ON THE same day last year, they came from everywhere to laud their heroes.

Fans tooted their car horns, proudly dangled scarves from their windows and strangers hugged and yelled “Go Catters!” as Geelong supporters – and Geelong the city – rejoiced in its first premiership in 44 years.

Some 12 months on and despite a somewhat clearer sky overhead, there was a much bleaker mood at Skilled Stadium.

Losing any AFL grand final is never fun. Going in as favourites and getting done makes the pill that much tougher to swallow.

After coming out onto the stage, Geelong captain Tom Harley noted there were probably 20,000 fewer than on the same day last year, but he acknowledged the support he had sensed in the previous 24 hours.

That was very much the vibe at the Cats’ home ground on Sunday. Those who had made the effort to get to Skilled Stadium were doing so for one main reason – to be there for their boys.

The Cats had taken so much before them in 2008, but simply fallen at the final hurdle. Fans knew their players, the men they idolise, would be hurting.

So they wanted to show them that they would stay with them through thick and thin. And that they’d be back again next year.

Lorraine Lane, a Cats member since 1997 who attends every match in Victoria, made the drive down from Melbourne.

“You’ve still got to support them, even though they lost,” she said.

“I think it’s just as important to come along today [as last year].”

Jason Leoncini, from Ballarat, said it was also important to “support the boys after the loss”.

“If they had have kicked straight, they would have been right,” he said.

For a couple of hours, fans – a smattering compared to last year’s mass – listened to a band play tunes of yesteryear or kicked the footy on the hallowed turf as they waited to see their warriors come from the race for one last time this year.

When the Geelong players made their way from their rooms and onto stage at 2.30pm, most Cats looked a little sheepish.

Perhaps it was Saturday’s performance, perhaps it was the effects of the liquid in the bottles each player seemed to be holding. One suspects a touch of both.

Coach Mark Thompson thanked the fans and, while singling out a few players for special mention, was blunt in his assessment of his team.

“We probably let you all down yesterday,” Thompson told the fans.

Several die-hards wouldn’t hear such talk, but 'Bomber' persisted.

“We have to live with that for the rest of our lives, and that will only drive us to be better in the future.”

Billy Brownless then wandered across the stage to see if any Cats were willing to chat, but they were pretty happy to get back inside.

No singing the song this year, no commando rolls across the stage. Most importantly, no premiership cup to show the fans.

Meanwhile, a little more than an hour up the road at Glenferrie Oval, the party was no doubt just starting to kick on for its second day.

All eyes, while perhaps bleary and bloodshot, are undoubtedly looking to 2009.