Before you deride me as a deluded football fan preaching to the converted, know that I am chiefly a rugby fan. But Sunday’s A-League grand final was the best atmosphere Suncorp Stadium has ever seen.
I have been to Suncorp many times. I have been when it’s full, half full or close to empty. I have been for Socceroos games, Wallabies games, Origin, Reds, Broncos and Roar games. And for me, Sunday’s game was the loudest of them all.
Over 51,000 fans packed into the cathedral of rectangular football, creating a wall of noise. The Den was loud at the Caxton Street end, willing their team to go further. From the Milton Road end, the RBB were one of the best sets of away fans I have witnessed.
The atmosphere didn’t die down as the game wore on. The first half was predictably tight, but we saw a lot of football played in the second half and extra time.
Matthew Spiranovic’s header to put the Wanderers 1-0 up sent an explosion of plastic beer cups into the air from the RBB, but it was Besart Berisha’s equaliser that went off like Krakatoa.
The Roar pushed forward and earnt themselves a free kick. Thomas Broich’s swirling ball found its way to Berisha’s head, who rammed the ball home to the delirium of the Brisbane fans.
Henrique repeated the feat in extra time to seal the match, producing the same wall of noise. There were about 42,000 Brisbane fans at Suncorp and not one of them was not on their feet.
This was easily louder than the roar of Cooper Cronk’s State of Origin field goal. Even louder than the roar from the British and Irish Lions fans as George North gassed Berrick Barnes for a sensational try in the corner. Even louder than Eric Paartalu’s thunderous 120th minute equaliser in 2011.
And the best part? There was no fan ‘rioting’, seats being torn off or missiles thrown at officials. Apart from the standard booing, which is present at any code, these football fans were harmless.
Rugby loves to spruik about the pub culture that exists, whereby a fan can go and have a yarn with the other team after the game and enjoy a drink without being assaulted by the opposition supporters.
At Hotel LA post-game, I thoroughly enjoyed talking to some Wanderers fans and congratulated them on their amazing support. There was some excellent banter going back and forward.
Perhaps it is time for the mainstream media to ditch the perceptions that exist about football and accept the wonderful atmosphere that fans create at matches. Sunday was a wonderful afternoon.
ciudadmarron
Guest
I appear in that vid :D
Ian
Guest
yeah i saw some fans in another section where it seemed a lot were WSW - when WSW scored it looked like it was behind your bench. maybe its not what you are referring to but it wasn't most of a section and it is very dubious as that area is platinum which is sold out with brisbane members all year. and the south east corner where you were had sections of differing sizes so can't just say 13 sections times 300 people or something like that. the lower level is much larger than the higher levels. anyway much ado about nothing. i think there is over a 100 sections at suncorp so can also do a simple division and get a result.
Grandfinal & Premiership Roar Lover
Guest
I thought I was the only one who actually watches the game. At least two football fans in Australia.
MikeD
Guest
one thing that annoys me about some supporter groups...alot of it is just straight out of youtube. Trying to copy another countries culture and everything that goes along with it. Trying to go from zero to a hundred in a few weeks...or in a few years.. Obviously, we all get chants from somewhere, and songs are copied from all over the place. Seems like the only way of support in the a-league has to be fanatical levels..
AZ_RBB
Guest
A day in the life of a Wanderer http://youtu.be/boZZ-REP-HY
1860melbourne
Guest
To round off what has been a record breaking season. 14/15 has started with a bang with the following news from headquarters. http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/a-league-and-ffa-cup%E2%80%99s-asia-tv-deal/90362
Brick Tamland of the pants party
Guest
Fellow supporters don't get scared though,im referring to "casual observers" who find it intimidating and implying if you join in you'll find theres nothing to be scared of,okey dokey?
Titus
Guest
That moment may have been louder but over the course of the game this game was a better atmosphere. I actually thought the loudest moments coming through on TV was Brisbane doing the B-R-I.....it's just that the WSW provide constant noise. It was like in the Sydney Derby, the loudest noise by far was when the sidelines started a spontaneous SYDNEY chant. There is no home end that can make as much noise as the entire home fans getting involved.
AZ_RBB
Guest
Competition amongst fans is commonplace all around the football world. But I agree that unless you're part of the group you shouldn't be criticising and judging.
BES
Guest
Umm nope - I was there for both as well and fantastic as it was on Sunday, the Paartalu header was the loudest thing I have ever experienced. The sound in my ears actually distorted - they could not cope with the volume. I have goose-bumps just writing about now still.
tickbites
Guest
I wish everyone would stop worrying about the way that different supporters choose to support their team. In my view, supporter groups should do what they like, if you want to be a part of it you can join, if not; don't. It should not be important to you how loud or what type of support is given unless you are a part of it and have the desire to contribute.
AZ_RBB
Guest
Well the person providing the figures says they calculate it by number of sections allocated to the team. but then that isn't very accurate. I was sceptical as well as our allocation was under 8k but I saw a video earlier today from a bay from the opposite side of the stadium and when we scored more than half the bay went up in celebration. I don't think it's too far fetched to say that 3k fans were scattered across the rest of the stadium.
Brian
Guest
How did you like the semi FU?
Ian
Guest
do you think there was 11,000 in suncorp though? it's hard to judge really. i'd say 11,000 was pushing it in suncorp. 9,000 maybe. of course then there is the question of if they made the trip why aren't they in the ground. and the other question is the source of your info. best way is to know how many seat in those sections you were allocated
ciudadmarron
Guest
I love the game too isometric. I would watch it if there was no-one in attendance, it is a beautifully simple game and I enjoy it very much. To me though the whole cultural aspect - crowds, supporter groups, all that - adds another level to it. At different levels this comes out in different ways - at grassroots, the volunteers etc - right up to the top with all that is involved there. "Football" to me is more than just the game, which as I said I love. It's all that goes with it. In an article on the crowd i think it's fair enough to discuss this stuff. I am highly guilty of talking about the crowd more than the game but that's because I barely see the game because of where I am on gameday. I get a sense of it and I watch the replay when i can. Funnily enough as a wanderers fan i haven't watched the replay for this one!
ciudadmarron
Guest
If this were the case then there would be no such thing as home ground advantage. Any little advantage that can be given to the players to help them decide the contest is good. And there's just as much logic to me in watching grown men kick a ball around as there is in singing songs/jumping around.
AZ_RBB
Guest
Couldn't understand you. All those prawn sandwiches in your mouth made it difficult.
Isometric
Guest
I've got not go problem with game. Played it, watch it and enjoy it. Its when people put the people put the supporters/crowds above the game itself is when I get annoyed. To assume this shows a even higher level of ignorance.
Isometric
Guest
But that's the thing. Over the past few days since the final the majority of the discussion seems to be about the crowd and not the game itself. Which is a disservice to final because it was a good game. And to try and "scare" fellow supporters. That seem a little immature to me. I go to any code of football to enjoy the spectacle out on the field, not to feel intimidated by rival supporters or to engage in a useless p**sing contest with them that holds very little relevance to anything. Because in the end its the players on the field who decide the contest, not the supporters.
AZ_RBB
Guest
Reading tonight that 11,017 WSW fans made the trip to Brisbane on Sunday. Not sure how they came up with that figure but it sounds about right.