The last Saturday in September, 2022 produced a number of moments that are etched into Geelong Football Club folklore.
Isaac Smith setting the 'G alight, Patrick Dangerfield willing his side to a premiership, Joel Selwood's incredible final goal and the cherry on top of a perfect season, just to name a few.
But the day after standing atop the premiership dais, the Cats produced even more iconic moments.
As they were presented up on stage in front of the club's adoring fans, Mark Blicavs strolled out still in his full playing kit complete with boots, tape and a combination of blood and dirt from the MCG still smeared across his legs.
It was a scene that was funny and iconic enough to write its own chapter in Geelong's 2022 triumph, but as Blicavs explained the backstory behind it was equally as good and inspired by a Cats legend.
"Yeah it was good, it was a good few days," Blicavs told Cats Media with a wry smile.
"The 24-hour kit, Harry Taylor had gone 18 or 19 hours in full kit after a flag.
"He was one of our player managers working with the medicos at the time, in his role with the Cats.
"I beat him by a couple of hours, jeez my feet were sore but it was well worth it."
The emphatic Grand Final performance from Geelong was Blicavs' 227th game, coming nearly a decade after making his debut on Easter Monday in the opening round of 2013.
Prior to 2022, Blicavs had featured in 21 Finals, which included five Preliminary Final defeats and a Grand Final loss in the COVID-affected 2020 season.
There had been no shortage of close misses and painful endings for Geelong in seasons gone by, but 2022 was different.
Blicavs would play a pivotal role on Grand Final day, collecting 23 disposals and 15 hit-outs to go with a first quarter goal, helping the Cats to reach the Holy Grail of football once more.
All the heartbreaking defeats and disappointment was immediately washed away, as Geelong held aloft the premiership cup for the first time since 2011.
It proved to be extra special for Blicavs, getting his first taste of premiership glory alongside a number of other players who had tirelessly toiled away for years to reach that moment.
Tom Hawkins, Joel Selwood, Mitch Duncan, Jed Bews and Cam Guthrie were all at the club prior to Blicavs' arrival, while Jake Kolodjashnij was selected the following year in the 2013 draft.
The core group of Geelong players had ridden all the highs and lows together, while also adding in the likes of Patrick Dangerfield and Jeremy Cameron along the journey.
It meant that the 2022 premiership carried extra meaning for Blicavs, reminiscing on the result and what it meant to him and the playing group.
"It was good, there was some relief and a bit of disbelief, but it was fun to be out there," Blicavs said.
"It was great to win with the crew that we had, especially the players that had been there for 10 or 12 years. I got drafted with 'Bewsy,' 'Kola' soon after, 'Guth' and 'Duncs' then obviously Joel [Selwood] and Pat [Dangerfield], I could name them all.
"To have that crew, we had come so close and lost a lot of Prelims, we lost a Granny as well, there was a lot of learnings and a lot of hurt and pain.
"So to win on that day, from what we had been through, I am not sure it could have felt any better. It was a bit of relief but it was amazing to have put the work in on the track, then get the result the way we did.
"It just felt like it was something special."
