I’ve been putting off writing this blog for days because I simply do not know what to say. As always, after games social media explodes from all over with people in their spontaneous happiness letting the entire world know their thoughts in 140 characters or less and how happy they are that their team just won a match and they are progressing to the Grand Final.

I couldn’t even do that.

Words simply cannot describe the emotional rollercoaster of not only Friday night, but the past year. I had this conversation with someone who I now regard as a friend. A year ago I met him at a fan meeting with approximately 30 others where we discussed the active support and what name we should be called. This was before we even had a name or colours for the team or a home ground.

Whilst reflecting on the journey as we strolled to the Woolpack post game (the very same site as the aforementioned meeting), we were both amazed at how far we’ve come. A year ago, we were merely an idea. Something many had been crying out for, for years. The wish was finally granted and the rollercoaster sped off and many of us jumped on board right from the get go not knowing where it would take us.

We just wanted a team to support that represented us and connected with us. That’s happened, a thousand times more than we could have imagined. This particular friend, I’ll call him Trev, had a dream. His dream (a year ago) was to one day get the entire stadium singing with us. It was a very ambitious dream and he was realistic in that it would take years for it to happen, if it all.

But Trev, is now speechless. Not only did the main stands respond to the Red and Black Bloc calling out to them in December during that 6-1 win against Adelaide, but during the semi final it went above and beyond merely answering the war cry of who they sing for.

Right from kickoff, we could hear the stands clapping and even chanting some of the songs we’ve been doing since Round 1. They were not encouraged to do so. No, they did it on their own accord. Since December, slowly the stands have become more and more vocal and willing to participate when called upon. But Friday was something else entirely. Not only did they take it upon themselves to let their voices be heard, but something that began in Round 1 in one single bay was finally replicated across the entire stadium.

The 80th minute arrived. As always we turned around and began the Poznan as has become traditional in our short history. I turned my head to the side and my jaw dropped. The entire stadium was following suite. It capped off an amazing night and atmosphere that every single person in red and black contributed to.

I’ve written in the past that there is no such thing as us and them. There is no “RBB” and “non-RBB”. We are all part of the Wanderers family. This is even more apparent during some very big away games such as Melbourne Victory, Central Coast and Newcastle. Everyone comes together and creates an amazing experience for all involved. Everyone gets into the singing and clapping and dancing. Those not normally in the RBB then take that experience to their regular seats in Wanderland and continue it there. That is how we’ve created this culture and atmosphere as the season progressed.

It was Trev’s dream and we’ve seen it become a reality years before we thought it possible.

The scenes post game were amazing. I saw people that I’ve met in preseason singing and dancing in the streets as we celebrated qualifying for our maiden grand final, in our first year. La Banda rocked out with hundreds surrounding them in the middle of the road. We all remember when it was merely 100 of us on a muddy hill singing a couple of songs. Now 20,000 people are singing them with us. Whowouldathunkit?

The game and result though was never set in stone. Brisbane were on the rise and one feels that if the season were longer they could have moved up a couple more places on the ladder. Mike Mulvey has something going and Brisbane will have a real crack next season.

So close was the match on the pitch that it took two goal of the season contenders to crack it.

Dino, deciding that the semi was the time to score his second ever goal, did so in the most cheekiest of fashions imaginable. His little flick backheel took everyone unawares. The reaction from him and his teammates as they celebrated showed how much it meant for all of them. He has worked so hard off the ball and creating space for his teammates that finally his reward came. The players have always had his back and they let him know it after he broke the deadlock. Dino was almost in tears.

Shinji Ono then thought he should outshine Dino and scored an impossible goal to clinch the victory. It is now getting praised as possibly goal of the season; surpassing his previous juggling effort against Melbourne Victory on New Years Day. Ono looked to the heavens after the ball hit the back of the net and later tweeted that he played for Rod on Friday.

Again, the FFA’s wisdom was front and centre where they decided to award the Premiers Plate AFTER the semi final. So firstly we had to wait two weeks to celebrate with it, now we had to wait until after a sudden death clash. What if Western Sydney had lost the match? Would have been a dour affair wouldn’t it FFA? I really hope they learn from this PR disaster.

Next time FFA, bring it to Newcastle. Sometimes it really makes you wonder what they are thinking.

Van Hersi is a huge loss and what he was thinking diving in like that on the halfway mark after Wanderers were 2-0 up is beyond me. It was a stupid decision and now he has to pay for it and miss out on the big stage next week. But Popovic has a structure and there are those waiting in the wings to fill the void and do a job. Likewise if Polenz and Mooy cannot be considered fit for the game on Sunday.

We didn’t want to come last. We wanted to be competitive and sneak into the finals. But now that we’ve made the Grand Final, we want to win it. I put money on Wanderers to win the Championship before the season started when they were paying $26. It was a rather optimistic blind fan type of a bet, but now I’m only 90 minutes away from cashing in.

Now we look towards the Grand Final and fittingly so, it is being contested between the two most consistent sides in the competition this season. Despite the FFA’s best efforts to shake up the finals series, in the end, we still had a familiar outcome for the Final.

The circle is now complete. Round 1 we faced Central Coast which ended in a stalemate. Now in the Grand Final we face them again in the rubber match, the decider and for the golden toilet seat.