Last week Jarrod Berry held back tears in the Lions rooms paying tribute to his late mother after an epic preliminary final win over Geelong.
This week he’s a premiership player after Brisbane’s 60-point Grand Final mauling of Sydney.
Berry wrote his wrongs from last year’s decider, when he gave away a crucial 50m penalty to Steele Sidebottom in the dying stages of the fourth quarter that helped Collingwood seal a famous victory.
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But as Berry, whose mother passed away with breast cancer in 2013, emphasised on Saturday night, there’s bigger things in life than footy.
“Football isn’t the whole part of my life – it’s a huge part – but it doesn’t define me as a person,” Berry told foxfooty.com.au in the rooms after Brisbane’s Grand Final win.
“Giving away a free kick in a Grand Final and the backlash from that is not tough.
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“Having cancer for seven years is tough and my mum was able to teach me those lessons when she was alive.
“Now I feel like I honour her by playing my football in that manner and living my life in that manner.”
Berry – and the Lions – very much did that on Saturday.
He picked up 20 disposals and a goal to cap off a strong finals series as the Lions, who started the season 0-3, charged from fifth position to win four consecutive finals and lift the premiership cup.
It included Brisbane turning around 44-point and 25-point deficits against GWS and Geelong, respectively, over the last two weeks in epic September comebacks and showings of resolve.
“The resilience we showed the whole season, not to mention in the finals, being 44 points down against the Giants – we had one foot in Mad Monday,” Berry said.
“All of a sudden that turns around and we get a bit of momentum. We’re playing in front of a massive crowd and take down Geelong.
“Then it all comes down to Grand Final day and we played nearly perfect football I guess and the weren’t able to match it with us. It’s pretty special.”
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The 26-year old said he soaked up the final few minutes of Saturday’s Grand Final domination when the Lions knew they were able to become premiers.
“There was a lot of emotions,” Berry added.
“I just felt so lucky and special to be in that position and enjoy those moments and appreciate where we’ve come from and what we went through last year.”
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