Four games in one!
It’s a typical match day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Two giant banners, befitting the grandeur of the venue that is the MCG, are held erect by the fans and volunteers of the respective teams. The captain or the milestone man leads his team through the banner. Yes, right through the banner made of crepe paper or sticky tape, inscribed with motivational messages from their loyal fans. Even as the dramatic spectacle unfolds on the grassy oval, the cheering squads, given their pride of place in the opposite ends of the oval to prevent any major scuffle, break into their team’s theme song and cheer wildly.
The pompoms, the cloth banners and the flags are all out; there’s a choirlike setup of fans a few rows behind and they break into a song, a chant, a cheer, or a jeer, depending on the way the match is shaping up. If you happen to find yourself seated amidst the cheering squad, you may just be transported to the world of a musical, except the action on the field screams of adrenalin, sweat and some blood.
Yes, it is all happening at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Australian equivalent of the Lord’s and home of the traditional boxing day Test for the Aussies. Yes, it is the very same venue which boasts of the highest recorded (official) attendance for a cricket match of 93,013 which came during the 2015 World Cup final with the added intrigue of a transtasman clash between Australia and New Zealand.
Just that we are not talking about cricket at the MCG.
We are in the midst of an Australian Rules Football match between Richmond and Hawthorn.
What exactly
Football?
is
Australian
Rules