Meet Up Meet-Up Options - Round 7 vs GWS at Manuka

[dogwatch]

Getting in early here...

We play GWS at Manuka at 7:35 on Saturday 26 April.

Usually when the Dogs come to town somebody posts a few days before the game "where are we meeting for drinks?" and we end up at the Durham Castle in Kingston or whatever bar comes to mind. Maybe we end up scattered across a few bars and pubs, such as the Kingston pub or Eastlakes, but they get very crowded and can be full of opposition rabble.

I was thinking that with a bit of planning and some lead time we could improve the experience a bit. I've been discussing this with Hobdog who you may remember suggested an ACT supporters group last year.

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I've made a tentative booking for WB fans at the Canberra Bowling Club (I'm a member) from 4-7pm that day. The booking is free if we can get a decent number of fans along for a few drinks. Like 50 or more.

We have the opportunity to do some good things. For instance:

• While we can't actually exclude random members of the public (such as GWS fans ) we would pretty much have the place to ourselves and would be able to make it a Bulldog bastion. The place is pretty quiet on most Saturday afternoons unless there's a bowls championship on, or a band playing, or a private function booked. Which there isn't.
• We could drape the place with Bulldog banners, streamers or other paraphernalia (that stuff needs to be sourced, but maybe the WB can help). Lots of your yesteryear scarves might work too.
• We could have past games, like the 2016 PF or GF on one or more of the screens.
• We could have a guest speaker - or maybe several speakers - such as ex-players or officials, or maybe notable WB supporters who are in the public eye. Hopefully no appearance fee! It could be done in the form of an interview. Again the person(s) need to be sourced, and again the WB might give us some contacts or even provide someone for us. Ideas of notable (and gettable) people welcome. We could add a bit of audience Q&A perhaps. And a game preview discussion if we like. There's a stage and PA equipment available for our use.
• Bulldogs member specials at the bar. I can negotiate with the bowlo for that. Just show your card. (Prices are already very competitive.)
• We could even have some barefoot bowls if anybody feels like a trundle earlier in the afternoon, say 2pm to 4pm. ($20 a head)
• About an hour before the game we could march en masse to the ground. Maybe not as impressive as marching in our thousands to the G for a final, but even a hundred or so would be a decent show of team spirit, all suitably kitted out. It's about a 10-15 minute walk (1 km). About the same distance from the gates as the Durham Castle is. Maybe even a bit less. See the map below.
• There's a fair bit of free parking on site and more parking on the street (Hobart Avenue) and surrounding streets, so that shouldn't be a problem.

So what I want to know is who would come? Who's coming up for the game and will be looking to down a few ales before the game? Which fans from the ACT region will be there? The place is licensed for nearly 300 so it'd be good to pack a 100 or more in. Some of the cheer squad might come too.

The game is the day after a public holiday (Anzac Day is on that Friday) and it's the weekend immediately after Easter. So it's already a very short working week. Would many of you be making a holiday of it and coming up for the week?

If there's enough interest I am happy to approach the footy club for whatever support they can provide, and confirm the booking with the bowling club.

I'd also be happy to look into any other ideas you might come up with to make it a better occasion. Offers of help from any local Dogs fans would be useful, especially on the day.

Only two downsides that I can think of:
(1) the club doesn't yet have a full kitchen. It does low volumes in pizzas and hot bar snacks but it would be overwhelmed (and you'd be waiting a fair while) if 100 people ordered pizzas. Maybe we could look at a big pre-order of Uber Eats or Dominos? They'd have no problem if you brought food in. Or you could just have a big lunch somewhere before you rock up.
(2) the club doesn't have Foxtel, only FTA. So whatever game is on during the afternoon might not be showing. Perhaps that won't matter if we're watching the 2016 PF! I'm trying to talk them into resuming their Foxtel licence but for a boutique club the annual subs (commercial licence) are apparently a significant cost. I'm not expecting that'll get sorted out before April.

Here's a map showing both venues relative to Manuka Oval. The bowlo is just a hop, step and a jump from Parliament House.

View attachment 2234317

Ignore the "29mins, 2km" bit. That's walking from the bowlo all the way to the Durham Castle. Manuka gates are half way (12-15 minutes).

 

[BEaston]

I'd be down for it if I still lived up there.

Maybe a past Pieman winner for a guest speaker?

 

[geoffjennings79]

Wow, great forward planning dogwatch !

Doubt I'll be able to get up there, but will at least explore my options and see what I can do.

 

[BrisDog]

Front Bar (dark bar) at Kingston Hotel is hard to beat also Dogwatch. The walk to the ground in only 2 blocks, closer than the Durham.

Another option. Much closer than the Durham and a better pub in my opinion. I’m a good chance on coming down and will go anywhere where the majority want to meet up.

 

[dogwatch]

Front Bar (dark bar) at Kingston Hotel is hard to beat also Dogwatch. The walk to the ground in only 2 blocks, closer than the Durham.

Another option. Much closer than the Durham and a better pub in my opinion. I’m a good chance on coming down and will go anywhere where the majority want to meet up.

Yeah I know the Kingo and do pop in from time to time. I have heard it's packed before games but haven't seen that for myself.

Being packed isn't a problem (it's good for atmosphere) but it limits what you can do as a collective fan base.

I'm open to arguments either way. Going to the Kingo (or the Durham or anywhere else) would mean Hobdog and I don't have to do any negotiating, planning, set-up etc so that would be a good thing. Just thought I'd float the idea.

Happy to go with the majority view. If the response is only lukewarm I'll ditch the idea.

But there's no point everybody jumping on board the idea a week or so before the game. It would be too late by then.

 

[dogwatch]

I should add up front that I have pitched this idea to the bowling club as a way for them to boost their revenues (declining revenue is always an issue at bowling clubs!) If it works for this game they might do it for the GWS v Port game in June - indeed any future Manuka games. Also for any international cricket fixtures at Manuka.

Just stating it early so you know I have a theoretical conflict of interest. Ideally it's a win-win for everybody.

 

[Del165892]

I'll come if you don't mind me bringing my wife (Saints supporter). I moved to Canberra area in November

 

[Del165892]

Should we wear name tags with our BF user names?

 

[dogwatch]

Should we wear name tags with our BF user names?

Nuh.

 

[dogwatch]

There doesn't seem much interest in this. A bit of a shame really.

Scrag was the only one to say he'd come and his account has now been deleted (that's him now known as Del165892, which I presume is his deletion number).

I will cancel the booking at the Bowlo and won't be contacting the WB.

 

[Rookie]

What a shame about Scrag's account being deleted.

Sorry dogwatch, I would have love to come but I'm not sure I'll be able to attend the game.

 

[CDBulldog]

I’d come with a couple of my younger fellas.