Footy at the Telstra Dome

Another footy entry you say? Yes. I don’t think you understand how big of a deal it is. But this time, I had a quite different experience, for several reasons. First, I was at the Telstra Dome, the other stadium downtown that frequently accommodates footy fans. It’s actually just across the street from where I was living (so if you look it up on GoogleEarth, you can see where I lived), and was on my way to Southern Cross Station and the central business district, so I passed it all the time. I’ll always remember the trombone and saxophone players supporting the St. Kilda Saints, who would come out before and after each game playing “When the Saints Go Marching In” (If their team lost, the tempo was a lot slower, and their heads were hung, but they were still draped in Saints apparel).

Second, I went to a game between Carlton and the Kangaroos. My first game was between two of the top-rated teams – Geelong and Collingwood. This game was decidedly one-sided. The Kangaroos were having a great year. But Carlton, which has a legacy of being one of the greatest teams of all time, was living in infamy this year as an embarrassment given their losing streak, and the enormity of their losses. Unfortunately, this game would be no different.

Third, I was sitting in the front row. At the MCG, I may as well have been in the blimp. I actually took pictures of the jumbotron that game, because I had a better view on it. This time, I think you’ll agree, the pictures were decidedly better.



The Telstra Dome is a little more quaint than the MCG. I think it seats about 40,000. But it was great nonetheless, and complements the grand MCG. Don’t get me wrong – it’s not small. It was the venue for the rugby championship. And the fans are just as entertaining. I was sitting next to an elderly woman, who kept calling out players and chastising them for their missteps and missed opportunities. Why she didn’t go into coaching, I’ll never know.



I’d tell you the exciting points of the game, but as I mentioned before, it was one-sided. Nevertheless, it was still a great experience to be so close to the action, and I just had to show you some of the pics.