The last mistake

This weekend I watched 2 AFL finals and played 2 days at the NSW frisbee championships. People made mistakes, they also did great things, lots of great things, but also mistakes. 1 error stood out to me. With only moments to go in a major elimination game a Melbourne player stabbed a hurried kick from out of a crowd. It went directly to an opposition player. Carlton then moved the ball with 3 long, tight passes before a Carlton player kicked the game winning, come-from-behind goal. Incredible scenes.


This was one of many mistakes that happened on the night, yet it was memorable. I think it’s the finality of the moment that must hurt so much. The Melbourne player didn’t get a chance to try again, make a balancing great play or gain redemption. Time was up and the game was over. He’ll have to wait until February next year to play again, to try and square the mistake.


You have to make mistakes, it’s part of learning, it means you're risking and trying. In many ways making mistakes, reflecting and trying again is a fundamental pathway to success. It’s the times when you don’t get to try again that cut deep; at the end of a game, at the end of a relationship, when the MVP wine glass from 2014 can’t be put back together or won again.


When you make a mistake it’s great if you can try again. And when someone around you makes a mistake it’s great if they can have a chance to try again. That’s clearly not always true, but when there is a opportunity for redemption you go get the footy again and keep on kicking.

- Credit to Anson for capturing this chance at redemption. 
- The chance at redemption was 8 years ago.