Down to the line

Last Saturday, Prime Minister Julia Gillard sat in the MCG watching the 2010 AFL Grand Final begin to vaguely mirror her recent political nightmare.


I was watching the game, too, from the comfort of home, sitting nervously on my hands and watching Collingwood and St Kilda fight a football war.  By the time the fourth quarter was on the clock St Kilda had the upper hand and led for the first time in the game.  Saying that I was watching nervously is an understatement.  Try querulous, tense, wired, worried...almost hysterical.  Anyway, moving on from those bad memories... (GO PIES)

No way.  This could not happen.

Let's rewind to sometime before the game, when the PM is giving a prophetic speech at a pre-game function.

I quote: 

“Please, please, we cannot have a draw. A week without a premiership football team - I'm not sure our nation's strong enough to take it.”

It turns out that it is.  Since the 2010 Grand Final WAS a draw.



But why did the PM bother to specifically mention something that hasn't happened since 1977?  
Well, because the recent federal election was a draw of sorts as well.  The morning after the vote count it was still "to close to call".  Our first hung parliament since 1940.

The journey to the draw.

It didn't stop there, though, and after two weeks of 'horse trading' with the Independents, Julia managed to come up with enough seats to form a government.  Labor had 76 seats to the Coalition's 74.  I say it was a draw, since neither of the major parties won.  (One headline declared the 2010 Federal Election as 'The Night No-one Won'.)
When it was finally announced on September 7 that Labor had government, there were no fireworks or speeches aired on live TV.  The results were 17 days late.


I don't know what it's going to be like today, watching the Grand Final Mark II.  The premiership cup will be there, and maybe even 100,000 supporters (again).  But the Grand Final was played last week.  The results are just going to be 7 days late.  
At least we know that there won't be another draw since the AFL has kindly changed the rules.       


Who would have known that the Liberal party would gain back so much ground?  Who knew that the Saints would shut down the Pies' stellar defence and kick some goals?


2010 has been a tough year on big results so far.


I'm going to take a leaf out of the PM's book and predict a draw for the Melbourne Cup.  And a hung parliament after the Victorian State elections (I know, I know. That's about as likely as a drawn Grand Final.)


Go the Pies!!!

Black and white.

If you want to read this again because for some strange reason you don't believe me, click on these links:
Julia Gillard Foreshadows Grand Final Draw

Polling Centre

Federal Election 2010 Results