G’day Folks.
Seeing as this is my first ever entry onto this site I thought it fitting that I write about the first game I remember attending.
I suppose it would help if I explain a little about myself as well.
I am another one of you young Footy enthusiasts. My passion for the game is outweighed by my love for the St. Kilda Football Club although it seems at times the love isn’t mutual. I am on the verge of turning 18 and I am about to embark on one of the more challenging hurdles in life. My final year of schooling. My footballing feats like many whose accounts I have read are fairly minor; I play full back with little success. Although I should be doing some form of Holiday homework at this point in time I think it necessary during the off season to keep the Footy flame alive.
Collingwood v St. Kilda
Sunday 3rd August @ MCG Round 18, 1997 2:10 PM
This is one of the more vivid memories in my life.
By this stage in my life I was a few months past my fourth birthday and the game of AFL had already encapsulated me. I spent every waking hour watching my heroes run around on the screen and perform tasks I duly tried to emulate in the backyard. My parents being Kiwi expats didn’t have a strong love for the game, so my love for the game came from me wanting to emulate my now 20-something year old brother. He was a Saint. I was a Saint. He joined Auskick. I joined Auskick. The numbers on the back of my jumpers represented his heroes rather than mine ( I loved Spider Everitt, but had Stewey Loewe’s number instead sewn on). My father finally caved to our efforts in taking us to the Footy to see the Red, White and Black attack. Everything was so big. The players. The crowd. The noise. My heartbeat.
We took our seats high in the Ponsford stand. Our company was the occasional Pie seller and a swarm of Seagulls (This is understandable as my Father is an avid Bird watcher.) I stated that this memory was extraordinarily vivid, but like many Children my mind span was about that of a Goldfish so a majority of the actual game is a blur. I remember Shane Wakelin running Shane Watson ragged down our end, Peter Everitt dominating Monkhurst in the ruck and whilst still going forward to attack and for some unknown reason I remember a huge Jolly Roger flag in the Pie’s Cheersquad. In movies and story books aimed at little children Pirates are considered ‘The Bad Guys’ and seeing that the Jolly Roger is the International Symbol for Pirates ( I was quite proud of myself at that stage for remembering that) it is now known where my dislike, but respect for the Pies stems from.
Wakelin ended up with 4 and Heatley and Everitt 3 apiece. I can still tell you this because my brother clearly filled out the Record (Cheers Phil) The Saints ran out 22 Point winners Much to our delight. As we walked back to Richmond Station down Brunton Avenue, a trip I would make many more times in my life, Phil and I argued about who was better. Spider or Buckets. I guess it sounded stupid stating that Spider was the far superior player with the number 23 on my back.
About Ed Carmine
Left eye is always wandering and my right eye doesn't exist. I'm a one eyed Saint.
G’day Ed
Nice to meet you on line , and thanks for the contribution. It’s always good to add some fresh reasons to the register of why people hate Collingwood. The Jolly Roger reason is certainly original.
JTH
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints,(Jude 1:2)
St Jude was clearly another wretched and dissapointed Saints fan
Welcome Ed. Good to have another Sainta amongst us. Chances are your next story will involve a canine. Cuba is chief of the faithfull furry Saints fans. (Don’t mess with him and you’ll be fine…)
Welcome Ed, nice one.
Cheers guys.