By Luke Voogt
Grovedale’s Mavis Govan was “still up on a cloud” Monday morning after her beloved “doggies” lifted the Premiership Cup this weekend.
“I couldn’t sleep all night,” she said.
The 89-year-old has followed Bulldogs her whole life, and was at the MCG for their first premiership in 1954.
Mavis was euphoric after the club broke its 62-year drought.
“I only wish my husband and my son were here to see it,” she said.
Last Tuesday Mavis told the Indy about the heartbreak of Footscray’s 1962 premiership loss to Hawthorn and numerous preliminary final losses.
She was yelling at her TV with family and friends during the thrilling grand final Saturday afternoon.
“My heart was throbbing I can tell you,” she said.
Mavis watched in awe as Liam Picken took one of the marks of the year in the last quarter.
She was on the edge of her seat as the video umpire overturned Johannisen’s apparent match-winning goal and Buddy Franklin got Sydney to within a point.
But after a goal from Picken, a 60-metre bomb from Tom Boyd and Picken’s match-sealer, Mavis could finally give her heart a rest.
“That’s when I thought we’ve got it won now,” she said.
Like many Bulldogs fans Mavis shed a tear when Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge gave his medal to injured captain Bob Murphy.
“That was wonderful gesture,” she said.
While a few falls have prevented Mavis from making games this year, the 66-year club member hopes to again see her team live this next season.
In her yearly tradition, the great-grandmother will try to get to the club’s season launch, which she missed this year.
“Hopefully, my health is better next year,” she said.
The grand final left Mavis a little too exhausted to join more than 30,000 Bulldogs supporters at Whitten Oval as they welcomed the cup home.
“I didn’t think the ground could hold that many people,” she said.
“I think we’ll have a bigger following from now on.”
