Snoop bops, then on-song Lions dance to their own tune
Anna Harrington |
First, Snoop Dogg got the MCG bopping.
Then Charlie Cameron had the stands rocking and the crowd on their feet to the echoes of Take Me Home, Country Roads.
But when Lachie Neale drilled the game’s most pivotal goal on the run, the only soundtrack to be heard was the guttural roar of the Lions faithful.
Music was seemingly the order of the day in Saturday’s AFL grand final – and the Lions were dancing to their own tune as they won the decider 18.14 (122) to 11.9 (75) and became back-to-back premiers.
There was room for sentiment before things kicked off.
Sidelined Cat Tom Stewart (concussion) and Lion Jarrod Berry (shoulder) shared a brief moment on the field pre-game, while Brisbane had Berry’s No.7 guernsey hanging in their change-room.
The confirmation that co-captain Neale would be substitute, on return from a calf injury, appeared as the pre-match entertainment kicked off with a short performance from Baker Boy.
As per tradition, Mike Brady was rolled out for a performance of Up There Cazaly before the main event kicked off.
With marching bands at either end of the MCG, Snoop Dogg first appeared on the big screens to rev up the Cats and Lions fans.
Then he entered the fray himself, clad in all white, to kick things off with The Next Episode.
Snoop’s performance proved a hit as he cleverly incorporated Australian artists Tash Sultana, surprise addition Jessica Mauboy and Baker Boy into his set.
Then, all eyes were on the footy.
Boos rained when Lions dynamo Cam Rayner, who happily played the villain in their qualifying final, had his name announced among the teams.
More than 15 minutes passed before the opening goal finally arrived, via Geelong’s Ollie Dempsey.
From there things were an arm-wrestle.
The decision to play songs selected by players after they had kicked goals was a contentious one.
But for the Lions, it proved a mood lifter.
When Cameron audaciously put the Lions in front from the boundary, John Denver’s classic country song echoed around the MCG long after the PA stopped playing – the first of four times.
The crowd was similarly enthusiastic when Hey Jude rang out after a Hugh McCluggage goal, and Zac Bailey’s third-quarter soccer effort earned a rousing rendition of DJ Otzi’s Hey Baby.
Max Holmes put the Cats in front to the sound of Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run.
But coinciding with the injection of Neale – who had 17 disposals and seven clearances in a half – Brisbane turned the game in their favour.
Then Chris Fagan’s charges went into party mode.
Kicking 12 of the final 17 goals, the playlist was all Brisbane’s – and so was the premiership.
AAP
