NOW DON’T get all despondent on me. I don’t want to hear it. I won’t hear it. I need you to stay strong for me in the face of adversity. Stoicism is a wonderful trait.

Don’t get sucked in by all the doomsayers; leave that kind of talk to others. Leave it to those dressed in purple that get around carrying a life-size blow up anchor. They have every reason to feel despondent after 13 rounds. We don’t. And while I’m on that topic did anyone at Fremantle give a moment’s thought to what an anchor actually symbolises? Stuck, embedded; weighed down. Not going anywhere.

I’d rather be a large black bird that scavenges any day. Even the colloquial meaning of crow – a woman; especially an old or ugly one – is better than being anchored in sand (or worse near the bottom of the ladder.) Come on Crows fans rise above the negativity. It’s nothing more than a glitch.

Of course on this side of the border they’re lining up to take a shot at the Crows and by association me. Just take a number and wait your turn I say.

“Chokers”, they cried on Monday morning talkback radio. “Your mob are just pretenders,” my butcher squealed with delight, meat cleaver in hand on Monday afternoon. “Just trying to make the season interesting,” was the best I could come up with. The meat cleaver unnerved me.

The game itself had a few tense moments too. Some early misses and uncharacteristic sloppy defence made life a little uncomfortable on the couch and at quarter time there wasn’t much in it. All I can remember from the second term were goals to Burton, Gill, Douglas and Maric.

The Crows opened up a 15-point lead in the third term only to see it disappear, much like the block of dark chocolate on the coffee table in front of me. There one minute, gone the next. The same could be said about the cheeky Barossa Valley Shiraz as well. Thankfully my dinner guest hung around longer. Quite a feat really when you consider my mood swings on the night. Then again, he barracks for St Kilda. They’ve made an art form out of unfulfilled expectations in that part of the world.

There’s not much more to add. The Lions got on top in the final term. We slipped into some of our old bad habits and that was that. Game over.

I was quick to employ the “let’s move on” strategy. If only those around me would allow me to stick to it.