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Grand final weekend is a big deal across the nation. You mightn't be into football, but you might have known the big games were on.
For many families in many communities it was the be-all and end-all of the year. Particularly this year.
For instance, Lois Knight. She lives in Castlemaine and is a diehard Richmond Tigers' fan.
Castlemaine has a proud AFL history, as does Mrs Knight's family - her grandson is triple Norm Smith medallist and premiership winner Dustin Martin.
Dusty is the apple of his nan's eye, as the Bendigo Advertiser has detailed over the Tigers' recent success. But you'll need to be a subscriber to find out more.
Suffice to say Mrs Knight is very proud of her grandson and has taped almost every AFL game he's played. Now, in an undertaking of some considerable commitment, she's going to transfer those games to DVD - that way she has footy to watch over the off-season!
It wasn't all joy for footy stars with their roots in the regions. Cobden's Gary Rohan played against the Tigers in Queensland on Saturday. Sadly for the Geelong Cat, that premiership has eluded him again.
Yesterday (in the "other" code) Penrith Panther Isaah Yeo, who grew up in the NSW Central West, tasted disappointment, too.
Despite a fast finish, his NRL club couldn't overcome the Melbourne Storm but Yeo had the none-too-small comfort of being named in the NSW Blues squad for the upcoming State of Origin series. Watch the interest in that series soar across regional NSW and Queensland as next Wednesday looms.
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