nicholls in a moment he described as “euphoric”.

While he did not share any words with Nicholls, Macca – who barracks for Western Bulldogs – vividly remembers patting him on the back.

Macca, from Mount Waverley, celebrating with players after Carlton won the 1972 VFL Grand Final.

Macca made sure to follow his father’s advice every time he took to the turf.

“Dad said to me: ‘When the cup comes out, stay with the cup. You’ll be in the centre and the police won’t be able to get you because it looks like you’re meant to be there.’”

But when 1975 came around, his father put his foot down.

“My dad said: ‘You’re not running out anymore. You’re too big and you’ll get nabbed by police,’” Macca recalls.

Macca, from Mount Waverley, shaking John Kennedy Sr's hand while impersonating a TV cameraman, after Hawthorn won the 1976 VFL Grand Final.

So he promised his father he would only run out if North Melbourne won the game and claimed its first VFL premiership – which it did.

But the following year, Macca says his mates were “ribbing” him, betting he could not do it again.

His father reminded him of his promise not to run on to the ground again, to which Macca replied: “I’ll keep the promise because I won’t run out on the ground. I’ll already be on the ground”.

Macca’s grand plan was to impersonate a TV cameraman, which saw him shake Hawthorn coach John Kennedy Sr’s hand after Hawthorn had won the 1976 VFL Grand Final.

“Dad thought that (plan) was quite ingenious,” Macca says.

See In Black & White in the Herald Sun newspaper Monday to Friday for more stories and photos from Victoria’s past.