National Rugby League

I was invited to my first NRL game (National Rugby League) which is the equivalent of a professional Football game in the States. I am sure that those of you who know me and my voracious appetite for sports may feel a bit surprised to hear it has taken almost a year and a half to attend such an event (ha…that was dripping in sarcasm. I watch the Super Bowl for the cool ads and the great chips and dips!) Anyway, some of the teachers at one of our school had season passes and invited me to join in the fun. It was a rainy Thursday night yet it was all smiles and fun among us!

The event was played in the Sydney Olympic Stadium (from the 2000 Games held here in Sydney)(1). This piece of art (2-3) caught my eye. Not sure if you can see but there are images in the spiral of athletes from various sports. From the outside looking in (2) looked differently than within the massive stadium entrance looking out as the sun caught the clouds and formed a stunning backdrop for the art (3). Here's a selfie with the "mates": teachers (l to r) Ben Nolan, myself, Steve Bamford, and Graham Platt ("Platt Man").

The stadium apparently used to hold about a quarter more seats (it used to be round not oval, I was told) but they have cut it down in size since the Olympics (4-5). As you can see by the stadium seating, it was probably a good call (5). I was told not to judge as it was a Thursday night and raining, which keeps some away. (To be honest, I was just as happy so we would not have a thick crowd to fight against to get home!)

Olympic Stadium is now "ANZ Stadium." (This is pronounced A-N-Zed, as they say "zed," which rhymes with "Ned," for what we would call "zee"; by the way, they also pronunce the "zee-bra" a ze-[as in "zed"] bra.) ANZ is a national bank chain around here. It is home to the "Rabbitohs" as in "South Sydney Rabbitohs" (7). Team colors are Christmas colors: red and green. Here the seats are made to look like one of their jerseys (8) They played against the "Sydney Roosters." There team colors were red, white and blue. Steve cheered for the Roosters. As he invited me, as I liked their colors, I felt obligued to crow for the Roosters. (By the way, you don't "root" for a team here as "to root" is crude slang for "having sexual relations.") Here is the home team's mascot (9).

Half way through the game, Platt Man bought me a Rabbitohs cap to keep my head warm. Here, Steve reacts to the change of wear (10). Players on the field (11-12). A shot with the players (it was a huge life-sized wall poster, 13). And a final parting shot of the fans (14). "Go Rabbitohs…I mean Roosters!!!"