As I sat on the verandah with a coffee on Saturday morning, wondering what sort of game would play out between Fitzroy and Uni Blacks, there was a not so subtle sign.

The dog’s metal dinner bowl blew past like a tumble weed and disappeared in a far corner of the front garden. The strong north-westerly wind was going to play a part at Brunswick Street Oval.

As if to drive home the point, the car radio on the way to the ground served up Hendrix playing The Wind Cries Mary.

I arrived at the oval to find Bernie’s Twos doing a number on the Blacks: when availability allows they are a formidable outfit with players knocking on the door of senior selection. Their 65-point win also reinforced that there was going to be a lot of shots sailing through at the western end of the ground and bouncing past startled dog walkers.

The senior men’s team duly ran out, with McKay, Staples and Wilson into the 22 for Ligris, Winstanley and Davie.

The Roys were kicking with a stiff breeze, but its flukey and blustery nature meant that kicking goals – and even hitting targets inside 50 – would not be a straightforward process.

They found a way, however, through the Ramshaw brothers, with Laird converting the first from the goal square and Heath driving the next one home from 60 metres.

After heading to the first change with a 19-point lead, the Roys were urged by coach Ronaldson to ramp up the pressure and give the Blacks no time on the football.

For much of the second quarter that is what they did, with long passages of scrappy, contested play on the outer wing, which didn’t make for good viewing for the large crowd spread out in front of the Kevin Murray Stand.

The Blacks kicked three late goals and managed to peg the margin back to one-point at half time.

Worryingly, Fitzroy conceded a couple of soft goals against the breeze early in the third term, but they also countered with five of their own – three of them in an influential burst from former captain Turner.

With the wind behind the Uni backs in the last quarter, Fitzroy needed to keep taking the game on to ensure the win, and that’s what they did. The stoic backline was under siege at times, but stood up, with Green, Toohey and Holmes particularly dependable.

And when Turner and Laidlaw combined for a clever goal midway through the term, the four points were effectively pencilled in.

When the final siren heralded the 16-point win, the large Roys contingent erupted. As Hendrix sings in ‘Mary’, You can hear happiness.

The next sound I heard was the ping of the mobile phone. Cousin Guy, in the veterinarian hospital to have his claws clipped, had fired in a text: ‘’The pulse gets stronger’’. I presumed he meant Fitzroy’s quest to remain in Premier section, rather than an update on his recovery from surgery.

After the match Fitzroy was presented with the Rooj Ay Nwar Cup (spelled Rouge et Noir allegedly) – the first time it had been in the hands of the Reds since before some of the Rouge players were born, apparently.

Midfielders Heath Ramshaw and Toohey were superb contributors in the win, with Wilson and Tauber also putting in handy shifts. McKay and Clayton dominated the rucks. Turner was the best of the forwards, Green the pick of defenders.

The quest to avoid relegation now hinges on next Saturday’s away game against reigning premiers, Collegians, at Harry Trott Oval. They need to win to ensure finals, the Roys need to win to give themselves a chance for eighth spot.

Both have plenty to play for, so it will come down to composure, consistent effort and courage. I have seen Fitzroy produce the qualities in various crucial games over the past few seasons, and have no doubt they can do it again.

I sense something special is in the air. You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

Garry Gorilla