Omeo and District: Couches on backs of utes banned from grand final

It’s a country grand final tradition, but the Omeo and District league won’t be allowing couches on the back of utes. Here’s why.

David Johnston

less than 2 min read

August 16, 2022 - 12:35PM

The Weekly Times

Quambatook's final home match before folding

The country footy tradition of watching the grand final from a couch on the back of a ute will be banned at Omeo later this month.

Omeo and District Football-Netball League officials deny they have become the “fun police” for agreeing to the request from Victoria Police.

League president Ray Gallagher confirmed it had agreed to the request to stop utes with couches or chairs on the back of them entering the Omeo ground for the grand final on August 27.

“We’re quite happy to work with the police in this instance,” he said.

“It’s the same old story.

“Most of the people who come in with a couch behave themselves.

“But it only takes one person who doesn’t and it spoils it for everyone else.”

A big crowd including fans on the back of a ute watches the 2011 Omeo and District league grand final at Ensay in 2011.

It will be the first Omeo and District league grand final played at Omeo since 1997 and the first since the pandemic began in 2020.

Gallagher said steps would be taken to ensure the ban can be enforced.

“My initial thought was the poor old gatekeepers would be the ones who would have to police it,” he said.

“But we’re going to have security on the day in addition to police to ensure there is no grief for our volunteers and create a safe environment for all.”

The neighbouring East Gippsland league introduced the same ban more than a decade ago when a spectator sitting on the back of a ute threw a beer can and struck the field umpire.