We started off at The Lakes Resort again, with many other Carlton supporters including past Carlton player Mark Naley. We all met at The Reflections Bar to have some drinks and nibbles, talk about our high hopes for the match ahead and just catch up with friends. They had the 1979 grand final playing in the big screen with commentary going through the loud speakers - it was a great atmosphere in there. I was excited to be seeing our friends from Melbourne, Adrian & Lidia and their daughters Lara & Talia again so soon - we'd spent all day Saturday with them, showing them the sights of the Barossa Valley (where I live).
Jesse, Lara & Talia have some hot chips & fanta
President of SA Supporters Club, Stephen Scott, welcomed us all. Some money was raised for the Carlton Footy Club from player prints that were auctioned off, as well as raffle tickets sold for the prize of a framed Carlton 2010 guernsey, signed by all the players. We bought a few tickets, one number being 43 (I thought we'd win with that one). Adrian bought a ticket also. And would you believe it? Adrian won! How lucky that they had driven across from Melbourne rather than flying, so were able to fit it in their boot on their way home on Tuesday. Before we left, Stephen got us to do what we always do before going to a Carlton match when meeting with other supporters - sing out the Carlton theme song at the top of our voices. I loved doing that! I sing that song nearly every day. Before we made our way over to AAMI Stadium we three kids wanted to show off our Carlton footy guernseys - Talia was wearing Juddy's number 5, Lara had Murph's number 3, and I had Eddie's number 19. Go boys!
We were sitting in the same Bay as the Carlton cheer squad again, this time a few rows behind them. It was another beautiful sunny autumn day. Adrian, Lidia and the girls are sitting near us because we booked our tickets together, and I couldn't believe it to see that a mate of mine from my class, Lachlan, was sitting right behind my seat with his Dad! I was excited to read the big banner that the players were going to run through - CAUTION: BLACKOUT AFTER GAME AS WE'RE SHUTTING DOWN THE POWER! Good stuff. We hoped that would be the case!
Port won the toss and chose to kick away from us towards their cheer squad end in the first quarter. They scored two early points, but then Waite handballed to Hoops who evaded a player & had a bounce shot at goal - I got excited - but it was touched on the last line for a point. We have the ball in our forward fifty a lot then, but keep on mucking it up until finally Simpson kicks well to Kreuzer on the 50m line, and he kicks to Setanta deep in our pocket right in front of us......Setanta is held by his opponent, but with his one free arm he is somehow able to take a fantastic mark! We cheer at that! And he kicks a GOAL! The first one of the match. I stand up on my seat and wave my big flag - great fun! The Carlton cheer squad get us all firing with our cheering. Gibbsy is great in the backline, but Westhoff was very lucky to be paid a really soft free against Jamo, and kicks their first goal. Chad Cornes (who we don't much like) is later tackled by Carrots & is pinged for holding the ball - Carrots lines up for a set shot - goal! Good smother by Hoops, good spoil by White, but Port has it and gets a snap goal, so it's 2-3 (15) Port to 2-1 (13) Carlton. Not much in it so far! Simon White lays a great tackle to earn himself a free, Eddie then kicks it to Setanta, the ball comes in front of us, Garlett swoops and snaps a goal! Then Murph has the ball inside our defensive fifty, comes streaming along towards us, has four bounces - keep going, Murph, and have a shot at goal, we cry! But he doesn't and the ball is turned over. Many turnovers occur after that, and Port goals. We've been losing a lot of centre clearances, but are still managing to hang in there. Aaron Joseph gets himself a free for a good tackle, Eddie marks the ball, runs and bounces it, kicks to Johnson who kicks to Simmo, marks it and goal! You beauty. We lose another centre clearance, but AJ is great in defence, so too Johnson, Gibbs takes a good mark against Motlop, Thornton another strong mark, Jamo has it out wide, to Hoops, to Setanta but it's over the boundary. From the throw-in Eddie has the ball, one arm is being held so he gets a free! While he's going back to take a set shot for goal, the siren sounds. So he pulls up his socks, takes a breath, and has his shot - what a pity, it doesn't quite make the distance. Quarter time has us ahead, though, 3-3 (21) to 4-1 (25). Go Blues!
Port starts the second quarter with a bang, getting three of early goals and a point, putting the Carlton boys under a lot of pressure in our back pocket (now in front of us). Roden for Port has a shot at goal but Simon White marks it before it goes through. Hoops handballs to Scotland - kicks to Setanta but he can't take the mark and Port take the ball away again, until Jordan Russell marks and it goes back down to our end again! Eventually Waite marks the ball and runs away, bouncing the ball (I love watching players running and bouncing the ball - I practise doing that a lot at home), kicks to Yarran who takes a juggling mark, gives off to Garlett who snaps at goal.....but it's only a point. Scores are 6-4 (40) to 4-2 (26). We'd better get moving, I think! Lachlan's Dad David has a really big loud voice and he calls out "Go Carlton" lots of times - I love it. Chris Johnson takes a good mark, running with the flight of the ball, Setanta then chases the ball as it bounces before him, handballs to Scotto, back to Setanta who kicks big to Waite in the goal square, but Hoops! He actually takes the mark behind Waitey, plays on really quickly, snaps the ball around his body for a goal! Wahoo!! Here we come! Not long after, Murphy handballs to Carrots - to Hoops, perfect kick to Kreuz - to Armfield, kicks at goal but looks like it will just fall short, Judd funs flat out to mark it near the goal square! Well done, Juddy! He lines up for his shot - goal! We're back in the hunt, only three points down! 6-5 (41) to 6-2 (38). The next centre clearance is ours, the ball goes towards our goals, but Simmo kicks a point. Thornton is good, handballs to Kreuzer - to White - to Armfield - Judd - big kick to Yazza - how did he mark that? The ball fell into one of his hands stretched out down low - very clever. He takes his set shot from only around 25 metres out, but only gets a point. Bummer. Motlop then goals for Port from only a step away from the goal line after he escapes a Gibbs tackle. Eddie has it next, and Setanta kicks a goal from only a step away from the goal line! Anything you can do, Port, we can do better!! The ball goes back and forth a bit after that, until Russell makes a great spoil, heaps of handballs happening, Carrots does a good low kick to Hoops who marks it on his chest and has a set shot from a fair way out. A big kick, it looks like it will be a point, but No! Jarrad Waite marks it on the line in between the point posts! Mum joked with Adrian that Hoops was perhaps intentionally doing one of his perfect pinpoint passes again as Waitey kicks a goal to put us back in front! Gibbsy! Takes a ripper mark, and gets a 50m penalty as a Port player ran across the mark - to Russell - Johnson - the ball is in a pack, Gibbs is tackled but he got the handball out, but that jolly umpire gives Port a free for incorrect disposal. WRONG CALL, umpire! The ball goes to Port's forward pocket, Simmo lays a great lunging tackle but the Port player fell over and the umpire gives them ANOTHER very weak free for in the back/tripping and they get a goal. The siren goes almost straight after, with us down by only one point, 8-5 (53) to 8-4 (52).
During half time Mummy and I went down a few rows to talk with our other Melbourne friends Michelle, Luke & Mel near the boundary. Mich was holding a fantastic new banner she'd made during the week with THE THREE AMIGOS written on it - you may have seen it many times on TV during this match. Mich had been to training the day before, and had her banner signed by each of #13 Chris Yarran, #19 Eddie Betts and #38 Jeff Garlett - all were pretty thrilled to be on her banner. We talked to Mich, Mel & Luke about the game and whether we all thought we could win. Luke reckoned we weren't playing anywhere near as well as we could be, so we agreed that hopefully we'd get better and start to pull away from Port a bit. Mum took a photo of the three of them with me - as you can see, just like last year at the Port game (when they all came over also), it was a very bright and sunny day.
In the third quarter the ball came straight towards us (the Carlton end) - Garlett ran for the mark and managed to get one hand to it but there was a bad bounce and Port got it away. But then Yarran takes a mark and as he's about to take his kick there is a free paid to us because Judd was held off the ball, so Yarran now lines up just inside the 50m line for goal - and he kicks it! We're back in front. (at this point on TV both Mich and Mel's banners can be seen). Chad takes a solid mark, and Hoops holds him to stop him from playing on and the umpires give Chad a very weak 50m penalty so he goals. The umpires are trying to help the home team, I reckon! Judd comes in, kicks to Setanta who directly in front of us is clearly held all over as he goes for a mark, but of course a free is not paid to us. Later Army kicks to Gibbs who does a big kick to Eddie - what a great mark, starting high and ending lying down bringing the ball through his own legs! He has a shot for goal but only kicks a point. So scores are level, 9-5 (59) each. Port get another three goals, the first from yet ANOTHER 50m penalty. Simmo kicks to Carrots to Kreuzer at full forward, but he's too far forward of the ball and Chad marks it. But! Then we have another chance, with another kick coming to Kreuz out wide which this time he marks! He lines up for a shot at goal, going to be very hard as he's looking directly into the sun, but he does it! 12-5 (77) to 10-6 (66). Only 11 points down now, can we do it? Hmmmm, Power gets another goal, before it's back our end again - we have a chance for a goal, it's hard and tough in the packs, body on body - stay on your feet, Hoops! Judd can't break free and Port takes it away. Yarran tackles but the ump gives Port yet another shot at goal - luckily it's only a point. Now we're exactly three goals down. Then finally we get a free to Murph for an excellent tackle (pity it's in our back pocket and not up forward where Port seem to get all their frees) - Simmo marks it out on the wing - Waite - Sam Jacobs takes a big fly to get the mark and should be lining up for a goal - take the shot! But instead he handballs it to Johnson, who kicks to Setanta near us - but he drops the mark. Judd has a shot at goal, but the ball bounces at just the wrong moment to allow a Port player to catch up and touch it before it goes through. Soon after, though, we have the ball - Joseph - Simmo- Scotland - Gibbs - Army - have a shot, Army! But instead he kicks across to Hoops. Mum tells us she reckons it's better that Hoops takes the shot as he'll nail it for sure. And she's right - he does! The umps then give Port yet another free shot for goal, but Sam Jacobs does ever so well to reach up and touch the ball as it goes through to force a point. We have several more shots at goal, there's great tackling by us in our forward fifty, Gibbs has a huge snap at goal but it goes through for a point. The siren sounds for three quarter time, and we are nine points down, 13-7 (85) to 11-10 (76). Same scoring shots, but we've wasted more opportunities. We're all feeling very nervous, because Port has won four games with strong last quarters this year, while we have had one player down since early in the game (sadly, Kane Lucas did his hamstring), and have had two less days since our last game, AND have had to travel. Can we possibly hang on?? Mum thinks we have plenty of room for improvement because we've really not been playing all that well, with lots of turnovers and not many centre clearances won. I really, really, really hope we can win.
The last quarter started with the best minute ever! From Port's clearance, Russell marked the ball - to Simmo - kicks to Setanta who didn't mark but brought the ball to ground - Hoops swooped, handball to Setanta - goal! That took 23 seconds! We leap to our feet and wave our flags madly, cheering hard. At the next centre bounce Simmo gets the ball out quickly to Judd who is super strong breaking out of the pack with two players hanging off him, gave to Yarran - to Carrots - to Armfield - to Scotto - GOAL! That took 29 seconds! So in less than one minute, we'd booted two goals to take the lead back!! Jeepers Creepers this is such fun. Kreuzer bursts out of the next centre clearance, big kick to our forwards, Setanta has another snap shot - point. He had more time, should have steadied himself. Port has the ball, but Army is fantastic, lunging forward to take a low diving mark. He kicks it up in the air and THE JUDDMEISTER! What a ripper leaping mark! He kicks it out wide to Simmo for a mark - who kicks to Setanta for a mark near the goal square! But he has to have his shot from a very wide angle. Mummy and I think it's a goal and wave our flags, only to be told by Dad it just went behind the sticks. Lucky the TV cameras weren't on us then! T-Bird takes a mark out wide and kcicks to Johnson at the top of the square - for ages we have many chances for goals as the ball stays in or near our goal square but Port manages to take it away. Russell takes a saving mark for us - to Judd - across to Carrots - small kick to Scotto who's in closer to goal - he lines up for an easy set shot - but misses. I reckon I could've got that one. Come on, Blues! We've had six more scoring shots than them, but are only ahead by six measly points. We need to kick goals, boys!! Good spoil by Thornton, GREAT spoil by Gibbs on Ebert, and Gibbsy then follows up to take the ball, speeding away from the pack in our back pocket, has a bounce, kicks really well to Setanta - who kicks to Army who is ever so speedy and beats everyone to take yet another lunging low mark! He kicks perfectly low across to Kreuz who has a set shot - goal!! GO BLUES!!! The ball comes to Port's goals but Jamo! Spoils and teams well with White - they have the ball while Port players try to get it. Well done, White! Kicks a great kick to AJ who handballs to Carrots - to Waite for a mark! He's held by a Port player so gets a 50m free (now the Port supporters know how it feels) and he kicks a goal! (Mummy, Luke, Mel and I all get on TV at that point - Luke & Mel with their banners, me standing up on my chair waving my flag like mad, and Mummy jumping up and down, waving her flag and cheering like crazy!) White! Takes a mark on his own in Port's goal area - "KOUTA!" I call out because he wears the great #43. Murph has the ball, goes streaming towards our goals, but kicks it straight to a Port player. They get a goal to stem our flow, but we're still in the lead by two goals, 13-7 (91) to 15-13 (103). Don't let them get another one, please! Murphy does a great tackle on Chad in the centre, pulling him off the ball to allow Juddy to grab it - out to Garlett, but Port gets the ball. Johnson well done to force the ball spillage, Setanta handballs over his head - Carrots - Garlett great mark! But it's another point. Army races to beat his man, Murph has the ball, we muck it up again, Simon White second grab for a mark! But no, the umpires give it to Port - rubbish. Eddie pressures the Port players, kicks to Yazza for a mark! He has his set shot from only 30m out, but very, very wide on the boundary. Mum thinks it will be difficult, but I tell her that Travis Cloke got it from about there on Friday night, don't worry! And it's a GOAL!!!! We all go bonkers. (Mich and Mel are on TV with their banners). Juddy has the ball, but it's marked by a Port player - they have a shot at goal - out on the full! Yahoo! We cheer even more! It's down our end, but no goal results - our #45, AJ, is on their #45 and AJ makes the spoil to go over the boundary. It's in Port's forward pocket and they have a shot at goal - Gibbs touches it on the line for a point. He takes the kick out and the ball goes to ground - Murphy grabs it and oh boy! Speeds away while Chad Cornes lunges for him and misses, lying flat out on the ground (a photo of that exact moment was printed on the back page of the next day's paper), kicks to Waitey, to Setanta who does a big fly in the goal square, but the ball goes to ground - Port has it but Setanta tackles him, goes through for a point. The ball goes towards Port's end but Thornton marks it - across to Gibbs - Russell - Carrots - Scotland - Waitey - lopes along the boundary - Kreuzer gets it - snaps - another goal!! We Carlton supporters are all ecstatic now!! We start singing the Carlton theme song at the top of our voices, over and over again as we know we've got this one won. We have another shot at goal but get a point, White is fantastic, beating two men, earns a free. Mum and I head down to the boundary to join Mich, Mel and Luke while our players maintain possession in front of us in Port's forward area. We continue to sing the song (and can be heard on TV at that point if you turn up the volume!). The siren sounds and we scream and laugh and cheer and wave our flags - what a win!! Final scores are 14-8 (92) to 17-16 (118). We had 11 more scoring shots and only won by 26 points, but we don't mind as it was such a courageous hard-fought win on enemy territory!
The players came over to high five the Carlton supporters just like they did last time - Mummy had her camera there and took a few snaps in between getting high fives. Here she took a photo of Heath Scotland smiling at me while he gives me a high five, and Kade Simpson about to follow suit. All the players looked really happy and pumped, just like we were. When Mum saw Kane Lucas she told him she was sorry he'd injured his hamstring and we hoped he'd be back out there with them soon.
After the players left the oval, we were all allowed to go onto the ground to have a kick of the footy.
After lots of kicks of the footy with Adrian, Lidia, Lara & Talia, it was time for us to leave. We walked back to where they were staying nearby before heading back to our car for the trip back home. I was happy all the way home from having had such a perfect day - I so love it when the Blues win and I am there to see it! Of course I also watch all the other Carlton matches on TV, so I am good at cheering from afar as well. The next time I'll get to see the Mighty Blues in the flesh will be during my next school holidays in July, when we're going over to watch them play against the Bulldogs. So until then, keep on cheering!
From Jesse (Jezza) Hanel.
