Should I (we) go to cheer the Swans over Collingwood?

[Cpt. Kirk]

Absolutely dead serious. It's a crime that this combination isn't more well known. I was shown it by a friend of my mum's when I was about 10, and I've been spreading the word since. Everybody I mention it to think I'm bat@@@@ insane, but once they try it they are well and truly converted.

Have it in a sandwich, or on toast with some pepper and salt. Either way, it's amazing.

I think the best thing about it, is the non stop intensity and the skill level you need to play it at that level.
The game only stops at the end of a quarter the rest of the game there is always something happening.

[BSA5]

I think the best thing about it, is the non stop intensity and the skill level you need to play it at that level.
The game only stops at the end of a quarter the rest of the game there is always something happening.

Thoroughly confused by this post.

[Kirkari]

I endorse the vegemite avocado cracked pepper combo, especially on hot toast with butter, as someone already suggested, and go easy on the vegemite. You probably still won't like it, unless you're a big fan of drinking soy sauce or chewing on beef stock cubes, but as you say, you have to try it. ;-)

Dress code is definitely casual - the more red the better as it looks great in the stands on TV...

With this much encouragement, how could you NOT go to the game??!!

Buy enough beer pre-game and in the breaks to last for 25-30 minutes. The game only stops for a minute or less after each goal. No team change overs like in NFL.

Things you might hear from Swans fans:
If you think you hear "Good See!" we are just praising our captain, star and legend, Adam Goodes, aka Goodsey.
If you wonder why we are all talking in glowing terms our moms, we're referring to our fabulous ruckman, Shane Mumford, aka, Mummy.

Things you might want to try saying:
"Are you blind, maggot?" - to indicate you disagree with the umpire's decision.
"Chewy on ya boot!" - to distract a Collingwood player trying to kick for goal.
"Ball!!!" - to indicate that a Collingwood player has been tackled with the ball, and the Swans should get possession.

I am sure other RWOers have their own personal favourites.

[Primmy]

Yep Mr D. All transport out to the ANZ precinct on game day is free. If you are at Circular Quay, do as Cheer Squad said (train to Central Station, get off, find the platform for Olympic Park Station and enjoy the view of not the prettiest railway line in the southern hemisphere). Its pretty direct. DO NOT catch a cab. It will cost a fortune.

You can always ask the Station Staff and anyone in red and white what to do. Allow at least an hour to get to the game; and wear comfortable footwear, there is a bit of walking. Actually, allow 2 hours. The precinct is worth an extra half hour.

Wear warm stuff - it gets cold. There are four quarters - don't leave at half time thinking the game is over.

As for the game; just remember the basic rule. Any ruling the umps (not referees) give to the red and white mob (that's us) is correct. Any ruling given to the black and white (that's them) is not.

Also to be remembered. Its AFL, and its different. So are the mob. A fair percent of the time its a bit of a mix and match as far as the supporters seating goes. We have not yet had to be separated. Mind you, some of the collingwood mob......well that's another story. Red Zone though is probably the best as its well, the Red Zone. Nearly all information re the game, and AFL in general you can Google.

Have fun. We do.

Also, in line with Kirkari,
"Kick the Barstard" means please move the ball on a bit quicker - standing in one spot and wondering what to do next is not suitable.
"What Are You Doing!!!" generally means "I do not understand why you kicked that ball out on the full and caused a turnover - please explain!"
"Work Experience Umpiring" means that the umps are stupid, inexperienced and don't know the rules as well as we do.
Also there are seven umps, three on the field who swap duties according to where the ball is while yelling "yours" or "mine" to alert the others who is taking charge,
two boundary umps who have great pride in the fact that they can run backwards, and two goal umps.
Patting your left shoulder means the ump should be alerted to the fact that the faceless collingwood player has knocked the head off one of our kids.
And speaking of that; two of our boys will be teenagers, a large lump are under the age of 25, one of them looks like a choir boy, and the oldest player is still only 32. You will understand why they are all so relatively young by the end of the game.

[Primmy]

We appear to have missed out one important piece of information.

There are just about equal quantities of males and females at every game. Anywhere. Lots and lots of kids, couples, groups of males, clusters of females, mums, dads, grannys and grampas. The whole lot. Everyone. And best of all at half time its Auskick Time. There will be about five sets of kids aged from four to twelve playing games in their age groups around the ground. Must not be missed. Bring a camera.

[Mountain Man]

And will there be kick to kick on the ground at the end?

[Cpt. Kirk]

Thoroughly confused by this post.

Must have quoted the wrong thing, i can see what you mean.

[ShockOfHair]

I'm going out on a small limb and declaring no-one has ever eaten a Vegemite sandwich at the footy.

The traditional is pie 'n sauce, but you can also savour exotic international snacks - chips ('fries'), hamburgers, hot dogs, etc.

[top40]

You'll LOVE it. Once you've been you be converted to a new religion. Just remember that the holy colors are Red and White, not Black and White (colors of the dark side)

[Big Al]

I'll be using some of these tips because this week I am hosting my boss and his son for their first ever game of AFL. He's an English Soccer fan so I have to make sure he doesn't take off his shirt and dry hump everything in sight after every goal. Also I warned him that there is more action in a qtr of footy than 3 games of soccer so his senses might get overloaded a bit.

[AnnieH]

Don't worry about familiarising yourself with the rules.....the umpires (Referees) don't.

18 carat lebanese gold!!!

[AnnieH]

Random Yank, you're more than welcome to come and sit with us if you like.
We don't mind a drink and a bit of a yell - at our players (if they're doing wrong), at the opposition (because we just hate them) and at the umpires (because I know the rules better than them).
We sit right near the swannies interchange bench. We get up close and personal.

[gumby_bolts]

Yes. But to start, try it with some avocado. Absolutely delicious, and nobody seems to know about the combination.

Only discovered this in the last few years, soooo good. My family always put sliced tomatoes on top of the vegemite on toast, nice brekkie.

[jono2707]

For a little bit more background, Collingwood are the most hated team in the competition, but unfortunately for us, also the best team in the competition. I have a begrudging respect for most of their players, however it's their feral fans that are the problem (don't worry they're generally not violent unless you try to feed them or poke them with sticks). I won't define the term 'feral' - just check out some of their fans on the evening....

I think this is my favourite Collingwood joke, of which there are plenty doing the rounds:

Iraq Recruit
Mick Malthouse the coach of Collingwood Magpies gets wind of potential young recruit who lives in Iraq. Malthouse and the Magpies recruiting Manager catch a plane to the troubled Iraq capital Baghdad and track the young boy down.

They risk life and limb dodging car bombs, bullets and grenades but finally find him and convince him to come to Australia.

The boy does a full pre-season, plays all the practice matches and gets picked on the bench in the seniors for the first game of the year.

Ten minutes into the first quarter, Dane Swan goes down with a severe knee injury. Malthouse turns to the boy and says "This is it son, go to the centre half forward and show us what you can do."

The boy proceeds to play the greatest debut game in AFL history. He kicks 9 goals, takes mark of the year, and kicks the winning goal after the siren from outside 50.

The Magpies chair him off the ground and give him three cheers back in the rooms. Malthouse tells the team what the boy from Iraq has been through and he is a model lesson for all.

Malthouse then pulls the boy aside and says "Go into my office son , ring your Mother and tell her what you did today."

He proceeds to do so. "Mum", he says down the phone, "Guess what I did today?"

"I don't care what you did today." His Mother replies. "I tell you what happened here today", she goes on. "Your Dad was stabbed and robbed, our house was torched, our car blown up, your sister was attacked and your brother was abducted."

"Gee" says the boy. "I feel a bit responsible for what happened."

The Mother replies "So you should be, if it wasn't for you we would never have moved to Collingwood."

[Untamed Snark]

The Priest
A truck driver is driving down the highway when he sees a priest hitch-hiking. He stops to pick up the priest, but he has a few misgivings about giving him a ride as usually when the driver sees a Collingwood supporter on the road he runs them over. But with a priest in the truck, he wouldn't be able to carry out his favorite pastime.
But being a good bloke, the truck driver decides to pick up the priest and forgo his fun for this one trip.
Just after the priest jumps into the cab they come across a Collingwood supporter hitchhiking.
The diver decides to swerve to avoid the Collingwood supporter but hears a huge "BOOM!"
The driver looks over at the priest,and says "Sorry Father-I almost hit that Collingwood supporter" the priest then replies, "Don't worry son - I got him with the door