A few months ago, the Western Bulldogs Football Club reached out to my Dad and I (aka Doggies Tragics / Optimists) to see if we would participate in a video they were producing as part of their 2019 membership drive.
Although they couldn't shut us up once the camera was rolling, we were rendered speechless when we were first asked. And so grateful. We still can't quite believe it.
For a couple of weeks, I've deliberated (agonised?) over whether or not to post this on my blog. I cannot stand (I mean, genuinely cannot stand) to have my photo taken at the best of times and cannot stand to see (or hear) myself on camera.
However, there have been two thoughts that have soothed and motivated me to think twice throughout this deliberation.
Firstly, the video is about tapping into and communicating a compelling truth: that footy is all about family; in all its forms. It's about the big things: legacy and storytelling. And shared experiences. It's about loyalty and connection. And it's about creating memories that will last a lifetime. It's about taking our role as supporters seriously, but not taking the game itself so seriously. It's about providing unconditional support; to each other, the club and the players that proudly pull on the Club jumper. And it's about celebrating the individuality of each and every human being who participates.
It's a metaphor for life; played out over four glorious quarters. It's about the little things: the camaraderie and the banter. The solidarity in the rooms and the acts of bravery in the last line of defense. The anxiety of a close contest and the joy if your nose is in front when the siren goes. The unparalleled athleticism and the inimitable roar of the crowd. The thumping kicks to position and the one-percenters. The overt and celebrated showstoppers and the quiet performers, putting it all on the line for their fellow team members. The debriefs at half-time and the trip back home. Winning some. Losing some. For two and a half hours, it's about 'us vs them'. But for the rest of the week, it's the love of the game that binds us all. That is, until we face each other on the ground again.
And so, it's about celebrating the little things just as much, if not more, than the big things. Let's face it, there's much for our sport and our Club to celebrate; past, present and future.
Secondly, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to introduce you all to my Dad, Alexander Petropulo. A man who I 'blame and thank' for being a Dogs supporter ;). A man who I love dearly, who I'm deeply proud of and who represents resilience in all its guises. A man who, despite experiencing some especially dark times throughout his life, continues to find a sliver of light in the darkness - and somehow manages to hold on to it for dear life. Ironically enough, his dark times were compounded just two weeks after the Dogs broke their 62-year premiership drought. Part of this is chronicled in Martin Flanagan's incomparable book about the 2016 Flag, A Wink from the Universe. In it, Martin writes about Dad watching the re-runs of the finals series over and over again, as a salve for the physical and emotional wounds he endured (and continues to endure) after the Dogs won the 2016 Flag. A sliver of light in the darkness that could never, ever be taken away! In the video, Dad attributes his glass-half-full philosophy to one of the boarders his mother took in when Dad was a kid, living in West Footscray. His name was Reg Cook. I'll be forever grateful to Reg for introducing Dad to the wonders of Aussie Rules and his even-handed approach to supporting his beloved Doggies.
And so, I've chosen to post this video in the hope that those who watch it and read this piece will stick fat with the Club they've adopted or inherited; unconditionally and without vitriol. And I hope you get to know my Dad, my love for Aussie Rules and my Club a little better. It really is more than a game.
I'll leave you with my favourite quote from the clip. It was in response to the question, "what got you through the 62-year premiership drought?" Naturally, it's something my Dad said; and it's the quote that has resonated strongest with fellow Dogs supporters since the Club posted it. Hopefully, it will resonate with you, too:
"You learn that, even in life, the little things can sustain you. You don't get the big things often. Some don't get them at all! It's those little things...."
Cede Nullis. And GO DOGS.
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