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Hi guys,
As expected I have come home to a forum with with general melancholy mopings about this and that. I have just been part of a day that was so much fun that despite the loss and the VERY early start couldn't dampen my present mood.
People can discuss the wherefores and whyfores of who played where and how badly etc etc. I will proceed to give a mental picture of what it was like to be there. And indeed how my day was.
My alarm went at 5:30pm. After breakfast I set off down to the station. Missed my train, so I caught a cab down to Central. Already people were waiting in the teeming rain. Sydney was dark wet dank and gloomy. I had heard from Gemma that Canberra had been similar the day before. I was dreading what my day was going to be like, especially as umbrellas were to be banned inside the ground.
Despite Cathy's attempts to have us assigned into set seats, people set off in one of two coaches. We have a coach of dubious quality from a company of my dubious name, "Latino Coachlines". Many people had travelled down from Gosford. Some had gotten up at 2am (!) just to be there. The clan of somewhat dubious Cheer Squad types proceeded to gather up the back of the bus. Luckily Gums had packed ALL the big flags, so people would definitely know that we were there when a goal was scored. Just like of the school field trips, the people out to run amok were up the back of the bus. And so a cult bus trip was underway. By 9am we had picked up everyone at Strathfield and Liverpool. We were laughing and cracking jokes already. You simply had to be there to experience how silly everything was.
Things settled down a bit after a while. Before long we were at Suttons Forest. The "Melbourne traveller" brigade bore the brunt of the wintery squals to go across the freeway to Maccas for some hot cakes and McMuffin. Not only was Bron spotted, but one T Lockett of Bowral who it must be said looks to be far more naturally built than he was last season whilst playing. He was in grubby jeans and a dirty shirt and gave the impression that he had just come in from doing the raking. One thing that was VERY noticeable was how many in the rest stop area were in red and white. Obviously lots had taken Luffy's aftermatch advice and opted to make the 3-4 hour drive south west to the Federal Capital. Also making the trip down was one Desmond Lee, noted jinx to those in red and white on away trips. We may as well have gone home then and there. Des was there, end of story, finito, basta. Arrivederci to the 4 points.
Murulan and Goulburn were soon passed. I sent SMSs to people already in Canberra. To our surprise they said that there was a totally blue sky there. And that a beautiful day was looming.
We got to the ground at about 11:30, and took the flags and patties and flags out from below. Having pre-arranged tickets proved a godsend, as we were whisked straight through, thus avoiding the huge queues of people trying to get in. The attendance would be over 18000, a ground record.
The guy on the gat asked if the flags Gums had in his long sack were over 10 feet high. He said they weren't. Then he set up one that would have been well over 20 feet in height ( no joke Robbie!). Security said nothing all day about it. You wonder why these people set rules in the first place.
The ground is a strange oval. A mix of public service sterility and country lack of oomph. The playing surface was somewhat slippery and greasy, whilst the outer is filled with stands that give the place the impression of Carrara in the Bears days. As I had expected, the Swans were very very much in the majority amongst the crowd, with many people having not only travelled from Sydney but other areas in NSW to support our "State of Origin Swannies" (Daily Telegraph middle page article). There were however Power, Richmond, Essendon, Carlton (insert team here) paraphalia to be seen in abundence, as well as several locals adorning ACT Brumbies caps.(Only one guy in a Raiders beanie, oh how the mighty have fallen!)
Indeed at least from where I was the ground had the feel of a mini SCG. There was a thin ring of seats behind the goals, then a higher ring of temporary stands behind that separated by a walkway. There was a hill on the outer wing, with temporary stands behind it. The players could be seen through the glass peigns in the main stand. Rather resembling people at a zoo, people stood fascinated as the players forociously engaged in warm ups that involved the players charging themselves at both Kelly and Tingay whilst having to pick up the football. Every player went through this drill, to which every team member raucously applauded. This is something you simply never see, so it indeed was truly captivating to the people watching.
We were placed behind the southern goals, and despite the lack of time managed to get all the big flags set up as well as the banner poled, in what must have been a record (about 8 minutes). I always get a sense of how keenly the team will play by how committed they are when they run through the banner. They hardly broke it today. I kind of half knew from then on that we were going to lose.
For the first quarter both teams seemed ill at odds with their new surroundings. Indeed for much of the first quarter the match had the aura of a practise match. The atmosphere, absolutely pathetic. 18000 at the SCG can still make plenty of noise. My chanting with the CS, who were bolstered by the numbers from the bus convoy were the only people you heard all day. Out of the 18000 I'd say there were 10000 Swans, 3000 Roos, and all the rest sitting there with expressions that resembled that out a puckering goldfish. One of the Sydney crew reckoned they were so feeble because the locals, reliant of the government for their existence, would have needed stress leave or flexi time if they exerted themselves too much.
The game. Well, we spent most of the match chasing guernseys. North dominated out of the centre and managed to shut down our running game until the last quarter when the game had been won already. Too tall in their forward line, and capitalising on our team's mistakes, North powered away during the first 3 quarters. It seemed at times that the team was kicking it in the direction of second gamer LRT and expecting him to do miracles. We badly missed Micky O up forward (NICKS OUT!!!), as well as Cressa in the centre. Our rucks were thrashed. North had all the time in the world to find loose men. And were running unhindered through half forward to goal.
There were several pieces of terrible football that summed up our day. At one stage in the third quarter Ball and Powell had the chance to shepherd for each other and get the footy before it went over the boundary line. Neither did, and the Swans contingent in the crowd turned on them, giving them a rightful spray.
Another was during the last quarter when Goodsey tried to play on from about 5 metres out and missed. My head sank. Our last quarter rally was too late. And the chances we had were NOT taken. It was the Adelaide game all over again.
We actually kicked a goal on the "siren". The grounds Radio Shack speakers were obviously overwhelmed by the big crowd. The final siren was completely inaudible.
We pulled the flags down and trudged disappointedly out the ground. Many in the CS were unusally quiet, an indication within itself that our team had not won their confidence.
As we waited outside the ground, the players filed into the bus. They seemed to be taking the loss VERY hard, with several members decidedly obvious in their attempts to avoid looking at us waving and cheering at them from across the street. They knew they had let us down, and quite badly. Ben Matthews looked like he was about to cry at one stage. Even though we lost it was quite understand considering the stuff-ups, loose marking, missing players, and the lack of oomph all day. Not that it makes it right though.
The bus was set to leave at 4pm, so we had nearly 45minutes to stretch our legs, have a kick on the ground, or go and find something to eat in the nearby Manuka cafe precinct. The food at the ground had run out by half time, so many of the Federal Hwy travellers had not eaten since breakfast. We finally found the only take away store in the artificially swanky Manuka cafe shops area. The bars and restaurants were filled with football supporters and locals.
Indeed matches involving the Swans are a boon to the Canberra tourist economy that is NOT to be underestimated. Even the ground announcer gave notice of his thanks to all the people who had travelled to his city for the game. I expect to be playing a lot more matches there in the near future. Perhaps moving say the Dockers home fixture to Canberra may be prudent for next year. We are a team not just for Sydney but all of NSW (and I guess the ACT too, who as one wag in the bus had quipped should pay NSW rent for taking up space within it).
The rest of the trip will go down in the realms of a truly epic experience. After one of the back-of-the-bus wags went on about the idea of scaring out the politicians out of Parliament House by setting off a family of bats inside, we crossed Lake Burley Griffin. Beside us was a car full of jubilant North supporters. Seeing our scarves on our windows they all started gesticulating to us. This set us off even more. Then the guy in the passengers' side basically climbed half out of the car (whilst it was in motion) to give us the Richard Colless. When stopped at a set of lights the said freak decided to give us, and the unsuspecting people of Canberra, a display we'd rather forget, a total browneye. This sent the bus into a frenzy, with nearly everybody either cracking us, banging on the windows, or going feral at our blue and white friends.
This set the scene for a cult trip home. Wise-crack after wise crack, bad joke after bad joke, (How bad were the umpires today. Crap. And where do you get your umpires-AT LOWES!) some serious geeing up of several rather quirky individuals within the Cheer Squad. You seriously had to be there, but when you have a certain rather loquatious female member of the Cheer Squad come up the back of the bus, start rubbing people's heads then come out with a the suicide comment of "So who else has a head I can rub?", you could imagine how the humour level rose as the taste factor decidedly took a dive. Several of the youngsters who'd travelled with us were having a total ball, as we took turns at geeing us the aforementioned ' colourful Cheer Squad' identity about role as a teacher. ("Belllllllllinnnnnnnndaaaa Jaaaaaaames, can you come and help me with my homework?") Hopefully the youngsters will be coming to sit with us at every match these days.
At some stages I was laughing so hard that i had tears streaming down my face. By Liverpool as the first travellers were getting off the disappointment of the lost 4 points was but a mere memory.
Despite everything I had an epic epic time. There is something about a bus trip that helps engeander a sense of spirit and passion amongst the supporters on it. We are there with basically the same goal-to support our team, and to have fun (even though it MUST be said that there were obviously those on the bus who did not share OUR way of enjoying ourselves!) For a group such as the Cheer Squad who have a bad rap with just about everybody in Sydney, such trips are crucial. People can join us for a match and see what we get up to. Thus they can enjoy the sense of fun and togetherness that you feel when sitting in your team's Cheer Squad. The fact that we are the good guys, and should be supported in what we do.
Several people are itching at the chance to go on another bus trip to Melbourne. Purely and simply, away bus trips are cult! Spread the word, join the legion. Tell Cathy you WANT an organised bus trip to Melbourne etc. Despite the overall tiredness travelling with fellow supporters is always a very rewarding experience.
I expect to be travelling to Canberra with the Swans quite a bit in the near future. To all of you, make sure you are on the bus next time. Or else!
JF
As expected I have come home to a forum with with general melancholy mopings about this and that. I have just been part of a day that was so much fun that despite the loss and the VERY early start couldn't dampen my present mood.
People can discuss the wherefores and whyfores of who played where and how badly etc etc. I will proceed to give a mental picture of what it was like to be there. And indeed how my day was.
My alarm went at 5:30pm. After breakfast I set off down to the station. Missed my train, so I caught a cab down to Central. Already people were waiting in the teeming rain. Sydney was dark wet dank and gloomy. I had heard from Gemma that Canberra had been similar the day before. I was dreading what my day was going to be like, especially as umbrellas were to be banned inside the ground.
Despite Cathy's attempts to have us assigned into set seats, people set off in one of two coaches. We have a coach of dubious quality from a company of my dubious name, "Latino Coachlines". Many people had travelled down from Gosford. Some had gotten up at 2am (!) just to be there. The clan of somewhat dubious Cheer Squad types proceeded to gather up the back of the bus. Luckily Gums had packed ALL the big flags, so people would definitely know that we were there when a goal was scored. Just like of the school field trips, the people out to run amok were up the back of the bus. And so a cult bus trip was underway. By 9am we had picked up everyone at Strathfield and Liverpool. We were laughing and cracking jokes already. You simply had to be there to experience how silly everything was.
Things settled down a bit after a while. Before long we were at Suttons Forest. The "Melbourne traveller" brigade bore the brunt of the wintery squals to go across the freeway to Maccas for some hot cakes and McMuffin. Not only was Bron spotted, but one T Lockett of Bowral who it must be said looks to be far more naturally built than he was last season whilst playing. He was in grubby jeans and a dirty shirt and gave the impression that he had just come in from doing the raking. One thing that was VERY noticeable was how many in the rest stop area were in red and white. Obviously lots had taken Luffy's aftermatch advice and opted to make the 3-4 hour drive south west to the Federal Capital. Also making the trip down was one Desmond Lee, noted jinx to those in red and white on away trips. We may as well have gone home then and there. Des was there, end of story, finito, basta. Arrivederci to the 4 points.
Murulan and Goulburn were soon passed. I sent SMSs to people already in Canberra. To our surprise they said that there was a totally blue sky there. And that a beautiful day was looming.
We got to the ground at about 11:30, and took the flags and patties and flags out from below. Having pre-arranged tickets proved a godsend, as we were whisked straight through, thus avoiding the huge queues of people trying to get in. The attendance would be over 18000, a ground record.
The guy on the gat asked if the flags Gums had in his long sack were over 10 feet high. He said they weren't. Then he set up one that would have been well over 20 feet in height ( no joke Robbie!). Security said nothing all day about it. You wonder why these people set rules in the first place.
The ground is a strange oval. A mix of public service sterility and country lack of oomph. The playing surface was somewhat slippery and greasy, whilst the outer is filled with stands that give the place the impression of Carrara in the Bears days. As I had expected, the Swans were very very much in the majority amongst the crowd, with many people having not only travelled from Sydney but other areas in NSW to support our "State of Origin Swannies" (Daily Telegraph middle page article). There were however Power, Richmond, Essendon, Carlton (insert team here) paraphalia to be seen in abundence, as well as several locals adorning ACT Brumbies caps.(Only one guy in a Raiders beanie, oh how the mighty have fallen!)
Indeed at least from where I was the ground had the feel of a mini SCG. There was a thin ring of seats behind the goals, then a higher ring of temporary stands behind that separated by a walkway. There was a hill on the outer wing, with temporary stands behind it. The players could be seen through the glass peigns in the main stand. Rather resembling people at a zoo, people stood fascinated as the players forociously engaged in warm ups that involved the players charging themselves at both Kelly and Tingay whilst having to pick up the football. Every player went through this drill, to which every team member raucously applauded. This is something you simply never see, so it indeed was truly captivating to the people watching.
We were placed behind the southern goals, and despite the lack of time managed to get all the big flags set up as well as the banner poled, in what must have been a record (about 8 minutes). I always get a sense of how keenly the team will play by how committed they are when they run through the banner. They hardly broke it today. I kind of half knew from then on that we were going to lose.
For the first quarter both teams seemed ill at odds with their new surroundings. Indeed for much of the first quarter the match had the aura of a practise match. The atmosphere, absolutely pathetic. 18000 at the SCG can still make plenty of noise. My chanting with the CS, who were bolstered by the numbers from the bus convoy were the only people you heard all day. Out of the 18000 I'd say there were 10000 Swans, 3000 Roos, and all the rest sitting there with expressions that resembled that out a puckering goldfish. One of the Sydney crew reckoned they were so feeble because the locals, reliant of the government for their existence, would have needed stress leave or flexi time if they exerted themselves too much.
The game. Well, we spent most of the match chasing guernseys. North dominated out of the centre and managed to shut down our running game until the last quarter when the game had been won already. Too tall in their forward line, and capitalising on our team's mistakes, North powered away during the first 3 quarters. It seemed at times that the team was kicking it in the direction of second gamer LRT and expecting him to do miracles. We badly missed Micky O up forward (NICKS OUT!!!), as well as Cressa in the centre. Our rucks were thrashed. North had all the time in the world to find loose men. And were running unhindered through half forward to goal.
There were several pieces of terrible football that summed up our day. At one stage in the third quarter Ball and Powell had the chance to shepherd for each other and get the footy before it went over the boundary line. Neither did, and the Swans contingent in the crowd turned on them, giving them a rightful spray.
Another was during the last quarter when Goodsey tried to play on from about 5 metres out and missed. My head sank. Our last quarter rally was too late. And the chances we had were NOT taken. It was the Adelaide game all over again.
We actually kicked a goal on the "siren". The grounds Radio Shack speakers were obviously overwhelmed by the big crowd. The final siren was completely inaudible.
We pulled the flags down and trudged disappointedly out the ground. Many in the CS were unusally quiet, an indication within itself that our team had not won their confidence.
As we waited outside the ground, the players filed into the bus. They seemed to be taking the loss VERY hard, with several members decidedly obvious in their attempts to avoid looking at us waving and cheering at them from across the street. They knew they had let us down, and quite badly. Ben Matthews looked like he was about to cry at one stage. Even though we lost it was quite understand considering the stuff-ups, loose marking, missing players, and the lack of oomph all day. Not that it makes it right though.
The bus was set to leave at 4pm, so we had nearly 45minutes to stretch our legs, have a kick on the ground, or go and find something to eat in the nearby Manuka cafe precinct. The food at the ground had run out by half time, so many of the Federal Hwy travellers had not eaten since breakfast. We finally found the only take away store in the artificially swanky Manuka cafe shops area. The bars and restaurants were filled with football supporters and locals.
Indeed matches involving the Swans are a boon to the Canberra tourist economy that is NOT to be underestimated. Even the ground announcer gave notice of his thanks to all the people who had travelled to his city for the game. I expect to be playing a lot more matches there in the near future. Perhaps moving say the Dockers home fixture to Canberra may be prudent for next year. We are a team not just for Sydney but all of NSW (and I guess the ACT too, who as one wag in the bus had quipped should pay NSW rent for taking up space within it).
The rest of the trip will go down in the realms of a truly epic experience. After one of the back-of-the-bus wags went on about the idea of scaring out the politicians out of Parliament House by setting off a family of bats inside, we crossed Lake Burley Griffin. Beside us was a car full of jubilant North supporters. Seeing our scarves on our windows they all started gesticulating to us. This set us off even more. Then the guy in the passengers' side basically climbed half out of the car (whilst it was in motion) to give us the Richard Colless. When stopped at a set of lights the said freak decided to give us, and the unsuspecting people of Canberra, a display we'd rather forget, a total browneye. This sent the bus into a frenzy, with nearly everybody either cracking us, banging on the windows, or going feral at our blue and white friends.
This set the scene for a cult trip home. Wise-crack after wise crack, bad joke after bad joke, (How bad were the umpires today. Crap. And where do you get your umpires-AT LOWES!) some serious geeing up of several rather quirky individuals within the Cheer Squad. You seriously had to be there, but when you have a certain rather loquatious female member of the Cheer Squad come up the back of the bus, start rubbing people's heads then come out with a the suicide comment of "So who else has a head I can rub?", you could imagine how the humour level rose as the taste factor decidedly took a dive. Several of the youngsters who'd travelled with us were having a total ball, as we took turns at geeing us the aforementioned ' colourful Cheer Squad' identity about role as a teacher. ("Belllllllllinnnnnnnndaaaa Jaaaaaaames, can you come and help me with my homework?") Hopefully the youngsters will be coming to sit with us at every match these days.
At some stages I was laughing so hard that i had tears streaming down my face. By Liverpool as the first travellers were getting off the disappointment of the lost 4 points was but a mere memory.
Despite everything I had an epic epic time. There is something about a bus trip that helps engeander a sense of spirit and passion amongst the supporters on it. We are there with basically the same goal-to support our team, and to have fun (even though it MUST be said that there were obviously those on the bus who did not share OUR way of enjoying ourselves!) For a group such as the Cheer Squad who have a bad rap with just about everybody in Sydney, such trips are crucial. People can join us for a match and see what we get up to. Thus they can enjoy the sense of fun and togetherness that you feel when sitting in your team's Cheer Squad. The fact that we are the good guys, and should be supported in what we do.
Several people are itching at the chance to go on another bus trip to Melbourne. Purely and simply, away bus trips are cult! Spread the word, join the legion. Tell Cathy you WANT an organised bus trip to Melbourne etc. Despite the overall tiredness travelling with fellow supporters is always a very rewarding experience.
I expect to be travelling to Canberra with the Swans quite a bit in the near future. To all of you, make sure you are on the bus next time. Or else!
JF
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