Changing Of The Guard At Windy Hill

Kim Densham for AFANA from Melbourne

The day started like any other Saturday in Melbourne, except for my eight year old son James, this was to be like no other. It was to be Hirdy's last game at the MCG and Sheedy's last game as coach in Melbourne. The footy team he rooted for would be changed forever.

 Melbourne Town was buzzing all week, every commentator, media pro and seasoned water cooler veteran had their own opinion... "It's about time - 27 years is too long at one club!", or "that's no way to treat Sheedy, after 27 years, he deserves more respect" and "Hird should have retired last year!" others said "Maybe (hoping!) He has one more great season left in him". Everyone while divided on Sheedy's sacking weeks ago, agreed on two things; the place to be was the MCG - the Melbourne Cricket Ground, known simply as the "G". That "hallowed" turf, where past greats wrote legends in blood, sweat and tears, - and that "footy" was not going to be the same without Hird.

So it was that 251 games earlier, a fresh faced country boy became a man, and started the legend of "James Hird". Hird the 253 game veteran, premiership captain, and Norm Smith and Brownlow medallist was nearly missed in the draft. Now he is acknowledged as a living legend - not only in Bomberland where he is revered and adored - but in all AFL circles. He could change a game through sheer will and determination, a ball magnet, a freak, a genius, and at retirement age was acknowledged as the Bombers "best and fairest" winner, for the fifth time. We sat in the members stand that day in the "outer", colours declared to all.

We watched the "rabble", pour into the "G", -yellow and black- from Tigerland. Like some marauding army, ready to pillage...and pillage they did, like the Tigers of Old. They beat the Dons and paid the ultimate respect to Sheedy and Hird - putting Essendon to the sword by 27 points. Well weeks have passed since that day, a whole "home and away" footy season in time ago. We know that Hirdy is still training at Windy Hill and that the famed number 5 "guernsey" has been passed on to Brett Stanton. Sheedy is the AFL Ambassador and new coach, Matthew Knights will be tested as the new season wears on. ...but through his tears that day, saddened by the realisation that his boyhood hero would no longer be playing footy, my son James started his own journey to manhood.