1 October 2019

Canberra! It's time to #paintthetowngreen

| Lachlan Roberts
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Canberra Raiders fans.

Canberra Raiders fan will #paintthetowngreen this week. Photo: Supplied.

It is a well-known fact that Canberra is a green town.

We’re the bush capital. We’re on the verge of 100 per cent renewable energy. Personal use of cannabis is now legal. But most importantly, Canberra is home to the Green Machine.

In the buildup to the Canberra Raiders’ preliminary final against the South Sydney Rabbitohs at GIO Stadium on Friday night, everywhere you looked was green. Light rail stops, Telstra Tower, the Carillon, bridges and fountains all changed their colour.

People are wearing their Raiders jerseys to work, the special green undies are being worn all week, and some die-hard fans have dyed their hair. Even the RiotACT logo has gone green for the week in support of Canberra’s team.

Last week alone, Lindbeck’s Butchery sold more than 300 kilograms of their famous green sausages to Green Machine fans and is expecting that number to triple this week in the lead up to kickoff on Sunday. Green beer flowed on Friday night as Queanbeyan locals celebrated the Raiders return to the grand final at the Queanbeyan Hotel.

Since Friday night, Jerseys Megastore in Fyshwick has been inundated with Canberrans wanting to buy Canberra Raiders jerseys. Around 350 jerseys have been sold in the last three days. Manager James Condon said it was astounding to see the number of requests for Raiders jerseys.

“First thing this morning, I was trying to get a hold of some of our suppliers because we are so low on stock but even they are running out,” he said. “We are getting more jerseys in later on this week. It’s hard to get a hold of Raiders stuff at the moment but we are doing our best.

“We now know to stock up for next year when they make the grand final again.”

As Sunday gets closer, let’s #paintthetowngreen! How are you showing your support for the Raiders?

Canberra Raiders vs Sydney Roosters
2019 NRL Grand Final
7:30 pm, 6 October
ANZ Stadium
Watch the game live on Channel 9 or listen to it on ABC radio or Triple M.

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Jon Hardy from the Queanbeyan Blues telling me in Harry’s Gym in 1981 that his team had been admitted to the Sydney Premiership.

Spotting Grant Ellis as he lifted 100kg on the bench press.

“What You Get Is What You See” on the TV.

Hearing the car horns ring out as we won the 1989 Premiership.

Putting the VHS cassette into the VCR and recording the news bulletins reporting the 1989 victory.

The moment “The city without a soul” finally gained it.

I’ll be thinking of all that as I watch the game on Sunday.

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