Since moving its headquarters out to Waverley two years ago, the club's home for over a hundred years hasn't received much love, but there was affection and hero worship aplenty as an estimated 20,000 fans soaked up the festivities.
So big was the turnout that the gates had to be shut before the team was introduced on stage, but those who didn't manage to get in were at least able look on from the street and they all went up as one when premiership coach Alastair Clarkson took the stage.
"It's just a fantastic turnout today to see so many people here and in the terraces and out on the roadside. It's just fantastic to see so much brown and gold out here today," Clarkson said over the wild applause.
"It's been a collective effort and so many people have helped get us to this premiership."
The patchy turf of the old oval was quickly replaced by a sea of brown and gold as supporters clambered for premiership merchandise and membership forms for next season.
There were plenty of old champions as well as new ones with Brownlow Medallist and five-time premiership player Robert DiPierdomenico hosting proceedings which also included musical entertainment from local bands and noted singer Mike Brady who, of course, sang "Up there Cazaly".
Wearing the famous striped jacket that will be retired to the club's museum following the grand final win, president Jeff Kennett promised more good times to come.
"Over the last four years we've been building to a plan that, fundamentally, has no end to it," Kennett said.
"The fact that we won the premiership yesterday [doesn't mean] the end of the journey; it's just the start."
Of course, the biggest roar of the day was saved for the players who were introduced by guernsey number shortly before three o'clock.
Sam Mitchell admitted the reality of being a premiership captain hadn't quite sunk in when he addressed the throng, but he took the opportunity to pay tribute to his teammates in engineering the upset win.
"The boys were fantastic with the effort they put in. It was a game that went up and down and they had the momentum but we were able to not allow them to score too much and then we got the momentum back," Mitchell said.
"We really had a lot of players who played fantastic footy and we stuck together and got the win."
It has been sung many times since the final siren on Saturday, but crowd favourite Shane Crawford incited one of the most stirring renditions of the club song in a fitting finale as the players retreated to continue celebrations in private, leaving the crowd to continue partying.