This morning, I got to the Stamford Plaza in Brisbane for my work conference. As I walked into the foyer, who do I see but Nathan Buckley, beloved former Collingwood captain and now coach. He was talking to another man, and when he sensed me gawking at him, he turned around, and I said "HULLO!" all excitedly...
NB: "Uh, hello".
Me: "I'm a fan"
NB: "Oh, great"
Me: "So, are you going to beat Brisbane tonight?"
NB: Laughing - "Well, that's why we're here, that's the aim"
Me: "Well you didn't last time you played up here"
NB: "Oh, when was that, back in 2010..."
Me: "Yep, I think it was about by about 8 points, and it was heartbreaking" (yeah, dramatic)
NB: "Yeah, we don't really have a great record playing in Brisbane"
Me: "Well, it looks like a good team tonight. It's good that you're not resting any of the big players"
NB: "No, only Jols and Daisy"
Me: "Well it will be a good crowd tonight, the Gabba gets the best crowds for games against Collingwood, we pop up everywhere" (meaning Pies fans are everywhere) "... by the way, I'm not stalking you [!] - I'm here for my work conference".
NB: "Oh, who for"
Me: "Flight Centre. But I got out of the function tonight so I could go to the game"
NB: "Oh, so you're going to start feeling sick at about 4 o'clock?"
Me: (something like) "Oh no, they already know I'm going...well, it was really good to meet you! Good luck tonight"
NB: "Thanks, see you"
Now that was fairly banal and non-interesting to anybody but me, and maybe a few other Collingwood fans. But it was the highlight of my day, and it was ridiculous just how excited I was. Random good, exciting things that happen in my life!
The conference was actually really good, mostly relevant to my work, and we learned about the history, challenges, changes and the different Flight Centre business. Good stuff. Oh, and face-painting.
Tonight, I went to see Collingwood play the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba. It was a fantastic game, and even though I was on edge for most of it, waiting for the Lions to do a big 8 goal spree and beat us, my team won by 116-58, that is double the Lions' score. There were 27,926 people at the game, and I reckon about 20,000 would have been Pies' fans... at a Lions' home game. Wonderful! Highlights for me were Travis Cloke kicking a goal in the first minute or so; the Dane Swan goals (2 in about 2 minutes and almost a 3rd shortly after that); seeing Alan Didak back for his 1st game after injury, and his great goal; Tyson Goldsack's 3 goals; Cameron Woods and Heath Shaw goals; Harry, Ben Reid, Maxwell, Sidebottom etc etc.
Oh, and Jonathan Brown missing a couple of sitters for Brisbane. The huge Collingwood army booing loudly to distract him may possibly have been a factor there. The only downer of the game for me, was poor Nathan Brown hobbling off, after hurting his knee or leg when Harry landed on him while they both tried for the ball heading towards J.B. Nathan Brown has been so incredibly unlucky with injury. I think this was only about his 3rd game back since recovering from his last injury, and he has been playing so well, and was doing an amazing job defending against big J.B. Really feel for him, and hope it is not as bad as it looked. Ben Reid did a pretty good job on J.B. from then on though, which was appreciated by me!
I. Loved. this game. And when the final siren went, the crowd cheered, we sang Good Old Collingwood Forever, and the players came over and clapped for their fans before they headed off. I am currently the happiest I have been all year. Without doubt. It doesn't really take much.
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| Saw my cousin's wife, Kylie, and her son Declan, happy after the game |
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| Declan and I - and part of the Pies flag |
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