Collingwood’s ‘Call the Crowd’ competition saw over 2,500 guesses on the official attendance of Saturday’s blockbuster against Carlton.
With over 90,000 expected to attend the match, the final tally was a disappointing 85,936 for the Blues home game.
The winner of the club’s competition was Maree Hardwicke, who went against popular opinion and submitted 85,945, only nine supporters off the official total.
After the AFL announced the clash was sold out late in the week, most pundits believed the round 17 crowd would set a new home-and-away record between these two teams. The record attendance occurred earlier this year when 88,181 witnessed the Magpies unfurl the 2010 premiership flag.
Over 65% of guesses submitted were over the 90,000 mark with one eager punter submitting an audacious 105,985, well over the official capacity of the MCG (100,018).
Maree’s closest opponent entered a guess of 85,975, 30 more than Maree and 39 over Saturday’s attendance.
Maree was surprised by the call she received from the club today announcing her guess as the winner.
“Wow, I was somewhat conservative with my guess because I thought the weather might stop people from going.”
Maree has won a tour of the Westpac Centre and a photo with the 2010 premiership cup.
“I live in Canberra so I won’t be down in Melbourne until Christmas or at the latest next Easter.
“Hopefully by then it’s a photo with the 2011 premiership cup.”
A Collingwood supporter since birth, Maree’s lifelong dream is to witness a grand final with her favourite team.
“I grew up in West Heidelberg which back then was in Collingwood’s zone.
“I used to go to the footy in Melbourne before I had to locate to Tasmania and now Canberra for work. I try to make it to the interstate Sydney trip once a year to see them.
"My lifelong dream is to see the boys play in a premiership. It would be magical."
Only nine times in the history of the VFL/AFL have 90,000 or more attended a home-and-away game, with the record being 99,346 when Collingwood took on Melbourne in round 10, 1958.
