AVID Melbourne fan Mick Brooks has fond memories of watching his first VFL-AFL game between Essendon and the Demons at the MCG in 1965.
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It was the year after the Dees won their last premiership. Now they have a chance to break their 57-year flag drought.
Mr Brooks said Essendon won the first match he attended in front of more than 50,000 fans.
Among the crowd was Mr Brooks, then 12, Koroit priest Father King, south-west livestock agent Lou Dureau plus other Koroit youngsters Gerard Molan and Helen Lane.
"I'll never forget Father King drove us down to the game and Louie drove home," Mr Brooks said.
"It was a huge day. The whole thing was just amazing. I had never seen so many people in my life.
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"Melbourne had won the flag in 1964 and a lot of my favourite players were playing in that game against Essendon.
"It was incredible for a little boy from Koroit to be watching his footy heroes."
Mr Brooks, who lives in Warrnambool, hopes Melbourne can break its premiership drought - the longest in the league - when it plays Western Bulldogs at Perth's Optus Stadium in Saturday's grand final.
"There's been a lot of highs and lows but I've got my fingers crossed that this Saturday will be a high against the Bulldogs," he said.
"It's been a long drought since 1964 but it's not going to be easy to win on Saturday."
The father-of-three has various pieces of Melbourne memorabilia but one stands out as his favourite - a pair of former player Bernie Vince's socks.
"I was really lucky to get the socks," he said.
"Koroit's Tim McIntyre played with Bernie when he was with Adelaide. Bernie then went on to play 100 games with the Demons after playing for the Crows.
"Tim got in contact with Bernie and told him I've been a passionate Demons supporter all my life. Bernie sent over a pair of his Melbourne socks with his number 23 on the feet of them."
Mr Brooks revealed his wife Robyn changed allegiances from Geelong to the Demons when they married 46 years ago and their three children and four grandchildren were all passionate Melbourne fans.
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