September has the ability to produce the broadest range of emotions for any footballer.
For the team that stands on the AFL premiership dais on that last Saturday in September, it is nothing but joy, elation and ecstasy, as the club creates memories that will last an eternity.
On the other side of things however, Finals football can have some cruel twists in store with plenty of hard-luck stories, excruciating near misses and heartbreak.
Sam De Koning has seen both sides of the tale, becoming a premiership player in 2022, but also missing out on Geelong's Finals campaign last year after a late-season injury.
The experience has only emboldened De Koning in his quest for more premiership glory, with the star defender saying that it has made even hungrier this time around.
"It has driven me to be a part of it, missing out last year was probably the hardest moment of my career so far," De Koning said.
"It has just made me grateful for the position I am in at the moment, going into Finals and being part of the team.
"Obviously I know how hard it is being one of the players sitting there in the stands watching, while your team is out there doing what you want to do.
"I am just forever grateful for the opportunity and just really happy to be part of the team at the moment."
De Koning certainly looked at home on the big stage as he played an important role against Brisbane, taking up his usual defensive post while also supporting Mark Blicavs in the ruck at times.
While he did not accumulate a lot of the footy, he certainly made every possession count collecting four score involvements and three intercept possessions from nine disposals.
There was also a big moment in the second quarter for the premiership Cat. Geelong had kicked six straight behinds and were squandering their chance to build a lead, before De Koning pushed forward and slotted a pivotal goal which broke the game wide open.
De Koning said he gained a lot of confidence from the 2022 season, having experienced firsthand what it takes to win in September.
"Being in that situation already, although I haven't played that many Finals, that was only my fourth Final on the weekend," De Koning said.
"It allows you to know what it takes to be that team that has won on the last weekend of September.
"It gives us a lot of confidence, obviously a lot of the boys who played in that team are still playing. We have got fresh faces and a lot more excitement, along with some boys that haven't been there as well.
"It makes you want them to feel the same way that we did, I have a lot of my closest friends that haven't played in a Grand Final.
"To be able to do for them would be amazing, hopefully we can do it."
