About Last Night

No caption necessary

As I write this, it is about 20 hours since Adam Reynolds scored the winning try for the Rabbitohs against the Roosters, in a match where the existence of karma and even maybe Newton’s third law were proven beyond reasonable doubt. Yes I know, we already knew about the Newton one.

When I woke up this morning I wanted to write something, anything, to sum up what being at the game last night was like for a Rabbitohs fan. Unfortunately, I sat down and was still speechless. How does one put into words something like this?

Having been on the losing end of the exact same loss in round 1, I know how it feels to be on the other end of this sense of euphoria and bliss. But, it’s having gone through that feeling, which makes this feeling all the more special.

There is a part of me that feels sorry for my friends who support the Roosters. I can empathise with how they felt last night and today, having been there only a few months ago. However, another part of me feels that they deserve to go through it, as the counter balance to their euphoria and joy from the previous encounter. Plus, they are Roosters fans; I never want them to be happy.

I wrote recently about going through the highs and lows of being a sports fan in a short period of time. That day it was in reference to Cadel Evans' failed attack, but it pales in comparison to the roller coaster of emotion that all 20,000 people at Allianz stadium went through last night.

Rabbitohs fans are not conditioned to believe that those sorts of results will happen in our favour. We are scarred not only by losses like round 1, but years of missed opportunities, bad bounces and players who didn’t know how to win. Not anymore. This really is “new Souths” and the fact that the 13 guys on the field wearing cardinal and myrtle did believe that result could happen; it has now spread to the entire fan base.

Watching the players embrace not only each other, but also the fans in the “Burrow” shows that in an industry where players often are just mercenaries, these guys not only get how much we as fans care, but they care equally as much.

It was fitting that the winning try (and goal) was scored by Adam Reynolds. Not only has he been a perfect reflection of the change and improvement in the club throughout this season, but you couldn’t find anyone in that stadium who was more of a Rabbitoh than he. It was a moment every fan grows up dreaming of and if it couldn’t be me wearing the 7 jersey and scoring that try (because I’m the obvious alternative.... maybe I’ll even fill in when he plays for NSW next year) then I’m so glad it was him.

Whatever happens through the rest of this season, whether we go all the way or simply bow out in the finals series, I will never forget being at that game last night and really, isn’t that what being a sports fan is all about?