With Eddie McGuire, everything’s black and white

Collingwood’s founding fathers could never have imagined life under Eddie McGuire.

Eddie McGuire mixes with fans (top right) and corporates (with Emirates' Australasia vice president Barry Brown, bottom left) at Collingwood's open training session today. Pictures: Stuart McEvoy and AAP

When the founding fathers of the Collingwood Football Club gathered in the basement of the Grace Darling Hotel 130 years ago they could never have imagined life in the 21st Century under Eddie McGuire.

When McGuire assumed the presidency more than 20 years ago he recalls a club in need of nurturing a diverse membership that emerged from the anxiety and toil of working class, inner city Melbourne.

“You’ve got to build your relationship with your supporters,” he told The Australian.

Just after 9.30am yesterday the supporters came in their hundreds — possibly even 1000 or more — for the last open training before Collingwood confronts Geelong and more than 90,000 people across the road at the MCG for Friday night’s qualifying final.

Plenty of kids who had wagged school turned up for training, with plenty of parents who had helped them.

Collingwood star Jordan De Goey signs autographs after today’s open training session. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

The first AFL final will be on Thursday in Perth, when another two AFL powerhouses — West Coast and Essendon — meet for the sudden death first elimination final.

The Perth contest matters but in AFL, all roads lead to Collingwood.

McGuire was the driving force behind Australian football’s first six star training facility near the Yarra River, with its turf fit for lawn bowls and the supporters showered with gifts.

Collingwood fans show their support at an open training session today. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

Free apples, free posters, a coffee cart, a word with the president and, perhaps better still, eyeballing the players.

For the well-heeled, the Glasshouse Eatery was offering a teriyaki salmon poke bowl with brown rice for $17.

What would the founding fathers have thought?

“The game is in rude health and I think the supporters feel more connected than ever,” says McGuire.

“Football is a major stimulus package for Australia.”

McGuire spent much of training on or near the boundary line at Olympic Park, on his phone or talking to people including Emirates vice president of Australasia, Barry Brown.

Pressing the flesh … Collingwood president Eddie McGuire with Barry Brown, Emirates VP Australasia. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

The Emirates sponsorship deal with Collingwood is believed to be the airline’s longest running in the world.

While other codes like cricket and tennis lean on their world status, McGuire still expects Collingwood and Richmond this finals series to be the biggest drawcards in sport anywhere around the globe.

The man in the middle … Eddie McGuire. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

Seventy-seven-year-old Lorraine “Crofty” Croft agrees. She has had a front row view of Collingwood for 66 years, just as she did at training yesterday.

The club helped her mark the death of her daughter a decade ago and she sees her life through a black and white prism when she looks out of her Northcote high-rise.

“All the boys call me by name. They come over and say hello,” she said.

“You feel special. They have treated me with utter respect.”

Nicole Simpson drove the 40km from Frankston with two of her four children, who missed school for the training run.

With her son Nathan, 16, and daughter Hayley, 12, looking on, Ms Simpson said Collingwood would be finals bolters.

“I’m mad for Collingwood,” she said. “It’s in my blood. I reckon we are going to surprise them and go all the way.”