Your Grand Final Day Experience Thread

[keggs1]

Hi guys, I remember a similar thread going up after the 2013 where everyone could reflect on the day they had. Mods, possibly make this a sticky so we can look back on this over the next few months?

Personally, I kicked it off with a lazy sleep in. Stayed out the night before and I don't think I woke up until around midday.

Met up with a mate and got dropped at the ground around 3pm. Straight to the Pullman Hotel as i have a friend that works behind the bar so I had a few free drinks before heading into the stadium and catching the second half of reserve grade.

I was strangely relaxed, and quietly confident before the ground announcer claimed that Cooper Cronk would be a late inclusion. The Chookpen erupted, what a moment.

Gang of Youths was good i thought. Grand Final entertainment is not going to please everybody, but I thought it was a refreshing take on the indie rock genre that everyone could've enjoyed.

The game itself was fantastic. The first half was pure rugby league perfection from us. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Unprecedented in a grand final. The second half made me a bit more nervous, especially after Keary threw the intercept pass.

But, we held on. In fact, we were in control the entire game. I've never been prouder to say I'm a Roosters fan.

Headed back to the Pullman for a couple more free drinks, couldn't get back to Easts Leagues unfortunately, so I jumped on a bus back home and stayed up until 3am watching highlights, post match press conferences, reading articles and trolling on social media.

Great times.

[Easts to Win]

I was confident running into grand final day for some strange reason . I think it was because I treated the week before against Souths as my grand final . I was just so
happy to keep Souths out of a grand final .

I think the atmosphere was better this time than in 2013 because Roosters fans out numbered Storm fans so much more .

I was in shock at halftime because I could not believe what I just witnessed . I thought I was dreaming . What we did to them I thought was going to happen to us . I did not
get ahead of myself because I knew we had 40mins to go and the Storm were going to throw everything at us . When the field goal was kicked I started to get emotional
with the thought of us claiming another premiership .

The only negetive moments I had for the day were the girls loosing there GF and I did not like the beer they were supplying at the game on the day , I think it was called
Iron Jack .

[zac]

Worked in the cab during the day, so was out and about getting a feel for things.

Picked up a lovely young woman who works at the NRL and took her out to the Stadium, where she was responsible for the trophies and rings. Turned out she's a Roosters fan, so we had a lot to talk about.

Listened to the girls getting done on the radio, so that was a downer, but life goes on. Then finished work, and went to The Oak to watch the game with some friends, as that's where we'd watched the 2013 GF. The Axe was there and he carried on a bit, but he's always good value.

The memory of the night that I have in my head atm is in the last ten seconds with Jake running away from the defence, and a dozen red, white and blue jerseys descending on him, with me worrying about a penalty for obstruction as Smith moved in to tackle, and then the siren sounding and a phalanx of players raising their arms in triumph.

Oh yeah!

[roosterproud]

drove from the sunny gold coast on saturday at 4am, arrived in sydney at 1.30 pm.( Road works). I had to deliver some of my products to Cronulla, then of to Lane cove to watch the rest of the afl G>F. Go the under dogs. Had the family dinner/catch up. Woke G>F day, big brekky. Had to measure up a job in Chatswood.
Left from Artarmon at lunch time on a train, went to the bake house bar and smashed down a few before cruising over to the stadium to watch the intrust cup. lost voice by half time and 3 days later half back. Starting chants is a tuff gig. EASTS......... love the way we owned the stadium....

[Salvatori Grubber]

I have some mates who are loosely connected to the team and through them I managed to get into the VIP party at Easts Leagues.

It was a night to remember: open bar, food and a dj, partying with the 30 man squad, staff, family and friends.

The trophy was was in the room and I got to thank and congratulate all the players as well as Robbo.

It was awesome seeing the players in their natural state - I saw who was introverted, who was extroverted, who liked to dance, who was trashed, who was sober, etc.

Open bar was rad. Was literally ordering 6 vodka and red bulls at a time (for me and my mates) and chucking them back. Left the party at 6am just after we all sang happy birthday to Aubbo.

Will post back here later to describe how each player was acting.

[Tommy Smith]

I have some mates who are loosely connected to the team and through them I managed to get into the VIP party at Easts Leagues.

It was a night to remember: open bar, food and a dj, partying with the 30 man squad, staff, family and friends.

The trophy was was in the room and I got to thank and congratulate all the players as well as Robbo.

It was awesome seeing the players in their natural state - I saw who was introverted, who was extroverted, who liked to dance, who was trashed, who was sober, etc.

Open bar was rad. Was literally ordering 6 vodka and red bulls at a time (for me and my mates) and chucking them back. Left the party at 6am just after we all sang happy birthday to Aubbo.

Will post back here later to describe how each player was acting.

That's awesome, mate. What an amazing experience!

I look forward to the detailed player report.

[Jacks Fur Coat]

I have some mates who are loosely connected to the team and through them I managed to get into the VIP party at Easts Leagues.

It was a night to remember: open bar, food and a dj, partying with the 30 man squad, staff, family and friends.

The trophy was was in the room and I got to thank and congratulate all the players as well as Robbo.

It was awesome seeing the players in their natural state - I saw who was introverted, who was extroverted, who liked to dance, who was trashed, who was sober, etc.

Open bar was rad. Was literally ordering 6 vodka and red bulls at a time (for me and my mates) and chucking them back. Left the party at 6am just after we all sang happy birthday to Aubbo.

Will post back here later to describe how each player was acting.

You lucky lucky.....basted..

[Tommy Smith]

My journey started early Saturday morning with a 1 1/2hr drive to an airport with respectable prices and direct flights to Sydney. Just chilled all Saturday and had a couple of Steins at a Bavarian Bierhaus on King or York St.

As was the case for all of us I'm sure, Sunday was just nervy as hell. Spent the afternoon along Darling Harbour before arriving at the ground at 430pm.

I was at the back of Section 118 so got a good panoramic view of the Roosters end. The atmosphere was absolutely amazing come kick off. And as someone mentioned the cheer when Cronk was named was epic. The whole end had a positive vibe.

The first half was an absolute DREAM. I kept asking my mate to wake me up. Toops, Latrell, then the sin bin, finished by Manu's try. It was just surreal. I did say after just 3 or 4 sets that we were looking lethal with and without the ball and i just felt from then on that we'd be hard to beat. But still, who could have predicted a first half performance like that? The best I've ever witnessed.

The half time break was like a festival. And every time we repelled them in the second half we just felt closer and closer to the title. Manu's strip on Munster was almost play of the night. The JAC intercept made for a very scary 10 minute period but after we recovered the ball from the kick off after Keary's FG I slowly started to celebrate.

Not only the win, but the manner in which we stomped those merkins made it one of the best days of my life.

I went back to the hotel after the game because I'm a wuss who doesn't drink much these days; plus the commute to and from Bondi is too hectic for an out of towner like me.

I did however manage to down a couple more Steins at Manly wharf the day after to complete the celebrations; still clad in my jersey like a poor man's Dylan Napa. The weather was ****ing awesome too which was the icing on the cake!

[ism22]

1. I dropped the kids off with their grandparents and they fell asleep very quickly... yaaay date night with my wife (this is rare)!!!!
2. We went to Lidcombe and smashed this epic Korean BBQ joint... ordered the biggest meat platter possible and I forget how many bottles of Korean rice wines + spirits. Was feeling petty darn good.
3. Got to the game and just as we were arriving, Latrell scored that first penalty goal.
4. Awkward couple next to me!!! Wife was a Roosters fan, husband was a know-it-all who wasn't wearing any kit but got super angry whenever the Roosters did anything good. When Chambers hit Latrell I said 'ooooh he's lucky, that looked like it coulda been a send-off for a punch!!!' The guy dead set laid into me and was like 'NUP!!! NO WAY!!! YOU HAVEN'T EVER PLAYED RUGBY!!!' I ignored him for the rest of the night (the couple left early - super awkward).
5. Enjoyed the game.
6. Ran to the train making loud Rooster crows the whole time. We all rocked the train with Roosters chants the whole way. When we arrived, the announcer (using his announcer voice) advised that the train to Bondi had arrived to transport us to Easts Leagues.
7. Alas with kids my night was over. We walked back up the hill from Central to good old Surry Hills and crashed.
8. Next day we went to fan day... kids looooved it. However, my son is STILL saying 'why man stand on car?!?!?' because the 'Roosters biggest fan' rocked up in his car and started dancing on the roof. Was awesome. A little sad we didn't get to go onto the field like 2013 (celebrations were a lot quieter and the mic the players were using was busted) however, it was still great.
9. Drove back to Canberra victoriously.

[Guest]

Hi guys, I remember a similar thread going up after the 2013 where everyone could reflect on the day they had. Mods, possibly make this a sticky so we can look back on this over the next few months?

Personally, I kicked it off with a lazy sleep in. Stayed out the night before and I don't think I woke up until around midday.

Met up with a mate and got dropped at the ground around 3pm. Straight to the Pullman Hotel as i have a friend that works behind the bar so I had a few free drinks before heading into the stadium and catching the second half of reserve grade.

I was strangely relaxed, and quietly confident before the ground announcer claimed that Cooper Cronk would be a late inclusion. The Chookpen erupted, what a moment.

Gang of Youths was good i thought. Grand Final entertainment is not going to please everybody, but I thought it was a refreshing take on the indie rock genre that everyone could've enjoyed.

The game itself was fantastic. The first half was pure rugby league perfection from us. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Unprecedented in a grand final. The second half made me a bit more nervous, especially after Keary threw the intercept pass.

But, we held on. In fact, we were in control the entire game. I've never been prouder to say I'm a Roosters fan.

Headed back to the Pullman for a couple more free drinks, couldn't get back to Easts Leagues unfortunately, so I jumped on a bus back home and stayed up until 3am watching highlights, post match press conferences, reading articles and trolling on social media.

Great times.

I was far better than Keary. Game was rigged by refs for Roosters. Dicks sent me off to help you win.