Now, I am what you would have to call a reluctant footy fan.
Despite coming from a long line of Collingwood supporters – I had great uncles who played for Collingwood in the 1920s – and a family who, whilst never attending a match, professed themselves to be Pies fans, I never had all that much interest in the footy or sport at all, really.
So, imagine my surprise to find myself married to a die-hard Tigers fan and raising a family of Tiger Cubs, all of whom can analyse a game to the nth degree.
Over the years, despite only attending less than a handful of games a season (and some seasons none), I seem to have developed a devotion to the Richmond footy club. I find myself owning Richmond clothing and wearing tiger ears to the games. I blame the process of osmosis.
In my home, there is endless re-watching of winning games and endless dissections of any and all Richmond games and constant, constant footy discussions. There, in fact, has been many a time in both social and work situations where I have been able to have meaningful and insightful conversations about Tigers games. Amazingly, I have been given compliments upon my footy knowledge – impressing people with my incisive comments – go figure!
My actual passions lie elsewhere – with books and history – and on this past ANZAC Eve, these passions coincided with the Richmond/Melbourne game. I currently manage a project that is close to my heart; the Outreach program of the Premiers Spirit of ANZAC Prize competition. This involves travelling to secondary schools all around Victoria talking to groups of students from Years 9 and 10 about the sacrifice our soldiers have made for Australia since WWI and encouraging them to enter the competition.
As my dear Dad was a POW in Changi for over three long years during WWII, this is a project that I can put my heart and soul into.
So I jumped at the chance to attend the ANZAC Eve game this year with my husband, daughter and a close family friend. I felt that familiar frisson of both excitement and awe as we approached the MCG, passing the statue of that Richmond great – Kevin Bartlett, silhouetted against the evening sky.
Whilst I cannot tell you much about the game beyond the fact that the mighty Tigers won, despite an early run by Melbourne in the first quarter, and that Tom Lynch is settling well into the team – scoring each game he has played - and that Jack Riewoldt (my favourite) has been injured again, I can tell you that the fact of the game meant a lot to me and to many others, I suspect.
Who could deny the solemnity and importance of the occasion as the soldier rode his horse into the stadium carrying the eternal flame from the Shrine of Remembrance?
Nor the sorrow of the parents of sapper Rowan Robinson, who was killed so young, whilst on deployment in Afghanistan as they lit the stadium flame. Nor the showing of the ANZAC spirit of camaraderie when both teams ran through a joint banner at the start of the game.
Lastly, I will never forget the awesome sight of the ‘G lit almost solely by the light of mobile phones held aloft as a tribute to those who have served.
It was indeed a night worth remembering – whatever the outcome of the game – as Melburnians from two tribes came together to honour our ANZACs.
Kaye De Petro knows nothing about football but a great deal about history and sometimes the two intersect. Married to a football tragic, she has somehow raised three Tigers fans, much to her astonishment.
RICHMOND 3.1 5.4 7.9 12.13 (85)
MELBOURNE 4.1 4.2 5.5 6.6 (42)
GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt 2, Ellis 2, Castagna 2, Baker 2, Lynch, Ellis, Martin, McIntosh
Melbourne: Smith, Lockhart, Gawn, Hunt, Neal-Bullen, Fritsch
BEST
Richmond: Vlastuin, Houli, Prestia, Lambert, Baker, Riewoldt
Melbourne: Gawn, Melksham, Hibberd, T.McDonald, Brayshaw, Viney
Crowd: 72,704