Every childโs dream is to play on that one day in September.
The bubbling desire for glory is the petrol that fuels all teams and players.
Players like 426-game Hawthorn star Michael Tuck have been fortunate enough to win seven premierships, while other players like St Kilda Legend Trevor Barker, didnโt even get to run out in a final across his 230-game career.
*Editor's note: This article was originally written the week before the 2021 AFL Grand Final.
The Nathan Jones story is a particularly heart-breaking one. Captain for six-years, three-time Keith โBlueyโ Truscott Medallist, 302 games, 198 losses and one admirable decision to fly home back to Melbourne and be with his wife for the birth of twins. A choice that is likely to leave a lump in the throat of any footy lover.
As a man who did so much for a club when they needed a leader, Jones now wonโt be able to join in the potential success of breaking the 57-year drought he worked his backside to topple.
Sport is unquestionably hard, and that is why we love it.
Only a matter of days before one club tastes September glory, we are looking at some of the unluckiest grand final stories in history, and the players behind them.
5. Matthew Primus - Fitzroy/Port Adelaide (1996-2005) & Robert Murphy - Western Bulldogs (2000-2017)
The toughest reality for any captain is realising you will be missing a Grand Final, and for Matthew Primus and Bob Murphy, it proved to be their only chance.
Both skippers were cruelled by devastating knee injuries, with Primus' coming after a four-goal effort during Port Adelaideโs Round 3 clash in 2004, while Murphy's also arose in a Round 3 contest 11 years later and were two coincidentally similar incidents, 4382 days apart.
Primus would go on to play another 18 more games in 2005 before retiring at the end of the season.
Murphy, who was the heart and soul of the Western Bulldogs, became the source of public joy when his Premiership winning coach Luke Beveridgeย welcomed him on stage to share his Jock McHale Medal with him and lift the cup.
Though another chance at a medal would never arise, he would play the next season in 2017, and just like Primus, retired at the conclusion.
