Dees Fans Sing a Saturday Night Song

It seemed like an eternity since the Demons had played a night game at the MCG. In actual fact, it was Round 19, 2008, and I wasn’t even there. But I was there tonight for the game between my rampant Demons and an undefeated Brisbane side.

As I walked down to the Olympic Stand pocket I was relieved to see my two friends from school: Anthony, who is a passionate Melbourne supporter like me, and Nathan, who barracks for the Saints and was eager to find the scores of the St.Kilda game throughout the night. I confidently revealed that I tipped the Demons to win this match, and mentioned how Brown was underdone and the likes of Frawley, Garland and Warnock could minimize the performance of the two big men in maroon.

The game began and it was clear that the Demons had come out to play. Yes, it was the normal inaccurate and slow start that happens in most Melbourne matches and former Eagle Brent Staker kicked Brisbane’s first two behinds. Jamar, the second best ruckman going around at the present time, took yet another high mark, in a contest which saw Dunn’s face turn into a pool of blood. Bennell, who was good for the Demons despite having just nine possessions, handpassed it over the top to Trengove who smashed it through from the Punt Rd goal square, beginning a great night that would see him pick up the Round 5 Rising star nomination. Captain McDonald yet again made an early impact and Scully superbly set up Sylvia, who dashed inside 50 to put the Demons a couple of goals in front. Jonathon Brown managed to sneak away from Frawley for basically the only time of the match, and snuck through a much needed goal for his side. Two mercurial grabs and goals from Ricky Petterd brought the house down, the latter being better because it was over Travis Johnstone, who is currently looking more like a reincarnation of Jesus than a football player. Fevola kicked a goal as well, to a chorus of booing that he could get playing any side. It was the Dees by 11 at quarter time, 4.2 26 to 2.3 15. I was happy with how the Dees were moving the ball through the middle and playing on at all costs, something which they have been working on.

During the second quarter I couldn’t control myself. I couldn’t believe my eyes. If we played well in the first quarter, we played phenomenally in the second. The Lions started the quarter with a couple of misses before Aaron Davey, who is back to his magnificent best, split the middle from outside 50. Jamar kicked one as well, who had another good game, this time with the support of Stefan Martin, and is on track for All Australian form in my eyes with 12 possessions and 30 hitouts a game, along with a few goals. Sylvia again split the middle on the run, Trengove converted his second from inside the paint, and Fevola barely calmed the storm with his second, before the Demons took over again, with Brad Green swinging one through from outside 50. It was the Demons by six goals as the siren sounded. It was all too much to absorb, all I could do was give them a standing ovation and shout “Go Dees!” multiple times. Frawley was annihilating Jonathon Brown. Grimes was courageous as ever.

The second half began with a breathtaking run through the middle, resulting in a running goal to McKenzie. A short-lived anxiety came upon me when the Lions strung goals together from Clark and Fevola, his third. Nathan Jones answered this with one of the goals of the year, blind turning through a pack and putting it through from outside 50. Bate answered with a long goal from a tough angle, which put the margin back out to 43 before the Lions rallied again, with goals from Drummond and Fevola (from a ridiculous free kick). To my delight, Brown just missed a set shot to bring the Lions within 28 points at three quarter time, after dominating the last part of that third quarter. There was still a little uncertainty as to what would happen in the last quarter, but I knew that the Demons would do it.

The last quarter began and the Demons had as much commitment as they did at the beginning of the match. Green chased down Travis Johnstone on the wing, which gave the crowd something to cheer about. James McDonald kicked a captain’s goal for the third week in a row at put the result beyond doubt. Martin tapped it down the throat of Scully who swung on to his left and kicked it straight through the middle from 50. Davey finished off a great game with a snap from the pocket. The siren sounded, and the 36,396 people at the MCG all went up in one voice. I gave the players a pat on the back as they ran past.

I noticed something as I left the game. The Demons fans were singing as they left the ground, all genuinely excited. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen. And I’m a part of it.

Go Dees!

Melbourne 4.2 9.6 12.7 15.13 (103)

Brisbane 2.3 3.6 7.9 7.11 (53)

Goals

Melbourne: Sylvia 2, Petterd 2, Davey 2, Trengove 2, Scully, McDonald, Green, Bate, Jones, McKenzie, Jamar.

Brisbane: Fevola 4, Drummond, Brown, Clark.

Best

Melbourne: Moloney, Trengove, Frawley, Jones, Sylvia, Petterd, McDonald, Bate, Jamar, McKenzie, Davey, Green, Bruce, MacDonald.

Brisbane: Fevola, Black, Drummond, Johnstone.

My Votes: 3. Brent Moloney, 2. Jack Trengove, 1. James Frawley.

Umpires: Kennedy, Wenn, Jennings.

Crowd: 36,396 (Record crowd for a game between the two sides)

About Steve Healy

Steve Healy is an entity of a Melbourne supporter.

Comments

  1. Nice write up Healy.
    Although now i do feel very sorry for Melbourne fans. You see, we Collingwood supporters ALWAYS sing the song after the game, numerous times as we leave the ground. It’s quiet an uplifting and fiery experience isn’t it? :)

  2. Steve Healy says

    Thanks Danni,

    It is, but i have a feeling it’ll be happening many more times this season.

    And Collingwood supporters will always do that of course, because of their nature

  3. because of their nature??
    gee what are u implying there!!

  4. Steve Healy says

    I’m implying that collingwood have the loudest and wildest supporters, which is the truth

  5. 4- rofl u make it sound like i should be on the next episode of ‘teens gone wild’ HAHAHHA

  6. Steve Healy says

    Trust me, after the round 2 game against Melbourne the Pies fans were acting like they won the premiership, a few drunken collingwood supporters said “bad luck mate” as they walked past me

  7. anthony!!! says

    GREAT WRITE UP HEALS!!!!!
    lovin the mention!!! great game by the dees!!!!
    u gave ash mcgrath a mouth full!!!!
    good on ya heals!!! expecting more good write ups with me in them, in the future!! :D
    GO DEES!!!

  8. Steve Healy says

    Hahaha thanks Anthony,

    yeah Carn the Dees!!!

  9. I agree with Steve, you can’t deny that Collingwood has a high proportion of complete rowdy tossers supporting them.

    You know this Anthony guy Steve?

    Haha, I just realised the irony.

  10. 9- Adam first off, as if u take comment number Superman! :(

    Now, i seem to be confused.
    One day you say that not all Collingwood supporters are ferals or whatever and then the next day you’re describing the majority as ‘rowdy tossers.’
    Come on, let’s get some consistency Bulman. :P

  11. cheers for the mention heals
    but thought that i would mention that st kilda fans are actually the loudest in the afl according to a 6 year study.

  12. 11- Nathan, i beg to differ
    You see i (a Collingwood supporter) have sat in the Saints cheer squad once. (Round 7 2009)
    Let me tell you that me and my 3 friends were just as loud as the whole Saints cheer squad, so imagine how loud the Collingwood cheer squad are.
    Saints Cheer squad, nice people? Yes they are.
    Loudest? I don’t think so :)

    Danni

  13. Steve Healy says

    11- Well it clearly doesnt help does it? Hahaha only joking

    the Dees have the most passionate supporters

  14. 12 – you can’t rate how loud supporters are by their cheersquards…

  15. Danni,

    The two statements “not all Collingwood supporters” and “Collingwood has a high proportion of ferals” are not mutually exclusive. I’d say it has more ferals than any other club, but I wouldn’t go to the lengths of saying that all of them are ferals. There are some highly intelligent Pies supporters on this site.

    Also, the reason you and your 3 friends were as loud as the entire Saints cheersquad was because you were sitting close to one another. I don’t know about you, but generally noises closer to me sound louder. If someone yells in my ear, it generally hits my ear at a greater decibel level than a nuclear explosion ten miles away.

    Nathan’s right about the survey, I also believe St Kilda has the highest proportion of hot female supporters. (Bulldogs the least)

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