From the Stands is a weekly column written from the point of view of a Raiders member.
So we’re up to Round 2 and while it’s great the footy’s back, I can’t help but feel it’s taking an age for the calendar to tick over to March 23.
The first home game of the year is one of the best days on the calendar.
While I appreciate the warmth of summer, there’s only so much cricket one person can take.
There’s an unparalleled excitement to donning a Raiders shirt, jersey, suit, or whatever green piece of cloth you have in your wardrobe, and heading to Canberra stadium to watch the greatest club of all playing the greatest game of all.
But alas, we have one roadblock to clear before we experience the thrill of game day in Canberra. That roadblock is the Newcastle Knights.
So yet another away game leaves me with some important decisions that need to be made.
Which venue do I choose? My local Raiders club seems and easy answer that one. What’s next?
Ah yes, who of my hordes of my Raiders supporting friends do I bring along?
This is difficult as it’s subject to availability. Will I have to hang out with that ‘mate’ of mine I only see once a year because he’s the only friend that’s free, and he happens to have Foxtel? Gosh, I hope not.
When is the best time to go? Do I head out to watch the earlier games, keeping an eye on my fantasy team, while sledging my friends because their fantasy footy skills are inferior to my own?
And of course by skills, I mean I undertake some lackadaisical research that help fills in the gap between, ‘what a round Monday’ and ‘thank goodness the footy’s back, Friday’.
The real fantasy would be having the ability to fast forward all the pre-game so that I can watch the mighty Raiders run around already!
The decisions don’t stop there though. There’s so much more to decide.
I need to decide which attitude I bring on game day. Is it best to talk a little pre-game smack to my token Newcastle supporting friend or is that an official jinx?
And if by chance, it is a jinx and the game isn’t going as planned, is it against the rules to buy that friend light ‘lemonades’ when it’s my round, and tell him it’s full strength?
Hmmm perhaps I’m not that bitter (pun intended) but it’s true that game day brings out something extra in all of us.
These decisions while arbitrary can make a win so much sweeter or a loss much more bitter. The affect they have on game day is immeasurable.
Ah who am I kidding? These decisions make no difference at all.
To be honest, I wouldn’t care if I had to share a couch with Justin Beiber and Bernard Tomic, while listening to Rebecca Black in the background (It’s not Friday anymore Rebecca, it’s Sunday and I’m trying to watch the game!).
I’m just happy to watch the team I’ve loved all my life and always will.
Game day is a special time no matter what the circumstances, but a Raiders win on Sunday would make things that much sweeter and a brilliant way to lead into our first home match of the year!
