Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

Very few cities can boast the sporting credentials of Melbourne, Australia - Olympic host city, Grand Slam tennis, Formula One grand prix. And that's just for starters.

Throughout the world, it's easy to find a passionate soccer supporter. And a passionate NFL fan in the USA. Likewise cricket in India. And ice-hockey in Canada.

But you would be hard-pressed to match a Melburnian for his sheer love of sport. For him, sport is life itself and when you look at his environs, it starts to make sense.

Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne is a city like no other. Its culture is based around sport. Where as Sydney dinner table small talk will evolve around property prices and schools, in Melbourne it's around sport, and Australian football in particular. Every politician is also an avid and genuine football fan, as is every cab driver, whether of Greek, Italian or Chinese heritage.

But sport in Melbourne is much, much more than Australian football. It's one of the few cities in the world that can lay claim to the following:

* Host city of the Summer Olympic Games (1956)

* Host city to one of the four Grand Slam tennis championships

* Host city to a round of the World Formula One Grand Prix

* Host city to a round of the World Superbike Championship

* Host city to the Commonwealth Games (2006)

* Host city to various world championships, including the World Swimming Championships (2007)

As well, Melbourne hosts major golf tournaments, including the Australian Masters, where Tiger Woods' world began to implode last November.

And each and every sport is supported by passionate and knowledgable Victorians by their thousands. Virtually every major venue is within walking distance of the heart of the Melbourne CBD.

Australian Football League - Aussie Rules

AFL, or Aussie Rules as many know it, is a unique game, forged on suburban rivalry, and now with a vibrant and robust national game. In Melbourne, it dominates the sporting landscape.

Rival code opponents of AFL take joy in pointing out that it is a game offering no international pathway for players. Also, that it is a big fish in a small pond. Indeed, it is a particularly big fish in the Australian pond.

The millions who have been converted to the religion that is Aussie Rules scoff at such barbs. With rivalry as intense as could be imagined in any sport throughout the world, and average crowds of close to 40,000 per game per week, they know that every match is a massive event in itself.

Most weeks feature at least one game attracting in excess of 65,000. The annual Anzac Day clash between keen rivals Collingwood and Essendon draws around 90,000 fans for what is, at the end of the day, a regular season match with no more at stake than any other of the seven matches that weekend. Collingwood's paid-up membership base now exceeds 50,000 supporters.

Each year, the AFL grand final attracts close to 100,000 fans - the record of 121,696 was set for a memorable Carlton comeback win over Collingwood in 1970 before the redevelopment of the stadium. In fact, if capacity was unlimited, it's fair to assume the matchday crowd could reach at least 150,000.

Melbourne Cricket Ground - MCG

The temple of this religious sporting mecca is the giant stadium referred to locals as simply 'the G'. To the rest of us, it's called the MCG, or the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

This is where up to 100,000 gather in the summer heat of Boxing Day for the start of the annual Test cricket match between Australia and either England, India, Pakistan, West Indies, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, South Africa or, possibly, Bangladesh.

And it is the arena where the '56 Olympic flame burnt for 16 days. And where, of course, the AFL heart beats loudest.

Olympic Games

Melbourne hosted the Summer Olympics in 1956 as the world emerged from the gloom and despair of World War II. The Games attracted a record 72 nations, and it signalled the start of the glamour years for the Olympic movement.

These were the Olympics were fun returned to sport and politics played no part, with one notable exception. The Melbourne Olympics began on November 22, 1956 - 18 days after 200,000 Soviet troops invaded Hungary to put down a major revolt against Communist rule.

On December 6, Hungary and the Soviet Union met in a water polo match which quickly degenerated into a bloody brawl on water. The referee stopped the fighting and the match with Hungary leading 4-0 as police were called in to prevent a riot. Hungary was awarded the match, despite its premature completion.

Formula One

Adelaide was the initial host city for the Australian round of the World Formula One Championship, hosting the race around its inner city street circuit from 1985-95.

Such was the success of the Adelaide event, it was hard to imagine any other city matching it in terms of crowd attendances and enthusiasm.

But, then again, it went to Melbourne, where it's now regarded as one of the highlights on the Formula One championship calendar.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Recent Posts

    • MARINE CORPS ENLISTMENT OFFICE Camp Pendleton, CA   RECRUITMENT LETTER     Hello James Buford, Thank you for taking interest in joining the 1st Marine Raider Battalion.   During your trial period the following will occur: Once accepted as a Recruit, you will remain as a Recruit for 2 weeks from the day of your acceptance until the next BCT Class is offered. During your time as a recruit, it is highly encouraged to play within the Public Server and join Discord with our other members. Upon acceptance, you will be contacted by one of our DIs when the next available BCT is scheduled via the appropriate Discord channel.   We have a BCT class every two weeks. Please keep an eye out for when the next one is made available once you've completed your time requirements!   Upon stating that you understand all the information here, an admin will change your forum name and login to be :   Buford 1st MRB   Take the time now to change your Steam and in-game name to:   Rec. J. Buford [1st MRB] (Example: Rec. J. Doe [1st MRB])   Please make sure to verify your forum account by checking your email. Also, please respond below with a reply showing that you have read and understand these rules. You cannot be fully accepted until you do so. We have a limit on the time to reply, if you do not do so within 48 hours, your application will be denied. Once you reply, you will be approved for your trial period unless otherwise posted.  
    • jelly3384's application for Enlistment Form Questions Name you wish to use and Age: (Our unit uses realistic names, this does not have to be your real name) Pigeon, 16 Platform Type Epic Games Store Steam ID (Use 17 Digit SteamID 64 / PC Game Pass Account Username): Pigeon_theft   Do you have a microphone? Yes   Which game title are you applying for? Hell Let Loose   If you've selected Hell Let Loose, do you understand that this game is currently not cross platform capable and only PC players currently may apply? ( Steam or PC Game Pass) Yes   Why do you wish to join the 1st Marine Raiders? I've played BFV and milsimed in it, and it was a lot more fun when I milsimed. and I enjoy playing HLL, so I think it is going to be more fun when I join.   Did any of our current members play a part in you enlisting? If so, who? If none, how did you learn about us: I found you guys from a website called disboard when looking for HLL milsim groups to join.   This unit offers more than just a place to play games with each other, do you have any online skills you think would be useful? no   Do you have any Leadership experience that you think will be helpful? I'm not sure if it will be helpfull,but I used to be in BFV milsim groups and in my last one I got to [E-7] out of [E-1] to [O-8], so I was a NCO and I helped the officers with whatever they needed doing, weather it was assisting with training, settling disputes or helping them decide what was appropriate disciplinary action. And when we were in combat I was usually assigned to lead my own squad.   Have you ever been in a realism unit before, and if so, which unit was it? yes. I was in quite a few BFV milsim groups, although I was only in one at any given time. unfortunately, I have left the discord servers and I do not remember the names of them. if you would like, I could probably give a reference to someone who was an officer in most of the groups I was in.   By posting this Enlistment form, I acknowledge the instructions completely, declare that I am 16 years old or older, and agree that I have and will follow server and unit rules maturely and respectfully or face immediate rejection. Yes   Application stats UserId: 943213736024498227 Username: jelly3384 User: @Rec. J. Buford Duration: 1131 seconds Joined guild at: a day ago
    • 2nd Platoon Weekly Attendance   Week of 09MAR2025   P = Present | E = Excused | A = Absent   Platoon Staff WO. A. Pitteway - Excused MSgt. J. Candy - Present TSgt. A Yoder - Present   1st Squad Squad leader:  TSgt. R. Fielding- Excused Cpl. B. Grande - Present Cpl. M. Noel - Excused Pfc. R. Smith - Present Pfc. C. Keebler - Present Pfc. D. Moffat - Present     2nd Squad Squad leader:  Sgt. S. Holquist - Present Cpl. T. Scary - Present Pfc. C. Marsh - Present Pfc. M. Oake - Excused Pfc. W. Swift - - Present Pvt. R. Zera - Present   Helpers:  Ret. A. Cannon
    • 2nd Platoon Weekly Attendance   Week of 02MAR2025   P = Present | E = Excused | A = Absent   Platoon Staff WO. A. Pitteway - Excused MSgt. J. Candy - Present TSgt. A Yoder - Present   1st Squad Squad leader:  TSgt. R. Fielding- Excused Cpl. B. Grande - Present Cpl. M. Noel - Present Pfc. R. Smith - Present Pfc. C. Keebler - Present Pfc. D. Moffat - Excused     2nd Squad Squad leader:  Sgt. S. Holquist - Present Cpl. T. Scary - Present Pfc. C. Marsh - Present Pfc. M. Oake - Excused Pfc. W. Swift - - Present Pvt. R. Zera - Absent II   Helpers:  Pfc. J. Arsenault   *Cannon, Clement, Whistle moved to reserves
    • Welcome to the 1st Marine Raider Battalion! Now that you have been accepted don't forget to: 1. Check in at the Recruit Depot 2. Read the Marine Raider Handbook (you are expected to know everything in it) 3. Change your steam friends Avatar 4. Download, install and log into Discord NOTE: Please be aware that you will not have access to the above links until an officer has given you full access to the forum. Access to the forum should be given to you within the next day.
×
×
  • Create New...