Darwin's heat and warmth

[bornadog]

Bob Murphy



Darwin is the road trip quite unlike any other. As we were warming up for the game against Port Adelaide, the oddest thought came to me. Lamb chops. I could smell lamb chops sizzling on a barbecue.

It was a strange moment, the familiar smell of a thousand childhood dinners grabbing hold of my senses, but I'm not hungry. In truth, the combination of pre-game nerves, hot, humid air and the burning fat of the chops was almost enough to make me retch.
It's impossible to describe Darwin and not give at least some mention of the heat - it'd be like summarising the performance of Gold Coast and not mentioning Gary Ablett. The heat is the first thing you notice when you step off the plane, the thickness of its blanket.
The second thing you notice is that you can't believe you wore pants on the flight - this is not your first time up here and you fell for the rainy departure gates trick again.

My first trip to Darwin with the Bulldogs was in 2003 for a community camp where players were sent out all over the place to promote the game and the club, but also to soak up the Top End experience.

I was flown out to Melville Island with a few other players and we went to the local school to chat with the kids and their teachers about our experiences in the AFL. It wasn't long before we found the more common language of football.
We took these kids out onto their grassed area, threw a couple of balls out and just watched them play. It was football at its most joyous.
One of my favourite quotes is from Nathan Buckley: ''Football is music and the indigenous players never forget the tune.'' These little kids played the music by ear; not a sheet of musical structure was needed.

After a short while the heavens opened and the monsoon rains poured down, but the game kept going and the music never stopped.
That's the other thing that hits you about this place - the warmth of the people, especially the children. It seemed like the further out of Darwin you got the more affectionate the kids were.

Often we would drive into a community and within minutes we'd be throwing these tiny kids high into the air and catching them on the way down. As you threw each child, another would sidle up next to you. Seemingly without realising they were doing it, they'd either hold onto your hand or kindly stroke your arm with the gentlest of touch. Those moments were magic.

For all its gleaming moments, the Darwin trip in a football sense is a tough one, brutal even. The first 15 minutes are the best conditions you'll ever experience. The air is still, the ball is sticky and the ground at Marrara is immaculate.

Then at some point halfway through the quarter, someone turns the hose on. I don't know if it's sweat, dew or the grease from those lamb chops, but the ball and the ground start to feel like a slip 'n' slide.

If that doesn't get you then the thick heat will. You spend a lot of the night in your own thoughts telling yourself, ''keep moving, conserve your energy.'' In Melbourne, we might call that an oxymoron. In Darwin I think they call it going troppo.

The heat is oppressive and the fatigue is extreme - players from both sides just trying to pace themselves to have enough in the tank for a tight last quarter. When Justin Westhoff had a set shot I was trying to put him off by calling him ''Lanky'', hoping the irony of such a sledge would get a rise out of him or his teammates. No one seemed to notice or care. It was too hot.
When the third quarter started we picked up that tune Buckley was talking about.
It was enough to get us over the line for a win.

[LostDoggy]

Such a great place to watch the Footy. The build up of the week, walking up and down the Main Street and every pub you enter has Bulldog fans in it proudly showing off the colours. Watching the streets and seeing the odd player or two having a look around.

Then the game, standing with mates on the hill with a can in your hand and plenty at your feet.
Having a yarn with the Indigenous and listening to their story of how they got to game. One bloke who easily knew every player had been walking for a week just to get to the game, nearly missed the start and had to run the last mile .

Then the bus back to town with 50 odd Bulldog Fans singing the song! Straight to the Pub and celebrate some more!

Great place. Great people, Great time.

[jeemak]

Such a great place to watch the Footy. The build up of the week, walking up and down the Main Street and every pub you enter has Bulldog fans in it proudly showing off the colours. Watching the streets and seeing the odd player or two having a look around.

Then the game, standing with mates on the hill with a can in your hand and plenty at your feet.
Having a yarn with the Indigenous and listening to their story of how they got to game. One bloke who easily knew every player had been walking for a week just to get to the game, nearly missed the start and had to run the last mile .

Then the bus back to town with 50 odd Bulldog Fans singing the song! Straight to the Pub and celebrate some more!

Great place. Great people, Great time.

Just as beautiful as Bob's article mate. Summed up exactly how I hope the experience would be for our supporters and the community.

[bornadog]

Such a great place to watch the Footy. The build up of the week, walking up and down the Main Street and every pub you enter has Bulldog fans in it proudly showing off the colours. Watching the streets and seeing the odd player or two having a look around.

Then the game, standing with mates on the hill with a can in your hand and plenty at your feet.
Having a yarn with the Indigenous and listening to their story of how they got to game. One bloke who easily knew every player had been walking for a week just to get to the game, nearly missed the start and had to run the last mile .

Then the bus back to town with 50 odd Bulldog Fans singing the song! Straight to the Pub and celebrate some more!

Great place. Great people, Great time.

Exactly how it is up there. I haven't been for awhile but did go two years in a row and thoroughly enjoyed it.

[LostDoggy]

We're hoping to make the trip next year.

Canberra, surprisingly to some, is also a great place to watch the footy if you can get up there.

[KT31]

We're hoping to make the trip next year.

Canberra, surprisingly to some, is also a great place to watch the footy if you can get up there.

Have been to a few games in Canberra now , a couple of Doggies and a couple of GWS games, and it is a great venue to watch footy.
It now has a couple more stands to watch from, great the kids can run on and have a kick after the game, although it could use a couple more toilet blocks.

[LostDoggy]

Have been to a few games in Canberra now , a couple of Doggies and a couple of GWS games, and it is a great venue to watch footy.
It now has a couple more stands to watch from, great the kids can run on and have a kick after the game, although it could use a couple more toilet blocks.

Plus getting a half-time beer is something you'd better line up halfway through the second quarter for.

[Twodogs]

Such a great place to watch the Footy. The build up of the week, walking up and down the Main Street and every pub you enter has Bulldog fans in it proudly showing off the colours. Watching the streets and seeing the odd player or two having a look around.

Then the game, standing with mates on the hill with a can in your hand and plenty at your feet.
Having a yarn with the Indigenous and listening to their story of how they got to game. One bloke who easily knew every player had been walking for a week just to get to the game, nearly missed the start and had to run the last mile .

Then the bus back to town with 50 odd Bulldog Fans singing the song! Straight to the Pub and celebrate some more!

Great place. Great people, Great time.

Completely agree. The ground reminds me of the Whitten oval in a lot of respects. Except for the fact That everyone is wearing singlets, shorts and things in June!

I've been to every AFL venue except for Perth and Cairns, Darwin is The best footy trip of them all.

[KT31]

Plus getting a half-time beer is something you'd better line up halfway through the second quarter for.

And in the true footy spirit instead of placing the cans in the ice to get cold they just wave them over it.

[LostDoggy]

Completely agree. The ground reminds me of the Whitten oval in a lot of respects. Except for the fact That everyone is wearing singlets, shorts and things in June!

I've been to every AFL venue except for Perth and Cairns, Darwin is The best footy trip of them all.

How bout 6 mates and two 4WD starting in Broome and taking 4 weeks travelling along the Gibb River Road and around Kakadu, staying at the Melaluca on Mitchell and finishing it off with Slaughtering Port.....Footy Trip of a lifetime...for me anyway

[LostDoggy]

The Atmosphere is brilliant everyone's there for a good time. The ground is in Super nick and the Indigenous are wonderful people, they get in for free and just love the Footy. But if they sit down they get escorted out which I found odd. Truly recommend the trip to anyone and am thinking of taking my kids next time.

[Go_Dogs]

Great posts Rooner, enjoyed them a lot - thanks.

[bornadog]

How bout 6 mates and two 4WD starting in Broome and taking 4 weeks travelling along the Gibb River Road and around Kakadu, staying at the Melaluca on Mitchell and finishing it off with Slaughtering Port.....Footy Trip of a lifetime...for me anyway

What a great trip.

The best I did was with nine mates. Arrived the Wednesday night, next day round of golf. That night went to the Coaches dinner where Rocket was guess speaker. The following day chartered a boat went fishing in the bay, caught 16 snapper. We did a deal with the chef at the hotel, we gave him some fish in exchange for salads and we cooked the fish on the BBQ. The following day was the Darwin races and then went to the game that night. After the game, pub and then off to the airport in the Qantas club with the players and on the same plane as them at 1am. I don't think we stopped drinking and basically I was a wreck

[LostDoggy]

What a great trip.

The best I did was with nine mates. Arrived the Wednesday night, next day round of golf. That night went to the Coaches dinner where Rocket was guess speaker. The following day chartered a boat went fishing in the bay, caught 16 snapper. We did a deal with the chef at the hotel, we gave him some fish in exchange for salads and we cooked the fish on the BBQ. The following day was the Darwin races and then went to the game that night. After the game, pub and then off to the airport in the Qantas club with the players and on the same plane as them at 1am. I don't think we stopped drinking and basically I was a wreck

Wow Good Stuff! Yea all I wanted to do in Darwin was get to the races and fish and I didn't get to do either of them. We couldn't get out of the Bars so I'm envious you got to do both!
I bet the Fishing would've been Brilliant, we Chartered a boat in Broome off Cable Beach and I was blown away. I've been to Whitehaven Beach but Cable is on another level.
Great Trip mate.

[Twodogs]

How bout 6 mates and two 4WD starting in Broome and taking 4 weeks travelling along the Gibb River Road and around Kakadu, staying at the Melaluca on Mitchell and finishing it off with Slaughtering Port.....Footy Trip of a lifetime...for me anyway

What a great trip.

The best I did was with nine mates. Arrived the Wednesday night, next day round of golf. That night went to the Coaches dinner where Rocket was guess speaker. The following day chartered a boat went fishing in the bay, caught 16 snapper. We did a deal with the chef at the hotel, we gave him some fish in exchange for salads and we cooked the fish on the BBQ. The following day was the Darwin races and then went to the game that night. After the game, pub and then off to the airport in the Qantas club with the players and on the same plane as them at 1am. I don't think we stopped drinking and basically I was a wreck

Sounds awesome. We did get to the aitport 24 hours late (sorry your flight left last night) but apart from that we mainly did the touristy things. I have a cousin up there so he took us inland and we went swimming at the waterholes we found some of the eating places in town.

We did see them loading a crocodile into the new aquarium. Funny stuff because they hadnt exactly secured the croc very well and they were using a rope barrier to hold the public back. I could just see the croc getting loose, reaching the rope barrier and saying to itself "I wont eat any of those people-they are behind a rope barrier"