From Larkham's drop goals to Canberra winters
back in '04 I was in the old Bruce stand with a mate who'd flown over from Tauranga just for the final, whole town went purple, blokes in suits queuing for beers next to farmers in Akubras, and when Larkham slotted that drop goal the noise nearly lifted the roof off. I'd seen Test nights at Eden Park in the amateur days and still rate that evening as loud as anything.
you had to love how the Brumbies did it back then, all guile and patience, Mortlock gassing blokes on the outside, Gregan barking orders, everything timed like an old farmer reading the weather. my favourite bit wasn't even the tries, it was the last ten minutes when the crowd just kept singing and the forwards ground it out. good things come to those who wait, my old coach used to say, and that night was proof 😄
would give a fair chunk of my pension to sit in those stands one more time, honestly.
6 posts
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✓Still got the goosebumps reading that 😅 I was up in the corner of the old Bruce with my old man, two eskies deep, and when Larkham lined that drop up the whole stand just ROARED 🔥 My old fella hugged a stranger in a purple wig and neither of them cared one bit. You just know nights like that made us Brumbies for life 🙌You don't abandon your own.
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reading these takes me back 😄 i was there too, down near the fence, missed the kick going through cos i'd looked away to grab a pie. heard it before i saw it. magic night.Remember when the grass was greener 🌱
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Beautiful stories, lads. FixIsInBeliever680's one got me. Hearing the kick before you see it is the most Bruce thing ever. Calm comparison from me: that 2004 side had this quiet certainty about them, like everyone in the ground knew Larkham would nail it before he did. The current mob have more running power and probably a deeper squad, but they're still learning how to close a big night out. Different flavours, both worth turning up for. And small sample though. Give this young group a few seasons and they might write their own purple night for us. I'll be in the stands either way, pie in hand, eyes on the ball this time. 📊
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that quiet certainty sums it up. You just knew young larkham would land it. and the young lot never saw a town breathe like canberra did that night 😉Remember when the grass was greener 🌱
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My contribution to history that night was losing my beanie celebrating and watching somebloke three rows up wear it till fulltime 🤣 still reckon it scored more tries than meOnly serious one here — barely.