This Saturday my beloved Richmond Football Club has the chance to win its third AFL Grand Final in four years.
After such a tumultuous year, it was a remarkable feat on their part (and their opponent Geelong) to make it to the great dance, and it is a wonderful opportunity for them to cement their place in history as one of the great moderns Dynasties of football.
The Richmond theme song has been heard a lot over the past few years and the war cry of "Yellow and Black" by 100,000 fans makes it one of the most popular reruns in the league, but there is another line in the song that resonates With me.
"In any weather you will see us with a grin."
Rain, hail or sunshine, the anthem promises that the team will enjoy the journey, rise to the challenge and do what it has to do to be successful.
Do you grin in any weather?
If the conditions are far from perfect, do you apologize or do you march on anyway?
When the clouds are dark and foreboding, do you run for cover or take on the challenge?
When others complain about their circumstances, can you still grin and influence the situation positively?
The forecast applies to rain with the possibility of a thunderstorm for the big game on Saturday evening.
But I know that in any weather we will see the tigers with a grin.
Good luck to both parties, but I hope to scream "yellow and black" until I'm hoarse when the last siren goes off.
So:
Laden …
