Aussie Rules Football - Drawn Grand Final!!

[RichardMEL]

Today a bit of history happened here in Melbourne.

It was the 2010 Grand Final of the AFL (Australian Football League) season.

No, our football is nothing like the US NFL, and is vastly different to the european/world game of football (otherwise known as soccer). This is a very Australian sport. Melbourne is the spiritual home of our great game, and every year the final game to decide the premiership is held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, otherwise known as the MCG or simply 'G.

Today they had over 100,000 fans fill the stadium for the game between two bitter rivals. The Collingwood Magpies (a team you either love, or hate) and the St. Kilda Saints (whom my brother and sister both support - and they were there at the game). My team was not involved (we came second last ) however I was definitely on the side of the Saints. Both for my siblings and because nobody wants Collingwood to win (except their supporters  )

Well the game was a titanic struggle. One of the best I have seen.

Added to this... I was on dialysis at the time in the unit.

I was yelling and screaming (along with several other patients interested in the game). In the end even the nurses who didn't really care were dragged into the excitement and stress of it!! We were all cheering on hoping for a result. As for me, I was naughty and had some vodka with me - I was taking sips at various times during the game. Some of the others got on the bandwagon - when the Saints were doing badly they yelled "DRINK!" at me (I didn't). Heck, even the nurses joined in by the end urging me to drink (mind you we're talking very little sips of vodka - don't think I was totally off my head!).

It was a draw. A DRAW!!!!!!

What do they have to do now? They have to come back and play again NEXT WEEK! Yes, that's right... no extra time.. come back and do it all again next week! It's only happened twice before.

Here's the closing minute or so of the game to express some of the stress of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlpOqvRZmOQ

postscript: After D was finished I was informed that I would be placed in isolation next Saturday for the rematch (and the door locked!) because I yelled so much!! 

An amazing afternoon. Not sure if we can handle it all again next week. My brother and sister sure can't!

[gothiclovemonkey]

 
i wanna drink on D, maaybe id enjoyit more LOL
Gosh, i bet itd be fun to be next to u on the mchine!

[RichardMEL]

oh for the right girl ir would always be fun..... 

Nah mostly I am very quiet and keep to myself. Watch my laptop and try not to annoy people.. though I do chat with the nurses and stuff. Today was a bit different. It did make dialysis go quickly given over half of it was the game.

I still think it's hilarious when the nurses yelled at me "DRINK! DRINK!"  You know if you don't follow medical instruction you could be labelled non compliant...... 

oh I also got a nice tshirt from one of the senior nurses who went to Turkey on holidays. Isn't that sweet?!
 

[gothiclovemonkey]

 
dont want to be non complinat!

[RichardMEL]

hell no! I drained the bottle!! 

[Dianejt]

Richard do your brother & sister  get free tickets for next weeks game since it was a draw?

[MooseMom]

Collingwood!!  THAT's the team I saw on TV not long ago.  I happened to come across an Aussie Rules match between a team from Sydney and Collingwood, and I didn't know where Collingwood was from...and I still don't know.  Where are they from?  Is St. Kilda a town?  I really couldn't make heads or tails of what I was watching, but it was still interesting.  I'll go look at the you tube vid.

I've watched a lot of sport in my life, but I don't recall ever hearing of a championship match ending in a draw and having to be played again.  That's really interesting.

OK, I watch the vid, and even though I didn't understand it, the looks on the faces of the fans is one I certainly recognize.  There's something universal about the anguish and excitement of fandom!

[Bruno]

I'm a Saints supporter and I nearly had a heart attack. When we last won the 60 plus years ago it was against the'Woods and it only by a point. I don't want much from life (I've had it good so far) but I would reaaallly reaally love to win another flag.

[RichardMEL]

Bruno - 1966 was not 60 odd years ago! Just 44 (Stephen Milne) years! Beat Collingwood - by a point - after the siren! I love the story about Molly Meldrum (he's a bit of a rock music guru down here) got so overwhealmed that he actually passed out prior to the final siren and actually missed his side winning! 

Diane - no, brother/sister had to pay full price again for tickets this week. They got much better seats - until they found out that they would be seated right next door to the Collingwood cheer squad (gulp!)

Me, I will be back in dialysis again - possibly in isolation due to all my yelling and carry on ! 

MM - Collingwood & St. Kilda are both suburbs of Melbourne.

A bit of potted history, our game was "born" in 1858 basically as something for the cricketers to play during the winters. Back in the early days of the competition, most of the teams came from the inner suburbs of the city of Melbourne reflecting those who played the game. The furthest away was Geelong, which is a city about an hour away from Melbourne. Fast forward to the 1980's and the need to expand was pressing on the-then VFL(Victorian Football League) and at the same time the South Melbourne club was failing dismally, so they were moved up to Sydney - both to save the club, and also try and introduce our game into the heartland of Rugty Uniion and League, which is VERY strong in the states to the North of us (New South Wales, and Queensland). AFL footy has always been massive in Victoria(where I am), South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania, but not really north. Anyway a bit later on teams in South oz (Adelaide Crows, and later Port Adelaide Power) and Western Australia (West Coast Eagles, Fremantle Dockers) and another failing Melbourne side, Fitzroy, was relocated to Brisbane in Queensland.

Up till next year we have had 16 teams in the competition - 10 based in Melbourne(and Geelong) and 6 interstate teams. Next year another team (Gold Coast) join, and then in 2012 another one, Greater Western Sydney.

Beating Collingwood is a happy occasion for every other supporter as nobody likes them except their rabid and feral fans - of which there are many. 

hope that helps

[galvo]

No worries about the replay. The premiership's a cakewalk for the good old Collingwood. C O L L I N G W O O D!

[RichardMEL]

ugh 

[galvo]

Side by side we stick together!!! (Richard understands).

[Bruno]

AAAAARGH!!!! We lost. And to bloody Collingwood. I'm going to go back to blunts instead of sharps...the pain...the pain. It's bad enough living in Sydney and being the only St. Kilda supporter I know but now I have to be the only person in the Emerald city who is going through his own private hell. Why couldn't a decent team have won? ABC...ABC...ABC.
Is it too early to start planning for next year?
.................sigh.

[RichardMEL]

Galvo I only wish I didn't understand!!! 

Bruno - be thankful you are NOT here (Melb). The ferals are already out! Screaming, yahooing, honking etc.... and that was just the old patient in the isolation room!! 

My brother and sister (Saints) were at the game, near the hated magpie cheer squad, and had a horrible day. I felt so bad for them.

Me? I had a bottle of Ouzo with me at treatment. I needed it (but no I did not overdo it - indeed I was one of the quieter ones!!).

Just have to try and concentrate on the cricket now!! lol

[RichardMEL]

PS: I have already received texts from ferals and the morons will be unbearable at work (whenever they show up!). So not looking forward to that!!!

[Bruno]

Ah Richard...you understand...thank you. Your ouzo thought is great.

[murf]

Just think, Richard. This year you could be in a position to go to the Grand Final with a mate or two. No dialysis to tie you down. I do say a prayer for you each day that all will turn out OK and so far it seems to be working.

[Ang]

only good thing about collingwood winning the grand final,no more reminders of 1990 when they beat essendon.
onto the ashes for our pommie members of ihd,as a born and bred aussie congratulations cause we were pathetic to keep it clean

bombers for 2011

[galvo]

Absolutely no point in Richard going to this years Grand Final. His team will be at the local dump trying to salvage their reputations.

[RichardMEL]

Bombers are a rabble. Hirdy won't turn it around. I heard he's only sticking around for a couple of years then going for President. LOL Still I'd rather him as president than Eddie!!! Not that that's saying much. Even Houli told Hird to get knotted cuz he wanted to come to Tigerland!

As for arrogance of Collingwood supporters... spare me! 

[ChickenLittle56]

This thread really does bring the laughter out of me. The rivalry that is shown toward one's team can bring some interesting reads. It doesn't matter if its Aussie or American football or as matter of fact any other sports. When I goto my sisters house and they are watching the Chicago Cubs(baseball) play I always yell out why are you watching a bunch of losers play or they can't even get to the World Series. You could be watching tv and your team is winning(or losing) and your yelling at the screen like the coach can hear your remarks. Yeah there can be some hype talk going on wherever you are and what sports team you are rooting for. Soooo,,,whats this about Collingwood.

[RichardMEL]

Paul Collingwood is a flog!!! That's one for my English friends, and about the only ammunition I can throw their way regarding the cricket!!!

 

[RichardMEL]

OK here's some comments about the Collingwood Football Club (hey it's 0830 on a Sunday morning, I've had to get up to have my meds, and I'm wide awake...)

Collingwood is the biggest sporting club in Australia and polarises supporters much like say Arsenal or Manchester United in the EPL - you either love them or love to hate them... there is simply no middle ground with Collingwood. This reputation comes from both success, and failure, over the years and also the well known arrogance (and lack of teeth) amongst its huge supporter base. The club boasts one of the highest membership levels in the AFL of over 55,000 last year. Due to their size and profile (and it must be said, a high profile President in Eddie McGuire, who is a local television personality - hosts Millionaire, etc) have secured lucrative sponsorships with well known global brands such as Emirates and McDonald's - they are the envy of many other clubs and thus can spend big on staff and facilities, recruiting, training and so on.

Their roots begin in working class inner Melbourne, as most traditional footy clubs did, and they are right next door to Richmond(my club) and Fitzroy(went bankrupt in the 1990's and moved to Brisbane) and have an arch rivalry with several other clubs - most notably the blue blooded cheaters from Carlton, the Essendon bombers (who they play the "Anzac Day" blockbuster against every year) and of course the Richmond Tigers who share the working man's roots from the 19th century, but we're slightly more civilised 

Their reputation is well deserved having much success (15 Premierships) including a string of 4 in a row (against my Tigers) in the late 1920's however prior to 2010 they had only won one flag in 50 years (1990) despite many appearances in the Grand Final - leading to a nickname of "Collywobbles" Unfortunately that has been done away with in the last year with a very strong lineup and gameplan that has taken all before them.

Their colours are black and white strips (much like Newcastle FC) is based on the colourings of the Magpie, which they are known as. Richmond legend and former Captain Jack "Captain Blood" Dyer once said he refused to wath black & white TV because he hated Collingwood so much! Thank god we went colour!   Their arrogance extends to refusing to have an alternate or clash strip against other clubs, and their size and crowd power means the AFL rolls over on their back and does not require them to have one - unlike every other team in the league - which is bloody unfair. This means poorer clubs, such as the North Melbourne Kangaroos, are forced to wear horrible strips to play their home games in against "the pies." Some would see this stand as a bold one that respects the jumper - while I see that I also think it is wrong that there's apparently one rule for some and another for everyone else. Animal Farm anyone?

The reputation of Collingwood Supporters is just as colourful as the club itself with the vast majority being, stereotypically, uneducated and toothless ferals. Of course this is not true of all, but it's alarming the number of crime watch segments on TV where some hoon has held up a convenience store with a Collingwood beanie pulled over their face.....

One of the most well known supporters is a bloke called "Joffa" who is involved with the cheer squad. He even has his own movie. Need I say any more?

Opposition players even dislike the club - like Jack Dyer mentioned above a more recent example is another Tiger player, Jake King, who has been involved in a number of firey clashes on the field (he is fairly easily provoked it must be said). It seems to stem from this incident, beautifully caught on TV, when he was called a "******* midget!" by Alan Didak(who is a player who could also take that title!) - view here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIuP8qAFsOU). And this is the big fight that happened in a later game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKDcK80XIfQ&NR=1

Incidently Jake King told me himself last year how much he hates them! However to his credit in his last game against them he was much more settled down and nothing exciting happened!

During the Federal Election last year, PM Julia Gillard suggested everyone who hated Collingwood should vote for her party (she is a well known supporter of a rival team, the Western Bulldogs). http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/special-reports/collingwood-say-julia-gillard-has-lost-votes-after-saying-she-hates-pies/story-fn5ko0pw-1225907286357

As you can see you either love them or loathe them. They are currently a very strong team though (sadly!) and they are a real chance to win the premiership again in 2011.

Collingwood has even made it into a Hollywood film - "Funny People" from 2009 where Eric Bana plays a fanatical St. Kilda suppporter (which he is in real life, atends games when in Melbourne, etc) who has a whole scene where he waxes lyrical about how much he hates Collingwood!

Anyhoo, some more inforation is available here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collingwood_Football_Club
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joffa_Corfe

[galvo]

I object. I have nine teeth!

[RichardMEL]

I object. I have nine teeth!

That's much more than the average!!! 

(and for the record I dated a COllingwood supporter for over two years and almost proposed.... hahaha)