The crowd last night

[MC Extra Dollop]

I sit in a neutral area (MCC) whenever I go to a game at the MCG, so I was wondering if people who sat in the other sections noticed a couple of things last night. Firstly, it actually seemed to me to be a Geelong-dominant crowd. Even for our home games, it's usually about 35/65 against Hawthorn and Collingwood, but my section seemed to be about 75% Geelong and just looking around the ground it seemed like it was a noticeably smaller percentage of Hawthorn supporters there.

Secondly, it seemed to have a lot more chippiness between crowd members that I haven't really seen before. I guess I'm probably isolated a bit from this in the members (any MCC member with half a brain would never do anything to jeopardise their membership), but it's fair to say there was a lot going on. I was sitting in N47 (literally right in front of the coaches box) and as the game was petering out to an expected Geelong win (or so we thought), a guy got up and started banging on the glass of the Hawthorn box screaming at the Hawthorn coaches, before being dragged off by security. I assumed it was a pissed up Geelong supporter, but heard the people behind me saying it was a Hawthorn fan. I am absolutely amazed that I haven't seen any more about this on the Sunday TV shows, considering Ross Lyon doing a Tiger Woods when a camera flash went off near him was just about front page news.

The other incident I saw which was really just shit from all parties concerned was when a girl who I'd guess would be in her late teens headed for the exits, from memory after Murdoch's snapped goal sealer. Some old guy (I'd say maybe in his late 60s-early 70s) in the bay next to us yelled something out to her like 'Buddy will be waiting for you in 45 minutes!'

Now...I'm not sure what goes through someone's head to think that's a smart or funny thing to say at the footy. The ball is really in the girl's court, if she wants to make an issue of it. From what I saw, she just kept walking, but another older guy (about in his 50s) was a few metres behind her and went balistic...assume he was a relative, maybe her dad. Again, that's a fair enough reaction, considering the situation. For a guy to say that to a girl who's probably young enough to be his grandaughter doesn't reflect well on him. Anyway, the Hawthorn people left, security came up and had an extended word to the old guy (no problem if they'd decided to throw him out, but for whatever reason they didn't) But then these big, brave Hawthorn supporters in their mid 20s started yelling at the guy and security for the rest of the game, culminating in an extended shouting match outside the Long Room after the game. Just an insane situation and I don't think any of the males involved really covered themselves in glory.

Anyway, I guess my point is, while there's the usual banter, hostility and outright hatred between a lot of Geelong and Hawthorn supporters on here, I've never really seen it to that extent at a game (there were a couple of other incidents that I know of that happened in the crowd, which escalated further than that). But it seems to have got to a Big Footy level in the crowd at the Hawthorn v Geelong games now. It's pretty crazy. I've never been a big rap for being in the middle of screaming matches between two nuffies sitting one row behind and one row in front of you.

 

[Shell]

I'll just say this. 20 years I have been going to the football now.

Have only moved seats once, due to the disgraceful and completely offensive behaviour of supporters.

Yup, was Hawthorn.

 

[The Casey Cat]

Wasn't too bad in AFL members where myself and krisholio14 were. I will say it was the most full I have seen the MCC and AFL members sections in a non final match I have attended in years. Great attendance given the weather that day.

 

[HotTinRoof]

Huge crowd, I guess you know you're in for a good game with this match-up.
The crowd behaviour was ok around me, pretty normal. I thought it was more Geelong at first but towards the end there was a lot of standing and roaring and fist-pumping as the Hawks came back, so I guess we had our share of Hawks as well. They were excited, but not aggressive or annoying. Some Cats fans did jeer at the Hawks fans leaving early (how could you leave a Cats-Hawks game early?) which I don't think is a great look, but each to their own.
We had the usually commentary on the game from both sides (surprisingly, not much agreement between the two) but that's all part of the fun, e.g. rolling my eyes when someone mentions 'ducking' if Selwood happens to get a free kick. My comments were both astute and hilarious, in case you're wondering.
When Corey went down, there was a hush and both sets of fans clapping him off.
I generally have a good crowd experience at the footy. I didn't notice any difference yesterday.

 

[krisholio14]

I'll admit I was pretty fired up and did a fair bit of mouthing off in the last quarter.

 

[Big Fozza]

I was in mcc reserved seating. Even mix of cats and hawks. Had an obnoxious hawk fan behind us but was harmless enough.

Seemed like a decent crowd all in all from where I was sitting. Civil enough when leaving as well

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

Saw on the news last night a Geelong fan at the game had his wheelchair stolen. Honestly...

 

[Jemaine]

Only bozo I encountered was a Geelong fan in the social club berating 'the f'ing useless dud' Hawkins at the start of the third. Having clients with me as guests meant I was virtually sober, but I still had to at least tell the turd to pull his head in and remind him about last year's B&F.

Next week I won't have clients nor sobriety.

 

[FredLeDeux]

I'll just say this. 20 years I have been going to the football now.

Have only moved seats once, due to the disgraceful and completely offensive behaviour of supporters.

Yup, was Hawthorn.

It's a matter of notoriety that supporters of newer clubs are more ignorant and abrasive than others - witness the 2 WA Clubs and Adelaide.
Hawthorn as we know it is now going on for 40 years old, so you would reasonably expect them to have settled down a bit and developed the traditional class, grace and give-and-take of other supporters with 100-150 years of tradition.
But some people are just slow learners.
Or even complete non-learners.

 

[supahoops]

Tend to stay away from the riff-raff that is the mcc

 

[FredLeDeux]

Tend to stay away from the riff-raff that is the mcc

Quite right Supa, a man's gotta have some self-respect.

 

[fpm84]

Funny... I was in the AFL members' where I sit every week and it was the best behaved Cats v Hawks crowd I can remember. I even had a friendly chat with the Hawk supporter next to me who had already conceded defeat at half time

I've only ever moved seats once, due to a Collingwood supporter spouting all types of racist and homophobic garbage when we played them last year.

 

[kewcat]

I've only ever moved seats once, due to a Collingwood supporter spouting all types of racist and homophobic garbage when we played them last year.

Happened in the afl members v Collingwood early this year. The bloke was atrocious in his rants. I had a quite word to him and he moved seats at half time.

 

[vealesy]

I was loud and proud.

I left my voice buried in the skulls of all the hawks flogs near me.

 

[SJ]

I haven't watched the replay but caught two minutes on Fox yesterday when Corey was injured. Just before that point, in the background everyone in a few bays is standing up and looking sideways at something. Must have been some sort of fracas.

 

[vealesy]

I heard 3 separate disparaging remarks about corey coming from the general public section.

Yet it was me security felt like deserved the watchful eye after the game?

 

[Pivo]

Like many others on here I go to all the Geelong V Hawthorn games (one because they are always great games - at least recently - and two because my brother is a Hawks fans and so are a couple of mates) and while there has always been a fair bit of banter between both sets of supporters I've never seen (or heard) anything out of the ordinary.

I was among a number of Hawk fans on Sat. night and they were all pretty good. The odd complaint about the umpiring and at one stage one guy waved his scarf in the face of a Geelong supporter (but that was after the Geelong guy gave him some $hit).

Where I was it was pretty subdued.

I reckon I've seen worse incidents at Geelong V Carlton matches (one of those games is the only time I've seen two fans from opposing clubs almost come to blows).

Among the Hawk supporters around me there was almost a sense of inevitability once we skipped out in the first quarter. It was like all the fight had been sucked out of them.

 

[witsend]

Thought the most pathetic crowd behavior of Hawks supporters screaming with joy when
(a) Rioli warmed up on the boundary
(b) Rioli came on the ground
(c) Rioli went anywhere near the ball (didn't happen much)
Therein lies the reason we're us and they're them...they indulge in a mass circle jerk when an under-achieving small forward is brought back into a game of massive import without getting fitness in the magoos (TV eg played in our 2nds). It's ALL about the so called superstars at Hawthorn, none of whom are decent defenders.
The mass hysteria for Rioli was cringeworthy.

As for crowd behavior in general. No different than any other club this week but in the past have copped a crap load of abuse from pissed off Hawks supporters. Mostly older ones, interestingly. Maybe they're stuck in the 80s when Hawthorn dominated thanks to zoning advantages and a complete lack f equalization.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

The only time I've ever moved simply due to the crowd around was, funnily enough, last year at Metricon. And the spot I moved to was worse than the one we moved away from (bucks day group that had been on the sauce for what seemed like about six hours v legitimate junkies).

 

[Kardinia Boy]

I haven't watched the replay but caught two minutes on Fox yesterday when Corey was injured. Just before that point, in the background everyone in a few bays is standing up and looking sideways at something. Must have been some sort of fracas.

Yeah. That would have been in Bay 24 the AFL members. There was a bit of a punch on between some blokes. Not sure who and how many as everyone stood up and I couldn't see anything. Didn't even notice Corey was down for a bit.

Security was nowhere to be found. Must have all been underneath the stands getting ready for their "walk around the boundary with 5 minutes to go" appearance.

 

[sauron256]

My second game ever at the MCG and unfortunately was seated behind the loudest, shrillest bogan Hawks fan ever. Her voice was so annoying and she yelled throughout the entire game - mostly at her own team, but accusing the Cats of being cocky, Selwood of being a ducker etc. By the time I got back to the hotel I had a massive headache and my ears were ringing. Soured the win a fair bit.

Needless to say the neutral supporters sitting around me couldn't believe it. The best part is that after watching some of the game recorded from TV, you can hear her yelling! You seriously can't miss it, the woman sounds like a seagull just more annoying.

 

[Kardinia Boy]

Sounds like my "10 metre rule" is pretty correct.
It says,

When at a sporting event there will be at least one idiot within a 10 metre radius of yourself. If there isn't then there's a good chance it's you.

 

[Shell]

I've only ever moved seats once, due to a Collingwood supporter spouting all types of racist and homophobic garbage when we played them last year.

See, I have never had ANY problems with Collingwood supporters. So I guess that it is very true that every club has their nuff nuffs and its just bad luck if you are sitting near them.


Lol.. I wonder if anyone has ever moved seats because of me?

(Would just like to clarify I am neither a racist or homophobic)

 

[The Casey Cat]

See, I have never had ANY problems with Collingwood supporters.

You've lucked out with the sections you have been in then Shell . They are clearly the worst behaved group as a whole I have witnessed and that is from attending a heck of a lot of footy not even necessarily involving Geelong.

I can handle people saying stupid, annoying, aggressive and arrogant things about the game. So long as it's focused on the contest. Pies fans have been the ONLY ones I have ever witnessed take their focus off the game and begin picking on and attempting to bully people around them. The worst of this I saw was in the AFL members in the pre season GF of 09. Yes that's right the PRE SEASON final. Was ridiculous.

The way they behaved from 09 to 11 in games at the G was absolutely laughable they acted like they literally owned the joint.

 

[Commando]

I think I've only been to one cats vs hawks game since 08 GF and that was with a mate who follows hawthorn, we've decided not to try again to preserve our 15 year friendship.

Pretty sure I'd punch the f*ck out of someone in brown and gold before half time, best I keep away