Aussie Rules Footy

This afternoon Emma took me to a Port Adelaide Power vs St. Kilda Aussie Rules football game!!! It was all different and all the same. We parked a million miles away to give us a beautiful walk in the afternoon sun, avoid having to pay for parking, avoid the crowds at the end of the game – sound familiar? Once the crowds started into the gates, I saw familiar concrete flooring in the “hallways” all the way around, ‘toilets’ around every corner, places to buy alcoholic drinks, coffee, snacks, and betting… wait… what? That doesn’t match an average sporting event trip to the Saddledome or Propera Place. Betting on any sort of sporting event is huge here and totally open and legal (I’m assuming) and popular. Plastic seats, cheers, random angry shouts, colours of both teams, starting sirens and game on! Intermissions and half times, bathroom breaks and snack and drink refreshers. Check, check, check. All the comforts of familiarity all around with the refreshing newness of a round field, four? six? some number of tall posts on two sides, and officials in flourescent green everywhere.

The less familiar aspect (in my own past sporting event history) that I thoroughly enjoyed was the social aspect that a family of season ticket holders creates! Emma’s mom and dad were next to us at our seats and I met a few cousins, close friends, cousins of friends and friends of cousins as we moved around the venue. It was a huge arena, and yet everywhere we went Emma knew someone to say hello to and catch up with. It was much more than an afternoon at the footy game, it was an opportunity for her to catch up on family visiting in the greater community of sports team love!

And I got to be part of it all! Port Power is the “working class underdog team” who apparently does not have even a fraction of the supporters as the other Adelaide team does. It was instant love for me. Plus its colours are black and teal. Marvelous. I was even able to dress for it!

It was a tight game in the last three periods and the suspense mounted and mounted and mounted as the last few seconds (or so we thought… and then again… and then again…) counted up (different, much more tense time counting in the live arena) and St. Kilda got closer and closer, another point, another mark… and FINALLY the final siren – Port wins!!!! First game of the season! WOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

Fantastic. Thanks Emma!