The Bulldog fell short in his quest to return to the game and go out a winner. Meanwhile, across town, Shane Crawford achieved the ultimate footballing send-off when he was part of Hawthorn’s unforgettable grand final win over Geelong in September.
The two retirees’ stories are just two tales captured in a unique look at Australian football this Friday night.
Buckley, who will host and narrate The Essence of the Game – made by football filmmaker Rob Dickson – on Channel Seven, says the show has “something in there for everyone”.
“People will watch it and just fall in love with the game all over again,” Buckley told afl.com.au.
“I don’t think anyone who takes the time to sit down and watch it will be disappointed.”
The former Collingwood champ, like West, missed his chance to go out a winner when the Magpies were beaten in a preliminary final against Geelong in 2007.
But Buckley said he rode the highs and lows of Crawford’s and West’s final seasons and was captivated by some of the never-seen-before vision Dickson was able to capture.
“Scott West, there’s a bit about his ultimate demise, and that’s contrasted with Crawf,” Buckley said of The Essence of the Game.
“There’s some great vision from the grand final, Hawthorn and Geelong, the three-quarter-time speech of Alastair Clarkson.
“Some of the stuff in the rooms from Hawthorn, after their preliminary final – Campbell Brown telling Shane Crawford that he’s going to finish on top because they’re going to go and win the grand final and Crawford’s going to go out on top.”
However Buckley, familiar with AFL circles after playing 280 career matches, said he was most intrigued by other facets of Dickson’s documentary.
“The parts that I’m most fascinated by are sort of the community and local club stories,” he said.
The father of two boys said one particular scene struck a chord with him.
“There’s one scene where there’s this eight- or nine-year-old kid who rings his old man who’s on his way home from work.
“It’s dark, and he rings him and asks ‘Are we playing tonight Dad?’ and his Dad tells him ‘Yeah, we’re playing’.
“So the Dad drives around the back and leaves his car lights on, and the son’s already set up pot plants down both ends for goals and they’ve got vision of the two of them rolling around with each other in the rain, in the dark, like they’re under lights at the MCG.
“I must admit I had goosebumps watching it. I was a bit further away from the community stuff and, as a new father, that father-and-son footage just got me more than anything else.”
Essence of the Game
Channel 7
Friday March 20, 8.30pm: Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth
Sunday March 22, 11am: Sydney, Brisbane
