When Dale Lewis recalls being at the Sydney Swans in the 1990s, it was not all about big games and big crowds.
A finals win over Hawthorn put them in a home preliminary final against Essendon at a heaving SCG, 30 years ago today.
In 1992-93, the Swans lost 26 games in a row.
In 1995, there were a series of arrivals, none bigger than the famous bookends, Paul Roos and Tony "Plugger" Lockett.
The former St Kilda superstar Lockett had won his third Coleman Medal in 1996, booting 114 goals in the home-and-away season.
The Swans tried kicking to Lockett, but Essendon cleared – their movement was better, and Hird earned a free on 50.
Lewis grabbed the ball in the centre square and quickly went long again in Lockett's direction; in the end, Jason Mooney kicked a point to make it 3.1 to 0.1.
Hird came off the ground with blood streaming from his left cheek after he and Andrew Dunkley contested a ball, the Swans defender roughing the Bombers star as he lay on the ground with Dunkley on top of him.
A Barry Young point extended the lead, then Gary O'Donnell took possession and went long to Che Cockatoo-Collins, who marked and drilled it from inside 50.
On the Essendon side of things, forward Matthew Lloyd was playing a prelim in game 16 of his career, at just 18 years old.
Just when Swans fans might have been feeling a little confident, the Bombers had a forward 50 stoppage; the tap went to Harvey, and then O'Donnell, who kicked from 35 and the lead was 13 points.