I HAVE a recurring dream that I would like to share with my fellow Melbourne supporters.
The final siren sounds and the MCG erupts as pre-prepared streamers cascade from the heavens, soaking the stadium in a magnificent red and blue shower. James McDonald, knee deep in crepe paper and nearly deafened by the staggering roar, steps up to the dais to accept the premiership cup, which is adorned lovingly with flowing scarlet and navy ribbons. The shining cup, back in its rightful owner’s hands, reflects vividly the awesome scene of the some one hundred thousand Demons supporters cheering; laughing; crying.
I hold a sneaking suspicion that this vision - or similar versions of it - has been dreamt by all of us at one point or another.
I am increasingly envious of our older supporters; imagine a time when the Dees were in seven straight grand finals and won five of them!
To say you witnessed such a golden era at a football club would be a true privilege.
We youngsters had a glimpse of what modern premiership success might look like in 2000, but the Dees fell at the final hurdle and sadly couldn’t reach the same lofty heights the next year.
But it is the dream, the singular vision of ultimate glory for the Melbourne Football Club, which drags us to the ‘G week after week to watch our boys play.
If the result is good, we dare to imagine that our dreams might really come true, if the result is bad, our mental picture becomes even more vivid to block out the horrors we have just witnessed.
The passion of Demons fans can’t be questioned: in 2009 when we finished on the bottom we broke a record in membership figures, only to smash that record again this year.
I often find myself imagining how many we’d get if we were playing consistent finals football.
If I let my mind wander, the possibilities are endless. A couple of fantastic seasons in the next couple of years, with one or two (or five!) flags thrown in, could see us become a powerhouse of the competition.
And with the expansion of the AFL, both nationally and around the globe, our brand could perhaps ride the wave of popularity and become as famous and synonymous with victory as other great sporting clubs like Manchester United or the Los Angeles Lakers.
It is an exciting time to be a Demons fan.
There’s a long way to go.
Until we get to the last day of September and come out victorious, we’ll all have to be content with our dreams and fantasies.
But you know what they say: good things come to those who wait.
It is a speculative piece on how the club may become a powerhouse in the future and return to its glory days of the 1950s and 60s.
My name is Dominic Stevenson, I'm 19 and have followed the Demons all my life thanks to my dad. I live in Melbourne.
Thanks
The final siren sounds and the MCG erupts as pre-prepared streamers cascade from the heavens, soaking the stadium in a magnificent red and blue shower. James McDonald, knee deep in crepe paper and nearly deafened by the staggering roar, steps up to the dais to accept the premiership cup, which is adorned lovingly with flowing scarlet and navy ribbons. The shining cup, back in its rightful owner’s hands, reflects vividly the awesome scene of the some one hundred thousand Demons supporters cheering; laughing; crying.
I hold a sneaking suspicion that this vision - or similar versions of it - has been dreamt by all of us at one point or another.
I am increasingly envious of our older supporters; imagine a time when the Dees were in seven straight grand finals and won five of them!
To say you witnessed such a golden era at a football club would be a true privilege.
We youngsters had a glimpse of what modern premiership success might look like in 2000, but the Dees fell at the final hurdle and sadly couldn’t reach the same lofty heights the next year.
But it is the dream, the singular vision of ultimate glory for the Melbourne Football Club, which drags us to the ‘G week after week to watch our boys play.
If the result is good, we dare to imagine that our dreams might really come true, if the result is bad, our mental picture becomes even more vivid to block out the horrors we have just witnessed.
The passion of Demons fans can’t be questioned: in 2009 when we finished on the bottom we broke a record in membership figures, only to smash that record again this year.
I often find myself imagining how many we’d get if we were playing consistent finals football.
If I let my mind wander, the possibilities are endless. A couple of fantastic seasons in the next couple of years, with one or two (or five!) flags thrown in, could see us become a powerhouse of the competition.
And with the expansion of the AFL, both nationally and around the globe, our brand could perhaps ride the wave of popularity and become as famous and synonymous with victory as other great sporting clubs like Manchester United or the Los Angeles Lakers.
It is an exciting time to be a Demons fan.
There’s a long way to go.
Until we get to the last day of September and come out victorious, we’ll all have to be content with our dreams and fantasies.
But you know what they say: good things come to those who wait.
It is a speculative piece on how the club may become a powerhouse in the future and return to its glory days of the 1950s and 60s.
My name is Dominic Stevenson, I'm 19 and have followed the Demons all my life thanks to my dad. I live in Melbourne.
Thanks
