Amy's Aussie Adventure: Day 3 - Saturday, 9.25.10 (Australian Footy)

Magpies v Saints

The Grand Final for Australian Rules Football (usually called Footy or Aussie Rules) is played today. It's comparable to our Superbowl. I've been told the sport is a cross between rugby, soccer, and American football. It's got the speed of soccer, tackling without pads like rugby, and scoring ability (to a degree) of football. The objective of the game is to score points by passing the ball through the opponent's goal. The main way to score points is by kicking the ball between the major goal posts. During play, the players may position themselves anywhere on the field and use any part of their body to move the ball. The primary methods are kicking, handballing, and running with the ball. Throwing the ball is not allowed. A distinctive feature of the game is a mark, where players anywhere on the field who catch a ball from a kick are awarded a free kick.

Magpie Fan Frenzy

The Grand Final match was between the St Kilda Saints and the Collingwood Magpies. I watched the match at a local Melbourne pub known as the Sneak Pub. The Final actually ended in a tie or draw at the Melbourne Cricket Ground with 68 points a piece. I waited for them to go into overtime. However, when the Grand Final match ends in a tie the game is played all over again the following Saturday. Unbelievable. There are 4 periods, each 25 minutes. They must play the entire final again. Did I already say "unbelievable". This marks the 3rd time in Footy Final history that the match ended in a tie and had to be replayed again. The last draw was in 1977. Prior to that it was 1948. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to watch 2 Grand Final matches. I doubt the players feel the same way.

Team reaction after reaching a Final Game tie

In the evening Nicolas, Dylan, and I went to visit Laetitia at The Apartment, a bar where she bartends. The bar is absolutely beautiful, with sections throughout it that represent areas of an apartment such as a kitchen, library, and lounge.

After The Apartment we went to a cozy, elegant wine bar called the Melbourne Supper Club, which had a spectacular view of the city. On one side was a view of the Princess Theatre, one of the world's grandest Victorian theatres, dating from 1886. Directly in front of the wine bar venue was a view of the Old Parliament House, home to Australia's Federal Parliament from 1927 - 1988. Around 3am we headed home.