During the Covid layoff it was easy to get nostalgic. We reminisced about the good times. The triumphs, “Here it is”, the Malceski moment, the Papley goals and Rampe spoils.

How quickly we were reminded in Round 2 of the painful ebbs in footy’s natural flow.

There is something about playing Essendon. Pluggers point. Rohan, Rohan, Rohan. Rampe du soleil. The games are close, seesawing and hard work on the heart.

For the third consecutive encounter, less than two goals would sperate the two teams.

Leading into footy’s triumphant return, we wondered how different the game would be in this Covid world. No crowds, fake noise, short quarters, fist bump celebrations.

From the outset is seemed clear that the 1.5m of social distancing in the coach’s box was causing issues. As the cameras all too frequently showed, Dean Cox must have been struggling to hear the head coach, who was forced into some uncustomary shouting.

It was also clear that iso had left many of our players with little else to do than get creative with the scissors. Some of the haircuts – none more so than Lewy Taylor’s – seemed very much inspired by Don Mattingly’s famous cameo in The Simpsons.

But I suppose it could have been worse. Like Dylan Shiel’s high pony. 

Without a crowd, it looked much like NRL had returned to the SCG. But the support was there. From couches in Coogee to Clarendon St, fans had nestled in for their socially distanced day at the footy.

It was a first quarter that left us wondering whether or not footy may have returned too soon. What was the lesser of two horror shows – Covid iso or this?

Thankfully, footy really returned in the second term. The intensity lifted.

With just minutes to go until half time, a Kennedy clearance led to a McCartin contest, which led to a Papley goal. It was a minute of sheer beauty. Had that second term continued to a fully-fledged length, perhaps the game may have been sewn up at half time such was the momentum the Swans seemed to have. A game that in the first quarter felt too long, now seemed too short. Like examining the different angles of Lewy Taylor’s haircut.

At half time we stood in our kitchen and waited 10-15 minutes before reaching for a beer and some chips. It’s the little things – like queuing for food – that can make you feel like you are at the SCG. Throw on some Sweet Caroline in the breaks and it really is like being there.

In a game where momentum shifted often, no team ever seemed to hold a game-clinching ascendancy. Florent and Parker did all they could and Rampe repelled all that came his way.

When Papley goaled at the 20-minute mark of the final term to reduce the margin to one point, it felt like another Swans v Bombers classic: the Covid Cliffhanger. The Zoom wall went wild – even the family in the bottom right corner who seemed be watching on 20-second delay.

But ultimately the fairy-tale return of footy that we he had hoped for wasn’t to be.

They say there is only one week between a bad haircut and good one. That’s great news for Lewy Taylor.

It’s a similar tale with footy form. And that’s great news for all of us. Bring on the Kangaroos on Saturday!