Sixty-two days after Season ‘07 commenced, we are on the board.  It was sweet, it was long due, heart-stopping in the last and it was more than well deserved by everyone concerned with the Club.

But it was something out of the ordinary for me, as I was 30 odd kilometres from where the action was taking place. 

Holed up in a room at Sandown race track, taking phone bets from frenzied punters backing nags from Eagle Farm to Kembla Grange was not how I wanted to be spending my Saturday.

I toyed with the idea of taking the day off, but knew I needed the coin. I felt like I was cheating on the boys and it was with a very heavy heart I headed trackside.

Fortunately, being a phone bookie allows you access to umpteen televisions, as well as unlimited internet, and the radio.  So I had my bases covered.

From all reports, the first quarter was fairly even.  But the second displayed a new brand of Demon, as it rained goals and we played our best quarter of footy for the year, creating a match winning lead in the process.

It seems like every week the youngsters increase in confidence and ability. Daniel Bell’s last line of defence tackles on Scott Welsh were pure desperation, and should be played to defenders (aspiring or other) again and again.  And the likes of Bate, Jones and Petterd continue to grow in every supporter’s imagination.

Brad Green, you are sensational.  Those two grabs taken with the flight of the ball made me holler in my windowless room.  Robert Walls can eat his words.

I was feeling panicked in the last, with sweaty palms and a severely quickened heart rate type thing as the Crows mounted their fightback. As I relayed scores to those around me (Ricciuto – long goal, three in it), all chimed in that I had “crowed too early and the Demons might still cough it up.” 

“Rubbish” I said, as the skipper bombed one from 60 and the crowd’s roar put it beyond doubt that we were home.

Something in my psyche had said this game would be the turning point.  The last month we’ve been so close on too many occasions, played some solid footy, and everyone sensed something was about to give.

Finally, we got to sing our song. I wish I’d been there to belt it out along with my dad (who was delirious when I spoke to him) and all fellow Demons who have stuck with us over the last two and a bit months.  I bounced along in my seat, pumped some fists and let all around me know the time was Demon!

It was stirring to hear the boys, pretty much the entire football department and the bugler sing (and bugle) for the life of this proud club.  We’ve copped a lot over the last two months, and no one has been left untouched, from the players to the coach, Club and the general fan.

Now, the Queen’s Birthday match serves as a perfect time to come out in droves.  The boys have started rolling, got some much needed confidence, we all want to sing our song again, and there’s nothing sweeter than beating the Pies.

Please Note:The views and opinions expressed in the above article are that solely of the author and do not reflect the opinions of MELBOURNEfc.