WITH a shirt gracing Go Pies on one sleeve and fingernails each painted black and white there was no doubt where Lynne Porter’s heart was in the grand final clash.
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Aside from her colours, her surname was a big clue – she is the mother of Wangaratta’s two most experienced players, Judd and Daine Porter.
Mrs Porter, who brought a big cartoon magpie leftover from preparations for Wangaratta’s banner, had signatures from the club’s last premiership players on her shirt.
Asked before the game if she anticipated adding a few more autographs she said: “I’ve got the pen at the ready.”
After the siren, Mrs Porter said the seven-goal burst in the initial term by the Pies ensured she was not too edgy through the match.
“It’s just a fairytale to get that result,” she said.
“It was a bit hairy in the last quarter, but I felt pretty safe all day with the seven goals in the first quarter setting them up.”
Mrs Porter suspected before the match it would be her sons’ last match and she was more certain afterwards.
“I think we’ve just witnessed our boys’ last game, so to go out in style like that, it’s just a wonderful feeling,” she said.
The Porters were not the only family celebrating.
Mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, girlfriends, boyfriends, daughters and sons were enjoying their athletic offsider’s success.
At the netball, daughters Evie, 6, and Bella, 4, donned green and gold on their cheeks as they cheered mother Alana Wilson to victory in the B-grade final.
She was the wing defence in North Albury’s win over Lavington.
Husband Andrew Wilson, who plays football for Jindera, looked after one year-old Halle as his other daughters sat on the perimeter of the court.
“They love their netball,” he said.
The girls were far from alone in being among the under-7 demographic at Lavington Oval.
Little Stella McKane, 13 months, was toddling about with a guernsey that had her father’s surname and number on its back.
Her mother Chloe Young said Stella attended her first football clash at six weeks.
“Pretty much as soon as she came out, she was here,” Ms Young said.
“She’s one of the biggest supporters with dad’s jumper, they all know who she is at the club.”
And though Stella won’t be able to remember it, the occasion proved memorable for dad Dylan McKane who was part of the Wodonga Raiders premiership team that knocked off Yarrawonga in the reserve grade grand final.
On the media box side of the oval, Albury barracker Veronica Emerson was with a like-minded group behind a Go Tigers banner.
“We were there when we were down on the bottom of the ladder in 2001,” Mrs Emerson said.
“We come every week rain, hail or shine because we love the Tiges.
“They’re a great club, a real family club.”
But like big family events, grand finals are drama-filled and not everyone goes home happy.
It’s just a fairytale to get that result
- Lynne Porter, mother of Magpies Judd and Daine