The Lights Went Out Twenty Years Ago...

[darylcowie]

Time for some comic relief, given our performance yesterday and the opposition next week.

Does anyone who was there at the infamous lights out fiasco vs the Bombers at Waverley in 1996 remember the streaker?

I was there with my old man and we got separated in the the outer Police Road forward pocket.

I heard shouting and cheering coming from the other side of the ground, which seemed to be coming from the Wellington Road forward pocket.

Then out of the gloomy centre square emerged an athletic streaker, who made it all the way to the fence below us with several burly security guards hot on his hammer.

The opportunist almost made it over the fence to safety before he was dragged unceremoniously back, body slammed and pinned to the ground by his pursuers much to the disappointment of the remaining crowd.

It reminded me of an early episode of The Simpsons in which the family attended a daredevil, Evil Knievel-style stunt over a swimming pool filled with man-eating beasts, including a lion (the only non-aquatic man-eater in the pool), which ultimately dragged the stuntman back into the pool, ironically.

(similar to the burly security guard who brought about the quirky streaker's demise)

[evertonfc]

That was some night. Never forget it.

The sight and sound of 50,000 people in the dark was something that stays with you a long time. It was pretty much pitch black, too.

The crowd's mood went from shocked and confused...to laughing and joking...to mob-like and mad. The fire in the middle?! The stolen goalpost?! And yes, the streaker. Cheered by an increasingly rabid crowd.

Now that I think about it, it was probably the last of the last of the really feral days at the footy.

We chugged along for the rest of the season, made finals the next two years (should have been three), then moved to Docklands - and it was all fairly sanguine thereafter as footy ushered in a new modern era of well-behaved fans.

(...save for those trips to Geelong between 1998-2004, and our unusual visits to Princes Park)

[St Chris]

I was there (I was only 11 at the time) with Mum and my younger brother. We were just in front of the walkway, behind the goals at the Freeway end.

My mum was terrified, and through it was the end of civilisation as we knew it. She was expecting the Saints and Bombers fan to break off into tribes and Waverley to become the Thunderdome. Me and my brother were fascinated and just wanted to get out there.

I know us Saints supporters have a bit of a victim complex, but this was the first time I'd realised that we'd get screwed by AFL House, even at that young age. The fact James Hird was out of the game (injured I think, or maybe suspended?), but was allowed to be included then the remainder of the game that was played during the week was a travesty

But I digress. It was certainly an experience that I'll never forget, and one that will never be repeated again.

[saintsRrising]

I was there.

Plus I went for its conclusion where a lot less attended. So I am one of the few that can say that I attended the longest AFL/VFL game in history.

Very surreal as one assumed that they would just turned the lights back on after a few munutes. But no, pitch black for all!

I am still annoyed that they allowed the Dons to swap in players too. So once a cheat, always a cheat I guess.

[kosifantutti]

I was there.

Plus I went for its conclusion where a lot less attended. So I am one of the few that can say that I attended the longest AFL/VFL game in history.

Very surreal as one assumed that they would just turned the lights back on after a few munutes. But no, pitch black for all!

I am still annoyed that they allowed the Dons to swap in players too. So once a cheat, always a cheat I guess.

Have we been involved in the two longest games in the AFL? The result of the Sirengate game wasn't known until about Tuesday.

[saintsRrising]

I was there.

Plus I went for its conclusion where a lot less attended. So I am one of the few that can say that I attended the longest AFL/VFL game in history.

Very surreal as one assumed that they would just turned the lights back on after a few munutes. But no, pitch black for all!

I am still annoyed that they allowed the Dons to swap in players too. So once a cheat, always a cheat I guess.

Have we been involved in the two longest games in the AFL? The result of the Sirengate game wasn't known until about Tuesday.

Indeed.

[philtee]

I was there for parts 1 and 2.
Furious that Hird was allowed to come into the side for the 2nd chapter.
Maybe we can put Essendon's lights out this Sunday.

[Furphy]

Really that long ago? I was at that game, seems like yesterday. Still can't believe there was no rule in place for a cancelled game. There was always the possibility of flood, riot or one of those old wooden grandstands catching fire when the rules were drawn up. The outcome really sucked.

[saintspremiers]

Really that long ago? I was at that game, seems like yesterday. Still can't believe there was no rule in place for a cancelled game. There was always the possibility of flood, riot or one of those old wooden grandstands catching fire when the rules were drawn up. The outcome really sucked.

Seems like the AFL making it up on the run has a long tradition.

[bigred]

Yeah I was there for parts 1 & 2.

What a farce. Absolute farce.

I got reasonably lucky the night the lights went out. Took a nice girl from Uni to the game.
Lights went out, and then came the fireworks

[Bernard Shakey]

Yeah I was there for parts 1 & 2.

What a farce. Absolute farce.

I got reasonably lucky the night the lights went out. Took a nice girl from Uni to the game.
Lights went out, and then came the fireworks

In your pants... Sorry I mean in your head!

[ausfatcat]

I remembering being their with my dad was 12 or so at the time one of the few games a year we could get to (lived 4 hours away) was so disappointed. Dad got us to leave as people started going on the field so missed most of it.

[Jacks Back]

Me, the wife and two kids were there on the Saturday night to see (or not see) the shenanigans but I'm the only one that returned on the Tuesday as they didn't want to go - and I had to be there to be part of history. I think the score difference ended up being about the same on the Tuesday as it was on Saturday - a 4 goal win?

[Sainternist]

Also attended (both the Saturday night when everything went black and extra time played on the weeknight).

It was spooky when the lights went out. Very eerie. Felt like a scene from Spielberg's CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND. The anarchy on the field which ensued, with people lighting bonfires and ripping out the goal posts was insane. Was it a full moon that night?

[George27]

I was there.

Plus I went for its conclusion where a lot less attended. So I am one of the few that can say that I attended the longest AFL/VFL game in history.

Very surreal as one assumed that they would just turned the lights back on after a few munutes. But no, pitch black for all!

I am still annoyed that they allowed the Dons to swap in players too. So once a cheat, always a cheat I guess.

Have we been involved in the two longest games in the AFL? The result of the Sirengate game wasn't known until about Tuesday.

Three I think, Kos. We won our first game in 1900 on protest, after it was originally a draw. I am not sure how long it took to hand down that decision, but I am tipping it was days.

[Jacks Back]

I was there.

Plus I went for its conclusion where a lot less attended. So I am one of the few that can say that I attended the longest AFL/VFL game in history.

Very surreal as one assumed that they would just turned the lights back on after a few munutes. But no, pitch black for all!

I am still annoyed that they allowed the Dons to swap in players too. So once a cheat, always a cheat I guess.

Have we been involved in the two longest games in the AFL? The result of the Sirengate game wasn't known until about Tuesday.

Three I think, Kos. We won our first game in 1900 on protest, after it was originally a draw. I am not sure how long it took to hand down that decision, but I am tipping it was days.

I think carrier pigeons were pretty fast back then.

[saintbrat]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/w ... p0bcv.html

[Enrico_Misso]

I was there.

Plus I went for its conclusion where a lot less attended. So I am one of the few that can say that I attended the longest AFL/VFL game in history.

Very surreal as one assumed that they would just turned the lights back on after a few munutes. But no, pitch black for all!

I am still annoyed that they allowed the Dons to swap in players too. So once a cheat, always a cheat I guess.

Have we been involved in the two longest games in the AFL? The result of the Sirengate game wasn't known until about Tuesday.

Three I think, Kos. We won our first game in 1900 on protest, after it was originally a draw. I am not sure how long it took to hand down that decision, but I am tipping it was days.

I think carrier pigeons were pretty fast back then.

It related to a point incorrectly accredited to Melb after the 3/4 time siren. The final score was a draw. We appealed and the VFL in a special sitting on the Friday night awarded us the game.

So in theory the 1900 round 1 game lasted over 6 days, from Sat arvo until Fri night.
Making it the "longest" game ever.

I actually have trouble following the logic of the decision.
I can understand them awarding the game to us if the incorrect decision took place at the end of the game.
But the fact it was at 3/4 time changes everything. Maybe Melb were happy to play conservatively in the final minutes so as to at least lock in a draw, but if they knew they were a point behind they would have thrown caution to the wind.
It would be a bit like amending the 2009 GF score by taking 5 points off Geel. It doesn't make the result right as the kick in versus the centre bounce changes everything.

[Furphy]

Seeing the goal post get a 'lap of honour' by Saints fans definitely sticks in my mind

[kosifantutti]

It's 20 years today since that game.

It's also Josh Bruce's 24th birthday which means it's 24 years since Craig Devenport kicked the winning goal in front of 90,000 at the MCG.

[Jacks Back]

It's 20 years today since that game.

It's also Josh Bruce's 24th birthday which means it's 24 years since Craig Devenport kicked the winning goal in front of 90,000 at the MCG.

Geez the time just flies by nowadays.

[supersaints]

Was at the Halos dinner at the time to busy drinking to see the runner... Strange night

[prwilkinson]

What a strange night that was! When the fires started and one goal post ended up at the other end of the ground.... we knew it was time to go home. Went to the make-up match on the Tuesday night to finish it off... bloody Essendon.

[evertonfc]

Was it a full moon that night?

I honestly reckon it was, because it wasn't pitch black, not by any means. There were a few emergency lights that had power but no strength. Still could see fairly clearly.

[stonecold]

Lights are dim on this forum these days too!!!!!