Footy at 'the G'

Spring in Melbourne means footy finals (Australian Rules Football) and the best place to experience this is the beloved MCG. The Melbourne Cricket Ground is famous for cricket (including the annual Boxing Day Test Match between Australia and another cricketing nation), football, sporting museums, the 2006 Commonwealth Games and the 1954 Olympics.

This time it was a Friday night clash between Collingwood (first on the ladder and 'minor Premiers') and Geelong (second on the ladder). Both teams have 'won the flag' (Premiership) over the past few years and are keen to do so again this year. Being a huge circular stadium (seating approximately 100,000 people at full capacity) it has a marvellous Colosseum-type atmosphere. As well as the two tribes partaking in the contest, there are also two bigger tribes in the ground - the Australian Football League (AFL) members in the semi-circular Great Southern Stand and the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) members in the newer Northern Stand (officially the Ponsford and Olympic Stands). There is an excellent view from all sections of the ground and even when 'up in the Gods' in the top tier you still feel close to the action. Climbing all the stairs is of course beneficial for one's cardiovascular fitness and it is reassuring to know that the MCG has an outstanding record for response time and resuscitation for cardiac arrest.

Many games (such as this one) are played at night and with six massive light towers as well as the stadium lights the ground is very brightly and evenly lit.

The terms 'clash' and 'blockbuster' are frequently bandied about and Melburnians are certainly passionate about their football but with 17 teams around the country there is also a strong national following despite the competition from soccer and rugby.

Many supporters deck themselves out in footy scarves, hats and jumpers and wave team flags so the ground can be a riot of colour, and the roar that goes up when a goal is scored can be deafening!

One of the main attractions is that footy is a fast-moving and skilful game utilising handball, marking (catching the ball, sometimes in a spectacular fashion high in the air) and kicking (often long distances). Players can run up to 10km a game. In essence the aim of the game is pretty simple - to score points by kicking the ball through the big sticks (goal posts) at your team's end of the ground. The team with the most points at the end of the four quarters wins.

For the record, in this game Geelong won by a substantial margin (149 points to 53 points), attendance 85,705.

The finals start in earnest next week. If Collingwood wants to make it to the Grand Final it will have to do a lot better next time!