ozzieeagle

I sadly missed that game, which was basically MV's last game at that Olympic park as it stands at present. I've seen plenty of footage, and it seems it was the game of the season, from the point of view of emotion etc.


Apparently more than 4,000 Adelaide supporters are travelling over for Sunday evenings clash, so should be a great night once again.


Townsville and Woolongong and anticpiated to join the League in the season 2008/9, with start up crowds of around 12,000 each expected.

All of this and not one international has been played yet, with those highly anticipated fixtures coming in the next couple of months for Sydney and Adelaide in the ACL.

Carl B

Reckon Olympic Park will be used for next season's pre-season cup. Shame it can't be used more, as it has a feel of a British football league ground pre-Taylor report and I prefer standing to sitting at matches. Also, full strength beer is available instead of the mid-strength stuff served at TD.
Good to see match getting plenty of positive build-up especially from traditional AFL media outlets such as Herald Sun and 3AW.

ozzieeagle

Wow... ditto to all the above, in fact I left the UK before all seater stadia became the norm. Spot on re two of the arms of the axis of evil, the 3rd being channel 7, they are still staying quietish.

I've not seen any mention of this preseason cup before, can you tell me more or give me a website re some detail.

Carl B

Not sure of any links to the pre-season cup, but basically it involves all A-League clubs split into two groups and the top two in each group go through to the semi-final, and the rest (bizarrely) play each other to determine a finishing place in the competition. Victory played a "home" game against Adelaide in Tassie, played Central Coast and Perth at Olympic Park and Queensland at Epping. For the record, Victory bombed out in the group stages and ended up finishing fifth (I think). A bit disappointing, but last night sort of made up for it ! Competition usually starts in July, and if rumours are to be believed, Victory will be playing a home match in Geelong. Should be a fun day out.

ozzieeagle

I'll be looking out closely for this comp later this year. I'll definitely be buying a family membership. I reckon the membership tally for next season will be closer to 30,000 than 20,000. Especially as an estimated 30,000 people missed out on getting tickets for the final. Hopefully MV, have more games scheduled on a Saturday or Friday next season, as I work on Sunday nights. Have had to have two sickies in the past 3 weeks, and thats not on really.

I'm looking forwards to this Asian Cup, as it will give the rest of the Aussie teams a chance to gauge the strength of the mostly unknown teams overthere. I'm also seriously considering going to an away game in Asia next March/April.... I never got to see my team in the UK overseas, I've always regretted that, and nows my chance. There is talk on the MV forums of over 1,000 supporters travelling with them into Asia.

I cannot recall in all my years of following football, and i go back to the very early 70's, a season that I've enjoyed more than this one.

The only fly in the ointment I can see at present is Perth, but with Woolongong and Townsville champing at the bit, complete with coorporate backing, to join the A league, then I think overall the A league should grow steadily.

BTW a little tale from Sunday. I managed to get tickets via a person I know of the Palace bulletin board... thing is, it was right slap back in amongst the North End, or BWB as they are known. (Aisle 3) I didn't realise how close we would be until we actually got there and The wife wasn't exactly happy. She got over having to stand up with people bouncing up and down around her, although she wasnt that pleased when she got showered with beer on each occassion when MV scored. I enjoyed it, the kids loved it, However I dont think we will get that close to them again LOL. We wasn't the only family group in amongst there either.


What a year.

Vanessa

Was it you setting off the Flares!?

Bordy

No but he was wearing them.

ozzieeagle

You guys ..... We were right on the edge of blue baloon territory though, and waved our hearts out accordingly when instucted to do so.


The wife has informed me, she's never going near that end again though. Cannot say I blame her. She smelt so badly of beer after the game I thought we would be refused entry to post match drinks. Just to let the crowds disperse of course

Dtox

I'm new here... so go easy OK..

I've got season tix with QLD Roar... (bollocks disappointing season, it was too) The big plus was getting my young Aussie son (age 4) involved with football, for which he loved.

We will therefore be back later in the year supporting the Roar, who happened to have the 2nd biggest A League crowds this season.

Cheers
Tox

Carl B

Oh yes, and forgot to mention. If you want a Victory fix prior to the pre-season cup, don't know if you're aware but the team played a series of friendlies against teams in the Vodafone Cup last May and played at Richmond, Bulleen, Green Gully, Altona to name a few. Wouldn't mind betting the same thing happens this year, although if you do plan on going, check the club's website regularly as these matches were arranged at very short notice.

Carl B

Good to hear. Queensland started off really well and were up there with Melbourne in the early round. If you'd have beaten Sydney in the last round, you'd have made the finals, so wasn't a disaster of a season.

Dtox

Cheers Carl...

Being an avid 'football' fan, who attended all 10 Roar home games this season,.... 'It was well ****** painful' ...
The 92% possesion/action/goal clearances in the 0-0 Adelaide match at Suncorp springs to mind as to what could have been...

QLD Roar will be in the GF next season..... watch this space.

Fat Bloke

I went to a couple of ROAR games last season and was not impressed with the tactics and general order.
They urgently need some left sided players and also a decent manager.
Just my HI.