Ever left a game early and regretted it?

[Old M8]

I went to the Essendon Vs Hawks game on Sunday, and noticed when the Hawks got to 16 points that some Essendon supporters around me got their bags and headed for the exits. I was imagining their faces when they were leaving when they hear the Bombers got up, and it got me thinking.

I tried to leave a Richmond VS Hawks game in 2002 as a 10 year old. The Tiges were down by 51 points at half time and I was nagging Dad to leave, he refused.

Greg Stafford then broke Peter Everitts jaw and the Tigers went on to win by 20 points. I was stoked dad didn't listen to me.

So, have any of you left a game early and regretted it?

 

[I am Jack]

I went to the Essendon Vs Hawks game on Sunday, and noticed when the Hawks got to 16 points that some Essendon supporters around me got their bags and headed for the exits. I was imagining their faces when they were leaving when they hear the Bombers got up, and it got me thinking.

I tried to leave a Richmond VS Hawks game in 2002 as a 10 year old. The Tiges were down by 51 points at half time and I was nagging Dad to leave, he refused.

Greg Stafford then broke Peter Everitts jaw and the Tigers went on to win by 20 points. I was stoked dad didn't listen to me.

So, have any of you left a game early and regretted it?

I'm stoked hearing Greg Stafford broke Peter Everitt's jaw.

 

[TedDougChris]

The famous Dogs v Richmond draw a few years back. Left with about 3 - 4 minutes to go and by the time we were outside Big Will was lining up to level the scores. Quite a few Dogs fans outside for some strange reason...

 

[blue harvest]

No, but I remember thousands of Bomber fans leaving with a few minutes to go in that Anzac Day game in the wet where Zaharakis kicked that goal.

 

[mike123]

I've never left a Collingwood game early. But a couple games in Canberra when its really cold or raining I've left.

Have I regretted it? No, if the game was interesting It would have been enough to make me stay.

 

[Exe Gesis]

I went to the Essendon Vs Hawks game on Sunday, and noticed when the Hawks got to 16 points that some Essendon supporters around me got their bags and headed for the exits. I was imagining their faces when they were leaving when they hear the Bombers got up, and it got me thinking.

I tried to leave a Richmond VS Hawks game in 2002 as a 10 year old. The Tiges were down by 51 points at half time and I was nagging Dad to leave, he refused.

Greg Stafford then broke Peter Everitts jaw and the Tigers went on to win by 20 points. I was stoked dad didn't listen to me.

So, have any of you left a game early and regretted it?

No

 

[NorthernLights]

Never left a North game early. If you leave any of your team's games early you're soft.

 

[Borderline]

Only times I've ever left a game early is Geelong vs Essendon on Friday Night at Etihad in 2012 where Geelong flogged them and my 6 year old cousin was falling asleep.

And West Coast vs Geelong at Subiaco in 2013, got there late at Quarter Time and Geelong were smashing them, it was raining and we left at 3 Quarter Time haha, worst game ever.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Never left a North game early. If you leave any of your team's games early you're soft.

Nope. There's plenty of reasons people leave games early.

 

[Engimal]

I left a North vs Hawks game early a fair few years ago. It was the last quarter, North weren't going to win and it had to have been below 0 degrees.

Didn't regret it.

 

[Marmozet]

Never left a Port game early, but have wanted to many times in the past.

 

[vast]

I once stayed to the end when essendon was 43 points up against Carlton then lost and regretted staying.

 

[Father Jack]

I was at the Brisbane-Carlton final a few years back with a dad and a couple of cousins (we were all neutrals), they left to get a train back to the Gold Coast at three quarter time (we'd spent a fair bit of the afternoon at the Chalk hotel) because the Blues had it in the bag, I stayed and watched the Lions mount a big comeback to pinch the game at the end, and then I scored a lift back to GC with someone I ran into that I knewm and managed to beat the other lot back for good measure.

 

[EDFL follower]

Different sport I know but what about the Liverpool fan who saved up all his dough to fly to Turkey for the 2005 Champions League final. With Liverpool down 3-0 at half time he cracked the sads and left and missed his clubs greatest ever victory. He does an interview about it on One Night in May.

 

[Rich]

1987 prelim.

The old man wanted to beat the traffic.

That Stafford/Everitt game was 2003 from memory.

 

[galindez]

Never left a North game early. If you leave any of your team's games early you're soft.

I don't go to the footy to demonstrate how hard I am. If it's a shit game there's a fair chance I'll leave early. No regrets

 

[Collingwood 4 eternity]

 

[krisholio14]

Nope. There's plenty of reasons people leave games early.

The only ones that count are when you leave when you've got the game wrapped up

Only twice have I had a dummy spit and left a game early and nearly lived to regret it.

One was an Ansett Cup semi against North in 97. I thought we were gawn after Carey kicked a couple of what I thought were sealers and the Roos were 15 points up with about three minutes left. Somehow we kicked three goals in two minutes and pinched it. Fortunately I managed to get back inside the ground just in time to see Ronnie Burns kick the winner.

I also stormed out of the infamous Riccardi game against Carlton, but this time I saw he'd marked it as I got out the gates, bolted back inside as the siren went, and got to the fence just in time to see him pop it thru.

I know the first one I was a bit testy, but really, 9 times out of 10 you don't win them.

The second one i left early because i was ready to kill someone. Those that are familiar with the game will know we were 6 goals up at 3Q time, and they hit the front after Matthew Lappin got a dodgy free for one of the most blatant dives I've ever seen. Still makes me want to break something every time I see it. Had the siren gone and Carlton had won, someone was going to get hurt. So discretion was the better part of valour at that point. All worked out just fine in the end tho

 

[hawker19]

Never regretted leaving a game early but can recall plenty from about 10 to 12 years ago where I definitely regretted staying to the end.

 

[good4footy]

Went to a Pies Freo game at the MCG. About round 5-6 and neither team had won a game. It was the coldest day in history Max of about 5 degrees and it lived up to expectations. Fog stopped you being able to see the other end of the ground and the wind made me wish I had dressed for the snow not the footy.

Lasted till half time with my Girlfriend ( now wife). So cold that despite what I thought would be our only win for the season went home, into a hot bath and listened to the 2nd half on the radio.

 

[Underarm]

Have been lucky that I haven't seen my club flogged in the last few years; so haven't had to leave early.

 

[Rusty Brookes]

I've only left a handful of times and haven't regretted a thing. I remember leaving the game where Richmond gave us a hiding. It was starting to pelt down, my five year old was tired, there was no way we were going to win. I would have regretted staying. Last time I left was at Metricon, when we were belting Gold Coast, again my son was losing the plot (in retrospect, flying up on the day and going to a night game was a mistake although we had a ball) and I still had to get back to the hotel. Felt fine with the four points secured.

Only time I've come close was I was heading for the exits at the Western Oval when I ran into a mate. We suddenly kicked 2 or 3 in no-time to be a point down. With a few seconds to go Darren Pritchard ran into an open goal after a brilliant handball from Jason Dunstall - and missed from the top of the goal square. Game was drawn.

 

[simba_]

i've only left ONE game early in my life and that was the loss to essendon last year at the oval.. but i didn't really want to leave i was just being kind to my girlfriend, she wasn't having fun, it was raining and she wanted to go home. i thought we'd get up in the last quarter like was happening every game. i felt i should have stayed though and also regretted singing along to the bombers song when they ran out!!

 

[Kram]

No, but I remember thousands of Bomber fans leaving with a few minutes to go in that Anzac Day game in the wet where Zaharakis kicked that goal.

That attention seeker ******* Joffa even put his gold jacket on late in that game before going on to lose

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

I never leave live games early unless we're being beaten by more than 5 goals into the final quarter, and that hasn't happened too much prior to this season. The upside of this is getting to the train/car before most of the masses leave the ground. I remember one game at Waverly, it took us over 2 hours to get out of the muddy carpark.