Black-and-white army celebrates Collingwood’s premiership for young and old
In Collingwood and surrounds they were dancing in and on bars through the delirious night and into Sunday as the 2023 premiership warmed the hearts of generations of Magpie supporters.
In Collingwood and surrounds the black and white army danced in – and on – bars throughout the delirious night and into Sunday, before making the journey to Olympic Park to continue celebrations with players and a legion of like-minded fans.
The 2023 premiership, won in front of 100,024 people at the MCG, has warmed the hearts of Magpie supporters very old and very new.
After the game, captain Darcy Moore leapt into the arms of his father, Collingwood legend Peter who played in five grand finals for the Pies during the worst days of the Colliwobbles. He never won one and famously threw his 1981 runner-up medal in the bin – a gesture that led the then VFL to end the practice of handing them out to the losing team.
This premiership, a record-equalling 16th, was a balm for the pain of all those bad years, but for at least one of the Magpies’ latest generation of fans, premiership success is all they’ve known.
On Saturday morning, before the match, coach Craig McRae was called to attend to matters more urgent even than the afternoon’s match. McRae’s wife Gabrielle had been in labour since Friday but told him she was just feeling a little unwell.
At 7.45am Maggie Grace, surely a name that foretold what would unfold later at the MCG, was born with her father in attendance.
It was supposed to be a family secret but McRae couldn’t help himself and let the news slip to fans after the game.
“(My wife said) what have you done,” McRae confessed to fans on Sunday morning. “She doesn’t want me to talk about it but it was a really special day.”
McRae also revealed he had the message “44 sons” on the collar of the shirt he wore on the day – a reference to the number of players on his team list.
The Magpies bring the big show and the Seven Network said a total of 5.5 million viewers tuned in, including 97.4 per cent of Melbourne TV viewers and 87.9 per cent of Brisbane’s.
The Lions quietly returned to the Queensland capital on Sunday afternoon, after commiserating with fans in Melbourne earlier in the morning. With his dream of taking back the premiership his club last held exactly 20 years ago dashed by four mere points, Brisbane captain and Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale told heartbroken fans: “We’ll be back.”
But the suburbs around Melbourne were awash with jubilant Collingwood supporters. Magpies fan Andrew Clark, 30, who had just a few hours of sleep, said of the previous night’s endeavours: “Walking down Swan Street you picked the bar by seeing how many were on the bar top punching the ceiling – it was pretty hectic.”
Mr Clark was one of about 30,000 fans who flooded Collingwood’s training ground in a sea of black and white to catch a glimpse of the 2023 premiership winners. A few were “dusty”, according to the announcer who welcomed the team on to the stage.
Collingwood fan Megan Hunt, 27, had almost lost her voice by 11am on Sunday after watching her team triumph from inside the MCG. “My whole family, my nan and pop go for Collingwood, ever since I was born I pretty much started going for them,” she said.
Although Ms Hunt’s friend, Steph O’Brien, 30, was disappointed to lose as a Brisbane Lions supporter, they were both stoked to catch the game after flying in from Queensland on Thursday.
“I can’t believe we were at the ’G yesterday. It was the best day of my life,” Ms Hunt said. “We went to a bar, had a few beers. Definitely celebrated, that’s for sure.”
Darcy Moore didn’t have much of a voice left by the time he reached the celebrations, but that didn’t stop him from thanking the fans. “It’s a tough job but days like (Saturday), you guys make it feel like a dream come true,” he said.
Swan St in Richmond is where footy fans have historically flocked to celebrate their team’s victory following the grand final.
Celebrations on the street have turned raucous in the past, notably in 2017 when police used capsicum spray to disperse Richmond fans who were jumping on cars and climbing buildings after the Tigers ended their 37-year-premiership drought, but authorities commended punters on Sunday.
“While there were a small number of incidents that required police involvement, most people enjoyed their night in the right spirit,” a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.
The good crowd behaviour was in line with Collingwood’s rehabilitated culture and image.
“We have been through a lot as a club, we have worked on our culture and grown to be really family orientated and inclusive,” said fan Rosie Wright, 38.
Ms Wright, who said it was “torturous” being a fan and had barracked for the club since she could remember, said football lovers had mostly moved past stereotyping Collingwood fans as having no teeth and being pretty rough.
Things changed after former president Eddie McGuire’s bungled handling of the club’s scathing racism review, handed down in 2021, Ms Wright said.
“We made ourselves accountable. We had a massive spotlight put on us, and I think it made a lot of workplaces and smaller clubs, at your grassroots level, stop and think,” she said.
“There’s been a lot of change and Collingwood needed to have a good hard look at themselves.”
Another fan, Joseph Dawson, who travelled from Geelong to Collingwood’s training ground on Sunday, said the club had always been about inclusivity.
“Everyone’s welcome. Our cheer squad is diverse. I think people embrace that. And today, there’s maybe a bit more of a shift towards a family club,” he said.
Friends Rosie Webb and Lindy Franklyn, said the club was like a family and they met through Collingwood. “You make great friendships and can go through the heartbreak and celebrations,” Ms Franklyn said.
Recovering from watching the match at the MCG, Ms Webb said it was a rollercoaster, heart-stopping grand final. “They’ve got guts and they never give up,” she said of her team.
More Coverage
