Despite being enthusiastic Collingwood supporters, our family seldom went to the footy.
Occasionally we would go to Victoria Park trying to avoid splinters from the seating.Having been born and bred in Collingwood, well Clifton Hill as my class detractors love to point out (they refuse to accept that Clifton Hill is a Ward of Collingwood), I never really had any choice for which VFL (when Melbourne football was as it still should be) team I would barrack. I had a better chance of rejecting the Catholic religion of my mother.
When visiting my grandparents home in Kiwa Street, Clifton Hill, my Collingwood mates and I would go to the ground and loiter around on the street behind one of the goal ends, hoping that a good kick would carry the ball over the stands into the street. Then there was an unholy brawl to claim ownership of the footy.
If you failed it was back to kicking the bundle of newspapers wrapped up with elastic (we called them lacquer) bands.
Having moved to Preston in about 1952 and aging a bit the footy was followed on the radio every Saturday afternoon (six games on local ovals as it still should be). In the very early days I had a crystal set with the aerial wire attached to my bed's wire base or perhaps the window fly wire.
Then we got the radiogram. It had a record player with a spindle you could stack the records on and they dropped down one after the other. Unfortunately, Dad not having been on overtime for a long time, we only had one record so the drop down thing was really a bit of an extravagance. No one else in the street had one. The record was ‘Begin the Beguine’ by Chick Henderson. Ask me to recite the words.
For the Olympics we got a Pye 21-inch TV and we were able to watch the footy replay on Saturday night with soup and toast.
We would also gather in Ashton street to rejoice or bemoan Collingwood's luck on the day. The team was very important to the financial viability of our local milk bar. If Collingwood lost, all of the Sporting Globes would be returned still wired up.
Later in life I had an office in Wellington Parade just near the corner of Powlett Street, opposite the MCG. My partner Greg Meese had a very strong connection with Fitzroy Football Club. His father Harry had been secretary for years and his uncle was Bill Stephen the iconic coach. Greg played for the under 19s and had a good future. At least until he met our mob at Uni which allowed him to fall into error. Thus Fitzroy was my second team - Brisbane is not.
Greg had been put down for membership of the MCC at birth, as were most of my later life friends. It was not a high priority for my father. My mother promised to knit me a Collingwood scarf, but only having one knitting needle she had found working as a cleaner at the Melbourne Club in Collins Street it never eventuated. She kept looking for that other needle, God bless her.
In those days lunch at the `G in the dining room was a good time. We would often go for lunch, me as a guest. During one lunch in about 1978 one of my mates suggested that I put my name down for membership. I responded saying “what was the point? I’d be an old man when I got in”.
“You’ll enjoy it as an old man,” he said.
So the form was completed at the table and I paid the $15 (I think) application fee.
I forgot about it soon after and in 1984 moved to Townsville. I would often come down to the footy but attended the MCG as a guest.
In about 1998 I received a letter telling me I was in as a Restricted member and the rest is history.
While still living in Queensland I get down to the MCG for quite a few games each year. My Melbourne mates complain that I get more use from my membership than they do.
I love going to the `G, it really is a great day. Even better if I am able to get a table in the dining room. Being encouraged to put my name down for membership in 1978 was some of the best advice I’ve have ever had.
On Saturday I was in the MCC dining with Judy Meese and John Harms. I’ve known Judy since uni days and I met Harms at a lunch in Townsville (of course). We have mutual footy friends and, as he now lives in Melbourne, it’s a great chance to catch up with them all. We once had two tables and probably should have got a lectern out so someone could speak.
It was magnificently warm in the dining room for the Richmond-Lions game and surprisingly comfortable in the shadows outside, although the football was pretty ordinary – ordinary enough to move us to pay our respects to Percy Beames after half-time. We did get back out there for the final quarter when the Lions rallied, if you can rally when the game is over.
A final ale inside and we headed back to our lives: Harms on the train through the Pie heartland, past Collingwood, past Victoria Park and through Clifton Hill. That brings back memories.
Victoria Park was great fun but I don’t miss the splinters.
Tony Moon is a Townsville barrister. He barracks for Collingwood.
Match Summary
RICHMOND 5.4 9.8 14.11 17.15 (117)
BRISBANE LIONS 2.0 4.0 6.3 11.9 (75)
GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt 4, Edwards 2, Menadue 2, Lloyd 2, Vlastuin 2, Deledio, Cotchin, Vickery, Miles, Ellis
Brisbane Lions: Hipwood 3, Taylor 2, Green, Walker, Schache, Jansen, Martin, Hanley
BEST
Richmond: Martin, Riewoldt, Vlastuin, Ellis, Menadue, Rance
Brisbane Lions: Hipwood, Mayes, Rockliff, Jansen, Mathieson
INJURIES
Richmond: Hampson (knee)
Brisbane Lions: Robinson (concussion)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Fisher, Margetts, Dalgleish, Chamberlain
Official crowd: 28,883 at the MCG