COD Sport Returns to Ballarat

An early season promise to Shuter McGavin to meet up at the Round 19 Western Bulldogs v Port Adelaide game in Ballarat seemed like a good idea at the time – until the weather forecast was for 9 degrees with possible hail….

As my train approached Ballarat it appeared that the forecast was going to deliver.

My AFL Members card wasn’t valid at Mars Stadium – but as I queued for a general admission ticket, good fortune smiled on me as a young lad had excess tickets given to him by his footy club.  So I was in for free and just in time for the Port banner.

Soon I came across my fellow cast members for the day – Shuter McGavin, Heath Autio, Adrian Paull, Sean Stryker and Dave “The Hoff” Kent.

There was a whiff of Alberton Oval (or something) about the ground.  Bogans were thick on the ground and you could certainly get close up and personal – yes, that’s Port on-field coach Chad Cornes.

It was a tight affair on the field and a quagmire stricken one off it – getting beers back across the mud was fraught with danger as armageddon threatened to descend.  The boys ride Chad Wingard’s shot – is it a goal?

YEEESSS!!!

It was a good old fashioned day at the footy, reminiscent of a bygone era of footy going where you just weren’t entirely comfortable; your hands and feet frozen.  The lights were Thebarton Oval standard circa 1984.

And who’s the knob on the right in the lumberjacket giving it to someone late in the game (video)….

Eventually, Port ran away with the game as darkness descended on Mars Stadium.

So it was back to The Sporting Globe to reflect on a great day’s entertainment – then I headed back to Melbourne while the rest of the boys headed out for Chinese.

And for some – a spa back at the hotel….