Updated ,first published
In the 2007 preliminary final, Geelong led Collingwood by five points with just seven minutes remaining.
We were premiership favourites, but could not shake the desperate and emerging Magpies as a boundary throw-in happened on our half-forward flank.
Enter Gary Ablett jnr.
He pushed his opponent Nick Maxwell into the oncoming ruckmen, sharked Brad Ottens’ tap at pace, dismissed Guy Richards’ despairing lunge and charged towards the corridor to snap the sealer from just inside 50 metres.
The best player in the game had delivered when the team needed him. All we needed to do as teammates was either get out of his way or, if needed, create a block.
At that moment, Shannon Byrnes – who played in two flags at the Cats – lifted a hand to point towards the goal as Ablett flashed by him. I joined James Kelly in being the first to embrace the humble champion. The sound of 98,002 spectators did not pierce my ears. All I can remember thinking is “How good is this bloke, he has just put us in a grand final” and I wanted to hug him for it.
Which brings me to the heavyweight battle between the two best players in the game when Collingwood’s Nick Daicos and the Western Bulldogs’ Marcus Bontempelli meet in Friday night’s wildcard final with their club’s fortunes resting on their shoulders.
Apart from the outstanding Ed Richards, no one else on either team comes close to Nick and “The Bont”.
It means the two stars nearly have to be the best player on the ground for their team to win (note to the Magpies: don’t waste the opportunity of having the best player in the game in your colours).
That’s a much heavier burden to carry into a final than most players face, with the support acts merely expected to play their role.
I was a role player – and maintain that their performance is critical to winning flags – but I never carried the expectations of supporters on my back. My job was to be in the right spot, execute my skills when required, run hard to provide outlets or open up space and win contests.
The burden that falls on the greats is to create opportunities for role players, generate goals or attacking moves and win the ball every time it is in their vicinity and use it well.
Both are also their team’s captain. That means making sure each teammate understands their role and the requirements of them at that moment, as well as delivering the brilliance the team needs of them.
As good as the skippers are, their teammates cannot expect them to do what they do on their own. Their job is to support Nick and The Bont in every way possible.
For every minute of the game, they must be protected. Role players can get in the face of run-with players such as Collingwood’s Ed Allan, who will be trying to restrict Bontempelli’s influence.
Other simple things players can do for their stars is give them a “cheapie” handball from a free kick or mark and block hard to allow them the space to do their thing. Don’t just stand there; block with purpose and ferocity.
The more energy your superstar teammate can conserve, the better they will be in each moment. As silly as it might sound, that means helping him up off the ground if he finds himself on his back after a tackle or battle for the ball. You are not subservient to them. You are their teammate who can play such a role to help your team.
It’s akin to taking the shine off the ball as an opener so the gun batting at No.3 can belt the bowlers around during his turn at the crease.
I’d expect the teammates of Nick and The Bont would do this with passion, as both players strike me as being humble champions like Gaz jnr, who you are honoured to play alongside and call a teammate.
They will know what separates this duo from them when a big moment arrives.
Every role player hopes to stand up in the big moment, but there is a massive difference between hoping to own the moment and commanding the moment as the greats do time and time again.
Ablett jnr, Steve Johnson, Paul Chapman and Joel Selwood in such moments used to say, either by words or actions, “Get the hell out of the way” and, with all due respect to team structures and plans, just say, “I want this moment. Leave it with me”.
At that moment what is needed for the team is for them to get the ball. So get out of their way and get in their opposition’s way.
At that famous stoppage in 2007, all Ablett needed from his teammates was to do what they could to give him access to the ball and clean passage when he had it in his hands to run into space.
That is the beauty of the great players.
Daicos and Bontempelli clashing in front of a packed MCG will be a moment to cherish for supporters, and as silly as it may sound to them now, their teammates.
Being in the front row when Ablett, Chapman, Johnson and Selwood went berserk in a final was pretty cool.
Help Nick and The Bont out on Friday night and they will deliver.
PS. I can’t let the moment pass without recognising that the All-Australian team had five Indigenous players this season: Shai Bolton, Wayne Milera, Jarman Impey, Kysaiah Pickett and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera. And I would argue Izak Rankine was stiff to not make it six. That’s great to see as Indigenous players continue to elevate the game.
Mathew Stokes is a Larrakia man who played 200 games with Geelong and Essendon. He played in Geelong’s 2007 and 2011 premiership teams.
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Mathew Stokes is a Larrakia man who played 200 games with Geelong and Essendon. He played in Geelong’s 2007 and 2011 premiership teams.