Suburban AFL map

[Little Goffy 14,438]

Melbourne scarves are the only football scarves you can wear to the National Gallery of Victoria without anyone raising an eyebrow.

[nedleg 169]

Got it from me dad, but his story is he emigrated here in '62 – times were still good for the red and the blue, and he saw a guy named Ron Barassi on a kids footy show of a Saturday morning and the deal was done. Later in his work life he got to meet Ron and compare codes – AFL and opera – and Ron apparently commented on the athleticism of the latter, being a fan, apparently.

As a dees fan I've always felt we were somewhat the outsiders wherever we were based (though maybe not in the inner south-east, which is a part of town I've never really had a lot to do with). A mate of mine was spotted in a photo at a game wearing dees colours and someone commented something like OMG I never knew! His response: "That's because I'm a classic Melbourne supporter."

To this day my car is the only one I've seen in Germany sporting a Dees sticker. Not a heartland. 'cept at my place. Been grateful to get to the two home games this year whilst back in Oz, my little one was disappointed not to get Maxy's hand at the race in round 1, but I told her "s'alright, I got him". Then I got Maysie's Round 3 so the kid in me is satisfied. Hot tip, bring a kid so you don't look like a dork at the race, plus you'll have the longest arm.

Edited April 7, 2023 by nedleg
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[ElDiablo14 4,991]

Thank you all for your contributions. I really like to know/learn about the history and the perspective from the fans.

Go Dees!! 🔴🔵

 

[Macca 16,902]

2 hours ago, ElDiablo14 said:

Thank you all for your contributions. I really like to know/learn about the history and the perspective from the fans.

Go Dees!! 🔴🔵

Many of us here on this site are old enough to have ventured to all the suburban grounds

As a youngster it was quite an adventure trying to find your way to Moorabbin, Windy Hill, Footscray and even Geelong by train and then trying to find a viewing spot at the grounds (most were standing room only) was difficult

I can still remember being at Brunswick St as a little tacker and was at Glenferrie when Peter Hudson hit the deck (that was a big story back in the day) 

I remember getting to Arden St late one time in 1972 ... quarter time I arrived and the scoreline read North Melbourne 0.2.2 Melbourne 11.7.73.  Hard to believe but true.  And I missed the onslaught!!

Later on the neutral venue Waverley appeared and that was difficult enough to get to even by car! Getting in and out of the carpark required a cut lunch to pass the time

Victoria Park and Windy Hill were scary places and real eye-openers!  You could sense the violence in the air

I miss those days but even so, I wouldn't want to go back to those times.  Creature comforts supercedes these days!

 

[layzie 33,736]

4 hours ago, Macca said:

Victoria Park and Windy Hill were scary places and real eye-openers!  You could sense the violence in the air

For me there was no more intimidating place than Vic Park, the only place I ever saw sell special Carlton Coldies in plastic bottles at the grassy hill end..

Princes Park was tough going as well but Vic Park. Shiver.

[waverleyheartbreak 78]

On 4/7/2023 at 5:09 AM, nedleg said:

Got it from me dad, but his story is he emigrated here in '62 – times were still good for the red and the blue, and he saw a guy named Ron Barassi on a kids footy show of a Saturday morning and the deal was done. Later in his work life he got to meet Ron and compare codes – AFL and opera – and Ron apparently commented on the athleticism of the latter, being a fan, apparently.

As a dees fan I've always felt we were somewhat the outsiders wherever we were based (though maybe not in the inner south-east, which is a part of town I've never really had a lot to do with). A mate of mine was spotted in a photo at a game wearing dees colours and someone commented something like OMG I never knew! His response: "That's because I'm a classic Melbourne supporter."

To this day my car is the only one I've seen in Germany sporting a Dees sticker. Not a heartland. 'cept at my place. Been grateful to get to the two home games this year whilst back in Oz, my little one was disappointed not to get Maxy's hand at the race in round 1, but I told her "s'alright, I got him". Then I got Maysie's Round 3 so the kid in me is satisfied. Hot tip, bring a kid so you don't look like a dork at the race, plus you'll have the longest arm.

Sorry, there are 2 in Germany, this on my wifes Honda Jazz in Berlin !

[nedleg 169]

On 4/8/2023 at 9:57 PM, waverleyheartbreak said:

Sorry, there are 2 in Germany, this on my wifes Honda Jazz in Berlin !

We need to get these cars together!

[waverleyheartbreak 78]

1 minute ago, nedleg said:

We need to get these cars together!

Too afraid to drive this 12 y o Jazz outside of Brandenburg! ( even with the emergency rug for my knees ( or reserving seats) on board as pictured .

[UK Demon 75]

C!early where I live in Yorkshire is a Demon heartland. I am the only person in this area who follows AFL and I support Melbourne. Therefore it has 100% Demon support.

You know it makes sense.

[ElDiablo14 4,991]

3 hours ago, UK Demon said:

C!early where I live in Yorkshire is a Demon heartland. I am the only person in this area who follows AFL and I support Melbourne. Therefore it has 100% Demon support.

You know it makes sense.

The same can be said of my hometown back in MX.

I have made my dad an unofficial Melbourne nuffie. I got him the whole package of scarf, Bennie and jumper.

And he actually wears them a lot during winter 🔥🔴🔵.

[leave it to deever 17,511]

On 4/7/2023 at 4:31 AM, Lucifers Hero said:

For the flip side of that story.

My recently stolen, much loved car, was found abandoned all smashed up, in Maribynong - a looong, looong way from home. 😢

Apparently involved in a some 'really bad things' (quote from Footscray police).  Also, the thieves, used up a chunk of my etag and racked up nearly $1,000 of traffic fines in just the first 24 hours.  Then they changed the number plates so the police couldn't detect it on the roads.

Gee the fines hurt. What an added bonus. Did you have to pay them?

[Lucifers Hero 39,500]

2 hours ago, leave it to deever said:

Gee the fines hurt. What an added bonus. Did you have to pay them?

No, I didn't.  Well not yet.  Completed a 'Driver Unknown' form adding the Police report reference #.  Hopefully, that is enough to cancel them.

The bright side:  collected a new car on Friday.  Still miss the old one...

[dino rover 710]

On 4/6/2023 at 12:08 PM, No. 31 said:

Currently I am reading "Grand Finals - Volume I" and the 1926 chapter says that many of the Premiership Demons of 1926 settled in South Eastern Melbourne and it mentioned Carnegie and Oakleigh and surrounds.

Long time Bentleigh & East Bentleigh resident here (early years I did live in nearby Elsternwick & Ormond). Not only did the Demons own the Bentleigh Club and one of the local teams is called the Bentleigh Demons, one of the local high schools, McKinnon High School had links to MFC, it always had red & blue as its sporting colours and the school was constructed at the start of the Demons glory years of the 1950s (possibly that is why the red & blue was adopted as the school colours). Also Max Gawn went to McKinnon Secondary College. 

I went to Ormond East Primary School (now renamed McKinnon Primary School) and in the 1980s we used to have football clinics that were conducted by Demons players as we were in the Melbourne recruiting zone. Robbie Flower taught me how to handball 🏉😎

Growing up in this part of Melbourne, it always felt like Melbourne and St Kilda (closeness to Moorabbin) were the 'local teams' with strong local support.

The Bradshaw’s live in Bayside somewhere and the boys played at Hampton rovers and or east Sandy as did Salem I think

as noted Gawn played for Ormond and Jayden hunt was at Brighton grammar I think

so there is still a bayside connection of sorts with my definition of bayside being a bit wider than the local government area