Winter Saturday, late morning. I’m across town and on the windy road up the mountain from the sprawling eastern suburbs of Melbourne. The suburban flatland grid is left behind. Tree ferns and eucalypts appear around bend after bend after bend.
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Through some unexpected traffic lights at Sassafras, tall stands of mountain ash welcome me to Olinda. This is a high village of the Dandenong Ranges. At the entrance to Olinda Recreation Reserve the gatekeepers have set up an open fire in a cast iron bowl.
The home team have copped a whack in the seconds.
Olinda Ferny Creek 1.5.11
Upwey Tecoma 17.15.117
I’m past the active netball court and around to the canteen for a couple of warming potato cakes. Five young netballers arrive at the counter with canteen vouchers.
“Do you know what you want?”
“Nah, you go.”
This is Round 15 of the 18-round Outer East Football Netball League season. Today home side Olinda Ferny Creek (fifth) takes on Upwey Tecoma (fourth). A proverbial 8-point game.
Olinda Ferny Creek in white jumpers with a narrow red V, red shorts and red socks: the Bloods. Upwey Tecoma in vertical stripes of black and yellow, white back panel, black numbers, white shorts: the Tigers.
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Olinda kick to the members’ end in the first quarter. The first five minutes is fast. The ground is firm all over with a good grass coverage. After five minutes we have an Olinda Ferny Creek mark in front of the “Sir Dave Noorda” Stand. The kick from the tightest of angles sails through for a goal.
At the other end, Upwey Tecoma win the free for holding the ball.
The call of a magpie sounds around the ground.
Olinda Ferny Creek coughs up possession deep in defence and Upwey Tecoma swoops. Car horns toot their approval.
QT
Olinda Ferny Creek 1.3.9
Upwey Tecoma 2.1.13
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I’m around to the hill for the second quarter, to see fast, courageous footy.
Straightaway Olinda Ferny Creek goal from congestion right in front. They have clearly started the better in the second quarter. Their onballer who wears #48 and whose dreadlocks are bound together halfway down his back runs with fast, loping strides. He is a sure ball-handler.
The coffee stand does a solid trade near the pavilion, next to another cast iron fire bowl. A smoke trail rises and twists.
An Olinda Ferny Creek fast break through #48 sees a snap and goal.
The resting Olinda Ferny Creek ruckman shouts encouragement to his replacement.
“He doesn’t like it, Fos! Get into him!”
A clearing kick from the Upwey Tecoma defence comes straight back to them where an Olinda Ferny Creek toe touches the ball over the goal line.
A chain of handballs across the centreline lead to another Olinda Ferny Creek goal from open play.
Five blokes with stubby holders stand around their own fire, which burns right there in the car park.
And another chaos ball in the Olinda Ferny Creek goal square breaks to another soccered goal off the ground.
Another chain of handballs under immense pressure ends with a sixth unanswered goal to Olinda Ferny Creek.
The run is broken only when Upwey Tecoma win a free kick for too high. The set shot for goal is accurate.
Next to me, supporters hear that Richmond have the lead against North Melbourne, in a game that will have a bearing on who finishes the AFL season in last place.
“Tigers are up against North.”
“Geez, don’t try too hard, Tigers.”
“Wouldn’t mind a decent draft pick.”
Olinda Ferny Creek win the free kick on the stroke of half time. The goal closes out a dominant quarter.
HT
Olinda Ferny Creek 8.5.53
Upwey Tecoma 3.4.22
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At half time, the oval is taken over by kids kicking balls around.
The netball continues.
A black Labrador dozes under a bench seat as a spilled footy bounces towards me.
I pick it up and a young fella runs past and calls for it.
“Yes, hands, hands, hands.”
I handball it into his path and as he takes it from the air he says: “YES! Great hands!”
Third quarter. Olinda Ferny Creek are boxed into their backline. They can’t get it forward of the wing. I’m on the downhill side of the oval now where two old timers walk past each other.
“Starting to cool down.”
“No surprise.”
Up here at 590 m altitude the temperature is 9.0 °C (feels like 7.5 °C).
Olinda Ferny Creek’s bearded fullback drops a mark. Upwey Tecoma collect the crumbs and kick the crucial first goal of the half.
And Upwey Tecoma get the next, from scrappy open play in their forward line. Little clouds appear each time a player exhales.
Olinda Ferny Creek get a steadier when the full forward, who wears a log sleeved guernsey, takes a lovely mark. He kicks it into the netball courts.
For an extended passage of play, Upwey Tecoma throw everything but Olinda Ferny Creek’s defence stands up strong.
A kookaburra calls loudly from a gum tree. The rucks continue a good battle.
Olinda Ferny Creek now pushes forward in a wave that breaks with a goal in front of the members.
3QT
Olinda Ferny Creek 10.6.66
Upwey Tecoma 5.8.38
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Last quarter. Fifth placed Olinda Ferny Creek with a good lead.
The Upwey Tecoma rover with the sides of his head shaved runs and yaps like a blue heeler, but it’s Olinda Ferny Creek with the first goal of the quarter.
At the 12 minute mark Upwey Tecoma score their first of the quarter but the sting has gone out of the game.
The smoke trails of three separate fires rise from various points around the ground.
Another goal or two are scored either way, but the contest is over.
FT
Olinda Ferny Creek 13.9.87
Upwey Tecoma 7.12.54
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I walk back to the car in the cold and gloom of late afternoon. Headlights are on.
It’s a happy day for the home team as ancient eucalypts stand through another winter on the mountain. Somewhere a kookaburra calls.
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Read more from E.regnans HERE
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About David Wilson
David Wilson is a hydrologist, climate reporter and writer of fiction & observational stories. He writes under the name “E.regnans” at The Footy Almanac and has stories in several books. One of his stories was judged as a finalist in the Tasmanian Writers’ Prize 2021. He shares the care of two daughters and likes to walk around feeling generally amazed. Favourite tree: Eucalyptus regnans.
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e.r.,
I greatly prefer watching local footy, and have done for a number of years.
The local “match day experience” could not be any more distant from what is presented to us at AFL level.
So many stories at the local level with which to engage.
Thanks for this.
Thanks Smokie – a long running conversation.
The potato cakes alone were worth the drive.
Thanks for this Er. Many years ago, as part of a holiday, I took my boys to the playground in the Olinda Recreation Reserve. It was a clear and cold weekday and as they scurried about on the slide and swings, I took in the ground and was struck by the beauty of the context in which the ground is set. Like some ovals in the Adelaide Hills, there’s a deeply attractive intimacy about the setting that’s most romantic. As many of us do I then imagined being out there for footy and also cricket. I also thought about being a spectator there and through your evocative story I’ve experienced this too. Grand stuff!
Er, a winter afternoon well spent.
I can hear the kookas, smell the woodsmoke, taste the fare and see the goals scored. Thanks for taking us there.
Great work, E.r – I have a tangential connection to the Olinda Ferny Creek club by way of Port Vila. I’ve never been there in person, but between stories like this and those heard at twilight in Tassiriki, I’ve got a solid foundation to work from.