Dean  Cox had some painful recollections of the 2005 grand final, as did most of his teammates.

The game’s final piece of play, the ball launched long into West Coast’s hotspot only to be marked by Sydney’s Leo Barry, had come from Cox’s boot. He had played a terrific game and couldn’t have placed his last disposal any better. It just wasn’t to be. Soon after Barry’s heroics the siren sounded and so began the nightmare.

Cox was a wreck, visibly emotional as he sat on the MCG’s hallowed turf which could have been the site of the greatest moment of his AFL career. He didn’t know that 12 months later that dream would be realised and, ironically, Cox would become a premiership player in almost exactly the same position he was a shattered runner-up. At half-forward.

The clear difference was that, this time,  he was geared towards Sydney’s attack in the dying stages of a harrowing final term.

The Swans’ Nick Malceski had threaded a goal in the 27th minute to bring the margin to a solitary point. The three or  so  minutes that followed from that moment seemed like eternity.

A neutral ball was collected in the centre by Sydney’s Nic Fosdike, who roosted it forward before it was seen over the line by full-back Darren Glass. The scene beckoned for another last-gasp hero. The ball  was tossed back into play by the boundary umpire as Cox and Stephen Doyle wrestled for position. Just as soon as it reached their fingertips, the final siren sounded.

“It was actually bizarre because where I virtually finished last year’s grand final I finished this one,” Cox pointed out. “But instead of last year when I was on my haunches, this year I was celebrating, jumping, hugging anyone who was around me. That was probably the weirdest thing, that I was in a similar half-forward position.

“I suppose the runner always comes out and tells you how much time’s left. It was just a matter for us to try to create stoppages and, if we did get our hands on the footy, to keep it for as long as possible and try to run the clock down.

“I think once the ball was in dispute, then we had to get our hands on it. Fortunately enough when that siren went, I didn’t give away a free kick or something and give them a shot at goal. Things worked out well.”

The image of Cox with arms outstretched, mouthguard still in and yelling to the heavens summed up the emotion of West Coast’s triumph. So did his embrace of his youngest teammate, Beau Waters, for the year had seen a wonderful team effort.

“That’s the best thing about playing a team sport, that you get to celebrate the glory with your teammates,” he said. “Beauy was about three metres away from me and when that siren went, it was just a matter of running as quickly as we could and giving each other a hug.

“I just thought it was a fantastic effort for him to come back after having a couple of sore shoulders throughout the game and take a couple of game-saving marks. I think that just sums up our team; we are of strong character, we always stick to the game-plan and we do everything possible to win.”

Cox’s story, though longer and more detailed, is equally impressive. WA football enthusiasts would remember the raw beanpole ruckman who was named best on ground in East Perth’s premiership of 2000, a far cry from the game’s premier big man today.

“I think the first thought when the siren went was one of relief – every player puts in so much effort to get not only onto an AFL list but to play AFL footy and then to play in finals,” he revealed. “We were fortunate enough we had a very good side and had the opportunity to play in a grand final and won it.

“The WAFL one was a great buzz for me at the time but the AFL premiership is the pinnacle of my career and something I’ll never forget.”

It’s a game Sydney is poised to never forget either. As celebrators in 2005, this time they felt, as West Coast had, quite devastated. However,  the  rivalry  between  the   West Coast Eagles and Sydney isn’t run-of-the-mill competition. The close finishes of the last five contests have made it somewhat romantic and both clubs waste no time in genuinely acknowledging the other.

Cox’s respect for his Swans counterpart Darren Jolly, voiced on numerous occasions, replicates the sentiment of the big picture.

“We just love playing them,” he gushed. “They play a very similar brand of football to us and, from an opposition player’s perspective, I think the Sydney players have a relationship with Roosy (Paul Roos) like we do with Woosh (John Worsfold).

“I think that’s why both sides have succeeded in the past couple of years, because they’re disciplined, they’re hard-working, they do everything that the coach wants from them. We’re exactly the same so when we have battles you know they’re always going to be close and a great contest.

“We’ve played them three or four times a year of late now. It is a great rivalry to have and we love to be meeting them three or four times because that means we’re playing them in finals.”

But the thrill of being on the right side of the coin –  West  Coast,  premiers –  means  more than anything.

“Probably the best thing about sharing a premiership with people is that in 10 years time, 20 years’  time,  hopefully  50  years’ time, you come back and you re-live that great day, that great year, era  at  the  footy  club,” he assessed. “I think everyone at the end of their careers will part ways and go their own separate ways.

“But all of the players who did play in that game will be able to come back together at some stage quite regularly and just reminisce on why they actually did so well.”