By Lynda Carroll
With a Friday night appearance, and a Saturday afternoon feature, the Melbourne Football Club highlighted many of the proceedings at the MCG over the weekend.
It was wonderful, it was groundbreaking, and it was watched by those whose hearts truly beat red and blue. From Ron Barassi up in the stands for the win over the Bombers, to Neale Daniher watching the AFLW preliminary final win against the Lions, this was a fun time.
Friday night is, of course, a great night for football. The crowd agreed. The noise along the concourse was almost deafening, but joyful, jovial and celebratory. We’re back! Each team had its turn in the lead, everyone rose when Ed Langdon’s unlikely banana goal curved in beautifully from the boundary, and by the end of the night it was the continuation of a perfect start to the season for the Demons.
Friday night also manages to capture the entire spectrum of ages. With school over for the week, what better way to start the weekend than a night at the football? Up in the Library, the children’s section was as well patronised as the cricket and football shelves beyond. It was easy to see the favourite in the kids’ crew, with Max Gawn head, beard and shoulders – literally as well as figuratively – above everyone else.
The crowds came in in clumps, with escalators full even as the second quarter started. Zigzagging between floors, it was wonderful to see the mix of patrons, albeit wonder at the cameo appearance of one slightly befuddled looking Gold Coast supporter. I would have happily reassured him that it is never too late to change sides when your club has been in the competition for the blink of an eye, and that the MCG chips are in match winning form at the moment (not too much salt! Always a podium finish), but he drifted off to Level Four, where I am sure he enjoyed seeing Sam Weideman excel in his late call up with a career high haul of four goals, and Jake Bowey keep bouncing from win to win after a second Rising Star nomination, this time achieved against – of all teams - Gold Coast.
Maybe, I mused as I returned on Saturday morning, the lost looking gentleman was actually here to watch Brisbane, helping to keep the Queensland love alive as the Lions took on Melbourne for a spot in the AFLW Grand Final. I’m of the firm opinion that you can’t hear the ‘Grand Old Flag’ too often, and this was a lovely opportunity to keep the Demon Spirit spinning around the ground.
While the stands were much quieter than they had been the night before, there was still a wonderful atmosphere generated by those in attendance, appropriate for such an important occasion. The unfamiliar treat of a women’s AFLW final at the MCG proved to be a tense and tightly fought encounter. In line with the men’s team the day before, the Demons ran out victorious; this time by just four points, taking them to the Grand Final against the Crows. It was a fitting result for competition veteran and Melbourne captain, Daisy Pearce, who now leads the team to Adelaide and a tilt at the flag.
Meanwhile, the chips were hot, the enthusiasm levels were high, and the ‘Grand Old Flag’ was a constant feature of another wonderful weekend at the MCG. With everything that has happened over the last two years – and with the reminder of the absence of Ben Brown from the Melbourne side – we have all learned not to take our time at this beautiful place for granted. It’s a case of gathering here whenever the opportunity presents, and enjoying the winning ways of our team/s, sometimes every week, sometimes on rare occasions, and sometimes even in double doses. May every heart continue to beat true as Season 2022 continues.
ESSENDON 0.4 3.5 9.5 10.10 (70)
GOALS
Melbourne: Weideman 4, Harmes 2, Fritsch 2, Langdon, McDonald, Petracca, Spargo, Sparrow, Viney
Essendon: Wright 4, Stringer 2, Cutler, McGrath, Perkins, Wanganeen
BEST
Melbourne: Oliver, Brayshaw, Weideman, Langdon, Harmes, May
Essendon: Shiel, Parish, Wright, Ridley, Heppell
Crowd: 44,503
BRISBANE 0.1 1.2 2.3 4.5 (29)
GOALS
Melbourne: Bannan 3, L. Pearce, McNamara
Brisbane: Smith, Davidson, Campbell, Bodey
BEST Melbourne: Paxman, Bannan, McNamara, L. Pearce, Mithen
Brisbane: Bates, Dawes, C. Svarc, Grider, Hickie
Crowd: 6,436 at the MCG
With a Friday night appearance, and a Saturday afternoon feature, the Melbourne Football Club highlighted many of the proceedings at the MCG over the weekend.
It was wonderful, it was groundbreaking, and it was watched by those whose hearts truly beat red and blue. From Ron Barassi up in the stands for the win over the Bombers, to Neale Daniher watching the AFLW preliminary final win against the Lions, this was a fun time.
Friday night is, of course, a great night for football. The crowd agreed. The noise along the concourse was almost deafening, but joyful, jovial and celebratory. We’re back! Each team had its turn in the lead, everyone rose when Ed Langdon’s unlikely banana goal curved in beautifully from the boundary, and by the end of the night it was the continuation of a perfect start to the season for the Demons.
Friday night also manages to capture the entire spectrum of ages. With school over for the week, what better way to start the weekend than a night at the football? Up in the Library, the children’s section was as well patronised as the cricket and football shelves beyond. It was easy to see the favourite in the kids’ crew, with Max Gawn head, beard and shoulders – literally as well as figuratively – above everyone else.
The crowds came in in clumps, with escalators full even as the second quarter started. Zigzagging between floors, it was wonderful to see the mix of patrons, albeit wonder at the cameo appearance of one slightly befuddled looking Gold Coast supporter. I would have happily reassured him that it is never too late to change sides when your club has been in the competition for the blink of an eye, and that the MCG chips are in match winning form at the moment (not too much salt! Always a podium finish), but he drifted off to Level Four, where I am sure he enjoyed seeing Sam Weideman excel in his late call up with a career high haul of four goals, and Jake Bowey keep bouncing from win to win after a second Rising Star nomination, this time achieved against – of all teams - Gold Coast.
Maybe, I mused as I returned on Saturday morning, the lost looking gentleman was actually here to watch Brisbane, helping to keep the Queensland love alive as the Lions took on Melbourne for a spot in the AFLW Grand Final. I’m of the firm opinion that you can’t hear the ‘Grand Old Flag’ too often, and this was a lovely opportunity to keep the Demon Spirit spinning around the ground.
While the stands were much quieter than they had been the night before, there was still a wonderful atmosphere generated by those in attendance, appropriate for such an important occasion. The unfamiliar treat of a women’s AFLW final at the MCG proved to be a tense and tightly fought encounter. In line with the men’s team the day before, the Demons ran out victorious; this time by just four points, taking them to the Grand Final against the Crows. It was a fitting result for competition veteran and Melbourne captain, Daisy Pearce, who now leads the team to Adelaide and a tilt at the flag.
Meanwhile, the chips were hot, the enthusiasm levels were high, and the ‘Grand Old Flag’ was a constant feature of another wonderful weekend at the MCG. With everything that has happened over the last two years – and with the reminder of the absence of Ben Brown from the Melbourne side – we have all learned not to take our time at this beautiful place for granted. It’s a case of gathering here whenever the opportunity presents, and enjoying the winning ways of our team/s, sometimes every week, sometimes on rare occasions, and sometimes even in double doses. May every heart continue to beat true as Season 2022 continues.
AFL
MELBOURNE 3.5 4.8 10.12 14.15 (99)ESSENDON 0.4 3.5 9.5 10.10 (70)
GOALS
Melbourne: Weideman 4, Harmes 2, Fritsch 2, Langdon, McDonald, Petracca, Spargo, Sparrow, Viney
Essendon: Wright 4, Stringer 2, Cutler, McGrath, Perkins, Wanganeen
BEST
Melbourne: Oliver, Brayshaw, Weideman, Langdon, Harmes, May
Essendon: Shiel, Parish, Wright, Ridley, Heppell
Crowd: 44,503
AFLW
MELBOURNE 0.0 1.2 4.2 5.3 (33)BRISBANE 0.1 1.2 2.3 4.5 (29)
GOALS
Melbourne: Bannan 3, L. Pearce, McNamara
Brisbane: Smith, Davidson, Campbell, Bodey
BEST Melbourne: Paxman, Bannan, McNamara, L. Pearce, Mithen
Brisbane: Bates, Dawes, C. Svarc, Grider, Hickie
Crowd: 6,436 at the MCG
Lynda Carroll is delighted to be watching Melbourne playing at the MCG in 2022. She spends most of her time in the MCC Library, researching, writing, working on a match day, and cataloguing books. The term 'reigning premiers' is still sinking in for her, but seeing the flag being unfurled in Round 1 certainly helped.