Fly Ted Down Under Journeys through the land of Oz

Marvelous Melbourne

AUSTRALIA | Saturday, 4 June 2011 | Views [518]

Mixing it up with some Carlton supporters mainly, in the standing-room section. There are no nets behind the goals so after a score the ball goes flying into the crowd, and they politely throw it back to be used again. Some matches are ridiculous blow-outs, but many are close and come down to the last second, and occasionally there are ties. This time: Collingwood won easily, 102 to 74.

So this is it, just over 88,000 people in one place, the largest crowd I've ever seen. It was fairly evenly split between Carlton and Collingwood fans, although Collingwood is known for having the largest fan support in the league. The essence of the game is to kick a rugby/football-type ball through the opposing team's goal posts: a kick through the middle is a goal, worth 6 points, and to kick the ball through either of the shorter posts is known as a “behind,” worth 1 point. Players try to catch the ball within the opponents' 50 metre line, which is where you see the dramatic leaping into the air to bring it down. If successful they get a free kick at the goal.

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After the match, down at field level. This stadium has hosted the 1956 Summer Olympics, 2006 Commonwealth Games, numerous Ashes and other international Cricket Test matches, Australian national soccer team matches, and virtually every AFL Grand Final since 1902. Its light standards are the tallest in the world, it is the largest cricket stadium in the world, the 10th-largest stadium of any kind in the world, and one of the “seven wonders” of the sporting world. Needless to say, it is a powerfully impressive place. And it fills up with fans twice every weekend for AFL games, like there's nothing to it (tickets were cheap, $20 for an upper-level seat).

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Fly Ted Down Under Journeys through the land of Oz

Marvelous Melbourne

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