[geelong] confession time

Well, confession time. There was a real British colony in one particular seaside town in Australia where my father's family emigrated and they all followed the same football team.

I also followed them during my time in Australia and secretly ever since. You see, my real team, the Crazy Gang, is no more and rather than transfer allegiance, I prefer to go back to a competition I know. That's the boring part.

Also boring for most of you is that today Geelong took the "minor premiership" in Australia. It's a nice accolade but doesn't count for much in the playoffs, which are often won by the 2nd, 3rd and 4th placed teams. Again boring for you.

Where the interest comes in is the character of this team. Many supporters have no hair left after years of supporting them and the women are drawn and haggard. They are a soul-destroying one-town team with a reputation for sporadic, unstoppable brilliance and infuriatingly appalling performances.

They can beat the league leaders one week - thrash them - and next week lose to the wooden spooners.

Once I was at a game at the hated Collingwood headquarters Victoria Park and after a few cleansing ales, it was time to visit the outhouse and it was dire. There, in the urinal where it belonged, was a document.

Naturally I picked it up and read it and discovered it was Collingwood's game plan against our navy and white boys. Also naturally, I got it straight to Geelong HQ and was thanked for it.

What it said was cruel:

Geelong are the greatest team of front runners in the league. Play at less than 100%, give them the slightest sniff of victory and they'll play like men possessed. But hit them hard, close them down and they hate it. This is the only way to beat them.

Trouble was, that also describes me to a tee.

Take a woman, for example. Give me the least sign, just a second glance or a slight faltering in her manner, indicating she might be interested and I'm on the warpath … subtly of course. Make it clear she wouldn't give me the time of day and that's me gone. Playing too hard to get has never worked with this blogger.

What about you? Is your team's ethos and character similar to yours? Is that why you follow them?

Unfortunately, Geelong have a very bad record in playoffs, so I'm saying nothing. I read that they're different to the old Geelong. Hmmm. I'll wait for that last day in September, thanks.

For the record:

Club	Pts
1	Geelong	64
2	Hawthorn	48
3	Port Adelaide	48
4	West Coast	48
5	Kangaroos	48
6	Sydney	44
7	Collingwood	44
8	Brisbane Lions	38
9	St. Kilda	38
10	Western Bulldogs	38
11	Adelaide	36
12	Fremantle	36
13	Essendon	36
14	Melbourne	16
15	Carlton	16
16	Richmond	10