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Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE from 3amGrand Final day in ’97 the “highlight and lowlight” of ex-Saint’s career
SEN • August 31st, 2025 7:30 pm
Former St Kilda star Austinn Jones experienced the highs and lows on Grand Final day in 1997.
The then 20-year-old starred for the Saints on the day with 29 disposals and kicked one of the most famous Grand Final goals, where he took five bounces down the wing before launching a major from just inside 50.
From the highlight of that moment, to leading at half-time by 13 points, things quickly came crashing down for the Saints as Adelaide’s Darren Jarman would kick five late goals as the Crows ran out 31-point winners.
Jones reflected on that famous day and the mixed feelings he still has about September 27, 1997, to this day.
“It’s a hard one for me to say, but the highlight and lowlight of my career was Grand Final day,” Jones said on This is Your Journey – thanks to Tobin Brothers.
“Being a footy kid growing up and living out your dreams playing on the MCG on Grand Final day.
“The crowd, the build-up, everything, was simply amazing.
“Then obviously the lowlight came about halfway through the third quarter when we lost control of the game. Jarman did kick five, some of them freakish, and some just fell his way, which a superstar does.
“It was an amazing day until we lost that control, and in the rooms afterwards… I probably wasn’t as emotional as some of the older guys… we maybe thought we could win next year or the year after.
“But the older guys knew how hard it was to get there and probably again.”
Jones spoke about the ’97 GF and much more about his entire career on this week’s episode.
Listen to Jones' full chat with Sam Edmund below.
