Round 19 – GWS v St Kilda: Like Changing Weather

Greater Western Sydney versus St Kilda
Saturday, July 28, 2018, 4:35 pm
Spotless Stadium, Sydney

 

During my stay in Melbourne, the Osaka Dingoes declared early summer off due to the heatwave.

 

I had already secured a day off for July 28 so that I could join the footy training. But the day was available to watch my Saints playing live instead. I made a plan going to a Starbucks accessing their free wifi for my Watch AFL streaming with coffee.

 

But after coming back from Melbourne, my glasses have been easily slipping down  my nose. Sadly, my optometrist doesn’t offer any service on glasses in Kyoto any more, so I have to travel to Osaka to fix my glasses. As I needed to fix it, I have decided to go to Osaka and to watch footy over there.

 

The Dingoes’ proud sponsor, Blarney Stone Shinsaibashi has another premise in Umeda, close to Osaka Station. They offer live footy streaming on request. I have checked their business hours and found they only opened at 5 pm, so unfortunately I had to go to Coolabah.

 

The day started with my daily footy practice. Facing heat doesn’t bother me practising. I do it early in the morning. It was all good.

 

Then Yvette emailed me informing that St Kilda President Peter Summers would arrange something at the Round 20 game against Bulldogs if I were still in Melbourne. Sadly I can’t take his offer up because I am back in Japan, but it makes me happy.

 

Entering the footy pub, two Australian couples talked to me. They were on the same Qantas flight from Sydney to Osaka on Wednesday. Then my friend and teammate Alby was there.

 

It was all good meeting nice folks and watching Richmond versus Collingwood together. Both showed fast ball passing and kicking goals quickly. But Tigers dominated well in the last quarter. A Magpie man was unhappy and a Bluebagger was happy with the result.

 

After the big MCG match, they all left the pub. Another guy was watching NRL and I was the only to watch the upcoming AFL match.

 

Being kind to the rugby league guy to change commentary from AFL to NRL could be the point of weather changing from happiness to grumpy.

 

As always, St Kilda dominated footy first, but couldn’t break the opposition’s defense line. I am sick and tired of seeing wasted opportunities on field.

 

Giant Langdon scored the first goal. Saints tried to answer hard. Even Carlisle ran to the forward line to help others. But his kicking a behind disappointed me. Sadly my mind like the weather was going downhill.

 

After Acres’ behind, Saints still struggled with breaking the GWS defense line. Finally Lonie kicked long towards the hot spot  50 metres out in the left wing. Gresham took a mark directly in front. Our great goal kicker has just done a top job. Saints were in front and my hopes rose up.

 

But we couldn’t keep up attacking footy. Other wastes by Lonie and Marshall. Then Lobb kicked the Giants’ second goal. We only kicked two more behinds in the first quarter that put scores level at the first break.

 

Tough contests awaited at the beginning of the second quarter. Our young small forward was at the hot spot to end. Gresham attempted to take a mark, except  for an opponent’s punch away. He didn’t give up and was ready to collect a handpass. And he kicked towards goal posts. His second goal for the game put Saints in front and  my feelings were upbeat. My mental health seemed to improve.

 

But our bad habit wasting opportunities continued. Savage kicked long and beautifully but the ball hit the post.

 

Then Kennedy kicked from 50 metres out, but not long enough to go through posts. Himmelberg took a mark in the hot spot where no Saint was. He kicked a goal easily.

 

19-year-old Daniels took a mark and seemed to have been crossed over the mark, but I didn’t see any Saint crossing illegally. Being awarded a 50-metre penalty was so soft that the rugby league guy and I agreed with. He scored his first AFL goal.

 

After Steven’s beautiful long kick, we got another opportunity, but Lonie only kicked a minor score. However another young small forward put us in front in two and half minutes.

 

But, but… Himmelberg started shaking the Olympic Park to scare us.

 

We trailled by four points at the main break. Meanwhile my frustration with the pub services started erupting.

 

The barman is Norwegian and had hidden in the kitchen when I wanted another jug of beer. Even I know there was only one person in the pub, I suspected he didn’t pay attention on the front bar.

 

I was sitting in front of a big screen and the screen was turned off accidentally. He hadn’t noticed or fixed the problem until a guy turned up for his rugby union game.

 

I ordered chips before half time, but was told that he couldn’t cook because the deep fryer was being washed and didn’t know how to switch on the fryer. He offered nachos as alternative, but cooked lazily with a  f***ing microwave. The corn chips were not crispy at all and therefore the food was awful. I never want any microwaved food at any pub or restaurant.

 

Also he changed commentary from AFL to Super Rugby without asking me while I was in the bathroom.

 

These attitudes were much worse than witnessing Saints’ loss. Lightning occurred in my mind.

 

I watched the third quarter without beer because I didn’t want to pay any more for the terrible services. My happiness with the generous  offer by Summers and catching up with nice people were totally replaced by the ******** unpleasant experiences. Indeed I hadn’t faced such terrible services in Melbourne.

 

The first three goals after the long break were scored by GWS. They added thunder inside me and worse than when I had at East Caulfield Reserve 10 days ago.

 

Membrey, Lonie scored goals afterwards and Membrey again, but sadly my mind was occupied negatively, although I still hoped Saints to win.

 

Then another guy sat next to me watching footy. He is a Swan and lives in Hamamatsu teaching English there.

 

Himmelberg kept shaking the ground later in the third quarter as well as the last quarter.

 

I got the refreshment of beer, but got angry with the ******** Norwegian again. He kept smoking while serving my beer. I said “it’s ******** rude”. He is totally unprofessional and should lose his bar work.

 

Just good talks to the Swans supporter reduced my grumpiness.

 

Our star midfielder Jack Steven eventually scored a goal and developing young gun Josh Battle followed, but we lost by 25 points.

 

Sadly I had a bad day at the end.

 

Even having met nice folks, I wish I could have watched the footy at Blarney Stone Umeda.

 

Coolabah is not the right pub to drink or watch footy at any more. They should have had two employees (one in the front bar and another in kitchen), or at least the inexperienced person should be working with someone until she or he can do everything including cooking.

 

I wish I could have been positive, but was really hurt. Even I have met nice friends at the pub in the past including generous the Rob and Stacey who put me up while I was in Melbourne last year and this month, I have decided to part from the Coolabah. The ******** Norwegian cost everything.

 

I really picked the right AFL club to support and I am a proud Sainter. I have got good friends from various countries. But it’s hard for me to find a right woman for a relationship and pubs in Japan where I can enjoy food, drink and talking to others when I go on my own.

 

Like how I support the Saints, I want to be loyal to people and organisations. But some of them don’t realise how loyal I am and do treat me badly.

 

It’s a sad occasion because I am improving myself these days thanks to the Osaka Dingoes and our top guy Matt Gale.

 

To be honest, I need to be patient and should not give up finding a love, but admit it’s hard to do and keep contacts with women whom I have met recently, especially in Japan.

 

As I don’t know how to interact with Japanese women, should I find a love in Melbourne?

 

Like our young boys, I am still developing a social life and footy skills as well as professional skills.

 

Actual weather here yesterday to today was mostly cloudy and storm came later at night. Typhoon was passing over night and it’s expected to improve throughout the day.

 

I hope my feelings are better throughout the week.

 

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 2.0 5.2 11.5 13.8 (86)
ST KILDA                                                 1.6  3.10 6.11 8.13 (61)

 

GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Himmelberg 4, Daniels 2, Langdon 2, Lobb 2, Greene 2, Deledio
St Kilda: Gresham 2, Lonie 2, Membrey 2, Steven, Battle

 

BEST
Greater Western Sydney: Whitfield, Himmelberg, Kelly, Haynes, Shaw, Davis
St Kilda: Steven, Ross, Geary, Carlisle, Steele, Hickey

 

OUR VOTES
3. Himmelberg (GWS); 2. Carlisle (STK); 1. Steele (STK)

 

Umpires: Donlon, Brown, Fleer

 

Official crowd: 12,014

 

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About Yoshihiro Imagawa

Love, passion and pride are seen on the footy that is the biggest part of my life. 1. St Kilda Club member: I am a passionate and crazy Sainter. Just hope we will win the second flag soon, especially after Dogs and Tigers having ended long premiership draughts. 2. The Osaka Dingoes Player and Public Relations Officer: Player number 44 that I chose to honour Stephen Milne with my wish being like a small forward like him. Lenny Hayes' hardworking attitudes are adopted on my trainings and practices. Nick Riewoldt's great plays are in my player audiobook too. 3. Writing: Here on the Almanac and also on the World Footy News. My skills utilise on great footy websites.

Comments

  1. Joe De Petro says

    Great stuff, Yoshi. Love reading about your adventures.

  2. Gerard Cashll says

    Yoshi-san, My wife and I lived in Japan from 92-94, in Wakayama and then in Nishinomiya, and its great seeing familiar names such as Umeda and Shinsaibashi in your article. I know it’s a slim chance but have you ever seen a Japanese guy in Osaka wearing a Geelong #5 jumper! When we returned to Melbourne our friend Taka stayed with us for a few months and became a fanatical Cats – and Gary Ablett Snr – supporter! Cheers, Gerardo

  3. G’day and thanks for your comments gents!

    Joe – Thanks got your compliment too! My biggest adventure is taking a challenge playing footy just before my 45th Birthday. I really enjoy playing footy and am happy having scored a goal. Also playing on Brian Lake three weeks ago was the biggest experience in my footy. And training with the Caulfield Bears and attending a St Kilda game were other adventures. I love my footy adventures and enjoy my journey to improve footy. I am moving on from the bad experience having written here by practising footy as well as reading “A Wink from the Universe”.

    Gerard – Wow! What did you do when you and your wife lived here in Japan? Unfortunately I haven’t seen your friend yet. It seems hard to find him as Osaka is a big city. If you have any opportunity to come back here, please let me know and let’s organise a meet up. Plus we will welcome you at the Dingoes’ training or game.

    Cheers

    Yoshi

  4. Paul Young says

    Hi Yoshi

    I posted on your last report. I will be in Osaka later this week. I’m over there for a week. If you want to catch up for a kick of the footy let me know.

    Cheers

    PY

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