In the late 50s, Australian singer-songwriter Geoff Mack flexed that there was nowhere he and his guitar hadnโt been.
While born and raised in Melbourneโs leafy east, the oft-forgotten country star told the world of his treks through Darwin,ย Gin Gin,ย Deniliquin,ย Muckadilla
Wallumbilla,ย Boggabilla andย Kumbarilla, just to name a few.
Mackโs journey would eventually end on the Gold Coast, passing after 94 laps around the sun in 2017. Yet, some four years later, just down the Scenic Rim, footyโs answer to the travelling troubadour plonked down his well-weathered swag.
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And while there has been little permanency of place or promise from head coaches across the course of his four seasons at AFL level, the tide turned on Friday night after Fort announced himself under the gameโs brightest lights.
Despite pipping Richmond at the post last Thursday to commence a thrilling first week of finals, Brisbane made their voyage south to face reigning premiers Melbourne sans their match-winning forward, Robertson and Oliver, Fort fought and won against the most fearsome tap-work duo in the competition, Jackson.
But as is customary in Fortโs tale of persistence after being locked to the starting blocks, the task of stopping Gawn seemed an insurmountable one early on, as the premiership skipper skipped out to have eight touches and nine hitouts at the opening break.
However, the 204cm journeyman with the patchy beard eventually wrangled the man who spruiks trimmers on primetime TV, keeping Gawn to just seven further touches for the remainder of the night.
But what was the message delivered to Fort from the fatherly Brisbaneโs stellar win.
And although unwilling to toot his own horn, Fagan jumped at the chance to pay his praises as the dust settled on the satisfying smash and grab.
When quizzed about whether there were any specific mechanics employed to bring Gawn and Jackson down to size, the bespectacled steward opened up his playbook.
โThere was nothing special there, that was just Brisbaneโs preliminary final will take on extra meaning for the ruckman given the Lionsโ opponents, Geelong, rank among Fortโs fleet of former teams.
Having spent three seasons in the supporting cast at the Cattery, the Geelong native is more than familiar with his latest foe. But after being punted by Geelong at the trade table last season, Fort will have more fuel than most on Faganโs roster.
Next Friday, Brisbane will again be asked to travel to the MCG for a do-or-die date. And again, they will do so as the bookmakerโs outsiders.
But at a time when others would be calling on bottled disdain and dismay, Fort pressed a team-first approach to Brisbaneโs upcoming battle, one that may, sadly, prove prophetic.
โItโs exciting for the team,โ Fort professed.
โTheyโre obviously a great squad and have had a great year. They got us earlier in the year, but I think weโre full of confidence at the minute. Weโll go and have a look at them and do what we can to come back here and have a win.โ
Despite his semi-final heroics earning him acclaim from all and sundry, the life of a backup ruckman is a fickle one, with Fort no certainty to see his magnet on Faganโs whiteboard.
With Brisbaneโs preferred big man, Stanley and Hipwood's absence. But with the 24-year-old kicking four against the Demonsโ vaunted defence,
