Not even the euphoria of Melbourne's 1964 flag triumph could sway Graham Wise into having a drink.
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Celebrating with teammates in the famous Long Room of the MCG, the premiership ruckman was content sipping on a soft drink despite the momentous occasion.
Even more momentous now considering it was the Demons most recent premiership.
Wise joined Melbourne in 1963 from Ballarat and played 40 matches in the VFL.
He returned home to play and coach Golden Point in the Ballarat Football league in the 1970s before retiring from football and moving to the Border in the 1980s.
Wise has remained in Albury since and had several business ventures including running a turf farm and the Newmarket Store.
More recently he owns and runs two motels in the Albury Townhouse and Fountain Court Motor Inn.
The 78-year-old played under AFL Team of the Century coach Norm Smith and fondly recalls his instructions in the lead-up to the 1964 decider.
"Norm told us not to do anything different and stick to our normal routine," Wise said.
"I was a farm manager at the time and had one property on the outskirts of Melbourne and one in Yea.
"I worked all week as normal before the big match.
"I used to travel down to Melbourne on a Friday night and stay at Norm's house."
The 1964 decider against Collingwood attracted a massive crowd with 102,471 crammed into the MCG.
"It was an unbelievable feeling running out on the ground and it felt like your feet weren't even touching the ground," Wise said.
Wise played in the ruck for the Demons and didn't have the luxury of resting forward.
"I was our only ruckman and didn't change in the forward line," he said.
"Ron Barassi was a ruck rover along with Bryan Kenneally."
Melbourne was enjoying a golden era under Smith and was contesting their eighth grand final in 11 seasons and fighting for their sixth premiership during that time.
In a classic decider the Demons led by 11-points at the final break to set the scene for a thrilling finale.
The Demons led by nine points after 17 minutes before Collingwood ruckman Ray Gabelich kicked two quick goals to put the Magpies in front.
Gabelich snapped a clever goal from a boundary throw in before producing one of the most famous goals in grand final history.
The 109kg ruckman pounced on a loose ball at centre half-forward and with no defenders in front of him managed to bounce the ball four times before putting the Magpies in front.
Wise was quick to set the record straight and said Gabelich was resting forward and not his direct opponent when he sent the Pies' fans into raptures with his two goals.
"Ray was their No. 1 ruckman but used to rest in the forward pocket," he said.
"He was a man mountain and there was a pack contest about 70m out from goal and the ball spilled over the back to Ray who somehow had four bounces and kicked the goal.
"We were three points down with only a couple of minutes left."
Wise fondly recalls the match-winning goal.
"Our back pocket Neil Crompton followed his opponent down to our forward line," he said.
"Neil bobbed up with the match-winner and his only goal of the season."
History says the Demons would hold their nerve to win by four points.
They have failed to win a grand final since and are on the longest drought of any AFL team.
Wise is a firm believer in what has now become known as the "Curse of Norm Smith."
"I don't think the club has ever overcome the sacking of Norm Smith," he said.
"I was with Norm the night the telegram was delivered to his house to tell him he had been sacked.
"Norm couldn't make heads or tails of it at the time and didn't have an inkling that it was going to happen.
"It was massive news and the phone didn't stop ringing, there were numerous visitors and the newshounds parked outside his front door.
"It was a huge story at the time."
Two of Wise's Magpie opponents in the 1964 grand final would soon after join the O&M as player coaches.
They were Mick Bone who coached Wodonga to its first two O&M flags in 1967 and 1969.
And the other was one Trevor Steer who coached Wangaratta.
Bone and Steer were opposing coaches in the 1969 grand final.
Wise rated the Demons an even money chance of finally breaking the drought on Saturday after playing in losing grand finals in 1988 and 2000.
"I think we have a 50-50 chance," he said.
"We are the minor premiers and should be favourites but anything can happen on the day.
"We saw that when Melbourne played Geelong in round 23 and Melbourne came back from a 44-point deficit.
"But you can't expect that in a grand final, especially against a team like the Bulldogs.
"I'm probably a bit biased towards ruckmen but if Max Gawn can play anything like he did in the preliminary final he will be a match-winner."
Wise was disappointed he wouldn't be able to cheer his beloved Dees on at the MCG with the match in Perth due to Victoria's COVID outbreak.
"It would have been good if it was at the MCG because all the past premiership players would have been invited and I would have gone down for sure," he said.
"Hopefully they have a function in the new year to celebrate the occasion if they happen to win and we can go to that.
"I usually try to get down to a few matches each season before COVID hit."