Massive weekend. Started Friday night at Yarra Hotel. A fantastic show, a who’s who of legendary Melbourne musicians paying tribute to their respective football teams. Ash Naylor lifted the roof off with the Collingwood theme song (as you might expect round here). Then the Big One on Saturday. Got down to the Barkers Arms in anticipation for one of the great AFL Grand Finals of the modern era. No one expected what happened next. Hawthorn destroyed Sydney from the opening bounce.

Tim Rogers, Davey Lane & band – North Melbourne theme song, Yarra Hotel – Grand Final Eve, 26th Sep 2014.

The game we all thought would be a titanic struggle to the last minute, was all over before the end of the 2nd quarter, the Hawks 7 goals up & Sydney looking just awful. And it only got worse from there. I think everybody felt a bit shell-shocked. Not necessarily because firm-favourites Sydney lost – but how they lost. Obliterated. One of the most uninteresting Grand Finals for years. Then it was over to Stalk & Kim’s for drinks, debriefing and jamming. Got up Sunday morning & needed to catch up with the guys again. Back to the scene of the crime, the Bakers. Several conversations about what the bloody hell happened to Sydney. Out to lunch, back to S & K’s, played a few tunes. Another late one & slow start this morning. Goodbye AFL football for another year. Congrats to the Hawks.

Fires out.