On a balmy Thursday evening in 2012, Brisbane’s Gabba shimmered under lights as Brett Ratten’s Blueboys headed north for their first interstate clash of the season. The surface was pristine, the temperature perfect, yet the opening minutes were scrappy with both sides adjusting to the dew.

But the second quarter belonged to the Blues, and it was the quarter that yet again showcased Eddie Betts’ on-field genius. Using Brisbane’s James Polkinghorne as the human stepladder, the Blues’ No.19 launched himself skyward on the wing – hanging for ages in the air, juggling the ball in descent, and clutching it cleanly on landing. The crowd roared in disbelief at the sheer athleticism of the little bloke, and as the late Dennis Cometti memorably noted: “He’s [Betts] got the aid of the parachute pants – they filled with air on the way down”.

In the third quarter, Betts delivered his second masterpiece, flying high to take a spearing Chris Yarran kick at the top of the square. This time using Cheynee Stiller (and a little bit of Ed Curnow) as the launch pad, Betts took off again, this time with a pure vertical leap in completing the grab. The mark was every bit as breathtaking as his first, and the ensuing goal stretched the visitors’ lead to 57 points at the final change.

By siren time, the Blues had romped home by 91 points, yet long after the final margin was forgotten, fans would remember the little maestro from Carlton. Eddie Betts’ two fabulous marks that night - improbable leaps of courage and timing and both worthy of Mark of the Year – which lit up the Gabba and etched themselves into the 2012 highlights reel.

On a perfect Brisbane night, the small man had flown higher than anyone.