Just Some Thoughts on the Grand Final

[Auburn Mariner]

Hello all,

Some of my thoughts (I am writing this as personal observation, these are my thoughts only and DO NOT necessarily represent the views of the Marinators Club):

1. Loved the pre-match at KB, lots of fun and mirth.
2. Newcastle had the balance of play, but the game was nothing special, dreary at times. One mistake, boom, gone. Great finish by Bridge.
3. The Squadron's tifo was terrific, particularly the big flag and large "ribbons" down the side. Gives us something to aspire to in the "WOW" factor.
4. The Cove End is great, wouldn't it be great to have something similar at Bluetongue?
5. James Holland's handball, mmm, how was that missed by both the referee and his assistant? Saw the replay for the first time at Melsy, Trina and Bear's place this morning and my first reaction was, "F^&*"!! After that, the game descended into chaos, to be frank.
6. Danny, mate, I honestly don't know what to say. Nine months seems harsh, good luck if you appeal. My express wish is that you are able to play for Arnie in Beijing.
7. I'm always proud to be a Mariners fan (for life) and a Marinator (for life). When we eventually win a toilet seat, I will take the bloody whole week off to celebrate.
8. Mingara afterwards was funny, didn't know exactly what to feel. Glad to see the boys, nice to have a couple of beers for a change, but losing hurts, doesn't it?
9. Sorry about the trains being mixed, Cityrail got that one wrong. Hope you all got home OK.
10. Messrs Lambert & Chivers, thank you.

I look forward to the new season; hopefully a trip back home to Orange; planning for Thailand, Vietnam or Malaysia; seeing 10 teams in the burgeoning A-League, a bus trip to Skilled Park at Robina; and being a Mariners fan for the fourth year of the rest of my life.

Kindest regards to all of you, my friends.

Auburn Mariner

 

[skilbeck]

well said Auburn feel the same way on all those thoughts. v3 is finished we now gotta fire up for v4

 

[Mariner Girl]

Oh God - skillbeck!!! Your new Avador has just made me cry  :'( :'( :'(

Agree with Auburn Mariner. I hope this doesn't cost Danny the Olympics.

As for Mark Shield missing it. This would never had happened - none of it - if we had video replays. Surely to God with that many players protesting he would have second thoughts and would have used the technology. Hope lawie will really really push for it when the coaches have their meeting. 

 

[pjennings]

Auburn - I saw you, Mick and Jeff at Mingara. If anyone thought the boys looked down - they didn't compare them to you guys.

All is not lost - we had a great year - we are the premiers - we are going to Asia!!! Danny's appeal is yet to be done and his ban hasn't gone beyond the HAL at this stage. I'm sure Lyall and Lawrie are working on his appeal and V4 as we speak. Onwards and upwards - let's do the double next year!!!   

   

 

[rev]

arrrrrrrrrgggggg I was relatively OK yesterday, but now that we've seen some replays of the handball and learnt more about Danny my wife and I aren't happy.  I'm sure the Jets too would much rather have seen a spot penalty and then won in extra time than this.  I had thought Danny was out of the Olympics until your post pjennings so maybe things are brighter than I think.  Thanks!  Holland  is also in the Olyroos, the backup golie is I guess Perth's Tando Velaphi.....  arrrrggghhh the effing reffing this year!  And do they want kids to practice shirt pulling when the ref can't see??  aarrrrrrrgggggghhhhh  I hope Lawrie can move things re video refs but I seem to remember FIFA is dead-set against them.  Be nice to Danny FFA (FFS!)  He brings so much to the game.    :'(

 

[striker]

- if we had video replays. Surely to God with that many players protesting he would have second thoughts and would have used the technology.

well......the precedent has been made in the last FIFA WC Final..... Zidane's send off was the result of video replay by the sideline ref.

 

[Wheresdadspants?]

Thanks for the efforts again this season Dave and all those involved, Jeff,DJ, well everyone(too many too name). Proud to be a Coastie and a Marinator, we'll win soon enough.

 

[~Floss~]

The GF will mean nothing when we win Asia (or at least get further than Newcastle)

 

[Bex]

Yeh, well said Auburn.

Personally, I was devastated and found it difficult to feel anything else but numbness all the way home. It was the first thing I thought of as I woke up the next morning and its since then worsened by the rediculous penalty handed to Vukovic.

Even so, I'm still a Mariner till I die and I'm not going to let it get me down for too long. Life is too short for that.

 

[kevrenor]

I'm still like an angry Bear (worse than Ursus or Bearinator) as you've probably noticed on here.  My staff gave me a wide berth, I've been getting up the FFA in another forum, and I've probably cruelled myself with an opinion piece on Back of the Net:
http://spirit.webcity.com.au/AFN/Opinion/GF_Review.htm

 

[dru]

I'm numb, I don't think it really kicked in at all till today, I didn't see the tears that were there after the final loss two years ago. So close yet so far again. Maybe it was that loss that made it so, we know that making a final isn't going to always end with euphoria of winning (something that out of new football only Adelaide also knows first hand) and as such didn't let the emotions flow so freely this time.

As to the hand ball it's time to move on, the first time I saw it brought out anger in me but it's done and we can't go back, there will be no body but us that will talk about in a years time I suspect.

Always proud of the mariners and the Yellow Army And see you on the terraces around this country next season

Que sera sera

 

[Mattsy]

"9. Sorry about the trains being mixed, Cityrail got that one wrong. Hope you all got home OK."

I was pretty sure there was two different planned trains. One going to gosford and back (ofcourse on a relay) and one going to newcastle. Because the Majority of the mariners fans were out early (who would stay except a few) they hopped onto the train headed directly to newcastle, hence some intense mixing as it wasn't planned to leave until 8:15 (more like 8:10). I thought that was the case, I could be VERY wrong. Anyways, wasn't all bad - met some nice mariners fans and a few tired ones (old gal was snoring with what looked like she had twisted her spine) haha

 

[FFC Mariner]

Daughter came back from soundwave at 11:15 and their was a mixture of both Mariners and Jest on the train.

Apart from being v crowded, no dickhead behaviour to report

 

[Mattsy]

heres a laugh for you all. We found out that you cant get pizza's delivered to train stations

GOSFORD SAID THEY'D DO IT AND CHANGED THEIR MINDS!

terrible display, haha

 

[FFC Mariner]

Wow, I have never ordered Pizza to a railway station before.

Maybe its because I live in a house??

 

[Mattsy]

Oh I live in a house. I was only trying to lighten up the situation.
Sorry for trying.. I guess the pain will last awhile

 

[thomas477]

 

[cruiser]

I'm still like an angry Bear (worse than Ursus or Bearinator) as you've probably noticed on here.  My staff gave me a wide berth, I've been getting up the FFA in another forum, and I've probably cruelled myself with an opinion piece on Back of the Net:
http://spirit.webcity.com.au/AFN/Opinion/GF_Review.htm

Good review Chris. Thanks.

 

[Pete]

Excellent reports there on  BOTN Kevrenor! The two opposing views shows how one match can be reflected so differently, eh?

My mate and I were gutted after the match. Luckily I have been on rec. leave from work. I work with a Newcastle supporter - he is a good football supporter, not a scummer, and it would have been hard to face him the day after. But I'm sure he would have been diplomatic about the win, but others (who only make noise but don't put their 'hard earned' down to watch games) would have been more annoying.

Chris' observations about the crowds and the growing football culture is heartening. Too true that it is, in the case of the Mariners, family orientated. I am very happy for the founders of the Mariners, pleased for the players who have been there since day 1, and in my own little way, proud that I was one of the earlier members too.

I did manage to have a few private words with Andre and Wilko at the Post Grand Final function at Mingara, and a quick word with Lawrie. You could just tell they were gutted after the loss, but they did their club proud by showing their faces and being pleasant to all of us who attended. I appreciate this hard task they had to do in the name of public relations.

 

[~Floss~]

Excellent reports there on  BOTN Kevrenor! The two opposing views shows how one match can be reflected so differently, eh?

My mate and I were gutted after the match. Luckily I have been on rec. leave from work. I work with a Newcastle supporter - he is a good football supporter, not a scummer, and it would have been hard to face him the day after. But I'm sure he would have been diplomatic about the win, but others (who only make noise but don't put their 'hard earned' down to watch games) would have been more annoying.

Chris' observations about the crowds and the growing football culture is heartening. Too true that it is, in the case of the Mariners, family orientated. I am very happy for the founders of the Mariners, pleased for the players who have been there since day 1, and in my own little way, proud that I was one of the earlier members too.

I did manage to have a few private words with Andre and Wilko at the Post Grand Final function at Mingara, and a quick word with Lawrie. You could just tell they were gutted after the loss, but they did their club proud by showing their faces and being pleasant to all of us who attended. I appreciate this hard task they had to do in the name of public relations.

Half the people I work with are from Newcastle, half from the Coast.

Only 2 or 3 of us are actual "supporters" (all from the Coast), but the Newy-Newcomers are behaving as you would expect Novacastrians to behave.