Oh when the Saints come marching in

Will it rain on the Cats parade

Its come down to the final two top sides of the 2009 afl season playing for the ultimate prize .Geelong are pumped and confident further buoyed by Gary Ablett Jnr's brownlow medal win of Monday night .Businesses and homes in and around Geelong , the surrounding areas and country towns are proudly displaying their colours.Cars are flying local newspaper issue flags . St Kilda and surrounds by contrast is eerily quiet its team going about their business quietly and methodically . All are down playing the hype and sentiment of their 09 tilt at the flag .Many remember the debacle of the 97 campaign and for a team with a poor premiership and playing history they are stoically getting on with it .The St Kilda Town Hall has a flag out and 2 pubs are sporting wrap around red black and white tri colours .The Sacred Heart Windsor Op Shop has expanded its window display to include more Saints paraphernalia but the religious icons remain as silent witness to a modern day miracle if the Saints win . Come saturday evening the contest will be decided and whether its the cocky Cats or the sanguine Saints who prevail it promises to be an epic battle the like of which has not been witnessed at the G for a long time .

Its finally arrived, Finals time. That great battle that teams prepare for all season.An arena for players to display their great aerobic capacity and superlative skills. Fans either rejoice or commiserate at this time of year. All are either going, watching or barracking and all are wearing their teams colours regardless of who's playing . Win , lose or draw the gargantuan struggle has begun. Its Spring and that last saturday in september the G will be full and a feeling of general hysteria will pervade melbourne town. Some are confident some are scared but all are hoping their team will get over the line at 4.40pm sat 26 sept. .Arresting is the scene depicted in the Sacred Heart Op Shop Windsor of the Saints colours posed beside religious icons .It indicates that those south of the river will call on divine intervention to break the 43yr drought for their much loved team. It would be truly a miracle if the Saints can replicate that miraculous 1 point victory of 66 and come marching home to St Kilda with the premiership cup . Needs must and when the going gets tough the tough get going and a little prayer could only help a team named the Saints who have a history of being sinners .The Doggies too have been a long time between drinks and the West will come alive if they snatch it and return the cup to the Scraysters who have waited 55yrs to taste the ultimate victory.
If it is a Grand Final between these two sentimental favourites the roof will come down on the final siren at the G .
Let the Games begin.

the doggies