Tasmania Devils play their first home VFL playoff match in Australia
In North Hobart, Australia, Tasmania Devils fans gathered despite the rain for the VFL semi-final against the Essendon Bombers — the club’s first home game in the finals series. The Devils are playing their debut season, and a victory in this match would have secured the team a place in the VFL preliminary final.
According to ABC News Australia, Essendon went into the break with an eight-point lead, 57–49. Before the game, the Bombers had a run of seven consecutive wins. Essendon’s lineup included 18 players from the AFL list, including former Devils player Jackson Artemis.
Fans despite the rain
After the gates opened at North Hobart Oval, Devils fans wearing green clothing and raincoats hurried to take seats under cover. Lucy Edwards said the bad weather would not stop her from supporting the team and recalled the Devils’ victory in a rainy match earlier this year at York Park.
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Lee Edwards noted that reaching this stage of the tournament was already a significant achievement for a new team. According to ABC News Australia, Thomas Brown attended almost every Devils match during their debut season.
Fans of both teams
Among the predominantly green stands, there were also Essendon supporters in red and black. Manassa Walker from Wynyard said he expected a Bombers victory, although he also supports several Devils players from his town.
James Rogerson came to the game wearing a Devils jumper and a Bombers scarf, so, in his words, football would win regardless of the result. He called the home semi-final an outcome that exceeded expectations for a team that had spent only one pre-season together.
