Analysis How do YOU get to home games? - YOUR story

[austinnn]

I'm doing a little research about this and I wanted your personal stories to join to statistical research I've already made. Please be as honest and expansive as you can be.

Include things like:

• where you start your journey
• how long the whole experience of going to the game usually takes - including preparation time (getting kids ready etc)
• specific roads/tram/train/bus lines you often use/avoid and why
• complications you often face (roadworks, lineworks, aggro from oppo supporters, traffic jams, etc)
• if things changed over the years due to scheduling changes, re-routing, etc)

Feel free to talk about different scenarios for different timeslots etc and talk about the challenges and what would make the experience easier.

Thanks!

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

I take the train mostly

However for the past few years with the works on the Pakenham/Cranbourne lines it's been a mix of:
Multiple trains.
Drive to another line and train.
Drive to ground
Railway Bus.

 

[austinnn]

I'll kick things off, although my experience is from the past and my memory is vague;

I lived in the inner suburbs, north of or close to the Yarra; Carlton, Richmond, Northcote-type places.

Before Marvel, I rode my pushy to the nearest train station, caught the train out to Glen Waverley (I think I had to get off a stop before the end of the line but don't really remember clearly), then ride the rest of the way. It took more than an hour and was no fun in the rain, but I was just happy to go. I usually went alone.

It got easier for me when Marvel Stadium became our home, although I didn't much like the stadium itself. I just rode my pushy all the way to the Docklands. When I was lazy I took trams and walked. I guess it took about 30 mins and I mostly went alone then too.

I'd often see other footy fans on the trains and trams, usually if there were other Saints fans we'd be all quiet and wanting no trouble, the only atmosphere was with oppo fans. Occassionally I'd see other groups of Saints fans, but was a bit shyer back then and sat by myself. My memory has a bunch of Saints fans all standing up at the end of the carriage drinking tins of beer and being loud and annoying, I think I remember one bloke pissing directly onto the floor of the carriage, but not sure how reliable that memory is.

But generally my Waverley matchday experience was a bit long but pretty simple, and my Marvel experience was super easy. I'd see queues of suckers in their cars waiting for ages to enter or leave the stadiums and wonder why more people didn't take public transport, but this is 1996-2003 when life was simpler.

I'm thinking that the move from Glen Waverley must have really put a dent on our attendance, being that St Kilda has one of the most concentrated fanbases of all the Melbourne clubs, mostly around the Bayside area, which is quite close to Waverley but quite far away from the Docklands precinct and the MCG.

What's YOUR story?

 

[austinnn]

I take the train mostly

However for the past few years with the works on the Pakenham/Cranbourne lines it's been a mix of:
Multiple trains.
Drive to another line and train.
Drive to ground
Railway Bus.

I've read many posts from you about the difficulties of taking the train to games. I'd be really interested in you giving more details of travel times, complications you've faced, the situation with the works on the Pakenham/Cranbourne lines (when did it start? Why is it taking so long to complete? When is it projected to finish?)

If you have the time to share, I reckon lots of people would like to read about it and compare with their own experiences!

 

[Teflon]

Usually take the train on Craigieburn line
Service is usually pretty good and must say train straight into Southern Cross …up an escalator straight to the ground …its pretty handy
The odd G game is less so….
Train to Flinders then off and out to Richmond
Kids are older but used to bring young kids to the footy all the time - hot dogs in the food thermo ….at half time ….better than anything you pay $10 for….they only knew winning in younger years under Lyon …life was good …now they’ve grown …other things occupy them but occasionally we’ll all go still if not it’s with mates and extended family
Do get to odd away game also mates mad Bombers he’ll get tickets for that …I fancy our chances so happy to go
Am off to the Pies game on Saturday with Mowman looking forward to catching up with the old fella!

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

I've read many posts from you about the difficulties of taking the train to games. I'd be really interested in you giving more details of travel times, complications you've faced, the situation with the works on the Pakenham/Cranbourne lines (when did it start? Why is it taking so long to complete? When is it projected to finish?)

If you have the time to share, I reckon lots of people would like to read about it and compare with their own experiences!

It's been close to 10 years of disruptions.
A combination of level crossing removals, High Capacity Metro train upgrade works and the Metro Tunnel and associated works and testing.
The tunnel opens this year and the last level crossing is being removed late this year early next year.

A Railway bus at any length will add 20-30 minutes to the trip. This year however it's been a lot of change to and from a Frankston Line at Caulfield. You could be waiting less that 5 minutes for a connecting train or 20 depending on the time of day. It's also about an extra 5 minutes of travel given it stops all stations.

The tunnel opening adds its own complication given Pakenham/Cranbourne/Sunbury won't go past Richmond or Southern Cross.
That itself is likely to add 10-20 minutes just in changing trains at Town Hall for Flinders Street or State Library for Melbourne Central.

 

[Joffaboy]

I selected other because,quite simply, I don't go any more.

 

[austinnn]

Usually take the train on Craigieburn line
Service is usually pretty good and must say train straight into Southern Cross …up an escalator straight to the ground …its pretty handy
The odd G game is less so….
Train to Flinders then off and out to Richmond
Kids are older but used to bring young kids to the footy all the time - hot dogs in the food thermo ….at half time ….better than anything you pay $10 for….they only knew winning in younger years under Lyon …life was good …now they’ve grown …other things occupy them but occasionally we’ll all go still if not it’s with mates and extended family
Do get to odd away game also mates mad Bombers he’ll get tickets for that …I fancy our chances so happy to go
Am off to the Pies game on Saturday with Mowman looking forward to catching up with the old fella!

Yeah, I always used to bring a sandwich or something, very rarely bought food or drink from the stadium.

Always brought my own music as well, back in those days it was a Walkman with mixtapes (!) or sometimes the radio.

Now and then a cheeky doob for half time, back in the days that I did that sort of thing. The perfect arvo!

 

[austinnn]

I selected other because,quite simply, I don't go any more.

When you did go, how did you used to get there and how long did it take you? We all know why, but when did you stop?

 

[Teflon]

Yeah, I always used to bring a sandwich or something, very rarely bought food or drink from the stadium.

Always brought my own music as well, back in those days it was a Walkman with mixtapes (!) or sometimes the radio.

Now and then a cheeky doob for half time, back in the days that I did that sort of thing. The perfect arvo!

I hear ya re food and drink - what $12 a beer a couple of those for a night and it starts to get pricey fast
Can totally see why with kids the cost restricts many …we couldn’t have taken them unless we did our own thing it was simple.
Must say life at the footy pre kids was far easier !!

 

[saintbill]

Drive the car to either Hampton or Brighton Beach station and jump on the train from there.

Only 30 minutes on Sandy line, would never bother driving.

 

[True Believer]

Started going to Moorabbin as a kid with my younger brother, would hop on a train in Mentone up to Moorabbin. AS a kid it was like going to the circus, it was great fun. As we got older I found it was a great place to pick up girls, and it was an easy place to drink under age! Had great fun, and we took to getting on the cans during the ressies, being pissed well before half time in the seniors and standing behind the opposition cheer squad and trying to rile them up......

I remember one game, standing in the pissing rain and freezing cold, had spent all my money on beer, and begging my brother to let me hold his hot pie for 2 minutes just because my hands were so cold. His counter point was that I could get ****ed and if my hands were so cold I could always put down the can of beer I was holding.

Best day there ever was our first game against the Crows, and following Plugger from end to end.......

Didn't go to the footy much when married to my first wife (hence use of the word "first"), and moved out to Portland for 3 years which also curtailed my game days.

When I moved in with the girl that had the good fortune to become my second (and still current, although she has an annual review coming up, so I'll keep you posted) wife, we ended up for a while living walking distance to Waverley Park! As my selection of partners had improved over time, this one is a Saints fan, so we got to a lot of games.

We built a house in Mornington, where we still live, and over the years with kids coming along and then growing up, footy attendance varied somewhat. We used to drive to various trains stations (Frankston, Cheltenham, Caulfield etc) to meet with family and then train in to Marvel. These days the train system has become too much of a hassle, especially as we have to drive somewhere to start the trip, so I drive into town. Used to have a great little carpark on Little Collins St that shut down during COVID, started parking at the Southern Cross Station park and now have another carpark we use on Flinders Lane.

Normally about 90 minutes from home to getting into the ground, all going well, and similar back to home now we have changed carparks and don't have the logjam getting out of the Southern Cross carpark.

 

[Yawkey way]

Drive the car to either Hampton or Brighton Beach station and jump on the train from there.

Only 30 minutes on Sandy line, would never bother driving.

A bit like me I get driven in because I only go with family these days.

When I didn’t drive I’d get the light rail or sandy train, so it’s not hard. The issue for me these days is life moves on, I have mobility issues with hips, knees etc and my kids are adults and have other things to do.

 

[austinnn]

I'm doing a little research about this and I wanted your personal stories to join to statistical research I've already made. Please be as honest and expansive as you can be.

Include things like:

• where you start your journey
• how long the whole experience of going to the game usually takes - including preparation time (getting kids ready etc)
• specific roads/tram/train/bus lines you often use/avoid and why
• complications you often face (roadworks, lineworks, aggro from oppo supporters, traffic jams, etc)
• if things changed over the years due to scheduling changes, re-routing, etc)

Feel free to talk about different scenarios for different timeslots etc and talk about the challenges and what would make the experience easier.

Thanks!

I am not a social media user, and I am aware that the BigFooty Saints community is the only one I really have access to. If anyone here wants to help out, they could copy-paste this question into a specific thread on any of the other Saints fan platforms on Facebook or Reddit or whatever and reporting back with the responses. I'm particularly interested in hearing from younger generations of Saints fans (if there are any!)

 

[sauce_head]

I fly from Sydney if I get to go.

If going to a Swans match at the SCG I get a mixture of ferry, bus, tram, train, car and walk!

 

[Saints4ever]

Drive to the Launceston airport.

Catch a plane to the Melbourne airport.

Catch the sky bus to souther cross station.

Walk to marvel.

Watch us get pumped

My first ever game was round 10 2002 against the eagles we was like 2 and 7 but we won that game

Between 2002 and 2010 when I flew over we would never lose and coming over was so much fun.

Last game I attended was the flogging against the lions last year at Marvel what a horrible game.

I’ll probably get over for 1 game this year but when you watch performances like last week against the dogs it’s not that inviting .

 

[ESPN8 The Ocho]

I only go to away games because I’m a contrarian.

 

[kernelT]

I only go to away games because I’m a contrarian.

Can not confirm.

 

[Sully111]

I have Jeeves bring the Limo to the front door. Busty Tonya, my personal assistant/masseuse accompanies me on the journey. She gives me a good rub down on the way so I'm nice and relaxed. While she's caressing me, she whispers stories of unlikely triumph.. you know... David and Goliath kinda shit... in my ear to fill my weary soul with hope. They then wait in the car while I go into the Stadium. They're not allowed to talk to each other while they wait. They are to spend that time in silent prayer.
When I'm ready to leave (turnover dependent) Reeves brings the car and collects me. If my girlfriend is with me, I pop her in a cab before I jump in the Limo with Busty Tonya. Tonya is somewhat of a conservationist so she often collects my tears on the drive back as I nuzzle into her ample bosom, which she then uses to water her marigolds. Her marigolds are thriving fwiw.

 

[PoppedCorn]

i drive 757 kms to the dome and then drive (funny enough) the same distance back home again
EVERY home game
i leave the kids at home alone because they're little campaigners

 

[austinnn]

I only go to away games because I’m a contrarian.

That's the weirdest spelling of "Traitor" I've ever seen

 

[True Believer]

I have Jeeves bring the Limo to the front door. Busty Tonya, my personal assistant/masseuse accompanies me on the journey. She gives me a good rub down on the way so I'm nice and relaxed. While she's caressing me, she whispers stories of unlikely triumph.. you know... David and Goliath kinda shit... in my ear to fill my weary soul with hope. They then wait in the car while I go into the Stadium. They're not allowed to talk to each other while they wait. They are to spend that time in silent prayer.
When I'm ready to leave (turnover dependent) Reeves brings the car and collects me. If my girlfriend is with me, I pop her in a cab before I jump in the Limo with Busty Tonya. Tonya is somewhat of a conservationist so she often collects my tears on the drive back as I nuzzle into her ample bosom, which she then uses to water her marigolds. Her marigolds are thriving fwiw.

When you level up in life you won't believe how you got by for so long without the convenience of just taking your chopper! A car standing by to shuttle you the few hundred yards from the helipad on the Yarra up to the ground, I remember myself thinking "my god, I should have done this years ago"....

 

[The Punter]

I live in Lal Lal which is 20 minutes SSE of Ballarat. I go to games with my mother and some collection of my three boys (the youngest isn't too keen at the moment, but he's not sporty like the other two). My mother is not too mobile at the moment, so we drive and park underneath Marvel.

Saturday arvo and twilight are the best ones as the two elder boys play soccer on Sunday morning (I coach the eldest). Thursday nights are very difficult.

 

[sauce_head]

I have Jeeves bring the Limo to the front door. Busty Tonya, my personal assistant/masseuse accompanies me on the journey. She gives me a good rub down on the way so I'm nice and relaxed. While she's caressing me, she whispers stories of unlikely triumph.. you know... David and Goliath kinda shit... in my ear to fill my weary soul with hope. They then wait in the car while I go into the Stadium. They're not allowed to talk to each other while they wait. They are to spend that time in silent prayer.
When I'm ready to leave (turnover dependent) Reeves brings the car and collects me. If my girlfriend is with me, I pop her in a cab before I jump in the Limo with Busty Tonya. Tonya is somewhat of a conservationist so she often collects my tears on the drive back as I nuzzle into her ample bosom, which she then uses to water her marigolds. Her marigolds are thriving fwiw.

Tears of laughter reading this. I have collected them for Busty Tonya. Please forward me her mobile number so I can send them to her.

 

[Saint Kidding]

Questions answered as accurately as possible:

Start journey from Emerald Victoria

Depending on the timeslot it can take over an hour to get in to the game, night games are worse due traffic unpredictability. Getting ready is easy as we have a bag that is our footy 'kit'.

We travel up Wellington Rd, and grumble as we drive past what is left of VFL Park, then onto the Monash. If hubby is driving we get of at Montague, if I am I get off at Kings Way, due to that Montague off ramp being the est intersection in Melbourne. We pay the exorbitant fee to park under the ground due to a health issue.

And.....just because I want to whinge about the AFL this was how last Thursday went for me. Got up early because I had an appointment at Frankston Private Hospital (not close) at 9am. Got the wonderful news that my cancer has progressed and I was being taken off the trial that had been working to that point. Had to spend extra time there in order to close off some of the tests needed to conclude the trial. I also discovered that my Hb was very low and I needed a blood transfusion; but there were issues that meant they couldn't do that at Frankston and I needed to go to Holmesglen in Moorabbin. Of course there were roadworks/accidents so the trip to Moorabbin took way too long. Got there to discover they were very busy and diddn't have any chairs available until the afternoon. Killed time trying to eat a Parma at M-social (or whatever it is called). Eventually got back to Holmesglen and vampired up two bags of the good stuff; each bag takes about an hour with a bit of set up and flushing time. Then discovered that peak hour travel between Moorabbin and Emerald takes well over an hour and we finally arrive home just before 6pm. By this time it was not going to be possible to get to the game and eat a quality protein rich meal (non-negotiable) before the game started. Abandoned plans to go

Settled in to watch the game on Kayo, only to discover that Kayo had itself just before the first bounce. End up watching the game on Seven . Game sucked!

Fortunately my day was on Thursday and not Saturday. The AFL are so far off by removing free-to air access to the game on Saturday. For many people, for many reasons, going to the game or watching on Kayo isn't an option. I am one of those people who goes to every game if it is being played in Melbourne, it is upsetting to miss. I have put unthinkable $$$$ into the game over the years, but realistically I know that it is going to be harder and harder to do. The AFL, really don't care about the fans. I love the Saints, but the AFL can get stuffed!