And then I started working with Luke Darcy.
On the surface the former Bulldog ruckman seemed the opposite of me – he is tall, strong, athletic and good-looking. But when I saw him misplace two Qantas boarding passes and have to get a third printed off in the space of 15 minutes I knew we had something in common.
I am the sort of person who loses his wallet, keys and phone almost weekly. My wife has finally had enough and bought me a ‘man bag’. As a Geelong supporter I could never have agreed to use it if the Cats had not won the flag.
But back to Darce.
One day he took his children and dog for a walk to the local shop. He bought ice creams and returned home to continue playing with the kids all afternoon. But hours later he got a call from the front office at the Whitten Oval. A distressed local shopkeeper had rung to say Luke Darcy had tied his dog up outside the shop and left it there.
Needless to say it was a rather embarrassing trip to retrieve the forgotten pooch. Abandoning a Labrador is not a great move, but I’m pleased to report that Darce is still a dog lover – particularly his Bulldogs.
You couldn’t keep the smile off his face in the commentary box on Saturday as they demolished the Lions.
Of course we’ve been quick to remind him that his departure has coincided with the rise of his old team. While this has been light-hearted ribbing, I wonder what sort of emotions he, Chris Grant and Rohan Smith might experience if the Bulldogs form holds and they truly contend for the flag.
Like life itself, timing is everything in football.
The trio gave so much and endured a lot of pain on and off the field during their careers at Whitten Oval without achieving the ultimate goal.
While the club’s future was under constant threat, it was the agony of football’s most celebrated premature celebration after Tony Liberatore’s shot for goal in the 1997 Preliminary Final that must be the hardest to look back on.
It was interesting speaking to a number of Geelong stars from the 80s and 90s on Grand Final night last year. While all were genuinely thrilled for the current day players, for some it heightened the sense of loss of never being part of a premiership team.
The parallels between Geelong of 2007 and the Bulldogs of 2008 are quite stark.
Under the backdrop of a massive premiership drought – a highly-rated and promising team has a poor year, a serious internal review follows. The coach is under pressure publicly, the football department is restructured and the players are told they need to respond. It’s all makes for a hungry club with plenty to prove.
It worked for the Cats, and if it works for the Dogs expect plenty of internal reviews at the end of this season.
There was also the issue of culture, with both Geelong and Bulldogs players criticised over many years for celebrating self over team.
It was an issue that the Cats addressed gradually, to the point where the current team almost shares the ball too much these days.
It was also a topic raised in the review at the Bulldogs. And acted upon.
There are no more Aka handstands, while those who choose not to centre the ball soon find out about it. Just ask Nathan Eagleton.
It will seem like a very long wait now for Rodney Eade and the Bulldogs fans to find out if this is the group to deliver. We will find out some more this Sunday against Collingwood.
If the Dogs do go all they way, even the most-absent minded people won’t forget the contribution of Chris Grant, Rohan Smith and Luke Darcy.
But please Darce, if you go out to celebrate, leave the dog at home.
