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The four red and blue teams in the four major leagues around Australia - Melbourne, Norwood, West Perth and Port Melbourne - all sing the theme song 'It's A Grand Old Flag' which IMO is one of the best sporting songs in the world. 


Did you know that there is actually a second verse to the song, which Melbourne used to include but dropped some time ago, but which Norwood have retained?  It makes reference to past premierships won by the club, in Norwood's case 'Oh the team played fine in the year twenty nine, the Redlegs that no-one could lick, lick, lick.  From the crowd's first yell to the final bell, the spirit of old forty six, six, six!' 


Norwood were SANFL premiers in 1929 and 1946 as referenced in the song, and for Melbourne 'Redlegs' would be substituted for 'Demons' and 1929 for 1939 and either 1926 or 1956, all of these Melbourne premiership seasons.  But if West Perth and Port Melbourne wanted to alter their songs to include the second verse, both would run into a problem. 


While 'Falcons' or 'Borough' can easily be inserted without throwing off the lyrics and music, in the case of West Perth they have no problems finding flags won by the club in 9 years.  The Falcons took out the WAFL premierships of 1899, 1949, 1969 and 1999, but a flag in a 6 year has eluded the club.  West Perth played East Fremantle in the premiership deciders of 1906 and 1946, but in both cases were vanquished by the Sharks. 


Port Melbourne have the opposite problem.  The Borough won the 1966 VFA premiership over Waverley and the 1976 flag against Dandenong, but despite seeming to be able to win flags at will in some eras, Port Melbourne to this day have never won a premiership in a 9 year.


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