Elation and an overwhelming sense of relief were the emotions Sydney Swans co-captain Jarrad McVeigh recalled feeling when the final siren sounded in the 2012 AFL Grand Final.

In front of almost 100,000 fans at the MCG, McVeigh threw his hands in the air as the siren sounded before embracing his nearest team mate, Nick Malceski, and falling to the ground.

Speaking to SwansTV for the final of Volkswagen’s Photo Moments, McVeigh recalled the moment he became a Sydney Swans premiership player.

“To win a Grand Final and to achieve that dream is something I have always wanted to do since I was a little boy,” McVeigh told SwansTV.

“That moment of elation is something that I’ll never forget.

“To look across and see a few of your team mates doing the same thing, it really was the best moment I’ve had in footy.

“I can’t wait to try and do something like that again, because it’s the best feeling that I’ve ever had.”

McVeigh’s elation was further enhanced by a beautiful moment shared with his wife Clementine and baby daughter Lolita – which was captured and shared widely post-match.

McVeigh said being able to share his greatest football moment with the people that mattered most was priceless.

“It was just a great feeling to just see your team mates and then the people you love most – your wife and your little daughter and your parents and families,” he said.

“It was a moment that they’ve always wanted to see you achieve and they follow your career every single day and go through the ups and downs, whatever that may be.

“To share that moment with them on the MCG is probably the best photo that I’ve ever gotten.

“The photo is hanging up at home and I love that moment.”



Following a long season and a gruelling finals campaign, McVeigh admitted that the emotions caught up with him following the Grand Final, but said the feeling he experienced that day was one he hoped to experience again.

“The feeling after the game – I was just blown away,” he said.

“I couldn’t stop yelling and after the game I actually nearly fainted in the change rooms because I was that emotional and was just mentally drained after the whole thing.

“It’s so hard to make a Grand Final, and then to win one, you really have to celebrate those moments and you never want to forget it.

“The (memories) give you that feeling that you always want to get back to it because the feeling was so good.”

Share your favourite Swans moment for your chance to drive away in a brand new Volkswagen. Simply enter your photo showing how you’re part of the Swans family at www.vwfanzone.com.au.

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