By Mitchell Clarke
Local footy fans have been put on notice – Grand Final Day parties can not go ahead, despite the day being one of the most traditional celebrations on the Australian calendar.
As Victorians continue to grapple with the fact the last game of the year between Richmond and Geelong will be played at The Gabba in Queensland, Premier Daniel Andrews has provided no consolation to locked down Victorians.
“As important as that is, in a cultural sense, in a very passionate way for every single footy fan across our state, it is not worth risking all that we have done, all that we have built, all that we can do in just a few days time, by having gatherings that are unsafe,” he said.
“You can’t have friends over into your home. You can’t pretend that it is over, because we all desperately want it to be.
“But (this year it has to be with) your household and only the members of your household, that’s how grand final day has to be.”
Gembrook MP Brad Battin – who happens to be a massive Geelong fan – said the day would lose it’s natural feel.
“I love being with my family but Grand Final Day is about people, it’s about getting together with friends whether it’s your team or not, and we’ve been doing it forever,” Gembrook MP Brad Battin said.
“That and Cup Day – they’re our two biggest days. It’s a day where we get to together with four or five other families and have a barbecue and a few froffies.
“The added excitement of a night grand final, the first ever time, will be lost.”
But one lasting tradition – the annual half time kick – will go ahead as planned, with a minor change.
“The traditional half time kick to kick in the street will be awkward in the dark, so we have taped torches to our bike helmets to help,” Bass MP Jordan Crugnale said.
Ms Crugnale, a Tiger fan will be cheering loudly alongside her Yellow and Black army at home.
“Depending on the weather we plan to bring the telly outside and watch it in the backyard as a family,” she said.
And while Ms Crugnale and Mr Battin are usually at odds with each other, the politicians are in agreement on one thing – the fact that although the Grand Final was taken out of Victoria, Victoria wasn’t taken out of the final.
“It should be seen as the toughest year on record after what the clubs have had to go through, so to have two Victorian teams there, considering what we’ve been through, it should give people hope,” Mr Battin said.
“I hope for a great contest of two Victorian teams,” Ms Crugnale added.
