ON SUNDAY July 20, 2008, James Keogh lined up for Coburg Tigers against a Williamstown line-up containing Liam Picken and Easton Wood.
This Saturday, Keogh will perform on the same ground as Picken and Wood but this time as Vance Joy, the name for which he is best known.
While Joy's belting out from a catalogue of popular songs 'Riptide' and 'Fire and the Flood' to perform in the Virgin Australia pre-game show at the AFL Grand Final, Wood will be preparing to lead his team out for the club's biggest game in 55 years.
September specialist Picken will be trying to turn around a family tradition his father Billy set when he ended up on the losing team through five Grand Finals.
When asked, Keogh couldn't recall playing against the Bulldogs, suggesting that he had well and truly maxed out his talent with Coburg by the time music took over his life.
However, to be performing as part of the pre-game entertainment for the Grand Final remained as far away from his thoughts as kicking a footy on the day.
"I did not see this on the horizon," Joy said.
"My dream was to get a song on Triple J so to have this happening is crazy."
He will line up alongside Australian music veterans The Living End, who hinted they would play the song that launched their career, 'Prisoner of Society', with singer Chris Cheney promising an "oldie and a newie".
Cheney and double bass player Scott Owen grew up a drop punt from Waverley Park on Jells Road, Wheeler's Hill, with Owen selling meat pies at the footy as a teenager.
He remembers meeting some old Footscray players when his cousin dated former Bulldog Stephen 'Super' MacPherson, who played 188 games for the club.
Drummer Andy Strachan said he could not wait as he looked out over the MCG.
"It's super nerve-racking. That's a special place," Strachan said.
Vika and Linda Bull will sing the Australian national anthem acapella style while international artist Sting will arrive on Saturday for his performance.
Meanwhile, Vance Joy will look back on that wet day at Burbank Oval in a Coburg Tigers jumper and wonder how far everyone has come.
