A day at the "G"

Saturday was a big day for us, we went to see our first AFL (Aussie Rules Football) match. It was a cool and drizzly 12 degrees out, but we weren't going to miss this for anything. so we rugged up and caught the train into the city. 

Having an AFL team to support is as important as having an NHL team at home only a lot safer. Nobody gets beat up for picking the wrong team! Tyler and I barrack for the Richmond Tigers, so this was a great game for us since Richmond was playing Adelaide.  Scott has jumped on the Geelong Cats bandwagon and Hannah being ever loyal to her favourite teacher Miss Lively goes for the Carlton Blues, but both were happy to support Richmond for the day.

We were at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground), the famed home of the AFL and Australia's favourite stadium.

This was an event organized by the International Teachers Federation, so it was another great opportunity to get together with the other Canadian teachers and their families down under.

This game is fast paced and exciting. These guys are fast and talented. There's a lot of testosterone on the pitch so of course there's a little pushing and shoving between the players, but since the clock rarely stops counting in this game there's not time for a pissing match fight. For more details on the rules of the game click here.

One of the best parts of the game is the spirit. Absolutely everyone comes dressed up. The 20 Canadians in the crowd were some of the only ones not dressed in team colours! There are hats, scarves, footy socks, jackets, pom poms, and signs. Saturday was a sea of yellow and black!

And last but definately not least each club has a song. One of the most widely recognized theme songs in the AFL is that of the Richmond Tigers. And everyone in the stadium knows the words! Richmond won the match, and 1000s of fans stood up and sang this song:





Oh we’re from Tigerland
A fighting fury we’re from Tigerland
In any weather you will see us with a grin
Risking head and skin
If we’re behind
we’ll never mind
we’ll fight and fight and win
oh where from tigerland
we never weaken til the final siren goes
like the tigers of old
we’re strong and we’re bold
oh we’re from tiger
-YELLOW AND BLACK-
oh we’re from tigerland

(To the tune of ‘Row, Row, Row’)

We had a fantastic day, and I'm sure we'll be back again. It was too much fun not to!