As Hawthorn snatched the lead in a pulsating final three minutes of a preliminary final for the ages, Oscar Allen accepted his brave move across the country 12 months earlier had fallen a week short of his dream.
asserted
move → snatch → dream
Interchange rotations had reduced the powerful forward to a late-game spectator, removed from the frantic action and unable to influence the outcome from the sidelines as a trickle of blood rolled down his cheek from a gash beside his left eye.
asserted
trickle → reduce → eye
“I was on the bench at the end, and probably during the last couple of minutes when we went down, I was thinking about everything,” he told this masthead.
asserted
he → go → masthead
“I was thinking about things we could have done better, things I could have done better.
uncertain
I → think → things
I was thinking about the (coming) off-season, you know, your head goes everywhere.
asserted
head → think → season
“And then, yeah, you flip to next week.”
asserted
you → flip → week
The flip to next week will go down in footy folklore – a holding-the-ball decision paid against Hawthorn defender Jarman Impey in the final minute that allowed Hugh McCluggage to kick the match-winning goal.
asserted
McCluggage → go → goal
The decisive moment sent the baying Hawthorn crowd into meltdown and the umpires were loudly, and unfairly, booed as they left the ground.
asserted
they → send → ground
They had been to grand final in the previous three years, but this one felt harder fought, harder earned.
asserted
one → feel → years
Spent-looking skipper Harris Andrews labelled the breathtaking aftermath a “serious” emotional high, beaming teammate Jarrod Berry kept saying “crazy” about his best mate McCluggage’s ability to kick two late clutch goals, while Conor McKenna said he felt grateful after a “wild last two minutes” to be back in a grand final.
asserted
he → look → final
The Irishman also acknowledged his part in a match filled with exhilarating highs, a skilful two-touch soccer goal while dancing through congestion.
asserted
Irishman → acknowledge → congestion
“I play a bit of soccer, so it is something I can do,” he smiled.
asserted
he → play → soccer
He played a bit-part to the dynamic Kai Lohmann’s five-goal heroics, or watched in awe as Charlie Cameron did Charlie Cameron things.
asserted
Cameron → play → things
Not that the 27-year-old blond forward minded.
asserted
forward → mind → ?
He said it was simply great to be a part of something special.
asserted
it → say → something
Nor did he feel a sense of vindication for handing in the Eagles captaincy last year, amid ongoing media speculation, and departing his native Western Australia for Brisbane.
asserted
he → feel → Brisbane
Instead, he said, the move had provided its own rewards.
asserted
move → say → rewards
“Even without the on-field team success, like the way they made me feel welcome in this group – not only me, but my wife and my family – you can see why they’ve been so successful,” Allen said.
asserted
Allen → make → group
“It’s such a great culture and great people.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
Footy aside, I’d do that 100 times over again.
asserted
I → do → times
“In my first year, in 2018, I was playing at West Coast when they won the flag.
asserted
they → play → flag
I was an emergency,” he said.
asserted
he → say → ?
“So I went through the parade, going to Melbourne and all that.
asserted
I → go → Melbourne
But to now be a part of it as a playing player is something I’m really looking forward to.
asserted
I → play → player
”
Brisbane’s hunger has often been questioned this season, as commentators debated whether the Lions could repeat the feat of Leigh Matthews’ dynasty at the start of the century and chalk up a three-peat.
uncertain
Lions → question → peat
Allen and ruckman recruit Scott Draper have helped refuel the desire for success, according to Berry.
uncertain
Allen → help → Berry
“You can see how much it means to those boys,” he said.
asserted
he → see → boys
“At the end of the game, I think Drapes had tears in his eyes.
asserted
Drapes → think → eyes
“But there are also those guys who aren’t playing at the moment, you just want to do it for them – the hard luck stories.”
asserted
you → be → them
No one should question the Lions’ appetite for victory this week, according to their skipper.
uncertain
one → question → skipper
It was on show during their third-quarter against the Hawks, reeling in a 14-point half-time deficit to take a 20-point lead into the final term.
asserted
It → reel → term
“We saw in that third quarter how much we wanted it,” Andrews said.
asserted
Andrews → see → it
“We’re able to play – I don’t know what the score was in third – but play the right way and get the result on the scoreboard.
asserted
score → ’re → scoreboard
“And then, in the end, we had to fight our way out of it.
asserted
we → have → it
And we did.
asserted
we → do → ?
A side that has made one grand final in its history and never won a flag.
asserted
that → make → flag
They have the hunger, no doubt.
asserted
They → have → hunger
But do they have the nerve against a hardened Lions outfit that can practically navigate grand final week in their sleep?
asserted
that → have → sleep
“There’s no advantages in this game, mate” Andrews said.
asserted
Andrews → ’ → game
“Everyone wants it just as much as each other.
asserted
Everyone → want → other
…and 10 more, not listed.
The Aporia
