I was there when Tim O’Brien…
In tribute to an ‘almost’ football legend
Victorians have had to watch most of our footy on TV over the past two years. But as a supporter you live for the moments when you can say, “I was there.”
I was there when Stewart Dew and Cyril put on a third quarter show at the 2008 Grand Final.
I was there when Jarryd Roughead hung up the boots with a magnificent six goals on one of the best nights at the footy ever at Marvel.
I was there when Buddy ran half the length of the field and kicked one of the greatest goals on the run you’ll ever see.
And I was there, moments later, when he did it again.
I wasn’t there when Shaun Burgoyne kicked a goal over a lunging Jimmy Bartel, stretched his arms out and ended the Kennett Curse. I had watched 11 straight losses against the Cats live and just couldn’t stomach another one in a prelim. I’m not proud of that, but that’s just where I was at mentally at that point in time.
So as Tim O’Brien formally ends his nine year involvement with the Hawthorn Football Club, I couldn’t help but reflect on the three “I was there” moments that - for me anyway - will forever define his time in the brown and gold.
I was definitely there for the first. It was a sunny day in Launceston and we had traveled to UTAS Stadium on an inaugural family trip to watch the Hawks play Freo. It was deep into the first quarter, when Tim O’Brien launched himself at the footy, leaping across a pack of players, to haul in a rare speccy.
It happened right in front of me on the wing and I will never forget the sound. UTAS Stadium is like a library at the best of times, so the noise of him clunking that mark at pace and then crashing into the ground will forever be etched into my mind. Not to mention the fact he actually stuck one for once.
After the game, our kids waited outside the rooms to ambush the players for autographs as they walked out. Most were knackered and signed the jumpers and footys nonchalantly. Not Tim. He had so much time for the kids, chatting with them about the game, and signing anything put in front of him. I’ll always be thankful for that act of generosity.
My daughter complimented him on the mark. “Yeah, I actually hung onto it this time,” he replied, smiling.
I was there for the second Tim O’Brien moment - but then I wasn’t.
It was the first game of the 2021 season - against the Bombers at Marvel - and the first game back at the footy in 12 months. We were sat among an obnoxious rabble of Essendon supporters - is there any other kind of Essendon supporter? - and my young daughter felt completely overwhelmed by the experience and asked to leave before three quarter time.
We made it home just in time for those frantic final moments. Liam Shiels puts it into the hot spot, TOB takes an uncontested mark, and coolly slots a set shot from around the corner to put us one point in front. He’s been such a dead eye over his career, but I thought the moment would overwhelm him. I guess that’s the Tim O’Brien story. You just never really knew what would happen.
Which brings us to the final Tim O’Brien “I was there” moment. It was round 15 against GWS earlier this year. We were back at the ‘G and Timmy finally pulls off the mark he’s been threatening to take for a decade. The crowd collectively gasped at his “insane 'superman leap'”, as he put life and limb on the line to grab the footy, flopping vertically towards the ground.
While it didn’t win Mark of The Year, losing out to a Shai Bolton screamer, it’s comfortably one of the best marks ever taken by a player wearing brown and gold.
Where was I? In line buying chips at the snack bar.
I guess you could say I was almost there. Almost, but not quite.
Darren Levin is a former News Corp columnist and the co-founder of Hawks Insiders. Follow him on Twitter @darren_levin.