The AFL season is upon us, and for the long suffering St Kilda fan, it is a strange feeling to be sitting on top of the ladder with a percentage of 212% after winning the first five games of the season, ahead of Geelong on percentage, with both teams two games clear of the rest of the competition. There have been some newspaper articles written in the past about long suffering Saints supporters struggling to come to terms with not being the valiant loser when there has been a series of wins which I have related to, and which, sadly, I have kept electronic copies, as they seemed so reflective of my feelings at the time.
The role of the courageous loser has been our lot for many, many years, except once, in 1966. This year, our boys are tough competitors who through sheer domination and determination in defence and superb teamwork have kept their opposition to miserly score lines all season. In 2004, when a stream of 10 victories in a row (including the pre-season cup) including some victories where the team really didn't play all that well, but still won, were challenges to that old psyche. That is because a victory, seemingly not earned, does not have the same deserving feeling as a loss, when a brave performance was not enough to get across the line, but could always be lauded for the spirit of the defeat, in some small way like the Anzacs at Gallipoli Cove, fighting an un-winnable battle with honour, despite the pain.
It's a long way to go till the end of the season, but it's far better to be sitting on top, than struggling, winless or 2 and 3 after round five of twenty two. This year, the battles do not look un-winnable, even so, wins cannot be assumed, because there are many things that influence the result of a game of football which are outside the control of the team, including injuries, suspensions and bad umpiring decisions. And while the team is playing well, I will bask in reflected glory, and enjoy the moments of pleasure which come, and maybe, just maybe, dreaming of a better year than the last.
