Sons of the Scray has not been sung with as much gusto since the summer of 1979-80.
On Sunday, Footscray Edgewater players, officials and fans belted out a rousing rendition of the famous song after clinching a long-awaited second Premier Cricket first XI title.
The Bulldogs broke a 34-year premiership drought in style with a 360-run demolition of arch-rivals Essendon in the three-day grand final at Junction Oval.
For so long, the 1979-80 premiership players have stood revered as the only Bulldogs to reach the summit, but now they will share the limelight with 11 new premiership heroes.
First-year Bulldogs coach Steve Chapman was being hailed the mastermind of the operation in the post-game celebrations.
It was Chapman’s second premiership in the competition as coach, the last being with Dandenong in 2010-11.
He insisted that his 12 months of toil and guidance were only a small part of a bigger picture.
“The strength of the club is only the people in it,” Chapman said.
“It’s not about me, it’s about the club. It’s about the committee that does everything that needs to be done and sometimes doesn’t even get the thanks.
“It’s pretty special for them … it’s been the end of a 30-odd year wait for some people at the club.”
True to his nature, Chapman was more observer than participant in the immediate aftermath of the victory.
When Jake Haberfield took the match-winning wicket and raised both arms in the air in triumph, Chapman chose to take in the moment and look at what it meant for the club legends who had waited such a long time.
“I stood next to Merv [Hughes], so I got embraced,” Chapman said. “I just wanted to see the reaction of other people … it was as much about looking at them and enjoying their enjoyment of it, rather than thinking, ‘Yes, I’ve achieved’.”
Footscray Edgewater had a firm grip on the grand final from the outset.
PICTURE GALLERY: Footscray Edgewater premiers!
The Bulldogs posted a massive 8-526 declared to be in the box seat late on day two.
Club professional Shanuka Dissanayake sewed up man-of-the-match honours with 175 not out, while Travis Dean put the exclamation mark on a sizzling summer with 138.
Their big knocks would not have been possible without the upper order negotiating a way through the new ball on opening day.
The Bulldogs’ declaration was about tactics, bravado and naivety.
Tactical because the Dogs wanted to make inroads on the 10 Bomber wickets before stumps on day two; bravado because they could have batted on for as long as they wanted; and naive because Chapman was not totally aware at the time of the fourth day extension option if a first innings result is not achieved.
“The bowlers were getting a bit tetchy and wanted to be out there,” he said.
The decision to declare and bowl late on day two would reap massive dividends, with the Bulldogs having the Bombers reeling at 5-94 at stumps.
Haberfield completed the rout on the third day to finish with 6-58 off 15.1 as the Bombers perished for 166.
He was the leading wicket-taker in the competition with 59 at 14.8, forming a lethal new-ball combination in the final with John Hastings, who took 2-61 off 19.
“They’re as good an opening pair as there is in the competition,” Chapman said.
“If somebody is bowling with pace and you’ve got that fear factor – it can be the difference.”
