THE FOOTY ALMANAC 2009: Elimination fi nal, Brisbane Lions v Carlton
The Sunday Age
Sunday December 13, 2009
WHEN the internet movie database runs a vote on the most electrifying moviescene, the shower scene from Psycho always wins. But I prefer the sofa somersaultscene from Fever Pitch €” and after this match, John Joseph and I re-enactedit in his living room. Substitute Brisbane for Arsenal and Carlton for Liverpool, andColin Firth and his mate for John and me, and you have the picture. On this night, everyone was a winner: life, football, Brisbane, Carlton (you€™ll come to realise it eventually, Blues fans). The Lions overcame a fi ve-year fi nals drought. So, too, did Carlton return to the big-time after seven years in exile, unconscionable for a club that believes the AFL premiership to be its birthright, and damn the socialistic regulations. To the climactic fi nish. On 21 minutes, a throw-in outside Brisbane€™s attacking 50 fell to Daniel Rich, who drove through a pack and kicked a post-high socksrocker. From a fi erce pack clearance, James Hawksley kicked long to just left ofthe goalsquare, where Daniel Bradshaw marked to create Brisbane€™sbiggest lead of the match to date €” two points.A subsequent kick slewed toBrisbane€™s left pocket. Bradshaw retrieved it. Unable to spot a target in a more central locale, he decided on a curler around his body. It went through. Normally reserved, Bradshaw set off on a jubilant high-kneekicking trot. In the fi ve minutes that remained, Travis Johnstone was cool at both ends of the ground, and fanaticalpack defence did the rest. REPLAY AND WINThis series comprises extracts from The FootyAlmanac 2009 (RRP $29.95), which recordsevery game of the €™09 AFL season as writtenby a 128-strong team of journalists, poets,teachers, lawyers, taxi drivers and realestate agents, among others. Go to www.footyalmanac.com.au for further details. Tellus about your most memorable game of theseason €” for good reasons or bad €” to win oneof fi ve copies of the book. Keep your entries toabout 250 words and email to sundaysport@theage.com.au by 5pm on Friday, December 18.A Sunday Age panel will select the best fi ve andpublish them column on December 27.
© 2009 The Sunday Age
