Its Summer in the Southern Hemisphere , and the Christmas/ New Year festive season is approaching .

One of the headline stories on the  front page , of the Saturday Age newspaper ,screamed  " My Year of Pain ," exclusive interview with Ross Lyon . He is the St Kilda Football Team Coach . The Saints lost to the  Collingwood Magpies in the historic replay of the 2010 Grand Final . Readers were exhorted to read further.

It would appear ,  AFL   football is never out of the  news, no matter what else is going on,  or what time of year it is , in football mad  Melbourne .

The AFL would be delighted with such high level media exposure in the non - playing season . Footy starved fans will be relishing every headline grabbing statement .

In keeping with this spirit , many afl football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys will be wished for this festive season .Young and old fans , alike would love one in their Christmas stocking .

Young fan would love this signed retro Bombers Jumper

Yes , despite all evidence to the contrary , Melbourne is fast approaching summer , and hopefully we will get,  warmer weather .

Last Sunday , at St Kilda foreshore ,  I spotted , in two seperate locations , two young men wearing their AFL Kangaroos football jumpers over the top of their boardshorts . One was wearing lurid orange coloured , floral printed , boardies , whilst the other was in more subdued tones .The football jumper was very prominent because of its colour and style . Surely , as they were in St Kilda' s heartland , they should have been  sporting Saints colours !

Whilst on the subject of the  Saints , Sam Gilbert was spotted , the day before ,  crossing Inkerman St , with a female companion in tow , near the site of the remodelled , Newmarket Hotel . Looking tanned and relaxed , following his AFL trip to Ireland for an afl display ,

In Saints home territory

is he now going into the pub game like many other afl footballers ?

Spotted a Collingwood Football Jumper , at my local PCYC Gym , Friday , 7.00am .Yes , a bit early to be sporting the sartorial elegance of the Magpies colours,  but hey if you've got it,  flaunt it . Muscled torso , young pecs , devil may care attitude , all topped of by the premiership winning , teams colours .The wearer seemed oblivious , to the envious stares , or were they annoyed looks , as he was wearing it,  at St Kilda PCYC , a stronghold of Saints fans !

The AFL , announced on Thursday,  the fixture for the 2011 Season , of Home and Away Matches . Most clubs , seem content  with the draw . The AFL , are trying innovative approaches,  with spreading more football over week night games ,

another Qld team joins the Competition

and taking afl , to more interstate venues . The new team Gold Coast Suns,  play their inaugural home game,  against Carlton ,  on Saturday night 2 April . 2011.

The 2011 season , runs from 24 March 2011 ,  to  1  October 2011.

The NAB Cup , precedes the Home and Away Season,  with matches scheduled,  for February 2011.

The unbelievable has happened,  with the  Collingwood Magpies versus St Kilda Saints , Grand Final match  , last weekend , resulting in a draw .

A rematch will be played on October 2nd , at the MCG , at 2.10 pm .

It is only the third grand final replay, in VFL/AFL history.

Both teams played valiantly but were denied an outright win. It wasn't the easy match , with Collingwood dominating, that most predicted .The Saints proved they are a force to be reckoned with , and almost snatched victory from the jaws of defeat .

Adding further drama to the day, was the flooding of both teams change rooms , with a sewerage leak from a broken pipe,  making the rooms inaccessible after the game .

Most spectators ,shocked and disbelieving at the final siren will be back next week , same time , same place , same combatants .

Fans will be there wearing their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys ,hoping for a result in favour of their team .

VAFA Saints Colours JumperVAFA Saints Colours JumperRoosters Jersey

Whilst the AFL stands to gain a huge financial windfall , from the rematch, there will need to be some hasty rescheduling of other sporting events , eg the VRC ,Turnbull Stakes Day, at Flemington racecourse , on 2nd October will probably be moved, to Sunday the 3rd October.

Luckily ,the NRL Grand Final between the St George Illawarra Dragons , and the Sydney Roosters begins at 5.00pm. It won't clash with the AFL Grand Final , which should be over by then . However the two minor NRL finals ,NSW Cup Grand Final , and the Toyota Cup (NYC) Grand Final,  scheduled to play at 12.00 pm and 2.00 pm respectively, will be on at the same time .

Sydney Roosters jersey

Its finally arrived , the AFL Grand Final .

Fans,  have slept out for 3 days at the MCG, so they can get one of the coveted MCC,  members seats.

The Grand Final Parade, through Melbourne City streets,  is done and dusted . Nick Maxwell,  the Collingwood Captain , wearing sunglasses, held the Cup aloft , with Saint Captain, Nick Riewoldt  .

Record numbers of fans, wearing their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys , were there to cheer their respective teams .

Supporters, roamed the streets of Melbourne last night, wearing the red , white and black of St Kilda , or the black and white , of Collingwood.

Houses , in suburban streets, are decorated in the colours .

Melbourne Town

Some loyalties are divided . If your team isn't playing do you support the unlucky Saints? Or do you put your voice behind, the mighty Magpie army?

Its a cool day in Melbourne , just a hint of sun. Perfect conditions for the Big Game .

AFL Football, has been plaqued with lots of headlines this year , dramas both on, and off the field . Injuries , rivalries , superhuman feats , notorious personal dramas , sacking of coaches , sex scandals, its all part of modern day footy .

Putting all this to one side ,today is the day , when fans everywhere, get to watch the greatest Match of all , between those judged the two great sides, in the competition.

Richmonds Home is the MCG

The Saints to wear the Clash Strip

St Kilda , in beating the Western Bulldogs , on Saturday night at the MCG , advanced to the Grand Final . They will play the Collingwood Magpies ,who were successful in their preliminary final match, on Friday , against the Geelong Cats .

Last night, the Bronlow Medal was awarded to Chris Judd , the Carlton Blues Captain .He is a second time winner , having last won it in 2004 , when playing for the West Coast Eagles.

Three questions were asked last night .

Is Gary Ablett moving to the Gold Coast Suns?

Will James Hird be the new coach of  the Essendon Bombers ?

Are the wedding preparations for the Twigley / Judd , Nuptials finished?

Judd was at West Coast in 2004

All remain unanswered and all parties complain off being asked the question too frequently ? Perhaps if they  answered , it would stop the speculation . In not answering are they using a clever marketing ploy to gain them even more media exposure ?

Melbourne is awash with Finals Fever ! Fans are dressed for the Game, in their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys ,and are adorning their homes , cars, family and pets with their teams colours .

Tickets to the match are sold out with all available seating being exhausted .

Many will watch the epic struggle between these two great clubs, both with a proud history . One has Finals success ,  one has a distinct lack of it .

Collingwood's Jumper

Will it finally be the turn of the underdog to win ? St Kilda has recent Grand Final experience  , Collingwood does not . Can one of the least successful clubs in the AFL Competition beat the strength of one of the most popular ?

Geelong Cats, rebounding from defeat , at the hands of the Saints, put an end to the Purple Haze , on Friday night. The westerners , ( Freo ) riding into town, fell at the hands of the easterners, at the shrine of AFL football , the MCG , in front of many imported fans .

Similiarily , the dogged Swans,  were ground down by the relentless Doggies, on saturday night at the " G .

Retro Footscray

Julia , and 40,000 barking doggies fans,  cheered their battle scarred warriors to victory .

Both the interstaters , were seen off by the Vics with a sniff of victory for  a local Flag , they have set tilt at the Holy Grail of the AFL , the 2010 Premiership Cup .

66' revisited for Saints ?

The big Cats take on the might of the Magpies,  on Friday night .

In a sense of deja vu " , the Saints battle it out with the Bulldogs , on Saturday night , at the MCG.

Both Games, promise much .

The AFL,  is delighted with this Finals Series,  which has provided much for fans , all wearing their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys,  willing their team to victory.

Geelong and Collingwood , worthy combatants in a do or die Final .

St Kilda and Western Bulldogs ( aka Footscray ), both teams plaqued with a lack of Finals success , are sentimental favourites in many hearts .

Who will succeed? There won't be a man left standing , nor a dry eye in the house,  on the conclusion of both games.

May the best teams win !

Can Collingwood win the ultimate prize ?

Must be Spring . The AFL Football Finals are on .

Last weekend was the start of the 2010 AFL Finals Series.

It was superlative entertainment , of the highest level .

This weekend promises further excitement, with the scheduled round of matches .

Quite apart from the physical , mental and verbal jousts , of the on field action, fans have been treated to sledging , between rival coaches , on and off the field.

Its raw , action packed , and emotive stuff that is not for the faint hearted . Many Saints fans can attest to this after last friday nights cliffhanger . Patrons were overheard being asked in a Balaclava coffee shop ( heart of St Kilda territory ) on Saturday morning " hows the ticker " ? The game was so close many sainters were in danger of having a heart attack before the final siren !

The old adage " Winners are grinners and losers can suit themselves " is most relevant .

Local fans , who have endured a long cold , wet Melbourne winter , floods , and election uncertainty , are poised to wrench every moment of enjoyment, from this final series.

Supporters everywhere , wearing their football jumpers, jersey's , guernsey's , say " bring it on " .

Are Collingwood Flag Favourites ?

The first AFL , Football Final , was held last night.

Appropriately , the curtain raiser, was a match between the two Grand Finalists , of last year . The two Victorian teams, St Kilda and Geelong , playing on a Friday night at the MCG in front of 63,000 parochial fans.

It was adrenalin fuelled , frenetically paced action from start to finish .

The rematch promised much , and the Game delivered . Blood flowed , umpires were maligned , fans roared , fowards missed set shots on goal, but the gritty Saints, ground out a heart stopping win .It was a brilliant spectacle.St Kilda ,avenging last years devastating loss, doggedly prevailed with a four point win, over the marauding Cats .

Fans , wearing their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys , were at the MCG .What started as a mild , dry night ended in torrential rain , with conditions both on and off the ground , becoming slippery and rain soaked .

High profile Saints fan , Eric Bana , was willing his team to win but so were many of the Saints faithful .

Whilst there are still games to play , many Saints fans ,  left the game with a spring in their step , a smile on their face, and a bit of hope in their heart .

Collingwood , flag favourites , play the skillful Western Bulldogs today at the MCG with a huge crowd expected .

Magpies Vs Doggies today

Julia Gillard , their number one ticket holder will be watching .Is her struggle for power , to be likened to the Bulldogs epicurean struggle , for victory over the Magpies ?

Its fast , its fun , its exciting . Who will be the ultimate victor ?

Finals footy is here at last,  and last nights match was a spectacular forerunner , of whats to come .

Can the Saints relive their 1966 Premiership Dream ?

With only three rounds left of the AFL 2010 Season , teams are playing for a place in the Finals .

Will the Sharks make the NRL Finals?

The top four teams , are assured of a Finals match.

The four teams below them , will jostle for a spot on the league ladder . The victors will secure a Finals Game.

Stellar performances, from all teams will occur , over the next few weeks .

All will give superhuman efforts .Some teams will make it to the finals ,some will not .

Collingwood , are posturing as a serious Grand Final threat. Geelong,  are hoping to secure another flag , St Kilda,  are again struggling valiantly towards the ultimate prize .

The Doggies, and Dockers appear to be finals players, with the Hawks , Demons , Swans , Blues and Kangaroos , the five teams , set to battle it out for a finals berth .

Whatever happens , fans will be there , in their football jumpers, jerseys, guernseys , to cheer their team.

Get ready for some heroic, grinding AFL football action .

Will Collingwood win the Flag?