In his 200th AFL game Ashley McGrath recreated a moment that every kid dreams about when kicking the footy in the backyard.
McGrath's kick after the final siren in round 13, 2013, to defeat Geelong is remembered as a fairytale finish to an unforgettable game and a moment that sits at the top of his career highlights.
The former Brisbane Lions forward rated the match-winning goal on a par along with the preliminary final win against Sydney in 2003 and playing a role in the premiership triumph over Collingwood a week later.
His kick capped off one of the most remarkable comebacks in AFL history, dubbed the "miracle on grass" by commentator (and Cats supporter) Anthony Hudson.
With only five minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Lions trailed by 52 points.
McGrath and his teammates seemed to be heading towards a heavy defeat, with the deficit 38 points at the final change.
“I remember at three-quarter time thinking, 'This might not be the greatest highlight for my milestone', McGrath recalled. “But ‘Vossy' (coach Michael Voss) gave us some confidence, telling us we could still do something with this game and we shouldn't let it become a blowout.”
The Gabba crowd was at fever pitch as the Lions dug deep and the momentum shifted. In the last quarter Brent Moloney and Daniel Rich stepped up while veteran Simon Black played a pivotal role.
Scores were level after Rich's powerful left-foot kick from the pocket went through.
The Cats led by a point in the dying seconds when full-back Daniel Merrett marked deep in defence.
The ball moved the length of the ground in a chain of possessions involving Elliot Yeo, Black, Joel Patfull, Jed Adcock and finally Dayne Zorko, who spotted up McGrath with a perfectly-weighted pass.
As he took the mark in front of his opponent Josh Hunt just before the final siren sounded, McGrath knew this was his moment.
“I knew I could make the distance,” he said. “I just remember after jumping in the air and marking it, I cramped up a little bit in my left
calf. But I knew that if I went through my normal routine, I'd have a chance.”
The ball wobbled off his boot and initially it appeared to be heading towards the right goalpost.
But suddenly it veered left, just enough to sneak through the middle for McGrath's third goal of the match, and the home fans erupted.
“I've seen a lot of guys over my career take too long, change their routine and stuff it up,” he said.
“But I stuck to what I knew. It didn't come off pretty but it went through and that's all that mattered."
For McGrath the emotions ran deep. He had lost his father, Cliff, only six months earlier, and as he pumped the air in triumph, he could not help but feel his dad might have had a hand in the goal.
“I think he was probably smiling down on me, helping me push that one through,” he said.
McGrath copped his fair share of advice from his Geelong opponents during the final passage of play. He recalled a previous encounter in 2012 with Steven Motlop, who put him off a shot on goal after calling him "Turtle Guts".
After retiring from the game at the end of 2014, McGrath returned to his home state of Western Australia and works for the Clontarf Foundation, mentoring young Indigenous boys and preparing them for life after school.
But the memories of the famous night at the Gabba live on.
“I still get pulled up in the streets and 40-50 per cent of the time people tell me I stuffed up their multi (bet). I say to them, ‘You should've backed us!'” he said with a laugh.
