I first knew that this Grand final would be big when I went to Rebel Sport at Charlestown during the week hoping to purchase a Jets Jersey and Scarf - I was greeted by empty shelves- 'everything Jets has been sold out ' I was told 'you can't buy them any where in Newcastle'.
I was greeted by an amazing sight on Sunday morning at Energy Australia Stadium, thousands of Jets fans all dressed in gold queuing for 60 buses that were lined up ready for the two hour trip to Sydney. The trip itself was fine, suddenly the mood changed as we went past Gosford and sure enough the first car with a Mariners flag was spotted - 'boo, boo' everyone joined as one 'boo' they suddenly turned to cheers as a Jeep zoomed past with a large Jets flag 'Yeah'. This continued right up until we got to the harbour bridge, the massive and magnificent QE2 and Queen Victoria Ocean Cruisers were in the harbour suddenly the digital cameras were flashing and for a brief moment football was forgotten.
We disembarked and made our way to Fox Studio's -- I was amazed everyone one was a football fan you were either in Gold or Yellow, as the rival fans met out came the jibes 'Sasho is a girls name', '3-0' came the respond, 'Hows Centrelink', 'OK I will flash the toilet when I get home, just so you can have some water', It was amazing stuff - all good fun.
We ate and headed for the SFS, on the way we went past the Sydney Cricket Ground where Ponting and Symonds were building a partnership in the one day international against India - no one cared, we are football fans.
A large full stretch limo pulled up outside the ground, a crowd eagerly awaited to see who would get out - maybe the President of the Asian Football Federation or the Chairman of the FFA - Frank Lowy or some television star or muti millionaire: but in a comical scene four Jets supporters stepped out, having hired it from Newcastle.
Once inside the ground you could quickly see the crowd had been separated, Jets on one end Mariners on the other, after 37 years of attending club football games in Australia this was real football - football has finally really arrived --- football has come home.
A defining moment I believe was the unveiling of the large Jets banner that brought everyone from Newcastle standing and cheering just before the kick off. The Jets players caught a glimpse of it and straight from the kick off they dominated.
The Jets came out firing and the first chance of the game came in the 18th minute D'Apuzzo finds Thompson who in front of goal fires a shot that beats Vukovic but is just over the cross bar. A minute later Song's back heel the ball for Bridge who fires in a curling shot that is just wide of the up right.
The Mariners first chance falls to Kwasnik on 30 minutes he beats Song but fires his shot into the near post netting.
On 48 minutes a Kwasnik cross finds Aloisi at the back post his header from in front of goal is wide.
On 64 minutes Bridge swoops on Vidmar, Bridge now has control of the ball and makes for goal, Wilkinson is back peddling and Bridge breaks to his favourite right side and fires a shot from outside the penalty area that beats the out stretched arms of Vukovic, its 1-0 Jets and Bridge goes straight to the Mariners fans and mockingly holds his hand against his ear and listens to the deadly silence, the Jets fans are in paradise.
The goal sets up an exciting finish - Song is through on 77 minutes and passes to Hoffman who taps in, but its offside. Simon's shot is across the face of the goal and is just wide. With just 4 minutes to go Jets fans are cheering every clearance but Aloisi is claiming a penalty after tangling with D'Apuzzo.
The game ended in chaos, the Mariners claim a penalty as Holland handles an in-swinging corner, but Shield waves play on and Vukovic is sent off for slapping Shield on the hand. Shield moments later whistles for full time and the celebrations for the Jets fans begin.
So the Jets are Champions for 2008, the trip home saw crowds cheering each bus as they entered Newcastle - they were amazing scenes. The Newcastle Sports club and the adjacent Adamstown Oval hosted the return of the players who returned at 11.40pm it went till 1.00am as each player was introduced to the thousands of fans who welcomed the players back with the Championship Trophy.