They say that with pressure and time you eventually get diamonds. I would put forth that with toughness and tenderness, we get AFL football.

The game is tough, and on my most recent sample, it's getting tougher. But there are still veins of tenderness that run through our game.

Eagles players give Murphy a guard of honour.

The weekend in Perth brought that into sharp focus for me. As my Bulldog teammates and I walked up the race at Patersons Stadium on Sunday, we were met by my two oldest children, Jarvis and Frankie. They were going to run through the banner with their dad, and it was going to be great. A couple of nice photos and then we'd get to business.

There are surprises at every turn in this game, sometimes all it takes is a look. Jogging out to meet them and take their hands, I studied their faces looking for panic or fear; any sign of fretting and I would protect them as only their father could. I need not have worried. For all the noise and hostility in the air, my precious little babies looked proud. As a moment, it was a diamond.