Demons fans across Geelong celebrated as their side broke a 57-year premiership drought last Saturday night.
“I was over the moon,” said Lovely Banks resident Justin Pitcher, who watched the game with his family.
The long-time Melbourne supporter had feared the Demons would falter during the Western Bulldogs’ blistering eight-goal-to-one run beginning in the second quarter.
“Up until two years ago, we would have,” he said.
“Going into half time we looked a bit flat.”
The Demons looked in real trouble when Marcus Bontempelli kicked his third goal to put the Dogs up by 19 points midway through the third term.
“When Bontempelli kicked that goal, I thought the game was pretty much over,” Justin said.
“But they [came back] again. This new group are just so strong-minded and fit.”
The game turned when Melbourne midfielder James Harmes exploded out of the contest on the forward flank to deliver the ball to Bailey Fritsch for a set-shot goal.
“Then it was just goal after goal!” Justin said.
Christian Petraca and Clayton Oliver were unstoppable in the centre and up forward as the Demons kicked seven answered goals in just over nine minutes.
Melbourne went on to kick 10 unanswered, to the delight of lifelong Ocean Grove fan Helen Gaffney, who watched the Demons lift the premiership cup with daughter Haylee.
The former Melbourne cheer squad member was just one-year-old when the Demons last won the flag in 1964.
“We had a ball!” she said.
“I was getting messages from people I hadn’t seen for decades.”
