Not sure with should go-so I'll post it here--feel free to move it along Rosie!!
Found myself in Ballarat yesterday and witnessed the best game of footy I have ever seen live. Swooper Northeys's Ballarat swans vs the Darley magpies. Darley went in red hot favourites having lost only the one game during the season. They probably should have won it--save for ordinary kicking-especially in the 1st quarter when they had the breeze(they finished with10 goals 20). Ballarat were 15 points behind going into the last quarter-they had the breeze And an extra man for 15 minutes courtesy of an all in brawl going into the huddles at 3/4 time that saw 2 Darley and 1 Ballarat man sin bined for 15 minutes of game time. Went to the huddle at 3/4 time to listen to swoop and his speech was straight from the heart and inspiring to listen to(quite different to what I heard at Coburg a few weeks ago!!). To cut a long story short Ballarat chipped away and got to within 1 point as the siren went the Skipper Ash Baker found himself 50 metres out on a 45 degree angle. Any score would do--a point would end in a tie and the game would go into overtime--a goal to win. He slotted it through and the crowd(Ballarat anyway) went nuts--took 10 minutes to get the players and Swooper to the podium. When Swooper got up he said words to the effect of "that last minute was history repeating itself--I coached Redan to a Grand Final win on this ground over 30 years ago--same result-from a kick after the siren from the same spot---amazing"
Fantastic game-high quality footy-the only downside was the result for Darley-probably should have won--a tie would have been a fair result---but thats footy I guess
(PS- Ballarats 1st flag in 20 years)
Found myself in Ballarat yesterday and witnessed the best game of footy I have ever seen live. Swooper Northeys's Ballarat swans vs the Darley magpies. Darley went in red hot favourites having lost only the one game during the season. They probably should have won it--save for ordinary kicking-especially in the 1st quarter when they had the breeze(they finished with10 goals 20). Ballarat were 15 points behind going into the last quarter-they had the breeze And an extra man for 15 minutes courtesy of an all in brawl going into the huddles at 3/4 time that saw 2 Darley and 1 Ballarat man sin bined for 15 minutes of game time. Went to the huddle at 3/4 time to listen to swoop and his speech was straight from the heart and inspiring to listen to(quite different to what I heard at Coburg a few weeks ago!!). To cut a long story short Ballarat chipped away and got to within 1 point as the siren went the Skipper Ash Baker found himself 50 metres out on a 45 degree angle. Any score would do--a point would end in a tie and the game would go into overtime--a goal to win. He slotted it through and the crowd(Ballarat anyway) went nuts--took 10 minutes to get the players and Swooper to the podium. When Swooper got up he said words to the effect of "that last minute was history repeating itself--I coached Redan to a Grand Final win on this ground over 30 years ago--same result-from a kick after the siren from the same spot---amazing"
Fantastic game-high quality footy-the only downside was the result for Darley-probably should have won--a tie would have been a fair result---but thats footy I guess
(PS- Ballarats 1st flag in 20 years)
