It is rare that a season is defined by two games, but that was the case in 2004. And both of them were against Sydney, a club with whom a remarkable rivalry was about to be forged.

The first of those games was in round eight at Subiaco Oval and West Coast won the match by 27 points. But the result was almost irrelevant. Almost.

The other was the elimination final against Sydney at Stadium Australia, the home of the Sydney Olympics. All that mattered was the result. Sydney won.

The reason for the significance of the first meeting was that club legend Glen Jakovich played his 276^th – and last game – for West Coast. The mind was writing cheques his body could not cash.

So, the club games record holder and most celebrated individual, who had won four club champion awards, decided to call time.

Rather than announcing to the world that this would be his last game, Jakovich preferred a quieter approach. He wanted to keep the news ‘in-house’ until just before bounce down.

Just as he had stunned teammates by announcing his decision at the team meeting on the eve of the game so, too, was the crowd shocked by the proclamation over the public address system before the games that this would be his farewell appearance.

They had no idea of what had transpired during the week.

Jakovich had made the decision early in the week after discussing the issue with his wife, Emely. He was a man who prepared to the nth degree and as he found recovery increasingly difficult it was impinging on his ability to ready himself for the next battle. He was compromising himself and simply couldn’t do it.

So he wandered into the office of senior coach John Worsfold and told him it was over. He could play no more and wanted to retire. Effective immediately.

Worsfold managed to convince Jakovich to play a farewell game, but they kept the decision to themselves until that team meeting.

When finally that news was relayed to the fans at Subiaco Oval a cloud of disbelief enveloped the ground. Soon, though, the atmosphere changed and it became a day of great celebration.

Jakovich contributed to that, kicking three first-quarter goals, which were greeted with the usual fist pumps and associated histrionics. At quarter-time he wondered why he was retiring. By half-time he knew. He was spent.

Jakovich was a central figure in the victory, as he deserved to be, left the arena with a wave and at that juncture it was all over. Just like that!

When the two clubs lined up against each other in the elimination final, for a winner-take-all-clash at Stadium Australia on September 4, the stakes would only be higher if they were playing deeper into the finals series.

And that was somewhere foreign to the Eagles.

They had not ventured beyond the first week of the finals action since 1999 when Mick Malthouse was on his way out the door to begin his relationship with Collingwood.

Under Worsfold this was his club’s third consecutive finals appearance, but they had not been able to advance. And, disappointingly, that was again the story of this match.

The Eagles dominated early, had nine of the first 10 inside 50 metre entries, but failed to capitalise on that control. At the end of the first quarter all they had to show for all the control they enjoyed was a three point lead – 2.5 (17) to 2.2 (14).

And then, when Sydney flipped the game on its head and had their run of success, they hit the scoreboard. Hard. By half-time they led by five goals after the Eagles failed to trouble the scorers in the second term.

As half-time approached there was another major concern. The weather.

A massive electrical storm was heading the way of the Olympic sporting precinct and officials were so concerned they were considering extending the half-time break – or even calling the game off. All sorts of questions were being asked, the most poignant for the Eagles was the ramifications of abandoning the game.

Did the AFL consider half a game to be enough to form a result? If not, where and when would the game be replayed?

Could there be a reprieve for West Coast, given this one was slipping from their grasp. As it transpired those questions need not be answered as the imminent threat swept through the area and the game was completed, with Sydney commanding 41-point winners.

It was another disappointing exit for the Eagles, who had won eight of their last nine qualifying games to finish seventh. It was another example of home and away for counting for nothing when the high stakes were on the table.

While the players were gutted by the loss, there was some individual glory around the corner when Judd became the first West Coast player to win the Brownlow Medal.

It was also a season when a number of players reached satisfying personal milestones as well. Sharp shooter Phil Matera, who for the fourth time that season became the club’s leading goal-kicker, earned life membership by playing his 150^th game.

Rowan Jones knocked out his 100^th game in the same match that Matera earned the club’s highest honour, against North Melbourne in round 13. And there were 50 game marks for Judd, Adam Hunter, Kasey Green and Callum Chambers.

Remarkably Judd had played 50 successive games since his debut, playing his 50^th game against Carlton at Optus Oval. He was still just 20 years of age and in that season he would win both “Charlie” and the Club Champion Award. (By the time of the Brownlow count he had celebrated his 21^st birthday).

He and Chad Fletcher were also selected in the all-Australian team.

Aside from the retirement of Jakovich, Chad Morrison was traded to Collingwood after 148 games, Callum Chambers sought further opportunities at Collingwood and Michael Collica ended his AFL career, returning to East Fremantle.