Grand final loss
by Carolyn Turner On Saturday, September 25 Peter Dell, like most Victorians, will sit in his Nilma home and watch the AFL grand final on television.
The difference for Peter is that it will be his first TV viewing of a grand final. For the past 69 grand finals (including two draws) he has been one of the crowds, including last year’s played in Brisbane.
He began his pilgrimage to the MCG in 1954 when he was just eight years old, before television arrived in Australia.
Unfortunately, this year which was to be his 70th consecutive final he has been denied entry to Western Australia.
The mad Collingwood supporter Peter, aged 76, was hoping to notch up his 70th this year.
But he was advised last week that his entry to WA had been denied. Hopes to quarantine at Howard Springs near Darwin, as he did last year, were not possible because of continued border closures.
Over the years the task of acquiring a ticket has been part of the journey to the big dance. Many a time Peter would sleep in his car outside the Ticketek selling agency in Morwell. On other occasions he would beg or borrow from friends or friends of friends.
Last year’s two weeks in quarantine before flying to Brisbane was his most challenging.
While shattered by the refusal, he spent a few days coming to terms with it and is now resigned to the TV at home.
“Television wasn’t even in Australia when I started going to the grand final,” Peter said.
Peter attended his first grand final with his father.
He has seen all of Melbourne’s grand finals wins from 1955 to 1960. He was there for Melbourne’s last win in 1964 when they defeated Collingwood by four points.
This time he will be barracking for Melbourne, hoping it will be an historic victory for the red and blue.
But next year he hopes life returns to normal and regardless of which teams contest the grand final he wants to be sitting in the stands of the MCG soaking up the atmosphere.