By Nicholas Quinlan
A cold, miserable and yet typical Melbourne night marked 561 days since the Giants had played at the mighty MCG and what a difference 561 days can make to a club. 561 days ago, marked a historic day for the Giants as we appeared in our first Grand Final after a nail-biting win against Collingwood the week before. While that day is now repressed in the minds of most Giants fans (including mine), I can clearly remember watching Damien Hardwick and Trent Cotchin lift the Premiership Cup towards the Richmond faithful. As I watch on from the Olympic Stand with a lot of hurt and tears but surprisingly with a hint of optimism, with the belief that our premiership chances were red hot, and that in 2020 I would be watching Leon Cameron and Stephen Coniglio doing the same on the last Saturday of September.
Now, before I go any further, yes, you heard me correctly, I am a Giants fan. Whenever I tell anyone this, I am often met with many questions and confused looks of bewilderment that I don’t follow a Victorian team. So let me save you the trouble of asking.
For as long as I can remember I have been going to the MCC with my dad (a long-suffering Saints fan) for the handful of games that we could attend at the `G regardless of who was playing. For many years, despite Dad following St. Kilda, I never followed any team but always enjoyed the spectacle that footy provides in abundance. However, an unsuspecting matchup between a sixteenth placed Melbourne and wooden spooners GWS would change all of that. I still remember that game vividly as our team of high school kids got pumped by an underwhelming Melbourne side, as I sat watching them persevering in an attempt to prevent the margin worsening. As the game was deep in the fourth quarter something clicked in my mind, and that day would shape my footy allegiance for the rest of my life. Today I still struggle to explain it. But by the end of the game, I was wearing a Giants scarf on the train ride home.
--
As I stepped onto the platforms of Richmond Station 561 days later, I would make my descent up the parklands surrounding the MCG and return, 561 days later to the humble abode of football in my orange and charcoal colours (which stood out like a sore thumb compared to the Collingwood paraphernalia surrounding me). Despite our woeful start to the year I still had that sense of optimism, however tiny, leading into the game, that we could pull an upset despite having an injury list longer than Santa’s and about as much experience in the team since our inception to the AFL back in 2012.
However, this unsuspecting Round 4 match would also mark a massive occasion for me like the one I had nine years ago as, after years of coming to watch the footy in the reserve, I would finally be admitted as a member myself instead of using my dad’s visitor’s ticket. One of the few highlights during Lockdown was receiving my MCC Membership after what felt like an eternity of being on the waiting list.
As the patrons took their seats and the game commenced, we got out to a quick lead thanks to a Bobby Hill goal. While I celebrate, it quickly becomes rather apparent that I may be the only Giants fan in the stand as it feels everyone is looking behind to spot the solitary Giants supporter like it was Finding Wally. Some things never change.
As the game went on and the Giants began to assert their dominance against a hapless Collingwood, my optimism grew as did our lead, with grand efforts such as our new captain leading the way among the team’s leaders by kicking 3 of his 5 goals in the space of 8 minutes, with the likes of Callan Ward and a recently retired (and unretired) Shane Mumford also contributing in crucial passages of play and the overall team performance. You could see a shift in mindset amongst the players as the confidence grew amongst the group which had been lacking among this side since that Grand Final. As our young…er…talent was beginning to assert themselves in the game with the likes of Lachie Ash, Tom Green, Bobby Hill, Connor Idun, and Isaac Cumming just to name a few playing a crucial role in delivering the club a much-needed win.
As I left the ground in a happy state and arrived at the platform waiting for the train to arrive, I remember contemplating how strangely similar it felt to that game nine years ago. Despite the differences in result, I was still watching them play with that same determination, persistence and hunger that ultimately led me to fall in love with the Giants.
Score
COLLINGWOOD: 1.2 – 4.5 – 7.6 – 9.6 (60)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY: 2.2 – 6.3 – 10.3 – 14.6. (90)
Goals
COLLINGWOOD - De Goey 2, Hoskin-Elliott 2, Daicos, Madgen, McCreery, Mihocek, Thomas
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY - Greene 5, Finlayson 4, Kelly 2, Hill, Himmelberg, Riccardi
Best
COLLINGWOOD - Sidebottom, Crisp, Madgen, Howe, Daicos
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY- Greene, Ward, Finlayson, Taranto, Ash, Hopper
Injuries
COLLINGWOOD - Adams (knee), Sier (illness)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY - Ward (hand)
Substitutes
COLLINGWOOD - Greenwood (replaced Sier)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY - Shipley (unused)
Crowd
29,866 at MCG
A cold, miserable and yet typical Melbourne night marked 561 days since the Giants had played at the mighty MCG and what a difference 561 days can make to a club. 561 days ago, marked a historic day for the Giants as we appeared in our first Grand Final after a nail-biting win against Collingwood the week before. While that day is now repressed in the minds of most Giants fans (including mine), I can clearly remember watching Damien Hardwick and Trent Cotchin lift the Premiership Cup towards the Richmond faithful. As I watch on from the Olympic Stand with a lot of hurt and tears but surprisingly with a hint of optimism, with the belief that our premiership chances were red hot, and that in 2020 I would be watching Leon Cameron and Stephen Coniglio doing the same on the last Saturday of September.
Now, before I go any further, yes, you heard me correctly, I am a Giants fan. Whenever I tell anyone this, I am often met with many questions and confused looks of bewilderment that I don’t follow a Victorian team. So let me save you the trouble of asking.
For as long as I can remember I have been going to the MCC with my dad (a long-suffering Saints fan) for the handful of games that we could attend at the `G regardless of who was playing. For many years, despite Dad following St. Kilda, I never followed any team but always enjoyed the spectacle that footy provides in abundance. However, an unsuspecting matchup between a sixteenth placed Melbourne and wooden spooners GWS would change all of that. I still remember that game vividly as our team of high school kids got pumped by an underwhelming Melbourne side, as I sat watching them persevering in an attempt to prevent the margin worsening. As the game was deep in the fourth quarter something clicked in my mind, and that day would shape my footy allegiance for the rest of my life. Today I still struggle to explain it. But by the end of the game, I was wearing a Giants scarf on the train ride home.
--
As I stepped onto the platforms of Richmond Station 561 days later, I would make my descent up the parklands surrounding the MCG and return, 561 days later to the humble abode of football in my orange and charcoal colours (which stood out like a sore thumb compared to the Collingwood paraphernalia surrounding me). Despite our woeful start to the year I still had that sense of optimism, however tiny, leading into the game, that we could pull an upset despite having an injury list longer than Santa’s and about as much experience in the team since our inception to the AFL back in 2012.
However, this unsuspecting Round 4 match would also mark a massive occasion for me like the one I had nine years ago as, after years of coming to watch the footy in the reserve, I would finally be admitted as a member myself instead of using my dad’s visitor’s ticket. One of the few highlights during Lockdown was receiving my MCC Membership after what felt like an eternity of being on the waiting list.
As the patrons took their seats and the game commenced, we got out to a quick lead thanks to a Bobby Hill goal. While I celebrate, it quickly becomes rather apparent that I may be the only Giants fan in the stand as it feels everyone is looking behind to spot the solitary Giants supporter like it was Finding Wally. Some things never change.
As the game went on and the Giants began to assert their dominance against a hapless Collingwood, my optimism grew as did our lead, with grand efforts such as our new captain leading the way among the team’s leaders by kicking 3 of his 5 goals in the space of 8 minutes, with the likes of Callan Ward and a recently retired (and unretired) Shane Mumford also contributing in crucial passages of play and the overall team performance. You could see a shift in mindset amongst the players as the confidence grew amongst the group which had been lacking among this side since that Grand Final. As our young…er…talent was beginning to assert themselves in the game with the likes of Lachie Ash, Tom Green, Bobby Hill, Connor Idun, and Isaac Cumming just to name a few playing a crucial role in delivering the club a much-needed win.
As I left the ground in a happy state and arrived at the platform waiting for the train to arrive, I remember contemplating how strangely similar it felt to that game nine years ago. Despite the differences in result, I was still watching them play with that same determination, persistence and hunger that ultimately led me to fall in love with the Giants.
Score
COLLINGWOOD: 1.2 – 4.5 – 7.6 – 9.6 (60)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY: 2.2 – 6.3 – 10.3 – 14.6. (90)
Goals
COLLINGWOOD - De Goey 2, Hoskin-Elliott 2, Daicos, Madgen, McCreery, Mihocek, Thomas
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY - Greene 5, Finlayson 4, Kelly 2, Hill, Himmelberg, Riccardi
Best
COLLINGWOOD - Sidebottom, Crisp, Madgen, Howe, Daicos
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY- Greene, Ward, Finlayson, Taranto, Ash, Hopper
Injuries
COLLINGWOOD - Adams (knee), Sier (illness)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY - Ward (hand)
Substitutes
COLLINGWOOD - Greenwood (replaced Sier)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY - Shipley (unused)
Crowd
29,866 at MCG
Nicholas Quinlan is a passionate supporter of any sport he can find, ranging anywhere from the AFL to Kabaddi. Whenever he isn’t busy studying for school (Year 11), you’ll find him with a cuppa in hand at his desk going through any sporting stats or footage that he can muster or smashing his family in Trivial Pursuit. He hopes one day to see his Giants win the AFL Premiership before St. Kilda gets their second.