It was back in Round 12 during one of Victoria’s Covid19 lockdowns that the two clubs had to find refuge in the western suburbs of Sydney where Gladys reigned supreme and things were safe and sound in the State of New South Wales for everything except footy teams from Brisbane. Melbourne can pick and choose where to play next week (subject to no unforeseen circumstances arising and when does that ever happen these days?😀) but it won’t be at Giants Stadium. 

THE TEAMS

MELBOURNE

B: M. Hibberd 14 S. May 1 J. Lever 8 

HB: C. Salem 3 H. Petty 35 A. Brayshaw 10 

C: T. Sparrow 32 C. Petracca 5 J. Hunt 29

HF: J. Jordon 23 T. McDonald 25 C. Spargo 9 

F: B. Fritsch 31 L. Jackson 6 A. Neal-Bullen 30

Foll: M. Gawn 11 C. Oliver 13 K. Pickett 36

I/C: J. Harmes 4 J. Melksham 18 T. Rivers 24 S. Weideman 26

Emerg: O. Baker 33 T. Bedford 12 J. Bowey 17 M. Brown 38

In: O. Baker 

Out: Ed Langdon (concussion)

BRISBANE LIONS

B: J. Prior 20 H. Andrews 31 B. Starcevich 37

HB: D: Rich 10 M. Adams 24 G. Birchall 14 

C: D. Zorko 15 L. Neale 9 H. McCluggage

HF: C. Ah Chee 4 J. Daniher 3 L. McCarthy 11

F: D. McStay 25 E. Hipwood 30 C. Cameron 23

Foll: O. McInerney 46 J. Lyons 17 M. Robinson 5

I/C Z. Bailey 33 K. Coleman 18 R. Lester 35 D. Robertson 2 

Sub: R. Mathieson 36 Emerg: C. Ballenden 38 T. Fullarton 21 J. Madden 42 

In: R. Lester L. Neale

Out: T. Berry (omitted) J. Madden (omitted) 

I had he pleasure of being at that game. Strange feeling on the way there as it was within a few hundred meters of the vaccination hub I'd been to twice in the previous month.

Also a very strange atmosphere with the crowd restrictions leaving three quarters of the stadium empty while everyone was packed  shoulder to shoulder in the remaining part. They also didn't lay on the facilities to appropriate scale; imagine there being queues to get in and an urgent struggle to get so much as a half time coffee at half time when the crowd is under 4000!

But we all had a good yell, and very strangely there was no sense of doom when we were a bit flat in the first half and behind at half time. The nine goal to three second half was great fun.

Possible omen coincidence - the last time Gawn had a shot after the siren our opponent the next week was Brisbane, who we defeated solidly.