Jesse's Carlton Holiday
- Jesse's Walk to the 'G
- We Beat the Magpies
- Jesse's Day at Training
- Two In a Row
- Carlton holiday ends
My fantastic two weeks spent in Melbourne ended with a sad note on Saturday. After seeing the Blues win two matches in a row at the MCG, we went there again but this time to see them lose. I was already getting used to the winning feeling, and had almost forgotten how sad it is to lose!! I have to tell you, though, I still had a really great time and want to share it with you.........
After the Melbourne game when I last wrote on here, the second week of my school holidays was just as much fun as the first. We went to the Aquarium, did some shopping in the city, had lunch on Lygon Street (Kevin Sheedy was having lunch in the same restaurant), did a tour of the MCG, and went for a drive to Mornington Peninsula. We also went for a drive up to Puffing Billy with friends of ours who had come over from Perth and on the way home did some wine-tasting in the Yarra Valley. On our Puffing Billy carriage was a man who recognised me from the Carlton website! He lives in Perth and has been a lifelong Carlton member, always reading my stories.
One of the things Mum and Dad bought in the city was some new footy boots for me!! Auskick starts this week when I get back to school, and my first ever footy boots, Nike ones that Nan & Grandpa bought me last year, are now too small. My new boots are black with silver stripes - Adidas this time. On Thursday night we walked from our apartment to North Melbourne's footy ground at Arden Street for me to try the boots out properly. I had great fun kicking goals with Dad.
Then on ANZAC Day we went to Princes Park to watch the Carlton boys train. There were lots and lots of people there to watch them, and there was even a free sausage sizzle. It was very warm there and a great day for having a kick on the oval before the players started their training. Hundreds of other Carlton supporters did the same thing. I shared my footy first with a girl called Coco (she's 3), and then with a little boy called Robbie (he's 2). I think they liked me kicking the footy to them. Then Ian Coutts came out with a microphone and welcomed everybody, and asked us to get off the oval so the players could start their training. Ian came over to see me at the fence, and he said he really hoped the Blues could beat the Crows the next day especially for me, because we would be returning back home into the heart of Crows territory the next day! I told him my teacher, Mrs Dutschke, goes for the Crows and I wanted to tell her when I got back to school on Monday that she should go for the Blues.
We then watched the training for the next hour, and Dad lined up to get us a sausage in bread for our lunch. We were rather sad to see that my new friend Richard Hadley was training with the injured group despite having been listed in the team the previous night. He did lots of handball drills, like Houlihan had done the week before (Houla wasn't there today as he was recovering from his hip surgery). I really liked watching the other players doing all their drills - they did some dodging, tackling and kicking for goals. When the training was over, we were allowed back onto the ground and were able to talk to many of the players and get their autographs. I got Eddie Betts and Bryce Gibbs to sign my footy, and Stevo signed my cap. Mum had bought a new white footy guernsey during the week with Marc Murphy's number 3 on the back, and she got Murph and also Matthew Kreuzer to sign it for her. When Richard Hadley saw me he said "Hello Jesse!" and we asked him if he was definitely not going to play. He confirmed he couldn't, but hoped he'd be back the week after. When Adam Hartlett saw me he also remembered my name - remember I'd seen him on the first weekend of our holiday at the Telechoice clinic. We told him we were pleased he was back in the team this week, and that being from South Australia like us it would be really good if we could beat the Crows! He agreed and said he'd be trying his best. After that we saw one of our coaches, Matthew Lappin. Matty was one of those who met me after my heart surgery, and I've seen him a few times since. He remembered me, and after he signed my cap and footy, Mum took our photo. I told him we'd been here to see him play for the Bullants on Saturday.
We had our sausage after that, sitting in the old Gerard Heatley Stand. That's one of the stands that will soon be demolished that I told you about last week. It's a lovely old one, with lots of history. I went right up to the top to get a good view of the ground - can you see me way up high at the top of the stairs?
Before we knew it, my second-last sleep in Melbourne was over, and it was the morning of the game between Carlton and Adelaide. I was very excited, but this time I decided not to wear any Carlton tattoos. Once again we caught the tram there, all decked out in our Carlton gear.
We got to the MCG way too early - we hadn't realised that the gates weren't opening until 12.30pm! So we had to hang around for just over an hour. I was happy enough running up and down steps, and playing with the little spinning top I'd smuggled in my jeans pocket. While we were waiting, one lady came up to me and said "Hello Jesse" (she knew me from my stories) and not long after that, another couple said hello to me! And then, would you believe it, but we saw my Carlton girlfriend, Keeley!! Remember I'd met her at the footy a couple of years ago and had seen her last year as well. We had been wondering if we'd see her again this trip, but I had given up hope that we would. Like me, she has grown up a lot. She'll turn five in August, so she's nearly as old as me!
Just before the gates opened, a lady set up near us to do face painting. I got a Carlton logo painted onto each cheek, one in blue paint and the other in white paint. Just as well I didn't put on any tattoos this time! I know how to do the Carlton logo now - I'd been practising writing them during the week - maybe I could be a fac- painter one day. Once we finally got inside the gates, we had plenty of time to find some good seats. This time we sat in the Olympic Stand, not too far from the 
Southern Stand where we'd sat for the Richmond and Collingwood games. Of course first on the agenda was to rub the lucky magic balls - although it seems this time we didn't get too much luck!
We saw players from both teams do their warm ups out on the ground, and about that time Anthony (the son of Mum's friend from Perth) came to join us. He loves footy so much - he'd been at the ANZAC game the day before, came to our game, was going to the West Coast Eagles game that same night!! I told Anthony he should go for the Blues today because Juddy plays for us - he said he would because he'd tipped the Blues to win. When the Crows came out to run through their banner, their song played really loudly over the speakers. Then the Carlton players came out to run through their banner, and for some reason the Carlton song was nowhere near as loud! Mum wondered if this was a bad omen.
The game began with Stevo getting the ball to Juddy who came pelting out of the centre towards the end we were sitting and kicked the ball to Fev - we all screamed in excitement but Fev dropped the mark! Luckily Eddie Betts threw his boot out and somehow managed to soccer the ball for a 40m goal! Yahoo!! Next Simpson did a double-tackle and got the free, and Eddie also did some great tackling, Russell too - Murphy swoops - another goal! Fantastic defensive pressure from our team including Bryce Gibbs - Russell took a good mark, kicked it to Fisher, who struggled to mark but brought the ball to ground - drats, a rushed behind. Six minutes in and the Crows got their first goal. Cloke got a clearance - to Scotland - handball to Judd - running into goal - the crowd cheers really loudly - but it's a point. Crows got another goal, and scores were level. Thornton did his knee, so we're already down a key defender. Back in the centre, Eddie grabbed the ball out of a Crow's hands, booted it, went over Fev's head but Fisher scooped it up - he did a sideways kick like I've been practising this week with Dad - goal!! Not long after, our own Eddie Everywhere (Eddie Betts, that is) took a mark that was intended for a Crow - kicked it to Stevo - to Judd - across to Hartlett who missed the mark but got paid a free - lined up outside 50m right near the boundary near us - point. Then Fev went up for a mark - a huge leap! Got it this time! He took a kick not far from where Harts had just been but on less of an angle - goal!! Eddie Betts then took another great mark! But no goal resulted. Jordan Russell marked, shot for goal in centre - we missed AGAIN. Too many points for us and not enough goals - come on, Blues! Juddy comes running in again, getting us all excited, but HE hits the post for yet ANOTHER point. Then came the terrible flooding by the Crows - two or three loose men in defense - looks awful! We can't get through all those Crows players in our forward 50. But somehow - as if by magic - Judd gets the ball to Eddie! He weaves through so many people and kicks - a goal! Take THAT you horrible flooding team! Quarter time sees us with 5-7 (37) to them 3-3 (21). We've had double the scoring shots and should be much further in front. Still, I'm happy. The big lights are turned on - I asked Mum why because it was still day time, and she told me it takes a little while for them to warm up so they are turned on now since it's looking very cloudy and grey in the sky, with rain forecast so the day will only get gloomier.
Kreuzer comes on for the first time to start the second quarter. Eddie does well but we muck around too much and the Crows eventually get a goal. Poor Hartlett then does his hamstring, and we're left with only two interchange players on the bench, with almost three quarters left to play. Not good. Waite does a good chasing tackle, so too Gibbs, but Simpson can't tackle his guy and Adelaide gets the goal. We're only two points in front now! Bentick's great tackle in the centre earns a free, but soon after Grigg gives a free away and Adelaide gets another goal to put them in front for the first time. Scotland's huge high kick is almost up level with the fourth tier of the MCG and Cloke takes a ripper mark. Fisher ends up with the ball on the boundary line, soccers it towards goals - the ball bounces, bounces, we think it's a goal and start to cheer - but it grazed the post at the last minute and is only a point. That's our first score for the quarter at the 15 minute mark. The ball seesaws back and forth for a while then - Grigg kicks across to Bentick - to young Steven Browne in his debut game for us - Browne stood strong to take the mark with people coming at him - goal! His team mates come from everywhere to congratulate him for his first goal in the AFL. Simpson kicks beautifully to Fev - lines up outside 50 for a set shot - point. Browne and Eddie good tackling - Browne's paid the free - set shot for goal - point. Kreuzer gets the ball and the loud "Kreuzzzzzz" call comes from the crowd - he gets a great clearance and the ball's deep in our goal square, Eddie's on the point line and sticks his foot out to stop the ball going over and instead sends it back in towards Cloke - who kicks off the ground for a goal!! And didn't he grin about it?! We did too. Stevo holds the ball up high as it's now close to half time - "tempo footy" is now in play. This is when we hold possession and make sure the opposition doesn't score a goal just before the quarter ends. Half time has us in front by 10 points - 7-11 (53) to 6-7 (43). The big question is can we hang on for another half??
At half time Mum and I go around to meet Michelle at the magic balls - we had let her know by text message that I had brought something to give her. This would be the last time we'd see her for a while so we gave her a hug goodbye. We wondered if we'd all be happy by the end of the game - even though we were in front we were a bit worried because of the injuries to Thornton and Hartlett which left us down a key defender and key forward. My special something was a picture I'd drawn for her - all by myself. It showed the MCG oval, and all the different levels of seats, and the light towers, and the gates, and a footy, Fev, Murph, Gibbsy and Juddy on the field. I also wrote To Mich From Jesse and gave her four kisses. I think she liked it.
The third quarter had lots of tackling (Scotland, Russell, Bentick really good at it) and even more flooding by Adelaide. It wasn't very good to watch - instead it was ugly footy. Mum wondered if the Crows always had two or three loose men in our forward line making it really difficult for us to get the ball in there, why we just didn't just do the same to them?? They scored the first goal, and then before we knew it, they scored another to hit the front. Scores 7-11 (53) to 8-8 (56). I can see why Mum thinks that flooding is awful, because the ball just goes back and forward in small kicks and nothing exciting happens. Mummy can't even write her notes on the game she is getting so cranky! Luckily our players keep their cool and eventually Simpson marks in our very congested forward 50 and he kicks a great goal! We're back in front! Wahoo! We stand up and wave our flags and I cheer and clap and laugh out loud. Footy is such fun! The ball comes down our end again but the Crows get it and send it back their way. Bryce Gibbs is brilliant with a spoil, but because he had his back to the ball the umpires gave the Crows a free. We hate that rule - Bryce could see the ball out of the corner of his eye and did so well to be able to read the play and get back in time to make the spoil. Soon after, though, Grigg came racing in to our forward line and only a few metres from goal kicked..........we all yelled "it's a goal!"..........but it was only a point. Goodwin up the other end then kicked a point which also should have been a goal. Russell and Grigg do some fantastic tackling, Russell getting the free for a shot at goal - terrible kick, no goal! Does anyone want to win this game? Our defenders hold strong down back, Stevo stands his ground in the centre and gets the ball to Eddie - we get excited as it's in our congested forward line again - Eddie gets the ball into Fev, who kicks backwards over his body - no go. The Crows get a 50m penalty and a goal - they're back in front. Then they get the next one too - COME ON BLUES!! Our cheering didn't work as McLeod got a goal for the Crows - so that's three goals in about three minutes! Things are looking as gloomy for us as the dark clouds in the sky. Grigg does more good tackling, the ball comes into our forward 50, Fisher has two players on him and the Crows take the ball away - seems like they have four more players out there than us! WHY don't we flood as well? Juddy comes pelting down, gets tackled but gets the ball out to Fev, who kicks, but a Crow marks it. They get another goal. 8-12 (60) to 12-10 (82). It's nearly the end of the quarter and this time the Crows start playing "tempo footy". Stevo comes running in, though, to ruin their party......he has loads of time because we've taken the Crows by surprise - please don't miss it, Stevo! He threads it through for a goal! Fev takes a good mark under lots of pressure, and lines up for a goal on 50m - misses. But wait! Not long after, Eddie takes a strong mark only about 35m from goal! Yippee! The siren sounds just after he takes the grab, so we think he'll get to take his shot. But the umpire rushes in to say the siren went before the mark. What? To us it sounded just after the mark, but maybe we didn't hear when the siren began. What a pity, as we really needed that goal. Three quarter time has us 16 points down. Can we do it?
Around our section of the MCG are large photos of the captains from each team. Just near the bay we're sitting in is a big photo of our captain, Chris Judd. Mum takes a photo of me with Juddy to send it to Nan on the phone. She likes Juddy, remember, and she sent us a message back to tell me to blow a kiss to Juddy for her. I did that for you, Nan.
The last quarter began with Judd getting caught holding the ball in the Crows forward 50 (the end near us). That said it all really - Judd is very rarely caught with the ball, but today wasn't such a good one for him. Luckily the Crows only got a point. Moments later Judd gets a free for being held without the ball, and kicks to Fisher who takes a great grab when he's being hung all over by a couple of players. But the ball comes back towards us to the Crows goals, Bower does a beauty spoil and follows it up with speed, keeps on his feet, handballs it off and receives it again, keeps on with speed, bounces the ball, kicks really well to Fev........but Fev can't take the mark. He's having as bad a day as Juddy! The ball then seesaws back and forth several times and Carrots takes the mark. "Come on Blues - make me proud!" I yell out at the top of my voice. But the Crows get the first goal of the quarter, at nearly the nine minute mark. I tell Mum I think we're going to lose now. She agrees it will be hard for us to win from here. I still cheer "Go you Bluebaggers!". Then a great piece of play happens - Bentick to Eddie to Stevo to Judd - goal! But the Crows follow up with one from a very very lucky free kick. And what? The Crows get a free again before the ball goes back to the centre! They got the second free at the top of the goal square just because Waite punched the ball after it went through the goals. Two goals to them. The crowd is not happy, and that includes us! Waite then spoils the ball again through for a rushed behind and the crowd jeers at the umpire - why not give Adelaide another free shot at goal for that? Simpson kicks to Fev - who kicks a point. The Crows get a goal. Fisher gets another point. Then it starts raining, to add to the gloom. What a bad end to the game for the Blues, and a great end for the Crows. They are a lot fitter looking than us and run a lot faster. Judd finishes with a goal with only seconds remaining to give me one last chance to cheer, so we lose by five goals exactly, 11-15 (81) to 16-15 (111). Grrrrrrrrr........I pose for a photo with Anthony and show just how grumpy I am we lost!
Oh well, not to worry. One team has to lose. There's always next week! Carlton will be taking on the West Coast Eagles in Perth - I wonder how many boos Judd will get? I don't really care how many, as long as we win!
And I did have an absolutely great holiday in Melbourne. Now I'll be able to look forward to seeing the Blues over here against Port Power on the June long weekend........until then, bye! From Jesse.
