Supporting Essendon

I chose my Australian Football League team back in 1975 when I was six years old. Over half a century on, my decision still sits well with me. And there has been no switching sides when things have got tough.

I’ve seen my mates do it over the years. Their teams lose a few games. And suddenly they are following another side. I’m not built that way.

Each generation of men in my family follows Essendon. That is the Bongiorno way.

Between 1975 and 1993, I went to hundreds of games with Dad.

We’d inhale meat pies, demolish jam doughnuts, and watch legends like Ken Fletcher, Simon Madden and Tim Watson.

On the drive home, we’d listen to the post-match wrap on the radio with Don Hyde.

My favourite game memory was the 1993 Grand Final when we beat Carlton by 44 points. Michael Long kicked a goal for us that people still talk about today.

Dad said something above the roar of the crowd that I’ll never forget:

“After that ripper, it doesn’t matter what the final outcome is.”

My son and I have been going to the football a lot the past two seasons. And even though Essendon has only won a few games, we already have our own memories.

We catch a train to the ground, get souvlaki before we go in, and talk about what we need to do as a club to get off the bottom of the ladder.

Those afternoons stay with me.