That special “something” . . .

Every club website has lashings of it on every page at this time of year. It’s what keeps us all fronting up year after year.

 

Club membership brochures sell it by the truckload, as does every overly-optimistic report of pre-Christmas training.

 

It is embodied in every AFL draft nomination form — some for the chance to show their wares, for others the chance to make amends or make a new start. Every scouting report carries at least some element of it.

 

The upcoming national draft will play on it as every club parades their potential new superstars to their supporter base. (Well, perhaps not EVERY club. On the Gold Coast people will still be asking, “Gary who?”, and the good burghers of western Sydney will still be wondering who this “Sheeds” chap is and what he is on.)

 

For the black and white army, still drunk on replays of their team’s humbling of the Saints in October, it revolves around “dynasties”. For the seven beaten finalists, it centres on figuring out how to bridge that gap and take that next step.

 

For those teams at the other end of the ladder, it often comes borne by a new coach or a gun new recruit — like that Gary bloke! For the new coach who doesn’t bring it, there is only waiting for the inevitable.

 

Rusted-on supporters often see it everywhere, even though it shimmers like a mirage.

 

It’s the same intangible commodity that Barack Obama mobilised two years ago with the chant, “Yes we can!” It’s the same commodity that gained Kevin Rudd leadership of the ALP and then the Prime Ministership. When both Obama and Rudd failed to live up to it, their popularity sank like a housebrick in a pond.

 

For the lack of it, marginalised people consider the unthinkable.

 

What is it?

 

Hope.