1 post tagged “aussie rules”

So I realised over the weekend that the original point of this blog was to write about my experiences of moving from The City to a regional town. Over time, I have essentially allowed my blog to descend into insane ramblings about my shoes, techological jinxes and of course cupcakes. I'm not saying that I won't continue to blog about absolute shit, but I think I should refocus myself on my version of a social experiment... moving to the country.

One of the activities which I have engaged in since moving to G-town is going to country footy games. I have always been incredibly bored by AFL (a term which is used to describe the official league, but given the rules are the same I use it generally, perhaps to the scorn of those more knowledgeable), but I decided when I moved that I wasn't going to be able survive living in a regional town without knowing at least something about the game. Plus, all of my clients are obsessed with Aussie Rules, and it will give me something to chat with them about in tea breaks at meetings.  

About a month ago, the boy I share an office with made it up from reserves to league of his Team, so I decided to go along to his first game. They lost, but I still had a surprising amount of fun. A nightgame of country footy is something I recommend to everyone - $4 pure blondes, good chips and just lots of people sitting around shouting and honking their car horns when their team scores.

I went again on Saturday night - this time taking along my housemate and 3 of her friends from Perth. Hilariously, 3 of them wore heels. To a football game. At a grass oval. The one girl who didn't wear heels was wearing a sequinned top. The football oval has never seen anything so fancy. Anyway, despite the fact that there was a fair bit of girly conversation going on next to me, I got really into the game (which they won, woop!), and am finally starting to understand it! There isn't another night game for Team for ages though, meaning they plan on Sunday arvos instead. This makes it heaps harder to take visitors to, because by Sunday arvo they are back on the road to The City. Poo.

Anyway, I'm going to keep going to the occasional game because (1) it turns out football is kind of fun and (2) it is something to do in G-town which gives you a sense of being in a local community, which I really like. There are mums selling lemonade cans and chips, dads selling beer behind the bar, grannies with thermos's of hot tea, 8 year olds being waterboys (and mostly just drinking the water themselves) and in the breaks between quarters kids run onto the oval to have a kick themselves. You beauty.

After the football, we went to a local pub, had a few drinks and a dance to the band, who were actually pretty good. G-town does occasionally get decent acts, surprising given that there is really only one live music venue. I bailed pretty early, my excuse being that I was driving and therefore not being powered by beer. But it was fun to get out for a change and to tell my friends from The City that I actually did something on the weekend!