Saints fan breathless- Berwick’s Ash Bourke is counting down the days until the Grand Final replay. 53718 Picture: Kim Cartmell

By Kelly Yates
ASH Bourke was “stunned and silent” after last weekend’s Grand Final draw between the Saints and Pies at the MCG.
The 21-year-old St Kilda fan from Berwick has already snapped up tickets for this weekend’s blockbuster replay.
Last Saturday Ash was eight rows back from the ground where players from both sides collapsed onto the grass in disbelief while the crowd stood with hands on heads with the score tied at 68 points apiece.
“When we were five points up, I thought we had it and the Saints fans started celebrating hard. Then the Pies ended up being one point up and I was about to cry.
“But then we got it to a draw when there was one minute and 30 seconds left. It was the longest minute of my life.”
Ash said the whole stadium went silent as the sirens went off.
“It hadn’t been quiet all day. No one knew what to do. Everyone was stunned,” she said. A few days after the shock result, and Ash says she has mixed emotions.
“I get sad at the thought of how close we were and then I realise how close we were to losing it,” she said.
“Now I’m excited for them to go out there and win it this weekend.” The draw seems to be the perfect result for the Bourke family, with Ash, her mother Linda and youngest sister Maddy backing the Saints while her father Stephen and eldest sister Lauren support the Pies. Ash, who is all about superstition when it comes to her beloved AFL team, plans to wear the same Saints jumper she wore to last weekend’s game.
“Well, we didn’t lose so I’ll wear it again,” she said. Ash says she’ll be more nervous at Saturday’s showdown.