My local pub is a stadium.
I often mention to people how grateful I am for a decision my Dad made when I was just two. He got a couple of Melbourne Cricket Club members to add my name to the membership waiting list. At that stage they could not know whether I would have any interest in footy or cricket – but I grew up to become a bit of a sport obsessive.
For example, today’s agenda was watching the Olympic opening ceremony before heading to the 1956 Olympic venue for the Demons v Hawks game, then going to AAMI Park for the Storm v South Sydney match.
Through my membership I’ve seen heaps of great footy, cricket and soccer, but the membership gives more than just a ticket to a game, it gives access to one of the best meeting places in Melbourne. Think of it like the local pub – it’s the place you go to meet your mates, but in this case it’s a stadium.
The bar of choice for my friends and I is the Frank Grey Smith bar on Level 3. On arrival my wife and I head to the “FGS” to meet mates for a pre-match beer. This can be a trap for young players.
The window has a tremendous view of the entire ground, making it one of the few places in the Members Reserve where you can watch the game and drink alcohol at the same time. The committee must be okay with it – during the off season they installed benches at the window to rest your beer!
With half a pint still in my hand at first bounce, our group splits with some heading to seats, and three of us moving to the windows to watch.
I also often mention to people that I wonder how different my life would be if Dad supported Geelong or Hawthorn. In our family the boys follow Melbourne and the girls follow Collingwood. My sisters have seen premierships but my brother and I are awaiting our first. And as much as we’ve seen improvement over 2016 that flag is still a very, very long way away.
To show improvement this year, Melbourne needed to beat a premiership contender. Today’s opponent was about as much of a contender as you could get – three-time defending champs Hawthorn.
After a competitive performance against them last time I was hopeful for an upset. When Jayden Hunt bangs home the opening goal I have my first “maybe we can do this” thought. When Weideman marks strongly and goals with his first kick in footy, I start to think it’s possible, but soon our luck turns. Oliver is smashed by Rioli, but Rioli gets the free and puts the Hawks in the lead. We can hear boos directed at the player and hope that the reasoning is still footy-related.
A few more goals, one following a huge mark by Pedersen, consolidate the promising start and we take an 11 point lead in to quarter time. I decide that things are going well, so I’m going to stay at the window.
In the second quarter Hawthorn has plenty of chances but inaccuracy hurts them. Another mate comes to say hello at the window, and brings a beer for me, throwing my plans for moderate consumption into disarray, but helpfully meaning I don’t have to queue for a beer at half-time.
The Hawks add a couple of goals, and Rioli adds a contender for the mark of the day title – the unbiased view of the Dees fans in the FGS is that Pedersen’s mark was better! When the siren goes our lead is reduced to five.
At the long break our friends all gather – a Hawks fan, two Bombers, and a neutral among a few Demons.This is a common feature of a day in the MCC – mates will spend the game with one group of friends and family before meeting another group during the breaks in play. Consensus among the group was that the Dees needed to keep up their intensity because the Hawks would finish well. We all proclaimed our love Jack Viney. Keep Rioli out of it and we might grab the upset.
The Hawks immediately get the lead in the third through Gunston and Rioli, but fail to kick away. Max Gawn goals again to level the scores and Vandenberg puts us in front. We lead by a goal going into the last break but that man Rioli gets the lead back early in the fourth. But, unlike our meeting earlier in the year the Dees pull away. Stretch, Bugg, Pedersen and Tyson (a couple) kick goals without a Hawthorn answer, Max Gawn just kept plucking marks, and the lead grows.
The cheering in the FGS is loud and echoing off the windows. High fives are being exchanged with strangers. But it’s not the same being behind a window. I rush out to the balcony to cheer the last few minutes, and sing the song loudly.
Going to the footy in the MCC has been a great social event even while the Dees have been in their slump. Maybe now we will have some good footy to go along with the good company!
As icing on the cake, the Storm won in a golden point thriller, and I got home in time to watch the replay!
Joe Ryan follows golf, cricket, Aussie rules and rugby league. Still hoping for a Demons flag before climate change floods the MCG.
Match Summary
MELBOURNE 5.2 9.2 12.6 17.8 (110)
HAWTHORN 3.3 7.9 10.12 11.15 (81)
GOALS
Melbourne: Watts 3, Weideman 2, Bugg 2, Tyson 2, Petracca, Gawn, Hunt, Kent, Brayshaw, Vandenberg, Stretch, Pedersen
Hawthorn: Rioli 4, Gunston 2, Ceglar 2, Smith 2, O'Brien
BEST
Melbourne: Jones, Gawn, Viney, Tyson, Watts, Vince, T. McDonald, Oliver
Hawthorn: Rioli, Smith, Hodge, Lewis, Mitchell
INJURIES
Melbourne: Nil
Hawthorn: Stratton (pectoral muscle)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Farmer, Rosebury, Wallace
Official crowd: 38,818 at the MCG