The Australian Football League (AFL) Grand Final will be played tomorrow between Geelong Cats vs St. Kilda Saints. Lots of events are lined up a week before the final. Aussie Rule Football can be considered as the fourth highest attended club championship in the world. Every weekend spectators will packed the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), with spectators ranging from 70,000-100,000 a match. Tickets are sold exclusively to supporting team club members and only a few are offered to the public. So for us public, chances of getting a ticket are pretty much zero! Victorians practically breathe, eat and sleep footie! 90% of their sports page are on AFL. Normal conversation must include footie and as one of my running friend here says, Aussie Rules is practically a religion here!
A day before the Grand Final, players from the 2 teams will parade along the streets of Melbourne with thousands of people lining up to catch a glimpse of their sporting heroes. I was there today in the pouring rain, but it's not heavy. You can get away with a raincoat or a jacket. Still, thousands of people were there. I was waiting at the National Gallery of Victoria where the parade starts. Caught glimpse of the players of which I knew their names. One is Nick Riewoldt and Gary Ablett. Gary won the Brownlow Medal, awarded to the best AFL player of the year, a very prestigious medal. The highest individual honour to an AFL player.
The Geelong Cats mascot
The Saints mascot
Nick is inside but seating on the left side, so couldn't catch a photo of him
Gary Ablett
Bands playing at the parade
Crowds just behind the parade line
Crowds on the sidewalkThis is a video clip of the parade.
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