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The Middle Aged Spectator goes to the football

Late in August, the Middle Aged Spectator took the opportunity to see his AFL team play their last home game of the season. It has been a difficult season, with the Gold Coast Suns again cruelled by injury, and clearly some internal discontent, which you can be sure more will be heard about during the off-season. But, as a member, and a lover of the sport of Australian Football, off we went.

Before this goes any further, a disclaimer. The MAS is a life-longer follower of Australian Football, and the AFL competition in particular. The MAS has never liked the Essendon Football Club. Its supporters are arrogant loudmouths, and after the disgrace that the club brought to the sport and the competition in general through their “Whatever it takes” failed supplement/drug program, feelings towards the club are not improved. That said, some of the MAS’s favourite players are at Essendon: Joe Daniher, David Zaharakis, Dyson Heppell and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (or ‘Tipper’ as the Essendon fans refer to him).

Round 22, the second-last round of games. Essendon are playing for a finals place and a shot at the premiership, Gold Coast have just sacked their coach of the last three years and are playing for pride, with no chance of making the playoffs.




The MAS took up a position a few rows back from the fence, just inside the 50m line – not a bad place to watch the game. There do seem to be a lot of Essendon supporters there, and they are ‘up and about’.


While the Suns are in it for the first three quarters, it is pretty clear which is the better side. The ball seems permanently stuck in the Essendon forward half, and the Suns seem to have no idea of how to clear it.

One of the problems the Suns face (just one of the problems) is the absence of so many players who might be able to make a difference. Among them is big man Jarryd Witts, who has had a terrific first year at the Suns, but whose season came to a premature end a couple of weeks back, due to injury. But the club’s replacement rucks are also all injured, and this key aspect of the game falls to young (but very tall) forward Peter Wright, and journeyman Matt Rosa, who while trying very hard, is simply not tall enough to do this job properly. But the coach’s choices are limited.

Anyway, the game never reaches great heights, it gets really cold, and Essendon end up winning by 30 odd points.

Some reflections: Steven May, the Gold Coast captain (his co-captain was, of course, out injured) played a stirling game in defence and kept Joe Daniher, one of the best forwards in the league (and, it should be said, a surprisingly fast man given his stature) to just a couple of disposals and only the one goal, which came from a dodgy free kick. It was interesting to watch the crowd watch Tipper. He didn’t get the ball all that much in this game, but each time he did the excitement level among spectators grew – something seems to happen every time he touches it. During the first quarter an Essendon player who kicked a goal was swamped by his congratulatory teammates. Why was this? Was it his birthday? Was this his comeback game from a cancer scare? No, it was simply Josh Begley’s first kick in his first game. So, good on him. The MAS was reminded of the last time Essendon had played on the Coast, and Darcy Parish played his first game, and starred for them.

The MAS changed viewing position at halftime, mainly due to an obnoxious and very loud Essendon supporter a few rows behind. While this person never called out anything obscene, he was so petty and so constant and so amused by his own ranting that the enjoyment of the game (even when getting beaten) wasn’t there. So, a move was made. Your correspondent’s family used to complain about his own behaviour at football games (!) and this did come to mind. A life-changing medical condition can change one’s perspective, as it did for the MAS, and a much milder man attends games now.


There was one final positive note for the Gold Coast Suns on an otherwise chilly and disappointing evening: no injuries this week.
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