Collingwood v Western Bulldogs
3.20 pm Sunday May 29
MCG, Melbourne
You should never look a gift horse in the mouth. And never complain about drinking free beer when watching your football team. But that beer would be so much nicer if your team won. And watching a game of footy from behind glass at the MCG is not the proper way to watch footy. And when the hosts are a large international sports betting company (which will remain unnamed because it is not the large international sports betting company which sponsors the Footy Almanac) is it even more improper? At times I hate hypocritical me. I will get over it. Getting over the loss will take a little longer.
Such is the nature of sports viewing these days that on the train on the way in, several of the party were glued to the small screen watching the live telecast of game 6 of the NBA Western Conference final. The Warriors won to take it to game 7. As we entered Gate 5, Gennaro (AKA Spud) said that the gatekeeper (a bloke from Deer Park) said that just before we arrived Lachie Hunter and Jake Springer had rushed up asking directions to the rooms – in a bit of a hurry as they said they were late. Lachie’s father Mark – the one responsible for getting me into the betting company’s box – said that those two were probably watching the basketball as well and that is why they were late. He also forbade me from writing that because I might get Lachie into trouble. You didn’t read it here.
I am allowed to report that for the game Lach had borrowed a pair of footy boots from Matt Suckling – boots with stops. Playing so many games on the Docklands surface and Lach hadn’t felt obliged to obtain studded boots of his own, but the MCG surface demanded them. The borrowed boots were suitably iridescent.
No surprise that one of the TVs in the room was tuned to the races. Several in the room pooled resources and took an Echuca quaddie. I was neither invited to join the syndicate (they know I am no punter) nor asked for my selections. They are wise people. The profits were distributed later. Until our game started, the second TV was switched to Geelong v Carlton. The result should have been no surprise. Blues beat Pies. Pies beat Cats. Ipso facto…
Our host Gerry was a Pies supporter – one of just three of us in the room. After Dickson kicked the first of the game for the Dogs, Fasolo marked in range and seemed to look at pass options. “A million to 1 to pass it” said Gerry. This man knows his odds. Goal Fasolo. A free against Lachie saw a transition goal to Darcy Moore. A Dogs possession then had Redpath lining up. “Redpath doesn’t miss.” said Spud. “What are the odds?” came the reply. I think the eventual bet was a packet of Savoys. The shot missed.
The Pies led 19 to 18 at quarter time, and then had the better of the second quarter. But they were not taking their opportunities. Darcy Moore kicked his second but missed another. Easton Wood was taking too many intercept marks. And when Dunkley “He can’t kick. Oh.” goaled late, Pies took just a 5 point lead into half time.
At the 4-minute mark of the third quarter Mark H made his declaration “We will win by 34 points.” For about the first 7 minutes of the quarter nothing happened of any consequence. Eventually Sidebottom found Blair who goaled which was followed by another to Crocker for Collingwood to lead 44 to 29. That was as good as it was going to get. As the injuries started to mount, the scoring slowed and then stopped. Somewhere, somehow Alan Toovey got concussion. Then Taylor Adams tore his hamstring and will be out for an extended period. Fasolo injured his shoulder and left the game permanently. Darcy Moore also injured his shoulder in the last quarter, and Crocker hurt an ankle but had to return to the field to make up the numbers. Through all this the Bont “He’s done nothing.” “He’s no certainty.” “I’m not backing him.” kicked one. And then Dahlhaus was paid a chest mark right on the (point) line and was able to swing around and goal with just 18 seconds play remaining for the quarter. I hate late goals. Pies went into 3-quarter time 44 to 41.
The Dogs through Dunkley scored the first goal of the quarter to go up by 3 points and Mark H repeated his 34 point declaration. After Moore departed Treloar goaled on the run to put the Pies back up. But that was it. The last four goals all went the way of the Dogs. The only joy for the day was that Hunter’s prediction didn’t eventuate. Actually the oven-baked quail fillets with chilli were also a winner. And the beer did actually taste quite good, as free beer tends to. I suppose if you have to put up with watching your team lose, this is probably the way to do it. And I do live in the Western suburbs so I am allowed to have the Dogs as a second team. Aren’t I?
I hate hypocritical me.
COLLINGWOOD 3.1 4.7 6.8 7.11 (53)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 3.0 4.2 6.5 11.8 (74)
GOALS
Collingwood: Moore 2, Fasolo, Pendlebury, Crocker, Blair, Treloar
Western Bulldogs: Dunkley 2, Dickson 2, Redpath 2, Campbell, Dahlhaus, Bontempelli, Wood, Suckling
BEST
Collingwood: Sidebottom, Reid, Howe, Pendlebury, Greenwood, Treloar
Western Bulldogs: Wood, Dahlhaus, Liberatore, Macrae, Hunter, Suckling
INJURIES
Collingwood: Toovey (concussion), Adams (hamstring, knee), Fasolo (shoulder), Moore (shoulder)
Western Bulldogs: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Rosebury, Hosking, Meredith
Official crowd: 45,078 at the MCG
Our Votes: L Dahlhaus (WB) 3 votes; S Sidebottom (Coll) 2 votes; E Wood (WB) 1 vote
About Andrew Fithall
Probably the most rational, level-headed Collingwood supporter in existence. Not a lot of competition mind you.
Sometimes a horse has fked up teeth…
Terrific AF – witty and wise.
“One of these days in your travels a guy is going to come up to you and show you a nice brand-new deck of cards on which the seal is not yet broken, and this guy is going to offer to bet you that he can make the jack of spades jump out of the deck and squirt cider in you ear. But son, do not bet this man, for sure as you stand there, you are going to wind up with an earful of cider.”
Damon Runyon – Guys and Dolls (1932)
There is no such thing as a free beer AF.
Great work.
There is no beer like free beer, AF.
Barry Round was known to say: “I see they are serving my favourite sort of beer.” “What beer is that Barry?” “Free”
Elbow – that is why you never look.
PB – I like the quote. I don’t bet much because I am not very good at it. Which is a valid reason for not betting much.
Thanks Dips.
Agreed Smokie.
Nice one AF,
Do Brokelads still sponsor us? We must do something to cleanse the injury curse at Pieland. Bad luck, bad management or a bit of both?
Good to hear from you AF.
I was listening to Brian Taylor’s call of the game on Bogan Radio, whilst returning home in triumph.
I believe the Pies suffered some injuries. At least Brian gave me that impression during the 24,868 times he mentioned it.
Terrible pity.
Cheers
In a corporate box. With a major betting company. I hope you were drinking something better than Crownies.
An enjoyable read as always Andrew.
You didn’t miss the pre-game atmosphere behind the glass…….because there wasn’t any.
An absorbing contest in which we understandably ran out of legs eventually.
Great stuff Andrew. The corporate box -nice for the occasional visit. Not the same as being out with the people though.
Tough to watch that last quarter. At least you had free beer.