First KP experience

[Willo_]

My first KP game I reckon was 93... Maybe, my Pa took me down from Ballarat and we saw Geelong and West Coast, West Coast won, we stood up behind the goals at the city end and I reckon I could hardly see a thing

Reckon he took me in 94 against the Tigers for my 2nd game and we stood on the wing, we won, i could see more and can still remember just the volume of empty beer cans littered around the place haha

 

[Spazz Cat]

Thanks heaps mate. It was awesome, he just made a beeline straight for my little bloke and gave him a pat on the head.

I’ll never forget it as a whole experience as long as I live.

F**Ken awesome mate. Those days are like gold.

 

[Spazz Cat]

My first KP game I reckon was 93... Maybe, my Pa took me down from Ballarat and we saw Geelong and West Coast, West Coast won, we stood up behind the goals at the city end and I reckon I could hardly see a thing

Reckon he took me in 94 against the Tigers for my 2nd game and we stood on the wing, we won, i could see more and can still remember just the volume of empty beer cans littered around the place haha

Was that Tigers game one where someone hit the post right at the end by any chance?
If it was, it was the best punch on I've seen at an AFL game by far.
I was stuck right in the middle of it too, my uncle had get in and drag me out and we had to go home.
Had to hear the end of the game on the radio.

 

[Willo_]

Was that Tigers game one where someone hit the post right at the end by any chance?
If it was, it was the best punch on I've seen at an AFL game by far.
I was stuck right in the middle of it too, my uncle had get in and drag me out and we had to go home.
Had to hear the end of the game on the radio.

To be honest i have no idea

 

[Spazz Cat]

To be honest i have no idea

Fair enough. I know it was around that time. I remember Riccardi was playing.

 

[Shell]

I am still so disappointed they didn't put that back into the new brownlow stand

 

[thecatattack]

God, I miss the old Go Cats seats.

 

[thecatattack]

Also, I may have had a few beers with some mates but OP is reminding me of how much I love the club.

From my granduncles, Bill and Matt playing in the 50s and 60s (even coaching later), to my dad going to games and passing his love for the club (and Ablett Sr) to his kids and still going to games to this day.

Best club in Australia, easily.

 

[Reppie]

Had to collect empty beer cans to make a platform so i could even watch the game as a kid.

 

[Vdubs]

GREAT post PhatBoy. I really hope it happens for you again, as a family unit, and that things turn out well for you and your family all in general.

Geelong v Carlton, 30 August 1963.
We won easily.
I was only 6yo at that time, can recall not seeing much.My father had to put me on his shoulders periodically.
My father stood on the wing area right next to the players' race, so I can really remember the smell of the liniment on the players as they ran out, the massive bodies; it was like being at the zoo, next to a cage, seeing these blokes come out. So close, yet untouchable.
The atmosphere was amazing, not scary.
The major memory was seeing Terry Callan injure his knee, and coming off the ground up the race.
He missed the finals that year.
We took boring sandwiches to the game, a thermos of tomato soup, but I still remember the smell of the Chiko Rolls. Was never allowed to sample one, not until I got a job many years later selling FOOTY RECORDS.
Once I could afford a Chiko Roll, the novelty wore off after 3 or 4 of them.


Many years later an amazing memory was standing in the same spot by the race, on the wing, and it was nearly the bleakest day ever, absolutely drenching rain, but we endured it, and witnessed a famous win against NM.
The highlight was a running goal from Ian Nankervis, all the way from BP, and he must have placed the ball on the ground 5x. NM hardly scored. Bit like last weekend.

KP was eventually walking distance for us after we moved from Belmont to Shannon Ave in Newtown. A fantastic place that still today conjures different memories all the time.
Reading all these posts is great. Sad that we have lost several more icons of KP in recent weeks.

About 18 years ago, 22 April, 2001, a vastly different memory was driving to Geelong from Croydon, after we picked up one of my daughter's friends- they insisted on going to this Geelong NM game, and the roads were already flooded on our way down. The rain was horrendous. We were getting smashed by Carey et al, and by half time, we had to leave. Drenched and frozen. Seriously, did not get back home until 1130 pm, despite leaving about 330.The roads were abysmal, and traffic flow was about 10-12 kph. At one stage my son wound down the window to see if the water was going to be window level. Many people went home via Bacchus Marsh. I was too cold wet and numb to consider it. I wonder how many others ventured out that day.

What is it about wet games at KP v NM??

 

[Vdubs]

It's funny but my first experience at KP was around '76-'77 and my overriding memory was seeing David Manson. He looked enormous to a young 7 year old kid. Can't remember much else other than I'm pretty sure we got beaten.

In the Manson era, I'm pretty sure we lost more than won. He was a giant.

 

[Frappe]

Best game at KP I've seen. Rd 13 2004 versus Lions.

Took my nephew in the outer who stood on a step ladder. 10 degrees.

 

[year of the cat]

In the Manson era, I'm pretty sure we lost more than won. He was a giant.

Yes, was an ordinary period for us which was hard to accept as a youngster! Swapped teams (to the Hawks!) for one week but it just didn’t sit right and went back and just sucked it up....

 

[Shell]

Yes, was an ordinary period for us which was hard to accept as a youngster! Swapped teams (to the Hawks!) for one week but it just didn’t sit right and went back and just sucked it up....

I vaguely recall "barracking" for north when i was say aged younger than 8 cause they were the "kangaroos". Dodged a bullet there

 

[James1970]

Rd 15 1992 vs Bulldogs

1 vs 2

Cats won by 9pts

The toilets were concrete blocks with a porcelain hole in the middle.

They sold UDLs at the ground.

It may have been cold.

First game at Kardinia Park was 10 years before, 1982 V Dees.

Just looking at the score - we smashed Melbourne by 92 points. Nothing changes.

My lasting memory though is also the toilets - which was pretty much a dozen guys wizzing on the back wall of the toilet shed. Being a Catholic at the time, I decided it best to hold on until we got back to Spencer St.

 

[Shell]

Another great KP memory- Jnrs first ever game- some pre season match v.... dogs??

 

[Tony Barber]

My first game was when gazza kicked his 1000th goal. How bloody lucky was i. I was probably one of the first 10 to get to him after he kicked it.

Still remember the security guard trying to stop me running onto the ground, and me running around him pi**ing myself laughing. Did he think he was going to stop thousands of people running out there? Not a hope in hell.

You know when you ran onto the ground that it was actually goal 1001?

 

[Vdubs]

First game at Kardinia Park was 10 years before, 1982 V Dees.

Just looking at the score - we smashed Melbourne by 92 points. Nothing changes.

My lasting memory though is also the toilets - which was pretty much a dozen guys wizzing on the back wall of the toilet shed. Being a Catholic at the time, I decided it best to hold on until we got back to Spencer St.

Took my wife to her first KP game v Pies, 1985, when they still played at our venue...
We were on the outer, and seriously, some supporters could not be bothered using the crowded toilets, and peed into their stubbies, unashamedly.

 

[Max Milburn]

Does anyone else remember racing across the ground to be the first to reach the centre circle after the final siren?

 

[Shell]

Does anyone else remember racing across the ground to be the first to reach the centre circle after the final siren?

No.

 

[Spazz Cat]

You know when you ran onto the ground that it was actually goal 1001?

Haha yeah I think I heard about that. A footy tragic watching games from the 80's with his footy records yeah?

 

[Tony Barber]

Does anyone else remember racing across the ground to be the first to reach the centre circle after the final siren?

I remember it but don't think I ever did it. And wasn't it after the 2nd siren?

 

[Tony Barber]

Haha yeah I think I heard about that. A footy tragic watching games from the 80's with his footy records yeah?

Yeah two mates. One has all the pies games and one has all the Hawks games.
They were watching a game and one said 'hang on, I reckon gas kicked that'.
Somehow they knew how many goals he was credited with.

So they proved it to the afl and the records were changed earlier this year.

 

[Spazz Cat]

Since I cant remember my first game at KP, here are some random memories of KP:

- lines past the railway overpass down Moorabool street
- having to break your neck bolting to get a seat on those wooden planks in the mid 90s.
- cheersquad chucking up confetti and streamers after a goal
- one and only time we had to stand was v Carlton (199something) and was literally shoulder to shoulder it was that packed
- "GO CATS" spelt out in the seats.
- crowd running out for Gary Ablett's 100th goal which wasnt actually a goal, it was a point.
- dumb cow security guard not allowing me in with about $40 worth of fish and chips, because "no commercially produced food allowed in" so i just call my friend to get a pass out and smuggle it in under her jacket.
- favourite game would have been v Saints, guessing 2009- it was an absolute gorgeous sunny day, The Sunday Footy Show filming outside the ground + a Matthew Scarlett goal.

I remember all of those! Ill just add that tiny little tin shed in the forward pocket with about 20 old campaigners cramped in there. WTF?
Wishing I could sit behind the fishbowl on a cold day.
The APCO servo opening across the road giving access to cheaper food.
Punk kids throwing food and stuff at players when they hosted the EJ Whitten game there once for some reason.

 

[catempire]

My first was this: https://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1986/040919860705.html, as you can see, a drubbing at the hands of Collingwood in mid 1986. I was 5 years old and my dad and uncles took turns with me sitting on their shoulders so I could see the game from the outer side wing. I remember nothing about the game but it whet my appetite something good because I reckon I’ve been to KP over 200 times since then.