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Out we come, out we come, out we come to pray for a win for the Roos today on Good Friday against wild card St Kilda. North built up the Friday night brand on their own, it’s zenith the heady days of the late nineties before crashing in the debris of the Carey debacle and resulting slide out of the eight and prime time. When the Good Friday suggestion arose out of the Arden Street think-tank a disbelieving Andrew Demitriou, then CEO and publicly good Greek orthodox vetoed the plan during his tenure. The more progressive McLachlan regime succumbed Herod like to the kanga’s chant and here for the second year we are.
It’s not like Easter iconography hasn’t strayed already into the AFL. Unlucky players denied on field natural justice are “crucified”, players who fail to assert themselves consistently in the team are “condemned” to the feeder side, long goals outside 50 are “nailed”, while others who bet, drink drive, or generally act up in ways beyond we mere mortals imagination are chided before offered anew, opportunities at “redemption”.
Today’s game coincides with the Good Friday appeal and for a decent donation to in-ground tin rattlers you get a set of rabbit ears. Hospital boffin’s original idea of handing out a Calvary cross in return for support seem good on paper until a focus group involuntary yell “Repent” when shown amongst the Rorschach inkblots an abstract shape that resembles an umpire. Despite there not being an ear wearer in sight in my bay, yet true to my long history of having kicking kids sitting behind me, record breaking Afro teasers in front, and reverse Pavarotti’s alongside, a young girl sits down before me with said ears. The effect on the eyes is immediate with the game in long sight and the ears in short. This dual focus fools the brain that there is in fact a cardboard box in front of you evaporating all game involvement. Continue reading
As we approach the final game for the season, let’s visit some of my great moments in standing at the footy:
