We stayed at a hotel right near the MCG and because I forgot to bring one of my footballs with me, on Saturday morning Daddy & I went for a walk to see if we could buy one. Eventually outside the MCG well before the gates opened we bought a really cool Captain Carlton footy which has already become my new favourite football. Dad & I had lots of kicks of my new ball before going back to the hotel to get changed into our Carlton clothes and pick up Mummy and show her my new footy.
The three of us then walked over to the ‘G at around midday. Once there, we saw some Carlton officials who were holding an obstacle course for kids called ‘Ratten’s Run’. You had to do some ‘fast feet’ running, then a push-up, then some double-foot hurdle jumps, before racing through two tackle bags and handballing into a target. I decided to have a go at it - Mummy videoed me - and I completed it in 8 seconds, so fast that I got my name up on the board, which made me feel pretty special. AND I was given a half-size red Sherrin footy to keep, so I got TWO footballs that day!
As we walked around to Gate 4 we discovered another game for kids - this time it was a Red Rooster handball competition. I was lucky enough to handball right through the hole in the target straight away, and this time I was given two blow-up ‘clappers’ (which Mum said I wasn’t allowed to blow up until we got home as the noise when they clap together is so loud and annoying!). When we got into the MCG, we worked out where our reserved seats were, on the ground level just under cover, with the goals not far to our right. Mummy and I then went straight to the ‘magic balls’ which is a little statue where you spin the cricket balls and then touch the centre of the MCG turf to make a wish for your team. We do this every time we go to the MCG and usually it works to make Carlton win. We both made a big wish and I also prayed hard that Carlton would do what we wanted them to do!
We watched the Carlton players warm up (I really love seeing them have shots at goal). It was pretty windy out there, so I hoped we’d be able to kick a lot of goals. When the players came back out in their playing clothes, the big banner they had to run through was a bit ripped up the middle from the wind - we hoped that wasn’t a sign that things would go wrong! The banner read “SOME MAY SAY WE ARE PRETENDERS - LET’S SHOW THE TIGERS WE ARE CONTENDERS!”. Juddy won the toss, and chose to kick to the Carlton cheer squad end which was the goals near us. Eddie has the ball down our end almost straight away, kicks it towards us and we cheer as we think it’s going to be a goal......but it’s only a point. Simpson bounces the ball many times, streaming up the middle towards us with no one able to catch him, he takes his kick - but it's to a Richmond player in the goal square. Richmond then scores the first goal. Garlett has a set shot for us from straight in front of goal only about 40 metres out - oh no, it’s a shocker for a point! But he soon has another chance, this time lining up from the boundary looking straight into the sun, and Mum tells Dad “I bet he’ll get this hard one after that easy miss” - and he did! We cheer and wave our flags. Gibbs does some good work in defence - there’s a strong juggling mark by Murph on the wing - to Hampson for another strong mark - to Hendo at the top of the goal square who juggles it for what we think should be a mark, but the umpire doesn’t pay it. Waitey has a snap shot but gets a point, and after a while Russell does a beautiful spearing pass to Waitey who lunges forward for a mark - but he kicks another point! 1-4 (10) to 1-1 (7). Hendo jumps straight up high in the air for a beauty mark, and then kicks a goal! Yahoo. Marcus Davies is good on the boundary for us, there’s a big pack, Eddie brings the ball to ground, Carrots gets it - perfect pass over to Mitch - set shot for goal looking into the sun - miss. Waite then has a shot - doesn’t make the distance and Richmond gets it but we pounce, Murphy earns a free - goal! Warnock is doing some great rucking, but Richmond goals next. Quarter time has the scores at 3-7 (25) to 1-2 (8).
Hadley has it when the game starts again - to Robbo on the boundary - to Betts for a set shot......ANOTHER point to the Blues! 3 goals 8 points is NOT GOOD! But Jeffy makes up for it almost straight away with a goal - yay! Then there’s lots of scrappy play with constant piles of players on the ground - Hendo gets a free for a great tackle. “Can he kick a goal?” Mum asks me. “Yes, he will!” I say firmly. And I was right! 5-8 (38) to 2-2 (14). Richmond gets the ball away, but then we get it again - Gibbs to Murph - Hendo is playing really well! But we end up getting a point. Gibbsy takes a saving mark again - to Davies - Jamo - Russell - Hadley has it, takes a BIG kick from way outside 50 and it goes through for a boomer goal! That’s better kicking, Blues!! Marcus Davies is fantastic in Richmond’s forward 50 and gets the ball out by handball - it goes all the way to Carrots on our wing - but Richmond gets it after that - Bower reads the ball well to take a running mark - but soon after he has it again only to get caught. The ball is down to Richmond’s goals right in front of us - it is a hot potato! So many players are fumbling it as if it’s burning them - Warnock - Gibbs - Davies - all fumbling but somehow manage to keep the ball in the end - Army takes a good mark - great pressure by Eddie - fast hands by Hadley to Army - to Scotto - goal! 7-10 (52) to 2-3 (15). We’re actually winning by a fair bit now! Hendo takes a strong mark - to Waite - can’t mark it, but soon after Hendo takes ANOTHER strong mark - kicks towards goals - Waite brings the ball to ground - Garlett quick hands to Eddie- Grigg - goal! Ratten gives the thumbs up from the interchange bench, where he’s coaching from again like he did last week. Jarrad Waite takes a big hanger in the goal square - “Waitey!” I yell. And he boots a goal. Hendo’s on the boundary, gets it to Garlett - to Judd - back to Hendo who weaved and dodged and kicked a beauty goal! Next Hendo takes ANOTHER mark! The half-time siren sounds while he lines up - but it’s a point. Then there’s a brawl (that’s a new word I learned after the Carlton/Essendon game last week), after which the Carlton players group together in a tight-knit group before walking off as a great team. Half time scores are 10-12 (72) to 2-3 (15). Looking good, Blues!
At half time Daddy & I went just outside the ground to the MCG parklands to have a kick of my new Captain Carlton footy - that was great fun. I like to pretend I’m Eddie Betts or Jeffy Garlett going for a bouncing goal along the ground, or else Hendo or Waitey going for a big set shot. I forgot to say earlier that before the match we had a beer with a few other Carlton people (well, I had a red Powerade, not a beer) - we really love that we can see so many Carlton supporters over here, because back in South Australia so many people go for the Crows or Port Power. Dad took a photo of Mum and me with David, John, Michelle and Adrian - they all live in Melbourne.
Michelle and I also had our photo taken of just the two of us before the game began. Mich is nice!
In the third quarter we decide to move down to the boundary as there’s some spare seats because a Richmond couple left at half time - there’s a big pack in our goal square right in front of us - Richmond is caught for holding the ball with Eddie getting the free - goal! That’s a good start. How exciting it is down here where we can hear every crash and bash. “We are the navy blues” is being sung really loudly by lots of Carlton fans in the level above us. Richmond then gets the next goal, their first for a long time. Eddie does a great intercept - Carrots shoots at goal, but it hits the post. Simmo marks a Richmond ball in the centre - to Scotto - handball to Jamo - big kick to Waitey who marks it! He lines up for goal - yes! Then Juddy kicks a goal only a couple of metres from us! The Tigers follow up with a goal. The ball comes to us again and we get excited, but it’s a point. Too many points, Blues, STILL more points than goals! 13-16 (94) to 4-4 (28). The Tigers get three goals in a row - they’ve got way more goals in the first part of this quarter than they did in all of the first half! Murphy has the ball - runs along the boundary towards us to take a shot at goal - but it’s a point. I’m worried we might have brought the Blues bad luck by coming down to the boundary and tell Mummy I reckon we should go back to where we were - she makes a deal with me that we’ll go back if the Tigers get the next goal, or stay where we are if the Blues do. Juddy then bursts out of the middle with the ball - handballs to Carrots - big kick towards goals - oh, no, it’s going to fall short - but Waite pops up for a big mark on the goal line! And it’s a goal! So I guess we’re staying in our seats on the boundary! Nan texts Mum to tell her she’s just seen us on TV. Then Judd has the ball AGAIN - this time he doesn’t give a handball off but instead runs in towards the goals - has a kick - out on the full! Juddy, what are you doing? Three quarter time has the scores at 14-17 (101) to 7-5 (47).
I’m pretty sure we’re going to win now and in the last quarter we set out to really enjoy and soak up the rest of the match for we don’t know when we’ll get to see Carlton play again live. There’s some great defence by the Blues right in front of us this quarter, and eventually the ball goes to Waitey up the other end - he runs in - goal! Then Garlett ALSO runs in to an open goal square for a goal! Mum and I stand up and wave our flags like mad. Judd kicks to Robbie Warnock - what a big grab that was! Can he kick a goal from 50m? YES!! We’ve FINALLY caught up on goals to points, 17-17 (119) to 7-5 (47). Leading league goal kicker Jack Riewoldt for the Tigers tries for a goal but Jamo smothers it just like I made a smother for my Under 9s team two weeks ago. Army backs up to get the ball - to Murph - our defenders have done really well this quarter right in front of us, sending the ball up to our forward line. Mitch lines up for a goal - woops, out on the full. The Tigers get two quick goals, the second one by one of our favourite Tigers, South Australian Ben ‘goldilocks’ Nason. Gibbs applies great pressure - Grigg on the boundary gets the ball over to Garlett for a mark - goal! Next thing Garlett is on the boundary, kicks the ball to a pack, and there at the back is Russell - what’s he doing up forward? - who pounces on it and goals! Great defending again by the Blues soon after - Jamo - Gibbs’ handball to Russell on the boundary not far from us is sublime, somehow getting the ball past two Richmond players without going out of bounds like putting a camel through the eye of a needle - lots of Carlton players then have a hand in the ball making its way to Scotto up the other end who kicks a beauty goal. I...just...love...it. !! Army with pace gets the ball to Murph - Bower - Grigg - Simmo - beautiful pinpoint pass to Eddie! Can he get a goal? No, looks to be a point but wait! It’s Waite! He’s marked it AGAIN on the goal line! I get my flag out ready to wave when he goals, but he kicks a point. Dad tells me that’s my fault as I had the flag out too soon. There’s a pack about four metres from us as the ball flies in to Richmond’s forward fifty - “Mark it, Gibbs!” I call out - and he does! Jamo kicks to Ellard to Gibbs to Betts who handballs to Mitch who is outside 50 - goal! Scotland gets the ball out at the next centre bounce with a kick - then there’s a handball to Betts - goal! We get greedy, and want another one - is there time? Judd has it, but he kicks to a Richmond player. Army does well to spoil a Richmond goal for a point - Juddy has it again and again - kicks to Murph - the final siren must be going soon, we reckon, as he lines up for his shot - GOAL!!!! Not long after that the siren sounds to end the match. We’ve won by a country mile, 23-18 (156) to 10-7 (67). I sit up on the boundary fence to wave my flag and cheer the players as they kick some footballs into the crowd - we sing the Carlton song a few times over. What a ripper match for the Blues.
We then meet friends Luke and Brad and Toby on our way out - Mum takes a photo of me with a VERY happy Luke and I noticed we both happened to be wearing the same Carlton scarf. I tell him how good it was for me to see Carlton's biggest score for the year - fancy me having 23 chances to cheer and wave my flag after that many goals! And it was also our biggest winning margin, almost 15 goals.
I am so pleased the Blues did what I said they should do after they lost the last match I saw them play against the Bulldogs - pick themselves up, dust themselves off and have another try. The test for Carlton now will be to see whether they can win three matches in a row for the first time this year.....against a very good Geelong team. Since we beat Geelong by six goals earlier this year, and by five goals the time we played them before that, I reckon we could just do it.
GO BLUES!
From Jesse (Jezza) Hanel.
