Belatedly, I'd like to offer a few thanks of my own.
Firstly, thanks to mattys123, who runs that VFL Pies Twitter account like a Swiss watch and who always is up for a yarn about our 2nds team, here and elsewhere (he also had a pretty good season across half back and occasionally in the midfield as well...
). Thanks to 1892_, who has a sharper eye for detail and observation than I do at times and likewise always is eager for a chat about these games as a fellow VFL Magpies nerd (in particular, 1892_ made a massive effort to put together our list of eligible AFL players and complete lists for all of our opponents for handy reference). Thanks to Dave The Man, whose passion for all things black and white makes even Eddie McGuire look like a casual. A big thanks to my fellow mods for indulging these threads and the OPs they stem from, here and over in the VFL section.
And a broad, collective thank you to all of you here who made a genuine effort to engage in good faith and stay informed on (and care about) how this little VFL outfit of ours has traveled over this roller coaster 2016 season, one which has been our most successful to date as a VFL subsidiary (Saturday's monstrosity of a game notwithstanding). One which, after the debacles against Casey and Essendon and Sandringham in the first 5 weeks, the men in white coats would have locked you up for predicting would unfold the way it did from Rounds 6 through to the Qualifying Final. And as 2016 descended into yet another failed year for the seniors, the unlikely journey of this VFL team gave us something to smile about and reason to be hopeful for the future.
It was, truly, a Hell of a ride.
Finally, a big thank you to everyone involved with this team within the walls of the club itself, from the coaches to the players on both lists to the staff to the volunteers (and yes, even you, John Wren
). You all have every reason to be proud of what you accomplished this year, despite how it all came unraveled in the end.
And on that melancholy note, a special parting thank you to Brent Macaffer and Alan Toovey, two of the immortals of 2010 who both contributed most substantively to the VFL team's fortunes this year, without complaint and with every last drop of petrol they had. Fellas, this little Cinderella story of a VFL flag wasn't meant to be. Alas, the clock struck twelve at quarter time and both glass slippers shattered (shards embedded, ligaments severed, blood hemorrhaging, might be right for next week but Blackmores will have to wait and see). But boys, you were warriors. And you will always be heroes.
And with that... well... it's over to you...
I am vengeance. I am the night. I am MagpieBat.