Favorite Memories of 97

LovedLintonStreet · Wed 23 Sep 2009 1:13pm

The whole week was amazing after we rolled North. I had grown up in the 80's and was starting to believe I would never see the Saints in a Grand Final. Then Harves wins the Brownlow. It was such a buzz at training, everyone cheering Spider on hoping he'd play.
However my best memory of grand final week 1997 was hearing " oh when the saints" break out spontaneously. I heard it at the Caulfield Races after the meeting was over, at the Edgy on Wednesday night, over the top of the music and then finally on Friday night at the Bush concert in the Mercury lounge. While people were calling for an encore someone started oh when the saints and Gavin Rossdale came out playing the tune on his guitar. The crowd went nuts and he just told everyone to keep singing!

Although, this year I want to hear the song on Saturday night on the way home!!!

jonesy · Post: # 829913Post **jonesy** » Wed 23 Sep 2009 1:26pm

Same boat as you,a child of the 80's. Grew up knowing nothing but defeat.
Then Lockett came and went with only a couple of final series and back down we went and into the SOS campaign.
Out of the blue in 97 we got on a roll,and looked certain to win the flag.

I went to most of the training sessions that finals campaign. On the thursday night Grand final training session i promised everyone at school that day that I'd get behind the camera at some stage. The reporters used to do it from the boundary line,so when they crossed live to channel 10 sport i jumped the fence and was one of those little smart arses you see waving over the reporters shoulder,as the camera man tries to angrily wave you away.

My old man was a massive saints fan of the 70's,80's,but said he's give it away if they ever left Moorabbin. He was/has been true to his word. On the morning of the grandfinal I left for the game i walked out the driveway and he walked out with me,as I got 100 meters down the road i looked back he was still there watching. Later found out he was standing there with a tear...he said it felt like he was watching me go to war

In all those years wtaching the GF entertainment on Tv and always thought it was crap,but being there was unbelievable. The build up is a surreal experience.

Heatley wobbled through the first goal and set us into a frenzy behind the goals. We started ugly though and we thought we'd eventually work it out. The second quarter looked to be that time when a young and raw Barry Hall kicked 3 goals in 3 minutes, it looked as if the flood gates would open.
After half time it all went wrong. The crows played the best half of footy I've ever seen. It was like being tied up and watching your family being murdered in front of your eyes,only with 20,000 opposition supporters going mad with delight. The Crows supporters behind me in that forward pocket were just so loud. We sat there stunned

12 years on we get another shot

Milton66 · Post: # 829918Post **Milton66** » Wed 23 Sep 2009 1:31pm

Everything up until 3/4 time.

samoht · Post: # 829921Post **samoht** » Wed 23 Sep 2009 1:32pm

Sorry to digress - this is sort of relevant to 97 - re: one of our stars.

I just heard the tail end of Mitchell on 3AW.

He interviewed Nicky Winmar , who has fallen on hard times.

He managed to get Qantas to fly Nicky and his partner over from WA to see the GF.

Nicky sounded over the moon.

apparently he's working near his place of birth as a shearer.

Saint Bev · Post: # 830077Post **Saint Bev** » Wed 23 Sep 2009 3:46pm

Grand Final Parade, it was awesome.

Beej · Post: # 830079Post **Beej** » Wed 23 Sep 2009 3:51pm

jonesy wrote:My old man was a massive saints fan of the 70's,80's,but said he's give it away if they ever left Moorabbin. He was/has been true to his word. On the morning of the grandfinal I left for the game i walked out the driveway and he walked out with me,as I got 100 meters down the road i looked back he was still there watching. Later found out he was standing there with a tear...he said it felt like he was watching me go to war

Chill down my spine reading that.

matrix · Post: # 830083Post **matrix** » Wed 23 Sep 2009 3:54pm

no favs at all
just one memory
darren jarmen

GrumpyOne · Post: # 830089Post **GrumpyOne** » Wed 23 Sep 2009 4:02pm

matrixcutter wrote:no favs at all
just one memory
darren jarmen

Surprising as it may seem Mat, there was only one of him.

Like you, all fond memories evaporated after half-time.

mullet · Post: # 830108Post **mullet** » Wed 23 Sep 2009 4:21pm

Are you kidding I have no pleasant memories of that. It took me months to get that horrible disappointing feeling out of my system.

Winmar · Post: # 830115Post **Winmar** » Wed 23 Sep 2009 4:28pm

The whole week was brilliant in 1997, until sometime in the second half, when it all turned into a blur.

Training was fantastic (wish I went this time round) and I met Russell Jeffrey in the social club. Then in St Kilda there was lots of red, white and black, and one of the pubs had a big "Go Saints" banner. Great times.

samoht wrote:He interviewed Nicky Winmar , who has fallen on hard times.

Flippin' 'eck, I knew Nicky would fall on hard times eventually. He's always needed better advisers. I love the man though. What else came out in that interview? Great to hear he'll be at the gf.

plugger66 · Post: # 830156Post **plugger66** » Wed 23 Sep 2009 5:08pm

There are no pleasant memories of 1997 and it will be exactly the same this year if we dont win the GF. 20 wins for the season will mean nothing.
Even harvs brownlow that year doesnt take away the disappointment of that GF.

claystreet · Post: # 830159Post **claystreet** » Wed 23 Sep 2009 5:15pm

Behind me is a 97 Jumper i bought on on that fateful match day morning. only wore it once, only on that day, and now there she hangs forever. Just hope the one i got the other day gets worn with pride all the time.

Some people just really need this and i am one of them.

I also said myslef that if the saints left Moorabbin i wouldnt go see them, i stuck to my guns for about the 1st half of the season that they were at Waverly, then off i went to war again

Milan Faletic · Wed 23 Sep 2009 5:32pm

samoht wrote:Sorry to digress - this is sort of relevant to 97 - re: one of our stars.

I just heard the tail end of Mitchell on 3AW.

He interviewed Nicky Winmar , who has fallen on hard times.

He managed to get Qantas to fly Nicky and his partner over from WA to see the GF.

Nicky sounded over the moon.

apparently he's working near his place of birth as a shearer.

That's so sad that he has fallen on rough times. Wonder whether we can help him or whether the Indigenous Players Group can help him. Is there something that the club can do?

bigred · Post: # 830193Post **bigred** » Wed 23 Sep 2009 5:42pm

Nicky was financially exploited throughout his entire career.

Have heard horror stories, such as being talked into giving houses to his church and similar.....

Most of his career he was on 250k+....finished his career with pretty much nothing.

GrumpyOne · Post: # 830195Post **GrumpyOne** » Wed 23 Sep 2009 5:43pm

Milan Faletic wrote:
samoht wrote:Sorry to digress - this is sort of relevant to 97 - re: one of our stars.

I just heard the tail end of Mitchell on 3AW.

He interviewed Nicky Winmar , who has fallen on hard times.

He managed to get Qantas to fly Nicky and his partner over from WA to see the GF.

Nicky sounded over the moon.

apparently he's working near his place of birth as a shearer.
That's so sad that he has fallen on rough times. Wonder whether we can help him or whether the Indigenous Players Group can help him. Is there something that the club can do?

Unfortunately, it is the nature of the man.

Had no great ambitions, had no great personal drive; all he wanted to do is just play footy.

We cannot monitor his situation from half a continent away; I hope he has a sympathetic supporter who will give him a job and the means to support himself. I hope someone is managing his earnings, for that is the area he is most vulnerable.

He remains the best footballer I have ever seen, and I love him dearly, but bailing out his financial situation is not a long-term option.

claystreet · Post: # 830201Post **claystreet** » Wed 23 Sep 2009 5:46pm

I remember walking in on WInmar and Plugger down near the players room at the club one Sunday morning about 10am, they were playing pool and drinking a VB, recovery has changed alot since then.

Sainternist · Wed 23 Sep 2009 6:05pm

hated that week! missed out on a getting a ticket to the game and we lost to the farking ravens.

went to the training session. was ok, but i didn't like that stoopid harka thing alves had them doing.

09 GRAND FINAL WEEK > 97 grand final week

p.s. so glad andrew plymton isn't there insisting on choosing the tombstone (alternate strip) over our hallowed traditional. BIG MISTAKE!

VietNam_Saint · Wed 23 Sep 2009 6:20pm

My Favourite memory is this

End of the 1st Qtr

Harvey to Ozzie ,, 1 , 2 , 3 ,,,,,,, 4 bounces ,,, baulk ,, round a crow ,5th bounce , HP off to Thommo,, back to Ozzie ,, runs at goal and BANG ,,,,,,,,,,,

ITS A GOAL !!!!!!!!!

my least favourite memory is looking at the players after the siren ,,, tears from them and me. Never taken binoculars to another game after that.

Sainternist · Wed 23 Sep 2009 6:24pm

and if a certain goal umpire had 20/20 vision the saturday before, we wouldn't have been playing the damn ravens. it still bugs me a little

bigmicka · Post: # 830257Post **bigmicka** » Wed 23 Sep 2009 6:26pm

The highlight was the 10 double bourbon and cokes, before 10 black sambucca shots, then a trip to Mens Gallery.

mic

Sainternist · Wed 23 Sep 2009 6:33pm

bigmicka wrote:The highlight was the 10 double bourbon and cokes, before 10 black sambucca shots, then a trip to Mens Gallery.

mic

hahahaha... gold!

if only we had michael myers in the team to play on darren jarman in the last half

IluvHarvey · Post: # 830263Post **IluvHarvey** » Wed 23 Sep 2009 6:33pm

Robbie Muir absolutely blind drunk dancing on a table at moorabbin after the game. Funniest thing ever!!

BaysideSaint · Wed 23 Sep 2009 6:43pm

robert harvey bursting out of the square.

Goose is king · Wed 23 Sep 2009 6:49pm

My favorite moment was Harvey winning the Brownlow.

Second favorite was collecting my $150 from my $5 bet on him at the start of the year.

Had to get dad to do it as I was 17.

Ghost Like · Post: # 830312Post **Ghost Like** » Wed 23 Sep 2009 7:22pm

Finding $100 on the ground at half time. I should never have picked it up...I still feel responsible...sorry!