Diehard Collingwood fans lucky enough to secure a ticket to Saturday’s AFL preliminary final against the Swans at the SCG have taken elaborate measures to make it to the match, making the long pilgrimage from Melbourne to Sydney by bus, train and car after plane fares blew out in excess of $1,000.
Deborah Putt was already on the road on Friday morning with her partner and young son, braving the nine-hour journey from Brighton East for the big game.
“Our seven-year-old, Brooklyn, thought he was going to school for his last day for term three for footy dress-up day, but in fact we surprised him and are driving to Sydney instead,” she said.
“He had no idea. It was the most incredible moment seeing his face. After the excitement, he broke down in tears and just couldn’t believe it was happening.”
Brooklyn was among hundreds of Collingwood punters flying the flag up the Hume from Melbourne on Friday.
A Facebook group called Collingwood Road Trip has amassed more than 700 members since the Magpies took down Fremantle in a knockout clash last Saturday evening.
Group members offered spare seats, tickets and travel advice, and planned team chants to belt out at the stadium.
Wayne Bell’s slog to Sydney started on Thursday morning. He hit the road from his home in Macedon Ranges for a six-and-a-half hour drive to Canberra with his three young boys, sister, 10-year-old nephew and a mate in tow.
“We stayed in Canberra with friends that night before heading to Sydney Friday morning,” he said.
“The boys were extra happy due to getting a couple of days off school.
“Flight prices were clearly through the roof and unaffordable to the everyday person … I was extremely fortunate to get tickets with the system crashing several times.”
Overnight buses and trains from Melbourne to Sydney sold out days before the game, while additional domestic flights released for the finals were also quickly snapped up.
Tickets on four buses organised by the Magpie Army to depart from Southern Cross Station at 1am on Saturday, at a cost of $200 per person, had also been exhausted. A fifth bus, to carry almost 60 passengers, was released on Thursday night.
The return buses – to leave at 11pm the same evening – could either be a sombre or celebratory affair.
Rebecca Bishop has never been to the footy on her own – but that will change this weekend.
She will head to the game solo as her family couldn’t afford the expensive trip from Melbourne. Bishop lives with chronic anxiety and pain and struggles with driving after surviving a car crash 12 years ago.
“I’m catching a plane by myself, going to the footy by myself and getting on a plane home by myself, cracked ribs and all,” she said.
“I love my Pies so much, it’s absolutely worth it.”
For Nick Banks, opportunism rather than steep flight costs encouraged him to make the long drive from his farm just south of Ballarat in regional Victoria.
Banks only just scraped through at the last minute to secure tickets through a Collingwood fan page, after missing out in general sales earlier in the week.
“Currently our ewes are lambing and I’m leaving them in the hands of my wife,” he said. “Friday afternoon I’ll make the journey on my own, I plan to camp in my swag in Albury then make the rest of the way there on Saturday morning.
“On the way home I’ll be picking up a newly purchased ram so I’ve hit two birds with one stone. Hopefully, I bring home the ram as well as a big win from my beloved Pies.”
Anthony Pallero had opted to carpool after work on Friday with a group of mates instead of forking out for flights. They were hoping to hit the Sydney CBD about 3am.
“We’re planning on having a decent sleep then heading to a local bar before the game and hopefully after as well,” he said.
“I’m really looking forward to the experience, it’s my first interstate game.”
