We live in a country that has a unique sport, which is something a lot of countries can’t boast.

England has soccer and cricket, America has baseball and basketball, Canada has ice hockey, all sports that are played all over the world.

Australia has this strange game called Australian Rules Football, and it is true to say ask anyone anywhere else in the world about they would only look at you strangely and say “What?”

It would be true to say that this form of football is a religion, such is the devotion of the fans. It’s not unusual to hear of waiting to be buried in your favourite player’s guernsey. You pick a team, or generally, a team is picked for you, and it’s your team for life. You don’t desert them and stick with them through the highs and lows, and sometimes the lows can be for a long time.

And like religion, there are such things as mixed marriages, each spouse will support a different team, and when these teams play each other, well, it’s best to be someone else after the final siren.

But, be that as it may…

We reached the pinnacle of our season, the playing of the Grand Final in the home of AFL, the MCG, one of the largest stadiums in the country, holding over 100,000 fans, an ideal venue for this game.

And, although the game was not the expected exciting and close spectacle we were hoping to see, at least all of the supporters of the winners will be deliriously happy. For the losers and their fans, there is no describing the depths of despair.

I know how that feels because I’ve been on both sides of the emotional spectrum.

Our team wasn’t playing this year so we were spared the emotional roller coaster, but we still watched the game, and no, we’ve never been to a grand final in person, and it’s unlikely we ever will.

But it’s a great way to spend an afternoon watching our team play on TV, and have a pie, traditional fast food, chips, and a few bottles of beer.

And, now football season is over, we now switch to ice hockey and our adopted team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Fortunately, their season starts when ours ends and vice versa.

Go leafs, go!!!