Bitter, Melbourne Bitter

Just in case we needed reminding, the Melbourne supporters showed up later in the day. They’d been at the MCG and I asked about the first half and Jack Viney, trying to stay positive. They’re proper, dedicated MFC members. They don’t yell at the players or boo them off the ground, but maybe that’s just because they’re good blokes, too. They turn up every week and hope for a sign, an effort; they hope for just one win.

Earlier in the day, Mrs Watson, PK and I has been reminiscing about how, at their best, going to watch Geelong had ceased being a question of ‘would they win’ and became ‘how much would they win by’. When would they turn it on and play football the Geelong way. Sometimes it would last the entire game, like the famous 2007 flogging of Richmond, where Mrs W and I sat slacked-jawed as The Cats kicked goals as quickly as the laws of physics provided. Other times it was only a 15 or 20 minute stretch, and then the contest would be dead, the cue back in the rack.

It’s what we waited to see, when they stopped being footballers and became something else. When they would whip around the field like a tornado, the ball hardly hitting the ground let alone the other team, and even the opposing fans would shake their head and smile because they hadn’t seen anything like it. No-one had. And we saw it every week, at an age old enough to remember the bad times and young enough to enjoy these great ones.

They might not ever be that good again, but among this year’s new faces there are a lot of old tricks. Daniel Motlop screams through the middle of the ground like Wojo used to. Straight from the Cameron Ling playbook, Taylor Hunt kicked three goals as a tagger. Mitch Duncan might be the best finisher Geelong has had since you-know-who. Andrew Mackie has quietly perfected his Darren Milburn impression. Allen Christensen has Jimmy Bartel’s courage. 2013 Matthew Stokes looks like 2007 Matthew Stokes. Joel Selwood has always been.

Importantly, after three tough games, Geelong is 3-0 and still has plenty of improvement in them. Cruelly this will come without Travis Varcoe. Hopefully it could come with Daniel Menzel. Blicavs, Caddy and Smedts have all shown glimpses. Josh Hunt, Cam Guthrie, Thurlow and Horlin-Smith will push for games. A ruckman might become available at some point.

Almost six years on from round 6, 2007, I stood in the middle of the bar and looked up at the screen with complete confidence in whomever appeared in the 720p LCD hoops. Three feet behind me the Melbourne Bitter boys stood, uncomprehending.