Grand Final moments weren’t hard to come by, Mark Robinson shares Western Bulldogs’ tales

EVERYONE has their favourite Grand Final moments and amid the buzz in the Bulldogs rooms, plenty of people were happy to share theirs, writes Mark Robinson. PLUS YOUR TWEETS

Lance Franklin about to be tackled by Dale Morris.

DALE Morris reckons there are a million moments in a game.

A tackle. A smother. A spoil. A finger nail - they all shaped Saturday’s Grand Final.

Morris, the veteran defender who played the game with a cracked vertebrae, had two monsters.

The most notable was the tackle on Lance Franklin in the final quarter, which forced the spillage to Tom Boyd, who kicked the goal and became everyone’s favourite million-dollar kid.

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It wouldn’t have mattered if he was on $200,000 or $2 million, Boyd did what good footballers do - he stood up huge in a Grand Final and that demands everyone’s respect.

The other Morris moment came in the third quarter, about 20 minutes gone, the score was 53-51 Sydney, and the ball was on the MCC wing.

Morris was on Tom Papley, a speedster, while Lance Franklin and his opponent Joel Hamling were also in the mix.

Lance Franklin is about to be tackled by Dale Morris.

Papley had five metres on Morris when he tapped the ball forward. Papley then dived at the ball again to try to tap it into the path of Franklin who was on a burst.

It was a pivotal play.

Enter Morris.

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As Papley moved his hand back to tap it to Franklin, Morris dived with two hands out front and took the ball off Papley’s finger tips.

Morris gave the handball to Shane Biggs and moments later Clay Smith won a free kick, kicked the goal, and the Western Bulldogs were never headed again.

It was one moment in a million.

Bob Murphy and Easton Wood hoist the premiership cup as John Schultz and Luke Beveridge watch on. Picture: Michel Klein

“I just wanted to win that ball more than anything in the world,’’ Morris said.

“I thrive for the contest so I wanted to just give that all I had and luckily it worked out. I was thinking I was lucky not to take out his legs, it could’ve been a free kick the other way, so I had to be careful with what I did. I just went for it.’’

Every Grand Final has its moment, or player, or situation and for Morris, his favourite was Tom Boyd.

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“Boydy was Tom Hawkins-like with the way he was able to step up in a big game, in a big final. There were so many contests. You look at Joel Hamling down back. He was caught one-on-one on Buddy so many times and was able to get a finger in to stop his marking,” Morris said.

“Our forwards were two v one, but they were able to get the ball to ground to give us an opportunity.’’

Tom Boyd celebrates a crucial goal in the AFL Grand Final.

Everyone has their favourite moments and amid the buzz in the Bulldogs rooms, plenty of people were happy to share theirs.

Will Minson: “Liam Picken kicking goals, doing Liam Picken things. Someone said Mr September, but actually it’s Mr October.’’

Phil Wood (Easton’s dad): ‘’It had to be when the siren finally went. Was I looking at Easton? Yeah, I was looking at him, but I’m so happy for all the Bulldog faithful.’’

Rohan Smith: “It’s a bit of blur to be honest ... my favourite moment was coming down to the bench with two minutes to go. Bevo up in the box said, ‘boys, let’s go down and enjoy it’. To come down and see the smiles on the faces of not only the players but the support staff, the supporters ... it was just amazing.’’

Liam Picken kicking goals, doing Liam Picken things. Someone said Mr September, but actually it’s Mr October.

Will Minson

Brad Johnson: “Watching them hold up the premiership cup, that was the moment. There was plenty of tears and plenty of joy as well. It’s hard to describe it, it feels surreal, but you know what, just watching the way Bevo handled himself at the end and giving Bob his medal, and then holding up the premiership cup, all three of those guys, it was just a dream come true.

Maria Liberatore (Tom’s grandmother): “It’s not possible to describe, I could not describe. I could not believe. I cry many times. Tom played beautiful, very beautiful. I’ve been at the club with Tony when he won the Brownlow. Back then, the limousine come out to my house and I say “what is this, what is this”. I see Footscray people in my house I don’t know who they were. With the champagne in their hands.’’

David Smorgon (former president): “I think it was when Tom Boyd kicked that goal, it bounced and bounced again. It was a magic moment for two reasons. Firstly, I think it was the goal and we were going to win the game. And secondly, Tom Boyd, after all the criticism, said “Look at what I can do. He had been doing it all day, but that moment captured it because the criticism was one of the negative stuff which has been happening with our club all year.

“How good were they? It’s been an amazing four weeks. It’s a great story. With all the negative stuff we read that worries the world and you get something like this, no one, no one, no one could criticise the way the club has handled itself, the way we played the game, the way the media has been treated and the response from the public has been overwhelming.

“I’m overjoyed, but you know what, Peter Gordon very kindly invited me out on the ground. He said, ‘when we are there, you’re going to be with me’. He gave me a ticket on Friday night which was very nice. That was a dream come true. But just to see faces of the fans, the joy, no one moved from their seats. They were there 45 minutes after the siren.’’

It was a psychedelic moment I reckon, like someone’s gotta tell me this is actually happening. It was amazing.

Chris Grant

Chris Grant: “Can you believe the four weeks we’ve just played? They had to work their arses off in all those games. My moment? When the guys are holding the cup and hardly anyone had left in the stands. It was a psychedelic moment I reckon, like someone’s gotta tell me this is actually happening. It was amazing.

Easton Wood: “The game’s a blur, an absolutely blur. You know, embracing with Bob at the end of the game, the siren has gone. I’m not prepared emotionally for a moment like that. I’m not equipped. The gravity of it, the finality of it, it’s done and it can never be taken away. I said to him, ‘we did it’. Oh my God, it’s special.’’

Easton Wood does some snow angels in the confetti. Picture: Michel Klein

Lindsay Gilbee: “It’s Bob. In general as a club, where they’ve come from, but for that guy to go through what he’s gone through since early in the season. And not to just sit there in the corner and say what about me, shows you the resilience of such a good person. He’s galvanised this football club and like Luke Beveridge did on the dais there, the premiership medal is his. I balled my eyes out from the 15th minute of the final quarter. It’s the proudest day of my life.”

Lachie Hunter: “You could point at 100, but probably just Tommy Boyd. He had so much pressure on him coming into this finals series about everything and I feel he just came of age so much. Arguably, he was our best or second best. I loved watching him all day.’’

Tom Boyd: “It’s hard to pick any favourite moment. I think probably the two or three times we kicked the ball deep inside the forward 50m and were outnumbered, but somehow we managed to lock it in there. Liam Picken, Luke Dahlhaus, Jake Stringer, his pressure was unbelievable. That testified to our ability to just hang in there and find a way.

Every time I saw Tom Boyd fly high and grab the ball, and when he put it through, my heart leapt.

Bob Murphy

And your goal? “Yeah, it was pretty good. Dale Morris doesn’t miss many tackles ... it was a great tackle. Dale is the most underrated player in the comp in my opinion. He’s so consistent, brilliant with is defensive acts every week, he’s a star for us.’’

Gary Zimmerman (doctor): “My favourite moment? The final siren, absolutely. I hugged Jake Landsberger (doctor), my partner in crime. We’ve done 48 years between the two of us, we’ve been waiting for a flag for a long time, it’s bloody sensational.’’

Bob Murphy: “It’s the hardest of questions because they are like 22 sons, but I’ve got to say every time I saw Tom Boyd fly high and grab the ball, and when he put it through, my heart leapt. It means so much, they all mean so much. But that put an exclamation mark on it.’’

Lin Jong: “When the final siren went, a few of us boys ran out on the field ... that was my favourite moment. I was running as fast as I could in a suit. The first person I ran into was Joel Hamling. I wasn’t too fussed who I ran into, but I think it was, and he did really good job on Buddy.’’

Dana Beveridge (Luke’s wife): “Apart from the win, it was when Luke handed over his medal to Bob. That would be one of my favourites. I didn’t know he was going to do that, I don’t think he knew. I cried many times. That gesture he did is so Luke, it didn’t surprise me at all, but I did shed a little tear. Just for Bob, too.’’

Jordan Roughead: “It’s going to go down as one of the non-highlights, but JJ’s goal from 55 which was touched on the line was a pretty big highlight for me. I was pumped, I thought that was the one that was going to get us across the line.’’

Peter Gordon (president): “My favourite moment was Tom Boyd’s first goal, the one from the boundary line off his left. So much of a gorilla on his back, so much of a difficult shot off the wrong boot. He’s put up with so much, he’s a fine young man and he f ... ing nailed it.’’

BEST TWEETS

@JimmyDontDance: dislike norm smith voting. Another stat sheet medal. Apart from Kennedy, key defenders dominated the game

@JoshCPinn: Like: Luke Beveridge. Absolute class act. Dislikes: whinging about the umpiring. It wasn’t a factor at all.

@thelistmanager: Jack Macrea’s game has been undersold cause he missed 1 shot. Everytime he got the ball they scored !

@pelguz: like: the look of sheer jubilation on Dahlhaus face at siren. Dislike: having josh Kennedy in a drinking game

@jasonflanagan33: like Tom Boyd at a bargain basement price! Will be a star! Dislikes nothing! The world is a wonderful place

@nathcourt: the Finals bye resulted in an astonishing finals series, great grand final and memorable history! Long live the Bye!

@PatchToTheMax: love: Dale Morris

@Dames89: do you think it should have been Beveridge and Wood lifting the cup first not Murphy?

@MarkMcCl64: what to do with stringer? His effort was woeful

‏@Em_LeGrand: dislike - goal review system. 2dimensional view of 3D game - get rid of it

@shawry_analyst: The 70 secs of relentless pressure in forward pocket Punt Rd end resulting in Picken’s goal with 7.04 remaining

@Natskis: dislike Hannebery having a medial ligament injury to his left knee & NOT getting paid a penalty for low contact

@Johnnywilson110: Luke Parker. still basking in the 26 votes. Went missing after qtr time and had no impact. needed to stand up.

@ColinLawford: like. Liam Picken’s grit. Dislike. Swan’s medical staff, how could Hannebery go back on?

@akabutts: the minute that led to Picken’s goal putting the Dogs 7 pts up, starting with Biggs. Both teams so desperate

@V8Jack: like JJ’s Normie dislike #commetti retiring - funniest 2 words in afl now - st kilda

@AFL_Rants: dislike the little recognition to the OTHER players who missed out through injury. Mitch Wallis comes to mind!!

@1joekirby: like hope clubs can take re turning it around quickly. Dislike ambulance chaser Gordon comment re Buddy

@gazmorgs: dislike K. Tippett...#overrated #tradebait #noimpact

@Chardy53102203: likes the emotional spectators dislike ... The guy who had a heart attack 10mins b/4 end of game.. Still in ICU

@beeawwb: Likes: Bevo’s selfless gesture. If you didn’t tear up, you aren’t human.

@FIGGJAM: likes atmosphere at ground with swans fans staying to end and presentations .Dislikes Gordon sledge on buddy

@McNiall: Like Bevo & Bob, Like T Boyd stood tall, Like Dalrymple recruiting, Like P Gordon’s wish 4 Saints/Dees success

@_DanHamer: L: Tom Boyd’s epic celebration after THAT goal. Legendary. L: Everything about Grand Final week. L: AFL.

@rozzy2412: like: old backline generals Morris and grundy huge.. dislike the legend EJ not being alive to witness greatness

@tbrasser7: dislike: garry rohan going missing again on the big stage

@jordanrhysallan: dislike: umpires. Dogs +10 vs Giants, +12 vs Swans. Like a wind assisted long jump world record

@thebretto: like Beveridges selfless act... dislike the umpiring controversy... if you’re harder at the ball frees come...

@gav_mck: like: bulldogs merch sells out at g, 20,000 punters going ape droppings today-good for footy and I’m a Hawk!!

@duggie68: likes: the smiles and tears of the victors, like: grundy absolutely great in a losing team

@Chris_Aylen: Likes: spirit the GF was played. Brutal & hard at the ball, no sniping, jumper punches, “tummy taps” or 1/4T push/shove

‏@rohanfoster49: Peter Gordon , having a crack at buddy and swans?, can u remind him two in the trophy cabinet, not 20

@anthtan: gone back to 2005/6 defensive rolling mauls!! AFL will have to call a crisis meeting again!! Umps fault!!!!

@ElisabethTuckey: Roughie lifting Susan Alberti off the ground

Originally published as Grand Final moments weren’t hard to come by, Mark Robinson shares Western Bulldogs’ tales