Heartfelt Demons poem penned by Cordner family member goes viral

An inspirational poem that captures the essence of what it is to be a Demons’ fan - written by a member of one of the club’s most famous families - has gone viral.

Dr Don Cordner and the Cordner clan (from left) Denis, Ted Sr, Ted Jr and John. The Cordners have a rich history with the Melbourne Football Club. Picture: Supplied

An inspirational poem written by a descendant of the famous and successful Cordner family has gone viral this week.

The Cordners have a rich history with the Melbourne Football Club — Dr Don Cordner won the 1946 Brownlow Medal, played 166 games from 1941-50 and brothers Denis, Ted and John also played with Melbourne.

Don and Denis were named in the club’s team of the century in 2000 and both played in premiership teams.

David Cordner at Melbourne football training in 1988. Picture: Supplied.

Ted’s son David Cordner was a high-leaping key forward who played 53 games for the Demons from 1982-87, and their grandfather Edward played twice for Melbourne in 1905.

John’s son Geoff wrote the poem called The Man in the Stand some 15-years-ago and was urged to share it in the lead up to the Demons playing in Saturday’s grand final.

“It’s only as I thought of it, it’s as if I’ve written it now,’’ Geoff said.

“I can’t recall the precise catalyst but as I look back at it I can see all the elements of things that would have been passing through my heart and my mind.

“It’s not just about a game of football but who you want to be as a person.

“I wanted to pay tribute to my uncles and that sense of wanting others to be proud of them and what they achieved.

“I’ve grown up in Sydney and played rugby but I wish I had the opportunity to play Aussie Rules. I think part of it was about imagining what it would have been like to wear the red and blue myself. It made me reflect on how respected they are.”

Cordner, who was a lawyer and is an actor and writer, said he wanted the words to resonate.

“They were great players but great men above all else,’’ Geoff said.

He also delivered an inspirational pre-match address to his cousins before the match — a re-imaging of the end of the Norm Smith curse.

THE MAN IN THE STAND

By Geoff Cordner

There’s a man in the stand, and he’s looking at you

And he’s wanting to know if you’re feeling it too -

The pride in the guernsey that means so much more

When you wear it for all those who’ve worn it before.

There’s a duty that comes with the honour bestowed

To respect the ideals of the MFC code;

So with the passion and courage of teams of the past

Play each quarter, each minute, as if it’s your last.

There’s a man in the stand, and it shows in his face

He’d give anything just to be there in your place

To lace up your boots, and to feel what you feel

When you pull on the armour of red and blue steel,

To be able to tell the young boy on his knee

Of the day that the fans roared for him at the ‘G.

So one thing you must say as you walk from this shed

Is you’ll never let this privilege go to your head,

You’ll never take for granted what you’ve been allowed -

The chance to play footy in front of this crowd.

There’s a man in the stand, but he’s not on his own,

There are thousands beside, and behind, and at home

Those who wear the Club colours, and whose welfare depends

On whether their team is in front at the end.

And though between them they haven’t a stat to their names,

They are the very heart and the soul of this game,

And the question those people are asking of you

Is “If you get cut today, will you bleed red and blue?”

It’s a Grand Old Flag, but in this brave new world

If you want to see another flag being unfurled

Then don’t waste your time on the papers or news,

Because games aren’t determined by media views

Nor do crowds or the umpires decide who prevails,

It’s young men with big hearts just refusing to fail

With heads over the ball, and their bodies on the line

Who when knocked down get up again time after time

And who know that there’s always some more they can find

Even when the board says that they’re five goals behind

Winners don’t play three quarters, or give into fear

And they don’t play for money, or backslaps or beer

No, they play for each other, standing shoulder to shoulder,

When the other team’s brave, then you have to be bolder

And the thing you’ll reflect on one day, when you’re older

Is the man you became as a red and blue soldier.

There’s a man in the stand, and like those who surround him

He smiles as he turns to the faces around him

He smiles in the knowledge this team shares his pride

That this is a group who will not be denied

And he roars himself hoarse as he cheers for that team

He believes that these men can deliver that dream

And he knows that the prize they have sought all these years

Will be well worth the blood, and the sweat, and the tears.