If you could bring just one thing…

[bulldogtragic]

From The Western Oval match days to the current match day experience at Docklands what would you do?

From a conversation in another thread about the current match day experience vs the old. It can be anything you like no matter how big, or impossible.

It might be a food the WO famous for?
Or be a bar?
Making the opposition coach climb a ladder into a demountable?
Taking out the seats behind the goals so you can walk end to end, quarter to quarter to watch Naughton, Marra & Lobb (Bruce and Darcy) plus Cody?
Having reserves play before the main game, and the bench accessible to autograph hunt emerging players?
Mobility, to stand and move but closer to the play?
Wind and rain? A real home ground advantage?

Any one thing you wanted… possible or not…


I’ll take the option to take out seats behind the goals. Walking from end to end, quarter to quarter, following our forward line in a migratory tribe to watch our forwards would make for fun. Along with four quarters of taunting the same defenders is not to be overlooked either. There’s a sense of tribal and fun in that, that ticketed seating just can’t offer.

[I'm Not Bitter Anymore!]

I lived across the road and used to go home at half time for a cuppa so the location for me

[EasternWest]

I lived across the road and used to go home at half time for a cuppa so the location for me

Close the thread. We're done here. Nothing is going to top this.

[bulldogtragic]

I lived across the road and used to go home at half time for a cuppa so the location for me

Can't compete with that loss. So you regularly missed the Hyde St Band?

[Twodogs]

The Can Bar that used to be up in the John Gent stand. The best place ever to watch footy from. It was elevated so you could see the whole ground, it sold cans of beer from a trestle table at the back and the best thing about it was the coaches' boxes were on either side so the coaches not only had to walk through the supporters to get on the ground but you could yell advice to them while the game was being played.

[Bulldog4life]

The Can Bar that used to be up in the John Gent stand. The best place ever to watch footy from. It was elevated so you could see the whole ground, it sold cans of beer from a trestle table at the back and the best thing about it was the coaches' boxes were on either side so the coaches not only had to walk through the supporters to get on the ground but you could yell advice to them while the game was being played.

Excellent choice Td. Ditto for me too

[Twodogs]

Excellent choice Td. Ditto for me too

It was possibly THE greatest place in the world ever.

Actually it was PROBABLY the greatest place in the world ever. I can't think of anywhere else better.

[GVGjr]

I used to get to the games early so as to grab a couple of seats in the Can Bar. As Twodogs mentioned it was the best spot you could watch games from. I used to sit near a former under 19's coach for us and really enjoyed discussing the footy with him.
As good as it was it got better when Harry Beitzel started calling our games on 3WRB with Tommy Lahiff from a room located there.
I used to have a quick chat to both of them before the game. Harry was good at remembering names but not so much Tommy.
I used to be able to impersonate Tommy's catchphrases and once entered a competition on the radio. I think I came in 3rd behind Darren James from Coodabeen Champions fame and someone called Paul who mainly used to impersonate political characters.
The Can Bar consisted of a couple of large shelf style fridges side by side, trestle tables and I'm pretty sure you could get pies out of the warmer and soft drinks. Plenty of people would pack their own food and you pretty much met the same people up there.

The last time I got up to the Can Bar was when there was renovations being done to the ground and the John Gents Stand.
There was bird shit everywhere but I ended up having a long conversation with Robert Murphy's mother and father. Bob was coming back from a knee injury and they said how much it was impacting him.

Can Bar was a special spot.

One other thing I think could be brought back is the old selectors table night. I went to a heap of them and it was a laugh a minute.
Super McPherson hosted them for a couple of seasons.

The Jam Doughnuts Caravan was sensational treat especially after a win, I must of got 3rd degree burns on the lips from there a dozen times.

[bulldogtragic]

Like Hollywood, the club could just reboot all those classics and cash in!

[Grantysghost]

My auntie's bag.

It was full of all sorts of confection and made its appearance at half time every game at the Western Oval.

I don't miss being pinged on the head with 50c pieces when the Hyde St.band walked around and people threw coins into the tarp they were carrying.

[SquirrelGrip]

The return of the Hyde Street Band is a must for me.

Also, can you get Midori & lemonade anywhere at Marvel?

[Eastdog]

I lived across the road and used to go home at half time for a cuppa so the location for me

That's fantastic!

[1eyedog]

The slope of land in the south-west quadrant (Geelong Road end). We purposefully brought cardboard to match day so we could slide down on our arses. Heaps of kids used to do it. A fun novelty.

[bornadog]

Peanut Man

[Grantysghost]

Peanut Man

He yaaa peanuts !


Edit : It was Perna Peanuts. Ah the memories.

https://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/12...carlton-and-me

Edit 2 : John Boyd aka the peanut man was Matthew Boyd's great uncle !

Interestingly John’s brother Len (deceased) is the grandfather of Western Bulldogs captain Matthew Boyd, meaning John is Matthew’s great uncle. Matt’s dad Peter was one of Barassi’s Babes. He never played a senior game but carved out a fine VFA career at Frankston, captaining the club at one stage.