Tyson’s grand dream

By Brad Kingsbury
Immediately afterwards emotions range from exhilaration and excitement for those included, to the utter despair of the unlucky ones that miss out.
Collingwood defender and former Pakenham junior Tyson Goldsack will be in that position this week, as the red-hot Magpies ponder who will make the final 22 that will shoot for a place in history against St Kilda at the MCG on Saturday.
The affable 23-year-old is preparing as he would for any other game he has played with the nation’s most famous football club, but admits that being involved in AFL finals is a unique experience.
“Finals are a totally different game and grand final week is such a big week,” he said.
“I don’t know if I am in yet. You want to think you are (playing) but you have your doubts and I’ll be a bit nervous until I am told. Then I can get a bit excited.”
Tyson has endured a season of ups and downs and was not selected for the first final but grabbed his chance in last Friday’s domination of Geelong after being called up to replace Leon Davis.
While the football public only found out that he was playing in the match an hour before the bounce, Tyson knew he was in on Tuesday but was told to keep it quiet.
That he did very well.
“I found out early in the week and was very excited but couldn’t tell anyone. It had to be kept on the down-low,” he said.
“I finally told dad (Peter) on Thursday but my mum (Wendy) and aunty Julie were going to the game anyway so I thought mum doesn’t need to know.
“It wasn’t until they were in the pub at Richmond before the game and it was on the news and dad said, ‘yeah he is actually playing’. Apparently mum screamed the house down,” he said with a laugh.
When he was taken by Collingwood at pick number 63 at the end of 2006, he never thought about anything other than playing a senior game, and did not dare to dream that he would be involved in AFL grand final week.
“First it was a dream to get drafted and then it was a just a dream to play a game,” he said.
“I suppose I was fortunate to go to a successful club on the way up like Collingwood.”
Tyson had an excellent pre-season but contracted viral meningitis a fortnight before the start of the season and that, combined with several injury setbacks, meant he spent the first half of 2010 regaining the required fitness levels for senior football.
“In my first year we played Geelong in a preliminary final and lost by five points. It didn’t mean as much because everything had just fallen into place for me and I hadn’t done the hard yards yet,” he recalled.
“But I have now.”
“Now that I’ve seen the ups and downs and gone through some hard times, this means a lot more.”
Despite his sporting journey at the elite level, Tyson’s family ties have never diminished and he and his partner Jess spent the weekend watching sister Alana in a netball grand final and her partner Sean Sierakowski play for Gembrook-Cockatoo in the Yarra Valley and Mountain District League grand final.
The Goldsack clan will be at the MCG supporting Tyson on Saturday, excluding older brother and Pakenham captain Jared, who has just moved to live in Qatar.
“It’s a shame Jared is overseas and can’t be there but he’ll be watching. They watched the preliminary final at 4.30 in the morning and they are getting up at 6 o’clock to watch the grand final at a neighbour’s place,” Tyson said.
Tyson played his 50th senior game in a four-year career with the Magpies this year and is yet to renew his contract, but said that he was hoping to have that put to bed soon after the grand final.