Grand Final diary: A fan’s perspective

By Alison Zell

Sport and in particular AFL evokes emotions like no other. In over 13 years as a Sydney Swans supporter I’ve ridden the highs and lows of following a football team, with the highlight undoubtedly the 2005 AFL Grand Final. Until last weekend. This was my three days in Melbourne as my team became the 2012 AFL Premiers.

FRIDAY

There was red and white around from the moment we arrived at the airport, proudly donning our Swans scarves. The Grand Final parade was to go ahead on Friday in rain, hail or shine; and we saw a bit of all of that, but mainly the rain. The Parade began from the Victorian Arts Centre with the weather so bad that the players were forced inside their cars rather than the traditional position riding in the back.

We found a position on Collins St up near the end of the parade at the Town Hall. The first thing we noticed was the red and white. It was everywhere. While the crowd of 40,000 was significantly less than normal and almost entirely due to the awful weather conditions, more than half of the spectators seemed to be on the Swans’ side.

As the teams made their way past, they were subdued but seemed to enjoy the day as favourite players were cheered and umpires booed (except goal umpire Chelsea Roffey who got her share of cheers too). The rain only got harder as the players made their way onto stage at the Town Hall and after a few words from each of the captains it was all over. But the Swans fans had made their mark, with the ‘Sydney’ chant echoing through the sodden streets of the city.

SATURDAY

It was a beautiful morning in Melbourne as we woke to blue skies for the 116^th AFL Grand Final and joined the hordes of fans flocking to the MCG. It’s always a special sight, the walk to the ‘G and there were thousands upon thousands travelling the same journey, each in their team’s colours. We found our seats in the top tier of the Southern Stand, behind the goals with the sun still shining.  But typical of Melbourne weather, it was soon cold, wet and windy with the temperature reaching just 10 degrees by the opening bounce.

Before we knew it, it was game time. Being at the MCG is special any time, but the MCG on Grand Final day is almost magical. The roar of the crowd as the teams run through the banner, the national anthem sung at full voice and the noise that erupts as the two sides take their positions to start the game. It was a game of ebbs and flows which made it a very tough game to watch as a spectator. The last few minutes were frenetic, and few at the ground knew how long was left. We were at the opposite end of the ground to where the Swans were scoring and had to wait with bated breath as Nick Malceski’s high snap was called a goal.

And then it was over. And we had won.

I was there in 2005 when Leo Barry clinched victory in the dying seconds to hand the Swans their first premiership in 72 years. Maybe it was in the moment, but somehow, this felt more special. There were yells, screams, hugs with strangers and the team song belted out at the top of our voices. It was a moment shared with every single person in red and white in that stadium.

And as the players collected their medals, it was the stories that made it special. Jarrad McVeigh’s triumph after a year of tragedy. Adam Goodes playing with a serious knee injury. Richards, Mumford, Jetta and Bolton all continuing when injury could have stopped them too. Mike Pyke making the transition from Canadian Rugby player to AFL Premiership player. Kieren Jack, son of one of Rugby League’s greatest players reaching the pinnacle in a rival code. And Josh Kennedy, with the Kennedy name so synonymously linked with Hawthorn, winning with the Swans. This was a victory for a champion team over a team of champions and the red and white faithful basked in the win.

SUNDAY

The Swans were due to appear at their traditional home at Lakeside Oval early on Sunday morning win lose or draw, and the thousands that turned out were still basking in the glory of the premiership win. Before the gates opened to Lakeside Stadium at 7.30am, a queue stretched hundreds of metres along the road as loyal fans waited to catch a glimpse of their new heroes.

Merchandise was snapped up with t-shirts, jumpers, mugs, stickers and posters all proclaiming the new 2012 AFL Premiers. The Swans team arrived an hour later, under the weather but Premiership Cup in hand and the adulation was deafening. Malceski’s heroic goal was celebrated, Norm Smith medalist Ryan O’Keefe was lauded and Shane Mumford arrived 15 minutes late after missing the team bus, to the cheers of his teammates. 

Football brings people together and walking the streets of Melbourne on Sunday in my Swans guernsey, I made friends with people I’d never met and shared smiles and nods with fellow fans as the shouts of ‘Go Swans’ and ‘Sydney’ echoed through the streets. There were 22 players on the ground on Saturday afternoon and while they were the ones that achieved the ultimate prize, it was shared by the red and white faithful all across the country.