Top Five trips to the football.

[bush demon 1,915]

Sometimes the (mundane) trip to the football was just as memorable as the game itself.

1. I think about 1971 Melbourne thrashed North by over 100 points. Because we had never been to this ground we were over 5 minutes late. At that stage Melbourne already had 7 goals on the board.

2. My brother and i walked from Springvale to VFL park waverley in the early 70s and we sat near the fence on the wing getting drenched and frozen. Covered ourselves in soaking newspapers. Couldn't take it any more so walked home at half-time only to discover we had gone down in a low-scoring thriller.

3. 1976, last round and we would have been a very worthy finalist. Dominated the pies at Victoria park but other games didn't go our way. Stood on the wing, elevated on cans.

4. In the mid 70s we journeyed again to the park, this time in Ray's immaculate black P76. Unfortunately Ray drove through a red light at Jell's road and put a big dint in that beautiful car.

5. This is a generic mash-up of many games: Ray and I would head straight from our Springvale under 12s game and catch a blue or red train to Richmond. Phil Rhoden would be kicking drop kicks from full back in the twos. At the ground would consume a jar of koolmints and on the way home a bag of hot donuts. At Springvale would buy 20 cents chips, a piece of flake (possibly potato cakes @5 cents each). Then wash down with can of RC cola 18 cents. Usually Melbourne lost. One highlight would be screaming loudly during the 2nd term as Dillon or Parke  performed heroics. Usually someone like Royce Hart would then take over in the 3rd quarter and we would be smashed.

 

Edited October 1, 2022 by bush demon
Sp.

[Fritta and Turner 3,840]

20 hours ago, bush demon said:

Usually someone like Royce Hart would then take over in the 3rd quarter and we would be smashed.

Did you go to that game too?  I used to dread the last quarter against the Tigers, Rolls Royce would kill us.

I have lots of memories of the strange, quirky and down right unpleasant events that happened outside of the playing of the game.

1.  My nanna had a friend (extended irish catholic family) who worked as a Corps of Commissioner on the gate at the MCC.  My nanna, 3 of her cronies and 5 grand children would gain entry using 2 ladies tickets.

2. Early in the first quarter Uncle Graeme threw his record down into the aisle in disgust, whereupon a young kid grabbed it and ran off.

3.  It was so wet at Artic Park that I watched the game through a moth hole in my beanie.

4.  As a young kid, at a packed out game, I stood up in an exciting moment for a better view. When I went to sit back down someone else was sitting in my seat.  (weird sensation that)

5.  Hot donuts - who doesnt have a story about them.  After the game I purchased 6 hot jam donuts, placed them in my coat pocket with some effort, and headed to Richmond station.  On the train (blue harris?) I pulled one out, took a bite, whereupon half a gallon of scalding jam shot out over my face and chin and down my hands.  I stood there whimpering, covered in jam, trying to reach my hanky which was under the bag of donuts.

Losing the car at Artic park, losing Father in the car park after a night game at the MCG, what DID happen to Aunty Jess and the very drunk blind man will have to wait for another day.

[Roost it far 6,241]

Whitten Oval last round 1987 

 

[Swooper1987 2,801]

40 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

Whitten Oval last round 1987 

 

My absolute favourite day at the footy.  That last two months of 1987 was absolutely remarkable.

[Bring-Back-Powell 13,436]

The round 20 2005 and round 12 2015 road trips to Geelong.

In the 2005 game we had lost 7 in a row after being in the top 2 mid season. We were heading towards one of our worst collapses in history, and were expected to lose this one in hostile territory. Being 6 goals down half way through the game didn’t help matters. However we played a scintillating third quarter and Robbo played the game of his life with 7 goals. we survived a Matt Egan shot after the siren to win an epic by 1 point.

The following week Jeff White nailed a set shot with 10 seconds left to beat the Dogs and then in the last round Travis Johnstone kicked the sealer to beat Essendon by 10 points and sneak into the finals. We lost badly to Geelong in the elim final.

The 2015 was just an unbelievable win and the making of M Gawn. I went down to this game purely in hope that we wouldn’t embarrass ourselves and we basically stood no chance as we were in just year 2 of the Roos rebuild against the all conquering Geelong. We’d also come off a Leigh Montagna goal with 5 seconds left to lose a heartbreaker the week before at Marvel.

The win was just unbelievable considering it was Enright’s 300th and we had a fair few maligned and/or VFL standard players such as Dawes, Toumpas, Matt Jones, Spencer and Aidan Riley in the side.

The round 23 2021 game would’ve topped the other two but ofcourse we couldn’t attend.

[Demon Disciple 11,139]

2018 EF against the Cats gets a special mention from me. Never have I seen so many Dees fans at a game, the G was basically a sea of red & blue. Of the 90k that attended 60,000 would’ve been Dees supporters.

[Old Man Rivers 326]

1. 88 Preliminary Final when we rolled The Blues at VFL Park. 

2. 2000 Preliminary Final when we rolled The Kangaroos at The G

3. 1990 Qualifying Final when we rolled The Eagles at VFL Park.

4. 2021 Anzac Eve v The Tigers 

5. 2004 (I think) Semi Final V The Crows (We Lost) The most amazing see - sawing final Iv’e ever been too. 40 points down at 1/4 time then something like 27 points up at 3/4 only to lose. Pretty sure Simon Goodwin was playing that night too. 

Edited October 2, 2022 by Old Man Rivers

[640MD 3,001]

5. 2004 (I think) Semi Final V The Crows (We Lost) The most amazing see - sawing final Iv’e ever been too. 40 points down at 1/4 time then something like 27 points up at 3/4 only to lose. Pretty sure Simon Goodwin was playing that night too. 

fantastic game   should never have lost, needed to move a couple of players so it was not stale going into the last, but they stayed in the same spots  pizzzed me off badly but it was a great game

[Demon Disciple 11,139]

3 hours ago, Old Man Rivers said:

5. 2004 (I think) Semi Final V The Crows (We Lost) The most amazing see - sawing final Iv’e ever been too. 40 points down at 1/4 time then something like 27 points up at 3/4 only to lose. Pretty sure Simon Goodwin was playing that night too. 

2002. We were completely gassed at 3/4 time. The only reason the game was played at the G was because there was a stipulation at the time that at least 1 game each week of the finals needed to be played at the MCG

[Palace Dees 2,069]

R.7 2008. vs Fremantle (& Jeff Farmer)

We were last on the ladder with no wins. We were 51 pts down in the 2nd quarter.  Davey and Green started to fire and we reduced the deficit by 3/4 time but still more than 5 goals down and then........ Robbie and Austin Wonaeamirri went berserk. I remember Jim Stynes going into the Demon Army watching the last minutes with Ozzie's Dad as we kicked 9 in the last quarter.  Magic day in a [censored] year.

Speaking of 9 goals - Queens Birthday 2000. Jeff Farmer kicking 9 (should have been 10) in 40 minutes was the greatest individual piece of brilliance I've ever witnessed live.

[Demon Disciple 11,139]

1 hour ago, Palace Dees said:

R.7 2008. vs Fremantle (& Jeff Farmer)

We were last on the ladder with no wins. We were 51 pts down in the 2nd quarter. 

Remember that game well, the Bronx cheers when Junior kicked it long out of the centre was deafening. Down by 50 odd at half time, dad turned to me and asked if we should take the early train home. Being a Sunday, I told him that I had nowhere better to be……………..sure glad we stayed for the second half!!!

It was Bails’ first win as coach too.

Edited October 2, 2022 by Demon Disciple

[layzie 29,783]

8 hours ago, Demon Disciple said:

Remember that game well, the Bronx cheers when Junior kicked it long out of the centre was deafening. Down by 50 odd at half time, dad turned to me and asked if we should take the early train home. Being a Sunday, I told him that I had nowhere better to be……………..sure glad we stayed for the second half!!!

It was Bails’ first win as coach too.

Yeah I had no-where better to be that day either! I'd grown up with the mindset that going to Melb games even when we were terrible was still better than dealing with trouble at home. Wona's celebration is burned right into the old memory bank!

Farmer's 9 at the G against the Filth was just magic and the 2000 QF against Carlton will probably always take the cake as far as memories at that ground. Being right up the back at the Punt Rd end and seeing all those goals go through, will never forget it.

Couple of others coming to mind, Rd 6 in 2006 Fri night at the G against the Cats. It was a wet and freezing night and it really looked like they had us on toast. Enter two kids Lyndenn Dunn and Matty Bate who kicked valuable goals to pull us back into it, then in that 4th quater Josh Hunt marks to have a shot to seal it and taunted at one of our guys (can't remember who) and fluffed the kick. We come back and hold on for a great win to go 3-3 after starting 0-3. 

[tiers 2,785]

1. 1964 grand final

2. 1987 qual final against NM 118 point smashing after missing finals for 23 years.

3. 1998 v lolly blues when Ox kicked 5 goals in a quarter in comeback from 3 knee recos.

4. 2008 v freo comeback and Aussie's celebration

5. Any game with Robbie.

[Mr Steve 3,820]

1     1987   Qual final against North. Walked into the rooms before the game and you could feel what was about to happen. 

2     2018   Final against Geelong. Massive crowd massive win for the club

3     2018   Final against the Hawks backing with another massive crowd

4     2000   P F against North. Big win and we started to dream we just might beat the Bombers. 

5     2006   Against The saints we looked in trouble but not as much trouble at the next ten year brought us. 

[forever demons 1,878]

21 hours ago, Jontee said:

Did you go to that game too?  I used to dread the last quarter against the Tigers, Rolls Royce would kill us.

I have lots of memories of the strange, quirky and down right unpleasant events that happened outside of the playing of the game.

1.  My nanna had a friend (extended irish catholic family) who worked as a Corps of Commissioner on the gate at the MCC.  My nanna, 3 of her cronies and 5 grand children would gain entry using 2 ladies tickets.

2. Early in the first quarter Uncle Graeme threw his record down into the aisle in disgust, whereupon a young kid grabbed it and ran off.

3.  It was so wet at Artic Park that I watched the game through a moth hole in my beanie.

4.  As a young kid, at a packed out game, I stood up in an exciting moment for a better view. When I went to sit back down someone else was sitting in my seat.  (weird sensation that)

5.  Hot donuts - who doesnt have a story about them.  After the game I purchased 6 hot jam donuts, placed them in my coat pocket with some effort, and headed to Richmond station.  On the train (blue harris?) I pulled one out, took a bite, whereupon half a gallon of scalding jam shot out over my face and chin and down my hands.  I stood there whimpering, covered in jam, trying to reach my hanky which was under the bag of donuts.

Losing the car at Artic park, losing Father in the car park after a night game at the MCG, what DID happen to Aunty Jess and the very drunk blind man will have to wait for another day.

The jam donuts .Mate of mine and i always bought them for our wives on way home via connells tavern in elizabeth st.Two very drunk blokes in charge of donuts is not a good look but it was the thought that counted.First game one year we meet at the tavern my mate only wore his fav jacket to the footy,puts his hand in the pocket ,yep the jam donuts were still there from the last game the previous year

[Fritta and Turner 3,840]

42 minutes ago, forever demons said:

The jam donuts .Mate of mine and i always bought them for our wives on way home via connells tavern in elizabeth st.Two very drunk blokes in charge of donuts is not a good look but it was the thought that counted.First game one year we meet at the tavern my mate only wore his fav jacket to the footy,puts his hand in the pocket ,yep the jam donuts were still there from the last game the previous year

On a similar vein, best mate grabs his footy travel bag for a spruce up the day before round 1.  Inside was a paper bag containing 2 dim sims.

[YesitwasaWin4theAges 6,016]

On 10/1/2022 at 3:03 PM, bush demon said:

Sometimes the (mundane) trip to the football was just as memorable as the game itself.

1. I think about 1971 Melbourne thrashed North by over 100 points. Because we had never been to this ground we were over 5 minutes late. At that stage Melbourne already had 7 goals on the board.

2. My brother and i walked from Springvale to VFL park waverley in the early 70s and we sat near the fence on the wing getting drenched and frozen. Covered ourselves in soaking newspapers. Couldn't take it any more so walked home at half-time only to discover we had gone down in a low-scoring thriller.

3. 1976, last round and we would have been a very worthy finalist. Dominated the pies at Victoria park but other games didn't go our way. Stood on the wing, elevated on cans.

4. In the mid 70s we journeyed again to the park, this time in Ray's immaculate black P76. Unfortunately Ray drove through a red light at Jell's road and put a big dint in that beautiful car.

5. This is a generic mash-up of many games: Ray and I would head straight from our Springvale under 12s game and catch a blue or red train to Richmond. Phil Rhoden would be kicking drop kicks from full back in the twos. At the ground would consume a jar of koolmints and on the way home a bag of hot donuts. At Springvale would buy 20 cents chips, a piece of flake (possibly potato cakes @5 cents each). Then wash down with can of RC cola 18 cents. Usually Melbourne lost. One highlight would be screaming loudly during the 2nd term as Dillon or Parke  performed heroics. Usually someone like Royce Hart would then take over in the 3rd quarter and we would be smashed.

 

I wish things would still be that cheap now, bag of hot chips is $6 now, can of cola now $3.

Edited October 3, 2022 by YesitwasaWin4theAges

[YesitwasaWin4theAges 6,016]

21 hours ago, Demon Disciple said:

2018 EF against the Cats gets a special mention from me. Never have I seen so many Dees fans at a game, the G was basically a sea of red & blue. Of the 90k that attended 60,000 would’ve been Dees supporters.

11 years of being absolutely shizenhouse will do that, it was a memorable night.

Edited October 3, 2022 by YesitwasaWin4theAges

[Demon Disciple 11,139]

9 minutes ago, YesitwasaWin4theAges said:

I wish things would still that cheap now, bag of hot chips is $6 now, can of cola now $3.

Inflation. Chips have increased 30-fold in price, just like wages……………wait a minute.

[Deemania since 56 6,249]

On 10/1/2022 at 3:03 PM, bush demon said:

Sometimes the (mundane) trip to the football was just as memorable as the game itself.

1. I think about 1971 Melbourne thrashed North by over 100 points. Because we had never been to this ground we were over 5 minutes late. At that stage Melbourne already had 7 goals on the board.

2. My brother and i walked from Springvale to VFL park waverley in the early 70s and we sat near the fence on the wing getting drenched and frozen. Covered ourselves in soaking newspapers. Couldn't take it any more so walked home at half-time only to discover we had gone down in a low-scoring thriller.

3. 1976, last round and we would have been a very worthy finalist. Dominated the pies at Victoria park but other games didn't go our way. Stood on the wing, elevated on cans.

4. In the mid 70s we journeyed again to the park, this time in Ray's immaculate black P76. Unfortunately Ray drove through a red light at Jell's road and put a big dint in that beautiful car.

5. This is a generic mash-up of many games: Ray and I would head straight from our Springvale under 12s game and catch a blue or red train to Richmond. Phil Rhoden would be kicking drop kicks from full back in the twos. At the ground would consume a jar of koolmints and on the way home a bag of hot donuts. At Springvale would buy 20 cents chips, a piece of flake (possibly potato cakes @5 cents each). Then wash down with can of RC cola 18 cents. Usually Melbourne lost. One highlight would be screaming loudly during the 2nd term as Dillon or Parke  performed heroics. Usually someone like Royce Hart would then take over in the 3rd quarter and we would be smashed.

 

Lovely story. We all must have memories similar to these. For me, it was the Southern Stand, first deck at the front. A pie, maybe a hot dog later, a small hip flask of Dad's best rum stowed in a hidden spot under the duffel coat, and if lucky, a cheese and gherkin sandwich or two from Mum. Dillon, Parke, Alves, Tassy J, all absolute heroes! 

[Demon Disciple 11,139]

8 minutes ago, YesitwasaWin4theAges said:

11 years of being absolutely shizenhouse will do that its was a memorable night.

Of 2 games I was never more sure of the result, it was the 2018 EF & SF. We were never going to lose those games.

Hannan’s run and goal down the wing when the entire Members side stood up and encouraged him home, Chunk’s goal, Melksham breaking the shackles and the Dorks run-on, the Weid playing out of his skin for 2 games. Giving the Weagles a cushy PF so they had the legs to comeback against the filth and Dom Sheed turning around to stick it up their fans.

Ahhh memories 🥳, 2018 really was a great year

Edited October 3, 2022 by Demon Disciple

[YesitwasaWin4theAges 6,016]

1. 2021 GF v WB Hands Down Greatest Ever Footballing experience. Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang." After 57 years of pain, its coming home."

2. 2021 EF v Brisbane- Dominated from the first bounce absolutely smashed them, our complete control of this game flattered them. Coaches and players absolutely blown away with the support in Adelaide.

3. 2018 EF v Geelong-  First final I've ever attended Electric atmosphere. 93k in attendance the G was rocking.

4. 2006 EF v St.Kilda- First Final I've ever attended and it didn't disappoint, St.Kilda and Grant Thomas sent packing. Also remembered Peter Brock passing away that day.

5. 2017 R8 v Crows The night Tmac and the Dees went bezerk, Clarry kicked a check sider in the Betts pocket won by 40. Silenced alot of crows fans that night and got some back for all the torment over the the years.

Edited October 3, 2022 by YesitwasaWin4theAges

[Ollie fan 2,284]

20 hours ago, Old Man Rivers said:

1. 88 Preliminary Final when we rolled The Blues at VFL Park. 

2. 2000 Preliminary Final when we rolled The Kangaroos at The G

3. 1990 Qualifying Final when we rolled The Eagles at VFL Park.

4. 2021 Anzac Eve v The Tigers 

5. 2004 (I think) Semi Final V The Crows (We Lost) The most amazing see - sawing final Iv’e ever been too. 40 points down at 1/4 time then something like 27 points up at 3/4 only to lose. Pretty sure Simon Goodwin was playing that night too. 

I’m afraid your memory is playing tricks with you. We lost to the Eagles in 1990. I still believe it was because the draw, which delayed our match for a week, left us very flat. Even in the warmup, it was plain that we weren’t switched on. I believe that we should have won the premiership that year.

[forever demons 1,878]

4 hours ago, Jontee said:

On a similar vein, best mate grabs his footy travel bag for a spruce up the day before round 1.  Inside was a paper bag containing 2 dim sims.

I understand

[Fritta and Turner 3,840]

12 minutes ago, Ollie fan said:

I’m afraid your memory is playing tricks with you. We lost to the Eagles in 1990. I still believe it was because the draw, which delayed our match for a week, left us very flat. Even in the warmup, it was plain that we weren’t switched on. I believe that we should have won the premiership that year.

Flat, I remember running down to the boundary line and yelling 'oi, the game actually started 15 minutes ago'