Rhonda Bracey: At Random

<sigh> Collingwood were just *so* close to winning the Preliminary Final against Geelong. Had there been another 30 seconds in the game, it could’ve happened—it was *that* close. Collingwood were scrambling for possession on their 50m line when the siren went… and it was all over. Geelong won by 5 points, and history will show that that’s all that matters. Geelong now play Port Adelaide in the Grand Final this Saturday, and if they win, it’ll break a 44 year drought of not winning a Grand Final.

Now, let’s look at the positives…

• Our hotel was just a 200m walk from the MCG and on the same side as the entrance gate we had to use. Can’t get much closer than that!
• Our seats were in the premium seating area just behind the city-end goals, and were very comfy, not like those bone shakers at Subiaco Oval!
• We sat with the Collingwood ‘family’—parents, siblings, wives, girlfriends, children of the players, plus those in the team who weren’t playing (you can tell who they were by their ‘uniform’ of dark suits and black and white striped ties).
• The MCG is a FANTASTIC venue! Much shorter and rounder than I expected (compared to Subi which is quite long and oval). Walkways, bars and food areas, toilets, etc. were all neat and clean and well-finished. Unlike Subi which is a grey concrete disgrace.
• The crowd was officially 98,002 (Mum and I reckoned we were the “2”!).
• Despite the size of the crowd, the noise didn’t sound any louder than the crowds at Subi. Unlike when the Eagles or Dockers play at Subi, the crowd really wasn’t into any chanting, except sporadically. That was a surprise. However “Coll–ing–wood” is such a hard word to chant, unlike “Freee—oooh!” or “Eeeeaa—gles!”
• The weather was kind. Friday was patchy cloud for much of the day, with a drop of rain about 2 hours before the game. It was bit chilly at the MCG, but my Dockers scarf and a light coat was sufficient.
• Because it was the footy, Mum and I indulged in a “Four’n’Twenty” pie each, plus a bucket of chips! “Football, meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars…” as the song goes!
• My nephew kicked 3 of Collingwood’s goals and was their equal highest goal scorer. Gotta be happy with that! Two of the goals he kicked put Collingwood in front, and the final one put them within 5 points of victory. But it wasn’t enough…
• Photos are here…

Was it worth it? Absolutely! Even despite the loss.