AFL 2020: Photo of West Coast Eagles fan sparks 14-year theory
A footy fan who blew a gasket on the weekend stole the show as eagle-eyed viewers speculated it was the same culprit from 14 years ago.
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Every footy club wants a passionate fan base. People in the stands who will walk out of the ground a little hoarse from riding every bump with their team.
The passion to get up and out of your seat and scream at either an opposing player or the umpire is all part of the game.
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Some fans are a bit more passionate than others, with West Coast supporters right up near the top of the pile in terms of wearing their hearts on their sleeves.
Midway through the second quarter of the Eagles’ win over Collingwood on the weekend, Magpie Will Hoskin-Elliott was awarded a free kick right near goal that got under the skin of the West Coast faithful.
After Hoskin-Elliot kicked truly to put the Pies ahead, cameras panned to the stands where one fan was royally blowing up.
Shortly after the angry fan stole the show, eagle-eyed viewers were quick to point out he may be the same person involved in another famous footy spat.
All the way back in 2006, during yet another epic Sydney vs West Coast encounter, an iconic image of AFL passion emerged.
Down by five points, Swans star Michael O’Loughlin got on the end of a brilliant passage of play to kick a goal and give the Swans the lead and a home preliminary final.
After slamming his kick into the West Coast cheer squad, O’Loughlin got right in the face of fans in the front row who didn’t take a backward step.
Sitting on the fence giving it right back to O’Loughlin was a moustachioed man, and fans speculated it’s the same Eagles supporter from the weekend.
Was this what gave it away? pic.twitter.com/7CBN9vWDmR
— Cam Marshall (@mrcammarshall) July 26, 2020
On the evidence supplied it’s hard to argue that it isn’t the same man. Unless of course he has an identical twin brother.
That bulging vein in the neck in both scenes is a pretty strong indication there’s substance to the theory.
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Thankfully on both occasions, the Eagles have responded in emphatic fashion.
Back in 2006, despite the Eagles losing the qualifying final … they went on to topple the Swans in the Grand Final.
And on the weekend after Collingwood took the lead, the Eagles went on to kick 13 of the next 14 goals and launch themselves into fourth spot on the AFL ladder.
Originally published as AFL 2020: Photo of West Coast Eagles fan sparks 14-year theory