Go Cats!!

An article that appeared in the Geelong Advertiser that featured Scott the Mawson Chef, an AFL aficionado who cleaned up first prize in the Mawson station as well as the Antarctic Division footy tipping competition at Hobart.
 

Geelong fan's chilling tale of devotion

Noel Murphy   |  September 24th, 2011

GREAT GRAB: Geelong supporter and Mawson Station chef Scott Bryce takes a mark over plumber Rodney McCulloch as electrician ``Muzza'' Murray comes in for a late tackle. Looking on are electrician Lisa O'Conner and carpenter Tim Kerr.

 PRELIMINARY finals used to be played at Arctic Park, out Waverley way, but today it's Antarctica where one of the Cats' most enthusiastic fans will be whooping, hollering ... and shivering.
And Mawson Station chef Scott Bryce says the West Coast Eagles don't have a snowflake's chance against the Cats.

The South Pole expeditioner the Cats' very own Scott of the Antarctic grabbed his Sherrin and donned his best, furriest, blue and white hoops before venturing into very crisp blue skies and white snow to encourage another Scott's charges to victory.

Looking resplendent in bespoke neck-to-knee and beanie, he apologised for not wearing a regulation Cats guernsey. "Just too cold down here for a sleeveless jumper minus 20 today. Thought I would manufacture a 'winter' uniform instead," he said.

That minus 20 was in fact minus 50 with the chill factor, while the wind was belting a tidy 40 knots.
Bryce has his work cut out following the Cats from the faraway frozen reaches but he's nothing if not dedicated.

"Following footy down here, well, it's not that easy but if you are keen you find a way," he said. "We can get games downloaded in Tassie then sent via satellite. "Unfortunately for me, I can't wait a day so I tend to stream radio in live over the net. Not great, I know, and I am certainly missing my regular live footy fix.
"Still, I manage to keep in pretty good touch with what is going on ... couldn't bear to think of a year without footy."

Bryce's home is in Brisbane but he hails from the Riverina and has been following the Cats since his university days in Canberra in the early '80s. Naturally, he's confident as to today's outcome. "I think we will win and comfortably at that," he said simply. "The Cats have been playing outstanding footy coming into the finals and I don't think West Coast hold any real surprises for us. "I feel that we have the better skills and pace to carry the ball out of defence. We have been great at this all year."

Giving credit where it's due, Bryce said West Coast rucks Dean Cox and Nick Naitanui were "hard to match up" but he he felt the Cats' midfield would counter that and dominate the centre regardless. Similarly, he said shutting down Shannon Hurn's ability to drive the Eagles forward from the backline would be key.

And not getting ahead of himself or anything, but he's confident about next week, too. No pretending to keep the lid on down south. "Chalk another one up for the Cats," Bryce said.