WHILE well-known for our lake with beautiful Swans, Ballarat was more like a Cat city on Saturday afternoon as the team from down the Midland ran rampant in the AFL Grand Final.
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For the first time in three years people enjoyed the chance to gather in the pub or to fire up the barbecue for a backyard party without strict pandemic restrictions hampering the vibes.
Snake Valley's Jack Stevens was happy to venture to the Sporting Globe by himself to watch his beloved Geelong Cats pull apart Sydney Swans. Mr Stevens said it was a great chance to enjoy a big game in a crowd once more.
"It's nice to be going out again and watching the game - it's so much better than watching at home, you've just got that crowd atmosphere," Mr Stevens said.
He was feeling pretty confident at half-time when The Courier caught up with him but said you were never fully sure until the final siren sounded.
The pub also featured a football trip once more with Bayswater Strikers soccer players setting up camp in Ballarat for the weekend.
The Strikers were enjoying the chance to watch the game together somewhere regional, rallying about one Sydney Swans supporter in their mix.
Meanwhile, James Waterhouse enjoyed a father-daughter afternoon with Olivia watching the game at the pub on the big screen.
They did not barrack for either team but just wanted to watch a good game of football together - The Courier obviously chatted to them before the Cats really took over the game to stake victory in the second half.
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